Historian, Director, Producer, and Writer Sheila Moses joins Jo in this episode. She discusses her work as a playwright and how the day-old newspaper she read as a child fueled her passion for writing. Initially thinking she would go into fashion, a scholarship alters the journey moving her career into corporate marketing, talent management, and more. ALSO: Sheila discusses her chance meetings with Dick Gregory -- and how she became the author of his memoir.

Brand evangelist Chase Conerly is a bright fresh voice in the advertising world and has worked with several major brands, including Toyota, MLB, NFL, and Lexus. We discuss his passion for writing, how he love for poetry makes him a better dreamer, how he got into copywriting and dabbling in creating the burgeoning but controversial world of AI generated art.

Pianist and Artistic Director Chelsea Randall is a Brooklyn native and lifer. In this episode, we discuss her passion for music, how an inherited piano from her grandmother allowed her to learn the power of classical music leading to her studies at Julliard and her commitment to championing underrepresented Black composers. ALSO: how growing up amongst poets, writers and editors fueled her poetry. They inspired EXTENSITY, a new concert series in New York aiming to foster interdisciplinary connections between artistic disciplines with an emphasis on underrepresented and new voices.

Gordon C. James is an in-demand fine artist. The D.C. native and John Newberry Medal winner grew up around drawing superheroes, many lessons taught by his father, who also had a passion for illustration. He discusses getting his first break, inspiration from other Black tradition painters that came before him, his work at Hallmark, and the importance of supporting fine art for and by the Black community.

Nicole Brown grew up next to the studio where she now runs Tri-Star Pictures. Growing up in the industry fostered her passion for filmmaking, storytelling, and performing. She talks to Jo about the mentors who helped shape her passion for producing, how she explored the facets of storytelling and what it takes to make films, including the latest, Whitney Houston: I Want To Dance With Somebody, in theaters now.