Passed Down the Line

No More Normal

No More Normal Host Khalil Ekulona's family

By Your New Mexico Government

When host Khalil Ekulona thinks about his purpose in life, he often thinks of his family. Family is where we get our first lessons and introduction to the world. On Episode 22, Khalil enters conversations with his family about the meaning and purpose of familial love, support, and collective dedication to passing those lessons along.

Whatever Khalil and his siblings’ individual interests were, their parents encouraged their kids to go and experience them. And they keep it going for a new generation. You’ll hear from his mother, his father, four of his siblings and four of his cousins. This extended online version of the episode includes many more of the gems embedded in these conversations than could fit on the air. We hope you enjoy this retrospective on a dynamic family where righteousness, spirit, drive and a well-timed joke are the only currencies that matter.

GUESTS:

  • Olufemi Ekulona
  • Ademola Ekulona
  • Saidah Arrika Ekulona
  • Afi Rukavina
  • Atif Ekulona
  • Paige Walker
  • Keisha Toomer-Withers
  • Toneshia Toomer-Johnson
  • Janine Renee
  • Djasi Falcon
  • Jeffery Marshall

YOUR NM GOV: This week, we caught up with Harold Pope Jr., the first African American state senator in the Legislature’s 109-year history. Your New Mexico Government is keeping you up to date with everything that happens at the Roundhouse in collaboration with New Mexico PBS and the Santa Fe Reporter. We’ve got daily updates for you now through the end of the session, too. Find them on this website, or on No More Normal’s podcast feeds.

NEXT WEEK: February, the shortest month of the year, is not long enough to fit the breadth of Black history, so we are going to continue with our show on Sunday, March 7, where we look into Black storytelling. How do stories shape the world and the future? We talk with some of the sculptors.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

  • All of Khalil’s family members for sharing their expertise on life. Some say you don’t get to choose the family you have, if that’s the case, Khalil says he got very, very lucky.
  • Jazztone the producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, Business School, Sundog, and Oh Lawd Records for providing music for the show.
  • Khaki, Pope Yesyesyall and Bigawat produced some of the show’s themes.
  • Taylor Velazquez handles social media and helps with editing and story generation.
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