Awf The Record

What happens when your character is seen, but your story isn’t?In this powerful segment, Andrea Lewis opens up about her experience on Degrassi — playing Hazel, one of the few Black characters on the show, and what it felt like to be visible but voiceless. She reflects on the lack of cultural authenticity in Hazel’s storyline, the toll it took on her confidence, and how it fueled her to create The Black Beauty Effect, a groundbreaking series that centers Black women, beauty, and belonging.This is a must-listen for anyone who's ever felt erased — and found power in creating their own table.GUEST RESOURCESAndrea Lewis IG | @andrealewisRESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG |  @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG |  @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

How do you stay empowered and sensual in a world that wants to box you in?In this powerful segment, Melyssa Ford gets real about the exit ramp from video vixen fame, reclaiming her narrative, and the intentional ways she moved through public spaces to protect her peace. She shares how she modeled herself after women like Claire Huxtable, Lena Horne, and Sade, and what it really means to master quiet confidence in a loud world.For anyone navigating womanhood, media, and misunderstood power, this one's for you.GUEST RESOURCES Melyssa Ford IG | @melyssafordRESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG |  @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG |  @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

Today, this candid and reflective episode of Awf The Record is your go-to year-end reset. Jeannette and Mona ditch the highlight reel to unpack what 2025 really looked like: burnout, blurred boundaries, constant “work mode,” and the pressure to overachieve.They break down the habits that kept them running on fumes, unpack the immigrant-kid conditioning that glorifies exhaustion, and reveal the small but powerful shifts they’re making to build a more intentional, joyful, sustainable 2026.Whether you're overachieving yourself into exhaustion, struggling to balance personal joy with professional hustle, or just looking for a more sustainable way to grow – this episode is for you. KEY POINTS - Why we glamorize burnout and miss the signs- How to stop “performing productivity” and start practicing boundaries- Why your “work mode” is stealing your joy (and how to reclaim it)- The value of hobbies that don’t pay you- Why scheduling your personal life is the ultimate form of self-respect- How to slow down without losing ambition- The difference between big wins vs. consistent wins- What Mona & Jeannette are leaving in 2025 (and what they’re carrying into 2026)QUOTES “2025 dragged me by my edges.” - Mona Kosar Abdi"There are some years that ask questions and some years that answer, and for me, I felt like this was a year of a lot of questions being asked, and I hope that 2026 is the year that answers." - Mona Kosar Abdi"Don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Before, my excuse was they can't do better. Do it better than I can. But now you want, first off, you find out some people can. You just got to give them some time to learn."- Jeannette Reyes"I'm leaving anxiety in 2025 because it does not serve me at all... I am going to celebrate things and celebrate myself and allow my friends to celebrate me." - Mona Kosar AbdiRESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG |  @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG |  @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

Is Ozempic really the weight loss solution we’ve been waiting for or is it more complicated than that?In this must-listen segment, Dr. Darien Sutton breaks down the truth behind Ozempic and GLP-1 medications; what they actually do, who they’re for, and why obesity is much more than a matter of willpower. From Serena Williams headlines to the science of chronic weight gain, this convo dives into the real root causes of obesity, metabolic health, and the limits of “quick fix” thinking.If you’re curious, confused, or just tired of the hot takes, this one clears it all up.GUEST RESOURCES Dr. Darien Sutton IG | @doctor.darien/ RESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG |  @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG |  @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

There’s power in being seen… but there’s also pressure.In this “Best-Of” episode, we explore the beauty and the burden of being a woman in the public eye. Through deeply personal stories of fame, identity, grief, and cultural expectations, these guests reflect on what it means to be visible… and misunderstood. This episode is for every woman who’s ever felt picked apart, underestimated, or praised for the version of herself the world projected – not the one she chose.KEY POINTS: Melyssa Ford: The Original Video Vixen on Fame, Fear, and Finding HerselfAndrea Lewis on Life After Degrassi, Burnout, and Becoming a BossThe Biggest Hair Myth, Texturism, and the Pressure to Be PerfectRESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG |  @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG |  @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG