Awf The Record

• Burnout, Brand Deals & Building Life After News

  This episode flips the script… literally.In a candid, behind-the-scenes Q&A, Jeannette and Mona sit down with their podcast producer to answer the questions they don’t usually get asked on air. From the burnout that led to leaving legacy media to how they really feel about brand deals, content creation, and modern relationships, nothing’s off limits.If you’ve ever wondered how two former news anchors rebuilt their lives and brands in real time while navigating love, money, pressure, and purpose, this one’s for you.🎧 Inside this episode:The mental shift from journalism to content creationBurnout, boundaries, and building a new life from scratchThe truth about brand deals and walking away from the wrong onesWhy “If he wanted to, he would” needs nuanceWhat REAL support looks like in marriagesCreating with integrity in a content-obsessed worldKEY POINTS- From breaking news to breaking norms- Content creation as a corpo strategy - That moment when your partner actually gets it- Find a partner who lets you be seen, not sidelined- Money convos and negotiating like grown women- Social media pressure & highlight reel delusions- Joy is a choice and how to let it in - Why “what do you do now?” still stings - The future? Fluid, fearless, and full of possibilityQUOTES “You can be literally seen on TV and still feel invisible.” – Jeannette Reyes“I don’t waiver on my value. But I hate talking [about] money. Still working on that.” – Mona Kosar Abdi“I’m not trying to be the finished product—I’m trying to be fulfilled.” – Mona Kosar Abdi“I never believed I had to choose between ambition and love.” – Mona Kosar Abdi“News let me hide in plain sight. Content creation asked me to show up for real.” – Jeannette ReyesRESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG |  @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG |  @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

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• The Biggest Hair Myth, Texturism, and the Pressure to Be Perfect

  Celebrity hairstylist and salon owner Yene Damtew joins us to talk about the real work behind “good hair,” the pressures Black women face around beauty standards, and what it was really like doing Michelle Obama’s hair at the White House and beyond. From the rise of Instagram stylists to the myths around natural hair, Yene gets brutally honest about the hair industry, client relationships, and why the best stylists are educators first.💬 In this powerful and hilarious convo, we cover:- Her journey from neighborhood braider to celebrity stylist- Navigating hair trauma and salon PTSD- The truth about heat damage (and why “heat trained” is a scam)- Her most viral moment doing Michelle Obama’s hair- How Black women navigate “presentation pressure” at work- Her biggest career lessons from working with the First Lady🎯 Whether you’ve got natural curls or a silk press, this episode will challenge what you think you know about hair care — and why the stylist you choose matters more than you think.KEY POINTS: - Why Black hair is an identity, not just a style- Good hair is just healthy hair. Period!- Those baby hairs gotta do, darling- Michelle Obama’s viral moment? Yeah, Yene approved- Not every stylist is for you — and that’s okay- Flat iron vs. ceramic? The damage is real- Your hair is stressed because you are, too- Why textured hair needs its own standard of beauty- Are you also a victim of these common hair myths?- The First Lady treatment? It’s not what you thinkQUOTES “Healthy hair is good hair, whether it is looser, curl, tighter, curl, wavy, straight, anything in between.”  – Yene Damtew“My main thing is helping my clients really love and embrace whatever texture that they have and teach them how to maintain it and keep it healthy.” – Yene Damtew“More than anything, my passion is always teaching and creating an environment for women to come and feel good about themselves.” – Yene DamtewGUEST RESOURCES: Yene Damtew IG | @YeneDamtewRESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG |  @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG |  @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

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• Andrea Lewis on Life After Degrassi, Burnout, and Becoming a Boss

  You may know Andrea Lewis as Hazel from Degrassi — but that was just the beginning.In this powerful episode of Awf The Record, Andrea opens up about the transition from being one of the few Black girls on TV to becoming a writer, director, and multi-hyphenate creative building space for others to shine. From identity to independence, creative control to burnout, Andrea gets real about what it takes to grow up in front of the camera and then take ownership behind it.We talk about her production company, navigating typecasting, her honest feelings about Black girl representation in media, and how becoming a boss changed how she shows up in life and love.If you’re in your reinvention era, this episode is your reminder: you don’t have to stay where they found you.KEY POINTS- From toddler actor to landing Hazel on Degrassi- Living through Degrassi’s breakout moment and teen stardom- Why Canadian fame felt “chill” compared to Hollywood- Tackling taboo teen topics on screen (abortion, predators, and more)- Breaking out of the “Black best friend” typecast in Hollywood- The tough leap from teen roles to adult storytelling- Reflections on Drake’s rise and that iconic 2018 Degrassi reunion- Taking the reins to create layered, authentic Black storiesQUOTES“I love stories. And so whether that's being in front of the camera and playing a really great role or behind the camera. I love this business. I love how crazy it is. I love how hard it is. I love the whole thing.” – Andrea Lewis“Clarity is kindness. And I had a friend actually say that to me recently, and I am an advocate for really speaking how you feel.” – Andrea Lewis“I am a reflection of my friendship group, and they are creatives. They are they are the talent.” – Andrea LewisGUEST RESOURCESAndrea Lewis IG | @andrealewisRESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG |  @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG |  @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

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• Melyssa Ford: The Original Video Vixen on Fame, Fear, and Finding Herself

  “The line is drawn when you’re not in control of it. The ownership, agency, and empowerment factor comes from putting the price tag on your own image and likeness.” Melyssa Ford is stepping out of the image, the headlines, and the hype - and into her truth.In this powerful and unfiltered episode of Awf The Record, Melyssa opens up about what it really meant to be “the video vixen,” the trauma of being hyper-visible yet misunderstood, and the personal fallout of fame, objectification, and public perception.From the music industry to podcasting, she shares how grief, loneliness, and burnout led to a total identity reset, and how she’s finally reclaiming her story, her softness, and her voice.If you’ve ever felt consumed by what the world expected from you, this one’s for you.KEYPOINTS: 00:00 – The mental and emotional cost of visibility 03:12 – How grief & career burnout forced Melyssa to stop and reevaluate 06:40 – Why being “the baddest” came with a price 09:28 – The myth of the strong Black woman 13:09 – Rebuilding a new identity after fame 17:48 – Navigating sexualization and erasure in media 30:45 – Learning to ask for help and stop performing 36:29 – Healing in public — and still being misunderstood 41:00 – Softness, self-worth, and letting go of the personaQUOTES "If there's a time in which to make a whole bunch of mistakes and just, and, you know, and do them in front of everybody, it's your 20s, it's fine. That's the time to do. But I was always so reserved, and I was always so hypercritical of myself." – Melyssa Ford "I am a pro-aging advocate. That's privilege denied to many. Exactly. It is a privilege denied to many." – Melyssa Ford “Whatever you want to do as a woman, whatever makes you happy, as long as it doesn’t harm anybody else - go for it.” – Melyssa Ford GUEST RESOURCES Melyssa Ford IG | @melyssafordRESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG |  @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG |  @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

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• Ozempic Explained: Food Noise, Sex Drive, & Side Effects with Dr. Darien Sutton

  Is Ozempic a game-changer or just the next quick fix?In this episode of Awf The Record, Jeannette and Mona are joined by Dr. Darien Sutton, an ABC News medical correspondent and emergency room physician, for a deep dive into the complex, controversial world of GLP-1 medications, Ozempic, and the science (and stigma) behind obesity.They break down everything you’ve been hearing [and seeing] online – from food noise and body fat bias to BMI myths, celebrity culture, and what weight loss looks like for Black women.If you’ve ever judged someone for their weight, questioned your own, or wondered if Ozempic is “cheating”, this episode will give you the clarity that you needed. Join this group chat now.KEYPOINTS: -What GLP-1s [like Ozempic] actually do in the body- The real reason weight loss is harder for some people- Why BMI is outdated and biased, especially for Black women.- The difference between weight stigma and real health risks- How food noise affects your brain- Ozempic: a long-term solution or short-term fix?- How to talk about weight without shame or misinformation- What medical influencers are getting wrong on TikTok!- Why weight is NOT health, and health is NOT thin.QUOTES:“We never took a moment to reckon with fatphobia before we began treating obesity… and now we’re trying to do both at once.”“Food noise is real. And for some people, this medication is the first time their mind is quiet.”“Obesity is not a failure of willpower. It’s a chronic, complex condition;  and the way we talk about it needs to catch up.”“Just like you wouldn’t tell someone with high blood pressure to fix it without medication, we shouldn’t treat weight any differently.”RESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG |  @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG |  @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

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