Ms. Wanda's Full Circle Radio

In the second hour of Full Circle's quarterly partnership with Sierra Donor Services, we welcome Judy & Brad Barroso, parents of donor hero Trevor Barroso, and founders of Trevor's 2nd Chance Foundation. After the loss of their son Trevor, the Barroso family made the courageous decision to honor Trevor's legacy by advocating for organ donation and supporting donor and recipient fam...

Full Circle continues our important quarterly partnership with Sierra Donor Services, bringing awareness to the life-changing impact of organ, tissue, and eye donation through real stories from people whose lives have been forever changed. In this episode, Ms. Wanda welcomes Shawntay Gorman McBrewer and her son, Malachi. Shawntay is an artist, activist, and community advocate whose greatest role i...

On this episode of Full Circle , Ms. Wanda welcomes Dr. Pamela Peters, a parenting and wellness expert, certified life coach, and trusted mentor with more than 20 years of experience helping individuals, families, educators, and leaders reach their full potential. Dr. Peters shares her journey of transforming personal challenges into a life dedicated to empowering others through coaching, counseli...

What does it take to turn a dream into a thriving community gathering space? This week on Full Circle, Wanda Smith sits down with entrepreneur and community builder Renee Jōneck, owner of Jōneck's Wine Bar in Sacramento. More than just a place to enjoy a glass of wine, Jōneck's has become a welcoming destination where conversations flourish, friendships are formed, and community is cultiva...

On this week's episode of Full Circle , we welcomed representatives from two powerful programs operating under the same mission-driven organization: Saving Sarah's Daughters and the Youth Violence Conflict Resolution Seminars (YVCRS) . During the first hour, guests Mashal and Natania shared the vision behind Saving Sarah's Daughters , a program dedicated to empowering young women and g...

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Ms. Wanda welcomes Christian Jacobs, LMFT , Founder and CEO ofEmpath Health Collective, for a deeply insightful conversation on the mental health needs of Black men and boys. Christian brings clinical expertise, lived experience and cultural understanding to topics that are often overlooked ormisunderstood. Together, we explore How depression shows up dif...

This week on Full Circle, we welcome Nichole D. Alexander, Founder and Executive Director of Scholars for Purpose, Inc., a nonprofit committed to empowering single parents through education resources, mental wellness support, and prevention-focused programming. Nichole shares her powerful personal journey as a single parent navigating college at an HBCU, and how those experiences shaped her passio...

This week on Full Circle , we welcome Valene Byrd , Founder and Program Director of ART-TISM, an inclusive arts program dedicated to creating safe, sensory-friendly spaces where children of all abilities and their families can learn, create, and connect. As a special needs parent, educator, and artist, Valene’s work is rooted in lived experience and a deep commitment to ensuring neurodiverse child...

In this powerful conversation, Full Circle welcomes leaders from the Sacramento Valley Section of the National Council of Negro Women to discuss the urgent need for awareness, advocacy, and action during Black Maternal Health Week. Observed nationally from April 11–17, Black Maternal Health Week was founded to bring attention to the disparities impacting Black mothers in the United States and to u...

This powerful episode of Full Circle brings together voices from Sierra Donor Services to explore the life-saving impact of organ, eye, and tissue donation—and why this work matters now more than ever. Through a blend of facts, lived experiences, and heartfelt storytelling, this conversation challenges listeners to rethink legacy, community responsibility, and the power of a single decision. Featu...

The transition from high school to college can be overwhelming for many students and families. Navigating course requirements, financial aid, academic planning, and transfer pathways often leaves students unsure of how to move forward. In this episode of Full Circle, Ms. Wanda sits down with Dr. Camille Wise, Director of the City Scholars Program at Sacramento City College, to discuss a new initia...

Have a business idea but not sure where to start? Or maybe you’ve launched your business but need support building a stronger foundation. On this episode of Full Circle , host Ms. Wanda talks with Shayla Walker , founder and CEO of Sistah Soul Brunch & Mixer , about the Venture Soul Entrepreneurship Program —a new initiative designed to support early-stage Black entrepreneurs. This hands-on pr...

We’re kicking off Women’s History Month with an inspiring conversation featuring Sisters in Success (S.I.S.) at San Joaquin Delta College. S.I.S. is a mentorship and cultural enrichment program dedicated to supporting Black/African/African American female students through intentional programming, sisterhood, and culturally responsive engagement. Led by Program Director Dr. Malika Hollinside, the i...

As we kick off American Heart Month, this powerful first-hour conversation on Full Circle centers on a story that is both deeply personal and profoundly instructive. Susan and Don Leonard join the show to share how a sudden cardiac arrest changed their lives—and how quick thinking, preparation, and love made survival possible. Susan experienced sudden cardiac arrest at home, a moment that came wit...

In this episode of Full Circle, we turn our focus to a critical and often overlooked reality: menopause is a major turning point in a woman’s heart health. Dr. Roshni Khatiwala, cardiologist and volunteer with the American Heart Association, joins the conversation to unpack why a woman’s risk for heart disease increases during and after menopause — and why so many women are unaware of that shift....

As we close out American Heart Month on Full Circle, this episode centers on a story that is both heartbreaking and life-affirming. Marvale Young has always been a caregiver. A devoted mother, she fostered more than 30 children, opening her home and heart to young people who needed stability, love, and safety. She was the strong one — the one who carried others through their storms. But over time,...

In this powerful American Heart Month episode, Full Circle continues its commitment to heart health awareness with guest Ann Koeing — a former registered nurse, stroke survivor, mother of three, author, and volunteer with the American Heart Association. More than 20 years ago, shortly after giving birth to her third child, Ann suffered a life-altering stroke. As a medical professional, she underst...

Full Circle’s kickoff to American Heart Month , features an informative and empowering conversation with Dr. Amardeep Singh , cardiologist and volunteer with the American Heart Association . Dr. Singh works at the intersection of clinical care and community education, helping patients and the public better understand heart disease, cardiac arrest, and lifesaving interventions such as Hands-Only CP...

This was an extremely powerful and deeply personal episode of Full Circle . In this intimate conversation, Ms. Wanda sits down with Natalie McGee, Founder and CEO of Heart Relationship Management, to explore how a heart event in April 2025 became a profound spiritual awakening that shifted Natalie’s perspective on life, leadership, and purpose. Natalie's experience served as a wake-up call—one tha...

Episode Guests: Stephanie Brown , Facilities Operations Coordinator Kelvin Cao , Senior External Affairs CoordinatorIn this special two-hour episode, Full Circle celebrates a year-long partnership with our premium sponsor Sierra Donor Services —a collaboration dedicated to expanding awareness of organ, eye and tissue donation within our Black, Asian and Latino communities. Hour 1: We speak with St...

In this powerful episode of Full Circle , Ms. Wanda sits down with Phoenix native, entrepreneur, and community-builder Katy Nebblett , founder of Black Women Meetups , a thriving movement dedicated to creating safe, intentional spaces for Black women to connect, collaborate, and grow. Katy shares her journey from communications professional and social media coach to becoming the leader of a dynami...

In this special episode of Full Circle, host Ms. Wanda shares portions of her recent appearance on the radio program Politics with J. King and Keisha Matthews. She was joined by two fellow members of the 2025–2026 Sacramento County Civil Grand Jury: Foreperson Lori Sopwith and Community Engagement Chair Nolice Edwards. This hybrid edition gives listeners an inside look at the role, purpose, and im...

In this episode of Full Circle , we sat down with representatives from Safe Black Space to talk about their upcoming 6th Annual Kwanzaa Kutoa Celebration , happening Saturday, January 3rd. This free, family-friendly event honors seven local Black individuals and families who exemplify the seven principles of Kwanzaa — unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative econo...

In this inspiring episode of Full Circle , we sat down with Shante’ Renee’ — The Primary Hair Physician™ , a Certified Hair Loss Practitioner, Herbalist, and Womb Wellness Practitioner who’s redefining how women care for their crowns. Shante’ believes that true hair healing starts from within , blending ancestral wisdom with modern wellness practices to help women restore their hair, health, and h...

In this uplifting episode, I sit down with Mama Nakia Porter , founder of Melanin Day School Academy (MDSA) , to celebrate five years of healing, learning, and community transformation. Founded in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, MDSA has grown into a thriving space where Black families reconnect with culture, creativity, and wellness through education and community engagement. Mama Nakia share...