S5:E13 - Actor and Author Ebbe Bassey Introduces Us to Her Extraordinary Hero on World Down Syndrome Day

somindboggling journeys

For this episode, I sit down with actor/children's book author Ebbe Bassey to put a spotlight on Ebbe's journey as a mother of a young girl with Down syndrome, Anoushka. As today is World Down Syndrome Day, Ebbe shares the various challenges that she's had to come up against which inspired her to write her first children's book, "Anoushka's Extraordinary Heroes," dedicated to her daughter. The illustrated book aims to spotlight other courageous, resilient beings who have Down syndrome. Ebbe wrote this book to change the stigma around disabilities, explaining that the focus should actually be on their abilities. We discuss the importance of representation and challenging prejudices. Anoushka even graces us with her presence during our chat!

We also delve into our respective acting journeys, working 9-5 jobs while in pursuit of our dreams, and the goal of having multiple streams of income by branching into other artistic endeavors. Ebbe shares how the influence of her Nigerian background inspires her drive and impacts her decision making. We also talk about the importance of celebrating stepping out on faith and putting action into motion and highlighting the journey to success and not just focusing on the end result.

We also touch on celebrity culture, with Ebbe sharing her long-held love for Wendy Williams who we send positive vibrations to and wish well during her difficult time.

00:00 - Intro and welcome
02:23 - Early acting career and the benefit of working on short films
05:49 - The Necessity of pivoting in the industry
07:25 - Working 9-5 jobs while pursuing the dream
10:06 - The influence of Maggie Flanagan and her acting studio
25:32 - Imagination and creativity in acting
26:13 - Ebbe's Nigerian background, influence and expectation
31:30 - The power of encouragement from a partner
32:04 - Ebbe speaks on being a big Wendy Williams fan
35:05 - Bettina shares more of the inspiration behind the "somindboggling journeys" podcast
36:30 - The importance of representation in media
38:27 - The journey to success and the value of every step along the way
43:19 - Anoushka's "Extraordinary Heroes"
44:50 - Addressing the stigma around Down syndrome
46:10 - Challenging and changing negative narratives
59:16 - Highlighting the achievements of people with Down syndrome
01:06:29 - Advocating for Anoushka's education and care
01:18:23 - The symbolism of the "Extraordinary Heroes" book
01:23:49 - The Illustrator of the book
01:25:46 - Legal considerations and sourcing information
01:32:23 - Spotlighting independent bookstores
01:36:18 - How to connect and keep updated with Ebbe and Anoushka

The Links:

Ebbe Bassey Instagram

Daughter Anoushka's Instagram

Buy this book from Black Dot Bookstore

Buy this book from Kindred Thoughts Bookstore

Buy this book from Barnes and Nobles

Publishing a Book with Ingram Spark

Maggie Flanigan Acting Studio

Subscribe / Like / Comment / Leave a Review

────────────────────────────

Follow along on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

@somindboggling⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/somindboggling⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠

@bettinagoolsby⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bettinagoolsby⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow along on Facebook Somindboggling Journeys⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/somindboggling/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Podcast intro/outro music provided by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ DJ Dilemma⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://officialdilemma.com/

--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/somindboggling/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/somindboggling/support