She's Got Pride! | Meet MJ

In today's podcast, MJ shares her story of how she has overcome adversity as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and in her home life. She details how becoming a part of Found Village has uplifted her and brought a mother-like mentor into her life. The relationship that she and her mentor, JeMiah, have cultivated is so heartwarming–hear it from MJ herself! This is the season finale of I Am Found Podcast Season 1! We have loved sharing the stories of our community with you all. Stay on the lookout for Season 2 Coming Soon!!

Today we discuss forgiveness, living intentionally, and going beyond giving financially to make a unique impact. We are happy to introduce you to Libby Cottrell who is far beyond an average donor or volunteer–she is an advocate.  In this episode, Libby and Stella discuss how she and her husband got plugged in at Found Village and felt called to go the extra mile. Libby leads a unique volunteer opportunity we offer called the Prayer Team and shares her personal story of just why this work means so much to her–don't miss it!

Join us as we discuss the nuances of learning how to "trust" with Found Village co-founder and COO, Iloba Nzekwu. Between being hounded by Jeremiah for not paying the $10 Iloba owes him, and Iloba opening up about how difficult is was to trust the process of establishing Found Village along with his wife and co-founder, Katie, this episode is full of laughter, wisdom, and heartfelt storytelling.

Conquering anger caused by abandonment and feeling misunderstood is no simple feat. In today’s podcast, Jude shares his story of how he once lived with extreme anger that led him to constantly fight and ultimately end up in a detention center. Over the years and with the help of this community, he has decided to leave anger in the past and encourage his Found Village peers to do the same.  This episode definitely tugs at the heart, don’t miss it!

Join us in this compelling conversation with former Found Village intern, Jamin Kennedy. Jamin speaks about how he went from living in poverty, foster care, and spending time incarcerated to graduating with a Master's in Social Work with zero debt. Jamin is extremely raw and real about how his trauma has shaped him into the man he is now and is becoming for his future family.  Jamin does not hold back much, and as so, this episode is explicit. Enjoy at your discretion.

We have a special bonus episode for you all!  We were joined by Wes who shares a story of how his late sister taught him to live a life full of Love, despite the mistreatment he's endured. Wes is a special young man with many gifts. He has healed and learned to be comfortable with who he is in this community and it's so heartwarming to hear him say it for himself! We talk about Love, meditation, accessing the third eye, and all sorts of fun stuff in this bonus episode. Don't miss it.

Imagine walking home at just 6 years old and witnessing a murder, right before your eyes. Now, imagine the long lasting effects this could have on the rest of your life.  In todays episode, we are joined by Found Village coach, Jarod Crossty. We discuss how mental health, particularly within the black community, is impacted by living in poverty and witnessing the unimaginable. 

 What happens when you join together inner city youth in a Village-like community? Umm, obviously something magical ✨ In this energetic pilot episode, we're introducing you all to Katie Nzekwu, the co-founder and director of Found Village in Cincinnati, OH. Katie shares her personal story of how spending a year in a detention center as a teenager eventually led her to start a thriving nonprofit with a mission to empower youth from hard places to reach their full potential. Katie strongly believes there is no such thing as a "bad kid" and behavioral challenges are simply normal responses to unusual circumstances. We discuss how the kids in our population are not bad or broken, just misunderstood and in need of a solid support system. Katie has so much wisdom to share, enjoy the episode.