Mindful Mondays with Shudu

Episodes

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  Unmasking AI: When the Machine Cannot See You | Dr Joy Buolamwini 09.11.2026 1h 21m

  In this episode of Mindful Mondays with Shudu, Shudu sits down with Dr Joy Buolamwini — computer scientist, poet of code and founder of the Algorithmic Justice League — whose work asks us to consider what it really means to protect what is human in a world increasingly shaped by machines.The conversation begins with a moment that changed the course of Joy’s work: a facial detection system at MIT struggled to detect her dark-skinned face, yet recognised a white mask almost immediately.From there, Joy and Shudu explore the coded gaze, the power to label, algorithmic trauma, invisible labour, second-hand surveillance and what happens when technologies designed to classify human beings begin influencing who is seen, believed, included and given opportunity.They also explore a question bigger than representation: who has the power to build these systems, determine their purpose and shape the future they create?And beneath the research is another story — of a woman who found space for both scientist and artist, brought poetry into rooms dominated by data, and chose curiosity rather than retreat when the field she loved did not always love her back.This is not a conversation about fearing technology. It is a conversation about ensuring that humanity, dignity and choice remain at its centre.Because, as Joy reminds us, if you have skin in the game — if you have skin on your face — you deserve a seat at the table. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  When Did Perfect Enter the Conversation? | Dr. Katlego Selikane 02.11.2026 1h 8m

  In this episode of Mindful Mondays with Shudu, Shudu sits down with Dr. Katlego Selikane — medical doctor, MD & lead at Ke Ready SA, founder of Clueless Moms, and content creator — for a conversation that asks: when did the standard of perfection enter the conversation, and who does it actually serve? From the roots of perfection in patriarchal history to the myth of balance in modern motherhood, from what social media is doing to our attention spans to why community is not optional. This is not a conversation about how to do it all. It is a conversation about who told us we had to. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  No One Talks About Friendship Breakups. So Let’s Talk About It. 26.10.2026 15m

  In this solo episode of Mindful Mondays with Shudu, Shudu opens up about something no one really talks about — what happens when friendships change, when they break, and when someone you love just disappears without explanation. This is a conversation about the work we don’t put into friendships, the silence that breaks them, and why friendship breakups deserve the same honesty we give our romantic relationships. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  What Young People Are Telling Us About Mental Health with Dr. Claudia-Santi F. Fernandes 19.10.2026 48m

  In this episode of Mindful Mondays with Shudu, Shudu sits down with Dr. Claudia-Santi F. Fernandes — Vice President of Research and Evaluation at the Born This Way Foundation — to explore how young people experience mental health, safety, and belonging in digital and physical spaces.From peer support and online communities to AI and the role of adults in youth mental health, this conversation challenges the dominant narrative that social media is the enemy — and asks a more honest question: how do we make both digital and physical spaces safe enough for young people to be themselves?This episode examines why digital spaces are lifelines for many young people, why the adults in the room also need to learn, and why systems-level change must begin with listening — not fixing.It is not a conversation about policing screens. It is a conversation about building belonging.Additional resources: Born This Way Foundation Research: https://bornthisway.foundation/research-survey/Born This Way Foundation Programs: https://bornthisway.foundation/current-programs/Born This Way Foundation LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/btwfoundation?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAadSVd5YCo0d9Gwv45W34LJwC6gF0cRFkt_wQoBNG2_ao1NNBjQrJ-r9DrU2FQ_aem_v6WCgjB1WAKhiyN6ZnWheABorn This Way Foundation x American Psychological Association Commentary: https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2028-13008-001.pdf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  There Is No Future Without Women and Young People | Charlize Theron 12.10.2026 11m

  In this episode of Mindful Mondays with Shudu, Shudu sits down with Charlize Theron, Academy Award-winning actor, producer, UN Messenger of Peace and founder of the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP), for a conversation about Africa’s young people, gender-based violence, grassroots leadership and what accountability looks like when the institutions meant to keep women safe are not doing enough.Recorded at a moment of collective grief and fear in South Africa, the conversation does not treat hope as optimism. Charlize speaks openly about anger, frustration and the refusal to accept complacency, while reflecting on almost two decades of CTAOP supporting locally led organisations across Southern Africa.This is a conversation about what meaningful investment in young people looks like, why women need to be taken seriously when they ask for help, and how we hold on to hope without using it to look away from what still needs to change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Ending FGM: What Would It Mean for a Girl to Say No and Still Belong? | Grace Uwizeye & Michael Marwa 05.10.2026 42m

  In this episode of Mindful Mondays with Shudu, Shudu travels to Tarime, Tanzania, spending three days on the ground with police officers, social workers, families, survivors and faith leaders to understand what female genital mutilation looks like within the communities where it is still practiced.She is joined by Grace Uwizeye, a harmful practices and social norms expert at UNFPA, and Michael Marwa, CEO of C-Sema, who comes from the region and has spent more than 13 years working to end FGM from within communities.This is not simply a conversation about statistics. It is a conversation about systems: the economics, social power and deeply rooted norms that sustain the practice, the cost of saying no, and what it would actually take for a girl to refuse FGM and still belong. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  My “I Don’t Know” Season 28.09.2026 20m

  In this solo episode, Shudu gets personal about what three months of 'nothing' actually looked like — and what it cost her to finally stop.This is a raw, unfiltered conversation about burnout that went deeper than exhaustion, the identity crisis that followed graduation, and the uncomfortable process of rediscoveringwho she is without the schedule, the stress, and the achievements. From crying because she didn’t know how to do nothing, to reading books that reignited her curiosity, to a UN mission in Tanzania that brought her back to her purpose —this episode is about the messy, beautiful work of getting to know yourself again.Shudu shares the books that shaped her break (Greenlights, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Unmasking AI, Maktub), why she’s learning to say “I don’t know,” and why gravitating towards what’s meaningful — not what’s easy — is the new compass.If you’ve ever felt like you had everything figured out and nothing figured out at the same time, this one’s foryou. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Hope as a Driver for Change 21.09.2026 14m

  In this solo episode of Mindful Mondays with Shudu, recorded as part of the 2026 Be Hope Podcast Takeover, Shudu reflects on what it means to hold onto hope in a world saturated with despair.Drawing from her recent UN mission to Tarime, Tanzania — where she met young survivors of female genital mutilation and gender-based violence who still carried dreams of becoming lawyers, entrepreneurs, and champions for change — she explores how hope is not passive optimism, but an active force that drives real progress.Referencing Adrian Gore’s The Four Principles and the concept of nocebo versus placebo, this episode unpacks why we are wired to expect the worst, and why choosing hope is a deliberate, radical act. With data on global progress in girls’ education, gender equality, and community-driven change, Shudu makes the case that the good is happening — it is just not being documented.This episode is a reminder: hope liberated South Africa. It has liberated nations. And it remains the most powerful tool we have for building a future worth living in. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Mental Health in the Age of AI: Healing, Technology & What Must Remain Human | Dr. Thomas Insel 14.09.2026 53m

  In this episode of Mindful Mondays, Shudu sits down with Dr. Thomas Insel — psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and one of the world's leading voices in mental health innovation — for a conversation that began at a mental health retreat in Cascais, Portugal.Together they explore what AI can and cannot do for mental health, the difference between engagement and therapy, and why access to care is not the same as quality of care. From the Three Ps of recovery — People, Place, and Purpose — to a critical Fourth P that the system has consistently overlooked, this is both a science lesson and a deeply human one.They also confront the hard questions: What happens when chatbots become the primary mental health support for millions? What do communities in the Global South stand to gain — and lose — as this era accelerates? And what must remain irreplaceably human in the healing process? If you've ever turned to an app instead of a person, wondered what ethical AI in mental health looks like, or simply want to understand where we are heading — this conversation is for you.Note: This episode was filmed in April 2026. Any data or statistics referenced were current at the time of recording and may have since changed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Other Side of Sacrifice 07.09.2026 20m

  Shudu was graduating — and she had a lot to say about it.In this deeply personal solo episode, she reflects on what it took to get to the other side of sacrifice: the promises she made to herself as a child, the survival mode that followed her to New York, and the 20-minute conversation she had with herself in the kitchen that changed everything. She traces the journey from a PPE degree in South Africa, to winning Miss South Africa, to studying at the university she dreamed about at age 8 — and asks the question she couldn't answer: when has life actually disappointed you?This episode was recorded before her production break to practice what she preaches. Because you can't pour from an empty cup, and sometimes the bravest thing you can do is rest.If you've ever focused so hard on the 10% going wrong that you forgot to look at the 90% going right — this one is for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Future Is Not a Spectator Sport: AI, Inclusion & Reclaiming Our Digital Lives | Sinead Bovell 31.08.2026 56m

  In this episode of Mindful Mondays, Shudu sits down with Sinead Bovell — strategic foresight advisor, founder of WAYE, and one of the clearest voices on making the future of technology accessible, ethical, and truly inclusive.Together they explore what it means to be an active participant in the future rather than a passive observer of it. From the hidden biases embedded in AI systems to the quiet erosion of human connection, from regulation that must be as innovative as the technology it governs to the personal boundaries that protect mental clarity in a world designed for dependency — this conversation holds nothing back.They also get deeply personal: about using AI for emotional support, about the hundred listeners who said they no longer feel safe with other humans, and about why disempowerment — not fear — is the most dangerous response to a world changing faster than we can comprehend.If you've ever felt overwhelmed by technology, excluded from conversations about your own future, or quietly dependent on a screen for something that used to require a person — this episode is for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Welcome Back to Mindful Mondays! 24.08.2026 8m

  We're back! After three months away, Mindful Mondays returns with fresh energy, new perspective, and a deeper sense of purpose. In this special welcome back episode, Shudu shares why she stepped away, what the break revealed, and what's ahead for Season 2. Season 2 is expanding: mental health in the age of AI, identity in the Global South, the impact of tech on children, and the stories and systems that shape how we look at ourselves and the world. Plus — Mindful Mondays is officially one year old!This is your invitation to come back, pull up a chair, and figure things out together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  We are taking a little break.. 15.06.2026 1m

  A small note from my desk to yours.Over the past few months, we’ve had conversations about joy, purpose, leadership, identity, belonging, mental health, and what it means to build a life that feels aligned. But one thing I’ve learned is that those lessons only matter if we are willing to live them ourselves.As many of you know, I recently graduated, and after a season of pouring into coursework, research, work, and this podcast, I’ve realized it’s time to practice what I preach: you cannot pour from an empty cup.So I’ll be taking a short production break.The good news? We have incredible conversations waiting for you when we return. The second half of this season will explore AI, community, youth, and mental health in digital spaces — topics that are already shaping the future we’re stepping into.In the meantime, I’d love for you to revisit past episodes, send through your questions, and catch up on any conversations you may have missed. Many of the ideas we discuss build on one another, and there’s so much wisdom in the archive.Thank you for being here. Thank you for listening, learning, and growing alongside me.I’ll see you soon.With gratitude,Shudu Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Gut Knows the Way: Intentional Leadership, Crisis & Building from Inner Wisdom | Jeni Britton Bauer 08.06.2026 49m

  In this episode of Mindful Mondays with Shudu, Shudu sits down with Jeni Britton Bauer — entrepreneur, bestselling author, and founder of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, and now the founder of her newest venture, Floura — for a conversation about what it actually means to build with intention.From a 2015 Listeria recall that stripped her company to its foundation, to a deeply personal 2020 reckoning that required her to walk away from her marriage and step back from Jeni's, Jeni speaks with rare honesty about what crisis teaches you that success never can. About the difference between optimization and flow. About alignment as a feeling, not a formula. About the inner dialogue she has maintained with her seven-year-old self since a teenage therapist first taught her to listen.They also explore the philosophy behind Floura — a wellness brand turning apple cores and watermelon rinds into prebiotic nourishment for 100 million people — and why starting it wasn't an act of courage but of irresistible curiosity.This is a conversation about trusting the body, rebuilding slowly, and what becomes possible when you stop trying to control the narrative and simply keep going.If you have ever stood at the edge of a decision the world told you was wrong and felt your gut tell you otherwise — this episode is for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  You Asked, I Answered: On Peace, Purpose & the Art of Becoming 01.06.2026 38m

  Part Two of the listener reverse interview — and this batch of questions went somewhere deeper.In this solo episode, Shudu answers your questions on inner peace, groundedness, identity, purpose, and growth. From how she finds quiet in a world designed for noise, to the single childhood prayer that anchors every hat she wears, to what six-year-old Shudu was like before the world started shaping her — this episode is intimate, honest, and surprisingly joyful.She talks about what it means to live in purpose without always knowing where it leads. About why education is one of the most radical things you can commit to. About what her thirties are already teaching her. And about the quiet art of allowing joy in — not as a reward for surviving, but as a practice in itself.This one is for anyone who is trying to stay grounded while becoming. And for anyone who is approaching a new decade wondering if they are already enough.Spoiler: you are. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Business of Care: Care Is Not Soft. It Is Infrastructure. 25.05.2026 1h 1m

   In this episode of Mindful Mondays with Shudu, Shudu sits down with Taryn Bird — a leader who has spent over a decade embedding social impact directly into the business model at Kate Spade New York, not as a philanthropic add-on, but as core infrastructure.Together they explore what it actually means to move beyond performative philanthropy into long-term, values-aligned systems that prioritize dignity, equity, and women's mental health. From a Tupperware distribution centre in Johannesburg that permanently redirected Taryn's career, to a 13-year co-creative partnership with Abahizi Rwanda, to the launch of the Global Fund for Women's Mental Health — this conversation makes the case that care is not separate from business performance. It is what makes performance sustainable.They also speak about the moment the work shifted — from financial literacy to recognising that mental health was the deeper, foundational need. About what it means to truly listen inside a global organisation, and what happens when that listening requires you to change direction entirely. About the women who taught Taryn things no report or data set ever could. And about why, when you invest in women's mental health and dignity, what shifts goes far beyond the obvious numbers.If you have ever believed that business could be built differently — and wondered what that actually looks like in practice — this episode will show you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  You Asked, I Answered: On Resilience, Self-Belief & Finding Your Way 18.05.2026 51m

  You sent 59 questions. This is Part One.In this solo episode, Shudu answers the questions you would ask if you had the chance to interview her — and the themes that emerged say something important about where we all are right now. Mindset. Resilience. Self-belief. Healing. Loneliness. And the quiet, unglamorous work of becoming who you say you want to be.From pivoting careers and building credibility from scratch, to navigating imposter syndrome, managing self-doubt, handling criticism, and knowing when to abandon a goal versus when to push through — this episode covers the territory most people are afraid to ask about out loud.There are no perfect formulas here. Just honest answers, lived experience, and the belief that the most important thing you can do right now is be kind to yourself while you figure it out.This is Part One. More to come. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Activism Is the Rent | Building Feminist with Ky Polanco & Aisha Becker-Burrowes 11.05.2026 53m

  n this episode of Mindful Mondays with Shudu, Shudu sits down with Ky Polanco and Aisha Becker-Burrowes, co-founders of Feminist — one of the largest platforms for women, girls, and gender-expansive people in the world, reaching over 25 million people monthly.Together they explore what it means to build media that doesn't just inform but activates. From the origin story of a late-night college radio show to a non-profit platform that mobilises millions, this conversation unpacks intersectional feminism, the emotional cost of storytelling, how to navigate call-out culture with accountability rather than isolation, and why moving people from online to offline action is the entire point.They also speak about burnout, the moments that tested their deepest convictions, the irreplaceable power of in-person community, and why — even in a world actively regressing on women's rights — everyone can and must be a feminist.If you've ever wondered what it takes to hold conviction in public, build something with purpose, or find your place in a movement that needs all of you — this episode is for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Allowing Joy: The Power of Kind Self-Talk 04.05.2026 13m

  In this solo episode, Shudu explores one of the quietest and most radical practices of all — learning to be kind to yourself.From the unconscious habit of self-criticism that erodes identity from the inside, to the simple but life-changing shift of saying "well done, you tried your best" at the end of a long day — this episode is an honest, personal reflection on what it means to build joy into your baseline, not just your highlight reel.She talks about speaking to the inner child shaped by perfectionism and achievement-based self-worth. About the "baseline of misery" so many of us have quietly built and normalized. About what happens when you stop fearing joy and start letting it arrive — in small moments, in laughter, in dancing alone in your room — and how over time, that becomes the new standard.This is not about toxic positivity. It is about the slow, intentional work of building a life where joy is genuinely welcome.If you have ever finished a hard day and immediately catalogued everything you didn't do — this one is for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Redefining Masculinity from the Inside Out | Dr. Onke Mazibuko 27.04.2026 55m

  In this episode of Mindful Mondays With Shudu, Shudu sits down with Dr.Onke Mazibuko — psychologist, public-health practitioner, and writer — to explore what healthy masculinity actually looks like when men stop performing and start healing.Together, they unpack the difference between wellness and well-being, why men must become nurturers before they can be providers, what soul wounds are and how they silently control behaviour, and how homes and schools are failing to model emotional literacy for the next generation.If you’ve ever been told to “man up,” hidden your wounds behind strength, or wondered what it would mean to finally soften without shrinking — this episode is for you.*Context: This was recorded before the National Shutdown against Gender-Based Violence in South Africa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.