The Marissa Mitchell Show: November 05, 2026

Holiday floral design. Some tips to create a beautiful centerpiece without spending a fortune. Looking forward to that as we try to decorate for the holidays just a few weeks away. All right, I love it. All right, Doug, forecast. Couple showers this afternoon and cloudy. We will get some more rain late tonight and early tomorrow, and then we clear out tomorrow afternoon and a beautiful weekend. Sunshine, low 60s, Saturday, Sunday. Next week looks great, too. All right, loving it. Thank you guys for joining us on Good Days. Stick around. Marissa, over to you. All right. Thank you so much, team. And I'm standing next to a powerful team of creators. I have the founder of the HBCU First Look Film and TV Festival. We've added that. And two filmmakers, I'm not going to say aspiring, because you all are already doing it. We're going to talk about that and more coming up today on the Marissa Mitchell Show. The Marissa Mitchell Show on this Thursday, also known as Friday Eve. And M-Squad, we have the vibes. I'm talking something for everybody. Those of you who are looking to get into the entertainment industry and caregivers looking for support to ways you can find success after a job change or a job loss. It's a jam-packed hour that starts now. Let his story remind you that no matter the complication, no matter the hardship, can make history. You heard it from former First Lady Michelle Obama herself. You have the chance to become a history-making creator right here in the DMV. The HBCU First Look Film and TV Festival kicks off today. The event's supporting filmmakers, producers, actors, and more. We know you probably have some questions, so scan the QR code. Tap into their expertise while they are here on our show. We're going to read those messages in less than 30 minutes. Thank you. And the O.J. said it best. Some people got to have it. Some people really need it. We're talking about money and how to make the most out of career hardships. A workplace strategist who has worked with national brands like CVS, she is here on our couch with ways to turn job loss into better opportunities. You don't want to miss that discussion. And a question for you ahead of our hot sheet. How would you feel if your favorite artist canceled a concert less than an hour before it was supposed to start? I actually went through that, but it also just happened to Cat's Eye fans. We're going to share the band's apology and what we think about it. Also, stick around to give your parents a standing ovation. That's the title of a new movie that has a red carpet premiere right here in our area. The filmmaker and organizers will explain how they hope to give hope. to caregivers. Now to today's edition of On the Ride. The HBCU First Look Film and TV Festival kicks off today at Howard University. It helps emerging filmmakers and other creators be seen and ultimately get work. Students have the chance to rub elbows with major industry leaders and scholarship awards are also up for grabs. The black girl magic on this panel was so beyond anyone's expectations. The fact that we could celebrate one another all in one place was fantastic. Join us at the HBCU. I counted a lot of famous faces there in that video. We have a sneak peek of what's in store. Coming to the show now is founder Sheila Eldridge and film finalist Maya DeGado and Raina Jenkins. Lady, welcome to the show. Oh! This is so exciting. Hey, four years strong now? Yes. Oh, my goodness. Thank you. Thank you for joining us. Come on in. Early congratulations. Thank you. Being a finalist is nothing to sneeze at. So proud of them. I'm proud of them, too. Before we get to this great discussion, I'm so glad you ladies are here. We want to remind you to scan the QR code to send your entertainment career-related questions, comments. We're going to read those in a few. Now, Sheila and Maya, we have to mention you two have ties to Howard University. You know. H-U. You know. You got to do that. And in Florida A&M represented as well with Raina. Sheila, talk about this festival, you know, the impetus for it and how proud you are to see it back again. It is, okay, so. 25 plus years ago, we used to have career fairs at Howard University, and I made a lot of friends there, made a lot of contacts there. And as an alumni, I thought we need to do something where we can bring the industry, other alumni, to. ...various schools and to interact with our students and create a pipeline for the next generation of filmmakers. Their work is amazing. This year we had 450, the largest ever in our four years. We're still a baby, but in our four years, 450 films submitted. And how many will actually be screened? Well, we'll be screening over the... Over the two days, we'll be screening the ten finalists, and in addition to that, some other special films we'll be screening, and we're bringing in executives, HBCU executives in the industry to work with the students, and to do master classes, we're doing panel discussions, it's just an amazing experience, and I'm so excited because we have so many young women and men. Maya, I'll start with you. Tell me about your film and how it feels to be displayed in this way coming up at the festival. Yeah, so my film is actually dedicated to my great-grandma, my grandma, and my late aunt. The film celebrates having the loved ones in your life while they're in your life and giving them their flowers. Oh, that's why you call it Flowers. Yes, I love that. Raida, tell me more. My film, My Testimony, Gender, Sexuality, and HIV in the Black Church focuses on the complex duality of the black church's role and the disparity rates of HIV in the black community, but also how it has provided faith, resilience, and healing for the subjects in my documentary. I feel like you all just made me smarter in the last 30 seconds. That's a heavy topic, both. But you all used your storytelling to bring it to bear. Sheila, there are so many pathways to and through entertainment. It's not just on air or on set. Talk about some other, you know, industries that people can expect to get involved with. Well, we like to say we do below the line and above the line. So we have people, we have directors there, we have camera people there. And then we have, with the School of Fine Arts, we're doing master classes for actors as well. So we've brought together students from both fine arts and students. from communications and then the law students at Howard are doing a session on how to maintain trademarks and keeping your rights because people give away so. But this is really what we consider to be a real pipeline for students. And it's an incubator program. This year. The students participated 100% in the development, the marketing, the production. We have 15 students that are coming in from around the country. We have an ambassador program that they came up with, over 50 students that are ambassadors from other schools, but 15 of their schools are bringing them in to participate. So it's really a hands-on and incubator program that I say it's the new wave of career opportunities for our next generation. Next generation. And I'm so glad to. too that you mentioned the business side of entertainment because intellectual property is everything and totally now it's social media it's a lot harder to to understand it and navigate and that's why we expanded the name because it's not just film it's the streaming it's the it's the dramas the little mini dramas that they're doing the verticals i'm learning all of this from them the YouTube Shorts and all this thank you thank you did you both always love films and filmmaking How did you get into it? Raina, you start this one. Honestly, I thought I wanted to be on screen, and so my cousin, she lived in LA, I went to LA, and I loved it, but she showed me the behind the scenes, and from there I was like, oh, I need to be behind the scenes, and so from there I was watching all the behind the scenes things on DVDs when I was younger. When I was at FAMU, I took a doc and film class and that's kind of what started me on documentary production. And you know behind the scenes is where the power really is. Yes. You understand that. Yes. How about you, Maya? During my undergrad program, I was a student critic for the film festival in my local area. Oh, wow. And through that, I thought I was just going to go into script writing and just be a writer. But at Howard University, I discovered I really loved directing, writing, producing, all the things. So I'm really glad that I had the opportunity to develop those skills and I'm glad you both get the opportunity. Now, I'm trying to figure out how I can get the opportunity to come and learn because we're always still learning and growing. I just want to say quickly that the students don't just get monetary. They get internships. They get apprenticeships. And that's thankful to our partners, which is Starz, which is Anscape, which is Fox, Tubi. We have a deal with Tubi where we have 21 HBCU films on Tubi. All right. And we have TV One, which, of course, Miss Kathy Hughes School of Communications, which she's a product. She's one of my mentors. Yes. And Aspire TV and then Black Girl Vitamins. So I just really appreciate them coming on board and embracing what we're doing. And we saw some of the celebrities who come out, major stars. Can you recall over the years, maybe one in particular who dropped a gem that just stays with you? Let me tell you, last year, Ryan Coogler came to the Howard Theater to accept our Global Impact Award for the work that he does, and he spent so much time with the students, but for him to come wouldn't let us pay anything. He came on his dime to come out to spend time with these students. Ah. That. That kept me going because it has not been easy. You know, when you're fundraising and everything, it's not easy. But that was an affirmation that when you're blessed, you have to be a blessing. To other people. And I want to thank you for that because on your show, I get inspired. Really? Oh, my God. You have no idea. You have no idea. Yes. So thank you. And I'm just so proud of them. We are. And I'm also proud of the theme. It's called How to Be the Next. So I want to end with you two ladies. I'm going to start the sentence and you have to finish it. Raina, you're going to begin. When I think of being next, I... When I think of being next, I think, I feel, I believe... I believe anything is possible. Ooh, that's good. When I think of being next, I... I... Isn't it a tough one? You know that all things are possible. That's what I sense. So where can people go? Is it too late to register? You can still register, hbcufirstlook.com. You can go there. We have a reception opening networking tonight, and then the sessions start all day tomorrow. All right, well, thank you for giving us a first look. How about that? Always. Come on. Scan the QR code to send your media and entertainment-related questions. I mean, the pro is here. They are here. So please get those in. We're going to read those in just about 15. Now, that's a D.C.-based event. We know that. But next up, we're going to pull in Virginia, too. I cannot wait to introduce you to the father-son duo behind the Emmy-winning documentary, Rise of the Legion. They're here to spill some of their trade secrets. We'll see what we can get out of those two. And later in the hot sheet, artificial intelligence. Intelligent just sparked a massive fan request from Maryland's own Tony Braxton. We have to show you the edit online that has fans demanding NPR. Please get her on Tiny Desk. I'm one of those fans. And later in our Money Moves segment, it will be aimed at empowering you during hardships with your career. A workplace strategist will be here to share how to turn job loss into your dream position. Stay with us. Back with today's hot sheet. I have entertainment journalist, the media prince in his house. And I got comedian Mike Brown here. He had us cracking up during the commercial break. So welcome. I think this is a first for you two on together at the same time. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. It's a powerful pair. It's a powerful pair. I love it. The vibes are here. It is. I heard that bass you put on it, too. Put a little stank on it. Here's a question for you, though. Have you guys ever went to a concert only to have it canceled like an hour before it was set to start? Have you gone through that? Lauryn Hill. Lauryn Hill. Okay, Anita Baker, that's what I went through. I'll get into it in just a minute. But this actually happened to fans of Cat's Eye. This was Tuesday in Detroit, 30 minutes before they were set to take the stage. Tears from the kids there, parents, some of them spending about $5,000 on VIP tickets. Goodness gracious. They were highly upset, to say the least. I bet it goes like this. Give me five Gs. I'll do something. The group took to Instagram to apologize for the inconvenience. They say they had to postpone the show due to illness. The venue told ticket holders to hold on to their tickets because they will be able to use those for a new date. But here's my question. Cat's Eye's apology, hot or not? It was not. Come on, y'all. As a Cat's Eye fan, You guys are already going through different member changes. We've seen Manon take a break. We see Sophie take a break. And so now it's a foursome. So when it does come to this sickness, I understand because you don't want to now jump it down to two as you already see we've thrown off that it's not a complete six. I don't know. Yeah, the kids are keeping me up with the Cat's Eye. I don't even know what Cat's Eye is. And they're like this new international girl group that is like taking, like when I tell you. I stole a storm. And they have really good catchy songs. I just got to see them when they were here in the DMV at the Capitol. Well, good thing they didn't postpone your show. Thank goodness. We really would have had a different conversation up here. But honestly, I think they could have announced it way sooner. They've been so great with communication, letting us know in the first place. So 30 minutes later. Ladies. Yeah. You know. You got some. I would have been hot too if I was in that position. I would have asked if they validate in parking. And I would have left with some popcorn. I would have left here with something. I would have left here with a little inconvenience fee on it. This happened to me. It was literally 15 minutes prior to Anita Baker performing in Atlanta. And I spent a lot more than just on the ticket. I flew down to Atlanta. This was Mother's Day weekend. Thinking I'm going to surprise my mother to take her to an Anita Baker concert. And we got surprised standing out of State Farm Arena and finding out it was canceled. She was caught up in somebody. She was rapping and was not performing that day, and she did not apologize. So I give them a hug for apologizing. I'm still waiting on mine. You know it was about three years ago. You're going to be waiting. You're going to be caught up in the rapture before she gets that. You're never going to get that apology. We've got some big casting news for the upcoming Snoop Dogg biopic titled Snoop. Actress Cynthia Erivo, she is set to play the role of rapper Tupac Shakur's mother, Afeni Shakur. The Hollywood Reporter announced that yesterday. It's currently underway in Southern California. Afeni Shakur was a former Black Panther and manager of her son's estate. She died back in 2016 at 69 years old. When it comes to casting this role in particular, hot or not? Spitting image of her. She looks just like her. And I knew Afeni. This is hot. Yeah. This is hot. I want to know who's going to play Snoop. D-O-double-G. They get that lookalike from Backstreet Boys. Not them taking you full. You're like, I have to bounce. I'm a method actor. Who's going to play Snoop? D-O-double-G. Oh, shoot. I'll play Snoop. You got it? I'm a method actor. You know, I never shared this story before, but I'm going to share it now. I met Afeni Shakur. She lived in the Atlanta area before she passed, Stone Mountain specifically. I was going out for a role to play her in a play. Wow. For her and Jasmine Guy. Okay. They loved me, but told me I was way too tall. Jasmine was almost in tears. She was like, you're the best. You fit everything else. I think Afeni was like maybe five, five feet. Y'all could have CGI'd my mirror. I think this is going to be a good look too because we've been, and Cynthia has said this too, she's been so engulfed and wicked. We've only seen her as the green lady. So now we get to see her step back into why we like her as an actress in the first place. All right, well, singer Toni Braxton is manifesting at NPR Tiny Desk Concert. The Grammy Award winner, she posted this thing. AI is outstanding. That's been going viral. Take a listen. That's picturing all the Braxtons. What do we think? I think it would be hot if they actually did it in real life. I think they would be very hot. The Braxtons doing a whole tiny dance. Come on, NPR. You feel the vibe. They're going to need a tiny room, not a tiny desk to do it. It's time now for Tucker's take. We're going to bring them in to get into our forecast. And Tucker, we saw rain for the first time in what? 19 days. No, 19. Well, today would have been day number 19. Wow. Need a little bit of rain, right? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, occasionally with the car wash. Yeah, exactly. With the car wash. This afternoon, I don't think we'll get much more in the way of rain. Mostly rain or clouds, and then more rain showers late tonight with a cold front. That will give us a cool weekend, but we will be sunny and beautiful both Saturday and Sunday. Commander's Game Sunday afternoon looks great. Porch Fest, whatever you're doing outdoors. We've got the film festival happening, too. So thank you, Todd. That's not bad at all. I'll go get my tip jar. I'll be back. We got you, boo. Thanks so much for coming, guys. Of course. You guys were awesome. Thank you. Well, you know what else the forecast calls for? A red carpet. We have a sneak peek at the Give Your Parents a Standing Ovation movie premiere right here in the DMV. I feel like we have an entertainment-themed show today. Hey. That movie hopes to honor parents and caregivers. Scan the QR code to send creatives behind the HBCU First Look Film and TV Festival your questions. They are still here standing by to read those. After this quick break, we are back now with the creatives behind the HBCU First Look Film and TV Festival. It starts today at Howard University with an opening reception. But we're going to get to your questions that you all have sent in. And they've sent in plenty. Charles D. here out of D.C. What if I can't sell an independent project? What are my options? What do you guys think in terms of. You want to do the work, but you don't have the money outright. In most cases, it's very economical to do, but you can do with mobile, you can do with the verticals. So that's a way. And then a lot of people are doing GoFundMe. Yes, crowdsourcing the money for it is important. Crowdsourcing is a really quick way to do it, but there's a lot of support for verticals. And I would say, too, putting things on social media. You never know who can find it and see it, and then it will take off. We've had several guests say that that started their own TV series or movies, what have you. Next up, we have another question coming in from Sherry. This is out of Bowie, Maryland. Where do you get your ideas, and how do you know if it's a good one? I want Maya and Raina to take this one. How did you know you had a good idea? I think it really just depends. Like, for me, when I know it's a good idea, it's an idea that I can't get out of my mind. Yeah, if I'm thinking about it day in and day out, it's a good idea for me. It keeps knocking. You're like, okay, I hear you, I hear you. Is that the same for you, Raina? I try and pull from, like, personal experiences or, like, experiences from people around me and then base those stories kind of just like a personal tie. Because if you're in it, you're going to do well, right? If you have a piece... Of the pie and something to say is going to fuel your passion to actually get through the project. And it's one thing to have an idea to follow through. So, Sheila, for people who have the idea to come out and support you all, not just today, but beyond. How can they do so? They can always go to hbcufirstlook.com. You'll see what we're doing with our annual film challenge, which will open back up in January. Oh, good. So there's something all year long, 365. This is an annual, we call it, and the initiative, it's an initiative. Got it. And they always hang around those initiatives. That's right. Well, thank you guys for hanging with me. Congratulations, finalists. Looking forward to see more of your work in the future. And Sheila, thank you so much for what you're doing. Thank you. It means the world. Thank you. All right, it's 11:26. If you've hit a career bump, I know it's hard, but it could be a blessing in disguise. We have a top workforce strategist. She is here to show you how you can turn that layoff into a huge opportunity. We'll be right back. 11:29 right now. I'm Stephanie Ramirez in the newsroom following breaking news on Fox 5, a major update in the murder trial of Naresh Bhatt. Now, we have the moment that the defendant, Naresh Bhatt, today took the stand admitting to dismembering his wife's body. Take a listen to At some point, did you start to cut the body of Mamta Khasa? Yes. What did you what do you remember about that? Just make a smaller size so that it fit on the can. You were trying to do what? Lower body apart. So lower body apart. Lower her body apart? Yes. What do you mean by lower? Uh like separate the legs from the body. Thank you, everybody. This is a bombshell development in the case that has been five weeks at trial for this jury. This is after Naresh Bhatt told police multiple times. There was multiple police body cam video evidence also played where he told police, again, multiple times, that he did not know where his wife was. He testified on the stand this morning to going to bed the night of July 29th of 2024 and waking up the next morning to find his wife on the ground. Which he described to the court was covered with vomit around her face, believing that there was also pills inside of her vomit, explaining essentially to the court as he's being walked through with the defense attorney, explaining to the court that it was believed suicide was the reason for his wife's death. And he claims he also tried to take his life in those moments before making the decision to discard her body. We're going to have more, guys, the very latest for you coming up on Fox 5. But that is a development at this time. Marcelle, I'll send it back to you. Certainly a gruesome admission, and Stephanie, I know you've been following this case each and every day, and you'll keep us in the know about how it develops. Thank you for that. Time now, 11:31, and it's time now for our Money Moves segment. We're talking about a lot of industry today, but it doesn't matter if you're in media, real estate, healthcare, or education, any industry, layoffs are a reality. We've certainly seen that here in the DMV when federal cuts hit so many people. Overall, we have some stats here. Employers laid off more than 1.6 million Americans last month. That number jumps to nearly 14 million year to date. These stats from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But what if I told you job loss could actually be the start of your best professional chapter yet? Well, strategist and founder of the HR Plug, LaShawn Davis, she is here with how we can turn that layoff into a launching pad, essentially. Absolutely. Oh, a lot of people need this advice. There are a lot of people hurting out there, LaShawn. And I know you've worked with national brands, so you have the expertise. How do we begin with, you know, getting clear and looking ahead and turning something that was awful into something better? Absolutely. Well, first, it's about remembering who you are. And we've been conditioned to believe that these organizations, these corporations, or whoever our employer is, holds our sustainability. And we need to flip that and think about the value that we're bringing to them and being able to articulate that. Wow. And so I guess you should start by thinking about, OK, what's the work that I want to do next? Correct. And what skills do I need in order to accomplish that goal? Not just what you want to do, but what's aligned to the intention of your creation. What are you gifted in? What are you talented in? What is your anointing in? When you nestle in what your intention of creation is, then it doesn't feel like work, it feels like service, and that's what we were created to do. I love that you said that. I have a friend of mine, and she doesn't mind me sharing this. Her name is Tanya. She's a comedian, but she used to have a desk job in a corporate space, and she got laid off. And she told me that she started to reframe her story from, I didn't get laid off, I got released into my destiny. There you go. And that's what you just said. There you go. That is what it's about. And then you also have to identify your values. and what you bring to any job or any purpose. Identify it and be able to articulate it. Because if you don't believe it, no one else will either. And so we go into these job interviews or we go into these opportunities really able to tell me where I worked, what I did, what my titles were. But if I ask you, well, who are you? Outside of those things, we struggle. And that's where we need to get more standard and firm and confident and being able to say who you are and why were you created? What are you a solution to? an answer to, be able to answer those questions before you start looking for your next. What problem can you solve for somebody else? How can you be of service? When you say explain who you are, essentially, how can you You do that in a way that doesn't sound, you know, too much. You're doing the most, as the kids say. Absolutely, not bragging, not ego. Well, I tell everybody, start with this exercise that I learned from reading Caroline Wonga's book. And it says, you go to five people and you ask them, what would you do? Or what would you absolutely not do unless I was a part of it? Okay. You ask five people that question. You look at the themes. And then you ask them, what would you absolutely not invite me to do with you because I'm horrible at it? And then you look at those answers. Start there and look at those themes. And you'll begin to see how people see you and identify things that maybe you don't even see in yourself. Because perception is everything. And perception isn't always reality. It's not. You've got to know what people see. For people, though, who are in a job that they hate, and they know that they're going They know they won out. Maybe they should start considering an exit strategy. And if that is the case, how should they orchestrate that? Well, first, if you're in a job, never let that job be your sole source of income. Your corporate job or wherever you're working should be an income stream, whether you're an entrepreneur or whatever you are, right? And then as you sit there and think, we talked about your contributions. Who do you serve? How can you share that with the world? The problem is we're not visible. We do our LinkedIn profiles talking about where we've worked and the companies we've worked for, former this, former that. But who are you and how do you show up? What changes because you walk in a room? So if you're on LinkedIn, you say, well, I am visible. I have a profile on LinkedIn. Should you be posting once a week? How do you stay visible without having people thinking you're looking? Because people leverage LinkedIn incorrectly. LinkedIn isn't a platform that's supposed to help you find a job, but everybody thinks it is. It's a platform where you become visible so that job seekers find you. And if you're not leveraging that platform by teaching something, sharing something, showcasing something, educating somebody about something, then really your LinkedIn profile, anybody can put their name on it and it would be universal. It's time to get back to making your LinkedIn profile about what's unique to you. And if I read it and I didn't see Marissa Mitchell on there, I would... Still know it was you because absolutely everything that it speaks to is you. So we got to get curious about that and we got to get confident in that so that people find us and we attract instead of chase because the hustle culture was a lie. I have to tell you, LaShawn, we've had so many experts, not just on this show, but throughout Fox 5 and our programming here. I never had one say that, what you said about LinkedIn. Yes, it's not supposed to be for job seeking. Yes, it's just a place for you to stay visible so people can see who you are. And then if a job comes out of it, then so be it. Right. Because people are going to actually want to attract to you because they see you offering something that they need. They see that you're that solution. They see that you are able, you're exactly what we need. Then you attract opportunities. All right, well, LaShawn, thank you so much. I'm glad we attracted you. And you came because you gave us a lot to think about, whether you're coming out of a job or looking for a new one. These are things that you can carry throughout. Absolutely. Remember who you are. Absolutely. All right, it's 1137. You don't have to travel all the way to. Hollywood to hit the red carpet, just drive over to Bowie. Up next, meet the creators and star behind the Give Your Parents a Standing Ovation. I wish I could stand and show you giving my mom a standing ovation to hear how it gives back to caregivers and give them the spotlight they deserve. I can't wait to join you. Speaking of families, meet the father and son duo who created an Emmy Award winning documentary highlighting Norfolk State University's marching band. Welcome back. Our media and entertainment hour continues with a red carpet and a shout out to all of the parents and caregivers. The movie premiere hits Bowie Center for the Performing Arts this Saturday. The stage play Give Your Parents a Standing Ovation evolved into a feature film. I heard that. But the premiere is more than just glitz and glamour. It's a celebration honoring adults in our lives and intergenerational connections. So we have the founder and author Author of Give Your Parents a Standing Ovation, Dr. Gabriela Ballard-Bloom. Ballard Blakes, filmmaker Bruce Odoms is here, and cast member Reverend Gloria Gaddy. Welcome, welcome, welcome. Thank you. Thank you. Oh, wow. Absolutely. So describe to me now, Dr. Ballard Blakes, how you came up with this idea and the personal tie you have to the work. Oh, my goodness. I actually came, I started with the book. I turned, and how it was inspired is because I was a caretaker for my mom. Hmm. And after she passed, I wanted to give back to the community, so I wrote a book. And then after I wrote the book, I... I did the play, and then I turned the play into the movie. Yeah, and something to help other people along the journey and after. Yes, ma'am. Because we're all going to experience it at one point or another. What were some of the things that you learned, even with your own journey with your mother as you were writing? What were some of the aha moments you experienced? Oh, my goodness. Let me tell you what I experienced. I experienced that you have to have, for one, be grateful. Yes. You also want to make sure that they understand that you're trying to do the best that they can, the best that you can. And I learned that the biggest thing that I took from that experience was I was able to give my mom. Her flowers before she passed. Mm-hmm, yeah. Yes. That's what they say. Give them their flowers while they can still smell them. You know, they can still smell them. Yeah, that's so important. And you're reminding others to do the same. And Bruce, I know you directed it, right? The movie. So you spend a lot of time working. Talk about, you know, your level of expertise and background and what you were able to bring to this project. Well, we met through somebody. Yes. Exactly. But I've been doing, making movies and stuff for like about 20 years. And the same way we came, somebody introduced me to somebody else and they said, Bruce, we think you can probably put this movie together and stuff. So I said, well, let me think about it, you know. So I thought about it and I said, I probably can pull this off and whatnot. So that's how we started out. We ended up getting the cast members together. It's all about having a great cast. You got to. You got a great cast, you got. From the dedicated people that's going to come and show up when they're supposed to come and show up, you know, so it makes the best out of everything. It makes it a lot easier for me to do. And I see right there on the center of that flyer, Reverend Gaddy. She's playing Mama Bean. Yes. Tell me about your character. Well, I actually play the role of a grandmother who is experiencing Alzheimer's. And I have such a wonderful family that gathers around me and love me and take good care of me. And we wanted to make sure that through the movie that you will also see that it's not easy. So there are resources that we have also put into the movie so that. As I begin to suffer and there's this terrible disease, then they put some of the resources in place so that I'm taken well, good care of. And that's what's so important as we age in place. We want the love for our seniors to go so deep that they'll be able to go through such terrible times. Absolutely. And you get into the heart of the matter, which are some of the tougher topics. But there's some levity in there, too. There's some fun. There's some humor. Oh, yes. Because it's all about a true family going, experiencing, caregiving, and someone having some kind of cognitive issue. And as the movie go on, the doctor diagnosed that there's some dementia going on here. And the doctor also gives them information about how you should take care of a person with dementia. So this is not just a film. This is really a movement to move people into understanding. As I said in the opening, Give your parents or that person that sacrificed for you, give them their flowers and your gratitude before they leave. Don't stand over, don't do the eulogy and say all these nice things, but this person has never heard that before. This movie is showing people to give your... Either your parents or that loved one who sacrificed their flowers while they can smell them and receive them. It's a movie and a movement. It is. And a movement. Yes, it's a movement. And it's also birthed out of your nonprofit, too. It is. You're about healthy aging and caregiver support. Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. The whole thing for the nonprofit is about... Caring for folks, community education. And it never ends. You can answer. You can take that call. You can take it. We understand, Marisa. It's all good. Community, giving back to the community, awareness, brain health, caregiving, not only for the person, but for yourself. That's what the nonprofit is about. And also, the movie talks and tells you a little bit about that as well. Well, we hope that you all go and help them celebrate and go out to that red carpet premiere. You know, I love a red carpet. Oh, yeah. And you know you're invited. You know you're invited. Yes, ma'am. What was the best part of playing Mama V? Oh, my. It was me. When I saw the film, Bruce, I tell you, I was like, it's just me. And I may add that I have over 30 years of senior services in the county, in Prince George's County. And I tell you, I love doing what I do. And I'm just so thankful that I've got this opportunity so that we can share and help so many others. And we are thankful for you. And I just love your hair band. Thank you. And congrats. Thank you so much for having us. Yeah, you're going to bring a lot of families closer together. Yes, ma'am. That's our whole intent. All right, well, we have another celebration of family and film on the other side of the studio. I'm going to have to walk over here real quick, but I'll be back. And it's funny because we have a father and son duo here, and I don't know if they know this, but I am good friends with the wife of the family, April Woodard. I've known her for many years, tried to model my career. After hers, and I'm so glad that you two are here. The Emmy Award-winning father and son duo, Adrian Woodard and Adrian Woodard II. You two co-directed the documentary Rise of the Legion, which highlights Norfolk State University's Spartan Legion marching band. And you can see it tomorrow at the HBCU First Look Film Festival that kicks off today at Howard University. We talked about that off the top. Here's a sneak peek at their film. There's no better band than the Spartan Legion. We do this in a special way. Everybody couldn't wait for the halftime show for a North State band to play. It is diva. You don't got a good band and y'all trash. If you're not accepting of it, that in itself is your death sentence. They're talented, and my talented colleague, Brian, just reminded me our director, Antonio, is a proud graduate of North Texas State, so I know he's going to watch it. Behold, the green and gold. Yeah, congratulations. Thank you so much. So tell me about this film. I saw some heavyweights you all have that were featured in it. I always let him tell you who's in the film, because it's so many people. We have numerous, about 17 interviews in the film, but we have Timbaland, Cheryl Lee Ralph. Kirk Franklin, Jay Pharoah, Don Lewis, and Tim Reed, and so many others. Oh, come on. You could take one, and that would have been enough. You've got a whole slate of stars. Did all of them agree? All of them agreed. The world agrees. They know. They know. They better ask somebody if they don't know. Yeah, yeah. So talk about making it, putting it together, father and son. I love that part. It took some time. And even though we did co-direct it, my wife was also a producer on it. So it was a family affair. Entirely and so really was about legacy for us and we really Spent some time really thinking about it because as you probably know my wife's father Was the president of Norfolk State University for 22 years and so because of that It's a legacy program for us also. It's his grandfather, and so it was just really something that was very personal to us. And so we cover the entire history of the Norfolk State marching band, the Legion, the Legion as we call them, and that's where the name comes from, Rise of the Legion. It's just overall their history and what they've done over the last 50 years. You know, there are some bands, and I love HBCUs, and I've been to so many Battle of the Bands. There are some bands where you can sneak in there and not really play. I used to play the trumpet but with With them, everybody's playing. They will blow you out of the stadium. For real. Yes, yes, yes, yes. So did it give you even a deeper appreciation? Did you learn something new in the process of making it that maybe you didn't anticipate? Probably true for you. Most definitely. I think just what the band means to the community. Yeah. Cinematically, I shot it, so I tried to shoot them cinematically as heroes, you know? That's what they mean to the community and when you when you hear the band You know a lot of times people come to the game to hear them just to hear the band and then after halftime They're dispersed, but that band is gonna have your attention when they're playing So you got it and I see a lot of the shots and it's true. You're shooting upwards. Yeah, so you can You can really see the bravata toss. With the cinematic guy. There you go. And I also read that at 16 you started Corrosa Films and it's part of a whole mission I guess to corrode the conventional Bland part of filmmaking. Look at that. What does that mean? So Corrosa, basically, I just wanted, like you said, I wanted to corrode the way that filmmaking has been approached. I felt like during the time that I was making it, there's a lot of sequels, a lot of prequels, a lot of remakes. And I wanted something fresh. I wanted to tell fresh stories. And in the part, you know, where I'm from, Virginia 757, there's a lot of great stories that come from that area. And this one, the Spartan Legion, is one that you can't. Not to, you know? Gosh, I'm going to be watching it over and over and over again. Now, will you all be screening at the film festival? Or are you just going to talk about it? We're screening tomorrow night at 7 o'clock. And I think we have a short panel afterwards to do some discussion. Of course, my wife will be there for that. Oh, yeah. And I was going to say, to add to it, it's important to us because April and I actually met. We met on the campus of Norfolk State University when she was a teenager and I was a teenager and the band was always playing. In the background, because since her father was the president, they lived on campus. So every time we talked on the phone, the band is playing in the background. It is the soundtrack. Literally. Yeah, of our lives. Literally. It's a wonderful thing. Oh, my goodness. So where do you think your film, and it is Emmy Award winning. I should have said that. Congrats on the Emmy. Thank you. They don't just give those away. Yes. What do you want the takeaway to be for folks who watch, whether they went to Norfolk State or not, or an HBCU or not? What's the takeaway? I think for our culture, for black culture, I want them to feel a sense of pride. And for cultures who are not from the same background as us, I want them to have an appreciation and understanding of our culture. Because I think that's super important right now when history is being erased. Mm-hmm. This is the time to tell our own stories. I think the other thing about that, if I can echo that, is if we do not do it. The assumption will be that someone else did it. There's a portion of the film where we talk about the HBCU impact because we all know that we're creative people. This is something that just runs in our blood, but it's normal for us. It is not normal for the rest of the world. That's that's that's step one. Step two is if you do not let people know where it came from, they will assume that it came from somewhere else, because one part in the film we actually talk about LSU band is playing talking out of the side of your neck, which is the origin of this film for us. And if we don't say, hey, do you know where that came from? Because Norfolk State University was the first band to ever play talking out the side of your neck, which is a staple. It's anthemic. It happens at every stadium across the country now. And so if we don't tell that, if we don't say that, it gets lost. Lost in the mix. And before you know it, your culture gets watered down. All right. And now you know. You also need to know to go and support this film and support you all at the Film Fest as well at Howard University. Thank you so much for coming. I was going to say you could go to riseofthelesion.com to keep up with all the updates. All right. Will do. Thank you so much, Adrian Sr. Jr. for coming. We appreciate you both. Thank you for having me. We'll be right back with your Burst of Joy. Welcome back for today's Burst of Joy. We spent so much of this hour talking about opportunities on screen, but what about opportunities on the mic? Well, D.C. will be bursting with music this weekend during Porch Fest. Adams Morgan Fall Porch Fest is a free music festival that kicks off this Saturday. There's going to be 100 bands involved. Go-go, band, blues, Latin music, and more. Also, they've added local vendors. That event goes from noon until 5 p.m. So enjoy and have some fun. We'll be right back with a preview of tomorrow's show. Thank you for joining us on such a fun and informative show. I'm going to round out this work week with some more star power on the Marissa Mitchell Show because multi-platinum singer, former Danity Kane member Dawn Richard, she's going to be live in studio. We're going to check out her new album with major features from stars like Big Freedia. And also, we're going to walk through history and shine a light on unsung black female pilots. We're going to talk about women who really stood in the gap for the Tuskegee Airmen. You don't want to miss that. Also, no.