The Craft & Release Podcast

Kam is West African-born but grew up in Harlem. Finding it hard to express herself verbally growing up, she fell in love with the ability to share her inner thoughts and wild imagination with people without having to speak. But every now and then she gets a bit courageous and shares some of her writing.Kam shares two poems for Release 003: LOVE. The first is about accountability, the second is a disclaimer to the man who will love her.

Kristin is a writer because she writes. She is a lifelong student and educator. Her plants require her to read to them. She combats writer's block with a yoga flow or dancing. Her story for Release 003: LOVE is about the unconditional love between her and her father, now held in a container of grief.

Tiffany is a hopeful romantic and Brooklyn native currently working on her first memoir. Her story for Release 003 is a rendering of an unexpected encounter with a stranger in Paris and the echo of its impact.

Kat is a multidisciplinary creative known for introducing good people to the utmost experiences and communities. Kat’s story for Release 003: LOVE is about the unavoidable relationship between grief and love.

Ẹniafẹ Isis is a woman breaking into herself, a writer alchemizing emotion, and a journey-teller guiding herself and others in the narration of their own stories. Her story for Release 003: LOVE, Reflections In Her Eyes, is told through the lens of a woman breaking into herself, breaking down, breaking up, and breaking through.

Lauren is a storyteller, writer, stand-up comedian, and artist. Her story for Release 003: LOVE  explores the journey of self-love through the lens of body image and a chance encounter that blossoms into a romance spanning London, New York, and Paris.

Join the Founders of Craft & Release, Glynn Pogue and Nneka Julia, as they kick off Release 003 with a conversation about LOVE. 

Black, queer, and concerned with freedom, Solaris J. Capehart is a Liberian poet and abolitionist educator based in Bed-Stuy, they are the result of a divine experiment to combine the gay son and the thot daughter, this is not even their final form. They share two poems celebrating friendship as a sacred technology for survival. We hope you enjoy this episode, and make sure to stick around for the after-the-release craft interview.

Katie Mack, Award Winning Director, Filmmaker & Writer shares a story about when saying less isn't enough, so you gotta say less. We hope you enjoy this episode, and make sure to stick around for the after-the-release craft interview.

Idinma is a Nigerian-born, Brooklyn-based creative with a flair for storytelling and community-building. Her story, "On Friendship," explores the lessons learned from navigating friendships both at home and abroad. We hope you enjoy this episode, and make sure to stick around for the after-the-release craft interview.

Ani Otiv is a humor and culture writer. "Where I Went" is about the time she found love on Anime Club Penguin. We hope you enjoy this episode from RELEASE 002: FRIENDSHIP, and make sure to stick around for the after-the-release craft interview.

Britt Franklin is a Queens-bred, hard-of-hearing storyteller and filmmaker, crafting narratives that resonate with the echoes of the past yet embrace the boundless possibilities of our future, offering a unique blend of resilience, innovation, and unwavering hope. "Close Friends" questions the superficiality of social media and the effort we put into growing and sustaining the lifelong bonds we build offline. We hope you enjoy this episode, and make sure to stick around for the after-the-release craft interview.

Marwa is a Sudanese-American writer & producer who, through first-person personal essays, examines the magic hidden in the mundane. "Lovable" is about how being a 15-year-old girl is hard; it's even harder when you're in love with your best friend. We hope you enjoy this episode from Release 002: Friendship, and make sure to stick around for an interview with Marwa.

Natachi Mez is a resident of dance circles and unlined journals, locating herself through the rhythmic, the written, and the embodied, creating dynamic work that honors the senses, reminding you of her vitality and yours. In Episode 10, Natachi travels to love and with love, illuminating friendship as GPS.We hope you enjoy this episode, and make sure to stick around for the after-the-release craft interview.

Founders of Craft & Release, Glynn Pogue and Nneka Julia, kick off Release 002 with a conversation about friendship. 

WILLIE is an unapologetic Afro-queer entertainer, producer, and community resource activist from Houston, Texas, currently residing in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, NY. In this episode from Release 001: BODY, Willie takes the ride of their life!

Kam is a writer and poet originally from West African Mali who grew up in Harlem. For Release 001: BODY her two pieces explore the challenges and beauty in finding “home” in one’s body."

Cortney is a passionate human and storyteller who’s just trying to figure shit out. In this episode from Release 001: BODY, he tells a story that explores moments of manhood.

Enajite is an eldest daughter. Her story from Release 001: BODY is about a young girl who finds unexpected sisterhood and mentorship via the dark web.

Swati is an India-born, Hudson Valley-raised, and Harlem-based writer, artist, Tarot reader, and fiction editor who is working on a collection of essays called "Love Letters and Other Necessary Fictions." Her story, "Double Sweet Sixteen," is about one woman's journey of wondering what comes first, sex, love, or marriage, and discovering something about her body and her spirit.

In episode 003, Melinda Hanson shares a story about the fates of a haunted old man and a doomed young woman when their worlds collide in New York City.

In episode 002, Chloe shares reflections on accessing our imagination by making alters of our bodies.

In episode 001, Ismatu Gwendolyn shares a poem dedicated to Palestine and a story about the years that made them look like their mom.

Welcome to The Craft & Release Podcast! Join co-founders Nneka Julia & Glynn Pogue for a conversation about Release 001: BODY. New episodes drop every Sunday.