I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing the incredibly talented Dawnn Lewis @dawnn_lewis on many red carpets and at events over the years. One thing has always remained consistent: her belief in hard work, family, education, and staying grounded in who you are.

Dawnn didn’t just star as Jaleesa Vinson on A Different World. She also co-wrote the original theme song, helping create a sound and legacy that became part of our culture.

Now, that legacy is entering a new chapter.

With the A Different World @adifferentworldofficial sequel series premiering September 24 on Netflix @netflix , musical icon Brandy @brandy will perform the new opening credits theme, while Dawnn Lewis returns to reprise her role.

There’s something special about seeing one generation of Black excellence open the door for another while honoring what came before.

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Full Interview @spotifypodcasts | The JamirSmith Show

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#adifferentworld #explore #fyp

Thank you, Black Writers Weekend @blackwritersweekend for trusting me to be part of your story and for the honor of moderating two conversations that challenged, inspired, and connected us all.

To the team at Diverse Representation @diverserepresentation, thank you for an incredible partnership. It's always a privilege to create these spaces together.

And to everyone who stopped in to listen, introduce yourselves, share your stories, or simply connect with me...thank you.

Let's keep building community and showing up for one another. That's where the real work begins.

Thank you, Black Writers Weekend @blackwritersweekend for trusting me to be part of your story and for the honor of moderating two conversations that challenged, inspired, and connected us all.

To the team at Diverse Representation @diverserepresentation, thank you for an incredible partnership. It's always a privilege to create these spaces together.

And to everyone who stopped in to listen, introduce yourselves, share your stories, or simply connect with me...thank you.

Let's keep building community and showing up for one another. That's where the real work begins.

“When I watched SERAPHIM, I realized this wasn’t just a musical—it felt like a conversation with the world. It asks difficult questions about love, race, identity, justice, faith, and hope. Today, I want our listeners to understand the heart behind the artist and the purpose behind this movement.”

The Man Behind the Music

You’ve described SERAPHIM as representing light, fire, passion, and purpose.

What was happening in your own life that made you realize this story needed to be told?

Music With a Mission

Black Queer Storytelling

Betting on Yourself

“Light Up The Darkness.”

I love that because darkness doesn’t disappear because we talk about it.

Welcome to The Jamir Smith Show on Power 97.5 LA, Power V 97.5 Vegas, Spotify LIVE and everywhere you listen to podcasts. I’m your host, Jamir Smith.

Today’s guest Shannon Wallace, is an artist who refuses to be defined by one title. He’s an actor, director, producer, photographer, and storyteller whose work continues to push independent Black cinema forward.

Last week I had the opportunity to see his amazing work with Season 2 of Diarra From Detroit,    He has also been apart of so great projects like Beauty in Black, Divorce in the Black, American Soul, and Blue Bloods. Now he’s entering an exciting new chapter with his feature film A Story About You and his directorial debut, Channels.

Becoming Shannon Wallace

Diarra From Detroit: Growing With the Character

Working With Tyler Perry

Creating Your Own Opportunities

Faith, Identity & Legacy

Moderated by SCAD FASH executive director Alex Delotch Davis, the conversation features Danny Dunson, the DuSable Black History Museum’s director of curatorial affairs and arts education, and editorial director and filmmaker Isoul Harris (HBO's Donyale Luna: Supermodel) who explore Church’s groundbreaking career through the lens of Dunson’s recent exhibition Black in Paris. Discover how Church and her contemporaries rewrote restricted beauty standards and established a blueprint for the modern fashion industry.

I had a great conversation with Nick Griffin, Executive Vice President of the Downtown LA Alliance as we discussed how The Path of Progress initiative has become a major part of the conversation for DTLA Alliance.

We discussed topics:

• When people hear terms like revitalization and investment, they often wonder how that translates into everyday experiences. How will residents, workers, and visitors actually feel the difference as Path of Progress projects move forward?

• Downtown Los Angeles is preparing to welcome millions of visitors over the next few years with major international sporting events coming to the region. How is DTLA Alliance positioning downtown to make a strong first impression on the world?

• What opportunities do you see for local businesses, restaurants, and entrepreneurs as tourism ramps up ahead of these global events?

  
  

  Support : https://downtownla.com/

Kolo: “Finding Home Through Sound”

Exploring the idea of vulnerability.. the art of vulnerability film sept last year 

Opening (2–3 minutes)

1. I always begin with this question because it tells me more than any biography ever could. How’s your heart? What has this season of life been teaching you?

2. Your new single is called Lonely Dreams. That’s a title that almost feels like a journal entry. Before people hear the record, what was happening in your life that made you write it?

Lonely Dreams: The Cost of Chasing Purpose 

Download the new single “Lonely Dreams” on all streaming platforms.

Instagram @kolo.24

Jamirsmith.com

Sitting down with Lynae Vanee @lynaevanee at this year’s Essence Festival @essencefest was one of those moments that always stays with me. She has a way of turning honesty into poetry and making people feel seen through every word.

Now she’s taking “Black Women Deserve Poems” on tour, and I already know each stop has been more than a performance, but a reminder of the power of storytelling, healing, and truth.

Get your tickets 🎫:

https://www.bwdp.live/

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Full Interview @spotify @spotifypodcasts

The JamirSmith Show

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#fyp #fypシ #explore

Episode Theme: Preserving Black History Through Fiction, Courage, and Storytelling

“Welcome to The Jamir Smith Show. Today we’re joined by award-winning author, journalist, and former attorney Ashton Lattimore. Her highly anticipated second novel, RUNNER, takes readers into the world of Prohibition-era Martha’s Vineyard, where history, mystery, and resilience collide. Ashton, congratulations on the book. How are you feeling as you prepare to share this story with the world?”

The Story Behind the Story

Your books feel deeply researched but emotionally intimate.

What first stopped you in your tracks during that visit to the Martha’s Vineyard museum?

What made you realize this wasn’t just history,

it was a story that deserved to be told?

RUNNER

Without giving too much away…

Introduce us to your protagonist. What makes her unforgettable?

Lena She’s navigating grief, family secrets, and survival. Which part of her journey resonated most with you personally?

Rum-running during Prohibition is rarely explored through a Black lens. Why was it important to reclaim that perspective?

Instagram @astonlattimore

@jamir_smith