Cocoon After Dark

Send us Fan Mail Lights, Courage, Action: Lee Rose's Directorial Odyssey Lee Rose: In-the-Face Storytelling, The Truth About Jane, and Refusing to Disappear Host Quincy interviews writer-director-producer Lee Rose about her career and approach to storytelling, highlighting The Truth About Jane as a project that enabled parent-child conversations and drew intense reactions, including death thr...

Send us Fan Mail Intersections of Voice and Identity: Discovering Jen Cheng Host Quincy interviews Jen Cheng, poet laureate of West Hollywood, about voice, identity, community, and showing up authentically. After rapid-fire questions, Jen reads her poem “10,000 Butterflies,” written in 2023 for a Grand Performances opportunity, tracing family survival, war, displacement, and queer safety across Ho...

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Send us Fan Mail In a solo episode of Cocoon After Dark, Quincy Tessaverne argues that many queer people build beautiful lives yet could lose everything in a crisis because the system defaults to bloodline, not love, when paperwork is missing or outdated. She urges listeners to structure “queer wealth” with intention: review beneficiary designations yearly, title property correctly, and create wri...

Send us Fan Mail In part two of her interview with coach Dr. Lorri Sulpizio, Quincy and Lorri discuss “growing up” in relationships by slowing down, prioritizing self-understanding over labels, and avoiding measuring love by speed rather than safety. They explore midlife women leaving long heterosexual marriages for relationships with women, the intensity of lesbian relationships, outness mismatch...

Send us Fan Mail Quincy sits down with leadership educator and former women’s college basketball coach Lorri Sulpizio for the first of a two-part conversation focused on “the fire”: what it costs to speak up when silence would be easier. Lorri—director of the Conscious Leadership Academy at the University of San Diego, founder/coach at LorriSulpizio.com, a queer mother of four, and a self-describe...

Send us Fan Mail In this intimate episode of Cocoon After Dark, Quincy  interviews Kymn Goldstein and Angela Brinskele, the dedicated custodians of the June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives. The conversation delves into the essence of preserving LGBTQ+ history, emphasizing the unique struggles and triumphs of the lesbian community. Despite technical and environmental challenges, the discussion remains ri...

Send us Fan Mail In a heartfelt and profound conversation with Quincy, Jen Torres, the Puerto Rican lesbian founder of Simply Lead, shares her journey of fighting for authenticity in the face of cultural and professional erasure. Joined by her partner Eboné, Jen delves into the struggles and triumphs of creating a space where everyone can thrive. Through personal anecdotes that range from the oppr...

Send us Fan Mail Navigating Justice: A Queer Attorney's Journey with Alexis James Join host Quincy from the Cocoon After Dark podcast as she interviews Alexis James, a queer attorney with a rich background in law and education. In this thought-provoking episode, Alexis opens up about her journey through the legal system, the personal toll of combating systemic injustice, and the challenges of...

Send us Fan Mail Carlneesha Robinson: Building Community & Breaking Boundaries In this episode, Quincy, sits down with Carlneeha Robinson, an Air Force tech sergeant and proud queer black content creator. Carlneesha shares her journey of balancing a high-pressure military career with a vibrant online presence, emphasizing humor, honesty, and authenticity. She opens up about her personal milest...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a single swipe rewrites your entire future? Olivia and Kelly didn't just fall in love-they leapt headfirst, marrying only months after meeting online and choosing to share their story with the world. In this conversation, we delve beyond social media fame and the age-gap curiosity to uncover the private truths and what it means to carry love in public, as we...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to Cocoon After Dark! Season two launches with reflections on the impact of sharing personal stories and the importance of community, resonating across 380 cities in seven countries. Host Quincy discusses the theme of 'starting deeper' in 2026, emphasizing growth, alignment, and genuine connections. Quincy also addresses the challenges of navigating friendsh...

Send us Fan Mail In this final episode of season one, we sit down with Stephen Cheung, President and CEO of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, for a conversation about power, responsibility, and the lives shaped in between. We talk about what LA28 represents—not just as a global moment, but as a real opportunity for LGBTQ-owned businesses to finally be seen, supported, and in...

Send us Fan Mail In this engaging episode of Cocoon After Dark, we welcome Kathy Barron, a witty and resilient writer, editor, and the driving force behind 'Women Who Sarcast' and 'Women Who Podcast.' Together, we delve into Kathy's journey through humor and sarcasm as tools of survival and connection in a world that often misunderstands both. From her early days of advent...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of 'Cocoon,' we sit down with Joy Matthews, a black queer health educator and volunteer coordinator at Together for Mental Wellbeing in the UK. Joy shares their journey of navigating complex relationships with their family, overcoming trauma, and redefining their mental health. They discuss the importance of community care, empathy, and a holistic approac...

Send us Fan Mail In this compelling podcast episode, the host, recording from a cabana in Hawaii, dives into an intimate conversation with Keala Kenley, a trailblazing surfer who defied stereotypes and broke barriers in the world of professional surfing. Keala recounts her childhood challenges of being perceived as different, her struggle with gender norms, and her relentless pursuit to be accepte...

Send us Fan Mail Join us for a profound conversation with Eboné Bell, a pioneering voice in representing queer women and non-binary individuals. From founding Tag Magazine to breaking stereotypes in leadership, Eboné shares her journey of creating spaces of inclusivity and authenticity. Discover her personal stories, the impact of her work, and insights on allyship, belonging, and leading with emp...

Send us Fan Mail In this heartfelt episode, Quincy, the host, reflects on the incredible journey of season one, sharing lessons learned about recording, editing, and deep, meaningful conversations. Expressing deep gratitude to listeners for their support and engagement, the host also sets the stage for the upcoming season with promises of even deeper connections and more vulnerable dialogues. List...

Send us Fan Mail In this enriching episode, we dive deep with Whitni Miller from BDE Moves, exploring the intricate realms of desire, intimacy, and queerness. Whitni empowers women, queer folks, and anyone feeling out of sync to reclaim their erotic voice with presence rather than performance. Through candid conversations, discover how Whitni's personal and professional journeys have shaped t...

Send us Fan Mail Hot, Sassy, and Science-Backed: Unleashing Midlife Power with Kate Wells In this fiery episode of 'Cocoon After Dark,' host Quincy gets candid with Kate Wells, hormone expert and co-founder of the audacious brand Parlor Games. Kate dives into the science and sass behind Silky Peach, a vaginal estriol cream designed to combat menopause symptoms. They explore the intricate...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we sit down with Kayla Nielsen , a world-renowned yoga teacher, podcaster, and survivor of domestic violence. Kayla shares her powerful story of reclaiming her body and life as she navigates through trauma, love, and healing. Married to Alex, Kayla speaks about their journey together, from meeting in Nicaragua to building a life founded on love and safety. The dis...

Send us Fan Mail Join us on this episode of 'Cocoon After Dark' as we dive into the multifaceted life of Michelle Flamer-Powell. Michelle shares her journey through queer motherhood, corporate leadership, and spirituality while adding her unique humor and vulnerability. She reveals insights about deep conversations being her 'kink,' navigating through heartbreak, and finding so...

Send us Fan Mail Out Vote: Empowering LGBTQIA+ Youth Towards Civic Engagement 🌈 From a simple selfie to sparking a movement—join Isaac & Ranen of Out Vote HQ as they revolutionize civic engagement! 🔥 In this episode, the host interviews Isaac James and Rainin Miao, co-founders of Out Vote, a queer-led movement aimed at reinvigorating civic engagement among Gen Z LGBTQIA+ individuals. They di...

Send us Fan Mail In this emotional episode of Cocoon After Dark, host Quincy discusses the deep and often hidden impacts of dating the wrong people when you have children. She shares personal stories of her two past relationships with unhealed individuals and how these relationships affected her youngest daughter. The episode delves into the long-term emotional effects on children who experience i...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Cocoon After Dark, the host is joined by Elise Braunschweiger, founder of Queer Conscious Connections, a matchmaking and coaching service for the LGBTQ community. They discuss the challenges of dating beyond heteronormative scripts, focusing on identity, timing, safety, and the value of being seen in one’s truth. Elise shares insights on creating intentional, gr...