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Ossa CommunityPodcaster Interviews

Ossa Featured Podcaster: Omkari Williams, Host of Stepping Into Truth

Omkari Williams is a speaker, coach, and the host of the Stepping Into Truth: Conversations on Race, Gender, and Social Justice podcast. Her coaching service helps activists and artists identify – and stay committed to – their cause, which creates comprehensive societal progress.

One of our favorite resources that Omkari created is The Activist Archetype Quiz. This quick, free, fun quiz helps you identify your strengths and where you’re most needed in the social justice movement. Take it today!

Read on to learn more about Omkari Williams’ story, mission, and podcast. Listen to her show at the links below, and leave a review as well:

Apple Podcasts | Podbean | Spotify | Google Play


Name:

Omkari Williams

Podcast Name:

Stepping Into Truth: Conversations on Race, Gender, and Social Justice

Current hometown: 

Chicago, IL

Originally from: 

Manhattan, NY

What’s a quote or piece of advice that you try to live by? 

If you think you’re too small to make a difference you haven’t spent the night with a mosquito.

Your superpower: 

Gathering stories from people, both friends and strangers.

One thing on your bucket list:

To spend a month exploring Rwanda.

What was your first job?

Working in a library

Biggest Pet Peeve:

People in service jobs who don’t know how to treat clients and customers.

What inspired you to start your podcast? 

White supremacy is a toxic force in the world and if we can’t talk about that, about the ways it harms people and the planet, we won’t be able to dismantle it and replace it with justice and freedom.

Tell us more about your work/life outside of your podcast.

I was an actor for a long time. Then I transitioned into political consulting and coaching Fortune 500 execs. When I burned out on that I started coaching artists and activists which I still do.

omakri williams

What is your show’s USP?

I am a deep listener so the conversations that I have aren’t just a list of questions that people answer, though I always do come in with questions for my guests. We get personal and truthful and often funny.

What is one of the greatest challenges you have personally faced with your podcast?

Recently, I was doing an interview, the day before I went over all my notes, the questions I had prepped and my research as I always do. The next day as I was getting ready to connect with the interviewee I couldn’t find *any* of the material I had prepped. Some computer gremlin must have come in the night and eaten all that I’d done.

I had to wing the entire interview which was scary. But I did it and it was a great conversation. That said, I don’t want that to ever happen again!

What was one of your favorite episodes you’ve ever done? Why does it stand out?

I seriously can’t pick just one. My conversation with my dear friend Layla Saad stands out because:

a) we love each other so much and

b) Layla is a brilliant mind with a beautiful soul.

Then there’s also my conversation with Adrienne Maree Brown, another brilliant woman who has written the what I consider to be the bible of social justice activism, Emergent Strategy.

Talking with Adrienne sicks out because of the way she lifts up all of us. She doesn’t look at effective activism as a hierarchical structure but rather as one that empowers those most impacted and I love that.

What is one thing you have accomplished with your podcast thus far that you are most proud of? 

I’ve gotten people to see that even small actions matter. I hear from people that they are inspired to take action when before they felt that what they could do wouldn’t be enough.

omkari williams

What is one major milestone that you would like to accomplish through your podcast in the next year? 

I want to do more episodes. I do two a month right now and I’d like to increase that, but it’s more time consuming than one might imagine so I have to see if that’s really feasible.

What is one of the best pieces of podcast-related advice you’ve ever received & why?

Just keep going. Unless you are famous when you start it takes time to build an audience.

What is one of the worst pieces of podcast-related advice you have ever received & why?

I honestly haven’t gotten any bad advice, and I am so grateful for that!

What are some of your favorite women-hosted podcasts?

Layla Saad’s The Good Ancestor Podcast of course.

Is there a charity or cause you care about that you would like to share?

Black Lives Matter for reasons that are apparent. International Rescue Committee (IRC) also – they care for refugees around the world. That situation is as dire now as it’s ever been in my lifetime, if not ever in human history. Attending to those fleeing war and hunger feels like the bare minimum our humanity requires of us.

How do you feel you’re making a positive impact and generating change through your podcast? 

My goal is to inspire people to make activism a part of their lives on a regular basis. Not just financial contributions, though those are great of course, but putting actual skin in the game by taking an action. Even a tiny action to advance the cause of freedom for all people builds that muscle and makes a difference. Remember the quote that I live by.

Stay connected with Omkari:
Instagram | Email

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