Today, Laura is joined by Moses You, who is not only an alumni of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at Cal State LA, he is also their Admin Support Coordinator. Moses approaches life with a quiet but eager curiosity that propels him on a journey of self-discovery, ongoing evolution, and constant sojourns into new quests, all the while doing his best to be of support and service to those around him. He and Laura discuss the role of nature vs. nurture in defining talent, as well as the not-so-easily acquired talent/skill of being kind. Enjoy Defining Talent With Moses You!

More info about Moses and other episodes can be found on www.definingtalentpod.com

Fun fact about today's guest, Frank Ramirez - Laura and Frank were both actually at the same statewide Speech and Debate competition in the spring of 2000 when Laura was a senior at Thomas Downey High School competing in Original Prose and Poetry, and Frank was a sophomore at La Mirada High School competing in Dramatic Interpretation. What are the odds that two decades later, their paths would cross at Cal State LA, where Frank graduated from this Spring (2023) with his MFA in Television, Film, and Theatre/Acting Option?!? Small world, indeed. Laura and Frank's conversation starts with some engrossing shop talk about the industry of acting, actor training, and the impact of new media on the craft of acting - and although the central question, "how do you define talent?" doesn't come up until they're nearly halfway into the episode, Frank's answer and the ensuing conversation is well worth the wait.

For more information about Frank, and for previous episodes, visit the podcast website at www.definingtalentpod.com

On today's episode, Laura sits down with Staci Mitchell, a lecturer for the Pan-African Studies Department at Cal State LA who also teaches for the Cal State LA Theatre Department. Staci wears many hats in addition to professor - including (but not limited to) yoga practitioner, performer, researcher, and playwright. Just a few weeks after this podcast episode was recorded, Staci left for South Africa, where she spent a month there as a Fulbright Scholar for "Performance Art in South Africa During Apartheid and Beyond." Everything Staci does is infused with deep love and respect for her own cultural heritage, as well as the cultures and practices of the artists, scholars, and practitioners whom she studies and incorporates into her own works.

Audio adjusted & updated 9/23/23.

Dr. Linda Margarita Greenberg is one of the kindest, most compassionate, most loving human beings out there, and talking with her is like being surrounded by a warm hug. She is a Professor of English and the Chair of the English Department at Cal State LA whose writing and research interests include Chicana/o literature and voices, community-building, sci-fi and speculative fiction, and more. Dr. Greenberg is beloved by students and peers alike, in no small part due to the love and dedication she pours into her work at Cal State LA and its surrounding communities. It was beyond wonderful to sit and talk talent with her, and I hope you enjoy listening to our conversation.

Audio levels adjusted & updated 9/23/23.

I'm still super honored that Owen Miller took time out of one of the busiest, most stressful fortnights of his time here at Cal State LA to sit down and record this podcast episode - not only is Owen a full-time staff member for Arts & Letters - when we recorded this he was smack dab in the middle of his final comprehensive exams for his MA in Communication Studies! He totally passed his exams and is now a proud alumnus, and I am excited for you to hear his take on talent - and how the discussion veers away from the more tangible iterations of talent and into the realm of behavior and interactions and social constructs (and contracts, for that matter). Owen answered the question of "how do you define talent" by eventually asking his own questions, including how different (and probably happier/healthier) our world would be if people led with love and intersectionality rather than fear and individualism. So yeah, it's a pretty cool episode.

You can learn more about Owen, or previous guests, or check out previous episodes on www.definingtalentpod.com

Audio levels adjusted & updated 9/23/23.