Michaela Kyles on ‘The Work of Loving’ and Navigating Grief and Identity

In celebration of Women's History Month, the latest episode of “We Live in Color” highlighted the resilience of Black women through the personal journey of community healer, podcaster, and mother Michaela Kyles. Joining host Deaunte Damper, Kyles explored the deeply personal intersections of grief, motherhood, and spiritual identity.

Faith, Identity, and "Queen Latifah Gay"

Kyles discussed her upbringing in South Seattle and her complex relationship with the church, having navigated strict traditional standards while eventually finding a personal spiritual foundation.

In a moment of self-definition, Kyles identified as being on the gay spectrum, light-heartedly referring to herself as "Queen Latifah gay.” She explained this as living a life where sexuality is a part of her complete being, rather than the primary lens through which she is viewed. 

Navigating Generational Patterns and Grief

The conversation turned to the cyclical nature of grief, with Kyles noting that time does not make grief smaller, but the individual grows larger around it. Having lost both parents and a child, she emphasized the importance of transparency and allowing oneself the space to be human.

"[Grief] is going to keep going around because some days I'm doing great. Some Mother's Days I'm fine. And some Mother's Days hit me like a ton of bricks," she said. 

Reframing "generational curses" as "generational patterns," Kyles spoke with pride about her children and her efforts to provide them with different life examples. She recounted a moving moment seeing her daughter on an HBCU tour, surrounded by educated Black cousins, as evidence of shifting these family patterns toward safety and education.

New Projects: "The Work of Loving"

Kyles is set to launch a new four-episode podcast titled “The Work of Loving,” part of her “Memoirs on Winging It” series. The project features Kyles, her daughter, and their family therapist discussing millennial parenting and the complexities of raising a teenager in the current world.

The podcast is scheduled to drop this Mother’s Day, May 10th, accompanied by a premiere party at the Populist Hotel Seattle from 3:00 to 5:00 PM and a rooftop celebration at Fern.

Get your tickets to “The Work of Loving” here. 

Watch “We Live In Color” Thursdays at 8 p.m. on all Converge Media streaming platforms.

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