Growing up in Indianapolis, Indiana, Gabrielle had big dreams of how her life would go. From yelling “Aggie Pride” at North Carolina A&T to pursuing acting in the Big Apple, what she thought she wanted, never came to fruitio…
Born in Germany to military parents, restlessness was something Conrad Cooper was born into. He inherited that same spirit of traveling the world, wandering from city to city, and letting the waves of life direct him. But it…
Coming from humble beginnings, former NFL player, Alvin Scioneaux Jr, understood if he wanted something it was up to him to make it happen. Born in Laplace, Louisiana, and one of eight children, Alvin knew he needed to leave…
Born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and raised in Woodruff, South Carolina, Sandra Clark Byrd is the fourth child to Ulius and Mary Gilliam. But at only 7-weeks-old, tragedy hit after her father lost his life in a devastati…
Born in Sumter, South Carolina, Yoyo Lander remembers her earliest exposures to art with her mom making art crafts and watching her Uncle Curtis create beautiful pictures with hot ink on wood in his garage. Now, a graduate o…
She’s doing the Lord’s work. As an Oncologist, Dr. Angelique Richardson discovered her calling through tragedy. A close family member... diagnosed with breast cancer. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Angelique has always walked …
Jay Styles had big dreams of pursuing his radio and acting career under the Hollywood lights. From Atlanta to the City of Angels, it didn’t take long for Jay to realize the world of auditions wasn’t for him. It wasn’t the sp…
John Rivers is a former member of the 1955 Cannon Street All Stars Baseball Team. A team that was denied the opportunity to play in the Little League World Series because of segregation. This powerful story is finally gettin…
A Chicago native, the young and fearless Britt Matt charged the walls of Hollywood at an early age determined to become a writer for television. Britt had a love for the arts and knew at an early age she was no actress, but …
Growing up in Montgomery, Alabama in the 50s & 60s as a 2nd grader, Fred Patterson remembered seeing white-only and colored water signs. It was an environment of change with protests, riots, and violence against African Amer…
Charles Galbreath had it all planned out. Travel the world and become an entertainer. But God had different plans for him. One night, in a dream, Charles had a vision of him attending Tennessee State University. The same sch…
Being an interior designer you learn how to start over, rip off the old paint, strip down the walls, and replace broken ceilings to provide a safe space and create new memories. This takes on a deeper meaning for Tauksa Trus…
Ne’Chell Bowens wasn’t exactly “flying high” after realizing her goal of becoming a child psychologist had taken an emotional toll on her. However, the stars aligned after she was laid off from her job and encouraged to beco…
It was the 70s, towards the end of the Vietnam War. College was the way out of the draft for Bruce Bradford, taking on "sink or swim" to a whole new level. As a young black man and self-taught swimmer, Bradford shares the im…
We all carry the torch, the legacy of those that came before us. History can be complicated with pain, anger, misunderstanding, and appreciation for learning the truth. However, you decided to uncover your legacy is somethin…
At the age of 4 years old, Ms. Ethel Youngblood was burning trash with her siblings when a strong wind came through her town, engulfing her in flames. She spent 2.5 years in rehab fighting for her life. The doctors told her …
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 cla…
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…
"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 Burk…
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. R…
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 inte…
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 …
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 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 stor…
