Tradition Café

Send us Fan Mail What does it mean to build community through culture? In this episode of Tradition Café , Ana sits down with Jennifer Radakovich , Executive Director of Rhythmix Cultural Works , to talk about the role of the arts in connection, belonging, and cultural exchange. Jennifer shares how Rhythmix creates space for music, dance, performance, education, and community-centered arts experie...

Send us Fan Mail Poet, performer, and filmmaker Tae Poetically Divine joins Ana to talk about creating art rooted in spirituality, ancestry, community, and hope. Tae shares how writing became an outlet for her as a quiet and deeply sensitive child—and how poetry eventually expanded into spoken word, music, filmmaking, youth mentorship, and community arts work. She also takes us behind the scenes o...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Tradition Café , Ana sits down with Wendy Aris , host of Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast , for a powerful conversation about Caribbean genealogy, Jamaican family history, ancestral records, oral history, and the emotional side of researching your roots . Wendy shares how researching her Jamaican family history began with a medical question and grew into an 18-year j...

Send us Fan Mail What does Black art mean to Oakland—and why does community matter so deeply in the creative process? In this episode of Tradition Café , I sit down with Art of the African Diaspora curators Eric Murphy and Yolanda Cotton Turner to talk about Oakland culture, Black art, memory, healing, and the power of bringing artists and communities together. We discuss the Art of the African Di...

Send us Fan Mail A painting of someone pulling the moon out of orbit might sound like fantasy—until you hear the artist explain the symbols, the technique, and the lived history behind it. In this episode of Tradition Café , I’m joined by George Bernard III, a Bay Area portrait artist whose work draws from African diaspora identity, spiritual traditions, and the people he observes and paints. This...

Send us Fan Mail We reflect on a year of building Tradition Café , then move into a vulnerable reading of Homecoming —a story about growing up Dominican in South Dakota and redefining where home lives. This episode explores identity, heritage, and belonging across cultures—touching on Dominican roots, Midwestern upbringing, and the tension between language loss and cultural pride. Through memory,...

Send us Fan Mail We explore two-spirit balance, the difference between soul and spirit, and a grounded understanding of divine counterparts over trend-driven “twin flames.” Music becomes medicine as OwlSnake builds and plays a frame drum, sharing tools, ceremony, and a call to remember who we are • soul as lifetime vessel, spirit as enduring core • divine counterpart as service and growth, not rom...

Send us Fan Mail OwlSnake is a Two-Spirit medicine person, a hollow bone for Spirit, and a way-shower. She comes from a long line of healers and learned early on that she could receive messages from her ancestors and guide others toward deeper self-understanding. In this opening episode of Season 2, Ana welcomes OwlSnake into the Tradition Café for an intimate and grounding conversation about iden...

Send us Fan Mail Shadows of Samhain — The Story Behind Halloween When the veil thins and the fires burn low, Tradition Café celebrates Halloween’s roots and stories — marking the turn of the season, not the end of the journey. As Samhain marks the turning of the year — the closing of one season and the quiet beginning of another — Tradition Café pauses to close its own circle. In this episode, we...

Send us Fan Mail Solitary, witty, and steeped in Celtic tradition — Cecilia keeps her magic private, her humor sharp, and her Scottish ancestors’ horse-thieving ways alive in story. She finally joins the podcast, and it’s unforgettable. Support the show Thank you for listening to Tradition Café. Visit www.traditioncafe.com for blog posts, news, and links, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Tradition Cafe, we sit down with Carrie Madarang, a magnetic Filipina American whose heritage and personal journey have shaped a life full of joy, growth, and transformation. Carrie shares how embracing her roots has opened up new perspectives and opportunities, and how earth-based traditions—from Celtic to Filipino—inform her life and work, including ceremonies like...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Tradition Cafe , Ana sits down with Lillian Quinata to explore the rich history and culture of Guam. They discuss the lasting impact of generational trauma on the Chamorro people, the importance of preserving the Chamorro language, and the island’s deep respect for family traditions and elders. Ana and Lillian also examine Guam’s complex history of colonization—...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Tradition Café, Ana shares the mic with her amazing work bestie, Violeta del Carmen—the friend who can make you laugh with a single meme but also carries a deep love for her heritage. Violeta opens up about her Mexican and Salvadoran roots, and the traditions that keep her grounded—like visiting cemeteries on Día de los Muertos to honor loved ones, showing respe...

Send us Fan Mail Get ready for an exhilarating listening experience! In the very first episode of Tradition Cafe, we welcome the incredible Carmen Chavier. Join us as we delve into her captivating family history from the Dominican Republic. We will explore her brave journey to the United States during the turbulent Dominican Civil War of 1965 and her eventual settlement in Aberdeen, South Dakota....

Send us Fan Mail Mike Strain provides an intriguing look into his rich British and Northern Irish heritage. We explore the vibrant tapestry of his family's unique culture and cherished traditions, highlighting the warmth and charm that characterize their way of life. As we dive into some quirky English dishes like the comforting Bubble and Squeak, the savory Yorkshire Pudding, and hearty Bang...