As people of diasporic origin, living authentically means delving deep into our cultural legacy burdens. At ’Rich Queer Aunties,’ we go beyond financial success...
If Your Spirituality Is Isolating You, It’s Not Working: A Critique of How We Practice Indigenous Spirituality
Spirituality should bring us closer to ourselves, to each other, and to the land. But too often, we see people leaving oppressive religious structures only to recreate the same hierarchies, dogma, and isolation in their spiritual journeys.
In this episode, we ask: Are we truly decolonizing our spirituality, or are we just replicating the same patterns with different language?
We explore:
✨ How indigenous wisdom offers pathways to healing beyond Western individualism
✨ The ways colonial trauma shapes modern spiritual practices
✨ Why relational accountability must be central to any spiritual path
✨ How to practice spirituality in a way that fosters community, connection, and liberation
Healing, unlearning, and reclaiming indigenous knowledge should not make us lonelier. It should deepen our relationships and bring us home to interdependence.
Ready to build community while doing this work?
🔹 Come join us at The Gathering (Oakland, Feb 15th) – A space to unlearn and reimagine intimacy outside of patriarchal structures. Tickets available now (4 tickets left)!
🔹 Ọganihu Collective – A community for creatives of diasporic origin building sustainable, interdependent businesses. If you’re a creator looking for ongoing support, join us.
🔹 Comment/rate/review the podcast – This helps a lot for visibility for a podcast hosted by two Black, Queer Women.
Follow Christabel and Kachi on Instagram for more offerings and a good time!
Love,
Christabel & Kachi; The Rich Queer Aunties
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42:41
Healing Beyond the Master’s Tools: Therapy, Queerness, and Rediscovering Indigenous Wisdom
Healing Beyond the Master’s Tools: Therapy, Queerness, and Rediscovering Indigenous Wisdom
In this deeply reflective episode, Christabel and Kachi dive into the layered complexities of healing as queer African immigrant women navigating Western therapeutic tools, cultural inheritance, and the longing for ancestral wisdom.
They explore questions like:
• Are the tools we’re using to heal truly liberating us?
• What happens when therapy and mindfulness no longer feel like enough?
• How do we reclaim indigenous healing practices that were disrupted by colonialism?
Through raw storytelling and vulnerable reflection, they unpack the ways queerness became a lens for healing, the heartbreak of systemic betrayal, and the deep longing to return to something ancient, something rooted.
This conversation is not just about personal healing, it’s about collective liberation, about challenging systems that ask us to stay small, silent, and stagnant.
If you’ve ever felt stuck on your healing journey, if you’ve questioned whether the tools available to you are truly serving your growth, this episode is for you.
Tune in, reflect, and let’s query deeper, together.
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you stream your favorite shows. Don’t forget to rate, review, and share, it helps so much! 💖
✨ Connect with us:
Follow on Instagram: @christabelmintahgalloway
Join the conversation on Substack: Rich Queer Aunties
Support the community on Patreon: Oganihu Collective
Till next time,
Christabel & Kachi.
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36:54
2024 Reflections: What we're leaving behind & what we're carrying forward
In this heartfelt end-of-year episode, Christabel and Kachi sit down to reflect on 2024, its challenges, triumphs, and transformative lessons. From navigating healing journeys and embracing authenticity to setting bold intentions for the year ahead, this conversation dives deep into vulnerability, creativity, and the power of showing up fully in our lives.
Join us as we share personal stories, honor growth, and explore what it means to let go of fear, lean into courage, and build a life rooted in authenticity and ease.
✨ What you'll hear in this episode:
Insights from Kachi's healing journey post-injury
Christabel's reflections on self-trust and slow growth
Honest discussions on letting go of societal expectations
Bold intentions for creativity, community, and connection in the year ahead
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you stream your favorite shows. Don’t forget to rate, review, and share, it helps so much! 💖
✨ Connect with us:
Follow on Instagram: @christabelmintahgalloway
Join the conversation on Substack: Rich Queer Aunties
Support the community on Patreon: Oganihu Collective
Let’s step boldly into the new year, together.
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29:52
Choosing Between an Anti-Black Country and a Homophobic One: Building a Youth Empowerment Center in Ghana
In this deeply personal episode of Rich Queer Aunties, we confront a difficult and often unspoken question: What do you choose when both anti-Blackness and homophobia are constant realities? As queer African women navigating these harsh truths, we share our stories of living between worlds - Christabel a nurse, and writer who immigrated to the U.S. from Ghana, and Kachi, a healer and Nigerian artist.
As two queer women, we’re in Ghana right now, facing the challenges head-on to build a youth empowerment and retreat center that offers safety, skill-building, and community for marginalized people. But it’s not just about us. This is for the youth who dream of a future where they don’t have to flee their homeland for opportunities. We’re here to create spaces for healing, skill-building, and intergenerational wisdom-sharing, even in the face of homophobic laws and cultural stigma.
Join us as we discuss:
The emotional journey of building in a place that is both home and hostile
Leveraging the privileges we have - like American passports and financial security - to uplift others
Why we believe mutual aid and community funding are the keys to liberation
The healing power of reconnecting to the land and culture while building safe spaces for others
But we can’t do it alone. This project is for the community, funded by the community. We’re 13% funded towards our $30,000 goal, and we need your help to keep going. If you’ve been moved by our work, please consider donating. 💛
How to Support Us:
Donate to our GoFundMe to help us reach our $30,000 goal: HERE.
Become a member of our Patreon community, Oganihu Collective, where we share exclusive content, behind-the-scenes updates, and offer private discussions: HERE
Connect with us on Substack for deep dives into topics we discuss on the podcast, updates on the project, and community conversations: HERE.
Follow us on Instagram for daily updates, stories, and behind-the-scenes moments from Ghana: @christabelmintahgalloway
Every bit of support matters, whether it’s $20 towards buying a bag of cement or simply sharing this episode with someone who cares about community building. Together, we can create a space where marginalized people can thrive, heal, and build a future rooted in empowerment.
If this episode resonated with you, please:
Rate and review our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.
Donate to our GoFundMe and help us reach the next milestone.
Join our private community on Patreon to deepen your connection with us and support ongoing projects.
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15:57
Dear Queer Babies, Your Healing Matters: Lessons from Our Stories
Show Notes:
In this episode of Rich Queer Aunties, we bring it all together - how our personal journeys of healing and self-discovery are deeply connected to yours. After sharing our own vulnerable stories in the last two episodes, today we reflect on what it all means for you, our dear queer babies, and why your healing matters.
Christabel and Kachi discuss the importance of storytelling in the healing process and how being open about our struggles can help others feel seen. We share lessons learned from our journeys - how healing isn’t linear, how being present with your emotions is crucial, and why your story, just like ours, carries weight.
In this episode, we explore:
The importance of seeing yourself in someone else’s story
Why your healing is essential to both you and the world around you
Navigating self-compassion and forgiveness through the messy process of growth
Practical steps for being present with your emotions and staying grounded
Why community matters, and how it helps you stay accountable on your healing journey
Understanding that it’s okay to struggle with the same issues, even after years of work
This episode is for anyone who feels like they’re navigating their own healing journey and wondering if it’s all worth it. It’s a reminder that your process matters - not just for you, but for those around you, and for the collective queer community.
Join us as we share our stories to remind you: your healing matters.
Listen now on:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Google Podcasts
Stitcher
Follow us on Instagram:@richqueeraunties
Join our Creative Community for Creatives of Diasporic Origin:
Oganihu Collective
Shop Our Merch Store:
Rich Queer Aunties Shop
Episode Chapters:
00:00 Welcome Back to Rich Queer Aunties
01:10 The Power of Sharing Vulnerable Stories
03:34 The Role of Storytellers in the Community
04:52 Advice for the Younger Self
06:46 Being Present and Mindful
09:49 Handling Emotions and Inner Critic
14:06 The Importance of Community and Mirroring
15:46 The Challenge of Long-Term Healing
24:31 Choosing Love and Sharing Wisdom
27:05 Closing Thoughts and Gratitude
As people of diasporic origin, living authentically means delving deep into our cultural legacy burdens. At ’Rich Queer Aunties,’ we go beyond financial success, embracing rich insights, truth, and authenticity.
Join me, Christabel, a nurse leader, writer, and African Auntie, as I share insights and practical resources such as self-care strategies, mindfulness practices, and deep cultural analysis. Drawing from my experiences overcoming a controlling religious and traditional African background to embracing life as an openly gay woman, I’ve gathered knowledge to help you live fully and authentically.
Each episode aims to help you uncover your subconscious narratives, prioritize your mental health, and nurture a meaningful community that truly reflects who you are. We’ll explore how merging our heritage of collectivism with individualism can lead to a peaceful state of interdependence.
Consider this podcast your sanctuary to redefine success, discover joy in the everyday, and reshape the narratives that have defined you.
Stay connected and deepen your journey by joining our community on Instagram: @christabelmintahgalloway and @richqueeraunties, or engage with our discussions on Substack at Boldly Authentic. Let’s explore what it means to live authentically together.
South Africa