About me

Hi, I’m Darryl T. Powell, Ed.D. I’m an educator, researcher, podcast host, and aspiring author who’s deeply invested in the emotional, spiritual, and cultural layers that shape how we grow—as individuals and as a community.

My work is rooted in the belief that transformation isn’t always loud or linear. Sometimes growth comes from revisiting our stories, reclaiming our narratives, and reimagining what it means to be whole. With a background in leadership development and emotional intelligence, I explore the intersections of identity, purpose, and healing through two projects that mean a lot to me

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The Understory Newsletter

The Understory is a space I created to dig beneath the surface—where the unseen roots of our lives get the attention they deserve. This newsletter is a blend of spiritual reflection, cultural insight, and emotional exploration. Each edition is a call to rethink what motivates us, what sustains us, and what we’ve been taught to value.

🎙 Roots and Branches Podcast

Roots and Branches is my storytelling podcast that weaves together family history, Black legacy, and ancestral truth-telling. It started as a way to honor my maternal lineage and has grown into a platform for exploring how the past continues to shape our present. Through generational stories and historical inquiry, I try to preserve not just facts—but feelings, faith, and resilience.

How It All Comes Together

Both The Understory and Roots and Branches are connected by a shared thread: the belief that our stories matter. The podcast helps uncover where we’ve come from. The newsletter asks where we’re going. Together, they form a space where reflection meets restoration—and where identity is honored as both inherited and evolving.

Thanks for stopping by. I’m glad you’re here—and I hope you’ll stay for the journey.