Word Vomit - Art, Authenticity & Building Community | The Essence of You Podcast

Welcome to the very first episode of The Essence of You Podcast, recorded live on Pi Day (March 14th) in front of a real audience in Boise, Idaho!

Host Steph Lokelani sits down with three incredible guests: Karma Metzler Fitzgerald (Community Leader), Reham Aarti (Arab American Mosaic Artist), and Mike Krause (Executive Coach & Mental Performance Strategist). Together, they dive deep into what it means to live authentically, lead with purpose, and show up for the people around you, even when burnout, imposter syndrome, and a chaotic world are telling you to stay home.

From a 400-pound mosaic, to running for state office on impulse, to finding life on the stage, these are stories of saying "yes" before you feel ready. The conversation ranges from the collapse of civic community and the broken nonprofit funding model, to matriarchal leadership, joy as resistance, and why knowing your own values is the antidote to exhaustion.

Raw, real, funny, and deeply human. This is the Essence of You.

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Guest Bios:

Karma Metzler Fitzgerald currently identifies as exhausted. Life just keeps… lifing… so her priority is resting when possible and finding joy in the beautiful and sacred ordinary. Karma grew up a few blocks away in a working class family here in Boise, while splitting time with her farm family a few hours down the road in Buhl. She’s a typical Idaho girl – playing in the mud all day and attending the grand ball at night. Along the twisted road of adulthood, she’s worked everywhere from the governor’s office to the family kitchen. The constant has always been words and a passion for stringing them together in such a way that those words change a moment or a lifetime. In Lincoln County, where she lived for thirty years, she co-created a community supported child care program for every child from birth to graduation. Karma also developed a rural public transportation program to get residents where they need to be at low or no cost. 

These days, Karma’s fully embracing her crone era. She leads with  fierce compassion seeking ways to connect people to the resources they need to thrive. Now back in Boise she is content to create a pollinator pathway in her neighborhood, muck about in her worm bins, and putter in her yard and garden. She does this while looking for opportunities to lead, build connection, and,  on occasion, stir up some trouble.

Reham Aarti is an Arab American mosaic artist, activist, author, and mother of two whose work celebrates resilience, cultural identity, and community. Over a 29-year career, she has created mosaic installations across the United States and internationally. Reham is deeply committed to using art as a tool for connection and healing, including founding a 17-year program bringing mosaic workshops to children at St. Luke’s Hospital. Through public art, community murals, and educational outreach, she works to create spaces where creativity, compassion, and belonging can thrive.

Mike Krause is an executive coach and mental performance strategist with Global Bound, LLC, where he partners with executives and emerging leaders to enhance performance, support sustainable growth, and strengthen holistic wellbeing both inside and outside the workplace. He brings over 25 years of executive leadership experience in the nonprofit sector, including 4½ years with the United States Department of State in Southern and Central Africa, where his work focused on public health initiatives and cross-cultural leadership.

Mike serves as an executive coach for the Idaho Leads program and is the developer and lead facilitator of the Ascending Leaders initiative through the Idaho Community Foundation. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Sport and Performance Psychology, while co-hosting a weekly podcast and traveling throughout the country speaking on leadership, workplace culture, and mental fitness practices.

Chapters:

00:00 – Welcome & Pi Day Origin Story
01:00 – Introducing the Podcast
02:30 – Guest Introductions
04:50 – Reham's Mosaic Art
16:30 – Karma's Journey: Journalism, Farming & Running for State Office
24:00 – Karma on Community & Leading Change
37:30 – Reham on Public Art & Volunteers
41:15 – Mike's Journey: From Meridian to Chicago and back
57:00 – Steph's Story: Filmmaking & Nonprofits
59:00 – Balancing Compassion Fatigue & Joy as Resistance
01:03:45 – Women as Community Glue & Matriarchal Leadership
01:06:00 – Imposter Syndrome: Wearing a Mask vs. Knowing Who You Are
01:17:00 – Audience Q&A: Burnout, Nonprofits & Getting Involved
01:20:00 – The Broken Nonprofit Funding Model
01:22:30 – Creating Sanctuary & Rebuilding Local Community
01:26:00 – "Bowling Alone": How Civic Disconnection Threatens Democracy
01:30:00 – Know Your Values, Get Out of Your Head & Lead with Stewardship
01:34:00 – Closing Thoughts