I have a conversation with former Mortician, Visual Artist, World Adventurer, Realtor, and friend, Tania Seabock. We discuss her life growing up in Los Angeles with Chilean and Brazilian roots, her parents practicing the Umbanda religion, witnessing a tragic death as a teenager, becoming a mortician in her early 20s, discovering her love of sacred art, using loving constructive criticism as an opportunity to grow, the difference between being a “fuck up” and an “eccentric,” creating art within a palace in the Middle East, witnessing indentured servitude, experiencing the beauty of Antarctica, almost being eaten by piranhas in the Amazon, being part of the formation of Death Guild’s Thunderdome at Burning Man, meeting the First Lady Laura Bush, and much more.

Recording Date: Wednesday, March 24th, 2021

To view Tania’s artwork, please visit: https://taniaseabock.wixsite.com/portfolio

I have a conversation with Social Justice Educator, Nonviolent Activist, and a profoundly loving human being, Derek Johnson. We discuss Derek’s early life growing up in a rural East Coast farming community, his father’s drug addiction, experiencing childhood trauma, discovering pansexuality, the myth of “The American Dream,” understanding how education can be used as a force for social justice, the destructiveness of Capitalism, gardening as an act of resistance, making soap, exploring polyamory, experiencing racism, educational hegemony, patriarchy, white supremacy, and much more.

Recording Date: Wednesday, March 17th, 2021

To follow Derek’s work, please visit:

Indigo Radio (SJ radio show):

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/UpkEbUMQ7DLjUEMx6

Collective Liberation Lab (SJ consultant work/curriculum design): https://www.collectiveliberationlab.com

Social Media:

IG: wingedtraveler78

IG: veganvoyagenoir

IG: islandvybztours

I have a much needed and hilarious conversation with former Actor, Comedian, current Owner of Crawford’s (Bar & Fried Chicken) in Los Angeles, and brother from another mother, Matthew Dittmann. We discuss Matt’s early life growing up in New York City/Connecticut, his father giving his mother crabs and blaming it on a used mattress, fighting on the mean streets of Chicago, attending a performing arts high school, seeing Chris Farley before he died, using his trauma to create comedy, attending CalArts, making out with me in Jean Genet’s play The Maids, defending his brother’s honor, having Richard Simmons as his Godfather, Matt’s mom making friends with Lily Tomlin, how I found non-sexual comfort with a prostitute, having an air-soft gun shootout in our apartment during the Christmas of 2005, and much more.

Recording Date: Tuesday, March 16th, 2021

To meet Matt, have a brew, and enjoy the best fried chicken in Los Angeles stop by Crawford’s at 2616 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90057 or visit: https://www.crawfordschicken.la/

I have a conversation with Wild Man, Fool, Clown, Storyteller, Comedian, Activist, Educator, Author, and my Father-in-Law, Izzi Tooinsky. We discuss Izzi’s childhood trauma, early cognitive/speech challenges, his garden & exile, discovering the art of juggling at a Renaissance Fair, embracing the role of “The Fool,” needing to be alone every several hours a day, eating a burrito with Ken Kesey, performing in Nairobi, using Ayahuasca to treat his Obsessive-Compulsive disorder, truth & parable, connecting with students during a pandemic, the juggling metaphors of “holding” & “releasing,” and much more.

Recording Date: Wednesday, February 24th, 2021

To learn more about Izzi, please visit: http://izzitooinsky.com/

I have a conversation with Opera Singer, Manager at a Fortune 500 software company, Matriarch of Death Guild’s Thunderdome Camp at Burning Man, Aerialist, and friend, Diva Marisa. We discuss Marisa’s early life growing up in the Bay Area, finding the love of singing opera, grieving the loss of her mother, being on the autism spectrum, singing for 5,000 people as a child, finding her career path in the tech industry, discovering her sexuality, riding a motorcycle down the steps of City Hall in San Jose, singing the National Anthem in front of 60,000 screaming Raider’s fans, the ethics of artificial intelligence/virtual reality, shaping Death Guild’s Thunderdome Camp at Burning Man, loving beyond fears, and much more.

Recording Date: Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021

To learn more about Marisa, please visit: https://www.divamarisa.com/home/biography/

I have a conversation with Director, Playwright, Author, and Educator, Mel Shapiro. We discuss Mel’s early years growing up in Brooklyn, discovering the art of theatre, becoming a Korean language translator in the Army, training at Carnegie Melon University, his career being “an unbroken series of green lights,” working with Joseph Papp & Tyrone Guthrie, winning the Tony Award for Two Gentlemen of Verona, cofounding New York University’s Tisch School of thee Arts, directing A-list talent like Christopher Walken, writing the books The Director’s Companion & An Actor Performs, teaching acting at UCLA, Brian sharing his regret for not staying in the theatre, and much more.

Recording Date: Wednesday, February 10th, 2021

I talk with Visual Artist, Graphic Designer, Marketing Director, Mother, and friend, Anais Rumfelt. We discuss Anais’ early years growing up in Taos (New Mexico), grieving her father’s death at the age of 5-years-old, being chased/attacked by other kids, having nudist parents, drawing nude fairies, capturing vulnerability in nude figures, resistance artwork, crows versus ravens, hospitality, trauma, loving beyond fears by becoming a mother, Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, Zoom fatigue, and Brian clogging up Anais’ toilet in 2006, and much more.

Recording Date: Wednesday, February 10th, 2021

To view Anais’ artwork, please visit: http://www.anaisrumfelt.com/p/about.html?m=1

I interview former Department Chief at the Office of Veterans Affairs, Disability Rights Advocate, Independent Living Center Board Member, and friend, Mark Fenicle. We discuss Mark experiencing the effects of Polio as a child, his grandfather’s traumatizing mine incident, buying marijuana from Ed Roberts, “getting laid enough,” being at UC Berkley during the late 1960s and early 1970s, being shot at by law enforcement, adapting to disabilities, enduring loss, Brian announcing that his wife, Rachel Snyder is in a competition with former guest, Gene Landreth for the most (B)MIB YouTube views, and much more.

Recording Date: Wednesday, January 27th, 2021

I interview Actor, Director, Playwright, Producer, founding Artistic Director of the Breath of Fire Latina Theater Ensemble, and friend, Sara Guerrero. We discuss Sara’s life growing up in Southern California, studying theatre at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), feeling marginalized by the mainstream entertainment industry, sharing unheard stories, Sara’s erotic “guardians,” performing in the nude, surviving COVID-19, teaching theatre, and much more.

Recording Date: Wednesday, February 3rd, 2021

To learn more about Sara, please visit: http://www.teatroguerrero.com/

Gustavo Esteva (Deprofessionalized Intellectual, Author, and Activist) shares his thoughts on the importance of “listening deeply with the willingness to be transformed,” the difference between “expectations” and “hope,” learning to endure the terrifying unknown days ahead, and being grateful for the little loving surprises during these uncertain times. This is part-two of a conversation that began within episode # 23.

Recording Date: Thursday, January 28th, 2021