Episodes

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 the Inland Empire's public radio and TV station, KVCR. Leyva shares insight about the uncertain public media landscape, her determination to stay focused on KVCR’s core mission, and how listeners can help ensure public broadcasting thrives in Inland Southern California. Reso...

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. Chávez-Moreno talks about what that means in practice, and why teaching about race matters as much as teaching about math. She also shares her thoughts on the policy, community, and personal actions necessary to help classrooms become spaces for building a more equitable fu...

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 first-gen and immigrant professionals to thrive by building meaningful careers, connecting to mentors, and creating communities of belonging inside and outside the workplace. In this episode of SoCal Voices, Dr. Lola shares how Southern California’s unique diversity offers b...

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, Tom Lutz, author of 1925: A Literary Encyclopedia takes us inside a year when Hollywood exploded, LA’s religious and political scene turned into a spectacle, and new voices reshaped American culture. Lutz reminds us of forgotten stories that explain why SoCal feels the wa...

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, he’s charting a different course, one rooted in strength, resilience, and deep connection to body and breath. In this episode of SoCal Voices, Sekendorf talks about breaking stereotypes around aging, the mindset that fuels endurance, and what it means to find power becaus...

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 this episode of SoCal Voices, host Angela Ross sits down with USC professor and Your Brand Amplified podcast host Anika Jackson to explore how AI is reshaping the digital landscape. Jackson breaks it down in a way that’s clear, real, and surprisingly hopeful. Jackson ...

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 hold a title. From improving workplace culture to boosting the bottom line, his strategies help leaders at every level step up and stand out. Whether you’re a seasoned exec or stepping into your first big leadership role, this episode of SoCal Voices is for you. Matlow breaks...

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 confidence and faith. On this episode of SoCal Voices, host Angela Ross speaks with Dr. G about her upbringing in Los Angeles and how it shaped both her academic mission and her spiritual calling. She also shares powerful thoughts on the recent protests against ICE raids and offe...

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 series, UnVeiled: History in Focus . SoCal Voices was on hand to cheer for the players, meet members of the community, and give away a Negro League Baseball Bomber Jacket. In this inspiring episode, SoCal Voices host Angela Ross sits down with Moreno Valley Mayor Ulises Cabrer...

As a teenager, Kim Valentine found herself without a home. Today, she’s the founder and president of Operation Helping Hands SoCal, a nonprofit dedicated to helping the unhoused rebuild their lives. In this episode of SoCal Voices, Valentine opens up about her journey from surviving the streets to creating change—and calls on all of us to replace our judgement of homeless people with empathy and action. Her story reminds us that when compassion meets commitment, healing is possible and lives can...

For many Southern Californians, the January wildfires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena are like distant memories, but for those directly impacted, the devastation remains a daily reality. Recovery can be difficult and painfully slow. Los Angeles filmmaker, writer, and photographer Shiloh Strong lost his home in a 2009 wildfire and struggled to get his life back on track. He rediscovered his sense of purpose when he picked up a camera again. Today, he’s working to help fellow creatives impact...

Southern California is bursting with creative energy — and for many, there’s a book inside just waiting to be written. But getting it published can be a huge challenge. Redlands author Tracy Wise experienced this as she worked to find a publisher for her debut novella, Madame Sorel’s Lodger. In this episode of SoCal Voices, Wise describes her journey from writing the book to finding her publishing home at Type 18 Books. If you've ever felt that urge to tell your story — that book burning inside ...

Have you thought about leaving corporate life to pursue your passion? In this episode of SoCal Voices you’ll meet a woman who experienced a major life-changing moment that led her to pivot from a corporate career to entrepreneurship, and she never looked back. As founder of Women Podcasters Network and the Women Podcasters Awards, Jennifer Henczel has built a successful and fulfilling mission-driven organization providing resources and tools that elevate and celebrate independent women podcas...

A community softball game commemorating the iconic legacy of Negro League Baseball is happening Saturday, May 31, 1pm - 4pm, at Woodland Park in Moreno Valley. The game is being organized by returning SoCal Voices Podcast guest James Harris, known to many in the Inland Empire as author of the children’s book Corey’s Courtroom, emcee for a number of major local events, and presenter of the African American History series, Unveiled. In this episode of SoCal Voices, Harris talks about what inspires...

As Founder of the California Society of Extraordinary Women, Shirley Coates is the powerhouse behind this Riverside-based nonprofit that’s changing girls’ lives and helping them thrive. Her Ignite Leadership & STEM Academy helps student participants see themselves in ways they may not have considered before, as extraordinary leaders, inspiring them to reach levels of educational, professional and financial achievement beyond their expectations. If you are interested in women’s empowerment and do...

Foster adoption in Los Angeles County is, in a word, unpredictable. The process goes smoothly for some but for others it can be difficult, presenting political, legal and personal challenges that test patience and resolve. In his memoir A Family, Maybe: Two Dads, Two Babies, and the Court Cases that Brought Us Together, author Lane Igoudin chronicles the journey he and his husband, Jon, faced as they embarked on the rocky path to adopt two girls as a gay, interracial couple in the early 2000s. I...

In January, the Palisades and Eaton fires killed at least 29 people and destroyed or damaged 18,000 structures valued at nearly $300 billion dollars. In the weeks since the fires, people who lost homes have been navigating displacement, insurance, government agencies and predatory developers, all while trying to decide whether to stay and rebuild or sell and leave. Southern California Journalist Michelle Zacarias has been speaking with people affected by the Eaton fire that tore through Altadena...

Okay SoCal Fam. We’re going to estate planning class today. If you have avoided or delayed getting an estate plan, you’re not alone. Most of us don’t like thinking about the end of our lives or what’s going to happen with our property after we die. But it’s a reality we must face. If you have dependents and own a house, car, retirement accounts or other assets, neglecting estate planning can wreak havoc on your loved ones after you pass away, landing them in probate court, costing them privacy, ...

Annie Korzen is an 86-year-old actor and comedian who had a recurring role playing the obnoxious Doris Klompus on the hit TV sitcom Seinfeld. Today, Korzen is a social media sensation, sharing pearls of wisdom with nearly half-a-million followers of all ages. She’s the author of The Book of Annie: Humor, Heart, and Chutzpah from an Accidental Influencer. In this episode of SoCal Voices, Korzen talks about her mission to help change people’s minds about what it is to be “old” and what she loves m...

In her book, Plus Size: A Memoir of Pop Culture, Fatphobia, and Social Change, Los Angeles author and activist Mekdela Ejigu chronicles the body positivity movement through a collection of essays reflecting her journey as a target of fatphobia and its intersectionality with other ways people are marginalized in our society. In this episode of SoCal Voices, Ejigu shares the experiences that led her to write Plus Size. She also provides insight on the state of the body positivity movement, and off...

Is SoCal’s Inland Empire the land of the local news mirage? While news outlets cover the region, media observers say some elements of the IE’s local news coverage are a mirage, giving residents the illusion of vigorous local journalism when in fact, that coverage is absent. Thomas Corrigan is a communications professor at Cal State University San Bernardino and coordinator of the university’s Local Journalism Partnership Initiative. In this episode of SoCal Voices, Corrigan talks about his work ...

Southern California’s vibrance and abundance bely the fact that a number of our neighbors don’t have enough food to eat. Led by CEO Carolyn Fajardo, Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino, the region’s largest food bank, works daily to meet the food needs of the community. In this episode of SoCal Voices, Fajardo talks about the work Feeding America is doing to ensure Inland Empire residents without enough food receive the help they need during the holidays and beyond. Resources: Help sup...

Alarming statistics reveal that Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. In this episode of SoCal Voices, Dana Sherrod, co-founder and executive director of the California Coalition for Black Birth Justice, helps us understand why this is happening, and what can be done to address these disparities and improve birth outcomes for more Black families. Resources: California Coalition for Black Birth Justice Like the episode? Sh...

Forty-million adults under 30 are eligible to vote in the November election. About eight million of them are first-time voters and they’re registering to vote in record numbers. While many young people between 18 - 30 say they intend to vote, some also say they are disillusioned by the binary nature of contemporary U.S. politics. How will young voters’ frustrations with the current system impact their vote in November? In this final installment of SoCal Voices’ young voter series, 19-year-old fi...