In a podcast that lives up to its name, Mona Kosar Abdi and Jeannette Reyes go “Awf the Record” with industry disruptors and cultural tastemakers, bringing you candid conversations that reflect the dynamic intersection of media, culture, and society . It’s a show that lives between the news of the day and the group chat. [Awf- Thuh- Rekərd ].
Episodes
Latest Episode
June 25, 2026 · 47m
Dating isn’t just about having chemistry or “vibes”—it’s actually data. In this eye-opening episode of Awf The Record , dating and relationship expert Anwar White joins Jeannette and Mona to break down the real numbers behind modern dating—and why Black and Brown women need a different playbook. From match rates to money, Anwar exposes the hard truths about dating in today’s age: how systemic issues impact your love life, why marriage isn’t always a financial win for Black women, and what the data actually says about dating success. But this isn’t about discouragement—it’s about empowerment. He dives into why dating outside your race isn’t betrayal, it’s strategy. Why setting boundaries is non-negotiable. And why the real glow-up starts with emotional healing and self-worth. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start dating with clarity and confidence, this one’s for you. KEY POINTS - Dating: qualitative and quantitative analysis - Navigating dating journeys for black and brown women - Transitioning to dating coaching as a career - Challenges and misconceptions in dating (as women) - The societal pressure, setting realistic standards - Difference between feminine and masculine energy - Strategies for successful dating - On navigating cultural and racial preferences - Is using dating apps still effective? - Dating 101: Set boundaries and timeline - Anwar’s client approach as a dating coach QUOTES “Your type is your trauma. And when you're able to actually heal the trauma, you will have the opportunity to actually widen your net and find your person.” – Anwar White “If a man is truly in his masculine, his pleasure is derived from your pleasure.” – Anwar White “I don't believe in potential. I think potential is not real, it's imaginary, [and] it's a projection of what you want, but not what is.” – Anwar White “You become irresistible when you become irresistible to yourself, which is like, you just can't get enough of you, and that will radiate and attract everyone.” – Anwar White GUEST RESOURCES: Anwar White IG | @datingcoachanwar TikTok | @datingcoachanwar RESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record : Youtube: @AwfTheRecord Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Mona Kosar Abdi IG | @monakabdi Jeannette Reyes IG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record: Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecord Follow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast Follow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Visit our website: Follow Mona on TikTok and IG Follow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
More Episodes
Jun 23 · 9m
Etiquette is not about being stiff, fake, or elitist. It is about knowing how to move through a room, make people feel seen, and carry yourself with confidence. In this segment, etiquette expert Elaine Swann breaks down the everyday habits that can instantly change how people experience you, from giving a proper handshake to greeting people, making a graceful exit, and commanding presence without doing too much. Elaine also shares why confidence is not about being loud or perfect, but about slowing down, using your voice with intention, and honoring the people who are actually present. Whether you are at a networking event, dinner party, Zoom meeting, or family gathering, this conversation is a reminder that the small things speak loudly.GUEST RESOURCESElaine Swann Website | www.elaineswann.comIG | @elaineswannRESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
Jun 18 · 57m
“Etiquette, and the concept behind it, is accessible, and it's for everyone.” – Elaine SwannIn this episode of Awf The Record, Elaine joins Jeannette Reyes and Mona Kosar Abdi for a crash course in modern etiquette, from fine dining, networking, Zoom meetings, and corporate happy hours to dating, ghosting, apologies, compliments, and navigating luxury spaces without feeling like you do not belong. She breaks down what the rich actually do differently, why confidence is often quieter than we think, and how the habits we overlook, like oversharing, arguing to prove a point, or making people wait, may be quietly sabotaging us.KEY POINTS 00:00 - Cold open: Elaine Swann previews the etiquette mistakes quietly sabotaging you01:38 - Introduction to Elaine Swann and the crash course in modern etiquette02:38 - Etiquette is about how you show up and how you make people feel09:22 - The handshake mistake people still make in professional settings11:37 - Why we need to bring back greeting people and being neighborly14:14 - How eye contact, posture, body language, and voice signal confidence18:00 - Why hosts should start on time and honor the people who are present22:03 - What the rich and famous actually do differently with luxury etiquette27:55 - Fine dining rules that help you feel more confident at the table32:58 - Relationship etiquette and the “shower rule”38:23 - The proper way to accept an apology and receive a compliment40:54 - Is etiquette rooted in white supremacy or used to police people of color?44:42 - How to navigate alcohol and relationship-building in corporate spaces47:28 - Go Off or Log Off: Elaine rules on modern etiquette dilemmasQUOTES “Etiquette is being aware of how you present yourself to other people, and it is also, it also has to do with how you make others feel.” – Elaine Swann “Every single thing that comes out of your mouth, and every single thing you do becomes some part of somebody's history.” – Elaine Swann “Honor the people who are present.” – Elaine Swann “In relationships, you cannot change people. What you have to do is sometimes shift and turn that nozzle the other way.” – Elaine Swann GUEST RESOURCESElaine Swann Website | https://www.elaineswann.com/ IG | https://www.instagram.com/elaineswann/ RESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record - http://www.AwfTheRecord.com Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AwfTheRecord Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awftherecordpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@awftherecord Mona Kosar AbdiIG | https://www.instagram.com/monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | https://www.instagram.com/msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
Jun 16 · 7m
WeezyWTF gets honest about shame, sexuality, marriage, and the rules society still places on women. She reflects on growing up confident enough to reject outside judgment, building a community that made sexual liberation feel safe, and realizing even she had internalized hierarchies around sex, promiscuity, and respectability. From sugar dating to bisexuality, non-monogamy, marriage, and the pressure to be “chosen,” Weezy breaks down why women are still treated as more worthy once a man validates them with a ring.RESOURCES: Weezy WTF Website: wtfmediastudios.com/home IG: @weezywtf Keep in touch with Awf The Record:YouTube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
Jun 11 · 1h 32m
How do you build a multimillion-dollar brand without watering yourself down?In this episode of Awf The Record, podcast powerhouse and entrepreneur WeezyWTF joins Mona and Jeannette for one of her most candid conversations yet. From launching Horrible Decisions as a side project while working in tech sales to building podcast studios, fitness brands, and a bestselling career, Weezy explains why authenticity has been both her greatest advantage and her biggest obstacle.She opens up about the hidden cost of being unapologetically yourself, why success doesn't always lead to acceptance, and how staying true to who she is has often excluded her from opportunities others take for granted.The conversation also dives into sexual liberation, growing up queer, the role her mother played in shaping her confidence, and why society still struggles with women who openly discuss sex, relationships, and desire. Weezy shares her thoughts on open relationships, modern dating, marriage, shame, and the double standards that continue to shape how women are judged.Plus, she reveals the surprising business lessons behind her success, the biggest misconceptions people have about nontraditional relationships, and why finding your tribe may be the most important thing you can do. This episode is a must-listen.KEY POINTS- 0:00 Introduction & why Weezy almost changed her outfit- 9:54 Why being completely yourself became Weezy’s biggest advantage- 10:46 The hidden cost of authenticity and being left out of major opportunities- 13:16 How a side-hustle podcast turned into a business empire- 17:12 The drunken conversation that created Horrible Decisions- 18:53 The fan encounter that changed her mission forever- 19:55 Growing up queer, confident, and unapologetic- 24:20 What a decade of talking about sex taught her about society- 26:05 Why society still measures women's worth through relationships- 37:41 How couples can explore sexuality, boundaries, and desire safely- 49:14 Why Weezy believes cheating has nothing to do with sex and everything to do with honestyQUOTES “Authenticity can really keep you out of a lot of conversations.” – Weezy WTF “You make money off the things that truly align with what you're already interested in.” – Weezy WTF“My mom made me feel so beautiful, so safe, so confident that I thought everybody else was the crazy one.” – Weezy WTF “The shame can only exist where you don't have your own community.” – Weezy WTF “We're all sexual beings, but we're taught to keep it tucked away.” – Weezy WTF “Self-respect only seems to matter when a man has dictated it to you.” – Weezy WTF “Women really don't need this anymore. They're building businesses, traveling, getting educated. Who needs men anymore?” – Weezy WTF RESOURCES: Weezy WTF Website: wtfmediastudios.com/home IG: @weezywtf Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
Jun 9 · 5m
In this segment, Christiana Mebakwe Medina breaks down why our cultural standards around fame, work, and accountability have shifted since the 2000s. From Making the Band and Tyra Banks to Diddy, MeToo, Black Lives Matter, workplace power dynamics, and the rollback of DEI, Christiana explores how pop culture reflects the systems we live in, but rarely changes them without policy behind it. She challenges the idea that “speaking up” is enough, arguing that real progress only sticks when it becomes law, protection, and paperwork.RESOURCES: Christiana Mbakwe MedinaIG | @christianaamaWebsite | https://popsyllabus.substack.com/ Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
Jun 4 · 1h 8m
In this episode of Awf the Record, culture critic and Pop Syllabus creator Christiana Mbakwe Medina joins Mona Kosar Abdi and Jeannette Reyes for a sharp, layered conversation on modern fame, celebrity mystique, pop culture, and the systems hiding underneath our favorite headlines.Using Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, The Kardashians, Tyra Banks, Diddy, Taylor Swift, Zendaya, Rihanna, Chappell Roan, Timothée Chalamet, and reality TV as cultural case studies, Christiana breaks down why pop culture is never “just entertainment.” It shapes how we see beauty, aging, success, race, body image, work, motherhood, privacy, and power.Their conversation explores the death of celebrity mystique, why privacy has become the ultimate luxury, how the Kardashians signal beauty and body trends before the culture catches up, why Beyoncé may be one of the last pre-internet superstars, and why the difference between a “star,” a “celebrity,” and a “famous person” matters more than ever. Christiana also gets into the darker side of 2000s hustle culture, the rollback of DEI, the limits of cultural accountability, and why progress means very little if it is not backed by policy.From Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl symbolism to Beyoncé’s use of Black radical imagery, this episode is a nuanced look at what our obsession with celebrity really reveals about us and the culture we are living in now.KEY POINTS00:00 Introduction02:39 Pop culture is layered, fun, and traumatizing03:45 Pop culture is a “darkened mirror” of society05:17 Our role in toxic reality TV07:38 The 2000s rewarded suffering for success10:05 We speak up more, but conditions have not fully changed11:26 Progress does not stick without policy13:46 Body positivity, Ozempic, and the new beauty era16:12 The Kardashians as cultural weather vanes21:31 Aging, beauty, and the myth of “Black don’t crack”29:03 Fame is becoming more niche and digital32:43 Privacy is the new luxury34:14 Beyoncé may be the last pre-internet superstar35:26 Star vs. celebrity vs. famous person40:07 The Bad Bunny Super Bowl debate52:12 Beyoncé, Black radical imagery, and capitalism54:37 Trad wife culture, burnout, and motherhood58:17 You cannot have it all at once01:01:22 Accountability has become performance01:02:23 Ozempic is not just about status01:04:38 The next wave of celebrity beauty and wellness trendsQUOTES “The thing about pop culture that is so powerful is it shapes how people feel.” – Christiana Mbakwe Medina“The only luxury is privacy, and most people can’t afford to be private.” Christiana Mbakwe Medina“Celebrity is just like the active cultivation and monetization of that fame.” Christiana Mbakwe Medina“You want to have it all, and the truth is, you can’t have it all at once.” Christiana Mbakwe MedinaRESOURCES: Christiana Mbakwe MedinaIG | @christianaamaWebsite | https://popsyllabus.substack.com/ Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
Jun 2 · 7m
In this powerful segment, Laura Coates opens up about her time as a federal prosecutor and the complicated reality of pursuing justice from inside the system. She reflects on why Black and brown communities deserve prosecutors who understand their lived experiences, the emotional weight of victim advocacy, and the courtroom moment involving a deportation warrant that shook her to her core. Laura shares how that ethical dilemma helped shape her decision to leave prosecution and step into a new chapter rooted in truth, integrity, and public service.Laura Coates Website: lauracoates.comInstagram: @thelauracoates RESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
May 28 · 45m
On today’s Awf The Record, CNN anchor, attorney, and legal analyst Laura Coates joins the group chat for a powerful conversation about purpose, pivots, and what it really takes to build a life that feels true to you.Laura opens up about leaving the Department of Justice (DOJ), the moment her husband’s fear during a police stop became a wake-up call, and why “informational activism” became her way of speaking truth to power. She reflects on her time as a federal prosecutor, the ethical dilemmas that shook her, and why Black and brown communities deserve champions who understand their lived experience.From posting up in Panera Bread with a baby in her arms to becoming one of the most recognizable voices on CNN, Laura gets honest about ambition, motherhood, marriage, imposter syndrome, and the hard truth that few things are true meritocracies. This episode is a reminder that sometimes the attempt is the success, the grind does not end when you “make it,” and leaving the dream on the pillow is harder than doing it scared.KEY POINTS - 0:00 Introduction- 2:17 From CNN legal analyst and federal prosecutor to hosting her own show- 3:56 Motherhood & her husband’s fear leading to the “camera in the car” wake‑up call- 5:51 Leaving DOJ: choosing “informational activism” and being laughed at for pursuing TV- 8:32 Financial sacrifice, family support, and redefining success on her own terms- 9:28 Why Black and brown communities need prosecutors who look like them- 12:43 The deportation warrant witness story and the ethical crisis - 16:36 First steps into media: Panera Bread, radio hits while nursing, and writing op‑eds- 19:17 Grit, ambition, and surviving a cutthroat, non‑meritocratic TV industry- 29:42 “Doing it all”: kids, 4–5 hours of sleep, and a truly supportive partner- 31:06 “Pick your hard”: knowing her “why,” scheduling downtime, and protecting her health- 38:24 The Alex Trebek’s Jeopardy! experience and what it taught herQUOTES "I wholeheartedly reject the idea that black and brown communities should not get champions who look like them, and I am very proud of the opportunity to have stood up on behalf of people, embed a voice for them.” – Laura Coates "I needed my children to know that I was who I said I was, and that I wanted them to be." – Laura Coates "I decided that removing a muzzle that I had to put on as a prosecutor was going to be my form of informational activism, I thought people want to speak truth to power. Let me tell them what the truth is." – Laura Coates "I cannot fail if I'm trying on my own terms." – Laura Coates RESOURCESLaura Coates Website: lauracoates.comInstagram: @thelauracoates Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
May 26 · 9m
In this segment, Jaz Turner gets honest about the “messy middle” of self-growth, the part that does not look like green juice, Pilates, or a perfectly curated morning routine. She shares how rebuilding starts with small daily choices like journaling, faith, movement, and learning how to pour into yourself first. From leaving law school to redefining self-care as a love letter to herself, Jaz reminds us that the hard seasons are often preparing us for the life we asked for.RESOURCES: Jaz Turner Youtube: @jazturner16 Instagram: @jazturner16/ TikTok: @jazturner16 Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Youtube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG