Alabama Changed Something.

In this solo reflection, Taryell shares how visiting Alabama — walking through civil rights landmarks and standing in ancestral spaces — clarified the next chapter of RISE Urban Nation.

This episode explores:

• Why storytelling is not entertainment — it’s resistance
• How systems change when communities reclaim narrative power
• The cultural significance of aligning with the Lunar New Year
• The transition from the Year of the Snake (shedding) to the Year of the Fire Horse (bold forward movement)
• Why Season Five intentionally ended at the New Year
• The five-year anniversary evolution of RISE Urban Nation
• The launch of a new message for 2026: Our Stories Over hiStories

In a time when Black voices are being stripped from textbooks, monuments, and mainstream media, this episode reaffirms podcasting as modern-day griot work — oral tradition at scale.

🔥 What’s Coming in 2026

RISE Urban Nation will expand beyond interviews to help entrepreneurs and leaders:

1. Get featured on aligned podcasts that amplify their mission
2. Launch their own podcasts and control their narrative
3. Use media and storytelling to 10X brand visibility and impact
4. Learn from guest hosts and media experts who have scaled through podcasting

This isn’t just a podcast anymore.

It’s narrative infrastructure.

👕 Coming Soon

New 2026 apparel drop:

Our Stories Over hiStories

Because history is often told by those who won and far too often leaves out the real boots-on-the-ground stories.

We’re reclaiming the narrative.

🌅 Reflection Questions

1. What story of yours needs to be told before someone tells it for you?
2. What are you shedding as we close the Year of the Snake?
3. What bold movement are you stepping into during the Year of the Fire Horse?

🎙️ EPISODE CONTRIBUTORS

Host: Taryell Simmons

Podcast: RISE Urban Nation

Music: Will Maker

Production: RISE Urban Nation Media

Unite. Empower. Ignite.

Thank you for tuning into the RISE Urban Nation Podcast, where we go beyond conversation to fuel a movement of unity, empowerment, and transformation across the Black and Pan-African community. Each episode dives deep into the stories of entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers shaping culture, business, and legacy.

Hosted by Taryell Simmons, a leader in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, the show blends storytelling with strategy to help you amplify your voice, grow your brand, and lead with purpose.

✨ Inspiring Stories: Learn from influential Black and Pan-African leaders making an impact.
💡 Actionable Insights: Get practical tools to build, market, and monetize your mission.
🌍 Global Perspective: Connect with stories that celebrate the African diaspora.
🌟 Empowerment: Be inspired to turn challenges into opportunities and ideas into impact.

Don’t miss new episodes or updates—follow and subscribe today!
🔗 Website: RISEUrbanNation.com
📲 Instagram: @RiseUrbanNation
🎥 YouTube: Subscribe Here
🌐 Linktree: All Links

Together, let’s rise, empower, and ignite.

About This Episode

Recorded live at the Encanto Experience, this bonus episode captures a powerful conversation on equity, economic empowerment, and community-driven transformation. Host Taryell Simmons and co-host Zeke Corley of Same Business Different Day Podcast sit down with Shawn McClondon, founder of the Sister Cities Project, the nonprofit organization supporting the Encanto Experience.

Shawn shares how he pioneered formal partnerships between affluent and underserved communities, fostering cultural understanding and sustainable economic development. Through the Sister Cities Project ecosystem, he harmonizes workforce development, community connection, and business growth initiatives designed to uplift underserved communities of color.

He also discusses:

• The strategic vision behind (Eco)Hub, (Eco)Exchange, and (Eco)Agency
• Leading over 40 social justice, DEI, and racial equity discussions
• Building cross-sector partnerships throughout San Diego County and nationally
• Why equity must move from dialogue to structural transformation

This episode also celebrates the Encanto Experience as a culturally rooted professional development space where community, creativity, and commerce intersect.

Special thanks to Brooke Collins, the powerhouse organizer behind the Encanto Experience, and to Marathon Barbershop on Imperial Avenue for hosting this live recording in a space filled with art, culture, and legacy.

If you’re watching this episode on YouTube, take a moment to appreciate the artwork behind us. If you’re listening, we’ve included links below so you can experience Encanto next year.

Learn More

Sister Cities Project: HERE

Encanto Experience: HERE

Marathon Barbershop – Imperial Avenue

Episode Contributors

Host: Taryell Simmons

Co-Host: Zeke Corley (Same Business Different Day Podcast)

Guest: Shawn McClondon

Music: Will Maker

Production: RISE Urban Nation Media

Special Acknowledgment:

Brooke Collins – Encanto Experience Organizer

Marathon Barbershop – Venue Host

Unite. Empower. Ignite.

Thank you for tuning into the RISE Urban Nation Podcast, where we go beyond conversation to fuel a movement of unity, empowerment, and transformation across the Black and Pan-African community. Each episode dives deep into the stories of entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers shaping culture, business, and legacy.

Hosted by Taryell Simmons, a leader in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, the show blends storytelling with strategy to help you amplify your voice, grow your brand, and lead with purpose.

✨ Inspiring Stories: Learn from influential Black and Pan-African leaders making an impact.
💡 Actionable Insights: Get practical tools to build, market, and monetize your mission.
🌍 Global Perspective: Connect with stories that celebrate the African diaspora.
🌟 Empowerment: Be inspired to turn challenges into opportunities and ideas into impact.

Don’t miss new episodes or updates—follow and subscribe today!
🔗 Website: RISEUrbanNation.com
📲 Instagram: @RiseUrbanNation
🎥 YouTube: Subscribe Here
🌐 Linktree: All Links

Together, let’s rise, empower, and ignite.

Recorded live at the Encanto Experience inside Marathon Barbershop on Imperial Avenue, this bonus episode brings together culture, community, and corporate transformation. Taryell Simmons and Zeke Corley host a powerful conversation with Idara Ogunsaju about rebuilding confidence in women within enterprise systems and shifting organizational structures that silently erode leadership potential.

Idara, founder of The Antorge Group, explains how her Confidence Ecosystem Framework™ examines how structure, culture, and growth systems either sustain or diminish confidence over time. Through system-level transformation and change management expertise, her firm partners with enterprise leaders to eliminate systemic barriers, fuel sustainable advancement, and strengthen leadership pipelines.

This episode also explores the significance of the Encanto Experience as a culturally rooted professional development space that centers creators, community leaders, and changemakers. Special thanks to Brooke Collins for organizing Encanto and to Marathon Barbershop for hosting this live recording in a space rich with culture and art.

If you’re watching on YouTube, take a moment to notice the artwork behind us. If you’re listening, links to Encanto and The Antorge Group are included below so you can experience the movement next year.

• The Antorge Group: https://theantorgegroup.com
• Instagram: @anthorgegroup
• Encanto Experience: https://www.kpbs.org/events/2025/10/17/experience-encanto-two-day-art-stroll-and-artisan-market
• Marathon Barbershop – Imperial Avenue

Listen to Idara’s previous feature on RISE Urban Nation to hear more of her personal leadership journey.

• Host: Taryell Simmons
• Co-Host: Zeke Corley (Same Business Different Day Podcast)
• Guest: Idara Ogunsaju
• Music: Will Maker
• Production: RISE Urban Nation Media

Special Acknowledgment: Brooke Collins (Encanto Experience Organizer)

Venue Host: Marathon Barbershop, Imperial Avenue

Unite. Empower. Ignite.

Thank you for tuning into the RISE Urban Nation Podcast, where we go beyond conversation to fuel a movement of unity, empowerment, and transformation across the Black and Pan-African community. Each episode dives deep into the stories of entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers shaping culture, business, and legacy.

Hosted by Taryell Simmons, a leader in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, the show blends storytelling with strategy to help you amplify your voice, grow your brand, and lead with purpose.

✨ Inspiring Stories: Learn from influential Black and Pan-African leaders making an impact.
💡 Actionable Insights: Get practical tools to build, market, and monetize your mission.
🌍 Global Perspective: Connect with stories that celebrate the African diaspora.
🌟 Empowerment: Be inspired to turn challenges into opportunities and ideas into impact.

Don’t miss new episodes or updates—follow and subscribe today!
🔗 Website: RISEUrbanNation.com
📲 Instagram: @RiseUrbanNation
🎥 YouTube: Subscribe Here
🌐 Linktree: All Links

Together, let’s rise, empower, and ignite.

In this powerful episode of RISE Urban Nation Podcast, host Taryell Simmons sits down with Constance “Serenity Sage” English, founder of the UnYes Movement and Siblings United Visitations, to explore how she transformed foster care trauma into a faith-rooted national reform movement. Serenity shares her journey from being silenced and separated from siblings to becoming a bold advocate for family preservation, sibling restoration, and healing-centered systems change. Drawing on her lived experience, spiritual grounding, and visionary leadership, she introduces the UnYes Movement as a reversal of every harmful label placed on foster youth—a resounding YES to identity, belonging, faith, and justice. This conversation is a call to action for leaders, advocates, and changemakers to move beyond awareness into restoration, and to help build communities where children are seen, heard, and never alone again.

Links & Resources:

🌐 Website: https://unyes.org/

• https://suvisitations.org/

📱 Follow: @SerenitySage | @UnYesMovement

🎙️ Host: Taryell Simmons – RISE Urban Nation

Credits:

Host: Taryell Simmons

Guest: Constance “Serenity Sage” English

Music: Will Maker

Production: RISE Urban Nation Media

Unite. Empower. Ignite.

Thank you for tuning into the RISE Urban Nation Podcast, where we go beyond conversation to fuel a movement of unity, empowerment, and transformation across the Black and Pan-African community. Each episode dives deep into the stories of entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers shaping culture, business, and legacy.

Hosted by Taryell Simmons, a leader in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, the show blends storytelling with strategy to help you amplify your voice, grow your brand, and lead with purpose.

✨ Inspiring Stories: Learn from influential Black and Pan-African leaders making an impact.
💡 Actionable Insights: Get practical tools to build, market, and monetize your mission.
🌍 Global Perspective: Connect with stories that celebrate the African diaspora.
🌟 Empowerment: Be inspired to turn challenges into opportunities and ideas into impact.

Don’t miss new episodes or updates—follow and subscribe today!
🔗 Website: RISEUrbanNation.com
📲 Instagram: @RiseUrbanNation
🎥 YouTube: Subscribe Here
🌐 Linktree: All Links

Together, let’s rise, empower, and ignite.

In this inspiring episode of RISE Urban Nation, host Taryell Simmons sits down with Sharon D. Brown, LCSW — wellness educator, self-carepreneur, and founder of Self-Care U Academy. Sharon shares her journey from burnout to breakthrough and how she turned her pain into purpose by teaching others “the power of pause.” Learn practical strategies to transform stress into success, integrate self-care into your daily grind, and build wealthy habits that honor your health and hustle.

About Sharon:

Sharon D. Brown, LCSW is a self-care strategist, licensed mental health professional, and the

visionary founder of Self-Care You Academy. With over two decades in the mental health field,

Sharon now specializes in helping individuals, especially leaders and entrepreneurs sustain their

success while safeguarding their well-being. Her journey began with a personal

reckoning—realizing that self-care isn’t just a luxury but a vital foundation for leadership and

legacy.

Through her integrative approach, Sharon blends her signature wellness boosters, self-care

pillars, and mindset mastery to help high-achievers thrive under pressure and navigate burnout.

Whether creating transformative workshops or sharing her self-care strategies, Sharon’s

message is clear: when we heal individually, we elevate collectively.

She is dedicated to equipping others with the tools to turn stress into strength and align their

ambitions with holistic wellness. In her words, “Life begins when you breathe, move, and heal.”

Links & Resources:

• 🌐 Website: https://selfcareyouacademy.com
• 📱 Follow: Instagram | LinkedIn

Credits:

Host: Taryell Simmons

Guest: Sharon D. Brown, LCSW

Music: Will Maker

Production: RISE Urban Nation Media

Unite. Empower. Ignite.

Thank you for tuning into the RISE Urban Nation Podcast, where we go beyond conversation to fuel a movement of unity, empowerment, and transformation across the Black and Pan-African community. Each episode dives deep into the stories of entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers shaping culture, business, and legacy.

Hosted by Taryell Simmons, a leader in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, the show blends storytelling with strategy to help you amplify your voice, grow your brand, and lead with purpose.

✨ Inspiring Stories: Learn from influential Black and Pan-African leaders making an impact.
💡 Actionable Insights: Get practical tools to build, market, and monetize your mission.
🌍 Global Perspective: Connect with stories that celebrate the African diaspora.
🌟 Empowerment: Be inspired to turn challenges into opportunities and ideas into impact.

Don’t miss new episodes or updates—follow and subscribe today!
🔗 Website: RISEUrbanNation.com
📲 Instagram: @RiseUrbanNation
🎥 YouTube: Subscribe Here
🌐 Linktree: All Links

Together, let’s rise, empower, and ignite.

Meet Malcolm Ali a.k.a. Mr. Purchase Order

GovCon Expert, Entrepreneur, #1 best selling author, AI Alchemist and motivational speaker

Malcolm "Mr. Purchase Order" Ali is a nationally certified procurement expert, government contracting strategist, and business coach who helps minority-owned businesses win government contracts and scale with confidence. As the founder of ProcureForce, Inc., Malcolm has helped entrepreneurs secure millions in public sector contracts through targeted certifications, AI-powered tools, and step-by-step coaching.

Links & Resources:
🌐 Website: https://www.mrpurchaseorder.com
📘 Books: Big BIDness | TrapGPT
📱 Follow: Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

Credits:
Host: Taryell Simmons
Guest: Malcolm “Mr. Purchase Order” Ali
Music: Will Maker
Production: RISE Urban Nation

Unite. Empower. Ignite.

Thank you for tuning into the RISE Urban Nation Podcast, where we go beyond conversation to fuel a movement of unity, empowerment, and transformation across the Black and Pan-African community. Each episode dives deep into the stories of entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers shaping culture, business, and legacy.

Hosted by Taryell Simmons, a leader in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, the show blends storytelling with strategy to help you amplify your voice, grow your brand, and lead with purpose.

✨ Inspiring Stories: Learn from influential Black and Pan-African leaders making an impact.
💡 Actionable Insights: Get practical tools to build, market, and monetize your mission.
🌍 Global Perspective: Connect with stories that celebrate the African diaspora.
🌟 Empowerment: Be inspired to turn challenges into opportunities and ideas into impact.

Don’t miss new episodes or updates—follow and subscribe today!
🔗 Website: RISEUrbanNation.com
📲 Instagram: @RiseUrbanNation
🎥 YouTube: Subscribe Here
🌐 Linktree: All Links

Together, let’s rise, empower, and ignite.

In this episode, we sit down with Coach Anthony Cudjo—founder of Human Optimization 3.0 and host of the FitnessRx Show—to unpack the power of transforming your beliefs, optimizing your body and mind, and unlocking your divine intelligence. Tune in to hear how trauma became the foundation of his power and how you can reclaim yours.

SHORT BIO:

Founder and Head Coach at Human Optimization 3.0 (H3O), Anthony Cudjo (AKA “Coach Cudjo”), is the leading expert in performance by optimizing various aspects of life, including physical, mental, and emotional health. Boasting over three decades of experience in business consulting and executive coaching, he is widely recognized as the “Teacher of Teachers” and “Leader of Leaders” for his work empowering individuals and communities to reach their full potential by achieving harmony in spirit, mind, and body. Coach Cudjo is a graduate of Dale Carnegie and the Landmark Forum, and holds certifications as an Advanced NLP Practitioner, personal trainer, life coach, nutritionist, and metabolic specialist. A former professional athlete, he has also hosted the FitnessRX Show on ESPN radio, where he shared his expertise in health and wellness with a wide audience.

Connect With Anthony:

Website: https://urh3o.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-cudjo-a2928567/
• Facebook: Facebook.com/Humanoptimization3.0
• Instagram: Instagram.com/Humanoptimization3.0
• Youtube: Youtube.com/@Humanoptimization3.0

Credits:

Host: Taryell Simmons

Guest: Coach Anthony Cudjo

Music: Will Maker

Production: RISE Urban Nation

Unite. Empower. Ignite.

Thank you for tuning into the RISE Urban Nation Podcast, where we go beyond conversation to fuel a movement of unity, empowerment, and transformation across the Black and Pan-African community. Each episode dives deep into the stories of entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers shaping culture, business, and legacy.

Hosted by Taryell Simmons, a leader in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, the show blends storytelling with strategy to help you amplify your voice, grow your brand, and lead with purpose.

✨ Inspiring Stories: Learn from influential Black and Pan-African leaders making an impact.
💡 Actionable Insights: Get practical tools to build, market, and monetize your mission.
🌍 Global Perspective: Connect with stories that celebrate the African diaspora.
🌟 Empowerment: Be inspired to turn challenges into opportunities and ideas into impact.

Don’t miss new episodes or updates—follow and subscribe today!
🔗 Website: RISEUrbanNation.com
📲 Instagram: @RiseUrbanNation
🎥 YouTube: Subscribe Here
🌐 Linktree: All Links

Together, let’s rise, empower, and ignite.

About the Guest:

Lisa Ascolese, known as “The Inventress,” is the CEO and founder of Inventing A to Z, LLC, a full-service invention and product development company. As the sole owner of her business, Lisa helps inventors and entrepreneurs turn mental inventions into real, market-ready products — guiding ideas from a simple napkin sketch all the way to the marketplace.

With a belief that “when you think it and believe it, it can be done,” Lisa supports inventors through every phase of the process, including graphic design, engineering, prototyping, manufacturing, marketing, and licensing.

Lisa is also the founder of the nonprofit AOWIE — Association of Women Inventors and Entrepreneurs, which uplifts and supports women innovators. In addition, she launched Inventors Spotlight TV, a shopping network dedicated to showcasing innovative products, and hosts The Inventress Podcast, where she highlights inventors, entrepreneurs, and their journeys.

Episode Description:

What does it take to bring a product from concept to QVC? In this episode of the RISE Urban Nation Podcast, host Taryell Simmons sits down with Lisa Ascolese, The Inventress — a trailblazing product developer, author, and founder of Inventing A to Z. With over 25 years of experience helping entrepreneurs launch products seen on QVC, HSN, and major retailers, Lisa shares her journey, the challenges of scaling inventions into businesses, and practical advice for turning ideas into income. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, creative, or curious thinker, this episode will leave you inspired and ready to build.

Resources & Mentions:

• 🌐 Website: https://inventingatoz.com
• 📺 Inventors Spotlight TV: https://inventorsspotlighttv.com
• 📘 Book: The Inventress’s Guide to Inventing The Right Way
• 📧 Contact: lisa@inventingatoz.com

Credits:

Host: Taryell Simmons

Guest: Lisa Ascolese

Music: Will Maker

Production: RISE Urban Nation

Unite. Empower. Ignite.

Thank you for tuning into the RISE Urban Nation Podcast, where we go beyond conversation to fuel a movement of unity, empowerment, and transformation across the Black and Pan-African community. Each episode dives deep into the stories of entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers shaping culture, business, and legacy.

Hosted by Taryell Simmons, a leader in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, the show blends storytelling with strategy to help you amplify your voice, grow your brand, and lead with purpose.

✨ Inspiring Stories: Learn from influential Black and Pan-African leaders making an impact.
💡 Actionable Insights: Get practical tools to build, market, and monetize your mission.
🌍 Global Perspective: Connect with stories that celebrate the African diaspora.
🌟 Empowerment: Be inspired to turn challenges into opportunities and ideas into impact.

Don’t miss new episodes or updates—follow and subscribe today!
🔗 Website: RISEUrbanNation.com
📲 Instagram: @RiseUrbanNation
🎥 YouTube: Subscribe Here
🌐 Linktree: All Links

Together, let’s rise, empower, and ignite.