Breaking Creative Boundaries With Chin-Yer

03/21/25 • 67 min

What happens when creativity meets community celebration? Our guest Chin-Yer embodies this powerful combination as a published poet, musician, radio host, and cultural curator in Baltimore.
Born in England to Jamaican Rastafarian parents and raised in New Jersey before settling in Baltimore, Miss Chin-Yer describes herself as an "alien" who has transformed that outsider perspective into artistic strength. Her childhood immersed in music—watching her father perform in his reggae band and growing up surrounded by vinyl records—shaped her deep connection between words and melody. When early childhood trauma left her unable to speak, singing became her first form of communication, revealing the healing power of artistic expression that would guide her life's work.
The conversation takes a fascinating turn when discussing creativity itself. "Writer's block does not exist," she declares with conviction. "What people suffer from is being too critical of what they put out." Her advice? Put "crumbs on the page"—even if it's nonsense—because like birds attracted to breadcrumbs, the muses will come once you've taken that first step. This practical wisdom demolishes the paralysis of perfectionism that prevents so many artists from creating.
Her most visible contributions to Baltimore include founding the Baltimore Crown Awards, now in its 19th year, which celebrates everyone from community activists to musicians, giving them "their flowers in the form of crowns while they're living." Through The Black Mall marketplace and her radio show on WEAA, she continues uplifting talent and spreading positivity, deliberately countering negative stereotypes about her city.
After exploring numerous spiritual traditions throughout her life, from Catholic schools to Buddhist monasteries, she arrived at a beautifully simple philosophy: "If God is love, that means love is God." This clarity mirrors her approach to creativity—finding the essential truth within complexity.
Ready to be inspired? Listen now and discover how putting "crumbs on the page" might be exactly what your creative practice needs. Don't forget to follow her on IG @chinyer & @baltimorecrownawards . Thanks for tuning in everyone!

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Duality in Life: Embracing Your Inner Self With Cassandra Hurley

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Dive into a transformative discussion about the complexities of human identity in our latest episode! Join us as we explore the concept of duality with renowned psychic medium and life coach, Cassandra Hurley. Through her journey, she unpacks the empowering benefits of embracing our alter egos—those parts of ourselves that can often bring forth strength and resilience in adversity.
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Join us on this journey of self-discovery, empowerment, and candor that urges you to embrace both light and darkness within yourself. Are you ready to uncover your innermost truths? Listen now, and let’s explore together! Please remember to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoyed the episode!

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Finding Freedom: A Journey Through Yoga, Dance, and Sound With Katriella

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Step into a world where the body becomes a canvas for healing, expression, and authentic connection with Katriella, a multifaceted artist who embodies the powerful intersection of yoga, music, dance, and sound therapy.
From her first yoga class at age seven to her current work as a sound healer creating intentional frequency therapy, Katriella shares the transformative wisdom she's gathered along her artistic journey. Her revelations about how our bodies physically store trauma offer a revolutionary perspective—"most of your traumas are stored in your body, not your mind"—explaining why movement practices can succeed where purely mental approaches don't get to the root of the issue.
Her personal testimony proves this principle. After struggling with health issues conventional medicine couldn't resolve, Katriella turned to somatic movement healing. Within a month, many of her health problems disappeared as movement reduced her stress levels, allowing her body to "rest, digest & repair" itself. Through her yoga teaching, sound healing work with collaborator Austin Litz, and expressive performance style that blends singing with dance, she demonstrates how artistic expression becomes a pathway to freedom.
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