Collective Creations Podcast

Latasha “Tash” Haynes is a creator, entrepreneur, and mother of three whose story is rooted in resilience, creativity, and building a life on her own terms. After coming out of the foster care system, Tash found her passion behind the camera, falling in love with photography and turning that passion into a thriving business alongside her husband—one that continues to support their family today.What began as a creative pursuit grew into something much bigger. Following a life-altering health scare in 2017, Tash was forced to slow down and reevaluate everything. That season became a turning point, leading her to begin sharing her life more openly online—documenting motherhood, healing, joy, and the everyday beauty of family life.Today, Tash has worked her butt off to become a highly successful content creator and influencer, building a platform that blends storytelling with strategy. She partners with brands, travels the world with her family, and shares real, practical insight on creative entrepreneurship, motherhood, and building generational wealth.At the heart of it all, Tash is committed to bringing others along with her—mentoring women, pouring into her community, and showing what’s possible when creativity, intention, and courage come together. Her life and work are a reflection of purpose, joy, and legacy in motion.Find Tash on InstagramCheck out her blog HERE Get full access to COLLECTIVE CREATIONS at collectivecreations.substack.com/subscribe

Ana Elisa Sotelo is a Peruvian photographer and educator whose work explores gender, culture, and the human relationship with the natural world. Her work often merges art with activism, creating collaborative projects that amplify collective voices and experiences. Ana was born in Lima, Peru and was raised in Bolivia, Mexico, USA, Chile and Argentina. She is currently based in Washington DC, where she teaches Photography and Photojournalism.Blending photography with participatory practice, Ana’s work challenges extractive relationships to both land and the female body. Her series Women of the Water, is an ongoing project that explores female liberty and liberation through collective action in open waters. Convened through open calls, Ana invites women to gather in the rivers, lakes, and seas of their communities to reclaim their bodies and territory. Ana’s interdisciplinary collaborations, including her work with Shipibo-Konibo artist Sadith Silvano, bring together photography and ancestral artistic traditions such as Kené embroidery to explore the visible and invisible ties between people, place, and Amazonian ecosystems.Her work has been exhibited internationally and her images have been published in National Geographic, The New York Times, Vogue, Ladera Sur, Gatopardo Magazine, El Comercio/Somos, Folha Sao Paulo, The Washington Post, American Ai-Ap, among others.https://www.anaelisasotelo.com/ Get full access to COLLECTIVE CREATIONS at collectivecreations.substack.com/subscribe

Kaelyn Thede is a chef, yoga teacher, writer, and the creator of the Loved & Fed newsletter — but more than that, she’s someone who has built a life around nourishment, community, and paying attention to the small, meaningful moments that make up a life.Through her supper clubs, private chef work, and her writing, she creates spaces where people can slow down, connect, and feel cared for. Her work is deeply rooted in seasonality, in travel, and in listening both to the world around her and to herself.Over the past few years, she’s moved through huge seasons of change — traveling, healing, rebuilding, and creating something entirely her own. And through it all, she’s continued to follow what feels true to her, and to share that with others in such a thoughtful and honest way.I’m really excited to talk with her about travel, creating community, nourishment, building a life and business on your own terms, and what it really means to feel loved and fed. Get full access to COLLECTIVE CREATIONS at collectivecreations.substack.com/subscribe

Ahhhhh!!! This first episode of 2026 is with our entire little CC team (Halley, Karina, & Aja)In this episode, we talk a lot about the behind the scenes of the newsletter, as well as ways we want to support artists better going into the new year. We also had the opportunity to do mini-interview with each other, so you’ll get to know more about the HUMANSSS who are doing this labor of love This episode features a CRAZY announcement somewhere in the middle, so make sure you listen ALLLLL the way through!! Get full access to COLLECTIVE CREATIONS at collectivecreations.substack.com/subscribe

Mawahib Ismail is a Somali filmmaker, writer, poet, and actor born and raised in Seattle and now based in New York City. From an early age, she saw the world through the lens of a storyteller — envisioning films in her head while listening to music, filling notebooks with poems, and seeking ways to make others feel less alone.Her filmmaking journey began with the short documentary Very Sincerely Yours, from her time in the University of Washington’s BSU, where she explored the cyclical nature of Black student activism across generations. She went on to co-produce Peach Fuzz, a coming-of-age short film, and most recently wrote, directed, and acted in Hooyo Macaan, her story of a young Somali woman navigating cultural expectations and the pursuit of poetry.Beyond film, Mawahib shares essays, poems, and cultural critiques on her Substack, so serious (previously titled Mawahib’s Thoughts). Across all her work, she remains committed to community-centered storytelling, vulnerability, and amplifying voices and perspectives too often left out of mainstream media.I want to start this off with a quote from Mawahib’s website: “I started as a dreamer and a thinker. I was the kid who listened to a song and could envision each frame, color, costume, prop, frame size, and camera movement in my head. The kid who would write poems on anything writable because I needed to make sense of something, of anything. The kid who wanted to sing and dance for others to make someone feel less alone. My name is Mawahib Ismail, and I am an artist.”Check out her website here: https://www.mawahibismail.com/ (made by me actually LOL shameless plugging here, if you or someone you know need a website hmu!)Subscribe to Mawahib’s Substack below Get full access to COLLECTIVE CREATIONS at collectivecreations.substack.com/subscribe

Becca Murphy is a writer, podcaster, and outdoor enthusiast whose life has been shaped by bold leaps into the unknown. From teaching English in Madrid, to working in a Swiss hostel, to backpacking through New Zealand, Becca spent years solo traveling in search of meaning, adventure, and connection. Along the way, she learned how to sustain herself through odd jobs, freelancing, and eventually carving out a career working different positions in the Utah snow-sports industry.Her love for storytelling led her to start The Blue Rose Podcast, where she began recording conversations with women in athletics and the outdoors—even while on the road. Today, Becca has found a home base in Utah, where she works in the ski industry, hosts a run club, and continues to do her podcast. She has also started a local run club and recently hosted her first mini retreat, channeling her experiences abroad into creating community at home.Whether running marathons, snowboarding, or building spaces for connection, Becca’s work is rooted in a deep passion for the outdoors and a belief in the power of bold living.Listen to Becca’s Blue Rose Podcast HEREFind her on Instagram @beccabluerose Get full access to COLLECTIVE CREATIONS at collectivecreations.substack.com/subscribe

Cly (they/she) is a farmer, caregiver, and creative grounded in land, family, and community. As the Farmer Care Coordinator at the Rainier Beach Action Coalition’s Food Hub, Cly provides farmer care and technical support to Black, Brown, immigrant, refugee, and Indigenous farmers across King County, Washington—making sure the people who feed us are cared for too. Their ancestral home is Angono, Rizal Philippines which is the art capital of the Philippines and location of the oldest record of art in the Philippines (Angono Petroglyphs). At a young age, Cly was always told that they were an artist, no matter what they do, because their ancestors were artists. Cly sees farming as their chosen form of art.Something really beautiful is that Cly recently started their own farm, called Malaya Farm, which translates to “free” or “liberated” in Tagalog. On their farm, Cly follows the teachings of Ari de Leña of Kamayan Farm and Lorna Velasco of Sariwa Farm. Cly is a believer in that our collective liberations are intertwined and that the most transformative way to understand each other’s struggles is through language and food. Malaya Farm reconnects the Filipino diaspora and other Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities of the Greater Seattle area back to the land and with each other through language-learning and regenerative farming.Stepping out of the farm-world, Cly is a full-time caregiver to their mom and the proudest Tita to their two nieces. They find joy in playing guitar, getting creative with earthly materials, and film [email protected] Get full access to COLLECTIVE CREATIONS at collectivecreations.substack.com/subscribe

Bringing back this original interview that aja love did with CY:DMeet CY:D (@heartofcylver on instagram/tiktok) A singer/songwriter in the bay area who's message aims to shine light on the growth and endurance of a collective, what it's like to embody authenticity throughout this human experience to say the least.I had the pleasure of sitting down with CY:D and chatting it up to learn more about her journey as an artist, where she draws inspiration from and her creative process! We also discussed some harder hitting topics of discussions like mental health, fame, and loss. [TW: Abortion, Mania]CY:D is releasing her 2nd EP on December 11th titled Demo #1 and it will be available on all streaming platforms!! *releasing time may vary due to distribution delays and the mercury retrograde!*Spotify! — Apple Music! — Soundcloud! — Youtube! We hope you enjoy the first of many artist interviews! Thank you CY:D for kickstarting something beautiful with Collective Creations, you have a group of forever supporters with us!Cover Art by CY:D(also sorry for the slight static with the mics… kinda annoying but we learn and improve!)Cover photo by @jenaydenise Get full access to COLLECTIVE CREATIONS at collectivecreations.substack.com/subscribe

Sarah Jane is someone who has lived so many lives in one body. At the age of 15, she started traveling the world as a model, immersed in a fast-paced, glamorous lifestyle, even making it into the Playboy mansion. After eventually stepping away from the industry, she dedicated herself wholeheartedly to her new role as a mother, and later as a caretaker for her aging parents.Her journey has been anything but linear. She survived a near-death experience and being in a coma, wrestled with identity, loss, and traumatic partnerships, and emerged on the other side with a deeper connection to intuition, spirituality, and self-trust. Now in her 50s, Sarah is in the sacred process of starting over—and doing the hard, beautiful work of breaking generational cycles.Sarah brings tenderness, honesty, and deep wisdom to every conversation. Not to get to specific, but this episode felt like a warm hug after a coffee date. Get full access to COLLECTIVE CREATIONS at collectivecreations.substack.com/subscribe

Rakiah Maguire is a Tacoma-based tattoo and nail artist known for her creative eye, determination to succeed, and her hilariously real Instagram stories. As the owner of Cry Baby Ink., Rakiah has built more than just a business—she’s built a brand rooted in authenticity, creativity, and community. A mother and multi-hyphenate creative, she’s known not only for her clean lines and bold designs, but for the way she shows up fully in every space—whether she’s behind the tattoo gun, attaching jewels to acrylics, or sharing hilarious, unfiltered moments on Instagram.Beyond the artistry, Rakiah uses the success of her business to pour back into her community—supporting & collaborating with other local artists, speaking out on important social issues, and contributing to local mutual projects in Tacoma.In this episode, we talk about motherhood being the best motivation, making time for art, believing in yourself and your business, and using your success to lift others up.Connect with Rakiah on Instagram or book an appointment with her via her Instagram @crybabyy.ink Get full access to COLLECTIVE CREATIONS at collectivecreations.substack.com/subscribe

Paula Williams left Tacoma at 17 to pursue a career in Hollywood, working as a model, actress, bookkeeper for Death Row Records, and Head of Production for Larry King Live. But behind the glitz, she witnessed the industry's darker side. As one of the original silence breakers in the case against Harvey Weinstein, Paula helped spark the #MeToo movement and has since dedicated herself to advocacy. Now back in Tacoma, she serves on the board of Rebuilding Hope, working to support survivors and create change in her hometown.In this conversation with Paula, we talked about more than just her silence-breaking, moving from some crazy Hollywood stories into advice on recovery and rediscovering yourself in your 50s. Listen to this hilarious and heartwarming interview now! Find Paula on Instagram @instapaulagram Get full access to COLLECTIVE CREATIONS at collectivecreations.substack.com/subscribe

Nurhaliza Mohamath, or Liza, is a food justice advocate and the Food Justice Manager at Rainier Beach Action Coalition (RBAC). Born in Saigon and raised in South Seattle, she is deeply connected to her Cham heritage and works to reclaim and preserve her culture through food. With degrees in Sociology, Economics, and Business Administration from Mills College, she brings an intersectional approach to food sovereignty, working directly with BIPOC farmers to secure funding, policy support, and infrastructure for equitable food access.Liza also helped relaunch her family’s restaurant, Salima Specialties, the only Cham Halal women-owned restaurant in the Pacific Northwest, creating a space for cultural representation through food. Beyond advocacy, she mentors youth in Rainier Beach, guiding them through farm work, restorative justice circles, and leadership development. For Liza, food justice is about more than just feeding people—it’s about liberation, resilience, and reclaiming narratives.Follow Liza on Instagram: @nurhaliza.mohamath | @rainierbeach_foodhub Get full access to COLLECTIVE CREATIONS at collectivecreations.substack.com/subscribe