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Host: Rebekah Henderson (spelled R-E-B-E-K-A-H) Co-Host: Samuel Gonzalez Guest: Cel Wilson
Time-Coded Highlights00:00:07 – 00:00:13
00:00:25 – 00:00:31
00:01:11 – 00:01:37
00:20:05 – 00:20:21
00:21:44 – 00:22:02
00:46:00 – 00:46:30 (approx.)
01:00:00 – 01:01:00 (approx.)
In this lively and wide-ranging episode of Off Color, host Rebekah Henderson and co-host Samuel Gonzalez dive into a whirlwind of topics—from personal updates and current events to the role of art in social change. Midway through, they welcome special guest Lynn Johnson, a queer Black theatre artist working on a powerful new project supporting queer and trans youth in New Mexico.
Whether you're here for the sharp wit, deep dives, or the celebration of community, this episode delivers candid conversations and vibrant storytelling that fans of Off Color have come to love.
Key Segments & Highlights00:00 – 00:03 | Intro & Podcast Purpose
00:03 – 00:05 | Celebrating Black History Month
00:05 – 00:10 | Personal Updates & Life in the Moment
00:10 – 00:32 | News Deep Dive (AI-Generated Segment)
00:32 – 00:34 | Reflecting on the State of the World
00:34 – 00:44 | Boycotts, Shopping, and Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter"
00:44 – 00:53 | Black History in Everyday Life
00:53 – 01:15 | Interview with Lynn Johnson
01:15 – End | Wrapping Up & Where to Find More
How to Support & Further Engagement
High Desert Playback "Mic" Theater:
Off Color on Patreon:
Watch Running with My Girls
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In this lively and unfiltered episode, Sam and Rebekah delve into everything from personal financial challenges and collective boycotts to civil rights parallels between 1968 and 2025. Rebekah shares her powerful experience screening her film, Running With My Girls, in Jackson, Mississippi—reminding her why community, sisterhood, and collective action matter. They also discuss recent executive orders affecting immigrant advocacy organizations, reflect on the historical echoes of disenfranchisement, and premiere a quirky AI-generated tune about dieting woes. As always, expect humor, candid moments, and even a quick spiritual tarot reading.
What We DiscussEvery listen and share helps keep these critical conversations going. If you enjoy the show, consider subscribing, leaving a review, or supporting us on Patreon.
Off Color is produced and edited by Rebekah Henderson (Tan Tigress Productions LLC) and co-hosted by Samuel Gonzalez. Theme music by James Meakim and additional interludes by DLulu Jones (AI Collaborations).
In this lively (and often hilarious) episode of the Off Color Podcast, hosts Rebekah and Sam experiment with their show's format while grappling with the emotional ups and downs of current events. They kick things off by acknowledging listener feedback and the ongoing evolution of the podcast. Rebekah shares her raw feelings about the political turmoil post-inauguration—expressing frustration, anxiety, and hope in equal measure.
A key highlight is Rebekah's story about meeting Pulitzer Prize–winner Isabel Wilkerson, author of Caste, and how that powerful encounter reinforced her own commitment to storytelling and truth-telling. The co-hosts delve into the resonance of MLK Day, discussing how Dr. King's message of nonviolence and community care feels more urgent than ever in the face of rising social and political challenges. They also explore the importance of personal check-ins and small acts of kindness, whether that's volunteering, showing up for friends, or even that time someone paid for a stranger's meal.
A fun twist arrives when "Ethan and Olive" (their playful nickname for AI-generated voices) chime in on racial hierarchies and historical legacies. While they poke fun at the stiff, over-intellectualized tone of AI, Rebekah and Sam manage to extract real lessons about bridging divides—both from technology and from each other. Finally, they close by reflecting on the power of forming true community, urging listeners to find mutual support, engage in local organizing, stay informed in healthy ways, and call in to the show to keep the conversation going.
What We Learned by "Listening"
Community Is Everything: Whether it's meeting a literary hero or venting about political stress, gathering in real life (or online) can offer comfort and hope.
Kindness Still Matters: From someone paying for lunch unexpectedly to forging relationships with new neighbors or newcomers, small gestures often have a massive emotional impact.
News Is Better With a Friend: Consuming headlines alone can be stressful; sharing the burden (and the laughs) builds resilience.
We're All in Flux: From personal growth goals (like directing a Langston Hughes play) to national crises, it's a reminder that change—both good and bad—is inevitable.
Stay Curious, Stay Hopeful: Whether exploring Afrofuturism or simply remembering MLK's message, Rebekah and Sam remind us that hope can be a radical, necessary act.
Want to join the conversation?
Call or leave a message: (They sing the number in the episode—give it a listen!)
Share feedback on social media or wherever you follow the Off Color Podcast.
Light a candle, channel good vibes, or just send a quick note letting Rebekah and Sam know how you're doing and what you think.
Tune in, get inspired, and remember: community care, laughter, and love are among the strongest antidotes to uncertain times.
Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/OffColorPodcast
Sam's Offerings! https://www.iridescent1.com/
Sam's Instagram
(for questions or comments)
Off Color Hotline: +1(209)259-0039 Sam's Instagram FOR INQUIRIES
In this lively episode of Off Color, host Rebekah Henderson and co-host Samuel Gonzalez welcome two special guests:
Soltahr Tiv-Amanda – a therapist and spiritual teacher
Janae Burris – a Denver-based comedian
Together, they dive into topics guaranteed to spark both insight and debate:
Personal Updates & Humor
Rebekah's unfiltered life updates set a candid tone.
Sam shares reflections on navigating transitions and creative ruts.
Janae adds her trademark comedic edge, juggling parenthood, career, and cultural identity.
Being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)
Soltahr introduces the concept of HSP traits, discussing overlaps with ADHD and deep empathy.
Practical tips for maintaining emotional balance, grounding, and self-care so sensitivity becomes a superpower instead of a burden.
Race and Identity in Colonial America
Rebekah references historian A.B. Wilkinson's Blurring the Lines of Race and Freedom: Mulattoes and Mixed Bloods in English Colonial America.
They unpack how colonial laws (especially partus sequitur ventrem) entrenched the "one-drop rule" and shaped rigid racial hierarchies still affecting us today.
Modern-Day Colorism & 'Who Gets to Be Black?'
The group confronts the lingering question of who's "allowed" to claim Blackness.
Insights on how internal divisions—rooted in white supremacy—still play out in families and communities.
Parenting & Tough Artistic Choices
Janae opens up about balancing her comedic freedom with the need to provide for her child.
The reality of microaggressions, gatekeepers, and navigating predominantly white spaces as a Black artist—especially with bills to pay.
Spiritual Guidance & Personal Liberation
Sam pulls an oracle card, sparking a reflection on creativity, birth, and weaving beauty into daily life.
Soltahr explores healing intergenerational trauma and embracing every facet of one's heritage, from the deeply spiritual to the everyday practical.
A Call for Unity
They underscore how racism thrives on division.
A rallying cry for finding shared humanity and building community strength across generational lines.
Notable Quotes
On the burden of identity: "We'll never be free until we stop worrying about what other people think about us." – Soltahr Tiv-Amanda
On speaking truth to power: "It's a lot easier to say how you really feel when you don't have to worry about feeding a child… but as a mom, I can't cost my kid his meals." – Janae Burris
"I want to get free—that's what the podcast is about. I want to be able to just be myself and not wonder what other people are thinking. I think it has ruined a lot of wonderful moments in my life and a lot of artistic, creative endeavors I've embarked upon, because I'm so concerned that people are not liking it." — Rebekah Henderson
Show Credits
Hosted by: Rebekah Henderson
Co-Hosted by: Samuel Gonzalez
Guests:
Soltahr Tiv-Amanda (Therapist, Spiritual Teacher)
Janae Burris (Comedian)
Theme Song: James Meakim
Music & Editing: Tan Tigress Productions LLC
Links & Resources
A.B. Wilkinson's Book Blurring the Lines of Race and Freedom: Mulattoes and Mixed Bloods in English Colonial America
Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) Resources
hsperson.com – Dr. Elaine Aron's pioneering research
Connect with Soltahr Tiv-Amanda
Contact info: [email protected]
Connect with Janae Burris
Upcoming Shows & Socials: [@negativenegro on Instagram ]
Listen & Subscribe
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Google Podcasts
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. Your support keeps these conversations going and growing.
Thank you for tuning in to Off Color! We appreciate every listener who joins our mission of exploring race, identity, and the ongoing quest for personal and collective liberation. Feel free to share your thoughts or questions—and until next time, stay curious!
In this episode, Rebekah and her co-host Sam dive deep into the evolving conversations around race, identity, and cultural representation, as seen through the lens of TikTok's algorithm-driven echo chambers. The discussion explores the complexities of blackness, mixed-race identity, and the historical baggage that shapes these dialogues today. The hosts reflect on their personal experiences, generational differences, and the ways social media both amplifies and distorts these critical conversations.
Key topics include:
Amidst the humor and sharp critiques, this episode also touches on the emotional weight of living in a world shaped by racial hierarchies and the potential for art to inspire and heal.
Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/OffColorPodcast Sam's Offerings! https://www.iridescent1.com/ Off Color Hotline: +1(209)259-0039 Sam's Instagram FOR INQUIRIES
In this special year-end episode of Off Color, hosts Rebekah Henderson and Samuel Gonzalez experiment with a hybrid format of voice messages, AI-generated commentary, and raw reflections. Rebekah—under the weather and feeling the weight of another challenging year—introduces a unique "very COVIDed Christmas" approach, weaving humor and vulnerability into the show's fabric. Amidst muffled masks and muffled feelings, the conversation drifts through the complexities of personal authenticity, the odd comfort of AI-generated praise, and the sometimes uneasy dance between sincerity and skepticism.
Sam's presence, though partially off-mic this time, is acknowledged as a grounding force who brings ancestral healing, spiritual insight, and transformative energy into the partnership. The duo considers the show's trajectory and what it means to keep creating in a world that can feel overwhelming. Balancing laughter and sobering truths—like the threat of rising fascism and the fragility of free speech—this episode becomes a reflective tapestry: a reminder that Off Color is not just entertainment, but a space of resistance, healing, and radical honesty.
Listeners are invited to contemplate what it means to engage deeply with complex issues, to find solace in community, and to embrace one's own voice and weirdness. As the year closes, Off Color champions the messy, human work of showing up, being seen, and pushing forward—imperfect, heartfelt, and determined.
Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/OffColorPodcast
Sam's Offerings! https://www.iridescent1.com/
Off Color Hotline: +1(209)259-0039 Sam's Instagram FOR INQUIRIES
This episode of Off Color is a wonderful resource for anyone navigating mental health, mixed-race identity, and the joys and struggles of living authentically. Yay! 🎉 We dive deep into therapy, ancestral connections, and how comedy can heal, with laughs and insights all along the way.
If you loved this episode, we'd love to hear from you! Call us and leave a message (the funnier, the better!) or slide into Sam's DMs on Instagram—your thoughts could even make it into a future episode! And hey, if you want to support what we're doing, head over to our Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep creating the content you love. 💛
Thanks for listening, and see you next time on Off Color—stay bold, stay funny, and stay you!
Off Color Hotline: +1(209)259-0039
Sam's Instagram
Esteemed Guest Information
Soltar Tiv-Amanda Spark Talk
Website/Contact for Sliding Scale Therapy/Spiritual Sessions
Janae Burris: Comedy Works, Denver Tickets on SALE NOW! Sunday January 5, 2025!
In this thought-provoking episode of Off Color, hosts Rebekah Henderson and Samuel Gonzalez dive into a whirlwind conversation sparked by the film adaptation of Wicked. They explore themes of societal norms, allyship, and the parallels between art and real-world struggles, with some reflective AI-inspired commentary woven throughout.
Rebekah shares her deeply personal connection to Wicked, seeing herself in Elphaba's misunderstood resilience and the societal pressures of being an outsider. Samuel counters with his own reflections on privilege, performative activism, and how media like Wicked resonates differently depending on lived experiences.
The conversation expands to broader issues: the 2024 election's stark divides, AI's role as both disruptor and enabler, and how technology mirrors the very systems it seeks to change. The hosts creatively compare the movie's characters to archetypes in tech and activism, asking if AI needs a bit more Elphaba rebellion or Glinda charm to truly revolutionize society.
Sprinkled with humor, personal anecdotes, and discussions of their new aesthetic choices (witchy hats, anyone?), the episode is a dynamic blend of cultural critique and heartfelt musings. As Rebekah opens up about how moments of art like Wicked inspire her activism and AI throws in its two cents, the conversation becomes a celebration of storytelling's ability to prompt self-reflection—and maybe even spark action.
Listeners, prepare to laugh, cry, and rethink how stories like Wicked can serve as metaphors for our times. And yes, there's talk of that hat.
LEAVE US A MESSAGE +12092590039
Resources Mentioned:
What My Bones Know
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/658389/what-my-bones-know-by-stephanie-foo/
The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the hosts and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any affiliated organizations.
Note: This episode contains discussions on sensitive topics such as racism, misogyny, and health misinformation. Listener discretion is advised.
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