Grounding in Joy: Choosing Rest, Faith, and Radical Purpose with Anna DeShawn

What does it look like to stay in the fight — week after week, story after story — without losing yourself in the process? In this episode, Nicole sits down with Anna DeShawn, founder of E3 Radio and The Qube, and host of the Ambie Award-winning Queer News podcast, for a rich conversation about burnout, joy as a practice, faith as a foundation, and what it really means to build something that sustains you. Anna's journey from corporate burnout to full-time entrepreneur and queer media powerhouse is a case study in trusting the pivot — and in taking care of yourself first so you can keep advocating for your community.In this episode:How COVID pushed Anna from corporate burnout to full-time entrepreneurshipWhat it felt like to relearn how to work on her own termsThe sacred meditation corner in Anna's home that grounds her before every episode of Queer NewsWhy reporting the good news is just as important as bearing witness to the hard stuffThe difference between battles and wars — and why showing up matters even when you lose a roundAnna's deeply rooted faith background (Black Lutheran and Baptist — yes, both)Joy as a choice and a commitment — and why Anna quits the moment joy leavesThe new relaunch of The Qube: building the largest searchable database of Black and Brown podcasts, and why discoverability is an equity issueWhy podcasters are the storytellers and public record-keepers of our timeOrganizations you should support:Affinity Community Services — serving Black queer women on the South Side of Chicago for 30 years. affinitycommunityservices.orgSisters in Cinema — a nonprofit supporting Black women, girls, and gender-expansive media makers with free programming and a 35-seat brick-and-mortar theater on the South Side. sistersincinema.comP.S. Become part of the joy in Anna’s new community on Substack!CHAPTERS00:00 Introduction to Just Rest and Anna Deshawn02:45 Moment for a Deep Breath03:55 Burnout, Leaving Corporate American in COVID06:33 Redefining Work and Success09:34 Wellbeing in Entrepreneurship12:07 Authenticity in Podcast17:14 Staying Grounded Amidst the Bad News19:37 Seeing the Big Picture in Activism20:47 Faith and Identity in Activism26:33 The Intersection of Faith and Identity28:03 Faith and the Podcasting Journey30:51 Letting Go of Control in the Journey32:19 The Importance of Self-Care34:09 Finding Joy in Work39:01 Relaunching The Cube42:55 Creating Access in Podcasting44:51 Ways to Rest and Resist49:41 Dear Rest Rebels50:22 Highlighting Organizations Doing Good in the WorldCONNECT WITH ANNA DESHAWNWebsite:https://e3radio.fmSubstack:https://queernewspod.substack.comInstagram:https://instagram.com/annadeshawnFacebook: https://facebook.com/annadeshawnLinkedIn:https://linkedin.com/in/annadeshawnCONNECT WITH NICOLE HAVELKA:NewsletterLinkedInWork with NicoleThe Calm Calendar Club is a brain-friendly planning community for neurodivergent adults, ADHD minds, and sandwich-generation caregivers who are tired of systems that don’t fit real life. We help you build a flexible, values-based calendar that reduces chaos and protects your energy. This low-cost, community-based program is ready for you at defythetrend.com/calm-calendar. Thank you to the people who helped make this show happen.Send me a message via Speakpipe.A proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.