Underground Magnolia Podcast

Desireia Valteau

Elevated Entertainment focusing on arts, culture, and society from an award-winning journalist. read less

A Healthy Mind Equals An All-Around Better Life
May 28 2023
A Healthy Mind Equals An All-Around Better Life
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and on this episode of Underground Magnolia Podcast, Tyra Valteau Sorapuru, a Mental Wellness Coach and Licensed Clinical Social Worker for over 30 years, joins in to discuss effective tools for all around healthy living.  We discuss the following: Balancing your feelings COVID-19 forcing African Africans and other People of Color to seek helpHelping  family and friends who need mental assistanceTips on what to look for in a therapist and/or psychiatristGoing beyond virtual only therapy How emotional health affects physical healthSetting boundaries and saying NO Links and additional information for mental health support:National Alliance on Mental Illness -  https://www.nami.org/Home Therapy for Black Girls - therapyforblackgirls.com Therapy for Latinx -  therapyforlatinx.comTherapy for Black Men - therapyforblackmen.orgPsychology Today - psychologytoday.com - lets you search by race, ethnicity, gender, and other parameters.Check with your local and state government Check with your your health insuranceConfirm therapists/psychiatrists licenses in the state you reside inMUSIC:Theme: Jazz Addict’s Intro by Cosimo FoggSunset Drive by Tokyo Music Walker Echoes Of The Soul by Ron Gelinas Chill Beats Pursuit by Ron Gelinas Chill Beats Merry Bay by Ghostrifter Official Made Of Wood by Joe Crotty Coffee Shop by PYC Music  CONTACT:Underground Magnolia website: (https://www.undergroundmagnolia.com/)Instagram: @UMPodcastDV (https://www.instagram.com/umpodcastdv/)Twitter: @undergroundmagnoliapodcast(https://www.instagram.com/undergroundmagnoliapodcast/) Send questions/comments and requests to contact@undergroundmagnolia.com. To be featured on the podcast, send an email.
Lorraine Lionheart Is One of the UK's Leading African Music Artists
Apr 5 2022
Lorraine Lionheart Is One of the UK's Leading African Music Artists
This episode of Underground Magnolia Podcast features Lorraine Lionheart, a singer and songwriter heating up the global music scene. Hailing from Botswana in Southern Africa and based in the UK, she boasts a sound that fuses traditional African music with contemporary Afropop. The sexy singer already has four independent albums and several singles under her belt that explore a new-ish African beat called amapiano.In addition to her music, Lorraine is a scholar, who is currently working on a Doctorate in Ethnomusicology and she is a lecturer, who does a masterclass on the “music of Africa.”  Her UK profile is also getting a lift. She has played for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and has been invited to sing for the Queen of England’s Platinum Jubilee in June 2022. She along with other artists and choirs from Britain were asked by the Commonwealth to add their own twist to a song called “A Life Filled with Grace” and Lorraine gave it her signature Southern African treatment. Hear all about Lorraine by listening NOW to the episode.For more on Lorraine Lionheart, go to her Instagram @lorraine_lionheart.Contact:Underground Magnolia website: (https://www.undergroundmagnolia.com/)Instagram: @UMPodcastDV (https://www.instagram.com/umpodcastdv/)Twitter: @UMPodcastDV (https://www.instagram.com/undergroundmagnoliappodcast/)Send questions/comments and requests to contact@undergroundmagnolia.com.If you would like to be featured on the podcast, send an email.
Legendary Melba Moore is 'So In Love' with Her New Music
Mar 16 2022
Legendary Melba Moore is 'So In Love' with Her New Music
On  this episode of Underground Magnolia Podcast, Melba Moore discusses: New song, “So In Love,” from her upcoming "Imagine" album, which is slated for release in April 2022.New music on her daughter's independent record label. Becoming an "Auntie" to younger audiences thanks to DJ's such as D-Nice.Legendary recording and stage career:Released over 20 albums since 1970 and earned several R&B top ten hits and two #1 R&B singles. In 1968, she joined the Broadway play "Hair" and became the first African American woman to replace a white actress (Diane Keaton) on Broadway.In 1970, she won a Tony Award for starring in "Purlie."Her version of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" was named the second official "Black National Anthem" in 2017.Her connection with Aretha Franklin’s family and recording Franklin’s version of "Lean On Me.”She almost lost it all during her 1991 divorce from her husband, who was also her manager.Melba was also  a civil and equal rights activist, who marched with Coretta Scott King and Rev. Jesse Jackson. Additionally, she worked closely with the National Council of Negro Women and the National Political Congress of Black Women.In August 2022, she is scheduled  to  receive a special acknowledgement from President Joe Biden.For more on Melba Moore, go to her Instagram @melba1moore.Contact:Underground Magnolia website: (https://www.undergroundmagnolia.com/)Instagram: @UMPodcastDV (https://www.instagram.com/umpodcastdv/)Twitter: @UMPodcastDV (https://twitter.com/UMPodcastDV)Send questions/comments and requests to contact@undergroundmagnolia.com.If you would like to be featured on the podcast, send an email.
Closing Out Latinx Heritage Month With Ella's Eve Cosmetics
Oct 13 2021
Closing Out Latinx Heritage Month With Ella's Eve Cosmetics
This episode highlight's Ella's Eve Cosmetics, an e-commerce makeup brand founded by sisters Melissa Polanco and Lissa Martinez.Polanco and Martinez are proud Latinas repping their Dominican heritage in an industry that is offering up more and more beauty brands by Women of Color for Women of Color.The host catches up with  Polanco to discuss how the company started, the importance of Latina and WOC owned beauty brands,  the company's products, and the significance of National Hispanic American Heritage Month, which is Sept 15 – Oct. 15. Music:Jazz Addict’s Intro  by Cosimo Fogghttps://soundcloud.com/cosimo-foggLipsia by Sapajou | https://soundcloud.com/sapajoubeatsMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licensehttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_USAnita Latina by Le Gang | https://soundcloud.com/thisislegangMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licensehttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_USCome Along by Jay Someday | https://soundcloud.com/jaysomedayMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licensehttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_USContact:Underground Magnolia website: (https://www.undergroundmagnolia.com/)Instagram: @UMPodcastDV (https://www.instagram.com/umpodcastdv/)Twitter: @UMPodcastDV (https://twitter.com/UMPodcastDV) Send questions/comments and requests to contact@undergroundmagnolia.com. If you would like to be featured on the podcast, send an email.
Chasing DNA and Family Roots - Part Three with Dr. Tukufu Zuberi
Jul 22 2021
Chasing DNA and Family Roots - Part Three with Dr. Tukufu Zuberi
This third part episode features Dr. Tukufu Zuberi, who served as host of PBS’ History Detectives from 2003-2011. The Professor of Sociology & Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania does a deep dive regarding the complexity of race and identity. He takes DNA tests to task and even goes so far to say that they are a "joke" and are NOT the answer to finding one's roots. Listen now to this lively and controversial conversation.Music (in the order it was played):Jazz Addict’s Intro  by Cosimo Fogghttps://soundcloud.com/cosimo-foggBreaking Down by Groove Bakery | https://groovebakery.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/ The Way by Mike Leite | https://soundcloud.com/mikeleiteMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licensehttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_USDay Ahead by Joe Crotty | https://soundcloud.com/joecrottyMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licensehttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_USContact:Underground Magnolia website: (https://www.undergroundmagnolia.com/)Instagram: @UMPodcastDV (https://www.instagram.com/umpodcastdv/)Twitter: @UMPodcastDV (https://twitter.com/UMPodcastDV) Send questions/comments and requests to contact@undergroundmagnolia.com. If you would like to be featured on the podcast, send an email.
Chasing DNA and Family Roots - Part Two
May 17 2021
Chasing DNA and Family Roots - Part Two
"Chasing DNA and Family Roots Part 2," features Rene Worland, a family historian and archivist.   In more than 20 years of research this small business entrepreneur, living with her husband in the Los Angeles area, traced her family history in the United States and Canada.Rene’s ancestors go back to the Jefferson Davis plantations in MS, the Civil War, the Native American Territory of Oklahoma, the Sharecroppers’ Roadside Demonstration in Missouri, the fight for social justice in Oregon, and entrepreneurship in the West. Additionally, the Indiana University alum unearthed numerous family tree treasures including photos and stories about her ancestors in the archives of the Library of Congress, historical newspapers, documentaries, and local historical societies. What’s interesting about Rene’s journey is that she set out to find her roots mainly in North America and not Africa, like many African Americans.  Find out more in the podcast!For more information on topics mentioned in this podcast:Henrietta Lacks: http://henriettalacksfoundation.orgTuskegee Experiment: https://www.tuskegee.edu/about-us/centers-of-excellence/bioethics-center/about-the-usphs-syphilis-study Music (In the order it was played): "Jazz Addict’s Intro" by Cosimo Fogg https://soundcloud.com/cosimo-fogg "Vintage Memories" by Schematist | http://www.schematistmusic.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US "Coffee Shop" by PYC Music | https://soundcloud.com/pycmusic Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported (CC BY-ND 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/ "Affection" by Sappheiros | https://soundcloud.com/sappheirosmusic Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US Contact: Underground Magnolia website: (https://www.undergroundmagnolia.com/) Instagram: @UMPodcastDV (https://www.instagram.com/umpodcastdv/) Twitter: @UMPodcastDV (https://twitter.com/UMPodcastDV)   Send questions/comments and requests to contact@undergroundmagnolia.com.   If you would like to be featured on the podcast, send an email.
Chasing DNA and Family Roots - Part One
Mar 14 2021
Chasing DNA and Family Roots - Part One
This latest episode - Chasing DNA and Family Roots (Part One) - will kickoff a series of shows regarding taking DNA tests and using other methods to find one’s family roots. The first guest in this series is Dena Chasten, who is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and the Delaware African American Historical and Genealogical Society.An adoptee, Chasten located her birth parents when she was a teen through a variety of methods including family interviews, public records, and DNA. With her years of experience in tracking down one’s ancestry, Chasten will unpack her journey in finding her biological family,  host Desireia Valteau's DNA results (which include the controversial Creole culture in Louisiana), and additional ways on how you too can find your roots.Resources:Association of Professional Genealogistshttps://www.apgen.org/cpages/homeDelaware African American Historical and Genealogical Societyhttp://www.deaahgs.com/Genealogy Quick Start (Created by Shamele Jordon)http://www.genealogyquickstart.com/about.htmlMusic:Jazz Addict’s Intro by Cosimo Fogg(https://soundcloud.com/cosimo-fogg)Ambient Bongos by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Breaking Down by Groove Bakery | https://groovebakery.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/  The Way by Mike Leite | https://soundcloud.com/mikeleite Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_USDay Ahead by Joe Crotty | https://soundcloud.com/joecrotty Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US Check The Glove Box by Otis Galloway https://open.spotify.com/artist/1h3wk6cOFTdjQNbNsnBosPContact:Underground Magnolia website: (https://www.undergroundmagnolia.com/)Instagram: @UMPodcastDV (https://www.instagram.com/umpodcastdv/)Twitter: @UMPodcastDV (https://twitter.com/UMPodcastDV) Send questions/comments and requests to contact@undergroundmagnolia.com. For more information on having your music featured, send an email.
My Nigerian Husband Reviews the Bollywood/Nollywood Film "Namaste Wahala"
Mar 4 2021
My Nigerian Husband Reviews the Bollywood/Nollywood Film "Namaste Wahala"
On this episode, my husband, Segun Abegunrin, is back reviewing "Namaste Wahala." (Last time, he reviewed "Bob Hearts Abishola,” which was well received. The sitcom airing on CBS, is set in Detroit and is about a white businessman, who falls in love with a Nigerian nurse).  My husband was born and raised in Ibadan, Nigeria. He came to the United States in the early 80s for college. Fast forward to now, he is a principal at his own architectural, management, and development company in Southern California.   As for “Namaste Wahala,” which loosely translates into “hello trouble” in Hindi and Nigerian slang, it’s about a young couple – a Nigerian woman and Indian man – who fall head over heels for one another. However, the couple’s love can’t stop their families from clashing in this cross-cultural rom-com.  Set in Lagos, Nigeria, the film has been touted as the first major collaboration between the two most powerful movie industries in the world – Bollywood, which is known as the film industry in India and in Nigeria, Nollywood is the preferred name of the cinema game there. Is this film, now on Netflix, worth taking a look at? Listen to the review to find out.   Music: Jazz Addict’s Intro by Cosimo Fogg (https://soundcloud.com/cosimo-fogg)Bhangra Bass by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deck Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_USAmbient Bongos by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Zurna (Instrumental) by Sapajou | https://soundcloud.com/sapajoubeats Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_USContact:Underground Magnolia website: (https://www.undergroundmagnolia.com/) Instagram: @UMPodcastDV (https://www.instagram.com/umpodcastdv/) Twitter: @UMPodcastDV (https://twitter.com/UMPodcastDV)  Send questions/comments and requests to contact@undergroundmagnolia.com.   For more information on having your music featured, send an email.
'Bob Hearts Abishola' Review from a Nigerian Perspective
Feb 1 2021
'Bob Hearts Abishola' Review from a Nigerian Perspective
Desiréia Valteau,  the  host, writer, and producer of Underground Magnolia Podcast, has a lively discussion with her husband regarding the television show "Bob Hearts Abishola" Born and raised in Nigeria, Segun Abegunrin,  a principal at his own architectural, management, and development company in Southern California,  is the perfect person to unpack the CBS comedy. Set in Detroit, the show is about a white businessman (Billy Gardell from "Mike & Molly") with health issues, who falls in love with his Nigerian nurse (Folake Olowofoyeku). In its second season, the sitcom was co-created by Gina Yashere, a well-known Nigerian Brit comedienne.    Listen in on this spirited conversation with Desiréia (New Orleans native) and Segun as they talk about immigrant life in the United States. Then stick around to get his take on the upcoming sequel to 1988's “Coming To America." The second movie, called "Coming 2 America," comes out in March. Music:Jazz Addict’s Intro by Cosimo Fogg (https://soundcloud.com/cosimo-fogg)Ambient Bongos by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Bumbumchack by Alwin Brauns | https://soundcloud.com/alwinmusik Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_USContact:Underground Magnolia website: (https://www.undergroundmagnolia.com/)Instagram: @UMPodcastDV (https://www.instagram.com/umpodcastdv/)Twitter: @UMPodcastDV (https://twitter.com/UMPodcastDV)Send questions/comments and requests to contact@undergroundmagnolia.com. For more information on having your music featured, send an email.