Dr. Krystoff Kissoon learned the value in every religion having been raised in a Hindu/Muslim Home. His journey has taught him a lot about love and the importance of surrounding yourself with authentic and supportive friendships. We unpack so many topics including Leadership, Power, The Ego, Fake it til you make it Culture, and many more.  His podcast sums up Season 1 of The Index very nicely. 

Sam talks to us about the challenges she's working through with her mother in order to curtail the trauma to future generations. 

Julie is an IT professional by day but during her off time, she transitions into a "mermaid'. She spends a lot of time scuba diving the Caribbean Sea and has experience with shark dives and night diving. Her experiences underwater can teach us so much about courage and fearlessness. Julie encourages us to step out of our comfort zones to do those things we've always wanted to do. 

Edward Russell, Jr. (Smitty), talked with us about his mother's involvement in ensuring that he received the appropriate lessons from his father that would support him as he entered manhood,  though they were divorced and had separate homes.  Smitty encourages us to normalize saying "I Love You" to our loved ones more often.  He credits his mother's journey during her final moments as pivotal to the healing that took place with his family. Those moments among many others were influential in how he approached the next chapters of his life. Smitty is very involved in his community. Some of his work includes his outreach projects through his non-profit organization Brothas Raising Up His (Bruh).

DeAudra shares her journey to purpose where she details some of the experiences that led to her abrupt changes and abandonment of her career.  She is a survivor of domestic violence and a woman who experienced a divorce.  DeAudra now uses her platform to support others whose stories closely resemble hers.  She's also a matchmaker y'all. https://vimeo.com/734236512

From the President of a university to a soldier in the Coast Guard, Dr.C. has done it all. His story is one of trailblazing, He has created so many opportunities for others simply by creating opportunities for himself. His battle with ADD & ADHD created some challenges which seemingly limited the opportunities that were available to him. But through it all he preserved. Dr. C. wants you to know that if he can do it, so can you- reach higher.

Michelle shares her Mexican immigrant background with us, and how she grew up acting as an interpreter for her parents as they navigated the medical system.  We unpacked some of those moments when her mother was not provided with adequate care because of language and cultural barriers.  A recurring theme in her story was on dealing with rejection, bullying, and then getting to a place of self-acceptance.

Junior talks with us about growing up as an adopted child, and then moving on to the military and finding community within different religious and cultural groups of individuals during his service appointments. Junior credits these experiences for his respect and admiration for all religious groups.

Stella Okech, talks to us about finding community in Idaho as a refugee from Uganda. She credits her activism within her community to her own upbringing.  We had the opportunity to unpack issues like mental health and finding your home while away from home.  She does amazing work with storytelling about her community and culture both Infront and behind the lens. 

Sherrayn Phillip-Garcia engages us with a conversation about the importance of defining the self.  She shares the first healing moment of her lived experiences, rebelling against her late father, Mr. Edminston Phillip.