Sista Brunch

In this episode of Sista Brunch, hosts Fanshen Cox and Shawn Pipkin-West dive deep into the inspiring journey of critically acclaimed actor Khalilah Joi. The conversation covers Joi's transition from broadcast journalism to acting, her impactful role on Grey's Anatomy, and the emotional and rigorous preparations for her roles. Listeners will also learn about the different tiers of television roles...

In this episode of Sista Brunch, host Fanshen Cox welcomes Crystal Roman, founder and CEO of Black Latina Movement, a theater and film production company based in New York City. Crystal shares her journey, from growing up in New York and experiencing identity challenges, to founding her own company and creating impactful narratives. They discuss the importance of diverse storytelling, financial pl...

AD/Director Shawn Pipkin-West takes over as full host in this episode with Canella Williams Larrabee, a seasoned unit production manager and line producer in television. The episode dives into Larrabee's 20-year career, covering her start in the industry, her extensive credits including Netflix's 'Raising Dion' and 'The Night Agent,' and her leadership roles within the Directors Guild of America....

Welcome to another enlightening episode of Sista Brunch! This time, we're joined by Loretta Edwards Wilson, a seasoned acquisitions executive and founder of A Bold Move Media. With over 20 years of experience, Loretta has worked with industry giants like Disney, Sony Pictures, BET, MTV, and Comedy Central. In this episode, she shares her journey from pre-med to media, the intricacies of film acqui...

In the season 6 premiere of Sista Brunch, hosts Fanshen Cox and Shawn Pipkin-West celebrate the stories of Black women and gender expansive people in entertainment and media. They highlight community partners like the American Cinematheque and Post in Black podcast. The episode spotlights Alyson Fouse and Morenike Joela Evans, creator and director of the Netflix show 'Act Your Age,' and explores t...

In this special episode of Sista Brunch recorded live at the Essence Film Festival, Fanshen speaks with entertainment attorney Jalene Mack (@jalenemack).  The discussion explores Mack's role in entertainment law, the importance of protecting intellectual property, and vital business advice for filmmakers and creative professionals. Jalene also shares insights on fundraising, navigating the industr...

This is our final special bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast recorded live at the Essence Film Festival in New Orleans! 🎬🌟  Fanshen was thrilled to sit down with the inspiring Letitia Guillory and Crayton Robey to discuss their neo-noir crime drama screenplay, Hound Dog. Based on true events from the 1950s, Hound Dog delves into the life of Don Robey, founder of Peacock Records, and explo...

In this special bonus episode of Sista Brunch, recorded live at the Essence Film Festival, host Fanshen Cox sits down with acclaimed novelist Jacqueline Luckett. Jacqueline discusses her inspirational journey from writing novels to adapting her book 'Passing Love' into a screenplay. She shares personal stories, her motivations behind 'Passing Love', and the challenges of transforming a novel into...

It’s another special bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast recorded live at the Essence Film Festival! 🎬🌟  Fanshen shares time with the inspirational creative duo Angela Davis and LaToya Turner to discuss their innovative animated project 'Brown Hands, Black Schools, HBCUs!' 📚✨  "With your brown hands you can pick up books. With your brown hands you can do so many different things."  Sista...

Join us for another special Sista Brunch episode live from the Essence Film Festival! Our host connects with the talented Tamika Lamison to discuss her poignant film 'Superman Doesn't Steal,' a deeply personal story set during the Atlanta child murders.  Get insights into her creative journey, the Commercial Directors Diversity Program, the heartfelt Make a Film Foundation, and her inspiring new v...

In this special episode of the Sista Brunch Podcast, host Bree is joined by Keena Ferguson Fraser, Delece James, Karen Southall, and Miatta Vincent Ronca—key members of the production team for 'The Devil Ain't Pius.' They discuss the inspiration behind the film, the challenges they faced with financing, and their excitement about premiering at the Essence Film Festival. Each guest also shares valu...

🎉✨ Bonus Episode Alert! ✨🎉 We’re thrilled to bring you a special bonus episode of the Sistabrunch podcast recorded live at the Essence Film Festival in New Orleans! 🎬🌟 Our amazing host sits down with the incredible Yhá Mourhia Wright to discuss her short film, 'Chocolate with Sprinkles', and its journey to being screened at this prestigious festival. 🎥 "It's surreal. I'm really grateful, gr...

At the Essence Film Festival for Essence's 30th anniversary, Sista Brunch hosts a special episode featuring Santana Coleman, a Black woman filmmaker with 11 years of experience. Santana discusses her latest short drama, 'The Last Week,' which explores love and the effects of Black male incarceration on families, and shares her journey from college filmmaking to winning an Emmy. The conversation al...

🎉✨ Bonus Episode Alert! ✨🎉 We’re thrilled to bring you a special bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast recorded live at the Essence Film Festival! 🎬🌟 Join us as we celebrate and learn from the amazing Tracey Baker Simmons, a trailblazer in urban reality TV. Tracey shares her journey, insights on the importance of Black representation behind the camera, and practical advice on financing a...

🎉✨ Bonus Episode Alert! ✨🎉 We’re thrilled to bring you a special bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast recorded live at the Essence Film Festival in New Orleans! 🎬🌟 Fanshen Cox sits down with the talented Okema T. Moore to discuss her incredible year, including her work on 'Chocolate with Sprinkles,' Sesame Street memories, producing and directing experiences, and much more! 🎥  'We are...

Join us for a special bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast, recorded live at the Essence Film Festival! Host chats with acclaimed filmmaker and author Nkem DenChukwu about her journey in the film industry. Nkem discusses her latest projects 'Chances Are,' a silent film set in Nigeria, and 'When Hearts Touch,' a 3D animation based on her children's book about the trials of a nine-year-old orph...

🎉✨ Bonus Episode Alert! ✨🎉 We’re thrilled to bring you a special bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast recorded live at the Essence Film Festival in New Orleans! 🎬🌟 Our amazing host sits down with the incredible MeMe Kelly, the writer, producer, and director of 'One Night in LA', to discuss her compelling family romance film and her journey as a filmmaker. 🎥 'One Night in LA' is a power...

🎉✨ Bonus Episode Alert! ✨🎉 We’re thrilled to bring you a special bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast recorded live at the Essence Film Festival! 🎬🌟 Our host, Fanshen Cox, sits down with the incredible Laurie Gardiner (USC grad), to discuss her deeply personal and impactful screenplay, 'Onset,' which explores themes of speech impediments and emotional trauma. Lori shares her journey fro...

🎉✨ Bonus Episode Alert! ✨🎉 We’re thrilled to bring you a special bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast recorded live at the Essence Film Festival in New Orleans! 🎬🌟 Our amazing host, sits down with the incredible Lande Yusuf (@LandeYusuf) to discuss their groundbreaking project, 'White Agbada,' which was selected for this year’s festival! 🎥 Sista Brunch dives into the inspiring stories...

In this bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast, recorded live at the Essence Film Festival, the hosts interview Lacey Brown about her narrative podcast 'Dr. Apples.' Lacey discusses the whimsical and creative world of her show, which combines fun, fiction, fantasy, and folklore. The conversation covers the show's format, intended audience, technical aspects of podcasting, budget management, and...

In this bonus episode of Sista Brunch, recorded live at the Essence Festival, the hosts welcome Jacqueline King Howell, a talented writer and director best known for her production company Judy's Child LLC.  Jacqueline shares her journey from actress to filmmaker, discussing her first script 'Judy's Child,' fundraising challenges, and her ongoing work on Sesame Street. She provides insights into f...

🎉✨ Bonus Episode Alert! ✨🎉 We're thrilled to bring you a special bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast recorded live at the Essence Film Festival! 🌟 Our amazing host sits down with the talented Indeya Dynice to discuss her groundbreaking project, 'Dating Positive,' which is being screened at this year's festival!  🎥 Sista Brunch dives into the inspiring stories of Black women and gender...

In this special episode of Sista Brunch, recorded live at the Essence Film Festival, hosts sit down with Elayne Fluker and Syretta Bell, the creators of 'Fiddy.'  This dramedy series highlights the experiences of five successful Black and Brown women turning 50, aiming to change the narrative around aging and vibrant living. They discuss their journey in writing the pilot, the challenges and learn...

In this episode of the Sista Brunch Podcast, Nathaniel 'Chuck' Brown, an actor and director, delves into his personal journey of creating the documentary 'Remember Me: Dementia in the African American Community.' Inspired by the struggles faced within his own family, Brown reveals the challenges of funding and the emotional hurdles throughout the production. He also shares insights from interviewi...

🎉✨ Bonus Episode Alert! ✨🎉 Dive into this special episode of the Sista Brunch podcast, recorded live at the Essence Film Festival, where we spotlight the Black Girls Film Camp. Host Fanshen Cox celebrates the camp's success with recent graduates Kyla, Alexandra, and Daria. Alumni coach Precious Foreman shares her experiences and the significance of teamwork and support. The graduates discuss t...