Dr. G sits down with Marwa Almusawi (she/her). Marwa is of Arab American heritage and spent her formative years in Iraq, Iran, Jordan, and Syria. She is honored to serve as the Director for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Green River College. Marwa holds a Master's degree in Education, with a focus on examining the politicization of Muslim women’s representations, and a Bachelor's degree in International Relations. In her leisure time, she enjoys discovering great local cafes, baking, and hosting family and community gatherings.

In this inspiring podcast episode, Dr. G sits down with Olympia Edwards, the visionary CEO of Project Girl. This impactful organization is dedicated to mentoring young women of color, empowering them to make meaningful life choices, and supporting them in realizing their fullest, most authentic potential. Together, they "talk story," exploring Project Girl's transformative mission and the profound ways it fosters growth, resilience, and advancement among the next generation of leaders.

Olympia Edwards is an advocate, community leader, and the CEO/Founder of Project Girl Mentoring Program, www.project-girl.org An organization dedicated to empowering and inspiring young women to embrace their fullest potential. Combining her passion for empowering communities with her extensive experience in nonprofit capacity building, Olympia serves as the Director of Community Coalition. In this role, she works to strengthen local organizations by fostering partnerships, providing resources, and advocating for equitable opportunities in Snohomish County.

With over 20 years of mentorship experience, Olympia has guided countless young women on their journeys to confidence and success. She is also deeply involved in philanthropic efforts through her impactful work with several community organizations that drive social equity and support underserved populations.

Olympia believes in the power of connection and collaboration to create lasting change. Beyond her professional work, she is a devoted wife and proud mom to two adventurous boys who enjoy exploring the world through climbing, jumping, and skating. In her downtime, she finds joy in cycling and nurturing her impressive collection of over 100 indoor plants. Olympia’s mission is to inspire, guide, and foster meaningful change in the communities she serves.

In this timely episode, Dr. G talks story with Dr. Erin Lightfoot about the importance of breathwork and mindfulness in overcoming adult anxiety.

“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” ~ Carl Jung

Dr. Erin Lightfoot, owner and founder of Lightfoot Self and Soul, and a Spiritual Wellness and Feminine Energy coach, has been a passionate and dedicated mindfulness and breathwork practitioner for over a decade. As someone who has struggled with anxiety and a highly sensitive nervous system since childhood, her first time being introduced to a mindfulness practice as an adult was a pivotal turning point that sparked her breadcrumb trail toward wellness and healing.

She came to realize just how crucial developing a self-regulation and emotional literacy practice has been for learning how to feel safe and grounded in her body (especially when life feels chaotic), as well as her capacity to be present in relationships with others and her ability to lead with grounded emotional intelligence. She often wondered, “How might my life have been different if I had been taught to breathe as a child?” It was this reflection that became the guiding north star for her doctoral research on Mindfulness for Kindergarteners in Public Education, where she explored the possibility of how fostering emotional regulation through a mindful breathing practice for children may begin ‘planting the seed’ to support the development of relational leadership capacity for 21 st century leaders.

Dr. Erin firmly believes that people function better in life when they feel grounded and happy…and people feel most grounded and happy when they are healthy and emotionally well. She is an outspoken advocate for helping people, like her, who struggle with anxiety learn how to get out of their heads and into their bodies so they can become securely attached and soul-aligned with thriving relationships, while feeling amazing, healthy, and alive in their minds, body, heart, soul, and spirit!

She also holds four wellness-based certifications: Breath Coach, Nutrition and Health Coach, Integrated Attachment Relationship Coach, and a Yoga instructor. Outside of her professional and academic world, Dr. Erin leads a whole and vibrant life with her extraordinary partner and three beautiful children living in sunny Southern California.

You can find her on Instagram and Tik Tok by searching Lightfoot Self and Soul, or through her website (coming soon) at www.LightfootSelfAndSoul.com

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/lightfoot.self.and.soul?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Tik Tok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@lightfoot.self.and.soul?_t=8qY8PSGKFeJ&_r=1

Website:
www.lightfootselfandsoul.com (coming soon!)
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WARNING:
Profanity.
Profanity is beneficial beyond adding emphasis and color to our language. It can also provide catharsis, conferring a degree of relief from stress and other forms of discomfort. (Mager, 2018)


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