Last week, I sat down with Nathaniel A. Turner and walked away thinking about something I didn’t expect: 

Not just his ideas—but the way he showed up as a father. 

The consistency. 

The intentionality. 

The way he used words—again and again—to shape how his son saw himself. 

It stayed with me. 

So this week, I’m talking to his son, Naeem Turner-Bandele. 

This isn’t a conversation about theory or frameworks. 

It’s about what it actually feels like to grow up with that kind of support… that kind of belief… that kind of steady voice in your life—and how that shapes identity, confidence, and the choices you make. 

We talk about the letters his father wrote to him over the course of his life, what they meant in real time (not just in hindsight), and how those words helped him navigate everything from living abroad to building his own career and creative work. 

And along the way, we get into something that I think a lot of us will feel: 

What happens when you didn’t grow up with that kind of voice—and how we begin to create it for ourselves. 

In this episode, we talk about: 

• Growing up with a parent who was both deeply intentional and consistently encouraging 
• What it felt like to receive letters from his father throughout his life—and how they shaped his identity 
• The difference between pressure and belief (and why those letters never felt like something he had to “live up to”) 
• The role of words in building confidence, purpose, and direction 
• How early encouragement influences creativity, writing, and career choices 
• Why children’s books can be a powerful form of encouragement and possibility 
• What it means to carry those lessons forward—and become that voice for others 

A conversation that pairs with this one: 

If you haven’t yet, go back and listen to last week’s episode with Nathaniel A. Turner. 

These two conversations speak to each other in a way that’s rare—and honestly, pretty powerful. 

Connect with Naeem: 

Naeem Turner-Bandele is an entrepreneur, author, and educator focused on helping young people see what’s possible for their lives. He is the co-creator of The Amazing World of STEM series and works at the intersection of energy, education, and storytelling. 

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