Malinda Williams on Her Evolution from Soul Food’s "Bird" to Tech Innovator: Teaching Herself HTML and Empowering Women Through the Arise and Shine Foundation

Are you feeling stuck in a wilderness season, unsure of your next move, or afraid to pivot? Whether you are navigating a career transition, facing financial uncertainty, or simply trying to rediscover your voice, this episode of No Boxes, Just Verses is the inspiration you need. We go beyond the resume to explore how to turn rock bottom into a launchpad for reinvention. Join us as we explore the incredible journey of a Hollywood icon who taught herself to code during a personal low point and emerged as a tech leader.Malinda Williams is an acclaimed actress, producer, and cultural icon whose work has profoundly shaped film and television. Best known for her breakthrough role as Tracy "Bird" Van Adams in Showtime’s groundbreaking series Soul Food, she has also starred in hits like The Wood, Idlewild, and Daddy’s Little Girls. Beyond Hollywood, Malinda is a tech visionary who taught herself to code and founded the Arise and Shine Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to wellness, empowerment, and creative entrepreneurship for underserved communities.Key Takeaways:Embrace the Wilderness Season: Malinda opens up about her time in the wilderness—a period of financial struggle and personal difficulty. She shares how she reframed this time not as a setback, but as a period of accelerated growth where she learned that if you want to see something different, you have to be something different.The Power of Self-Taught Reinvention: Discover the incredible story of how Malinda, facing a changing industry and personal debt, picked up a book called HTML for Dummies and taught herself to code. Learn how being an autodidact (self-taught learner) allowed her to pivot from acting to building websites and eventually launching a tech non-profit.Trust Your Intuition and Go: From moving to Los Angeles with only two weeks' notice to accepting the role of Bird in Soul Food after initially declining it three times, Malinda discusses the importance of listening to divine downloads and being radically obedient when your spirit says "go".Drop the "Bag Lady" Mentality: Inspired by Erykah Badu’s "Bag Lady," Malinda explains why you must let go of past hurts and grudges. She teaches that carrying emotional baggage slows you down, causing you to miss your bus—and your blessings.Know Your Worth in Negotiations: Hear the powerful story of how Malinda negotiated a salary double what she expected by leaning on her faith and learning to believe for more, even when the initial offer was a lowball.Are you ready to drop your bags and code your own future? This episode is a masterclass in resilience and faith. If you were moved by Malinda’s story, consider supporting her mission to bring tech education to women and HBCUs by donating to the Arise and Shine Foundation at asforwomen.org Don't forget to subscribe to No Boxes, Just Verses for more inspiring journeys that go beyond the bio! Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and review the podcast! CONNECT WITH Malinda Williams:InstagramPlaylistCONNECT WITH SHANNON:FacebookInstagramLinkedIn Shannon | LinkedIn NBJVTheme Song: No Boxes Just Verses by Thane Kreiner (Suno)