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Feeling powerless against systems that seem too big to change? Episode 190 of The Empowered & Embodied Show will shift how you think about agency, collective power, and your role in transformation.

Kim Romain and Louise Neil sit down with Dr. Krystal Rawls, systems strategist, workforce futurist, and Director of the Workforce Integration Network at Cal State Dominguez Hills. Dr. Rawls breaks down why systems aren't separate from people, they're made OF people. That means you have more power than you think.

In this conversation, we explore the difference between personal and collective agency, why isolation keeps us stuck, and how finding your community isn't just nice-to-have, it's the actual mechanism of systems change. Dr. Rawls shares practical strategies for moving from feeling like a lone voice to building collective power that creates real impact.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Personal agency is the permission you give yourself to act
• Collective agency emerges when your community aligns on shared values and direction
• Systems aren't bigger than people; they're comprised of people, which means you have inherent power
• Finding your community starts by finding one person who you align with
• Belonging is about fully being yourself within community

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

04:02 Understanding Systems and Individual Agency

06:31 The Importance of Community in Systems Change

09:10 Defining Personal and Collective Agency

11:56 Challenging Individualism and Embracing Community

14:58 Navigating Systems and Personal Choices

17:24 Building Community and Collective Action

20:09 The Role of Rituals in Community Building

25:39 The Journey from Individual to Collective Impact

28:26 Finding Belonging in Community

31:04 Rest as a Strategy for Empowerment

33:29 Wrap Up and Call to Action

ABOUT DR. KRYSTAL RAWLS:

Dr. Krystal Rawls is a systems strategist, educator, and workforce futurist whose work centers on equity, agency, and institutional change. As Director of the Workforce Integration Network at California State University, Dominguez Hills, she leads large-scale initiatives bridging digital access, economic mobility, and community empowerment. Her expertise spans organizational behavior, change management, and digital equity with a focus on how identity and agency shape the way individuals engage and transform systems.

Connect with Dr. Rawls on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/professorrawls/

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com

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In Episode 189 of The Empowered & Embodied Show, Kim Romain and Louise Neil sit down with Abriana Johnson, host of the Black in the Saddle podcast and founder of Black Unicorn Creative, to go beyond mindset and explore alignment as something you feel deeply in your body.

Abriana shares her genius about what horses teach us about leadership, safety, and trust. They dive in about why balance is a myth, why over-focusing can actually create harm, and how leaders lose credibility when their words and bodies aren’t aligned.

This conversation weaves together biomimicry, nervous system regulation, brand culture, and collective awareness, offering a grounded reminder that leadership isn’t about control. It’s about attention, congruence, and moving together.

At its core, this episode invites you to slow down, widen your awareness, and remember that alignment happens at the level of self, community, and environment.

Key Takeaways

• Balance is a myth.
• Safety is the foundation of trust, leadership, and collaboration.
• Over-focusing can be as harmful as distraction.
• Nature prioritizes efficiency and sustainability over control.
• Being different only works when people feel safe enough to show up.

Key Moments

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

03:43 Abriana’s Path from Animal Science to Biomimicry

06:21 Horses as a Model for Collective Awareness

07:20 Why Balance Is a Myth and Alignment Matters

11:45 Over-Focus, Control, and Missed Signals

15:16 Nature, Efficiency, and Sustainability

23:25 Safety, Trust, and Alignment

31:44 Alignment at the Individual and Collective Level

33:18 Golden Nuggets and Integration

Connect with Abriana

Website: http://www.blackunicorncreative.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abrianajohnson/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/in/theabrianaj/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abrianaj

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com

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What if the way you introduce yourself is actually holding you back?

In this episode of The Empowered and Embodied Show, Kim Romain and Louise Neil start with a simple question: "How do you introduce yourself?" and uncover something much deeper... the difference between putting on a mask and performing who you think you should be and embodying who you actually are.

They explore the hidden needs that drive how we show up in the world, why understanding those needs unlocks authentic leadership, and how to stop shrinking yourself to fit into rooms that weren't built for you.

In This Episode:

• Why "Tell me about yourself" may trigger anxiety and what to do instead
• The truth about needs vs. being "needy" (and why this matters for confidence)
• How Human Design reveals patterns that keep you stuck in doubt
• Moving from role-based identity to soul-based expression
• What authentic leadership actually looks like when you stop performing

Perfect for you if you've ever felt the gap between who you are and how the world sees you, struggled with introducing yourself authentically, or wondered why networking feels so draining.

This conversation gets deep, fast and will change how you think about identity, authenticity, and what you truly need to thrive.

Key Moments:

00:00 — Intros and Welcome

04:47 — Identity Starts with How We Introduce Ourselves

05:00 — Human Design: Open Centers and the Spiral of Doubt

08:34 — The Difference Between Wants and Needs

12:34 — Why Needs Are About Fulfillment, Not Lack

15:32 — Unlearning "Too Needy": Reclaiming Our Right to Need

18:07 — Finding the Courage to Name What Fills You

20:34 — Redefining Leadership: Guiding vs. Commanding

27:50 — Holding Space: What It Really Means to Lead Energetically

31:13 — When Someone Else Introduces You (And Gets It Right)

32:48 — The Struggle to Be Seen in Rooms That Aren't Like-Minded

35:23 — Noticing the Word "Need" and What It Reveals

37:24 — Final Reflections: Still in the Messy Middle, Still Growing

38:44 — Embodying Your Identity

Join a circle of changemakers committed to leading with purpose, presence and ease inside Kim's Rising Visionaries mentorship program.

Reclaim your career and confidence during midlife through Louise's Rise & Redefine program.

If you’re loving this show, come check out the Feminist Podcasters Collective, where creators like us are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change. If you’re looking for new shows to fill your feed, head to https://feministpodcasterscollective.com