Level Up with Gene and Jay

Episode 29 is here This episodes guest is a Poet, Artist, Educator and the Author of three books titled: We Rise Higher,Remind Me Again and Unearthing Us! This gentleman’s name is Joe Davis . He is a spoken word artist and award-winning best selling author, who uses poetry to power possibilities and teach wellness through the arts! Thank you Joe for taking the time to have a wonderful conversation...

Today we sat down with @jennythrasherofficial ! Jenny is the founder of @allthatweareofficial also the creator of Thrive Education and the Author of Growing Through Grief. Jenny has 25 years of mental health and suicide prevention and awareness expertise,her mission is,it’s not enough to save lives-we must learn to live a life we love! We had an hour long conversation about her life,mental health,...

We sat down and spoke with an old friend, Aaron Johnson . A few years back, (Pre-Covid) Aaron suffered a stroke at the young age of 37 he became paralyzed from the neck down and  was hospitalized for 3 months! Aaron shares with us the extreme mistreatment he received during his stay at the hospital as well as the nursing home he went to for his rehabilitation. He now wants to bring attention to th...

Episode 26 is here! We had the opportunity to sit down with Don Ryan who just published his first book - The Secret Struggle: Surviving the Suicide of a Loved One. Don has suffered a great deal of loss, due to the completion of suicide of 3 family members. His father, Brother and Cousin. We were great for Don's willingness to share his story with us. We also had a surprise guest, Kimberly Ko...

We sat down with Damone Presley, the father of Nitosha Presley, the young women who was murdered along with 3 other friends in a tragic quadruple homicide, back in 2021. His longtime friend of 16 years National Peace Activist Kay G Wilson came to support Damone this powerful conversation. Damone explains how he maintains peace of mind and the symbiotic relationship him and Wilson share. Damone wal...

You've see Marvina Haynes in the News and in Communities around the Twin Cities, fighting for justice for her brother, Marvin Haynes, who was just 16 years old when he was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison for a crime he DID NOT commit!  After years of fighting the Justice System, Marvina and her organization Mn Wrongfully Convicted judicial reform, and help from...

We had the privilege of sitting down with Gilisho Josphat on a video call, all the way from Narok, Kenya! Josphat is a longtime friend of Jay’s aunt, Anita Abdelli Muldoon. She met Josphat some years back when she was visiting his country. They became great friends through their shared passions of helping others and being a part of something bigger than themselves. Josphat shared with her his visi...

What better way to wrap up Black History Month than to have none other than The Muatas on our show!! Cam and Ayanna Muata are a dynamic musical group known for their fusion of traditional and modern elements, creating a captivating blend of rhythms and melodies. Their music seamlessly bridges cultural influences, offering a unique sonic experience that resonates with authenticity. With a diverse a...

Today, LUPWGJ sat down with the one and only, Yammy Bear!! Yammy Bear is Minnesota’s Iconic Mascot of Love! Yammy Bear and Family was created in 2021 in the midst of the Covid 19 pandemic to bring hope and comfort to those most effected by social isolation and social injustice.  Founder Charles Jackson (Yammy Bear) and his wife CarolAnn Jackson, shared their incredible story with us and their visi...

Level up with Gene and Jay had the honor and privilege of sitting down with Darrell Young. He is a Youth Enrichment Programs manager for St. Louis Park’s Community Education. Darrell talks growing up in North Minneapolis, his struggles with family losses, playing semi pro football, mental health and more. He is a husband, a father and a dedicated community leader, who is on a mission, to provide t...

Level up with Gene and Jay sat down with Stephanie D Tillman-Luoma.  Stephanie has been battling breast cancer since 2016.  Recently, she has gained notoriety from dance videos that she creates while doing chemotherapy, then uploads those videos to Tiktok. Her videos have gone on to gain thousands of views, and inspired thousands of women across the nation.  So much, that she was invited on Twin C...

Level up with Gene and Jay sat down with long time friend Kendrick Richardson! He opened up to us about his struggles with mental health, his criminal background, and his fight with drugs and alcohol. He is now 1 1/2 years sober, he is a believer, a mentor, a future pastor and an ambassador of Christ! We are so proud to call Kendrick Richardson our friend and grateful to have him on our show to sh...

Last night, Level Up With Gene and Jay sat down with Nasiy Nasir X! Brotha Nasir X is the National President of The Lion Of Judah Armed Forces and also the local president of the New Black Panther Nation.(They are recruiting membership by the way) We touch on their mission and objectives, Yahuah, Hebrew Yisraelite’s and much more! Brother Nasir X exhibit’s nothing but strength courage and leadersh...

Losing a child to is a families biggest fear. Especially to gun violence. For most of us, that fear has only remained a thought. But that’s not the case for everyone. For some, it’s a reality and an unbearable one at that. We sat down with Marsha Mayes. Mother to 3-year old Terrell Mayes Jr. Who was shot and killed in his home by a stray bullet in 2011. Two days after Christmas. His killer has yet...

Introducing Josh Hedquist! 25 years in the industry! Executive chef, owner of multiple restaurants in Minneapolis, chairman of the Redemption Project and the future Mayor of Minneapolis! LUPWGJ had the honor of sitting down with Josh and discussing multiple subjects from redemption, to entrepreneurial-ship, leader ship and his aspirations of becoming Mayor of Minneapolis! Joey's Meatballs: ht...

With all the buzz about the new hit show The Bear on Hulu, It's only right that we do an episode about life in the restaurant industry!! We has the opportunity to sit down with our long time friend Kendell Richardson who has almost two decades of experience in this line of work. He shares with us his perspective of the industry. From customer service and crazy long hours, to bartending and se...

We are excited to introduce ya’ll to our most recents guests, Laura Dizon & Brittani Senser. Both of these incredible women have experienced tragic losses. They not only found the strength to fight their way through the hardship, but also found their own ways to create a positive impact in their communities. This episode is a heavy one, but we are excited to share it with you. We learned a lot...

Taking time to appreciate what we have and who we have in ours lives, while sharing a few laughs along the way. Happy Holidays from all of us over here at LUPWGJ!! Stay Leveling up friends. Watch episode on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1y3JFdXbeE&t=10s

After some time off this winter, we are back full force. Edit mode activated This week we had the opportunity to speak with Jared & Katie, an ex-pat couple living in Bulgaria, and hear about the impact they hope to have(along with many others in Bulgaria) in helping Ukrainian refugees get settled into new communities outside of their home country.  A corporate sponsor will be matching donation...

Hair.  It can define you. You spend time taking care of it….styling it to suite your personality, heritage, traditions or mood…coloring it to make a statement…cutting it off or growing it long… It’s something that many people take for granted. (Well, maybe Jay doesn’t take it for granted ) On our latest episode, we talk to Rachel Bohn about the impacts of losing her hair due to Alopecia Areata in...

So…the Earth is round, right? 🌍 While the general consensus is a resounding yes, there are some that believe the old theory that the Earth is flat. Contrary to what you think, a lot of those people have well thought out, rational reasons for thinking the way they do. This week Level Up sits down with our long time friend, Ike, and gets the low down on how his journey to prove the #flatearththeory...

We recently had the chance to sit down with local musician Amanda Yang. She is an incredibly talented singer, songwriter & self taught guitarist. On this episode we talk about the music journey that began when she was 15, and the work it took to get where she is today - with almost 1.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify, & a killer new single, ‘Sideline Girl’ out for your streaming pleas...

Gene and Jay give shout outs to previous guests, we also talk about how far we have come and it’s just the beginning. We ask for recommendations for future guests and recommendations for Juneteenth and Raspberry days, we discuss The catalytic converter epidemic and much more. Watch episode on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlz5dIII4J0&t=387s

This episode is part of our spin off episodes called "Nite Caps with Gene and Jay". This is where we don't hold back on language and just chillax and drink beers, as we discuss the world today.  Enjoy.

This episode is both heartbreaking and important. We will had the honor of sitting down with long time peace activist Kay G Wilson. Wilson is the the grandfather of 6 year old Aniya Allen, who was shot and killed in North Minneapolis one year ago. She was a victim of this senseless gun violence that has poisoned the streets of Minneapolis for a long time. Wilson has worked tirelessly for years to...