Episodes

Send us Fan Mail "Chasing DNA and Family Roots Part 2," features Rene Worland, a family historian and archivist. In more than 20 years of research this small business entrepreneur, living with her husband in the Los Angeles area, traced her family history in the United States and Canada. Rene’s ancestors go back to the Jefferson Davis plantations in MS, the Civil War, the Native American Territory of Oklahoma, the Sharecroppers’ Roadside Demonstration in Missouri, the fight...

Send us Fan Mail This latest episode - Chasing DNA and Family Roots (Part One) - will kickoff a series of shows regarding taking DNA tests and using other methods to find one’s family roots. The first guest in this series is Dena Chasten, who is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and the Delaware African American Historical and Genealogical Society. An adoptee, Chasten located her birth parents when she was a teen through a variety of methods including family intervie...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, my husband, Segun Abegunrin, is back reviewing "Namaste Wahala." (Last time, he reviewed "Bob Hearts Abishola,” which was well received. The sitcom airing on CBS, is set in Detroit and is about a white businessman, who falls in love with a Nigerian nurse). My husband was born and raised in Ibadan, Nigeria. He came to the United States in the early 80s for college. Fast forward to now, he is a principal at his own architectural, management, and develop...

Send us Fan Mail Desiréia Valteau, the host, writer, and producer of Underground Magnolia Podcast, has a lively discussion with her husband regarding the television show "Bob Hearts Abishola" Born and raised in Nigeria, Segun Abegunrin, a principal at his own architectural, management, and development company in Southern California, is the perfect person to unpack the CBS comedy. Set in Detroit, the show is about a white businessman (Billy Gardell from "Mike &...

Send us Fan Mail It’s holiday time! Christmastime! And you know what that means – movies, movies, movies! With the pandemic and more stay-at-home orders in place, many of us will be at home roasting chestnuts, with popcorn and hot chocolate, watching these feel-good films. In this episode, holiday movies featuring people of color are highlighted. Gone are the days of the mostly white casts on Lifetime and Hallmark networks. After a public outcry two years or so ago, these two n...

Send us Fan Mail Today’s podcast features my special guest La’Torria Lemon, a young publicist with her own Houston-Atlanta based Lemon Lime Light public relations firm. She represents celebrities (Beyonce’s BeyGood Foundation), non-profits (United Negro College Fund), faith-based companies, media (Warner Brothers/TNT/OWN), and corporations. One of her most challenging roles was in June 2020 as the official publicist for George Floyd’s memorial and funeral services in Minnesota, N...

Send us Fan Mail The latest episode features Alyson Williams discussing her illustrious recording career, upcoming projects, women rappers, and much more. In the late 80s, the Harlem singer became the first female R&B artist signed to the groundbreaking Def Jam rap label. Alyson’s first album, "Raw," garnered several top 5 singles, including slow jam favorite “Just Call My Name.” The album went on to spend over a year on the Billboard charts, met only by Madonna’s “Like a Prayer.”&n...

Send us Fan Mail The guest for this episode is Dr. Jeanine Hall, a board-certified pediatric emergency medicine doctor in Los Angeles, who discusses being on the frontlines during COVID-19. She received her undergraduate degree in biology from Xavier University of Louisiana, a top black college (HBCU). She went on to medical school at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Dr. Hall strongly advocates wearing a mask, social distancing, and handwashing to help prevent the spread of the virus. M...

Send us Fan Mail On this podcast, "I May Destroy You" - a bold comedy/drama starring Black Brits by way of Ghana - is reviewed. The HBO Max series deals with the complex trauma of sexual consent, dating, and friendship. In the Celebrity Throwback segment, check out the 90s retelling of an interview with Iyanla Vanzant – long before the popular "Iyanla: Fix My Life" on the OWN network. Iyanla's Links: Website: https://iyanla.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/IyanlaVanzant Instagram: https://...

Send us Fan Mail Known as the "trauma psychiatrist," Houston based board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Alauna Curry will join me on today's podcast. With Covid-19 affecting African American and Hispanic communities more than other groups, Dr. Alauna will help us center our thoughts and minds so that we can make it through the pandemic and more. Also, hear her conversation about “mask rage” with conservative radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh. For more information on Dr. Alauna, go to the...

Send us Fan Mail ***EXPLICIT LANGUAGE*** This podcast features Cheryl L. Bedford, whose name should be in the dictionary next to Hollywood Diversity and Inclusion. Bedford is a longtime outspoken Hollywood producer, who has always advocated for fairness. Best known as a producer of the still talked about 2011 “Dark Girls” documentary on colorism, her fearless, passionate voice has started the proactive organization Women of Color Unite. The group - for Women of Color behind the scenes and in...

Send us Fan Mail In part 2 of my interview with Dr. Corey Hartman, a board-certified dermatologist practicing in Birmingham, Alabama, we discuss how derms address more than just skin issues. Derms can be seen for concerns about nails, hair, and much more. We also talk about when to see a dermatologist, skin cancer in the black community, and the epidemic rates of black women losing their hair. Plus, how to really know if a "protective hairstyle" is helping your hair, how wigs and hair glue ma...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, get ready for Part 1 of a two part episode with Dr. Corey Hartman. I used to babysit the now board certified dermatologist while he was a young boy living down the street from me in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dr. Hartman, who is African American, has his own practice (Skin Wellness Dermatology - https://skinwellness.com/) in Birmingham, Alabama and discusses his medical school journey as the only black person in his program at University of Alabama. We also do a...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features an interview with Seattle-area's Daizha Brown, who has been donning natural hair for six years. To take care of her beautiful tresses, the 24-year-old created DaiByDai Hydrating Hair Buttercream, a handmade healthy hair treatment that moisturizes, mends split ends, adds shine, promotes growth and strong hair. It contains whipped shea butter, Jamaican black castor oil and rosemary oil. For more information and to buy, go to https://www.daibydai.com/. Also...

Send us Fan Mail This is Part 2 of Underground Magnolia's host Desiréia Valteau's millennial daughter (Simone) and friends decompressing "Insecure"-Season 4, the popular HBO series created by and starring Issa Rae. Simone (African American) along with Amanda (her bestie & Mexican American) and Daniel (a trusted colleague, pal & African American) rep the best and brightest in today’s black and Latino young people. The college grads - living in Los Angeles and the Seattle area -...

Send us Fan Mail Underground Magnolia's host Desiréia Valteau's millennial daughter (Simone) and friends decompress "Insecure"-Season 4, the popular HBO series created by and starring Issa Rae. Simone (African American) along with Amanda (her bestie & Mexican American) and Daniel (a trusted colleague, pal & African American) rep the best and brightest in today’s black and Latino young people. The college grads - living in Los Angeles and the Seattle area - work in tech and media an...

Send us Fan Mail Today’s episode is about "Gone With The Wind's" very quick return to HBO Max after a two-week removal and how they are putting it in context with companion content. June is Black Music Month - Happy Black Music Month! Celebrate it with the film recommendation "The Five Heartbeats." Directed and starring Robert Townsend, the film chronicles the rise and fall of an all-male singing group reminiscent of The Dells, The Four Tops and The Temptations. In the Interview With A Celebr...

Send us Fan Mail We’ve got a few things to talk about - HBO Max’s decision to remove the film "Gone With the Wind" temporarily and who may have prompted that decision. It’s also Pride Month and hear about the "Major!" documentary (https://www.missmajorfilm.com/), based on the life of transgender elder Miss Major Griffin-Gracy. In my Encounter With a Celebrity (Icon) segment, listen to a story about my meeting with Rosa Parks and also hear about my passing for white dad’s own defiance. Music:...

Send us a text In this episode, a continuation of serving up content to help with these trying times such as documentaries you should watch: · "Before the West Coast: A Sports Civil Rights Story" (released 2016) - about the integration of Louisiana's all-white high school football league in 1967 by St. Augustine (New Orleans). Website: http://beforethewestcoast.com/ · "Chisholm '72: Unbought & Unbossed" (released 2004) - about Shirley's Chisholm's 1972 presidential bid. She was the first woman...

Send us Fan Mail This episode talks about the investigation into Gabrielle Union’s claims against "America's Got Talent" (AGT). Also, find out about the upcoming "Dark Girls 2" documentary, a follow-up to the 2011 "Dark Girls" film about non-fictional stories of the pain often associated with being a dark skinned black woman. Speaking of films, check out writer/filmmaker Tananarive Due's short film about the pandemic, "Bad Trip" - watch it here. In the review segment, it’s all about t...