Rev. Yolanda interviewed The Kennedy Family Band, Cameron and Ellie Kennedy, based out of Madison Wisconsin, are a rare breed of sweetness. Battling cancer and Lyme disease respectively, they are overcoming huge obstacles to demonstrate good, and put kindness into the world through their work with “A Course in Miracles International,” The International Peace Orchestra and The Kindness Academy.

Cam Kennedy is a world-traveling Australian Psychotherapist, Public Speaker, Documentarian, Author, and Musician. Ellie is also a world traveler, musical theater actress, concert pianist choir director, and musician who has a huge heart and a beautiful tone. Many have fallen in love with her voice and powerful presence. Currently, Ellie is profoundly disabled by Lyme disease, but still has her voice and indomitable spirit. Their original songs are about struggle and redemption, historical heroes and mavericks, inner dialogues seeking the light, and finding reason in a crazy world. You can find their music here: www.ckband.wordpress.com

Rev. Yolanda is a trans femme genderqueer singer/songwriter/actor/performance artist & interfaith minister, originally from Muscle Shoals, Alabama- The Hit Recording Capital of the World. Rev. Yolanda has been making music/theater/TV/film/performance art for well over 35 years, winning the NYC MAC Award twice and inducted into both the NY Blues Hall of Fame and The GLBT Hall of Fame. Rev. Yolanda has 9 albums of original music (and is working on her 10th) that explore Rock, Gospel, Blues, Pop, Country and Sacred Mantra. Rev. Yolanda was signed to the record label Choose Love Music in 2023 and her new album will be released in 2024 as a part of the programming activities of The American Foundation For Suicide Prevention. The album is tentatively called “YolandaNanda 2 (YolandaNanda 1 was released in 2020) and is inspired by Sacred Mantras written in Sanskrit and Gurumuki. You can find Rev. Yolanda’s music here: Yolanda.net/audio

Rev. Yolanda’s guest was Rev. Pamela Mann.

Rev. Pamela Mann is an Intuitive, Meditative, and Visionary Artist, Ritualist & Ceremonialist
Reiki MT/Shamanic Healer. Pamela was ordained at One Spirit Interfaith Learning Alliance and Seminary located in NYC, NY, Class of 2011 (alongside Rev. Yolanda). Her first year of study had an emphasis on the world’s religions and their cultures and ceremonies. While in seminary, she attended services for each of the world’s religions and still attends as many different services as possible. Pamela’s ministry serves as an outreach of One Spirit in the state of Virginia.

The newest addition to Rev. Pamela’s services is Reiki Infused Sound Healing Sessions. She shared one of these sessions with us live. To find out more about Rev. Pamela and her sound healing as well as other services, visit her on Facebook. Click Here

Rev. Yolanda is a trans femme genderqueer actor/singer/songwriter/performance artist & interfaith minister, originally from Muscle Shoals, Alabama- The Hit Recording Capital of the World. Rev. Yolanda has been making music/theater/TV/film/performance art for well over 35 years, winning the NYC MAC Award twice and inducted into both the NY Blues Hall of Fame and The GLBT Hall of Fame. You can find out more about her and her music here: Yolanda.net

Rev. Yolanda also shared some of her newest music from her upcoming cd “YolandaNanda 2”.

Rev. Yolanda’s guest was Rev. Chanda Rule, back for the second time, a singer, and songwriter with flavors of jazz in her music and vocals. Chanda Rule has been weaving stories through song since her childhood. Gracefully mesmerizing audiences nationally and internationally.

Chanda’s genre-defying voice has been featured in a variety of musical projects: from her latest album “Sapphire Dreams” recorded with the legendary pianist Kirk Lightsey, “Feeling Good: A Tribute to Nina Simone”, where she sang alongside sax powerhouse Donny McCaslin, to being featured in Cicily Janus’ book The New Face of Jazz (Billboard Books). Chanda has also performed as an opening act for India Arie, Angela Bofill, Regina Belle & The Whispers.

Rev. Chanda is also a published writer, podcast host, and storyteller who uses narrative and music for community building and communal healing. Chanda is the bestselling author of the children’s book How Butterfly Got Her Beautiful Wings and can be heard biweekly on her podcast, The Courageous Voice.

Here’s a quote about Rev. Chanda:

         “Her powerful voice is characterized by superb diction…heartfelt intonation…and often aching beauty.”
                                                                                                                             -All About Jazz Magazine

Rev. Yolanda has been making music/theater/TV/film/performance art for well over 35 years, winning the NYC MAC Award twice and inducted into both the NY Blues Hall of Fame and The GLBT Hall of Fame. Rev. Yolanda has recorded 9 albums of original music throughout the years and is very excited to announce that she will start her newest and 10th recording of original music called YolandaNanda 2 on April 15, 2023.

YolandaNanda 2 will incorporate Sanskrit Mantra, A Course In Miracles lessons, The Radiance Sutras, and personal storytelling in a musical groove salad of gospel pop and chill ambient. One of Yolanda’s greatest joys these days is connecting deeply with the Awakening Together community. As Rev. Cyndi says: “I Love Us”.

Rev. Yolanda’s guest was Rev. Chanda Rule, a singer, and songwriter with flavors of jazz in her music and vocals. Chanda Rule has been weaving stories through song since her childhood. Gracefully mesmerizing audiences nationally and internationally.

Chanda’s genre-defying voice has been featured in a variety of musical projects: from her latest album “Sapphire Dreams” recorded with the legendary pianist Kirk Lightsey, “Feeling Good: A Tribute to Nina Simone”, where she sang alongside sax powerhouse Donny McCaslin, to being featured in Cicily Janus’ book The New Face of Jazz (Billboard Books). Chanda has also performed as an opening act for India Arie, Angela Bofill, Regina Belle & The Whispers.

Rev. Chanda is also a published writer, podcast host, and storyteller who uses narrative and music for community building and communal healing. Chanda is the bestselling author of the children’s book How Butterfly Got Her Beautiful Wings and can be heard biweekly on her podcast, The Courageous Voice.

Here’s a quote about Rev. Chanda:

         “Her powerful voice is characterized by superb diction…heartfelt intonation…and often aching beauty.”
                                                                                                                             -All About Jazz Magazine

Rev. Yolanda has been making music/theater/TV/film/performance art for well over 35 years, winning the NYC MAC Award twice and inducted into both the NY Blues Hall of Fame and The GLBT Hall of Fame. Rev. Yolanda has recorded 9 albums of original music throughout the years and is very excited to announce that she will start her newest and 10th recording of original music called YolandaNanda 2 on April 15, 2023.

YolandaNanda 2 will incorporate Sanskrit Mantra, A Course In Miracles lessons, The Radiance Sutras, and personal storytelling in a musical groove salad of gospel pop and chill ambient. One of Yolanda’s greatest joys these days is connecting deeply with the Awakening Together community. As Rev. Cyndi says: “I Love Us”.

Rev. Yolanda’s guest, Ashley Monique Menard, is a chameleon delivering award-winning performances in Comedy, Horror, and Drama. She is the creator, director, and star of the scandalous Youtube Mockumentary “The Art of Blowing it” about fictional 90’s child star Emmy Hart and her dealing with fear, second chances, and addiction.

In her 6th season filming the LGBTQ Body Positive Series “Skeleton Crew,” she plays twins Polly and Piper and has directed several episodes. She has also won multiple awards for her role as Genevieve in “Demon Doctor” and Opal in “Wasted on the Young.”

Ashley has been Off-Broadway with “Cuff Me: The 50 Shades of Grey Parody” and toured the US with “Date Me Do Me Dump Me” Ashley has sung in almost every club in New York City with her Adele Tribute Band.

She is also the host of “The Eff Your Fears Podcast,” an inspirational pod for creatives who deal with anxiety and rejection. Ashley Monique Menard’s velvety vocals deliver “Brene Brown” intros and insightful interviews.

Rev. Yolanda, the facilitator of Sounds of Awakening, is a trans femme genderqueer actor/singer/songwriter/performance artist & interfaith minister, originally from Muscle Shoals, Alabama- The Hit Recording Capital of the World. Rev. Yolanda has been making music/theater/TV/film/performance art for well over 35 years, winning the NYC MAC Award twice and inducted into both the NY Blues Hall of Fame and The GLBT Hall of Fame.

Her most recent projects are Sounds of Awakening-an inspirational music program hosted by Awakening-Together.org,  “YolandaNanda” a cd, based on her love for mantras of the Buddhist, Hindu, and Sikh traditions, “Skeleton Crew” a 5 season LGBTQAI Soap Opera web series, and Alien Love Child Musical, an autobiographical “musical concept EP”. See and hear more music: www.Yolanda.net/audio

Rev. Yolanda’s guest, back for the second time, was Adam B. Shapiro. Adam is a TV/Film actor and also an award-winning singer and cabaret performer. He is best known for the movie The Normal Heart (2014), and TV shows The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017) and Master of None (2015).

Adam won the 2013 MAC Award for Musical Comedy performer of the year for his show “Guide to the Perfect Breakup”. In 2021, he released his debut EP “Let Love In”.

Adam was born in Indianapolis Indiana and attended Ball State University in Muncie IN, and is an experienced stage actor in both English and Yiddish. He was the understudy for Tevye and Lazer Wolf in “Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish” Off-Broadway and has worked extensively with the National Yiddish Theater Folksbiene (despite growing up with no exposure to Yiddish and only beginning to learn it when he was cast by NYTF for the first time). You can find out more about Adam on his website: adambshapiro.com

Rev. Yolanda, the host of Sounds of Awakening, is a trans femme genderqueer singer-songwriter actor, Interfaith Music Minister, and a very grateful member of the member Board of Trustees for Awakening-Together. Rev. Yolanda has been making music/theater/TV/film/performance art for well over 35 years, winning the NYC MAC Award twice and inducted into both the NY Blues Hall of Fame and The GLBT Hall of Fame.

One of Rev. Yolanda’s greatest joys is being an active member of Awakening-Together’s assembly of equals. The personal learning/healing that has occurred in her from the sharing that takes place in this community, is a gift that she is forever grateful for.

Rev. Yolanda’s guests back for the second time were The Kennedy Family Band (Cam and Ellie), concert producers, as well as a collective of musicians dedicated to bringing positive, laid-back vibrations to the world through music.

Cam Kennedy is a world-traveling Australian Psychotherapist, Public Speaker, Documentarian, Author, and Musician based out of Madison Wisconsin. Ellie, is also a world traveler, musical theater actress, concert pianist and choir director and musician has a huge heart and a beautiful tone. Many have fallen in love with her voice and powerful presence. Currently, Ellie is profoundly disabled by Lyme disease, but still has her voice and indomitable spirit. You can find more about their musical ministry and enjoy their music here: The Kennedy Family Band

Rev. Yolanda’s guest for the Sounds of Awakening program was Namoli Brennet, dubbed, “Among the best folk-rock artists in the US” by the Tucson Weekly, singer/songwriter. Namoli Brennet has been touring the US and Europe for 12+ years. A 4-time Outmusic award nominee who was featured in the inaugural Trans 100 list, Brennet has self-released an astonishing 13 albums since her debut in 2002. Her music has been featured in The Advocate, on NPR, and in the Emmy-award-winning documentary Out In The Silence which details the struggle of a gay teen growing up in rural Pennsylvania. Brennet’s live performances spurn typical singer/songwriter fare, opting instead for incorporating loops, delays, keyboards, foot percussion, and vocal effects to create a one-woman soundscape. Pride.com included her performance in Las Cruces as “One of the most iconic pride performances of all time,” along with Nikki Minaj, Arianna Grande, and Tegan and Sara. An artist whose music has evolved, along with their gender, into something sophisticated, powerful, and moving that defies categorization. For more information on Namoli and her music, visit: namolibrennet.com

Rev. Yolanda’s guest for the Sounds of Awakening program was Nhojj, a singer/songwriter and poet. Raised in Guyana and Trinidad, he has recorded 7 albums and published 3 books. Winner of 4 OUTMusic awards, Nhojj has shared stages with Norah Jones, Regina Belle, and Estelle.

Rev. Yolanda’s guests for the Sounds of Awakening program were The Troubadours of Divine Bliss. They are musicians, inspirational speakers, writers, celebrants, healing guides, retreats, and workshop facilitators. They have a weekly online live concert called, Sundays with Bliss on Youtube and Facebook that invites in joy, light, and love. They are in the process of writing a book about their story that they hope someday will become a film. Their most recent endeavor is a new podcast, “Caravan of the Heart”, that brings together all of their passions and reignites the fire of love in all aspects of living. When they are not touring, they are nestled in As You Wish Woods in their Southern Indiana hOMestead in the Hoosier National Forest with their windmill, outhouse, pond Iris, 4 cats, Owl, Bodhi, Frodo & Kitty Baby, and their Troubadogs, Lovin & Bliss, creating, devoting, loving, and giving thanks.

Rev. Yolanda Mapes is a singer, songwriter, performance artist & interfaith minister, originally from Muscle Shoals, Alabama- The Hit Recording Capital of the World. Rev. Yolanda has been making music professionally for over 35 years, winning the NYC MAC Award twice and being inducted into both the NY Blues Hall of Fame and The GLBT Hall of Fame. Rev. Yolanda and her husband Rev. Glen Ganaway are the founders of the “spiritual happening” called Church With A 2 Drink Minimum. Rev. Yolanda is also a founding member of NYC-based organization, Drag Story Hour NYC. Her most recent projects during the Pandemic years are Sounds of Awakening-an inspirational music program hosted by Awakening-Together.org,  “YolandaNanda” a cd, based on her love for mantras of the Buddhist, Hindu, and Sikh traditions, and Alien Love Child Musical, an autobiographical “musical concept EP”. See and hear more: www.Yolanda.net/audio