Becoming Big Mama Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Adamaka Ajaelo, founder of Self-eSTEM, an organization dedicated to uplifting and equipping young Black women with the skills they need to thrive in STEM fields.Adamaka truly practices what she preaches. After a career in corporate, where she worked across labor analytics, workforce planning, and people development, she took everything she learned and poured it into her own venture. Now, through Self-eSTEM, she’s creating opportunities, building pipelines, and preparing the next generation for the rapidly changing world of tech.We talk about her journey from corporate to entrepreneurship, what it means to skill up in an AI-driven world, and how she’s staying ahead of the curve to ensure that young women of color have access to the tools, confidence, and opportunities they deserve.This is a conversation about leadership, legacy, and the future of work — and why investing in community is the smartest innovation of all.

Scientist Priya Makhijani joins us to explore the future of science, AI, and research funding.We discuss how discoveries happen, why funding cuts matter, AI in medicine, and what it means to pursue science in uncertain times.A thoughtful conversation about intuition, innovation, and the future of scientific research.

Quantum computing isn’t coming. It’s already here — and it’s quietly shaping decisions before you even realize there was a choice to make.In this episode of Becoming Big Mama, we break down what quantum computing actually is (without the tech jargon) and why it matters right now. This isn’t about faster computers — it’s about systems that can hold multiple possibilities at once and decide which futures even get considered.From medicine and logistics to AI and power structures, quantum is already influencing the world behind the scenes. And the real risk isn’t that machines are making decisions……it’s that some decisions are made before you ever see the table.This episode connects quantum computing to real life, history, and Big Mama wisdom — exploring what happens when choice, consent, and awareness start to shift upstream.If you’ve ever felt like outcomes were decided before you got there… this conversation is for you.🎙️ Becoming Big Mama — where timeless wisdom meets the digital age.

From performing on tour with Zendaya to leading one of the most influential startup platforms in the world, Isabelle Johannessen’s journey is anything but linear.In this episode, we explore how early experiences in performance shaped her leadership style, how intuition plays a role in identifying groundbreaking founders, and why building something meaningful requires embracing imperfection.CONNECT WITH ISABELLE🎙️ Podcast: *Build Mode by TechCrunch*Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelle-johannessen/📲 Follow for insights on startups, founders, and innovation

Quantum mechanics can sound intimidating — but what if the ideas behind it are things you already understand?In this episode of Becoming Big Mama, Cassaundra explains the fundamentals of quantum mechanics through everyday wisdom passed down in kitchens, classrooms, and family conversations.From superposition and observation to the ideas of Max Planck, Einstein, and Schrödinger, this episode explores how modern physics connects to the way we already experience uncertainty and decision-making in daily life.Because quantum mechanics isn’t just about particles and equations.It’s about understanding how reality behaves — and why your presence and attention matter more than you think.

What does the future of AI, smart cities, and venture capital really look like — and who gets to shape it?In this episode, Elizabeth shares her journey from Girls Who Code to working in venture capital while pursuing a master’s in applied AI. We explore how artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things are transforming everyday life, why representation in tech matters, and how founders can build solutions that serve everyone — not just the privileged few.From personal safety innovations to breaking into venture capital, this conversation offers powerful insights for anyone interested in technology, entrepreneurship, and the human side of innovation.“If the teams building these systems come from homogenous backgrounds… the benefits will flow to already privileged populations.” Elizabeth Full Episode V2 (fina…⏱️ TIMESTAMPS00:00 — Early exposure to tech & Girls Who Code01:00 — Moving from Miami to San Francisco for tech opportunities04:00 — Why community matters for women in tech06:00 — Diversity in AI: Why who builds tech matters10:00 — AI + Internet of Things explained simply13:00 — Real-world applications of smart technology14:00 — Hackathon innovation: Personal safety in cities17:00 — Smart cities: Promise vs reality19:00 — Venture capital & funding inequality21:00 — Example startup using AI to transform sports fandom24:00 — How to break into venture capital26:00 — Best career advice: “A closed mouth doesn’t get fed”27:00 — Worst advice: “Your coworkers are your friends”29:00 — Final reflections on the future of inclusive innovationFollow Elizabeth here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethvallejo6/🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on technology, leadership, business, and the future of humanity.

What if blockchain isn’t about crypto at all… but about trust?In this episode of Becoming Big Mama, Cassandra breaks down one of the most misunderstood technologies of our time using something everyone understands: community, accountability, and receipts.No tech jargon. No hype. No math degree required.Instead, you’ll learn:✨ What blockchain actually is (in plain English)✨ Why it was created after the 2008 financial crisis✨ How decentralization really works✨ Why blockchain is about verification — not blind trust✨ Real-life metaphors that finally make it click✨ How communities have practiced these principles long before techThink house parties. Storage units. Church business. Beauty shop wisdom.Because blockchain isn’t new — it’s just technology catching up to what people have always known.If you’ve ever felt confused by crypto talk or intimidated by tech conversations, this episode will change that.🔔 Subscribe for more episodes where timeless wisdom meets the digital age:📱 Follow for behind-the-scenes + insights:linktr.ee/becomingbigmamapodcast🧠 About Becoming Big MamaA podcast where ancestral wisdom, modern technology, culture, and storytelling come together — served straight from the Quantum Kitchen.#BlockchainExplained #BlockchainForBeginners #CryptoExplained #Decentralization #TechnologyExplained #FutureOfTech #DigitalTrust #Web3 #BecomingBigMama

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Alex Hanna to unpack a question Big Tech avoids:how AI systems mirror the same structures of language control, extraction, and dehumanization that defined historical empires.Buy Dr. Alex Hanna's new book here -- https://thecon.ai/We explore how colonial powers first erased local languages and reduced people and land to commodities — and how modern AI systems follow eerily similar patterns. From prompt engineering that forces users to “speak the model’s language,” to data extraction that turns human experience into raw material, this conversation reframes AI as infrastructure of power, not neutral technology.This episode challenges the myth of objective AI and asks what it means to build technology on foundations shaped by imperial logic.Topics include:* Language suppression and dominance in AI systems* Data extraction as modern-day resource exploitation* Why AI neutrality is a dangerous illusion* Who benefits — and who pays — for “intelligent” systems* What ethical AI would require if we take history seriouslyIf you care about AI, ethics, power, and the future of humanity, this is a conversation you can’t ignore.👇 Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of technology, culture, and human impact.

2025 wasn’t just a tech year, it was a TEST.A test of privacy.A test of power.A test of who really pays when “innovation” shows up uninvited.In this episode of Becoming Big Mama, Cassaundra breaks down the Top 10 moments tech tried us in 2025... from AI water bills and deepfakes, to surveillance, smart cities, quantum computing, and the data grabs nobody voted for.This isn’t tech news for insiders.This is tech news with your aunties watching.The kind of breakdown that connects the dots between what they’re building… and how it’s hitting real people in real life.Inside this episode, we cover:• How TikTok became a geopolitical custody battle• Why AI is showing up on your water and electricity bills• How deepfakes changed what “proof” even means• What smart cities really cost in privacy and control• Why robots at work change what’s “reasonable” for humans• How ICE, Palantir, and government data systems expanded quietly• Where AI monetization is headed — and who it impacts most• How people adapted, resisted, and learned the system anywayThis isn’t fear-mongering.It’s discernment.Because Big Mama always said:If you don’t know the rules, you can’t change the game.👇 DROP A COMMENT:Which 2025 tech moment shook you the most?👍 LIKE • SUBSCRIBE • SHARENew episodes every 2 weeks that will make you laugh, think, and see tech different.---FOLLOW BECOMING BIG MAMA:📸 INSTAGRAM: @becomingbigmama🎵 TIKTOK: @becomingbigmamaBig Mama’s house welcomes all.Wisdom isn’t old school — it’s your cheat code for right now.

In this episode, we sit down with Adamaka Ajaelo, founder of Self-eSTEM, an organization dedicated to uplifting and equipping young Black women with the skills they need to thrive in STEM fields.Adamaka truly practices what she preaches. After a career in corporate, where she worked across labor analytics, workforce planning, and people development, she took everything she learned and poured it into her own venture. Now, through Self-eSTEM, she’s creating opportunities, building pipelines, and preparing the next generation for the rapidly changing world of tech.We talk about her journey from corporate to entrepreneurship, what it means to skill up in an AI-driven world, and how she’s staying ahead of the curve to ensure that young women of color have access to the tools, confidence, and opportunities they deserve.This is a conversation about leadership, legacy, and the future of work — and why investing in community is the smartest innovation of all.🔗 Mentioned:Self-eSTEMJoin the Innovator Showcase – Oct 4, 2025Leave a review, share it forward, and come stand with us.

Sn 1. | Ep 2. Join me and Sadiece Holland (IG @iamsadiece) on another talk about how to  Big Mama Yo Plate; yes, as in your dinner plate. We dive in on "low vibration plates," food traditions, and generational trauma.  For more on her and her journey, check out her IG, YouTube, and website.____________________If you love what you hear, please support the show by following, liking, and sharing the podcast on IG, TikTok, and Twitter @becomingbigmama.

Sn 1. | Ep 1. How we vibe is super important to how we move through the world and has become harder to find and defend our vibe. Join me and my guest, Sadiece Holland (IG @iamsadiece), as we dive into how she develops, evolves, and protects her vibe throughout her career and life in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and across the world. For more on her and her journey, check out her IG, YouTube, and website. If you love what you hear, please support the show by following, liking, and sharing the podcast on IG, TikTok, and Twitter @becomingbigmama.

TRAILER: This episode is a trailer for the show; it's meant to highlight how we connect #travel, #wisdom, and #technology. And to better explain that, we begin with the first proverb: It is what it is and it ain't what it ain't.If you love what you hear, please support the show by following, liking, and sharing the podcast on IG, TikTok, and Twitter @becomingbigmama.