THE PAIN OF GROWING UP BIRACIAL 2 | Tina Hogg’s Journey to Healing | Dr. Valerie Mukanga | Tina Hogg
She had every reason to stay bitter. But what happens when you choose forgiveness after being deeply hurt?
In Part 2 of this powerful conversation on The Science of Gratitude, Tina Hogg opens up about the difficult journey from pain and resentment toward forgiveness, faith, and healing. In conversation with Dr. Valérie Mukanga, Tina reflects on how the wounds of her past shaped her heart—and how God began to change it.
Forgiveness doesn't mean the pain never happened. Sometimes, it means choosing not to let that pain control the rest of your story.
Can you forgive someone who hurt you deeply?
Watch Part 2 of Tina's story and discover why healing may begin with the very thing that feels impossible.
#TheScienceOfGratitude #Forgiveness #HealingJourney #Faith #TinaHogg
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Tina Hogg is a woman whose journey through racism, rejection, abuse, and emotional pain led her toward faith, forgiveness, and healing. Through her own experiences, she developed a deeper understanding of the wounds people carry and the power of restoration. Today, her story reflects a commitment to helping others—particularly women who feel overlooked—discover hope, healing, and purpose through God’s grace.
Contact details:
THE PAIN OF GROWING UP BIRACIAL | When Pain Becomes Your Identity | Dr. Valerie Mukanga | Tina Hogg
What happens when the pain of your childhood follows you into adulthood?
Growing up biracial, Tina Hogg experienced racism, rejection, and abuse that shaped how she saw herself and the world. Anger became her defense, and emotional walls became her protection. But beneath that anger was a deeper pain she had yet to confront.
In this powerful conversation, Dr. Valérie Mukanga sits down with Tina to uncover the experiences that shaped her identity, the moment that challenged her from within, and the role of faith and forgiveness in her transformation.
From a childhood marked by rejection to a calling to help women heal, Tina’s story reveals how confronting the past can open the door to a different future.
**Can you break free from the pain that shaped you?**
This episode of *The Science of Gratitude* is a reminder that your past may influence your story, but it does not have to write the ending.
#TheScienceOfGratitude #TinaHogg #HealingJourney #Forgiveness #Faith
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Tina Hogg is a woman whose journey through racism, rejection, abuse, and emotional pain led her toward faith, forgiveness, and healing. Through her own experiences, she developed a deeper understanding of the wounds people carry and the power of restoration. Today, her story reflects a commitment to helping others—particularly women who feel overlooked—discover hope, healing, and purpose through God’s grace.
WHEN YOUR BODY STOPS LISTENING (PART 2) || DR. VALERIE MUKANGA || CHARLENE MOULY
The surgery was over. But Charlene's journey was far from finished.
After losing the ability to walk, she now faced the long road to recovery. Learning to move again required patience, consistency, physical therapy, and faith through days when progress wasn't always easy to see.
In Part 2 of this conversation, Charlene takes us deeper into her recovery journey and the lessons she learned along the way. From moving out of a wheelchair to taking steps again, she shares why the smallest victories became some of the biggest moments of hope.
But her recovery wasn't just physical. Charlene also reflects on the power of the words we speak, the importance of protecting our environment, and the decision to focus on God's promises even when circumstances look frightening.
How do you keep believing when you don't know how long the journey will take? How do you celebrate progress when you still have so far to go?
Charlene's testimony reminds us that recovery is a process, faith can sustain us through uncertainty, and sometimes the smallest sign of progress gives us the strength to take the next step.
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Charlene is a wife and mother, has a full-time career in Finance and Human Resources and is a woman of faith who has undergone a life-changing journey of an unexpected injury, loss of mobility, recovery, and profound transformation.
9 months ago, following a sudden and unexplainable spinal cord compression injury that left her unable to walk and with significant loss of sensation and mobility, Charlene underwent emergency spinal surgery and then began her road of rehabilitation and recovery.
What followed next was not only a journey of physical healing but a journey of restoration of her mind, body, and soul. She gained peace, joy, unwavering faith and gratitude alongside the ability to walk again and the restoration of her physical capabilities through putting trust in God one day at a time.
Through her recovery, Charlene has discovered that healing is often a process rather than a single moment. Her experience has changed the way she sees life, relationships, purpose, faith, and the things that truly matter.
Today, she shares her story to bring hope to others who are walking through difficult seasons and to remind them that setbacks don’t have to be the end of the story. Progress happens one day at a time and one step at a time and that hope can be found even in the hardest chapters.
Her message is one of faith, resilience, gratitude, hope, and trusting God through the unknown.
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**The Science of Gratitude (TSG)**
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheScience-of-Gratitude
TikTok: @the.science.of.gr
Email: [thescienceofgratitude@gmail.com](mailto:thescienceofgratitude@gmail.com)
Thank you for watching. Like, share, comment, and subscribe.
#TheScienceOfGratitude #WhenYourBodyStopsListening #Faith #Healing #Testimony #Hope #Gratitude #TrustGod #ragebait
Veterans Disability Appeals: You Can Win, But at What Cost?
Veterans benefits appeals, VA disability claims, legal judgment, veteran mental health, and disability claim backlogs are at the center of this conversation with attorney Michael S. Just.
Most people think law is about one thing: winning.
But what if winning the case is not the same as helping the person?
In this 5-minute section of The Rising and Thriving Podcast, I sit down with Michael S. Just, a veterans benefits appeals attorney, to talk about the moral judgment behind legal decisions.
The Department of Veterans Affairs reported that it processed more than 3 million claims in fiscal year 2025 and more than 1.5 million claims halfway through fiscal year 2026. But thousands of disability and pension claims remain backlogged, and appealed claims are tracked separately.
Behind those numbers are real people.
Veterans waiting for decisions may also be dealing with homelessness, lack of medical care, addiction, mental health struggles, and family pressure. That is why Michael says lawyers cannot only think about whether a case can be won.
They also have to ask:
What will this decision cost the client?
In this clip, we talk about:
Why law is not only about rules
Why judgment matters more than certainty
Why a legal win can still carry a human cost
Why veterans benefits appeals require more than technical knowledge
Why attorneys must consider the person behind the case
This conversation is part of Season 1 of The Rising and Thriving Podcast, where we explore how people think and make decisions when the stakes are high.
If this conversation is helpful, subscribe to the podcast so you are notified when a new episode is released.
#veteransbenefits #VADisabilityClaims #VeteransAppeals #veteranmentalhealth #legaljudgment #decisionmaking
How Lawyers Make Hard Decisions When the Answer Isn’t Clear | with Michael Just S01EP02
Decision-making under pressure, legal judgment, leadership, fatherhood, entrepreneurship, and responsibility when there is no clear answer and the outcome affects other people.
What do you do when you have to make an important decision, but you do not have all the information you need?
In this episode of The Rising and Thriving Podcast, My guest, Michael S. Just, and I explore what it means to think carefully when experiencing pressure and making decision that may affect the people around us.
The conversation examines the difference between following rules and using judgment, the risk of leaving stability to build something of your own, and the way responsibility can shape how you lead at work, at home, and in your community.
In this episode, we talk about:
• Making decisions when there is no clear answer
• Understanding the human cost behind professional choices
• Leaving stability and accepting the risk of building something new
• Leadership that adapts to different people and situations
• Fatherhood, responsibility, and creating opportunities for young people
• Learning to live with decisions when the outcome is uncertain
This conversation is part of Season 1 of The Rising and Thriving Podcast, where we explore how people think and decide when the stakes are high.
Subscribe to follow the full season.
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About the Guest
Michael S. Just is an attorney and the founder of Just Law. His work focuses on veterans’ benefits appeals. He has also taught law, supervised future attorneys, and founded the AAU basketball program Hoops Army.
Website: https://www.mjustlaw.com/
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About the Host
My name is Yves Mukanya. I am a therapist, transformational coach, and host of The Rising and Thriving Podcast. I focus on helping individuals navigate identity, pressure, and decision-making in moments that shape the direction of their lives.
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Follow me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/your_neighberhood_therapist/
Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@urneighberhoodtherapist
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvesmukanya/
Website: https://www.yvestmukanya.com
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Hashtags
#DecisionMaking #Leadership #LegalJudgment #Entrepreneurship #Fatherhood #Mentorship #HighStakesDecisions #RisingAndThrivingPodcast
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CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:06 Judgement Vs Certainty
05:22 Sustained Pressure and Burnout
17:10 Decison-Making Under Pressure With A Teaching Lens
30:56 Fatherhood and Long-Term Responsibility
39:00 Moral Weight And Reflection
43:10 Closing Reflection
44:31 Final Question To Close
46:14 Sign-OFF + Call To Action
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Where This Conversation Is Going Identity, Pressure, and the Decisions We Make S01EP01
Decision-making under pressure, identity, leadership, and high-stakes choices. How do people think and decide when the path is not clear and responsibility cannot be avoided?
What happens when the direction of your life changes and the decision in front of you is not as clear as you want it to be?
This episode introduces Season One of The Rising and Thriving Podcast and the question behind this season:
How do people think, decide, and become who they are when pressure forces them to act?
This is not about quick answers.
It is about understanding how decisions are made when:
information is incomplete
time is limited
responsibility is real
Subscribe to follow the full season.
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About the Host
My name is Yves Mukanya. I am a therapist, transformational coach, and host of The Rising and Thriving Podcast. I focus on helping individuals navigate identity, pressure, and decision-making in moments that shape the direction of their lives.
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Follow me:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/your_neighberhood_therapist/
Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@urneighberhoodtherapist
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yvesmukanya/
Website: www.yvestmukanya.com
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Hashtags
#DecisionMaking #IdentityUnderPressure #leadershipthinking
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CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:32 The Shift
01:10 The New Direction
01:59 What High-stakes Means Here
02:35 The Lens I Bring
04:04 What This Season Will Explore
04:35 Who Is This For
05:03 Closing
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OPTIMIZE YOUR LIFE | Secret and Art of Looking Fabulous | Dr. Valerie Mukanga | Noella Kabongo
Who says you have to be a certain age, size, or body shape to look fabulous?
Have you ever tried on an outfit that looked amazing on someone else but just didn't seem to work for you?
Or wondered whether something you love is really appropriate for your age?
The truth is, looking good isn't about having the perfect body or following every fashion trend. It's about knowing what works for YOU!
In this exciting episode of Optimize Your Life, host Dr. Valérie Mukanga welcomes fashion designer, master makeup artist, and entrepreneur Noella Kabongo for a fun and practical conversation about dressing well at every stage of life. From choosing clothes that flatter your body shape to mixing colors, finding the right fit, and dressing appropriately for different occasions, Noella shares her creative perspective on looking stylish, elegant, and confident, regardless of age or size.
Whether you're petite, curvy, tall, plus-sized, in your 30s, 50s, or beyond, this conversation is for you! Discover how to make fashion work for your body instead of trying to make your body fit fashion. Because looking fabulous isn't about changing who you are. It's about learning how to bring out the best in yourself!
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Noella Kabongo is a passionate fashion entrepreneur, designer, master makeup artist, and God-fearing woman with a remarkable eye for style and a heart for helping women look and feel their absolute best. Based in the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, she has turned her love for fashion and creativity into a passion for empowering women to embrace their beauty and individuality. As the founder of Noella-Grace Boutique, Noella specializes in creating and styling fashionable clothing for women of different ages, sizes, and body shapes. She believes that every woman deserves to look elegant, feel beautiful, and walk confidently in her own skin, regardless of age or size. For Noella, fashion is not simply about following trends, but about knowing how to dress in a way that celebrates who you are.
Beyond her creative talents, Noella is also a psychiatric nurse serving within the correctional system in the Dallas area. Her faith in God, compassion for others, and desire to make a difference are reflected in both her healthcare and entrepreneurial journeys. Whether she is designing an outfit, combining colors in unexpected ways, or helping a woman discover a style that complements her unique shape, Noella brings creativity, warmth, and a personal touch to everything she does. Through her work, she reminds women that great style has no age limit or size requirement, and true elegance begins with embracing the beauty of who you are.
Connect with Noella Kabongo:
Website: https://deevinekreations.com
All social media: https://linktr.ee/noellagrace
Thank you for watching! Please like, share, comment, and subscribe to The channel for more tips and conversations to help you live your best life!
#Fashion #StyleTips #FashionTips #BodyConfidence #optimizeyourlife
Stop asking, “What’s in it for me?” Start asking, “How can I be of service?”
Life becomes more meaningful when we look beyond personal gain and focus on making a difference in someone else's life.
You don't need a big platform to make an impact. You need a willing heart.
**Go beyond what you can receive. Think about what you can give.**
Who can you make a difference for today?
Overcoming Procrastination | Dr Valerie Mukanga | Coach Dara Bell
Why do we procrastinate?
Sometimes it’s not laziness. Sometimes it’s fear. Sometimes it’s overwhelm. And sometimes, when you’re already carrying a lot emotionally, even the simplest things can feel impossible to start.
In this conversation, Dr. Valérie Mukanga sits down with educator and coach Dara Bell to look at what may really be behind procrastination—and what it takes to get unstuck.
Dara shares practical ways to move forward without beating yourself up: creating routines, working with your natural energy, breaking big tasks into smaller steps, journaling, and giving yourself permission to begin again.
They also talk about the connection between procrastination, fear, depression, overwhelm, and the pressure we put on ourselves to get everything right.
And through it all is a faith-centered reminder: being behind does not mean you have failed. Sometimes you don't need to figure everything out. You just need to take the next small step.
If you've been stuck in the cycle of “I'll do it later,” this conversation may help you understand what's really happening—and how to start moving again.
The Science of Gratitude (TSG)
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheScience-of-Gratitude
TikTok: @the.science.of.gr
Email: thescienceofgratitude@gmail.com
Follow Dara Bell and learn more about From Stuck to Started through the information shared with this episode.
Thank you for watching. Like, share, comment, and subscribe.
#TheScienceOfGratitude #Procrastination #Fear #Overwhelm #Depression #Faith #MentalHealth #Purpose #growth
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Dara Bell is an educator, tutor, and coach with more than 25 years of experience in public education and over a decade of one-on-one coaching. She has worked with students, adults, and medical residents, helping them overcome procrastination, executive skill challenges, overwhelm, and the feeling of being stuck.
Through her faith-based approach, Dara helps people understand what may be underneath their procrastination—from fear and overwhelm to uncertainty about where to begin—and offers practical tools to help them move forward with greater structure and grace. She is also the author of *From Stuck to Started*, a faith-based guide and workbook designed to help people shift their mindset and develop healthier habits. Her work is centered on helping people take small, meaningful steps toward becoming unstuck and moving forward.
CBNEXT × CDMA AI Series · Session 7: AI in Your Pocket (full class, English)
Session 7 of the CBNEXT × CDMA AI Series, Saturday, October 31, 2026. The English class.
Your phone shows AI a paper in English and it explains it in your language. Your own details, you write them yourself. The homework, then a long conversation about AI in healthcare with nurses in the class: hospitals' own AI, notes, patient videos in other languages, and why the free version never touches patient data.
Chapters
0:00 Introduction
0:32 The English class: questions first
2:29 The foundation and the four parts of a prompt
5:53 Context and history: why Claude could fill the form
7:06 Maman Grace's form and prompt 7.1
10:46 Browser extensions
13:53 Claude in Chrome explains the form
18:54 Help fill it out: a made-up child
20:08 Permissions: allow once or for the task
22:07 What Claude filled and what it left blank
23:50 The filled PDF, and AI never signs
27:36 Always double-check: what did you hallucinate?
30:08 Your turn: AI at work
31:50 Ahmed Abdi: forms in the medical field
35:56 A reference that did not exist
38:56 Mundela Tshilanda: still restricted for forms
41:48 Translating videos for patients
43:01 Germaine: a note without patient identity
45:13 Never the free version at work
46:04 Will my information be exposed?
48:24 Dr. Google, now Dr. AI
49:47 AI in hospitals today
51:57 Homework and goodbye
52:57 Next session
Sixteen Saturdays, free. The certificate: 10 sessions, or a final exam at the end of the series for those who could not attend live.
Next session: Session 8, Saturday, November 7, 11:00 Dallas time. Getting Organized with AI.
The Session 7 page, with the prompts to copy: https://dmact.org/en/ai-series/session-7
Register: https://dmact.org/en/ai-series
Session 6, highlights: https://youtu.be/jiIJL-NiFbw
Session 6, full class: https://youtu.be/X1OLSDkfyuY
Some shared screens are blurred to protect personal information. Maman Grâce and the Larkspur Valley soccer club are fictional.
Série IA CBNEXT × CDMA · Session 7 : L'IA dans votre poche (séance complète)
Session 7 de la série IA CBNEXT × CDMA, samedi 31 octobre 2026.
L'IA dans votre poche : votre téléphone montre à l'IA un papier en anglais, et elle vous l'explique en français. Mais vos informations à vous, c'est vous qui les écrivez. Ouverture par le Dr. Muswamba Mwamba, président du conseil, et le certificat. Jamais passeport, carte d'identité ni dossier médical, et l'IA de WhatsApp. En direct, le formulaire du club de foot de Maman Grâce : ChatGPT sur la tablette, lent à recevoir la photo, puis Claude qui l'explique case par case, sans rien inventer, et qui ne signe jamais. Les questions de Cartouche, John et Marcus, le profil et le chat temporaire.
Chapitres
0:00 Introduction
0:32 Dr. Muswamba Mwamba ouvre la séance : le certificat
4:14 Bienvenue, l'adhésion gratuite et le portail CDMA
8:12 Un examen à la fin, pour ceux qui n'ont pas tout suivi en direct
11:55 Le devoir de la semaine dernière : l'affiche
16:25 Le témoignage d'Alain Assumani
18:46 Jamais passeport, carte d'identité ni dossier médical
19:46 La voix et la vision : un papier photographié
22:16 Le prompt en quatre parties, même à l'oral
27:09 L'IA de WhatsApp et les permissions
30:37 Maman Grâce et le formulaire du club de foot
34:43 Démonstration : ChatGPT sur la tablette
40:06 Claude explique le formulaire case par case
45:52 L'aide au remplissage, et le PDF refusé en incognito
47:12 Ce que montre la démonstration
49:24 Claude dans Chrome remplit un formulaire
51:50 La question de Cartouche : une image inventée
53:44 La question de John : traduire un PDF
1:04:24 La question de Marcus : la sécurité et le mode incognito
1:08:39 Le profil et la mémoire dans ChatGPT
1:12:45 Temporary Chat et incognito
1:14:44 Le devoir de la semaine
1:16:10 Le 7 novembre : le changement d'heure
1:16:53 Prochaine séance
Seize samedis, gratuit. Le certificat : 10 séances, ou un examen à la fin de la série pour ceux qui n'ont pas tout suivi en direct.
Prochaine séance : Session 8, samedi 7 novembre, 10h00 heure de Dallas (17h00 Kinshasa). S'organiser avec l'IA.
La page de la session 7, avec les prompts à copier : https://dmact.org/fr/ai-series/session-7
Inscription : https://dmact.org/fr/ai-series
Session 6, moments forts : https://youtu.be/wlFiUcd3t78
Session 6, séance complète : https://youtu.be/evymmpW_eSU
Certains écrans partagés sont floutés pour protéger des informations personnelles. Maman Grâce et le club de foot Larkspur Valley sont fictifs.
CBNEXT × CDMA AI Series · Session 7: AI in Your Pocket (highlights, English)
Highlights of Session 7 of the CBNEXT × CDMA AI Series, Saturday, October 31, 2026. The English class.
Do not let the AI guess, read its answer line by line, and know what it is allowed to do. AI in healthcare with Ahmed, Mundela and Germaine, and this week's homework.
Chapters
0:00 Introduction
0:32 What matters is the foundation
1:25 Do not fill anything in. Do not guess.
2:21 Line by line, in simple English
3:03 Reading is not executing
3:49 Not allowed at work
4:40 Hospitals have their own AI
5:52 A reference that did not exist
6:33 Still not for forms
8:03 Videos patients can understand
9:02 Can I draft my own note?
10:33 Never the free version at work
11:23 Will my information be exposed?
12:45 Dr. Google, now Dr. AI
14:03 Homework
14:57 Next session
Sixteen Saturdays, free. The certificate: 10 sessions, or a final exam at the end of the series for those who could not attend live.
Next session: Session 8, Saturday, November 7, 11:00 Dallas time. Getting Organized with AI.
The Session 7 page, with the prompts to copy: https://dmact.org/en/ai-series/session-7
Register: https://dmact.org/en/ai-series
Session 6, highlights: https://youtu.be/jiIJL-NiFbw
Session 6, full class: https://youtu.be/X1OLSDkfyuY
Some shared screens are blurred to protect personal information. Maman Grâce and the Larkspur Valley soccer club are fictional.
Dream Makers Talk is a vibrant community media platform created to amplify the voices of our members and celebrate the stories that shape our community. Inspired by the spirit of TED Talks, this program provides a stage where individuals can share their experiences, ideas, and dreams — fostering connection, discovery, and collective growth.
We believe every person carries a story powerful enough to inspire others. Dream Makers Talk exists to make sure those stories are seen, heard, and valued.
Our Purpose
Through Dream Makers Talk, We Aim To
This is where the community learns from the community — one voice at a time.
Highlight the diverse and inspiring stories of our members
Foster a supportive environment where ideas can flourish
Provide opportunities for individuals to gain community recognition and support
Encourage personal growth, innovation, and collaboration
This is where the community learns from the community — one voice at a time.
To empower Community Dream Makers members through education, innovation, and cultural preservation — uniting Congolese excellence with collective empowerment.
