A Difficult Beauty

In 2014 the African American Policy Forum and Center for Intersectionality and Social Policy Studies created the #SayHerName campaign to bring awareness to the Black women and girls who have been killed by police. Today we still see Black women’s stories being minimized, ignored, and untold. On this episode of A Difficult Beauty, Ena and SunAh discuss Breonna Taylor’s death at the hands of police when they issued a no-knock warrant at her home on March 13, 2020. The two share experiences they’ve had with police officers, and the episode ends with the question: what does defund the police really mean?

For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty or on Instagram @adifficultbeauty

On this episode of A Difficult Beauty, Ena and SunAh take time to check in with each other and reflect on the current movement for Black lives. Over the past week we have seen people take to the streets to protest the police murders of Black people and the calls to end anti-Black racism are echoing around the world. The two discuss a variety of ways that everyone can get involved and how they will be using their platform to amplify the fight for justice. The episode ends with a call for all the Difficult Beauties to use your voice!

For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty or on Instagram @adifficultbeauty

From social distancing to states reopening, Ena and SunAh discuss their thought process on how to maintain contact with friends and family. In some ways, this time has led to more communication even if it’s not face to face. In other ways, they’ve had to be firm on decisions to maintain physical distance for the well being of at-risk family members. With the relaxing social distancing guidelines, Ena and SunAh share how they are deciding what’s okay and what’s too much when getting together with folks. If you and your loved ones have different approaches, how are you negotiating your decisions? Tell us your strategies!

For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty or on Instagram @adifficultbeauty

With the stress of our new normal constantly in the background and the unique challenges of working from home, getting rest becomes even more important - yet elusive. On this episode, Ena and SunAh discuss how they have, or have not, been ensuring they’re getting the rest they need. Find out who has been sleeping more, who has been sleeping less, and who’s resorted to taking sleeping pills. Have any tips for making sure you’re taking care of yourself? Let us know!

For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty or on Instagram @adifficultbeauty

Since we’re all spending more time at home, Ena and SunAh have joined the do-it-yourself trend and decided to spruce up their outdoor spaces. Tune in to hear the various home improvements that the two have undertaken. Have you made some home improvements of your own? Show us your space!

For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty or on Instagram @adifficultbeauty

Safer at home means no more hair, nail, and other beauty appointments. In this episode, Ena and SunAh discuss their pre-coronavirus beauty routines and how they’ve changed since being at home. The two also share some new beauty products that they’re using and hairstyles that they’ve gotten a chance to try. Have some beauty tips, products, or ideas to share? Leave them in the comments!

For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty or on Instagram @adifficultbeauty

Always ones to have a good time, on this week’s episode of A Difficult Beauty, Ena and SunAh talk about how they’re staying entertained while being at home. They review the concerts they’ve been to on Instagram LIVE, zoom parties, and the surprise birthday party that SunAh threw for her boyfriend.

For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty or on Instagram @adifficultbeauty

On this episode Ena and SunAh chat about the pros and cons from working from and the creativity this time has inspired. Ena shares the inspiration behind a new podcast, I Pledge the Grind (episode one drops Thursday), and SunAh reveals how this time has allowed her and one of her besties to finally develop an online course they’ve been working on since last year.

For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty

The world seems upside down but despite it all Ena and SunAh find a way to focus on the positive. In this episode, they discuss some of the silver linings they’ve discovered since COVID-19.

For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty or on Instagram @adifficultbeauty

Since the last episode of A Difficult Beauty, the entire nation is now practicing social distancing in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Ena and SunAh discuss how their lives are different and the coping strategies they’re using to get through these most unusual of times.

For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty or on Instagram @adifficultbeauty

Joining Ena and SunAh is filmmaker, artist, creative director, and creator of Crown Me Royal Labs - Chassidy Jade. Chassidy discusses balancing multiple hats as a creator and working in a male-dominated industry. She shares the motivation behind her all-women showcase, “Visuals & Vibes.” The episode ends with Chassidy’s words of wisdom for women creatives.


For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty or on Instagram @adifficultbeauty

Ena and SunAh continue this Women’s History Month with a sit down with another boss babe who is making major waves… Summer Owens. A motivational speaker, author, and success coach, Summer shares how she turned what could have been a tragedy into a one-woman brand that has inspired countless audiences across the country. Summer breaks down her life’s mantra and ends the episode with some advice for all the difficult beauties facing difficult decisions.

To learn more about Summer Owens, visit summerowens.com

For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty or on Instagram @adifficultbeauty

In honor of Women's History Month, Ena and SunAh sit down with some boss babes who are making waves in their respective fields. Kicking off the month the duo sit down with Shana Jay, author, promoter, songwriter, inspirational speaker, manager, and radio personality. She is the founder of S. Jay Entertainment where she manages artists and musicians and creates unforgettable live music events across the Mid-South. Listen in as Shana details the challenges she's faced in a traditionally male dominated industry and a failure that was critical to her success.

For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty or on Instagram @adifficultbeauty

They say people come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Ena and SunAh reflect on relationships they’ve had and discuss how social media can blur the lines of friendship. Listen in as they share some of the lessons they’ve learned, the seasons of life they’ve had and the friendships that defined them, and lifelong friends in the making.

For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty or on Instagram @adifficultbeauty

Ena and SunAh recap their weekend, including what they did on February 14th and SunAh's Birthday Surprise. Ena felt the pressure of secret keeping but so did some of their other friends. Find out who almost spoiled SunAh's boyfriend's birthday plans. As Aquarius season comes to an end, the duo prepare for Pisces season and Ena's birthday.

For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty or on Instagram @adifficultbeauty

Love is in the air… or is it? With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, Ena and SunAh share some of their favorite and least favorite Valentine’s Day gifts. Ena discusses the differences in Valentine’s Day as a married woman versus when she was single, and find out why Valentine’s Day is SunAh’s least favorite holiday.

For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty or on Instagram @adifficultbeauty

The Mommy Issues series turns to SunAh and how she’s handled the loss of two moms - one through adoption and one through an untimely death. SunAh breaks down the process of searching for birth family in Korea and the results of her birth searches. She also shares how her mother’s death from cancer affected her growing up. The episode closes with Ena and SunAh discussing how loss changes over time.

For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty or on Instagram @adifficultbeauty

In this episode of the Mommy Issues series, Ena opens up about the lack of communication between her and her mom after she moved with her dad. Most of their contact was limited to the rare occasions that they would visit each other and those times were often fraught by the underlying issues of their mother-daughter relationship. However, more recently Ena and her mom have been chatting more. Ena shares how her relationship with her mom has changed over the years and what her biggest hope is for their relationship moving forward.

For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty or on Instagram @adifficultbeauty

Ena and SunAh continue their conversation about “mommy issues” and divulge how they handled the aftermath of their separation from their mothers as adolescents. Though neither of them wanted to talk about their losses, they both found themselves coping in different and unhealthy ways. Both Ena and SunAh touch on the role of therapy, in the past and for the future. The episode begins with SunAh sharing some of the intrusive questions she experienced as a transracial adoptee, and it ends with Ena’s reflections on the lesson she’s learned from her husband around love and relationships.

For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty or on Instagram @adifficultbeauty

In Part 1 of the "Mommy Issues" series, Ena and SunAh begin the series by shedding light on their family background and the family choices that brought them to Memphis. Ena discusses growing up in a blended family, and SunAh shares part of her adoption story.

For more about this episode and A Difficult Beauty, visit www.adifficultbeauty.com Follow the podcast at facebook.com/adifficultbeauty or on Instagram @adifficultbeauty.