Exploring African Roots, Collaboration, Balance, & Power of Technology in Denise Spiller's Journey

I am honored and blessed to be talking with Ms. Denise Analee Spiller in this podcast episode. Ms. Spiller is an Author, Digital Publisher, and a Founder and EmpowerX Summit.

Theme:

The overall theme of the podcast episode is the personal journey and experiences of Denise Spiller as she explores her connection to Africa and emphasizes the potential for collaboration and business growth between Africa and the African diaspora. The discussion centers around the transformative effect of understanding one's heritage and the opportunities that arise from international commerce and connections with Africa. Additionally, the episode touches on the role of AI in education, promoting a balanced and disciplined approach to its use while emphasizing the importance of maintaining one's unique voice and ethical considerations. The overarching theme is the power of collaboration, balance, and discipline in fostering personal growth, community development, and innovation.

Summary:

In this podcast episode, Denise Spiller, an author, and digital writer, shared her personal journey and experiences as she explored her connection to Africa and emphasized the potential for collaboration and business growth between Africa and the African diaspora. She highlighted the importance of balance and discipline in various aspects of life, stressing that maintaining a healthy lifestyle and exercising self-control leads to overall well-being.

One of my favorite parts of our conversation was discussing food. Here is an excerpt from our conversation. When you were in Nigeria, what was your favorite food? How do you like, how do you like our Jollof Rice?

"Oh, my goodness. See, you want to talk about something other than STEM education. You don't want to talk about that because now you're talking about what I love the most, the food in general? Okay. I ate so well.

And when I say good, complete, I ate completely, but everything is so fresh. The beauty of beauty, the positive side of not having electricity 24 hours, seven days a week, as we do here, is that you prepare differently, so you may only buy a little. So, I was at the marketplace every two days buying fresh food to cook.

And after I was there for a week, I spent almost two months, two months, yeah, two months there, after about two weeks, I was cooking. Now I just wanted to cook because I love to cook here. So, I started cooking and had to buy fresh peppers and onions. Surprisingly, I love pepper soup. I thought it was going to kill me, but I loved it.

I haven't been to many other countries yet, but African food from different places is as refreshing and spicy as Nigerian food."

Denise discussed the transformative effect of understanding one's heritage and the opportunities that arise from international commerce and connections with Africa, stating, "If you start with balance and discipline first, all the rest is going to fall into place." She also emphasized the opportunities that arise from international commerce and connections with Africa, stating, "I've seen entrepreneurs go back to Africa, start businesses, create jobs, and contribute to the growth and development of the continent."

She highlighted the success stories of African diaspora entrepreneurs who have returned to Africa and utilized their global experiences to launch successful ventures, creating jobs and driving innovation. Additionally, she noted the increasing collaboration between African and diaspora artists, musicians, and filmmakers, who are amplifying African voices and promoting African culture globally while creating economic opportunities.

Discussing the role of AI in education, Denise acknowledged its value as a research tool and time-saver, saying, "It can help smooth out your writing. It can give you some ideas." However, she stressed the need for proper sourcing and incorporating one's unique voice, stating, "AI cannot replace the human voice... your unique voice is what adds authenticity to your work."

Denise encouraged educators to embrace AI as part of the curriculum and teach students how to utilize it effectively. She emphasized the need for guidelines and ethical considerations, stating, "If you don't give students guidelines, then how can you say they're being unethical?"

Denise's insights underscored the significance of collaboration, balance, and discipline. By fostering meaningful connections between Africa and the African diaspora, leveraging technology responsibly, and promoting the ethical use of AI, individuals in STEM fields, parents, students, teachers, and policymakers can tap into the vast potential for growth and innovation while honoring their heritage and creating a brighter future for all.

She urged individuals in STEM fields, parents, students, teachers, and policymakers to tap into the potential for growth and innovation while honoring their heritage and promoting responsible and ethical use of technology. She eloquently stated, "We are such a powerful community, such a powerful people. When we collaborate and have these kinds of conversations, there isn't anything we can't do."

Authored by Dr. Ayo Olufade, Ph.D.

Think STEM Careers! You Have the Opportunity to Create the Future and The Privilege of Deciding What’s in It! ~ Dr. Ayo Olufade, PhD

Excel in Learning. Excel in Life.