Exactly 10 years ago in 2012, I joined a class to help me write my one-person show, Stamp of Approval. René Peña, a former guest on this podcast, was also part of this class. Kimleigh Smith, our amazing teacher in this class also played the roles of our producer, director, marketer, counsellor and so much more. To say we were grateful would be a huge understatement. That's why it's so exciting to finally have her on the show in this episode, where she talked about her background, and what drov...

The sounds of his grandfather's guitar under a clear sky, the sounds of crickets at night chirping; recalling how the dirt made circles in the air as trucks drove by while sitting on a porch, waving to cars because no one is a stranger in New Kent county, Virginia, the legacy in this small town. That is the foundation upon which my guest in this episode, Dr. Wilmon A. Christian, the 3rd, aka AJ, is building his legacy. Born and raised in New Kent County, Virginia, Dr. Wilmon is he Founder and ...

"I come from a family of people who know how to figure it out and make it work."~ Meryl Johnson "There is something unique, even spiritual, when you have a grandmother, daughter and grandchild under one roof."~ Curtis Burke For most people, Mother's Day is a day of celebrating and loving on our mothers and mother figures in our lives. Not so much for Meryl Johnson, our guest in this episode. For her, it is a reminder of the two women that were so integral to her life for many years, but are no...

Knowing where you start in life does not determine the finish line. Raised in what he refers to as a broken two-parent home by a very hard-working mother and an alcoholic father who worked in the Jamaican police force, Dr. Ryan Wiggan's is not your typical everyday childhood story. The context itself alone sets the scene for plenty of unexpected twists. All that combined with growing up in the "Garrison" —a term used to refer to gang-ridden and volatile neighbourhoods— in Kingston, Jamaica, inev...

Founder of 𝘛𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘜𝘱 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 and 𝘈𝘓𝘚 𝘪𝘯 𝘞𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, Lara Blume McGee, was born and raised in Little Rock - Arkansas, in a progressive Jewish family. The challenges and cultural shock they experienced during their integration into the South were the driving force behind her father's dedication to helping people by fighting hate, teaching tolerance and seeking justice. These principles of tolerance and acceptance shaped Lara's worldview.⁣ So finding out about her father's ALS diagnosis in ...

A nationally & internationally recognized accomplished motivational speaker, podcaster, middle school assistant teacher and disability advocate, David Figueroa is a proud graduate of the University of Central Florida. David also uses his platform to allow others, through his Cerebral Palsy & Fitness Podcast, to share their stories of triumph and success. Our conversation centered around David's determination to live a full and purpose-filled life with Cerebral Palsy, thanks to a stepmom who br...

By shining a light on uplifting stories in the media, the narrative of how our community, culture, race along with social bias will only bring more jobs, better schools and safer environments for us. This is something that Jason Lewis believes to his core, and he has chosen to brightly shine that light, one photograph and story at a time. Join me in this follow-up episode from the West Adams Legacy as I interview Jason Lewis. The Lewis family has been in Los Angeles for over a hundred years. J...

!Warning: This episode contains discussions of physical and mental abuse. If you or anyone you know needs help, please contact the National Abuse & Domestic Violence Hotlines at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-656-4673! This a story of triumph, where our guest Andrea Mack chose not to allow the past to determine who she has become today. Andrea is the owner of One Word at a Time Coaching, where she specializes in trauma and recovery coaching. She is a certified life coach with years of business experi...

“Whatever you choose to do, attempt to be the best at it, attempt to put your own stamp on it, attempt to bring your lived experience to it, and therefore make it something that folks who experience it can never forget.” ~ Dr Nii Quartelai Quartey The opportunities to hone Dr Nii Quartelai Quartey's craft have enabled him to weigh in on political and ethical issues and gain expertise in his field. From the uncommon fortune to Intern at ‘Good morning America’ to guesting on internationally accla...

“We have this inherent power as journalists because when people tell us a story, we are the ones that get to decide how it’s processed and distributed. That’s a huge responsibility and I take it really seriously.” ~ Sarah Venture That’s the spirit with which Sarah Ventre does her work, because finding truth and perspective is her mission. Raised in Phoenix by an interfaith family, Sarah always wanted to be an archaeologist, until she later realized that studying the living was more her drive ...

Meet Ivan Houston, a 4th generation California native whose family left their mark on a little-known area of Los Angeles called West Adams, a once-thriving historical black neighborhood.⁣ If you look for the location of West Adams today, you won't find anything but a broken legacy split apart by gentrification and a massive highway.⁣ Ivan's grandfather, Norman Houston, was one of the first blacks in West Adams and once President of Golden State Mutual Company, the largest black-owned insurance...

An internationally acclaimed DJ hailing from Los Angeles California, Ronald Turner II aka DJ R-tistic has become the most sought-after DJ when it comes to delivering live experiences; he has hosted virtual parties for established companies such as BET.⁣ “…𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘫𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘧𝘧, 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶.” ~ 𝐃𝐉 𝐑-𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜⁣ Having started making his own beats by 5th grade and raised by prolific musician parents, you would think that breaking into the deejaying scene would...