The Balanced Voice with Rania Mankarious

Nearly a year ago our entire world came to a screeching halt. Although it was unexpected and largely unwelcomed, we were all given a unique opportunity to critique our reality as we #stayathome. Alissa Wilkinson, Film Critic and Culture Reporter at @voxdotcom, is someone who has dedicated her life to critique and culture. Since we wrestle with difficult topics and a flood of opinions daily, we tho...

We were incredibly honored to have the opportunity to sit down with Texas Governor, Greg Abbott to discuss public safety for all Texans. @govabbott @governorabbott In our conversation, we covered critical #publicsafety concerns such as felony bond reform, the “defund the police” movement, and homelessness in Texas. In episode 18 we ultimately approach this question: Why has public safety become a...

Whose job is it to regulate media? The content producers? Our policy makers? You as a parent? Or is it some combination of all of the above? On episode 17 of #TheBalancedVoicePodcast, CEO Rania Mankarious sits down with Tim Winter, President of the Parents Television Council, to answer this question and discuss the impact of sensitive subject matter on young eyes. #Media #Television #Movies #Video...

This week on #TheBalancedVoice Podcast, we sit down with Derek Potts, Executive Producer of the new Deep Water Productions film, Narco Sub. Derek Potts is a nationally recognized trial lawyer who has been a court appointed leader in some of the largest complex litigations of the past decade. He is the Founder of Potts Law Firm, Potts Family Foundation, and Deep Water Productions. In his many profe...

This week on Episode 15 of #TheBalancedVoicePodcast we welcome Crime Stoppers of Houston's very own Director of Victim Services and Victim Advocacy, Andy Kahan, to discuss the shocking trend of the repeat release of violent offenders on bond. In their conversation, Rania, Andy and Expert Contributor, Jennifer Hohman, break down how this disturbing trend correlates to rising crime rates and affects...

In the final episode of Season 1, Host Rania Mankarious and Executive Producer Sydney Zuiker reflect on the making of The Balanced Voice and what they have learned from this season. From guests that have shared heartbreaking stories, to industry leaders in the fight against racism and child sex trafficking, Season 1 showed us different angles of humanity that are not only sometimes genuinely horri...

On this episode we welcome the one and only John Quiñones! John needs no introduction, but in case you forgot, he began his career as a radio news editor at KTRH Houston and other local stations before joining ABC News as a general assignment correspondent, and ABC News Primetime Co-Anchor. Although, you may know him best from his hit TV show, What Would You Do? Join John and Rania for a conversat...

Leading memory experts such as Dr. Elizabeth Loftus suggest that memory is not always as reliable as we think it is, especially amongst children, but jurors are extremely swayed by eyewitness testimony. In fact, it is widely accepted in the field of psychology that 75% of wrongful convictions include faulty eyewitness testimony. When someone is wrongfully convicted, their life is not only stolen f...

64% of people in a OnePoll study reported that certain conversations were simply off limits with their family, but many psychologist discourage shying away from difficult topics with loved ones. In this conversation, we sit down with Dr. Lauren Pinkston, voice behind @upwardlydependent Instagram page, Assistant Professor of Business as Mission at Lipscomb University and Executive Director of Kindr...

We are thrilled to have Bre Lasley, founder of The Bia Movement, on The Balanced Voice this week and hope you learn in this episode some practical ways to protect yourself physically, mentally and emotionally. Crime Stoppers of Houston hosted our first ever College Safety Summit over the summer in an effort to educate young people on the importance of fighting for your safety in all aspects of lif...

In this special episode of The Balanced Voice we talk to Christen Price, legal counsel for the National Center on Sexual Exploitation about a case she will be arguing on behalf of Nevada victim, Bekah Charleston. This is a pioneering case led by survivors against the state of Nevada that argues legal prostitution in Nevada is a violation of the 13th amendment. If you are raising a child in America...

This week on #TheBalancedVoice #Podcast we welcome Titania Jordan, the Chief Parenting Officer at @barktechnologies. Titania knows first hand that parenting in a tech world is challenging and overwhelming. In this incredible conversation, she shares tangible ways to keep your family safe online. #TheBalancedVoice #RaniaMankarious #TitaniaJordan #CrimeStoppersofHouston #Bark #Children #Internet #Pr...

Today on The Balanced Voice we sit down with Barrister Dawood Ghaznavi, a Supreme Court attorney from Pakistan. Dawood shares the story of a young MIT graduate Dr. Aafia Siddiqui who, as a young mother, was deemed to be working with Al-Qaeda during the 9/11 attack. Afina has been held in Dallas for years and it is estimated that the U.S. Federal Government pays many millions for her hospitalizatio...

In a year with a high-stake election, where racial tensions are high, calls to defund the police are prevalent and a global pandemic has stricken loved ones – we feel as if everyone is simply exhausted. This joyful conversation could not be more timely. Dr. Jason Campbell (the TikTok Doc) and our dear friend, Joy Sewing, left our team hanging on their every word. We covered some hard topics like b...

This week, we sit down with Meghan Verikas, a local Houstonian who had to do the unimaginable - fake her own kidnapping to escape her high-profile abuser. Her shocking story has gained local and national attention including a Dateline NBC exclusive. We believe that it is important to elevate the voices of survivors. We also recognize how difficult it is to share their stories, so we are grateful t...

This bonus episode of The Balanced Voice podcast features Salma Awwad, former editor-in-chief of Harper's BAZAAR Arabia. Salma has always been true to herself and her inner creative and never shies away from an opportunity to make a difference in the world around her. Her versatility, passion and willingness to learn have led her to work with the biggest names of the beauty and fashion industry, i...

Episode 6 of @thebalancedvoicepodcast features Dr. Stephany Powell, Director of Law Enforcement Training and Survivor Services at the National Center on Sexual Exploitation. Dr. Powell is a passionate speaker and a tenacious advocate for victims of sex trafficking. Having worked for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for 30 years, Dr. Powell offers a unique perspective into the complex and o...

Dr. Megan Martin, physician, master of public health, mom of three and president of The West Side Community Organization, took action in July when the City of New York decided to house homeless men in empty hotel rooms of her #upperwestside neighborhood. With little supervision, support, or security measures in place for her new neighbors, there has been a dramatic uptick in crimes of opportunity....

Welcome to the episode 4 of The Balanced Voice with Rania Mankarious! In the technology age, children of all ages are exposed to dangerous content on a daily basis. From social media to video games, online predators and sexual traffickers have unprecedented access to their targets from anywhere in the world. Jennifer Hohman has spent much of her time and effort on educating parents and helping chi...

Welcome to the episode 3 of The Balanced Voice with Rania Mankarious! At age 18, high school football all-star, Greg Kelley was convicted of two counts of sexually assaulting a child, and sentenced to 25 years without the possibility of parole. After spending over 1,100 days in prison, Greg was granted bond thanks to a community of mostly strangers who stood up and #foughtforGK. He was able to suf...

Welcome to the episode 2 of The Balanced Voice with Rania Mankarious! Every single day, our world becomes more integrated and synonymous with technology and devices. For the many positive tools that technology provides us with, unfortunately, there's a much darker world under the surface. Sexual exploitation and trafficking in the United States and around the globe has skyrocketed in the digital a...

Welcome to the premiere episode of The Balanced Voice with Rania Mankarious! The national news media in 2020 has a much different look than it once did. From the days of early television, to celebrated anchors like Walter Cronkite, the news industry has changed dramatically over the past 50 years. As broadcast legends in Houston, Dave Ward and Bill Balleza have over 100 years combined of broadcast...

The Balanced Voice is a new podcast, hosted by CEO of Crime Stoppers of Houston Rania Mankarious, for and by the community. Join us every Wednesday at 10AM Central as we discuss some of the biggest topics of our time with leaders and experts from around the globe to provide balanced conversations and real solutions.