On this episode of INCOGNITO the podcast, Michael interviews Steven Sapp and Mildred Ruiz-Sapp! Steven and Mildred are the founders and directors of UNIVERSES, a national Ensemble Theater Company of multi-disciplined writers and performers of color, who fuse theater, poetry, dance, jazz, hip hop, politics, down home blues and Spanish boleros to create moving, challenging and entertaining works for the stage. In this episode, Steven and Mildred talk to Michael about their experiences creating art with others and the importance of lifting every person’s voice in this pursuit, even if they cannot do it themselves.  Steven and Mildred share their philosophy of treating everyone in a rehearsal room how they want to be treated and how they were raised to treat others, and the essential truth that everyone always has something to bring to the table.

Key Takeaways

- Fight for your identity: it’s up to you how you identify, not others

- Treat people the way you want to be treated

- Everybody has something to bring to the table

- Everyone's voice deserves to be lifted

- Whether a person is in the audience or onstage, they are a part of the event

Steven & Mildred’s Media Recommendations:

- Use your technology to capture beautiful moments and your elders; save your memories

- Dive into your genealogy/family history

- Sidney (film) on Apple TV

- A Raisin in the Sun (film, 1961)

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Find Steven & Mildred’s work:

- Universes Website: http://universesonstage.com/index.html

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For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay

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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.

Editing and co-production of this podcast by Nina Kissinger.

Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!

On this episode of INCOGNITO the podcast, Michael interviews Larry Thompson! Larry is a lawyer, law professor, and former US Deputy Attorney General under President George W. Bush. In this episode, Michael and Larry discuss the necessity of teamwork, transparency, and a willingness to listen and speak honestly to the cultivation of an inclusive workplace. Larry shares his insight into the incredible benefit of diversity in work environments, both for the employees as well as the company as a whole, and the words he lives by from his mentor Judge Griffin Bell: “there is no limit as to what you can accomplish so long as you don’t care who gets the credit.”

Key Takeaways

- There is no “I” in team

- Be willing to listen

- Be honest

- Speak with candor

- Be transparent, don’t have a hidden agenda

- Make sure everyone is on the same page

Larry’s Media Recommendations:

- Georgy Girl (film, 1966)

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Find Larry’s work:

- University of Georgia, School of Law: https://www.law.uga.edu/profile/larry-d-thompson

- Finch McCranie LLP: https://www.finchmccranie.com/larry-d-thompson.html

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For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay

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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.

Editing and co-production of this podcast by Nina Kissinger.

Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!

On this episode of INCOGNITO the podcast, Michael interviews Trinity Villanueva! Trinity is an advocate on the intersections of justice, liberation, and creative and artistic spaces. An incredibly multi-talented person, Trinity now serves as a Managing Partner at TOSHA, an organization which partners with the creative industry to cultivate inclusive workplace cultures through mindful leadership practices. In this episode, Michael and Trinity discuss the importance of deciding your identity for yourself, meeting people where they are, and showing up to learn instead of to impress. And, Trinity shares her philosophy when it comes to creating workplaces in which everyone feels they have the opportunity to thrive.

Key Takeaways:

Trinity’s Media Recommendations:

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Find Trinity’s work

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For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay

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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.

Editing and co-production of this podcast by Nina Kissinger.

Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!

On this episode of INCOGNITO the podcast, Michael interviews Mary Amrita Arden! Mary holds a Master’s degree in public health, is a certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming coach, and, since 1991, has been a teacher and coach at the Hoffman Institute, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to transformative adult education, spiritual growth, and the personal dimensions of leadership. In this episode, Michael and Mary discuss the need to be present, get out of your own way, and surrender to change. It is truly an exploration of what it means to live a fulfilled and connected life by prioritizing introspection and growth above all.

Key Takeaways:

Mary’s Media Recommendations:

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Find Mary’s work

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For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay

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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.

Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!

On this episode of INCOGNITO the podcast, Michael interviews Cecilia B. Loving! Cecilia is the Senior Vice President for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at PBS, where she is responsible for developing organizational strategy, providing ongoing advice and counsel, and cultivating future partnerships. With over 20 years of experience as a practicing attorney, Cecilia has held various DEI leadership roles for a wide variety of businesses and government agencies, including the New York Fire Department, New York City’s Commission on Human Rights, the Legal Aid Society, and more. In this episode, Michael and Cecilia discuss the essential building blocks of DEI work: finding common ground with those around you, deeply listening to what others have to say, and always taking time to breathe and practice mindfulness.

Key Takeaways:

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Find Cecilia’s work

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For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay

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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.

Editing and co-production of this podcast by Nina Kissinger.

Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!

On this episode of INCOGNITO the podcast, Michael interviews Toni Wynn! Toni is a museum content curator, DEI speaker, and poet who sees big and small to craft inspired opportunities for engaging and learning. In this episode, Michael and Toni discuss the importance of living in kindness, celebrating the arts, and having compassion towards both ourselves and others, and Toni shares her philosophy of being a kindness cheerleader for those around her.

Key Takeaways:

Toni’s Media Recommendations:

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Find Toni’s work

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For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay

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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.

Editing and co-production of this podcast by Nina Kissinger.

Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!

On this episode of INCOGNITO the podcast, Michael interviews Ronnie Malley! Ronnie is a multi-instrumentalist musician, theatrical performer, producer, and educator, who has collaborated with artists internationally, composed and consulted for many cultural music projects in film and theater, appeared as a guest artist on several works, and is executive director of Intercultural Music Production in Chicago. In this episode, Michael and Ronnie discuss the incredible universality of music, the importance of exploring cultures beyond your own, and using the arts as a means of connection. Ronnie shares stories from his experiences bringing music across the country and world, and his conclusion that Metallica can indeed bring us all together.

Key Takeaways:

Ronnie’s Media Recommendations:

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Find Ronnie’s work

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For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay

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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.

Editing and co-production of this podcast by Nina Kissinger.

Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!

On this episode of INCOGNITO the podcast, Michael interviews Alderman Debra Silverstein! Alderman Silverstein has been the representative of Chicago’s 50th Ward since 2011, working tirelessly to make her neighborhood a better place for the many residents who call it home through both groundbreaking projects and everyday actions. In this episode, Michael and Alderman Silverstein discuss the importance of reaching out to others, opening yourself up to engagement with those in your community, and treating people with the respect and recognition that they deserve. Additionally, Alderman Silverstein shares her strategies for connecting a community by recognizing its diversity as its greatest strength above all.

Key Takeaways:

Alderman Silverstein’s Media Recommendations:

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Find Alderman Silverstein’s work

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For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay

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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.

Editing and co-production of this podcast by Nina Kissinger.

Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!

On this episode of INCOGNITO the podcast, Michael interviews Angela Ford! Angela is the founder and executive director of The Obsidian Collection Archives, an organization that works to preserve Black historical journalism through digital archiving in hopes of making the historic and factual accounts of Black life in the United States accessible to the public and, in doing so, illuminating Black culture for the world to better see and understand. In this episode, Michael and Angela discuss the importance of being direct and deliberate, exposing oneself everyday to cultures outside of your own, and establishing trust with any community you wish to work with. Angela shares her belief that the majority of people do want to help and be a part of the solution, and discusses the incredible power that comes from harnessing this collective desire for good.

Key Takeaways:

Angela’s Media Recommendations:

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Find Angela’s work

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For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay

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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.

Editing and co-production of this podcast by Nina Kissinger.

Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!

Welcome back to another season of INCOGNITO the podcast! In the first episode of Season 3, I not only tell the story of how this podcast came to be, but also reflect on the many fantastic tools and practices towards creating a more diverse and inclusive society that guests have shared with me and INCOGNITO listeners throughout the first two seasons. I offer my pitch for why people should listen to INCOGNITO, and discuss the ways in which this podcast can offer valuable strategies and insight to listeners from all walks of life.

Key Takeaways:

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If you want to support INCOGNITO the podcast, here are some things you can do:

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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.

Editing and co-production of this podcast by Nina Kissinger.

Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!