Episode #88: Quentin Vennie
Quentin Vennie is a celebrated wellness expert, philanthropist, keynote speaker and author of the bestselling memoir, Strong In The Broken Places. His work has been featured in the Huffington Post, Thrive Global, Entrepreneur, Chicago Tribune, NBC News, Fox News, MindBodyGreen, and others. Quentin has been recognized as one of Black Enterprise magazine’s 100 Modern Men of Distinction and by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention for his contribution in raising awareness for mental health and suicide prevention, as well as appearing as the wellness keynote speaker for Colin Kaepernick’s “Know My Rights” Camp. Quentin has guided meditations and given talks at the Wagner Youth Facility at Belize Central Prison, shared his journey of healing childhood trauma for the University of Maryland Medical Systems & University of Maryland Symposium “Not All Wounds Are Visible”, and was recognized by Lululemon at their annual Here To Be Conference.
Quentin continues to work with youth in under-resourced communities, helping them understand their traumas and turn them into triumphs, and spearheads initiatives that address food insecurity, and help make yoga and mindfulness practices accessible among communities and populations that don’t ordinarily have access to them. Having spent years practicing yoga and meditation, Quentin has found a recent passion in gardening and interior design as forms of anxiety management.
For Quentin Vennie, despite having been diagnosed with acute anxiety and depression at 14, this wasn’t the focus as he grew up. The focus was on surviving, given that he lived in one of the most dangerous cities in America, had to contend with racism and prejudice (especially in school), and lived in communities with limited resources. On today’s episode, I talk with Quentin about how, as he got older, his anxiety showed itself again--and what he did when he realized that relying on prescription drugs had created an addiction. We talk about the modalities he turned to in place of pharmaceuticals, why he didn’t worry about comments or criticisms at barbecues when he pulled out green juice, and how he teaches his kids about food and health by leading by example. We also talk about Quentin’s experience growing up in a food desert (an area where people lack access to affordable fresh food) and why gardening, and his work on gardening initiatives to combat food insecurity, is so important to him. Finally, we talk about Quentin’s recognition of the role he plays as a healer for those on the front lines fighting racism, and how being vulnerable about his story reminds him that his life and purpose has value.
“At the end of the day, when it comes to health, we either pay for it now or we pay for it later. And I was investing in my health and it was making me feel better. And there was nothing that anyone could tell me or say to me that would prevent me from feeling as incredible as I was.”
Here are some of the things Quentin and I chatted about:
His diagnosis, at 14, of acute anxiety and depression, and what the doctor wanted to prescribe
His mom’s role in safeguarding him from prescriptions, knowing the detriment they could have
Why he made the conscious decision, as an adult, to treat an anxiety with prescription drugs
The moment, when he’d hit rock bottom, when he realized his doctor was actually his dealer
The research he did once he knew he was on his own when it came to figuring out his health
Buying a juicer from Walmart, and taking on the challenge of recipe testing in his kitchen
How juicing, yoga, and meditation evolved into a practice for him--his “trinity of wellness”
The support he had from his mom as he explored healing, and bought him his first yoga mat
Finding more comfort in his story as time went on, and how he handled criticism from others
Leading by example for his children, and how he’s shifted the mindset around food for them
How gardening is a “secret weapon” that he didn’t know he had to support his mental health
His work now on gardening initiatives to end food insecurity in Black and Brown communities
Why he starts his day by checking on his plants, talking to them, and seeing how they’re doing
The things he does each day, both alone and with his family, that keep his anxiety at bay
His recognition that his role is to be a healer for people on the front lines of fighting racism
How being vulnerable about recently going to the hospital reminded him that his life has value
“As far as my identity matching someone else’s expectations, that was gone for me a long time ago. So I could deal with the criticisms and the critiques and the laughs and the jokes. It was nothing.”
Some of the resources Quentin mentioned:
Dr. Sebi (official website)
Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead with Joe Cross (documentary)
Crazy, Sexy Cancer with Kris Carr (documentary)
Food, Inc (documentary)
Tara Stiles (official website)
Support for this episode comes from Betterhelp. Betterhelp is an online counseling service that matches you with a licensed professional therapist. No matter where you are in the world, Betterhelp lets you schedule video and phone sessions with your therapist, or even text them. Plus, they’ll work with you to find a counselor you love. It’s not self help, it’s better help. Take 10% off your first month of Betterhelp by visiting https://betterhelp.com/harper.
