Black Broads Abroad

What does it mean for a Black woman to truly leave? Not a vacation. Not a long weekend. But a full, intentional departure from the grind, the performance, and the burning plantation of a nation in freefall?This week, I sit down with my dear friend and one of the most important philosophical minds of our generation, Dr. Qrescent Mali Mason. A proud Spelmanite, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Haverford College, and former President of the International Simone de Beauvoir Society, Qrescent stands in a history-making trifecta of Black American feminist philosophers alongside Angela Davis and bell hooks herself, who personally passed the baton to her.During her sabbatical, Qrescent did what Black women rarely give themselves permission to do. She left. Mexico. Ghana. Jamaica. She moved through the world entirely on her own terms and came back changed. We talk about what that reclamation actually looked like, what she had to unlearn about productivity and performance, and why the sabbatical needs to extend far beyond the university into nonprofits, executive leadership, and every space where Black women are running on empty.We also go deep on the femicide epidemic, the 4B movement, Black women's exit planning from the Divided States, the polycrises reshaping how we survive and heal collectively, and the new book. And we talk about bell hooks, the love story she helped architect, and what true liberation actually looks like for a Black woman in the world today.This one is personal, urgent, and long overdue.Follow Black Broads Abroad:Website: blackbroadsabroad.comInstagram: @blackbroadsabroadFacebook: Black Broads AbroadConnect with Dr. Qrescent Mali Mason:Instagram: @waxingqrescent

In this episode of Black Broads Abroad, Phelena sits down with Sundari Malcolm—a holistic doula whose work spans birth, breathwork, yoga, grief, and death, and who is the founder of A Healing Doula Academy and author of Grief Gems. Originally from Brooklyn and raised in Harlem, Sundari’s life has been defined by profound transitions. After spending seven years as her mother’s caregiver and losing both of her parents within a four-year span, her career trajectory shifted entirely into helping others navigate life's biggest thresholds.But healing her own life required radical movement. Sundari converted a school bus into a tiny home to travel the U.S. during her first marriage, realized that life wasn't serving her, got a divorce, and packed her bags for Curaçao. It was during that critical year in the Caribbean that deep healing took place, setting the foundation for her next chapter: meeting her husband and relocating to Germany, where she has now been living for several years.Phelena and Sundari get completely real about what happens when you stop tolerating a country that forces you into survival mode, and how to build a life of true personal sovereignty abroad.In this episode, we dive into:The Curaçao Pitstop: Why spending almost a year in Curaçao was the non-negotiable space Sundari needed to heal after her divorce, connect with her lineage, and reset her life before ever moving across the Atlantic.Leaving the "Divided States": The moment the fog lifted and Sundari realized staying in America was about survival, not love, and why she has no intention of ever going back.The Reality of Germany: The unfiltered truth about the bureaucracy of moving to Germany, navigating life and dating as a Black woman from Harlem, and the literal six-hour train rides required just to get Black hair care overseas.Grief and Career Trajectory: How the devastating loss of both her parents directly informed her work as a doula, what people get completely wrong about grief, and how she navigates serving a primarily non-Black clientele in Europe.A Shared Room for Loss: Phelena shares her own profound experience of losing her father, creating a raw, powerful space where two Black women discuss what it means to become unwitting doulas for the people they love.Connect with Sundari Malcolm:Website: https://ahealingdoula.comInstagram: sundariblissBook: Grief Gems

The global landscape is shifting—and it’s time to talk about where we position ourselves next.In this powerful, unfiltered episode, we sit down with the brilliant Shani Moore, a career diplomat who has navigated the world through a massive global lens. Shani spent a staggering 23 years with the United Nations, including major assignments in Copenhagen, Denmark, and missions spanning from Tanzania and South Africa to Latin America.But as shifting political tides target global institutions and public sectors under the current administration, Shani’s time with the UN came to an unexpected close—placing her squarely within a stark national emergency. Today, an estimated 600,000 Black women have been economically sidelined in America. As the most educated demographic and fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S., Black women are finding their expertise strategically devalued in the federal and public sectors.Instead of looking at this crisis as a defeat, Shani and I dive into why this moment underscores a massive, strategic "Black Brain Drain" from America.In this episode, we unpack:The Reality of Global Diplomacy: What it truly looks like to spend over two decades navigating complex international systems, finding freedom outside of the "Divided States," and building real community with other Black women overseas.The Currency of Black Americana: How we are treated abroad vs. at home, and the unique peace of living outside the American pressure cooker—recalling the shifts felt from Obama’s first term to the present day.Leveraging a $1.6 Trillion Economy: Black America’s financial footprint is a global titan, on par with G20 nations and outpacing emerging economies. How do we pool that massive influence to pivot globally and protect our own intellectual property?A Radical New Playbook: We explore the institutional and legal viability of positioning Black Americans as modern-day Asylum Seekers through the United Nations and the International Criminal Court (ICC).Shani's journey is a masterclass in global positioning and resilience. Tune in for a raw, deeply necessary conversation on how we exit systems that no longer serve us, take our intellectual power across borders, and build a sustainable future on our own terms.Don't miss this masterclass in global autonomy. Hit subscribe, leave a review, and share this with a sister-friend who is ready to pivot.

What happens when you trade the American hustle for life in Portugal, only for reality to meet you across the Atlantic? In this episode, we sit down with tech entrepreneur Cinnamon McCann (@driven_spice) to demystify the realities of executing the "Exit" option. From navigating a major healthcare scare in Europe and learning to shed the "Strong Black Woman" cape to survive, to the economic realities of a 15% currency loss against the Euro, Cinnamon drops a heavy dose of due diligence.We cut through the polished aesthetic of travel influencers to discuss the unglamorous reality of foreign bureaucracy, municipal offices, and government websites. Plus, Cinnamon breaks down her framework for how Black women can protect their professional IP and leverage APIs to package their expertise for B2B and SME markets. If you are ready to put down the cape, stop bowing to false prophets, and pick up AI, this masterclass is for you.Connect with Cinnamon McCann:LinkedIn: Cinnamon AutomatesInstagram: @driven_spiceYouTube: Driven Spice

What does it look like to raise a child across the globe while building a creative empire? In this episode, we sit down with Davita McKelvey, a Denver, Colorado native turned global strategist and multi-hyphenate entrepreneur who is quite literally remapping the world for Black women.Davita is the visionary behind Black Travel Romances™, a massive 197-book fiction series that centers powerful Black women in love stories across every single country on the planet. A nomad at her core, she has traveled to over 100 countries and made the bold choice to raise her daughter across continents—navigating the transition from the colonial charm of Merida, Mexico to the bustling, metropolitan energy of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.In this episode, we dive into:The "Invisible Thread": Our shared history dating back to 2011, from a lost camera in Morocco to supporting each other through heavy seasons in Mexico.The Logistics of the Leap: How Davita navigated the reality of "adulting" abroad, from securing visas in Southeast Asia to balancing entrepreneurial risk with the need for stability as a single mother.Raising a Global Child: The courage of becoming a mother after 40 and deciding the "Divided States" wasn't the only option for her daughter's upbringing in Merida and KL.Romancing the World: Why she is on a mission to make Black women the norm in the romance genre and the reality of dating overseas as a single Black mother.Whether you are a veteran traveler or an aspiring nomad, Davita’s story is a masterclass in reframing global Black womanhood, one page and one country at a time.