About Us
Brown Sugar Talk is a platform covering race and cross-cultural topics in today’s society. When you listen to Brown Sugar Talk conversations, you will connect to a beautiful community, and get inspired to make a change not only personally, but also in your community.
“These uncomfortable conversations about race and cross-cultural topics need to happen to spark something in people, leading them to make a positive change in their communities.”
– Amy Sylla
My Story
My name is Amy Sylla, and I am the fire behind Brown Sugar Talk.
I am a proud Senegalese woman who was born and raised in the South of France. I am a daughter, a sister, a godmother, an aunt, a supportive friend, an empathetic person, and a caring and growing human.
Throughout my entire life, I’ve struggled with being supported, heard, treated equally, and seen. Despite my love for France and French culture, I reached a point where I felt that I didn’t fit in my country anymore, I was tired of injustices and microaggressions; I needed to leave. I decided to move to North America in 2013 where I lived for four years in Boston, MA, and most recently, I have been living in Toronto, ON for the past three years. Moving abroad did not resolve every racial issue but it did allow me to love and accept myself fully as a Black woman, and further understand my role.
In June 2020, amidst a global pandemic intersected with an anti-racism movement, I noticed a need for education, content and conversations, so I launched Brown Sugar Talk, a platform covering race and cross-cultural topics to amplify marginalized voices. My community deserves to be understood. Being Black comes with so many layers and it is time to unravel them so that people can better understand this beautiful community. These uncomfortable conversations need to happen to spark something in people, leading them to make a positive change in their communities.
I am not an expert, I am still educating myself like everyone, but today, I want to use my voice to make a difference, even if it might positively impact one person.
My Mission
1. Educate people through raw, real and respectful discussions about challenges that marginalized groups are facing.
2. Inspire marginalized groups to thrive despite life challenges with the example of successful guests.
3. Motivate participants to make a difference in their community by sharing advice to uplift marginalized groups.
My Core Values
- LOVE & POSITIVITY: Amy, the founder and host of Brown Sugar Talk is a positive and loving person aiming to highlight people’s magic while providing some honest insights. She strongly believes that these conversations can drive impact, inspiring listeners to create a positive change in their communities.
- DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION: Brown Sugar Talk created a safe, equitable, and inclusive space for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour who may feel marginalized, unsupported and unheard where their stories and experiences are given the awareness, recognition and attention they deserve. It is also a safe space for non-BIPOC participants who would like to learn more about racial and ethnic differences and how to help marginalized communities.
- INSPIRING STORIES: Brown Sugar Talk’s invites inspiring guests with impressive stories and backgrounds to educate listeners and spark something in them.
- EMPOWERMENT: Brown Sugar Talk hopes to empower BIPOC listeners to thrive despite systemic challenges, and non-BIPOC listeners to support them and make a difference in their community.
- RESPECT & INTEGRITY: Brown Sugar Talk expects respect of the guests, the host and the listeners. Guests are not all experts in the topics covered, they are having open conversations sharing their stories so listeners are asked to be open-minded, please. Honesty and transparency are also extremely important to Brown Sugar Talk. We take full accountability for our actions and how they may be perceived and we understand that our actions may come with both intended and unintended outcomes.
My Vision
Brown Sugar Talk’s vision is to create an empowering and uplifting community of open-minded people who will be vocal and take action to change the system.
The Team
Gabe
With a big smile, open mind, and unbridled compassion, Gabriel Colon-Sciabarrasi is a loud and proud Tribe Leader! Identifying as a gay Puerto Rican dog dad, he currently resides in Boston, MA, but is ready to learn more about the world in every way. Being a part of Brown Sugar Talk is something Gabriel is deeply passionate about, to not only grow into the leader and version that he would like to be, but to help create a more accepting, educated, and brighter future. When not supporting Brown Sugar Talk, you can catch Gabriel hanging out with friends, enjoying craft beer, discovering a new recipe, playing video games, or dancing everywhere he goes.
Motto
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure…
We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’
Actually, who are you not to be?”
Rachelle
Rachelle Maguire is a studio manager, fitness instructor, and dancer in NYC. Inspired by the idea that “The only true wisdom is knowing that you know nothing”, Rachelle knows that there is no endpoint to being an ally in the fight for racial justice and that it’s an on-going pursuit of education, connection, and activism. She believes that a platform like Brown Sugar Talk can make a difference, as we hear each other’s stories and unify in the fight for equality.
Motto
“The only true wisdom is knowing that you know nothing.“
Quill
Quill Huntley joined the Brown Sugar Talk (BST) tribe as a Content Manager in September 2020. For him, Brown Sugar Talk has been a uniquely welcoming space that fearlessly tackles race and cross-cultural topics with passion, love, and warmth. As a close friend to the founder and host, Amy Sylla, he hopes to support her as she continues to spread her magic.
Beyond his work for BST, Quill works as a UX Strategist and Dancer in Boston, MA. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, he hopes to continue to champion self-confidence and self-expression through his work.
Motto
“Great things never came from comfort zones.”