He resisted the decision for six and a half years. When he finally said yes, he left a thriving 20-year law career for a warehouse job that broke his body before it rebuilt his faith.

In this episode of Boosted, I sit down with Kayode Akomolafe, a former lawyer in Nigeria who now serves as Human Rights and Equity Advisor at the Durham Catholic District School Board. Kayode is warm, direct, and unflinchingly honest about the parts of this journey that were genuinely hard, and that honesty is what makes this conversation so rich.

We talk about the moment he heard, standing alone in his living room, that it was time to move to Canada, what it actually felt like sorting freight for $1,800 a month after running his own law practice, and what it means when someone asks, "where are you from?"

We cover:

• The living room moment, and the four separate signs that followed it before he finally listened
• Going from running his own law practice with staff of his own, to a warehouse job that nearly broke him physically, and the one question that kept him going
• What practicing his faith looks like day to day in Nigeria, and how that's shifted since moving to Canada
• His own framework for the question this series keeps coming back to: asking "where are you from?" is about context and relationship, not curiosity alone
• The traditions, food, and community he wishes showed up more here in Canada

This episode is essential for anyone rebuilding a career or identity from scratch, leading equity work inside an institution, or figuring out how to ask the questions that matter without causing harm. If you've ever wondered whether asking "where are you from?" builds a bridge or a wall, this one is for you.

Part of the Boosted Season 2 guest series on the question we avoid, and how to ask it anyway.

New episodes every other Thursday. Subscribe and discover how intentional presence creates the career differentiator that sets you apart.

Boosted is brought to you by Boost Academy of Excellence. boostacademyofexcellence.com

Connect with Trina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trinaboos/
Follow Boost Academy of Excellence on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boostacademyofexcellence

Link to my keynote where I spoke in more detail about the etiquette of the question, “Where are you from?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UzI6vESpB8
The GRACE Framework: https://boostacademyofexcellence.com/cibc/#grace-download
Connect with Kayode on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayode-akomolafe-12923526/
Follow Kayode on Instagram: @akomsbaba
Music by: In the City