In my latest episode I sat with Simon Frederick to discuss his journey as a self-taught photographer, filmmaker, writer, director and producer. We talk about his upbringing in the UK with roots in Grenada. He talks about his mother's influence and wisdom which helped him navigate things as a child, and how he relies on her insights even today. Simon talks about what being a father means to him in the midst of all his artistic endeavors. We discuss in-depth some of his great works which include "Black is the New Black," "They've Gotta Have Us," and "The Outsiders". Lastly, I ask Simon about his thoughts on current cinema and how black brits have been portrayed in that medium.

https://www.simonfrederick.uk

In the latest episode, I again sat down with my friend Hannibal Smith. Listeners may remember him as the NXPT FIT co-owner and ultra runner. Hannibal recently participated in The Dia De Los Muertos 200 mile Machete Madness ultra trail event. Originally we had planned on this being a one on one interview about his experience running 200 miles for the first time. A day before the interview Hannibal requested I come to his house and not only interview him, but also his fellow runners and the support team who made all this possible. I agreed and conducted my first ever round table interview with a group of about 8 people. It was a fascinating dialogue where we discussed the ups and downs of the event; like finding the motivation to prepare for it, the unimaginable mental and physical stresses they endured on both the body and mind, and the exhilarating feeling of those who finished or even for those who got close. An exciting addition to the interview was when The Machete Madness founder, Victor Carrillo showed up to talk about his own journey as a runner and what goes into putting on an event of this magnitude. These stories are all unique and inspiring. They show what can happen with the help of a community, and how implementing the philosophy and mantra of NXPT FIT, "No Excuses" can play out in life.

https://www.nxptfit.com

In this episode I sat down with Grammy winning tenor saxophonist, composer and educator Darryl Yokley. Born to an African-American father and a first generation Mexican mother, Yokley draws deeply from his diverse cultural roots. During our conversation we hear about him playing multiple instruments at an early age, his exposure to jazz and classical music and the influence of John Coltrane. The conversation moves into a deep dive of his new album, which is dedicated to the great novelist and father of magical realism, Gabriel Garcia Marquez - "Un Mundo En Soledad." We also dive into the daunting task of studying the author's memoirs and rereading his novels to do a proper tribute. He also touches on being part of Alicia Keys' Grammy winning Broadway show, "Hell's Kitchen."

https://www.darrylyokley.com