280: How to Live Free in a Dangerous World and Write a Decolonial Memoir with Shayla Lawson

Learn about black community building across geography & language, challenging the gender binary & decolonizing ourselves.

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ON THIS EPISODE

Shayla Lawson joins Matt for a wine night and starts off talking about growing up in Kentucky, becoming a poet, and documenting her travel experiences. Shayla talks about writing “How to Live Free in a Dangerous World: A Decolonial Memoir”. They reflect on the African Diaspora Renaissance in Lisbon, the impact of James Baldwin, and how to travel in a way that allows it to play a role in personal growth. Shayla then reflects on B/blackness globally, being in solidarity with other colonized people, and the Black community building beyond geography and language. They then talk about they/them pronouns, colonial enforcement of the gender binary, and the anti-LGBTQIA+ bills in Ghana and Uganda. Shayla also reflects on liberation and the importance of decolonizing ourselves. They then open up about living and writing with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and traveling as a disabled person. Finally, Shayla talks about their writing process and gives tips on how to turn your travel experiences into great writing.

→ Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here.

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FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU:

See my Top 10 Apps For Digital Nomads

See my Top 10 Books For Digital Nomads

See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual)

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See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use)

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