All Stories Matter - Leilani Wells: From California to Kalamazoo (With More Than a few Stops In Between)

Updated 2 days ago

In this episode of 'All Stories Matter,' host Marvinetta Woodley Penn welcomes Leilani Wells to share her extraordinary life story. From her early days in Southern California navigating gang influences to her adventurous travels across Europe, Leilani's journey is one of resilience and transformation. The conversation delves into her experiences living in diverse places like Pomona, Seattle, and Kalamazoo, highlighting her ability to adapt and thrive. Leilani's passion for creativity and community shines as she discusses her podcasting ventures and social media work, emphasizing the importance of telling one's story. With heartfelt reflections on family and personal growth, this episode paints a vivid picture of a life well-lived, full of challenges and triumphs.

Chapters

Introduction by Marvinetta Woodley Penn (00:00:16)
Marvinetta Woodley Penn introduces herself as the host of the podcast "All Stories Matter" and reflects on her journey since March.

Marvinetta Woodley Penn greets the audience with a warm welcome, acknowledging that listeners might be tuning in from different time zones. She introduces herself as the host of "All Stories Matter" and shares a personal reflection on discovering that she has been hosting the show since March. Marvinetta expresses her pleasure in interviewing various people and helping them uncover their stories, emphasizing the importance of storytelling.
Helping People Discover Their Stories (00:00:37)
Marvinetta discusses the show's goal of helping people remember and connect with their stories, likening it to opening drawers of a mental file cabinet.

Marvinetta Woodley Penn elaborates on her role as a host, explaining that the show aims to help people remember and connect with their personal stories. She uses the metaphor of a mental file cabinet, where experiences are stored in drawers or folders that may be forgotten over time. Marvinetta believes that by revisiting these 'drawers,' individuals can gain new insights and revelations about how different life events are interconnected.
Exciting Changes and Surprises (00:01:43)
Marvinetta announces upcoming changes, including recording the show in front of a live audience at the Public Media Network studio starting in late April or early May.

In an exciting announcement, Marvinetta reveals that starting in late April or early May, the show will be recorded in front of a live audience at the Public Media Network studio. She expresses her excitement about this new direction and hints at some surprises she plans to discuss. Marvinetta invites the audience to participate, promising more details will follow.
Call for Donations (00:02:39)
Marvinetta appeals for donations to the Public Media Network, explaining the financial challenges faced due to federal funding cuts.

Marvinetta makes a heartfelt appeal for donations to the Public Media Network, explaining that as a nonprofit, it has been severely impacted by funding cuts from the federal government. She urges listeners to support the network if they can, highlighting the importance of public media and the challenges faced by stations across the country due to these financial constraints.
Interview with Lei Wells (00:03:24)
Marvinetta welcomes Lei Wells to the studio, ready to explore her story and experiences.

Marvinetta introduces her guest, Lei Wells, playfully mentioning Lei's middle name as she welcomes her to the studio. The conversation is set to delve into Lei's personal story and her experiences. Marvinetta expresses her eagerness to learn more about Lei's journey and the business ventures she is involved in.
Lei Wells' Background and Early Life (00:04:23)
Lei Wells shares her background, originally from Southern California, and her family's move to Pomona due to gang activity concerns.

Lei Wells begins her story by recounting her early life. Originally from Southern California, Lei was born in Hollywood and lived in Los Angeles until the age of nine. Her family decided to move to Pomona, a location outside of LA, to escape the growing gang activity in Los Angeles. Lei describes the mixed experiences of growing up in Pomona, where middle-class living intersected with areas affected by poverty and gangs.
Lei's Teenage Challenges and Resilience (00:07:02)
Lei discusses her teenage years, involvement with gang members, the challenges she faced, and her resilience in overcoming difficult situations.

Lei candidly shares the challenges she faced during her teenage years, including dating someone involved in gangs and the resulting troubles. She recounts her experience of running away from home and being illegally placed in juvenile hall by a judge who was later discredited for similar actions. Despite these hardships, Lei reflects on her resilience and the protective forces she felt helped her navigate these trying times.
Passion for Social Justice (00:10:17)
Lei expresses her passion for addressing issues in the school-to-prison pipeline and her plans to get involved.

Lei highlights her strong connection to social justice issues, particularly the school-to-prison pipeline. She shares her plans to become more involved in advocating for change and supporting those affected by this systemic issue. Lei's personal experiences fuel her dedication to making a difference in this area.
Lei's Journey of Personal Growth (00:11:00)
Lei reflects on her growth from a teenage mother to a successful adult, and how sharing her story can inspire others.

Reflecting on her journey from being a teenage mother to her current successes, Lei emphasizes the importance of sharing personal stories to inspire and support others. She believes that by being open about her past, she can help young people see that challenges can be overcome and that they are not alone in their struggles.
Lei's Educational Path and Move to Europe (00:19:41)
Lei shares how she went from dropping out of high school to attending college and participating in a work-study program in London.

Lei recounts her unconventional educational journey, where she initially dropped out of high school but later attended Mount San Antonio College. There, she discovered an opportunity to study and work in London through a business major program. Eager to explore, Lei switched her major to qualify and embarked on a transformative experience in Europe, working multiple jobs to support herself.
Adventures in London (00:21:29)
Lei describes her vibrant life in London, juggling multiple jobs and exploring the city while studying abroad.

In London, Lei embraced the city's vibrant culture while balancing three jobs to sustain herself. She fondly recalls working at an American school, participating in telemarketing, and enjoying a dynamic social life. Her adventures included visiting iconic sites like Stonehenge and experiencing the local music scene, all while managing her academic responsibilities.
Arrival at Temporary Housing (00:26:11)
The narrator describes arriving at a temporary housing arrangement where they lived with people from various countries.

The narrator explains how they had to move out of their flat and ended up in a temporary housing situation with people from different countries. They shared a large room with two American friends and were housed with Italians, a Japanese girl, some Botswanans, and German girls, forming a multicultural living arrangement.
Living in a Multicultural House (00:26:30)
The narrator elaborates on the experience of living with people from different countries and how they all communicated and became friends.

The narrator elaborates on the living situation in the temporary housing, describing how they all lived in different sections of the house, formed friendships, and communicated despite language barriers, especially with the Japanese girl who didn't speak English but still joined in the fun.
Traveling Through Europe (00:27:09)
The narrator recounts their travels throughout Europe, visiting various countries and enjoying cultural experiences.

The narrator recounts their travels across Europe, detailing visits to France, Ireland for St. Patrick's Day, Italy, and other countries. They share experiences such as visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa, enjoying Prague for its affordability and castles, and appreciating Switzerland's beauty.
Decision to Travel the United States (00:30:09)
Realizing the cultural richness of Europe, the narrator decides to explore the United States upon returning home.

The narrator expresses their realization of how much Europeans knew about the United States and their own desire to explore their home country. They describe moving back home, saving up money, and planning a road trip across the United States, starting with buying a van.
Road Trip Across the United States (00:31:17)
The narrator details the road trip across the United States, including various jobs and places they lived temporarily.

The narrator describes their journey across the United States, taking up jobs along the way to fund their travels. They lived in various places such as Georgia and worked at Six Flags parks. The narrator shares anecdotes about the places they visited and the experiences they had on the road.
Settling in Seattle (00:35:36)
After traveling, the narrator decides to settle in Seattle, Washington, drawn by the city's appeal and proximity to family.

The narrator explains their decision to settle in Seattle after considering other cities like New York and Atlanta. They were drawn to Seattle's location and environment, leading them to buy a house and live there for several years, including the birth of their son.
Return to California and Move to Kalamazoo (00:39:42)
Following personal challenges, the narrator returns to California and eventually moves to Kalamazoo, Michigan.

The narrator recounts returning to California after a breakup and then moving to Kalamazoo, Michigan, where their father lived. They describe the experience of living with their father for the first time as an adult, which helped strengthen their relationship.
Personal Growth and Family Connections (00:43:52)
Living with their father allowed the narrator to gain insights into their own identity and strengthen family bonds.

The narrator reflects on the personal growth they experienced while living with their father in Kalamazoo. They gained a deeper understanding of their own identity and creativity, saw similarities between their father and son, and learned valuable lessons about self-worth and relationships.
Philosophy on Life and Purpose (00:47:11)
The narrator shares their philosophical views on life and their purpose of helping others realize their potential.

The narrator discusses their belief in limitless possibilities and their purpose of helping others see their own potential. They describe their role as a bridge between cultures and individuals, emphasizing the importance of living fully and embracing opportunities for growth and connection.
Building a Business Focused on Connection (00:51:00)
The narrator discusses their business endeavors, focusing on podcasting and creating connections.

The narrator talks about their current focus on podcasting as a means of connecting with others and sharing stories. They describe their two podcasts, 'Get Seen' and 'The Sandbox Collective,' which aim to highlight people's stories and foster a sense of community and mutual support.
Introduction of the Fashion Stylist (00:52:16)
The speaker introduces Danielle Fisher, an incredible fashion stylist who helped with her outfit.

In this segment, the speaker talks about how Danielle Fisher, an incredible fashion stylist, saved the day by assisting with her outfit. She also mentions having a makeup artist, videographer, and a friend who loaned equipment for filming the podcast.
The Sandbox Collective (00:52:47)
Discussion about the Sandbox Collective, a platform for creative collaboration.

The speaker explains what the Sandbox Collective is about, emphasizing the concept of sandbox friends and creating with others as an adult. The platform highlights creatives such as artists, musicians, and thought leaders, showing how there is money and impact to be made in these fields when living one's God-given gifts.
Podcast Details and Distribution (00:53:35)
The speaker shares details about the podcast length and distribution platforms.

This chapter covers the speaker's plans for the podcast, mentioning that each episode will be about an hour long. The podcast will be available on various platforms including Spotify and YouTube. The speaker also mentions having a team for short form content creation and a website for the podcast.
Social Media and Marketing Ventures (00:54:20)
Exploration into helping others start podcasts and managing social media.

The speaker talks about receiving requests to help others start their podcasts and being selective about these opportunities. She also discusses running social media for people who are active in the community, creating short form video content from event footage.
Transition to Marketing and Entrepreneurship (00:55:00)
The speaker describes her transition to marketing to spend more time with her son.

In this section, the speaker recounts her journey from working in a call center to exploring social media marketing. She wanted to have more time with her son, leading her to pursue entrepreneurship and eventually becoming a soccer mom.
Creative Income Streams from Home Ownership (00:56:30)
Innovative ways the speaker used her home to generate income.

The speaker shares how she turned her house into a source of income by creating a rental apartment, dog sitting, and offering parking space. These creative solutions helped her manage her finances while pursuing her entrepreneurial goals.
Cherished Memories of Grandmother (00:58:25)
The speaker fondly recalls her relationship with her grandmother.

Reflecting on one of her fondest memories, the speaker talks about her deep connection with her grandmother, who she describes as her guardian angel. She reminisces about how her grandmother loved her and understood her soul.
Future Aspirations and Family (01:00:14)
The speaker envisions a future surrounded by family and children.

Looking into the future, the speaker expresses her desire to be surrounded by family, including grandchildren and possibly another child. She dreams of a life filled with taking care of her family and cooking for them.
Conclusion and Call to Action (01:01:01)
The host encourages viewers to tell their stories and connect with others.

In the conclusion, the host thanks the speaker and the audience, urging everyone to tell their stories and listen to others. The host emphasizes the importance of embracing one's story and making connections through storytelling.