ON THE CALL with Ozzie Stewart

Michelle Lewis was a treasure for Ozzie to chat with. She was born in Cocorite, Trinidad, the eldest of 5 children, attended Corpus Christi College, in Trinidad, is the Chief Executive Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, the largest public healthcare system in the US and one of the largest federally qualified health centers in New York City, consisting of 30 health centers located in...

Dr. Farley R. Cleghorn, born in Trinidad, embarked on his medical journey at the University of the West Indies (UWI), graduating with honors and a Surgery Gold Medal in 1982. Early in his career, he delved into hematology at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital, focusing on lymphoma and leukemia, before undertaking a fellowship in retrovirology with Professor Courtenay Bartholomew during what he fon...

Renton Kirk Learmont was key to Ozzie's career as an actress, so to pay tribute to him was an immense privilege. Listen to our conversation at: https://www.onthecall podcast.com/trini-cornerRenton was a Trinidadian American who pursued a career as an actor trainer and casting director. He studied acting in Strasberg and Susan Batson in LA and NY and was represented by the Carson Organization. Rent...

Ozzie was stoked so sit with Kenyatta Jackson, who has been there for her back in the day. He is a highly experienced real estate professional with over a decade of expertise in the leasing and marketing of high-end residential real estate. His background includes extensive experience in both on-site and off-site residential leasing and real estate marketing, as well as managing luxury Class-A res...

Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, Christopher Duncan has lived in England and the US, where he has been residing for 24 years, making him a - British South African American. Christopher is a multi-talented entertainment professional who graduated from the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in 2006. With over 5 years of experience as a Financial Aid Advisor and Promoter at the same...

Rich studied at CUNY Brooklyn College, then began DJing at underground clubs at the age of 20, at Taggaris, Wednesdays on E 86th St for example, after which he began a 2 year residency at Hippopotamus, an East Side nightspot. Meantime he worked part- time for a travel agency for 5 years, before moving to a computerized company, where he stayed for 8 years. He then worked at Kennedy travel in 1988...

Marilyn Reyes, born and raised in The Bronx, is a mother, grandmother, activist, public health worker, HARM REDUCTIONIST, STILL IN THE PURSUIT FOR EQUALITY /JUSTICE FOR ALL, and so much more.. “ALL I DO IS IN LOVE” is her mantra. Fueled by her experiences and her desire to improve job prospects for people coming home from incarceration, Marilyn has worked for Voices Of Community Activists & Leader...

Mrs. Tiona Laster, descendant of Bishop Rube and Alice Bethea in Albany, and grandparents, Reverend Zeddie and Jinette Mackie of Bethune, SC, also grew up in Albany. Tiona grew up in the church, a devout christian. She was married in Brooklyn and has lived there since, becoming a stay-at-home home-maker, raising 9 children: 6 girls – ages: 7,8,10,12,16/twins + 3 boys – ages: 4,13,24 At the age of...

Curt Crane is a writer-producer-director, with more than 30 years of experience in developing, creating and producing TV commercials, corporate communications, streaming media, and feature length films. He created Curt Crane Productions, Inc., in New Jersey, where he grew up playing garage band rock-and-roll, hanging out around horses, and failing algebra several times. After high school, Curt sur...

Jan France was born in Chicago, to a mother who was an RN, a father who served in World War II, and a grandfather who served in World War I. She has devoted much of her life to GIVING AND SERVICE. In 1983, she conceived the idea for a wagon train in June 1983, organized, was the executive director, strategic planner, coordinator of a 3-year plan, and fund-raiser of $3 million dollars in sponsorshi...

Natasha Reid is a Trinidadian-descendant entrepreneur, audio engineer, and cultural leader based in New York City. With over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry, she is the founder and CEO of DDN Productions, Inc., a full-service music entertainment and production boutique that offers a range of services, including program and content creation, advertising, brand consulting, video...

Dr. David John is a distinguished Trinidadian healthcare professional based in Brooklyn, NY. He is currently serving as Director of Occupational Health and HIV Services at Gotham Health. He has been recognized for his outstanding achievements in Adult Preventive Medicine, contributing to defining the overall business strategy and direction of the organization’s eight main centers of operations. Dr...

Anslem Douglas is a talented Grammy award winning musician, performer, composer, storyteller, songwriter and author. He gained widespread recognition for his hit single "Doggie," which later became popularized by the Bahamian junkanoo band Baha Men as "Who Let the Dogs Out." Born and raised in the vibrant village of La Romaine in southern Trinidad, Anslem developed a passion for music at a young a...

Natasha Reid is a Trinidadian-descendant entrepreneur, audio engineer, and cultural leader based in New York City. With over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry, she is the founder and CEO of DDN Productions, Inc., a full-service music entertainment and production boutique that offers a range of services, including program and content creation, advertising, brand consulting, video...

D’AMBROSE BOYD: has performed in #musicaltheatre, nationally and internationally, such as Ain't Misbehavin' and A Christmas Carol  @MadisonSquareGarden  His #photography has grown in leaps and bounds, taking #photos of Mickey Rooney, Dee Dee Bridgewater and others, and he has created great #apparel designs which sold  @macys  Henri Bendel,  @Saks  to name a few. He is also an #industrial interior...

TAIWO BAMISILE: With a degree in Psychology, Taiwo chose to compose, arrange, produce and engineer his own music, as well as follow through with his love of still-life and fashion photography. In the year of covid 2020, Taiwo became an essential worker, which allowed him perspectives he'll take through his life, even becoming an Author in 2020 called "The Madness of a Thousandaire" and learned who...

THANK YOU Lucinda Carr for being my very SECOND guest in 2020 on On The Call, which began the same time as the pandemic. SINCE THEN, 3 things Lucinda has accomplished are: - Wrote, produced and performed her own one-woman Off-Off Broadway show "My Life is Not My Own - a hour with Harriet Tubman AND received the award for best biographical show in the 2023 United Solo Fall Festival. -Played a suppo...

THANK YOU Mary Catherine George for being my very FIRST guest in 2020 on On The Call, which began the same time as the pandemic. SINCE THEN, Dr. George has accomplished the following: 1) obtained grant dollars to develop a chronic pain relief tool using Virtual Reality 2) learned to make her creative endeavors a priority 3) Health is key to longevity, and so has prioritized her health, mind, body,...

Meet Leslie Steven Valles, named after the actor, Leslie Nielsen, a passionate and talented individual whose life has been a colorful canvas of creativity and self-expression, as a makeup artist and hairdresser. Born in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, with 7 siblings all told, 4 girls and 3 boys. Leslie quickly discovered his love for the transformative power of hairstyling, after completing cosmetolog...

Jim attended Spencerian College in Milwaukee, WI, for Sales & Marketing and was a graduate of Arrowhead High School in Hartland, WI. He was a member of the U.S. Army Reserves. Jim was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin to George and Frances Voelzke. Jim and his brother George “Joe” Voelzke grew up in Merton, WI, where his parents ran V’s Tasty Town restaurant. Jim was proud to call himself a “Cheese Head...

JAN FRANCE: who was born in Chicago, to a mother who was an RN, a father who served in World War II, and a grandfather who served in World War I, has devoted much of her life to helping others. In 1976, Jan rode the 1400 mile Bi-Centennial, Valley Forge, PA on horseback, then in 1983, she organized the Texas Sesquicentennial Wagon Train, which covered 3,228 miles within the state, driving a classi...

Yvonne earned a Master of Arts degree at New School University and a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Puerto Rico. Yvonne completed the Women’s Leadership Institute certificate program at the Hartford Seminary and Education for Ministry (EfM) from the School of Theology, The University of the South. A passionate advocate against domestic violence and sexual assault, Yvonne is a memb...

STACY GRAY left her home and family in Indiana for NYC, to pursue a degree in Nursing, and after a brief stint in healthcare, her creative side won out. She earned a spot on the world-famous Apollo stage as an Apollo model, and to make ends meet, she took a job at a beauty supply store on Harlem's bustling 125th Street. The access to hair weaves inspired her to take the initiative to become a self...

Marilyn Cruz, is the founder and CEO of the nonprofit organization Palms Upon My Hands Inc. Marilyn is an advocate for victims of domestic violence and a survivor of 13 years of abuse, suffered silently, starting from the age of 15. After finding out that her husband was cheating on her, evidenced by the venereal diseases she often had to be treated for, after he fathered two children outside of t...

Mario Golden was born in Mexico City in 1964. When he was 14 his family immigrated to South Texas. He graduated from high school as a valedictorian and attended Stanford University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a master's degree in International Development Education (SIDEC) and Teacher Education (STEP). During his time at Stanford he completed internships in clinical psyc...