Cultural Development Podcast

What does it really take to build a city where people can afford to live, work, and raise a family? Virginia Beach City Council District 4 candidate Janet Byrnes returns to the Culture Development Podcast for an open conversation about the issues affecting Virginia Beach residents and the future of our community. From the rising cost of living and affordable housing to public safety, youth mentors...

Cultural Development Podcast | Ralph Gill of Break the Cycle VA — Mental Health, Trauma & Brotherhood What happens when a life-changing tragedy affects not just the victim, but everyone who loves them? In this powerful episode of the Cultural Development Podcast , host Jerome “Rome the Rula” Scurry Jr. sits down with Ralph Gil, founder of Break the Cycle VA , for an emotional and honest conver...

Cultural Development Podcast ft. Travis May | From a Life Sentence to a Second Chance What do you do when the system tells you that the rest of your life has already been decided? On this episode of the Cultural Development Podcast , Rome the Rula sits down with Travis May for a powerful conversation about incarceration, redemption, second chances, and rebuilding your life. Travis shares his journ...

Cultural Development Podcast ft. Vickayla Pope | Building Wealth Beyond Money What does it really mean to prepare the next generation to build, own, and lead? On this episode of the Cultural Development Podcast, Rome the Rula sits down with Vickayla Pope, a 10-year Navy veteran, Managing Broker at Onyx Realty Professionals, and founder of Mini Millionaire Moguls. With nearly 27 years in real estat...

What happens when an old-school 800-meter runner sits down with the new generation? 🏃🏾‍♂️💨 On Episode 9 of the Cultural Development Podcast , Rome the Rula sits down with Didi Drogba , a Norfolk State University 800-meter runner and cybersecurity major, for a conversation about track, discipline, HBCU athletics, personal growth, and building a brand as a student-athlete. Rome immediately saw a...

On this episode of the Cultural Development Podcast , Rome sits down with David Smith , a police lieutenant with 15 years of law enforcement experience, former SWAT team member, and Head Coach with Apogee Responders. We get into what leadership really looks like when you stop focusing on changing everybody else and start with the person in the mirror. David breaks down self-leadership, personal re...

In this episode of the Cultural Development Podcast, Jerome Scurry Jr. sits down with Janet Byrnes for a real conversation about community, public safety, leadership, and service. Janet Byrnes is a retired law enforcement officer and candidate for Virginia Beach City Council District 4. Her platform highlights safe neighborhoods, strong schools, responsible economic growth, housing affordability,...

Teenage Takeover: Crime or Culture? | Cultural Development Podcast Episode 7 In this episode of the Cultural Development Podcast, Rome the Rula and Nick “The Social Introvert” have an honest conversation about today’s youth, teenage violence, social media, broken family structures, and the systems that helped shape the culture we see today. Are teenagers simply committing crimes, or are they produ...

.In this episode of the Cultural Development Podcast, Jerome Scurry Jr. sits down with guest co-host Nick Franklin as the duo gets back on the mic together for the first time in a while. Rome and Nick catch up on what LTI Network has been building, what has been happening in the community, and the current events shaping the culture. As usual, the conversation is funny, real, and unfiltered, but it...

In this powerful episode of the Cultural Development Podcast, we sit down with Jyron Pinckney, a survivor connected to one of the darkest moments in modern American history — the 2015 mass shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Jyron shares his story from inside the church, the weight of surviving, the impact of racial hatred, and how a moment meant to destroy a commu...

Rome the Rula sits down with Attorney Dante Wright for a powerful conversation about adversity, mentorship, and transformation. Growing up in poverty and instability while spending part of his childhood in foster care, Dante faced challenges that could have easily defined his future. Instead, through resilience, guidance, and determination, he changed the trajectory of his life and became a respec...

In this episode of the Cultural Development Podcast, Jerome Scurry Jr. aka Rome the Rula sits down with former Navy rescue swimmer, undercover narcotics officer, author, and speaker Matthew Griffin for a raw conversation about trauma, masculinity, mental health, and life after the badge. Matthew opens up about the realities of law enforcement, the pressure men face to suffer in silence, his person...

🎙️ A Retired Black Navy Diver’s Journey In this episode, we sit down with a retired Black Navy diver to break down his path into the United States Navy and what it really took to earn that title. From the beginning stages of his journey, he shares the challenges he faced—including the stigma surrounding Black men and swimming—and how he pushed through to succeed in one of the most demanding fields...