UNSUGARCOATED with Aalia

Over the course of his career, Ultimate Creative Director and Entrepreneur, Javier Laval has collaborated with companies and artists such as Nike, Pony, Kanye West, Jay Z, and Usher. In this episode, Aalia learns that it was observing discrimination that led him to curate events that were more accepting and eventually, in 2008, launching one of the first men’s luxury footwear brands called, Androi...

Kym Fortino started out with a passion to document her kids playing sports and it led to becoming an official team photojournalist for the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. 13 seasons later, she is sharing what it’s been like to tell that story through photography and how football was her savior during her battle with breast cancer. She talks about capturing iconic moments, like Kaepernick’s first kneeli...

What does it mean to have cancer, survive it and then use that to help other cancer survivors go through their own journey? Just ask Aalia and her friends Melody Lomboy and Gracelyn Batemen, with Luna Peak Foundation. In this episode, they speak on the journey of advocacy and the challenges that it brings as well as Luna Peak's efforts with an upcoming book release intended to bring positivity and...

Aalia takes this opportunity to amplify the voice of young female Black law student, Ashli Lyric. The Spelman graduate and soon to be attorney has become vocal through blogging about her experience as one of seven people of color in her entire graduating law school class. Having a perspective that the world was changing towards the Black community, she happily celebrated the rise of young, black l...

Current City Council Member and former Beverly Hills Mayor, John Mirisch, shares his ideas, concerns and values as a man deeply compelled to serve the communities. For anyone who thinks that a person out of a city known for lavish and wealthy people doesn’t care about society, think again! This local leader takes on the policies that threaten the American Dream for EVERYONE. He considers himself a...

Fine artists, Antonio Pelayo and his son, Isaac Pelayo join Aalia to discuss their journey as world-known creatives using their art to support the LatinX communities and bring awareness to social issues. Every father and son could learn a lot from them and how they support each other. Hear them talk about a desire to not just to draw or paint pretty pictures, but to inspire compassion and tell a s...

In the spirit of leadership, who better to have a conversation with than a descendant of one of America’s founding fathers on our ancestral history and unlearning racism? Author, global news anchor, & TV personality, Shannon LaNier, the sixth-great-grandson of President Thomas Jefferson and his slave, Sally Hemmings, recently made headlines when he was part of a project which recreated portraits o...

On October 13, 2019, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 218, to protect the rights of survivors of childhood sexual assault which will provide for a three-year “look-back window” for previously time-barred claims. This means after 30 years, Aalia will have the opportunity to pursue civil suit action against a man who sexually assaulted her at 14-years-old and the pastors that co...

S3 E8: On this episode of Unsugarcoated with Aalia, Aalia is joined by a familiar face—Author and Certified Success Trainer Aanchal Vashistha(@aanchalvash). Aanchal shares her powerful story(3:55) and speaks on the importance of mental health building(10:10). Aalia and Aanchal push the theme of mental building throughout the episode, as they detail healthy ways to exhibit emotions(15:45) and the p...

S3 E7: Iranian-American Painter Ali Sabet(@sabet) joins Unsugarcoated with Aalia to discuss the role his immigrant background played in influencing both his art and mental health(3:10). Sabet details the powerful energy that goes into his art(5:35) and talks Aalia through how that energy helped in his creation of Pixopop(14:15). The Pixopop creator then offers advice for up-and-coming artists(23:5...

S3 E6: This week’s episode is centered around coronavirus, diversity and the power of traveling, and Unsugarcoated with Aalia has the perfect guest to tackle all three. Founder of Monsoon Diaries, Dr. Calvin D. Sun joins Aalia this week to speak on an array of topics like how traveling expands the mind(6:15) and the theory that COVID-19 is a myth(13:30). Dr. Sun provides advice on what extent peop...

Aalia draws an emotional analogy between her fight with cancer and much of the country’s current fight for justice(2:20). This week’s guests, former Los Angeles County Deputy DA Samuel Dordulian(@dlawgroup) and retired LAPD Detective Moses Castillo(@sirdetectivemoses), describe their feelings on the ongoing events and how they draw a similarity to the 1992 Los Angeles riots(7:10). Aalia asks the f...

Aalia introduces this weeks’ guests, Revolutionary Educator Amen Rahh(@principalrahh) and Super Lawyer B.J.Abron(@bjabron), by aggressively addressing the state of the country(0:45). Amen and B.J. explain the mixed feelings of devastation and empowerment surrounding current events(5:00). B.J. goes on to dispel the notion that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was ultra-peaceful(10:05), while Aalia and Am...

On this week of Unsugarcoated with Aalia, Aalia is joined by Digital Development Executive of Hello Sunshine Nneka Enurah(@Nneka_E). Enurah shares what it’s like to get an opportunity in the entertainment industry(8:05) and the different set of rules she has to operate under as a woman of color(10:25). Aalia and Nneka share stories about having to shift who they are in certain spaces(13:10), and N...

Unsugarcoated with Aalia comes full circle this episode, as Aalia is joined by the co-founders of Zen House, Enrico Moses(@enricomoses) and Sean Rimokh(@seanzen). The Zen House duo breaks down how sharing emotions increases emotional intelligence(9:25) and gets into the new narrative forming around masculine emotions(16:00). Aalia explains what it’s like to be a part of a Zen circle(18:00) and lea...

S3 E1: In this season’s premiere of Unsugarcoated with Aalia, Aalia is joined by media mogul Larry Namer. Namer talks Aalia through his upbringing(6:40) and shares how he and his co-founder brought E! Entertainment to television screens everywhere(11:45). The two discuss the misconception of “overnight successes”(13:25) and what it takes for a media company to get off the ground and stick around(1...

EPISODE 16: Got baggage? Don’t worry, Aalia, Alex and this episode’s guest, Editor-in-Chief of Bossmann Magazine(@thebossmannmagazine), Johnny Elizalde(@thebossmannmedia) will help you unpack it. After Aalia shares her own touching story(11:45), all three speak on the importance of vulnerability in the male community(17:30). Throughout the episode, a number of male-centric topics are addressed lik...

EPISODE 15: Disclaimer: This episode heavily features conversation on a natural bodily function that may make some listeners uncomfortable. If a woman’s period makes you uncomfortable and you wish to remain uncomfortable, this episode may not be for you. But if you want to become comfortable and educated on the subject of menstruation, Aalia, Alex and this episode’s guest, creator of HashtagHappyP...

EPISODE 14: Aalia and Alex start this hard-hitting episode in a lighthearted way, as Alex shares big news(2:00) and speaks on the psychedelic power of mushrooms(3:50). The episode’s guest professional dancer and founder of the She Is Organization Isabella Grosso(@bellaspinkmachete) transitions the conversation to tougher topics like using art to heal trauma(10:54), taking back your body after sexu...

EPISODE 13: Aalia and Alex welcome international bikini athlete, Lauralie Chapados,. Even though this young athlete has competed and won in some of the most prestigious competitions in the world like Ms. Bikini Olympia, Yamamoto Cup, and Arnold Classic Australia, Aalia and Alex dug deeper. We get to see Lauralie under a different light discussing things like loosing friendships, giving up alcohol...

EPISODE 12: Aalia and Alex meet with Kimberly Spencer, award-winning high performance coach and trainer, Amazon best-selling co-author, and the founder of Crown Yourself — but above all, Kimberly proves positive energy is incredibly contagious. Kimberly touches on mothers loosing their shit, entrepreneurship and motherhood, re-programming your mind through examining your habits, the science behind...

EPISODE 11:Byron J. Abron is a civil trial attorney with recognition as Top 40 Under 40, Top 100 in the state of California, as well as SuperLawyer Rising Star. Born in Compton, California, in this episode, Aalia and Alex discuss stereotypes of young black men coming out of South Central LA. His hopes of influence for his community and together they talk about Snoop Dogg’s reaction to Gayle King’s...

EPISODE 10: Aalia and Alex are joined by Lauren Magura, CEO of Cinematcher and business strategist for Spectrevision, a film production company founded by Elijah Wood, to discuss the challenges of female entrepreneurs and raising capital. Lauren speaks candidly on her experiences, both positive and negative, in a male dominated space. Also, Aalia and Alex share their perspectives on some of the is...

EPISODE 9: Aalia and Alex meet with Tonia Green, the one and only Emmy-nominated Makeup Department Head of your favorite shows like American Idol, America’s Got Talent, So You Think You Can Dance, World of Dance and Flirty Dancing. Aalia and Alex dig deep, once again, getting to know Tonia with questions like how young is too young to start wearing makeup, the usage of makeup as an enhancer of nat...

EPISODE 8: Hey SNL, are y’all hiring? Persia's Got Talent's Nazanin Nour is a great example of how a simple morning routine will help you keep your shit together! Aalia and Alex meet with the Iranian actress, famous for her talent and hilarious exaggerated Instagram videos of Iranian culture. They talk about the gift of aging helping you not give as many fu**s, putting love and forming a family on...