About this episode
Welcoming Dr. ChenziRa Davis Kahina Back: A Pillar of Culture, Healing, and Heritage on “AST Speaks”We are thrilled to announce that Dr. ChenziRa Davis Kahina—affectionately known as “Dr. Chen”—is returning for her 3rd season as host on the Da Crew Podcast Network, as we step into Season 4 and warmly welcome back all our incredible hosts!A multifaceted educator, cultural ethnographer, and ordained priestess, Dr. Chen is revered across the Caribbean and African diasporas for her unwavering dedication to cultural justice, ancestral wisdom, and contemporary conscious living. She is more than a voice on the airwaves—she is a cultural griot, skillfully weaving stories, songs, and scholarship into a powerful platform for change.A Life Committed to Cultural ExcellenceDr. Chen wears many hats: She is the Founding Director of the Virgin Islands Caribbean Cultural Center (VICCC) at the University of the Virgin Islands, a beacon for cultural preservation, research, and advocacy. As a professor at UVI’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, she inspires the next generation through her courses and mentorship.Her commitment to community transcends academia. As the CEO of AST Speaks, a media and consultancy platform, Dr. Chen champions essential conversations that uplift African-Caribbean heritage, spirituality, arts, technology, and holistic wellness—a focus she encapsulates in her signature, CHATS4LIFE (Culture, Healing, Arts, Technology, & Spirituality for Life).Global Impact via Media & AdvocacyOn the “AST Speaks” podcast and livestream—broadcast via Da Crew Podcast Network—listeners are treated to thought-provoking discussions and insightful guest appearances devoted to promoting cultural wisdom and social healing. Now in her third season, Dr. Chen continues to guide audiences toward a deeper understanding of the roots and futures of Afro-Caribbean identity.Dr. Chen is also a co-founding director of Per Ankh (House of Life), an international NGO/NPO with UNESCO Special Consultative Status, putting her at the heart of global conversations on the arts, spirituality, and technological advancement within the diaspora.Championing African-Caribbean HeritageDr. Chen is recognized as a “cultural griot,” skillfully bridging the experiences and histories of Caribbean and African communities. She actively documents historic narratives such as Afrafuturist maroon legacies and celebrates the Bamboula—a powerful art form and movement central to Virgin Islands culture.Her commitment to heritage preservation also extends to holistic healing, centering on naturopathic therapies rooted in tradition, and to community activism advocating for reparations and justice for descendants of Africa worldwide.Distinguished Credentials and HonorsImmediate Past President (2022–2023), Caribbean Studies AssociationUNESCO Special Status for her work with Per Ankh (House of Life)Author, Speaker, and Thought Leader in cultural heritage, holistic wellness, and
