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Harry Belafonte was a legend in music, but the film "Following Harry" isn’t about his music. It’s about what he did when the music stopped. In this Big Blend Radio conversation, host Lisa D. Smith talks with Emmy-nominated filmmaker and editor Susanne Rostock, director of "Following Harry" and its companion film, "Sing Your Song," about the last twelve years of Harry Belafonte’s life and the new generation of artists and activists he mentored. Susanne shares how the film began. "Sing Your Song" ended with Harry looking straight at the audience and asking, “What do we do now?” Not long after, he invited her to move her editing equipment into his brand-new office, which became a hub of activism where you never knew who might walk in. She talks about the podcast she once planned to make there, and how a front-row seat to Harry’s conversations with young people turned into a film about how movements are built. You’ll hear why young people listened to Harry: he was gentle, he was a true conversationalist, and he wasn’t there to lecture. He left what Susanne calls “a trail of crumbs” and invited the next generation to pick it up, or bring something better. We talk about the mentors who shaped him, including Paul Robeson, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela, and about why passing the baton mattered so much to him. Lisa also shares her own connection to the story. She grew up in Kenya and South Africa listening to Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela, and Susanne talks about Harry’s love for African music and the power of the album he made with Makeba. We also talk about love with conviction, doing what you can with the platform you have, the role of the arts in crossing divides, and Susanne’s work editing the film, which Nancy J. Reid (Big Blend Media) called seamless. Perfect for Global Diversity Month, this episode is about common humanity, mentorship, and what we choose to leave behind for the next generation. Following Harry is available on Amazon Prime in the US and Canada, starting October 13, 2026. Watch the trailer and get more information on the film: https://www.followingharry.org/  More from Big Blend Media House: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com

Clean water and sanitation touch nearly every part of life: health, education, safety, economic opportunity and human dignity.  On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Table & Compass" Podcast, Lisa D. Smith is joined by co-hosts Joelle Machia and Ryan Slough of Wanderers Compass for a conversation with His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Nabhit Kapur, Permanent Observer to the United Nations for the Pan-African Intergovernmental Agency on Water and Sanitation for Africa (WSA). Dr. Kapur began as a psychologist and mental health advocate, founding the Peaceful Mind Foundation and World Leaders for Mental Health. He explains how that work in Africa led him to the UN and to water and sanitation. He shares why women and girls are central to the solutions, including through his WaterHer initiative, and what happens to a community when clean water is a long walk away. He also describes a visit to a small town in Ghana where children walk five kilometres each way for a bucket of water. The conversation covers how a small UN observer mission works, from taking ideas to member states to getting them to the grassroots, and how WSA's science-based approach shapes its projects. He describes the sanitation and water clubs in Nigerian schools and a youth sanitation and water Model UN planned for next year. Joelle and Ryan add what they've seen traveling, including Sint Maarten's dependence on rainwater and desalination and the questions they ask hotels about protecting local water. The episode ends with what gives Dr. Kapur hope. Recorded just ahead of UN General Assembly 81 in September 2026. Whether you live in a city, a village or a hotel lobby, you can ask what is happening with water in your own community. RESOURCE LINKS: - Dr. Nabhit Kapur on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drnabhitkapur  - Water and Sanitation for Africa (WSA): https://wsa-un-ny.org/index.php  - UN Sustainable Development Goal 6, Clean Water and Sanitation: https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal6  - New episodes of Big Blend Radio's "Table & Compass" Podcast air every first Monday, here: https://table-and-compass.podbean.com/   - Learn more about Joelle Machia & Ryan Slough, Founders & Publishers of Wanderers Compass: https://www.wandererscompass.com/

It's Health Literacy Month, and today is publication day for the book, "Treating a Broken System: A Physician's Cure for the Healthcare Crisis." Retired physician and Professor Emeritus of Clinical Medicine Dr. Neil J. Farber joins Lisa D. Smith on Big Blend Radio to talk about why he wrote the book and what he believes it will take to fix the way patients, physicians, and healthcare administrators work together. After decades of teaching communication to physicians, Dr. Farber became a patient himself and saw the healthcare crisis from the other side. In this conversation he explains why you keep getting asked the same questions at every visit, how electronic records, patient portals, and AI note-taking are changing the workload for doctors, and why he calls the pressure on physicians "assembly line medicine." You'll also hear practical tips you can use right away: bring a list of your concerns, bring someone with you or ask to have them join by phone or Zoom, record the visit, and look for a physician who practices shared decision making. Dr. Farber also describes a Mayo Clinic approach in which administrators listen to physicians and give them the authority to fix their own workload, and a Valley fever story that shows why curiosity about the whole person helps both doctors and patients. Dr. Farber says the book is for patients, physicians, and administrators, and Lisa adds caregivers and families to that list. He is donating his book profits to charity. Get the book & learn more: https://neiljfarber.com/  More from Big Blend Radio: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/

Mexican-American author Leslie Adame joins Big Blend Radio for Global Diversity Awareness Month to talk about her middle-grade fantasy series following Chloe Vega, a twelve-year-old from East LA whose biggest fear is that her undocumented parents will be taken away — until she discovers her family belongs to a secret magical society, and that she has powers of her own. The first book, "Chloe Vega and the Agents of Magic," is out now. The second, "Chloe Vega and the Missing Unseen," arrives October 6, 2026 from HarperCollins Children's. In this conversation, Leslie talks about building a magic academy that blends cultures from across the Americas, the family moment of holding her first physical book, a reader story about a niece whose father is in detainment, the boundaries of writing about real immigration issues for kids, and her upcoming book tour. Leslie's website: https://leslieadame.com  Instagram & Substack: @leslieadame TikTok: @lesliepadame

September is National Preparedness Month, and getting your paperwork in order is part of being ready. Estate planning attorney Lauren Corman joins Lisa D. Smith on Big Blend Radio to break down wills vs. trusts, how to avoid probate, powers of attorney and health care directives, protecting a business, and the everyday details families overlook, like titling assets and storing passwords. In this conversation: - Wills vs. trusts, and why California probate is costly and slow - Protecting founders, startups, and business owners - Naming successor trustees and backups - Why a trust only works if your assets are titled in it - Guardians for your kids, handwritten wills, and the no-contest clause - Originals, safe deposit boxes, and documenting your belongings - Health care directives, passwords, and digital accounts About Lauren T. Corman: Lauren is the Managing Attorney at the Corman Law Offices, a boutique estate planning firm serving individuals, families, and business owners in Santa Cruz, San Jose, and the greater Bay Area. She is a California Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law.  📥 FREE ESTATE PLANNING CHECKLIST: Download it at https://www.cormanlaw.net. It appears in a popup on the home page, and no email is required.

It's World Contraception Day and acclaimed Director/Producer Vaishali Sinha (Made in India and Ask the Sexpert) joins Big Blend Radio to talk about her documentary "Give It A Shot," which follows the decades-long global race to develop the first reversible male contraceptive since the modern condom. At the center of the story is 83-year-old Indian researcher Dr. Sujoy Guha, who has spent nearly 50 years on the technology, alongside a US-based team working toward the same goal. Vaishali shares the personal story behind the film, why men currently have only three contraception options compared to more than fifteen for women, and why she believes this conversation matters now more than ever — including for reproductive rights in the US. Watch the trailer and find screenings near you: https://www.giveitashotfilm.com/

For World Patient Safety Day, Big Blend Radio's "Quality of Life" Show welcomes author Kenitra W. Dominguez to discuss her debut memoir, "Because I Deserve It: What Chronic Illness Taught Me About Finding My Voice in the Healthcare System" — out now. In 2021, a routine eye exam led Kenitra to an ER visit and, the next day, a diagnosis of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) — a rare, incurable neurological condition. In this conversation, she talks with host Lisa D. Smith about what that diagnosis took from her, the racial and gender bias she encountered navigating the healthcare system, and the practical tools she built along the way: how to assemble a care team, how to prepare for a doctor's visit, how to request your medical records, how to ask for workplace accommodations, and how to trust your own instincts about your body. Kenitra W. Dominguez is the founder of Bay Equity HR, sits on the Advisory Board of the California Black Women's Health Project, and holds a master's in Work Law and Social Justice from UC Law San Francisco. Her work has been featured in The Washington Post, HuffPost, and Teen Vogue. Book (out now): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GX3131XK

Celebrate Intergeneration Month (September) with this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Travel with Terri" Podcast where travel journalist Terri Guthrie shares how Oklahoma City is a destination built for every generation — grandparents, parents, and grandkids alike.  Hear about the whimsical, hands-on art of Factory Obscura, the massive Science Museum Oklahoma, the newly refreshed Frontier City theme park, the canal-side charm of Bricktown, and the high tea tradition at The National Hotel. Terri talks about Riversport Adventures where active families can go rafting, ziplining, and tread an 80-foot Sky Trail. A host to international Olympic Trials athletes, it's on its way to becoming a training hub for Team USA ahead of the next Summer Games. Oklahoma City is proving itself as one of the most underrated multigenerational travel destinations in the country — easy to navigate, packed with hands-on experiences, and offering something for every age and interest. It's also less than 3 hours from the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex, making it an easy road trip for Texas families. PLAN YOUR VISIT with Terri's OKC Family Getaway Travel Guide with links to attractions & activities, plus Part 1& 2 of this OKC podcast series: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/t/terri-guthrie  KEEP UP WITH TERRI'S TRAVELS:  🎙️ Travel with Terri: https://www.travelwithterri.com/   📻 Travel with Terri airs every other Tuesday: https://www.travelwithterri.com/podcast   📰 The Luxe Explorer Magazine: https://www.travelwithterri.com/magazine   🌎 Travel with Terri highlights on Big Blend Media House: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/t/terri-guthrie

Blind musician, producer, and speaker Joey Stuckey joins Big Blend Radio's "Table & Compass" Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation rooted in the UN's Sustainable Development Goals on reducing inequality and building accessible communities.  In this shared episode, Joey shares the story of surviving a childhood brain tumor, how his parents' insistence on travel and unrestricted access to knowledge shaped who he became, and what decades of navigating the world as a blind man have taught him about the gap between the appearance of accessibility and the real thing.  The conversation moves through national parks, museums, TSA checkpoints, assistive technology, and Joey's own reframing of equity versus equality — landing on a simple, practical philosophy: ask "how can I help?" and let people answer for themselves. RESOURCE LINKS: - Learn more about Joey Stuckey: https://joeystuckey.com/  - Explore more of Joey Stuckey on Big Blend Radio: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/t/joey-stuckey  - Learn more about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: https://sdgs.un.org/goals  - New episodes of Big Blend Radio's "Table & Compass" Podcast air every first Monday, here: https://table-and-compass.podbean.com/  - Learn more about Joelle Machia & Ryan Slough, Founders & Publishers of Wanderers Compass: https://www.wandererscompass.com/  - Explore Big Blend Radio and Big Blend Magazines: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/

Happy Labor Day weekend! Instead of a new episode, we're digging into the archives for something special: this is the conversation from February 2021, on our Big Blend Radio Champagne Sundays show, where Shelley Whizin, transformational life coach and host of Big Blend Radio's "Soul Diving Sunday" Podcast, first joined us as an expert in the Big Blend family. Five years later, it still holds up beautifully. In this wide-ranging conversation, Shelley shares the surprising scuba-diving origin of "soul diving," why self-care feels like a luxury we don't give ourselves permission for, how to break the cycle of blame and misery, lessons on facing death consciously (including her work training VA volunteers to sit bedside with dying veterans), and why the kitchen table might be the most sacred place in the house. This one pairs beautifully with Shelley's latest Substack article, "Love in Waiting" — a piece about soup, presence, and what it really means to nourish the people we love. About Shelley: Shelley Whizin is a Life Coach, Author, Speaker, and Death Doula, and the voice behind Live & Die Happy. She's the author of "What Do You Bring to the Table? A Savory, Sensory, Inspirational Guide to Living a Yummy, Delicious Life," a book about mindfulness, food, and connection. Get the book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1087932106  🥪 Read Shelley's companion article, "Love in Waiting": https://shelleywhizin.substack.com/p/love-in-waiting  📰 Follow Shelley's Substack, Shelley's Soul Library: https://shelleywhizin.substack.com  🌐 Visit Shelley's Website: https://www.liveanddiehappy.com/  🎙️ Listen to Shelley's Podcast, Soul Diving Sunday: https://www.liveanddiehappy.com/podcast  🎧 More from Big Blend Radio: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/  Note: this is an archival recording from 2021 — audio quality reflects the original broadcast.

Jeannine Wolfe, CEO and founder of Soulmate Quest, joins us on Big Blend Radio to talk about what it really means to work with a professional matchmaker.  Jeannine shares how her own search for love after becoming single at 35 turned into a career, why she describes her process as "an executive search for your heart," and how she blends matchmaking with relationship coaching to help clients move past their own blind spots. The conversation covers dating app red flags, the rise of AI-generated fake profiles, why meeting the family matters, how politics and values factor into compatibility, and Jeannine's take on "uncoupling" before you're ready for a new relationship.  Jeannine is also the author of Soulmate Quest: A Matchmaker's Guide to Find True Love. Get it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GGB1YX1Y  Learn more about Jeannine Soulmate Quest at: https://www.soulmatequestmatch.com

Steve and Karen Wilson of The Lion & The Rose Bed & Breakfast take Big Blend Radio's "Adventures in Asheville" Podcast to HapBE Valley Equine & Wellness Farm, where owners Jennifer and Jason Robbins have built a horse-centered healing retreat on a former century-old family farm. Jennifer shares how a solo retreat to Costa Rica at 50 — working with horses through groundwork, not riding — taught her more in a few days than 20 years of therapy, and how that experience became the blueprint for HapBE Valley. Jason talks about leaving a 21-year business behind to build something more meaningful, and shares a vulnerable personal story from his own first time working with a horse in front of a group. They walk through what makes HapBE Valley different: Reiki sessions with horses, guided horse meditations down in the pasture, private "just be with the horses" appointments with no agenda, and multi-day retreats — including their long-running Equine Self Discovery program and a brand-new retreat built around Kelly McDaniel's "Mother Hunger" work on attachment and generational trauma. They also touch on their corporate herd-dynamics program and why Asheville, with its music and wellness culture, was the right home for the farm. 🐴 Learn more and book a visit: https://hapbevalley.com/  🏡 Stay at The Lion & The Rose Bed & Breakfast in Asheville's Montford Historic District: https://www.lion-rose.com/  🎧 LISTEN: Check out the NEW Big Blend Radio "Adventures in Asheville" Digital Podcast Magazine: https://online.fliphtml5.com/yhwzg/ADVENTURES-IN-ASHEVILLE/  New episodes air every 1st Tuesday: https://adventures-asheville.podbean.com/

What if just a few intentional minutes each day could transform your relationships? On this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Soul Diving Sunday" Show, transformational life coach and author Shelley Whizin, the "Live & Die Happy Coach," shares the inspiration behind her new "21-Day Relationship Reset – A Guided Experience," a simple yet powerful practice designed to help couples, families, friends, and even individuals reconnect through daily acts of love, kindness, and appreciation. Inspired by her "Daily Love Vows," Shelley explains how small, consistent shifts can create lasting change. From leaving thoughtful notes and playing together to practicing gratitude, listening with intention, and tending the "garden" of your relationships, this guided experience encourages participants to strengthen connections one day at a time. Whether you're looking to rekindle romance, deepen friendships, strengthen family bonds, or cultivate greater self-love, this episode offers practical inspiration for bringing more joy, presence, and compassion into your everyday life. ❤️ Learn more about Shelley's 21-Day Relationship Reset – A Guided Experience: https://www.liveanddiehappy.com/coaching-programs/21-day-relationship-reset  🌐 Visit Shelley's website: https://www.liveanddiehappy.com/  📰 Follow Shelley on Substack: https://shelleywhizin.substack.com  🎙️ Listen to Shelley's Podcast: https://www.liveanddiehappy.com/podcast  🎧 More from Big Blend Radio: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/

Whether you're naturally intuitive, spiritually curious, or simply wondering if there's more to life's coincidences than meets the eye, this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Quality of Life" podcast offers an engaging and thoughtful conversation with author Katherine Marie about her new book, "High Five Your Spirit Guides: Manifest the Life You've Always Wanted with the Help of Your Spirit Guides." Drawing from her background in computers and IT, Katherine brings a refreshingly practical perspective to spirituality, showing how intuition, mindfulness, journaling, meditation, tarot, crystals, and simple daily rituals can help people become more aware of the guidance already present in their lives. Rather than asking listeners to abandon logic, she encourages curiosity, self-reflection, and openness to recognizing meaningful signs, synchronicities, and opportunities. In this inspiring discussion, Katherine shares: _ What spirit guides are—and how they differ from angels and ancestor spirits - Why intuition deserves more attention in our busy, technology-driven lives - How synchronicities, repeating numbers, and everyday experiences may carry meaningful messages - Easy exercises anyone can practice to strengthen intuition - The connection between manifestation, gratitude, focus, and daily rituals - Why balancing logic with spirituality can lead to greater confidence, purpose, abundance, and joy Learn more about Katherine Marie, her books, newsletter, and upcoming events at: https://www.innercompassmedia.com/  Whether you're a longtime believer or simply curious, this conversation offers practical ideas for cultivating greater awareness, inner peace, and a deeper connection with yourself and the world around you.

In this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Eat, Drink & Be Merry" Show, we welcome back Chef Ivan Flowers and his wife, Tracy Phillips, for a lively "Getting to Know You" conversation that blends personal stories with practical advice on eating well without overspending. From rising grocery prices and smart shopping strategies to healthy meal planning and making the most of affordable ingredients, Chef Ivan and Tracy share simple ways to create flavorful, nutritious meals on a budget. Along the way, they talk about Chef Ivan's work teaching high school culinary students, Tracy's love of cooking and baking, favorite music, dream features for the Big Blend Media House, and the foods they'd love—or avoid—at a dinner party, making this a fun opportunity to get to know them beyond the kitchen. Whether you're feeding a family or simply looking for ways to stretch your grocery budget, you'll come away with practical cooking tips, plenty of laughs, and inspiration for your next meal. 🍽️ Featured Recipe: Chef Ivan's Budget-Friendly Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/cooking-smart-living-well-chef-ivan-flowers-tracy-phillips  Visit the Big Blend Media House: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/