Welcome to SoCal Voices Podcast!

Episodes

Rethinking College, Careers and the Future of Work in SoCal
June 4, 2026

Rethinking College, Careers and the Future of Work in SoCal

A college education isn’t the guarantee it once was. Rising tuition costs and growing uncertainty about whether a degree will lead to a stable, well-paying career are prompting many people to rethink what “higher education” s...

Listen to the Episode
Cocoon After Dark - Centering Queer Voices in SoCal & Beyond
May 21, 2026

Cocoon After Dark - Centering Queer Voices in SoCal & Beyond

As host of the podcast Cocoon After Dark, LA’s Quincy Tessaverne platforms queer-centered conversations featuring Black and brown voices and serves as a safe space for SoCal’s queer community to tell their stories. In this ep...

Listen to the Episode
How Autopsies Hide Police Violence in LA
May 7, 2026

How Autopsies Hide Police Violence in LA

Southern California may be the land of dreams but like other parts of the country, the region has its share of law enforcement misconduct, including autopsy reports that hide the truth about people who die in police custody. ...

Listen to the Episode
Fighting A Hidden Health Crisis in SoCal
April 16, 2026

Fighting A Hidden Health Crisis in SoCal

Keziyah Yisrael-Gayle, PhD, is an innovator working at the crossroads of science and community. She’s the founder of TollRAir, a biotech startup developing new treatments for lung inflammation caused by environmental toxins, ...

Listen to the Episode
Inland Empire Community News: Filling the Local News Gap
April 2, 2026

Inland Empire Community News: Filling the Local News Gap

Corporate buyouts and downsizing have reduced budgets and staff in newsrooms across SoCal, leaving community issues underreported and community members less informed. But some independent journalists are stepping up to fill t...

Listen to the Episode
Get Your Money Right in SoCal
March 19, 2026

Get Your Money Right in SoCal

If you feel like you're doing everything right and it still isn't enough to get ahead financially in Southern California, what you're about to hear may help. In this episode of SoCal Voices, host Angela Ross sits down with pe...

Listen to the Episode
Can We Build Affordable Housing in SoCal?
March 5, 2026

Can We Build Affordable Housing in SoCal?

Southern California is famous for sunshine, beaches, and opportunity but it's also known for a harsh reality. For far too many people, housing here feels out of reach. In this episode of SoCal Voices, host Angela Ross sits do...

Listen to the Episode
Race, Gender, Class & the History of the Movie Awards
Feb. 19, 2026

Race, Gender, Class & the History of the Movie Awards

SoCal is the epicenter of the entertainment industry and award season is in full swing. While many focus on the glamor and festivities, film and media historian Monica Sandler views the movie awards industry through a differe...

Listen to the Episode
Why the Health of Native Bees Matters in SoCal
Feb. 5, 2026

Why the Health of Native Bees Matters in SoCal

Krystle Hickman is a community scientist, photographer, National Geographic Explorer and one of the few Black women working in the conservation space. In her book The ABC’s of California’s Native Bees she’s helping the non-sc...

Listen to the Episode
Ashes to Films - A Year After the LA Fires
Jan. 22, 2026

Ashes to Films - A Year After the LA Fires

A year ago, Shiloh Strong launched Ashes to Films - a nonprofit organization to help members of the creative community impacted by the Eaton and Palisades fires rebuild their lives. I sat down with him and filmmaker Eric Dyso...

Listen to the Episode
Dr. Disneyland, Walt's Wisdom & the Power of Belief
Dec. 4, 2025

Dr. Disneyland, Walt's Wisdom & the Power of Belief

Southern Californians know a thing or two about chasing sunshine and big dreams, and there’s no better example of that spirit than the man who created the happiest place on earth. In this episode of SoCal Voices , you’ll hear...

Listen to the Episode
Beating Burnout in SoCal Hustle Culture
Nov. 20, 2025

Beating Burnout in SoCal Hustle Culture

Southern California is filled with overachievers. Without some balance and healthy practices, the relentless drive to accomplish more can leave us feeling like we're running on fumes. Licensed marriage and family therapist La...

Listen to the Episode
All In - The Power of Believing in Yourself
Nov. 6, 2025

All In - The Power of Believing in Yourself

Since booking his first gig in 2004, LA voice actor Kyle Chapple has built a career across video games, animation, and commercials but he didn't reach those milestones on talent alone. His journey has also been about grit, ri...

Listen to the Episode
What SNAP Changes Mean for Local Food Banks
Oct. 23, 2025

What SNAP Changes Mean for Local Food Banks

The Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” included funding cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program known as SNAP. These cuts mean Southern Californians dealing with food insecurity may need to turn to ...

Listen to the Episode
Protecting Democracy in a Targeted State
Oct. 16, 2025

Protecting Democracy in a Targeted State

Serving as an effective state legislator in 2025 requires “next level” commitment and courage, as California finds itself targeted by what some political observers describe as the Trump administration’s retribution campaign. ...

Listen to the Episode
What's Next for Public Media?
Oct. 2, 2025

What's Next for Public Media?

The end of federal funding for public broadcasting has many Southern Californians wondering what's next for public media. In this episode of SoCal Voices host Angela Ross sits down with Connie Leyva , executive director of th...

Listen to the Episode
How Schools Make Race
Sept. 18, 2025

How Schools Make Race

Laura C. Chávez-Moreno is an assistant professor at UCLA and author of How Schools Make Race . Her research digs deep into the ways schools don’t just reflect race—they actually produce it. In this episode of SoCal Voices, Dr...

Listen to the Episode
Helping immigrants thrive in the workplace
Sept. 4, 2025

Helping immigrants thrive in the workplace

In a time when inclusion efforts are under pressure and immigrant communities are too often misrepresented, Dr. Lola Adeyemo is leading with courage, clarity, and heart. As founder of Immigrants in Corporate, she empowers fir...

Listen to the Episode
Why 2025 Feels Like 1925 in SoCal
Aug. 21, 2025

Why 2025 Feels Like 1925 in SoCal

Living in Southern California in 2025 means navigating rapid tech change, intense culture clashes, and nonstop reinvention. Sound familiar? It’s exactly what was happening here 100 years ago. In this episode of SoCal Voices, ...

Listen to the Episode
How to Age with Power & Purpose
Aug. 7, 2025

How to Age with Power & Purpose

San Diegan Jeff Seckendorf defies expectations in the most inspiring ways. At age 70, he’s a competitive cyclist and a dedicated scuba coach, proving that age is not a limit, but a frontier. In a culture obsessed with youth, ...

Listen to the Episode
Will AI take your job?
July 17, 2025

Will AI take your job?

We all know how tough it can be to keep up with fast-moving tech—and few things are evolving faster than artificial intelligence. AI can feel overwhelming, even intimidating, and fears about AI replacing some jobs is real. In...

Listen to the Episode
How to be a better boss
July 3, 2025

How to be a better boss

We hear a lot about how to be a better employee — but what if it’s the boss who needs the real advice? Jeff Matlow, CEO of The Best Leadership Company , coaches Fortune 500 executives on how to lead with impact — not just hol...

Listen to the Episode
Faith, Identity & Resistance
June 19, 2025

Faith, Identity & Resistance

Dr. Lauren Guerra is a dedicated lecturer in Chicana/Chicano & Central American Studies at UCLA and the heart behind Gold Hoops & God, a podcast that uplifts and empowers Millennial Latinas to embrace their purpose with confi...

Listen to the Episode
Pitching Unity: Moreno Valley Mayor Ulises Cabrera & the Negro League Community Softball Game
June 7, 2025

Pitching Unity: Moreno Valley Mayor Ulises Cabrera & the Negro League…

The rich legacy of Negro League Baseball was front and center at Moreno Valley's Woodland Park on May 31 during the Community Softball Game organized by James Harris, founder of the African American History presentation serie...

Listen to the Episode