This week our Women’s Herstory Month series takes us back to Kenya--to a place called Area Nyaga. Our guide is futurist, artist, and creative synthesist reimagining African futures, San’aa Njeeri. Distilling over a decade of global interdisciplinary practice, she positions art as a tool for education, translating complex ideas into accessible experiences that advance African storytelling while progressing digital ecosystems and financial literacy within the context of emerging technologies.

Through Area Nyaga, her world building framework informed by the Maasci Return saga and her seminal MaaSci series, she situates Indigenous African identities within expansive futuristic landscapes through her signature visual language, A.EYE (African Eye). Working across speculative art, immersive environments, and narrative design, she develops cultural and digital infrastructures that expand how futures can be imagined, understood, and built.

Her work is guided by a defining inquiry: What becomes possible when cultural heritage informs the futures we shape and the narratives we carry forward? In this conversation we explore this question and find ourselves in depth with San’aa getting to know more about how from childhood, her Kenya has grounded the mission and vision that focus her world, and at times, interstellar view.

Where to find San’aa?
On LinkedIn
In Instagram
On Substack

What’s San’aa watching?
After Skool

Other topics of interest:
Baraza Media Lab
San People of Southern Africa
About Murang'a, Kenya
Kiambu County
Where is Kirinyaga?
Mount Kenya and Batian Peak
Other Futures Festival
Who is Blinky Bill?
Black Rhino Studios
Old Town Lamu
About my broadcast debut on the Super Six School News

Special Guest: San'aa Njeeri.

This week’s conversation dovetails themes that have become very present in my perspectives in the past year. Our conversation takes place in one of my locals, which happens to be a new-ish local for my guest--Brooklyn, New York. My guest, Ambassador Martin Kimani is a native of a soon-to-be local for me--Kenya. And we are both decidedly on a #PanAfricaProgress mission. Getting to this point, Ambassabor Kimani has spent his career operating at the intersection of diplomacy, security, and political legitimacy, working across national, regional, and multilateral systems to resolve conflict, build institutions, and negotiate power.

As Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the UN, he served as president of the Security Council and the Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA, and UNOPS. His Security Council address of February 2022, delivered on the eve of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and viewed by millions, affirmed a core element of his leadership: the ability to bring moral clarity and strategic grounding to moments of international rupture. Earlier, in his career, he directed Kenya’s National Counter Terrorism Centre and served as the President’s Special Envoy for Countering Violent Extremism advising three presidents through national and regional crises, from emergency evacuations to constitutional brinkmanship.

This year he stepped into a new role as President and CEO of The Africa Center in New York marking a new phase in his work where diplomacy, strategy, and narrative converge. At the same time his Pan-African portfolio, alongside his continued engagement with the United Nations, positions him as the current President of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent.

Where to find Martin?
On LinkedIn
On Instagram

What’s Martin reading?
A Wreath for Udomo by Peter Abrahams

Other topics of interest:
About Mombasa, Kenya
Nyeri, Kenya
Kiambu, Kenya
About the Kikuyu People
Ambassador Kimani’s Security Council Speech
The First Pan-African Congress in London
The Fifth Pan-African Congress in Manchester
Who was George Padmore?
Necropolitics by Achille Mbembe
African Nationalism

Special Guest: Martin Kimani.

Well, kind of…this conversation was recorded last weekend from Nairobi on the eve of Father’s Day and a day after the opening of my guest, Michael Soi’s current group exhibition, The Print Press, an exhibit of woodcut prints by various Nairobi based artist at the Alliance Française de Nairobi 13th - 29th of June. I met Michael in his studio at The Go Down Art Centre when I first visited Kenya in February and after an inspired conversation I wanted to be sure to share his story here. As you’ll hear, he has been working in Nairobi since 1995 after completion of his fine art and art history studies. His distinctive work is inspired by contemporary life in Nairobi providing a photographic diary of Nairobi. It is also a satirical commentary of social, economic and political trends. His work explores relationships – intergenerational, interracial or generally what he calls the economics of love, commercial sex work and popular culture within the context of globalization and consumerism. A wonderful aspect of Michael’s visual storytelling craft is that he’s figured out the hacks that make his art accessible on many levels from the curious observer to the serious collector. Listen and learn more!

Where to find Michael?
On Artsy
On Instagram
On Facebook

What’s Michael watching?
About Planetary Parades or Syzygy

Other topics of interest:
About Machakos, Kenya
About Ancent Soi and the 1972 Munich Olympics
About the Kuona Trust Residencies
National Museums of Kenya
About Kenya’s second President Daniel arap Moi

Special Guest: Michael Soi.

This week is the final installment in our collaboration with Bisi Bright’s Livewell Initiative and the Women of Africa Post-Pandemic Empowerment and Advocacy Programme with support from Gilead Sciences USA. In a fitting conclusion, Aggrey Aluso, the Director, Africa Region and global policy lead for the Pandemic Action Network, driving strategic advocacy efforts in Africa and globally joins the conversation. Born, raised and currently based in Kenya, Aggrey also serves as the incoming Executive Director of Resilience Action Network Africa (RANA), PAN’s networked advocacy partner, where he is mobilizing advocates to champion an Africa-centric, globally-facing resilience agenda.

He brings over 15 years of experience in advancing intersectional justice, using citizen-led, rights-based approaches in Africa. Previously, he served as an Open Society Initiative for Eastern Africa’s (OSIEA) Health and Rights program senior manager. He also coordinated the Open Society Africa (Pan Africa) Vaccine Justice to advance Africa’s vaccine-related research, development, and manufacturing. He served as the University of Manitoba’s Global Institute for Public Health’s East African Policy and Advocacy Manager.

Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic, Aggrey offers excellent insights into the current M-pox crisis as well as a thoughtful discussion on the global policy landscape around elevating health as a human right for all.
All are invited to join this week’s program on Thursday, October 31st at 1PM WAT using this link

Where to find Aggrey?
On LinkedIn
On [Instragram](linnk https://www.instagram.com/aggreyaluso/)
On Facebook
On X

What’s Aggrey reading?
As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
21 Lessons for the 21st Century and other books by Yuval Noah Harari

Whats Aggrey watching?
The Lincoln Lawyer
New Amsterdam

Other topics of interest:
Nyanza, Kenya
More on Mpox and zoonotic diseases
UN Summit of the Future
The Global Fund
Kenya Finance Bill Protests
About Wangari Maathai
About the [Mpox Joint Action Plan](https://www.afro.who.int/news/african-cdc-and-who-launch-joint-continental-plan-scale-mpox-outbreak-response#:~:text=Priority%20actions%20are%20outlined%20for,comprising%20members%20from%20key%20partners.&text=About%20Africa%20CDC-,The%20Africa%20Centres%20for%20Disease%20Control%20and%20Prevention%20(Africa%20CDC,prevention%20and%20control%20of%20diseases.)
The Man Died Film

Special Guests: Adebisi Bright and Aggrey Aluso.

This week we're back in East Africa in conversation with Kenyan, Farhan Guled, coming to you in two parts. Farhan takes us with him from his native homeland to Europe and back to East Africa where he is currently Executive Director of Salaam Bank Limited in Kampala, Uganda; he has been instrumental is building the bank's start-up operation in the country. Born and raised in Kenya he began his entreprenuearship journey as founder of Maisha Fitness Center in Nairobi. Wearing many professional hats, Farhan is a "Multipotentialite Creative Thinker" offering an off the shelf business growth consultancy. As a visionary strategist, he helps businesses with the right intuitive and informative strategies that guarantee transformational growth. In his service endeavors, he is a board member of The Young Leaders of Finance (Le Club des Jeunes Dirigeants Financiers), which gathers young and mid-level professionals with various backgrounds who work with or within the financial sector taken in the broad sense. Some highlights of our conversation are Farhan's in depth tutorial on the links between Islamic finance and sustainable development goals as well as his delight with the sites and sounds of Uganda. Like me, I think you'll be ready to book your visit straight away!

Where to find Farhan?
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On X

What’s Farhan Reading?
Burn the Boats: Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential by Matt Higgins

Other topics of interest:
On Islamic Banking and Finance
Salaam African Bank
Jinja, Uganda
Fort Portal, Uganda and traditions of the Tooro Kingdom
Kabale, Uganda: City of Peace
About Merck HQ Germany
Afrika Kommt

Special Guest: Farhan Guled.

This week we're back in East Africa in conversation with Kenyan, Farhan Guled, coming to you in two parts. Farhan takes us with him from his native homeland to Europe and back to East Africa where he is currently Executive Director of Salaam Bank Limited in Kampala, Uganda; he has been instrumental is building the bank's start-up operation in the country. Born and raised in Kenya he began his entreprenuearship journey as founder of Maisha Fitness Center in Nairobi. Wearing many professional hats, Farhan is a "Multipotentialite Creative Thinker" offering an off the shelf business growth consultancy. As a visionary strategist, he helps businesses with the right intuitive and informative strategies that guarantee transformational growth. In his service endeavors, he is a board member of The Young Leaders of Finance (Le Club des Jeunes Dirigeants Financiers), which gathers young and mid-level professionals with various backgrounds who work with or within the financial sector taken in the broad sense. Some highlights of our conversation are Farhan's in depth tutorial on the links between Islamic finance and sustainable development goals as well as his delight with the sites and sounds of Uganda. Like me, I think you'll be ready to book your visit straight away!

Where to find Farhan?
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On X

What’s Farhan Reading?
Burn the Boats: Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential by Matt Higgins

Other topics of interest:
On Islamic Banking and Finance
Salaam African Bank
Jinja, Uganda
Fort Portal, Uganda and traditions of the Tooro Kingdom
Kabale, Uganda: City of Peace
About Merck HQ Germany
Afrika Kommt

Special Guest: Farhan Guled.

My guest this week, comes to us via fellow Glocal Citizen, Yana Fleming. Like Yana, Emilly Okello-Juma is a seasoned communications and program management professional. Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, Emilly’s work has taken her to points near and far across around the world. She has 13 years of experience working in communications roles including on-continent support across all regions in Africa on projects funded by international actors such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, Feed the Future and Prosper Africa. She has demonstrated experience in development communications, including report writing, branding, client and stakeholder relationships, visibility growth, policy engagement, and prodding action towards key outcomes for beneficiaries. Emilly has also served as board member in charge of Communications at SlumChild Foundation.
This week’s conversation is a great compliment or prelude to upcoming episodes featuring conversations from our second The Future of Work Solutionscape and Stretch Salon that took place last weekend in London which centered on agriculture. Curious about what these sessions are about? Check out scenes from our May Day Salon in Brooklyn, New York and stay tuned for opportunities to engage with the Glocal Citizens community worldwide.

Where to find Emily?
On LinkedIn

What’s Emilly listening to?
Ginny Clarke’s Fifth Dimensional Leadership Podcast
The Moth Podcast
The LINK Cast

What’s Emilly reading?
Women Who Run with the Wolves by Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés

Other topics of interest:
Economic vs. Commercial Diplomacy
Prosper Africa
Vivo Fashion Group
The Nation Media Group
The Malabo Declaration
African Union Agenda 2063
Rwanda’s former Minister of Agriculture Gérardine Mukeshimana

Special Guest: Emilly Okello-Juma.

No passport required! Grab a snack, relax and let the sound be your transport.

Where to find Ronda?
Where to find Salim?
Where to find Nyamal?

Other topics of interest:
Seyi Akiwowo and Glitch
On Intersectionality
Glocal Citizen Asare Adjei
Barbados, the newest republic
Anatomy of the Conflict in Ethiopia
Asida
Genfo
Banku

Special Guests: Nyamal Tutdeal, Ronda Zelezny-Green, and Salim Rollins.

Blaze's career works have provided a platform for young and budding African artists to express themselves and connect with fans, documenting the emergence of an entertainment industry in Kenya. In his time as editor of PHAT! Magazine, Blaze interviewed numerous entertainers namely Suzanna Owiyo, Yvonne Chakachaka, Shaggy, Nameless, Redsan, Eric Wainaina, Bamboo, Alpha Blondy, the late Lucky Dube, Mandoza, Lebo Mathhhhosa and Brenda Fassie.

Blaze led campaigns through writing to have radio stations start playing Kenyan music instead of only playing international music changing the way radio looks at Kenyan music. Following his experience spearheading Safaricom's 2002 Star Search, in 2003 he led the first group of Kenyan artists to the KORA All African Music Awards in Johannesburg, South Africa. In 2004 he was involved in World Bank anti-piracy project Action for Music and through working with WAPI, Blaze designed and managed a global artists movement for British Council called WAPI which had reach in Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda and Malawi. Through WAPI, Blaze has inspired the careers of many artists such as Sauti Sol, Big Mic, Point Blank, Muthoni the Drummer Queen and Liz Ogumbo.

Blaze was truly a treat to host. This talented forward thinker is the stuff that African music industry legend is made of! Enjoy!

Where to find Blaze:
On Linkedin
On Instagram
On Facebook
On Twitter
On YouTube

What's Blaze listening to?
Thomas Sankara

Other topics of interest:
Blaze's "Where" - Killimani
Blaze's TED Talk
PHAT! Magazine

Artists of interest:
Nameless
Khaligraph Jones
K South
Sarkodie
Jojo Abot
Burna Boy
Efya
Wanlov the Kubolor

Special Guest: Moses "Buddha Blaze" Mbasu.

Where to find Troy?
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On Twitter
On Facebook

What's Troy watching?
Money Heist

Who is Troy listening to?
Blinky Bill
Michael Kiwanuka

Other topics of interest:
FAM Basketball
FAM on IG
M-Pesa
Java Kenya
Howard University

Special Guest: Troy White.

Where to find Troy?
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On Twitter
On Facebook

What's Troy watching?
Money Heist

Who is Troy listening to?
Blinky Bill
Michael Kiwanuka

Other topics of interest:
FAM Basketball
FAM on IG
M-Pesa
Java Kenya
Howard University

Special Guest: Troy White.

We’re getting mindful this week on the podcast. I'm with the Co-Director of Synergy Yoga in Nairobi, Salim Rollins. Salim is a White Plains, New York native that calls Nairobi, Kenya home.

Salim has maintained a dedicated hatha/vinyasa yoga practice since 2000 and was certified as an instructor through Yoga Alliance in 2007. He has studied under the mentorship of several master teachers including Jhon Tamayo (New York), Ullas Kumar (Kerala, India), and Sudhesh Chandra (Mysore, India). Through his company Soul Flow, Salim has organized numerous wellness retreats, workshops and festivals throughout Kenya. Additionally, Salim has conducted extensive research on yoga philosophy with scholars, yogis and saddhus throughout India. Salim is also a Contra-Mestre of the Afro-Brazilian martial art, Capoeira Angola. He runs a capoeira program for marginalized youth in Kibera slum, Kenya and Luanda, Angola.

Where to find Salim?

• Synergy Sunday Sangha weekly at 1pm EST
• Synergy Yoga Africa
• Capoeira Angola Center Kibera
• On Facebook
• On LinkedIn
• On Instagram

What’s Salim listening to?

• Tank and the Bangas
• Fela Kuti
• Native Tongues
• Black Star
• Muddy Waters
• Sonny Boy Williamson

Other topics of interest—

• Africa Yoga Project
• Kibera Social Arts
• Lamu Yoga Festival
• Slum Dance Africa

Special Guest: Salim Rollins.