Creative Mamas Unplugged

“Rewardment” (0:00), Kira shares her story from acting to directing, and the work and exploration that led her along this journey (7:30), Kira’s perspective on storytelling 15:00), Kira on pursuing a master’s degree in film, continuing to grow creatively, and what it means to follow your artistic calling (22:30).

WATCH ON YOUTUBE @ https://youtu.be/3EGm49tZ5QU

Support Us via Patreon @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Hosts: Cherice Barton and Shelly Hutchinson

Guest: Kira Powell

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Kira:

Website: https://www.kirapowell.com/

Instagram @itskirapowell

IMDb https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2451581/

Alliance of Women Directors https://www.allianceofwomendirectors.org/find-a-director/director/kira-powell/

Kira’s Linktr.ee @ https://linktr.ee/KiraPowell

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BIO:

Kira Powell is an award-winning, NAACP Image Award-nominated writer-director and SAG-AFTRA actor of African American and Ecuadorian descent. She holds an MFA in Directing from the American Film Institute Conservatory. Whether in coming-of-age drama or psychological horror, her films explore identity and inheritance, often through multiracial and immigrant experiences, examining the consequences of love under pressure — how devotion, protection, and survival shape people, for better and for worse. 

Kira received a Directors Guild of America Jury Award at the 2024 DGA Student Awards for Outstanding Directing for her AFI thesis coming-of-age short BEST EYES, which premiered at the Academy Award®–qualifying Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) and has been nominated for Outstanding Short Form (Live Action) at the 57th NAACP Image Awards. BEST EYES also won First Place in the Afro-Latino Short Film Competition sponsored by Lexus and presented by the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) and the Latino Entertainment Journalists Association (LEJA). 

Kira’s short films have screened at festivals including Urbanworld, Screamfest, Tallgrass, and Black Harvest Film Festival. Her award-winning one-woman show CAUGHT IN THE MIX, about Black–Latinx identity, was staged at multiple venues across Los Angeles and recognized for its social impact, laying the groundwork for the themes she continues to explore on screen.

As an actor, Kira has appeared in film, television, and numerous national commercials. Her credits include the indie cult hit THE ENDLESS, directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (Moon Knight, Loki), which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival; Jif’s “That Jif’ing Good” campaign—named one of Adweek’s Top Commercials of the Year; and collaborations with directors Larry Charles (Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm) and John Hillcoat (The Road).

She is currently developing a slate of film and television projects.

Outside of filmmaking, she’s traveled to over 40 countries and has a deep love for the theater. You’ll usually find her discovering a new restaurant, in the audience at a live show, or onstage. 

GRANTS & ACCOLADES

LABS, FELLOWSHIPS & PROGRAMS

Going into labor during Grandpa’s wild, yet helpful night (0:00), invisible expectations, and the quiet pressure to look like you’re handling everything just fine (4:12), losing and rediscovering yourself in motherhood (12:47), burnout and boundaries (20:18), you’re crazy amazing and so powerful (27:36).

WATCH ON YOUTUBE @ https://youtu.be/cxHrH_HXYvc

Support Us via Patreon @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Hosts: Cherice Barton and Shelly Hutchinson

Guest: Lauren Cox

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Lauren:

Website: laurencox.org

Instagram @humanlauren

UMass Instagram @umassdance

MAMA DANCERS film @ https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0QOGUV70EII1808UEY01MW8I6L/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

Follow Us: 

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BIO

Lauren Cox is a storyteller of many mediums, originally from the SF Bay Area. As Associate Director and Assistant Professor of Jazz Dance and Pedagogy at UMass Amherst, she is deeply interested in studying and creating spaces for communal sanctuary and recognizes these practices as a blueprint for radical reclamation and transcendence. 

She has performed, researched and taught in over ten countries, seeing the world as a classroom. Using New York as a base, Lauren developed curriculum and traveled internationally for Joffrey Ballet School while also teaching at The Ailey School, Limón Company II, Broadway Dance Center and Peridance. Her immersive and site-specific work on “Spaces” with Kaimera Productions highlights themes of storytelling, dance and collaborative justice. With the company she has erected the show in Harlem, New York; Saint-Denis, France; Oakland, California; Albany Park, Chicago (2027); and has done adjacent work with Kaimera in Queens, New York with “Make Justice Normal”, on The Island of Jean Charles, Louisiana with the Biloxi -Chitimacha-Choctaw Tribe and on the Island of Mozambique with the Slave Ship Wrecks Project for the Smithsonian of African American History.

Notable works and performances include: TedX Asbury Park and the consequential film, “Edelweiss” (2026/27); featured dancer in the documentary “Mama Dancers” streaming on Amazon Prime; Principal Performer in Randy Weiner and Ryan Heffington’s immersive off-broadway experience “Seeing You”; Associate Choreographer/Dance Captain and Swing for John Leguizamo’s “Kiss My Aztec” at Berkeley Rep, several performances on Saturday Night Live; and with Alicia Keys, Gwen Stefani, Coldplay, Pharrell, Joey Yung plus many more commercials, music videos and live shows, including resident host of Stories from The Basement and Brinda Guha’s “Wise Fruit: Celebrating the Feminine Divine”.

The wrong applesauce (0:00), Life with a toddler and a newborn, gratitude for support, and showing up as a mom, artist, and human (3:15), radical honesty (5:45), support and finding a new dance every single time (11:10), not having it together as strength, asking for help and our mom tribes (16:20).

WATCH ON YOUTUBE @ https://youtu.be/rmkqhbFZCn0

Support Us via Patreon @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Hosts: Cherice Barton and Shelly Hutchinson

Guest: Lauren Cox

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Lauren:

Website: laurencox.org

Instagram @humanlauren

UMass Instagram @umassdance

MAMA DANCERS film @ https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0QOGUV70EII1808UEY01MW8I6L/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

Follow Us: 

Instagram @creativemamasunplugged

Facebook @creativemamasunplugged

Apple Podcasts  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Spotify  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Amazon Music  @CreativeMamasUnplugged  

YouTube  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

iHeart Radio  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Podbean  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Follow Us: 

Instagram @creativemamasunplugged

Facebook @creativemamasunplugged

Apple Podcasts  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Spotify  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

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YouTube  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

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Podbean  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

BIO

Lauren Cox is a storyteller of many mediums, originally from the SF Bay Area. As Associate Director and Assistant Professor of Jazz Dance and Pedagogy at UMass Amherst, she is deeply interested in studying and creating spaces for communal sanctuary and recognizes these practices as a blueprint for radical reclamation and transcendence. 

She has performed, researched and taught in over ten countries, seeing the world as a classroom. Using New York as a base, Lauren developed curriculum and traveled internationally for Joffrey Ballet School while also teaching at The Ailey School, Limón Company II, Broadway Dance Center and Peridance. Her immersive and site-specific work on “Spaces” with Kaimera Productions highlights themes of storytelling, dance and collaborative justice. With the company she has erected the show in Harlem, New York; Saint-Denis, France; Oakland, California; Albany Park, Chicago (2027); and has done adjacent work with Kaimera in Queens, New York with “Make Justice Normal”, on The Island of Jean Charles, Louisiana with the Biloxi -Chitimacha-Choctaw Tribe and on the Island of Mozambique with the Slave Ship Wrecks Project for the Smithsonian of African American History.

Notable works and performances include: TedX Asbury Park and the consequential film, “Edelweiss” (2026/27); featured dancer in the documentary “Mama Dancers” streaming on Amazon Prime; Principal Performer in Randy Weiner and Ryan Heffington’s immersive off-broadway experience “Seeing You”; Associate Choreographer/Dance Captain and Swing for John Leguizamo’s “Kiss My Aztec” at Berkeley Rep, several performances on Saturday Night Live; and with Alicia Keys, Gwen Stefani, Coldplay, Pharrell, Joey Yung plus many more commercials, music videos and live shows, including resident host of Stories from The Basement and Brinda Guha’s “Wise Fruit: Celebrating the Feminine Divine”.

Erika Shannon Hathaway, Part 4: We Were Way Worse at 13 (There’s Just No Proof)

Talk to text, watch out! (0:00), candid discussion about letting kids swear at home (2:17), how wild, curious, and unsupervised we actually were at 12 and 13 (3:56), parenting in the digital age: phone contracts, Instagram vs Snapchat and those disappearing messages (5:12), The Olympics, Snoop Dogg and Lindsey Vonn (15:59).

WATCH PART 4 ON YOUTUBE @ https://youtu.be/fDbLWMVRXa8

And watch Parts 1-3 on YOUTUBE too! 

- Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiaucEYStfo&t=298s

- Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A2kkZk299I&t=477s

- Part 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0WIgMvqn5M

Support Us via Patreon @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Hosts: Cherice Barton and Shelly Hutchinson

Guest: Erika Shannon Hathaway

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Erika:

All of Erika’s fab work can be found here at www.erikashannon.com

Instagram: @erikashannonmovement 

Erika’s News: I start a new cohort of MenoPoise on February 9th: https://www.erikashannon.com/menopoise

Socials everywhere (Insta, FB, TikTok: erikashannonmovement

Follow Us: 

Instagram @creativemamasunplugged

Facebook @creativemamasunplugged

Apple Podcasts  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Spotify  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Amazon Music  @CreativeMamasUnplugged  

YouTube  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

iHeart Radio  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Podbean  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Erilka’s Bio: 

I’m a seasoned fitness industry expert, coach, and producer with 20 years experience. A former professional dancer turned theatrical General Manager, I found my way to fitness in New York City, where I taught for fitness brands including Equinox, Reebok, SoulCycle, and Daily Burn.

As a Producer and Content Strategist, I’ve produced thousands of workouts, programs, and related content. I also consult with startup brands in the fitness and wellness space, helping them build and scale. 

As a Certified Menopause Coach Specialist, I’m passionate about helping women navigate the menopause journey with confidence and strength, so they can and make a powerful entrance into their next chapter.

No matter what side of the table I'm on, I remain driven by a passion for instilling connection and confidence through the power of movement.

Dance teachers, whaaat?! (0:00), perimenopause and menopause as the flip side of what our girls are going through (3:43), breaking from taboo while raising and protecting our kiddos (5:43), things our children are reading and watching from romance novels to Dexter, Breaking Bad and Stranger Things (11:58).

WATCH ON YOUTUBE @ https://youtu.be/q0WIgMvqn5M

Support Us via Patreon @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Hosts: Cherice Barton and Shelly Hutchinson

Guest: Erika Shannon Hathaway

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Erika:

All of Erika’s fab work can be found here at www.erikashannon.com

Instagram: @erikashannonmovement 

Erika’s News: I start a new cohort of MenoPoise on February 9th: https://www.erikashannon.com/menopoise

Socials everywhere (Insta, FB, TikTok: erikashannonmovement

Follow Us: 

Instagram @creativemamasunplugged

Facebook @creativemamasunplugged

Apple Podcasts  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Spotify  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Amazon Music  @CreativeMamasUnplugged  

YouTube  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

iHeart Radio  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Podbean  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Erilka’s Bio: 

I’m a seasoned fitness industry expert, coach, and producer with 20 years experience. A former professional dancer turned theatrical General Manager, I found my way to fitness in New York City, where I taught for fitness brands including Equinox, Reebok, SoulCycle, and Daily Burn.

As a Producer and Content Strategist, I’ve produced thousands of workouts, programs, and related content. I also consult with startup brands in the fitness and wellness space, helping them build and scale. 

As a Certified Menopause Coach Specialist, I’m passionate about helping women navigate the menopause journey with confidence and strength, so they can and make a powerful entrance into their next chapter.

No matter what side of the table I'm on, I remain driven by a passion for instilling connection and confidence through the power of movement.

Facials (0:00), we unpack auditions, casting heartbreak, and how teaching our kids to handle rejection with perspective builds long-term confidence and grit (3:44), teachers reframe rejection into purpose (9:35), mentorship and embracing the teacher within us all to give back (11:40).

WATCH ON YOUTUBE @ https://youtu.be/4A2kkZk299I

Support Us via Patreon @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Hosts: Cherice Barton and Shelly Hutchinson

Guest: Erika Shannon Hathaway

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Erika:

All of Erika’s fab work can be found here at www.erikashannon.com

Instagram: @erikashannonmovement 

Erika’s News: I start a new cohort of MenoPoise on February 9th: https://www.erikashannon.com/menopoise

Socials everywhere (Insta, FB, TikTok: erikashannonmovement

Follow Us: 

Instagram @creativemamasunplugged

Facebook @creativemamasunplugged

Apple Podcasts  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Spotify  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Amazon Music  @CreativeMamasUnplugged  

YouTube  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

iHeart Radio  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Podbean  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Erilka’s Bio: 

I’m a seasoned fitness industry expert, coach, and producer with 20 years experience. A former professional dancer turned theatrical General Manager, I found my way to fitness in New York City, where I taught for fitness brands including Equinox, Reebok, SoulCycle, and Daily Burn.

As a Producer and Content Strategist, I’ve produced thousands of workouts, programs, and related content. I also consult with startup brands in the fitness and wellness space, helping them build and scale. 

As a Certified Menopause Coach Specialist, I’m passionate about helping women navigate the menopause journey with confidence and strength, so they can and make a powerful entrance into their next chapter.

No matter what side of the table I'm on, I remain driven by a passion for instilling connection and confidence through the power of movement.

Four or seven (0:00), Erica shares how her fitness routine has evolved through perimenopause, embracing Reformer Pilates, group classes, injury recovery, and teaching again (4:30),  relocating to Pittsburgh, returning to performance after years away and how resilience is learned through example, not perfection (8:30).

WATCH ON YOUTUBE @ https://youtu.be/WiaucEYStfo

Support Us via Patreon @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Hosts: Cherice Barton and Shelly Hutchinson

Guest: Erika Shannon Hathaway

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Erika:

All of Erika’s fab work can be found here at www.erikashannon.com

Instagram: @erikashannonmovement 

Erika’s News: I start a new cohort of MenoPoise on February 9th: https://www.erikashannon.com/menopoise

Socials everywhere (Insta, FB, TikTok: erikashannonmovement

Follow Us: 

Instagram @creativemamasunplugged

Facebook @creativemamasunplugged

Apple Podcasts  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Spotify  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Amazon Music  @CreativeMamasUnplugged  

YouTube  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

iHeart Radio  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Podbean  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Erilka’s Bio: 

I’m a seasoned fitness industry expert, coach, and producer with 20 years experience. A former professional dancer turned theatrical General Manager, I found my way to fitness in New York City, where I taught for fitness brands including Equinox, Reebok, SoulCycle, and Daily Burn.

As a Producer and Content Strategist, I’ve produced thousands of workouts, programs, and related content. I also consult with startup brands in the fitness and wellness space, helping them build and scale. 

As a Certified Menopause Coach Specialist, I’m passionate about helping women navigate the menopause journey with confidence and strength, so they can and make a powerful entrance into their next chapter.

No matter what side of the table I'm on, I remain driven by a passion for instilling connection and confidence through the power of movement.

To kick off the New Year, we went digging through the archives and pulled together some funny stories from the past. From laugh-out-loud moments to “did that really just happen?” memories, it’s here, cut together for your enjoyment! 

Sit back, laugh with us, and enjoy the mayhem. Happy New Year! Let’s dive in.

WATCH ON YOUTUBE @ https://youtu.be/GTIj0QWB6eQ

Support Us via Patreon @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Hosts: Cherice Barton and Shelly Hutchinson

Guests: Producer Jess, Ellyn Marsh, Kelly Park, Nikki Snelson, Lynzy Lab

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Us: 

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Facebook @creativemamasunplugged

Apple Podcasts  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Spotify  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Amazon Music  @CreativeMamasUnplugged  

YouTube  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

iHeart Radio  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Podbean  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Thanksgiving gratitudes (0:00), shingles and urgent care bonding (5:10), send in your stories (8:23), kids’ interpretations (10:07), driving around schools (11:26), Zootopia (12:29).

WATCH ON YOUTUBE @ https://youtu.be/7Yc6XMPuNrI

Support Us via Patreon @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Hosts: Cherice Barton and Shelly Hutchinson

Guest: Producer Jess

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Us: 

Instagram @creativemamasunplugged

Facebook @creativemamasunplugged

Apple Podcasts  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Spotify  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Amazon Music  @CreativeMamasUnplugged  

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Podbean  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

This episode with myself, Cher, and Jess is Part 2 of our December 14th recording, filled with pre-holiday chaos and real-life parenting moments. This is a no-filter conversation about the absolute madness of motherhood and parenting — from emergency room bonding and road rage, to spiritual confusion, community connection, and the reminder that when we feel messy, we are never alone. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, exhausted, or like laughter is the only thing holding it all together, this episode is for you. Parenting is chaotic, motherhood is messy, and sometimes the only thing we can do is laugh through it. ✨ We invite our listeners to reach out and share your stories — the good news, the hilarious moments, and everything in between. We’ll read them at the top of the episode or play your recordings. This podcast is about real motherhood, honest parenting conversations, and building community — because none of us are doing this alone.

Not defects, Superpowers (0:00), gratitude for teachers (2:42), +/- of technology in schools (3:04),  the emotional moment when you realize your child’s anxiety is tied to your own baggage (4:58), conversations about culture, faith and spirituality — from Catholicism to Judaism to Buddhism to believing we’re all connected (7:52).

WATCH ON YOUTUBE @ https://youtu.be/G5Xzy4A0TDg

Recorded on December 14, 2025.

Support Us via Patreon @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Hosts: Cherice Barton and Shelly Hutchinson

Guest: Producer Jess

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Us: 

Instagram @creativemamasunplugged

Facebook @creativemamasunplugged

Apple Podcasts  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Spotify  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Amazon Music  @CreativeMamasUnplugged  

YouTube  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

iHeart Radio  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Podbean  @CreativeMamasUnplugged