Janeane Bernstein speaks with Emmy and Academy Award winner Terry Sanders about his latest work, Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey. LISTEN NOW!

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The new coming of age film from Emmy and Academy Award winner Terry Sanders, Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey. Starring Once Upon A Time...in Hollywood's breakthrough star Mikey Madison, Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle's Madeline Iseman, and Bloodline's Sean H. Scully and set in California in the 1960's, this romantic story of first love combines elements of Romeo & Juliet and The Odyssey. Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey is available for the first time on DVD and VOD from Vision Films on August 4, 2020.

Vision Films presents the beautiful story of first love from Emmy and Academy Award winner Terry Sanders,

LIZA, LIZA, SKIES ARE GREY

Coming soon to DVD and VOD on August 4, 2020

HOLLYWOOD, CA - July 14, 2020 - Vision Films are proud to present the loving coming of age film, Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey. Directed by Terry Sanders (1994 Academy Award winner for Best Documentary, Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision) and starring Once Upon A Time...in Hollywood’s breakthrough star Mikey Madison, this unforgettable film captures the innocence and overwhelming emotion that is first love. Set in 1960’s California with its exquisite cinematography and wonderful performances by its cast of rising stars, Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey will be available on DVD and video on demand for the first time on August 4, 2020.


“A sweet story of teenage love” - Film Threat

“ Sanders takes the elements of teen exploitation films and fashions a simple, placid return to innocence”- Village Voice


Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/VKRjetAnF8U


Starring Mikey Madison (The Addams Family, Better Things), Madison Iseman (Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle, Annabelle Comes Home), Sean H. Scully (The Last Champion, Bloodline), Valarie Rae Miller (La La Land, Dark Angel), Kristin Minter (Home Alone, This Is Us), Kwame Boateng (The Onion Movie, Not Easily Broken) and John-Paul Lavoisier (Days Of Our Lives, All My Children), Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey sees a hopeful young couple take a motorcycle trip up the California coast in the summer of 1966 that they will never forget.


Synopsis

After deciding they would be each other’s “first,” Liza (Mikey Madison) and Brett (Sean H. Scully), a young couple trying to figure out love and growing up in the summer of ‘66, take a motorcycle road trip up the California coast. With one last chance to live like there’s no tomorrow in a world filled with war, fear, and change, fate will offer them more than they ever expected to find on the warm and winding highway.

“I wanted to explore the rebellious feelings and the incredible excitement of a 15-year-old girl and her 16-year-old boyfriend, growing up in Southern California in the ‘60s in the time of the A-Bomb, the Vietnam War and the Sexual Revolution, deciding to take off on their own to discover what love is all about”, says director/writer, Terry Sanders.

“Drawing on actual moments, memories, fragments, and experiences from my own early life, I wanted to shoot the film like a documentary — as if one could go back in time and actually follow two real kids. I hope young people seeing the film will identify with Liza and Brett and hope it will stir poignant memories in parents and grandparents”.


“Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey is a charming and timeless love story that invokes the feeling of being young and in love for the very first time," says Vision Films CEO/Managing Director, Lise Romanoff. "The legendary Terry Sanders has created a Romeo and Juliet meets The Odyssey and Vision is pleased to be presenting Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey on DVD and video on demand.”

Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey will be available on August 4, 2020, on DVD from all major online retailers and on digital for an SRP of $4.99 - $9.99 from platforms including iTunes, Vudu, Google Play, Xbox, Amazon, and FandangoNow, as well as cable affiliates everywhere.


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LIZALIZAMOVIE/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX24iiC4aDrcoGqCbeUVbdg

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizalizamovie/

#lizalizamovie

Coming up August 31, 2020 at 9:30am pst on KUCI 88.9fm - Janeane chats with Leslie La Page of the LA FEMME International Film Festival

  LISTEN or  WATCH the conversation

Meet Leslie La Page 

For over a decade Leslie La Page has Produced, Directed and Line Produced/UPM for Film, TV, Music Videos, Commercials and Theatrical productions nationally and internationally in both the independent and commercial markets. She has worked for such companies as Black Entertainment Television Action Pay Per View (BET) HBO, Lifetime TV, MTV, Paramount and Nickelodeon just to name a few.

While at BET she line produced their entire slate of original programming which aired on their network and additional achieved international and domestic video releases. Her production experience also involves her in the areas of marketing, developing scripts, creating promotional copy as well as promotional feature spots and trailers.

In 1997 Ms. La Page ran and operated TIGER’S EYE SOUND, a dialogue editorial company, with her partner Bruce Murphy. There she worked with numerous awarding winning dialogue editors and edited over 20 independent feature films in the company’s first year. Ms. La Page and TIGER’S EYE SOUND dialogue-edited such critically acclaimed films as: 1998 Academy Awards Nominee, Best Foreign Film – “Four Days in September”; 1998 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award for “Smoke Signals”; and the film “Dead Man’s Curve,” which was a Sundance Film Festival Invitee.

In 2003, Leslie and her Partner Saul Stein, Co-Executive Producer of “The Holy Land”, formed BooYah! Films and have released through Cavu Pictures the critically acclaimed film “The Holy Land”, which opened domestically at the Angelica Theatre in New York City before rolling out to 45 cities across the nation. She still has her production company Infinity Films which is involved in feature film, music video, and commercial productions.

Ms. La Page also consults independent filmmakers for feature films, script analysis, budgets, independent marketing, and film festivals and taught at the New York Film Academy and has taught as an adjunct professor nationally at universities. She was a Slamdance Film Festival Programmer for over five years and was the creator and Executive Producer for the Slamdance Filmmaker’s Bootcamp.

Ms. LaPage was the Director of Programming for the New Orleans Media Experience Film Festival (NOME 2003) occurring in Louisiana which platformed over 100 films. 50% of the films platformed at NOME went on to have theatrical distribution: Show Boy, Nursie, Hungry Hearts, Dog Walker and Flavors just to name a few.

Ms. LaPage launched in 2005 the LA FEMME International Film Festival which still operated today as one of the most prestigious women’s film festivals in Los Angeles. The focus of the film festival is to empower women in entertainment and to platform women artists with commercially viable productions. Ms. LaPage has been a forerunner in the empowerment of independent artists. Ms LaPage explored new technologies as the V.P. of Production for Fun Little Movies channel on the Sprint mobile network. She directed and produced the channel’s first animated series, “Spacey Movie, The Series”.

Ms. LaPage launched a “Christian Faith Based Network” for a philanthropic Christian organization. She held the title of Supervising Producer for all Original Programming in Production and Post Production for their scripted and non-scripted content.

Ms. La Page holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and a Master of Fine Arts in Film Directing from the California Institute of the Arts. She currently teaches as an Adjunct teacher at Columbia College Hollywood. Ms. LaPage is currently in development with Television shows for the major networks and writing a novel series.

Coming up August 31, 2020 at 9:00am pst on KUCI 88.9fm - Eve Rodsky shares details on her latest book, Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live)

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A REESE WITHERSPOON x HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB PICK

"A hands-on, real talk guide for navigating the hot-button issues that so many families struggle with."--Reese Witherspoon

Tired, stressed, and in need of more help from your partner? Imagine running your household (and life!) in a new way...
It started with the Sh*t I Do List. Tired of being the "shefault" parent responsible for all aspects of her busy household, Eve Rodsky counted up all the unpaid, invisible work she was doing for her family -- and then sent that list to her husband, asking for things to change. His response was... underwhelming. Rodsky realized that simply identifying the issue of unequal labor on the home front wasn't enough: She needed a solution to this universal problem. Her sanity, identity, career, and marriage depended on it.

The result is Fair Play: a time- and anxiety-saving system that offers couples a completely new way to divvy up chores and responsibilities. Rodsky interviewed more than five hundred men and women from all walks of life to figure out what the invisible work in a family actually entails and how to get it all done efficiently. With four easy-to-follow rules, 100 household tasks, and a series of conversation starters for you and your partner, Fair Play helps you prioritize what's important to your family and who should take the lead on every chore from laundry to homework to dinner.

"Winning" this game means rebalancing your home life, reigniting your relationship with your significant other, and reclaiming your Unicorn Space -- as in, the time to develop the skills and passions that keep you interested and interesting. Stop drowning in to-dos and lose some of that invisible workload that's pulling you down. Are you ready to try Fair Play? Let's deal you in.

WATCH  how Eve Rodsky's Card Game Helps You Achieve "Fair Play" with Your Partner

THE 2020 AMERICAN BLACK FILM FESTIVAL IS HAPPENING NOW

WHAT:

It’s time to tune-in NOW to the 2020 ABFF’s Online Festival featuring the best of independent Black cinema, studio premieres, conversationsand panels, along with virtual networking events.

Below, please find a list of films and panel highlights that are FREE to screen and watch through ABFF Play. For a complete list of programming, go to https://www.abff.com/

PANELS:

Tuesday, August 25th Hot at Amazon
A candid conversation with content creators who have current and upcoming projects at Amazon. Each will highlight their Prime Video titles as well as their respective experiences across the entertainment industry and the importance of diverse and inclusive representation. Panelists include Little Marvin (THEM) Creator, Writer and Executive Producer; Lena Waithe (THEM) Executive Producer, Tracy Oliver (Untitled Tracy Oliver Project) Creator, Writer and Executive Producer, Barry Jenkins (The Underground Railroad) Writer, Director, Executive Producer; Tayarisha Poe (Selah and the Spades) Writer, Director; Eugene Ashe (Sylvie’s Love) Writer, Director. Panel will be moderated by Latasha Gillespie, Head of Amazon Studios Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Friday, August 28th, In Control: Black Female Perspectives on Directing and Storytelling Daughters of Eve presents a conversation with three dynamic Black female directors on feature and documentary filmmaking offering a window into their creative journeys and processes. Panelists include Gina Prince- Bythewood, Director, The Old Guard; Christine Swanson, Director, The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel; Jacqueline Olive, Director, Always in Season. Moderator is Terri Prettyman Bowles and Michele Prettyman Ph.D., Media Consultants, Daughters of Eve

Friday, August 28th. STARZ presents Power Book II: Ghost Join the cast and creators to discuss the newest chapter in the POWER universe. Panelists include Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Michael Rainey Jr., Naturi Naughton, Mary J. Blige, Monet Stewart Tejada, Cliff “Method Man” Smith with Moderator Yohana Desta the Editor of Vanity Fair.

Sunday, August 30th. Best of the American Black Film Festival Awards Hosted by Boris Kodjoe & Nicole Ari Parker The culminating event of the festival where the competitive film award winners are announced.

Presenters include Lee Daniels, Director (The United States vs. Billie Holliday, La La Anthony, Actor (The Chi), Spike Lee, Director (Da 5 Bloods), Boris Kodjoe & Nicole Ari Parker, and Logan Browning, Actor (Dear White People).

FILMS:

Films are available to stream throughout the festival. Some of the highlights include Award-winning director Jamal Hill who has two official selections, The Available Wife and True to the Game 2: Gena’s Story, starring Vivica A. Fox. Chris Chalk, currently starring in HBO’s Perry Mason, directs, produces and stars in his Narrative Features entry Farewell; while Nick Cannon's selection She Ball stars Brian “Birdman” Williams, Cedric the Entertainer, Chris Brown, Marla Gibbs and Big Boy. Death of a Telemarketer, which is produced by Megan Good and stars Oscar Nominees Jacky Earle Haley and Haley Joel Osment. Dutch, starring Macy Gray, Lance Gross, as well as The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain, starring Anika Noni Rose among others.

WHEN:

The Festival runs until August 30, 2020


WHERE:

https://www.abff.com/


PRESS:

MPRM Communications, abff@mprm.com, 323-933-3399

MORE:

The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is an annual event dedicated to
recognizing black talent and showcasing quality film and television content by and about people of African descent. Dedicated to the belief that diverse artists deserve the same opportunities as their mainstream counterparts, ABFF founder Jeff Friday conceived the festival in 1997 as a vehicle to strengthen the black entertainment community by fostering resource sharing, educationand artistic collaboration.

# # #

The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is an annual event dedicated to recognizing black talent and showcasing quality film and television content by and about people of African descent. Dedicated to the belief that diverse artists deserve the same opportunities as their mainstream counterparts, ABFF founder Jeff Friday conceived the festival in 1997 as a vehicle to strengthen the black entertainment community by fostering resource sharing, education and artistic collaboration.

After 24 years, the festival has become a cornerstone of diversity in Hollywood, providing a platform for emerging black artists – many of who have become today’s most successful actors, producers, writers, directors and stand-up comedians, including Ryan Coogler (Black Panther), Will Packer (Girls Trip), Issa Rae (Insecure), Kevin Hart (Night School), Omari Hardwick (Power) and Steven Caple Jr. (Creed II). The ABFF is the preeminent pipeline for black artists in front of and behind the camera, and has significantly expanded the range of talent working in the entertainment Industry.

As “the nation’s largest community of black film and television enthusiasts” the ABFF attracts a broad audience of celebrity talent, emerging artists, upscale consumers and industry stakeholders. Approximately 7,000 to 10,000 people travel to Miami Beach each year for the five-day event. The festival opens with the premiere of an upcoming Hollywood release followed by a full schedule of intriguing independent film screenings, master classes, panels, celebrity talks, live entertainment, and a variety of networking and hospitality events.

Actor/Director James Babbin (Michael/Executive Producer) of TRAIN STOP spoke with host Janeane Bernstein from our KUCI 88.9fm studios

LISTEN to today's conversation with
featured guest James Babbin!

TRAIN STOP a short film

Synopsis: Two busy professionals confront their undeniable attraction — and their demons — during a chance encounter at a train station. Somewhere in the crowd...there’s someone for you!

Train Stop" will screen at the Method Fest Independent Film Festival on Sunday, August 30th at 10PM, at the Westfield Fashion Square located at 14006 Riverside Drive in Sherman Oaks. Films will be simultaneous played on separate screens on the west and east end of the rooftop parking area; sound will be delivered through car radios. Tickets are available for purchase at www.filmfreeway.com at a price of $20 per person. For more information on the venue and other screenings, visit www.methodfest.com

Press Representative: Deborah Gilels LA Media Consultants ddgilels@prodigy.net

THE CAST
James Babbin (Michael/Executive Producer) has appeared onstage in Los Angeles, New York and regionally at the Fountain Theatre, Deaf West, Fierce Backbone, Santa Monica Rep, Will Geer Theatricum, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Hangar Theatre, Riverside Shakespeare, Trinity Repertory Company, Rubicon Theatre, Surflight Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, Barrow Group, Hypothetical Theatre and Alliance Repertory Company. His television and film work includes Feud, Mimi & Mo, , Hawk P.I., Water On Mars, The Bathroom Attendant, Carl’s Day Off, J. Edgar, As The World Turns, One Life To Live, Sex And The City, Angels In America, The Main Distraction, Pleasure and As Luck Would Have It. On the radio, James has worked as a disc jockey in a variety of formats and narrated audiobooks. As a producer/writer, he is the founder of Barnegat Light Production and has two series, Hacker and Paradise Rising. Off-the-set, JB spends lots of time with his dog, volunteers with Chrysalis, a nonprofit helping people find jobs and solves tech problems. He is also a grillmaster, which makes him popular, or at least gives him something to do, at parties.


Sage Porter (Tracy) A native of Boulder Colorado, Sage Porter moved with her family to Los Angeles in 2012 to pursue her acting career and has worked in films such as Hangover III and My Amish World. My Amish World has received multiple awards in film festivals across the world. Sage can also be seen on the Nickelodeon television show Bella and the Bulldogs. She is currently working on a motion capture project to help first responders with PTSD. Sage currently studies at BGB Studios and has trained at The Groundlings, with Chris Game and more. When not acting she dedicates her time to her family and volunteering for homeless, as well as the Casa Hogar orphanage in Mexico. If you have a birthday coming up, ask her to bake you a cake . . . She loves baking cakes to look like cows, zoos, horseshoe crabs . . .anything (and they taste very good too).

Coming up 8/24/20 at 9:30am pst! Life lessons from Sanford Greenberg, author of the new memoir HELLO DARKNESS, MY OLD FRIEND: How Daring Dreams and Unyielding Friendship Turned One Man’s Blindness into an Extraordinary Vision for Life

LISTEN

Life lessons from Sanford Greenberg, author of the new memoir HELLO DARKNESS, MY OLD FRIEND: How Daring Dreams and Unyielding Friendship Turned One Man’s Blindness into an Extraordinary Vision for Life (Post Hill Press/Simon & Schuster; June 30, 2020). With an Introduction by Art Garfunkel, a Foreword by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Final Word by Margaret Atwood, and advance praise from Vice President Al Gore, it’s recently been featured in People magazine, AARP’s 4 New Books Offer Hope & Inspiration, NPR’s Kojo Nnamdi, and later this week Sandy he will appear on TODAY SHOW. Since this summer marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it’s an especially good time to talk about thriving despite challenging circumstances. Here’s his story in a nutshell:

What happens when a poor kid from Buffalo gets a scholarship to Columbia but then tragically goes blind during his junior year? Luckily for him, he has a roommate named Art Garfunkel—who reads his textbooks aloud, accompanies him to his classes, and guides him literally every step of the way. That kid—Sandy Greenberg—not only graduates Phi Beta Kappa as class president but goes on to receive a Ph.D. from Harvard, an M.B.A. from Columbia, a Marshall Scholarship to Oxford, and a White House Fellowship, before forging a remarkable career as an entrepreneur, investor, innovator and philanthropist. One of his inventions—the compressed speech machine—not only changed the lives of millions of blind people but helped shape the world as we hear it today—in recordings, podcasts and audiobooks. Now Chairman of the Board of Governors of The Johns Hopkins University’s Wilmer Eye Institute, later this year, Sandy will award $3 million—through his End Blindness 20/20 campaign—to the person or group who makes the greatest stride toward ending blindness for the next generation.

ABOUT SANFORD D. GREENBERG

Sanford D. Greenberg is Chairman of the Board of Governors of The Johns Hopkins University’s Wilmer Eye Institute, the largest clinical and research enterprise in ophthalmology in the United States. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations as well as a Trustee Emeritus of The Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Medicine, which incorporates the School of Medicine and the Hospital.

President Clinton appointed Dr. Greenberg to the National Science Board, which oversees the National Science Foundation and advises both the President and Congress on policy matters related to science and engineering. He served as Chairman of the Rural Health Care Corporation, created by Congress to bring the benefits of telemedicine to America’s rural areas. Dr. Greenberg was a founding director of the American Agenda, an organization established by Presidents Carter and Ford to identify for President George H. W. Bush the six most urgent problems confronting the nation and to recommend bipartisan solutions. He also served as a director of the National Committee on United States–China Relations.

He is co-editor of the book The Presidential Advisory System, which discusses the methods used by American Presidents to obtain policy advice for the management of the federal government.

Dr. Greenberg received his B.A. as Phi Beta Kappa from Columbia University in 1962. He earned his M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard University, and his M.B.A. from Columbia University. He was a Marshall Scholar at Oxford University and attended Harvard Law School. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Sue; they have three children and four grandchildren. 

Learn more at sanfordgreenberg.com or https://www.hellodarkness-book.com/.

Monday 8/24/20 at 9:00am pst - American composer/conductor/violinist/violist/pianist and educator Maria Newman joins Janeane on KUCI 88.9fm

Maria Newman, Composer/Violinist/Violist

United States Congress Commendation and Recognition

Annenberg Foundation Composition Fellow

Mary Pickford Library Composition Fellow

Composer-in-Residence, Malibu Coast Chamber Orchestra

Composer-in-Residence, Viklarbo Chamber Ensemble

Music Director/Conductor, Malibu Coast Silent Film Orchestra

LISTEN or WATCH

“Hugely musical, bewitching, witty, profound and playful, with an instantly recognizable and unusually appealing musical personality, Maria Newman is one of the most charming and distinctive composers of her generation.” Jim Svejda, NPR’s “The Record Shelf Guide to the Classical Repertoire”/KUSC Radio. 

American composer/conductor/violinist/violist/pianist and educator Maria Newman has been commended and recognized by the U.S. Congress for her work in the field of music composition, performance, and recording, as well as earning accolades as an Annenberg Foundation Composition Fellow, a Mary Pickford Library & Foundation Composition Fellow, and a Variety American Music Legend. 

“This is real genius.” Fanfare Magazine. As composer and performer, Newman’s original concert works, as well as scores for film and historic silent films, are presented around the globe in the world’s major municipalities, including such domestic venues as Carnegie Hall, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the U.S. Capitol Building on Capitol Hill and the National Archives in Washington D.C., William Randolph Hearst Castle Private Theater, the President’s Own Marine Band Barracks, Nokia’s NOVO Theatre, NYC’s Symphony Space, the Clarice at UMD, the Music Scoring Stages of 20th Century Fox, MGM, Paramount, Sony, Universal, and Warner Bros., to name but a few. Newman continues to be featured regularly on radio and television worldwide in live recorded concert performances/spotlight interviews on broadcasts such as CBS Sunday Morning, and National Public Radio's From the Top with Christopher O'Riley. A George Wellington Miles Scholar of Yale University, Newman is a passionate advocate for the strength of storytelling and the power of human understanding within our universal language of music, and she has been privileged to partner with many commissioning organizations and world-class performers in composing and presenting her works to the concert-going public and beyond. 

She has taken these ideas along with her to conservatory and university artist-faculty residencies at such institutions as Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music, University of Maryland School of Music in Washington D.C., among many others. Her many compositions continue to enjoy a meaningful musical life. 

Educated at Yale University (MM) and the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music (BM; Pi Kappa Lambda; magna cum laude), Newman is currently Composer-in-Residence, soloist, and concertmaster with the Malibu Coast Chamber Orchestra, and Viklarbo Chamber Ensemble, (with whom she has earned multiple grants from the National Endowment for the Arts), and is Music Director and Conductor of the Malibu Coast Silent Film Orchestra. Often in the international spotlight, Maria Newman was the acclaimed soloist in Miklos Rozsa’s Viola Concerto with the Nuremburg Symphony (Germany) on the GRAMMY Award-winning Symphonic Hollywood CD, (Varese Sarabande label), and served as solo violinist and physical animation inspiration for the character of “The Grasshopper” in the 1996 Walt Disney release of Tim Burton’s, James and the Giant Peach. 

Along with musical partner/husband, conductor and producer Scott Hosfeld, Newman has presented an award-winning live classical concert series at the Montgomery Arts House for Music and Architecture (MAHMA, Malibu) for the past fifteen seasons. During this unprecedented era in which we find ourselves staying close to home, the two have already broadcast 5 streaming events featuring the resident musicians actually living at the venue. A virtual summer festival is planned for August 20th – 30th, 2020. Please visit: www.malibufriendsofmusic.org for more information. 

Often referred to as the “Musical Newman Family Dynasty,” Maria Newman is the daughter of 9-time Academy Award-winning composer, Alfred Newman; the sister of Academy Award-nominated film composers and conductors Thomas Newman and David Newman; and the cousin of Academy Awardwinning singer-songwriter and film composer Randy Newman. Maria Newman’s music/recording studio is based in Malibu, California, in a beautiful California craftsman venue designed by renowned architect, Eric Lloyd Wright, of the Frank Lloyd Wright family of architects. 

Miriam Feldman, the author of the debut memoir HE CAME IN WITH IT: A Portrait of Motherhood and Madness, featured on KUCI 88.9fm

“People with mental illnesses lose their identities, become known only by their illness. They deserve to be seen and known.” —Miriam Feldman

LISTEN | WATCH

Coming up soon on KUCI 88.9fm, an incredibly bold and wise woman, mother, author, and mental health advocate, Miriam Feldman, the author of the debut memoir HE CAME IN WITH IT: A Portrait of Motherhood and Madness (June 23, Turner). 

When her son teenage Nick was diagnosed with schizophrenia, Miriam’s frenetic but happy life as an artist in Los Angeles was upended by one catastrophe after another. In her tireless search for help and answers, Miriam learns about the shocking shortfalls of our mental health system and the destructive impact of mental illness stigma, shame and isolation. 

He Came In With It isn’t just a thoughtful critique or rallying call that breathes new life into the fight for mental healthcare reform;it is also a tender, relatable, and humorous account of one woman’s attempt to be, quite simply, a good parent. Feldman’s memoir is beautifully written and her bold, brave, relentless love comes through in each page.

Praise for HE CAME IN WITH IT:

· "We watched Miriam become a five-star general in a war against the insidious adversary which threatened to claim the life of her Beautiful Boy. In He Came in With It, she shows us the way through an unimaginable terror to the light of hope. She is our Hero." ―LaTanya and Samuel L. Jackson, actors

· “He Came in With It blazes open the heart of motherhood with devastating honesty and dazzling beauty. This book is about what lives between a mother and son who struggle to navigate mental illness. Turns out what lives there is heart and art, messy, chaotic, traumatic and breathtakingly beautiful. I would follow Miriam anywhere. She is a heart warrior and an art mother who shows us how to endure, and thrive." ―Lidia Yuknavitch, national bestselling author

· “...a great gift, a comfort and a source of strength...Mimi Feldman is the one you want as your mentor, your guide.”—Janet Fitch, New York Times best-selling author of White Oleander

· “…a cleansing narrative that should inspire mothers―and other caregivers―to rise up, unite, and breathe hot new life into the drooping cause of mental healthcare reform.”―Ron Powers, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and New York Times best-selling author

While the book certainly deals with the difficult topic of mental illness, Miriam delivers with the perfect balance of humor, heart, and self-reflection. She has written an interesting essay “How Having a Son with Schizophrenia Prepared me for a Global Pandemic” for Scary Mommy, if interested in checking it out for some more background and perspective. He Came In With It is about the power of community to hold each other up when the unexpected and tumultuous occurs. It’s about the individual’s quest for some sort of stability amidst all the chaos, a refusal to bow to the stigma around a disease that is often considered the black sheep of mental illness.

Dr. Marisa Porges discusses her new book, WHAT GIRLS NEED: How to Raise Bold, Courageous and Resilient Girls

LISTEN | WATCH 

The key ingredient to success for girls isn’t confidence or resilience, education or courage. What matters most is how all these elements work together in the boldest way possible.

Known for her work on leadership, education, and national security, Marisa Porges combines lessons she learned throughout her career with the practices she is developing at The Baldwin School, to help today's girls cultivate the skills they need to become tomorrow's leading women. The ways we define leadership are changing, and the women now stepping into leadership roles are mapping new paths to inhabiting traits such as grit, resilience, audacity, and self-confidence. The lessons Porges shares in WHAT GIRLS NEED prepares the next generation to confidently hold their own later in life in whatever fields they enter and no matter what challenges they face.

WHAT GIRLS NEED demonstrates how to celebrate and own the traits which might have been undervalued in the past but which are more critical than ever today and will make the biggest difference in decades to come – including empathy, collaboration, and adaptability. Given the added pressure now placed on children because of school closures and the unfolding public health crisis, there is no better time to ensure parents know the most effective strategies for nurturing their daughters’ courage and resilience.

Marisa Porges discusses:

· Navigating an unconventional “back to school” during the pandemic

· The new set of twenty-first century skills our kids need to succeed now, and in the decades ahead

· Why adaptability is the greatest skill we need to succeed and the greatest advantage we give our kids

· Cultivating collaborative problem-solving skills and why empathy is critical as a leader

· How to prepare for and talk to our children about change

· How to help young girls find their voice and become self-advocates

· Navigating and preparing to face gender bias early to help bridge the gender gap later in life

· Why a little healthy competition is good for our kids

· How to help young girls, and young women, recognize and nurture the innate skills that give them a competitive edge to succeed and lead in the future of work.



WHAT GIRLS NEED is the essential book necessary to nurture and empower the future generation of female leaders, especially as we embark on an unconventional “back to school” this August.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr. Marisa Porges is known for her work on leadership, education, and national security. She is currently the eighth head of The Baldwin School, a 130-year-old all-girls school outside of Philadelphia renowned for academic excellence and for preparing girls to be leaders and changemakers. Prior to joining Baldwin in 2016, Dr. Porges served in the Obama White House; was a visiting fellow at Harvard Kennedy School and at the Council on Foreign Relations, where her research focused on worldwide counterterrorism efforts; and served in the US Navy as one of eight female aviators in an air wing of about two hundred. She graduated from Harvard University in 2000 and earned her doctorate from King’s College London in 2014, and now lives in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, with her family.

KUCI's Janeane Bernstein speaks with Shannon LaNier, an Emmy Award-Winning TV Show Host, co-author of the Random House book Jefferson’s Children (as the 6th Great Grandson of Thomas Jefferson/Sally Hemings) and father of 3

         LISTEN | WATCH 

ABOUT SHANNON LANIER

A veteran television host, social media influencer, and author, Shannon LaNier has been keeping audiences tuned in his entire life. Shannon currently co-anchors the CW39’s Morning Show in Houston, TX. You can catch him on TV every weekday from 6-9am & on demand at www.CW39.com. 

As a father of 3, he also hosts the critically acclaimed podcast, “Daddy Duty 365” which features celebrity dads revealing the good, the bad and the funny of fatherhood. Previously, Shannon hosted “Arise Entertainment 360,” a daily culture and entertainment series that previously aired on BET's sister station, Centric, and on cable providers globally. Shannon is also known for his work as a correspondent and senior producer on Black Enterprise Magazine’s nationally-syndicated shows: “Black Enterprise Business Report” & “Our World With Black Enterprise.” 

As a teenager in Cincinnati, Shannon got his first television job on “Real Exchange,” an Emmy Award winning talk show focusing on issues important to young people. After graduating from Kent State University, he made his New York City debut as a segment producer for the CBS2 Morning Show. But he didn’t waste any time getting in front of the camera. His next job saw him take on the multi-media journalist (One-Man-Band) role as a writer, director, editor, videographer, and reporter at News 12 Networks. Soon thereafter, he took a similarly comprehensive role at Fios1 News, where he recently returned, to anchor their weekend morning show. 

Shannon is also a writer, having co-authored the Random House Inc. book Jefferson’s Children: The Story of One American Family along with photojournalist Jane Feldman. The book follows his journey to uncover the history behind his heritage as a 9th generation direct descendant of President Thomas Jefferson and his slave Sally Hemings. Additionally, Shannon has inspired audiences across the globe with captivating speaking engagements that touch on everything from his presidential lineage and Genealogy/Family Research to racial equality and his career in media. 

At the end of the Obama administration, Shannon participated in the White House's My Brothers Keep initiative and the National Entrepreneurship Tour, bringing his signature brand of motivational humor to packed live audiences around the country. He’s now hosting a nationwide Small Biz Challenge for The UPS Store & Inc. Magazine. Gifted with undeniable charisma and an energy that electrifies the stage, Shannon truly comes alive in the spotlight. Whether he’s hosting a TV show, speaking to a packed auditorium, or emceeing a live event—this is one Renaissance man who can’t help but draw a crowd. A former executive at CBS said it best: “Once Shannon’s “on,” the audience is glued. He’s born to be a star.” Despite his full schedule, Shannon remains an active member of his church, the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., and the National Association of Black Journalists. He currently lives between Houston & NYC with his wife/college sweetheart Chandra and their three Little LaNiers… Madison, McKenzie and Carter.
ABOUT DADDY DUTY 365

Daddy Duty 365 is an opportunity for the world to be a fly on the wall as our favorite stars go beyond their latest movie, album or comedy show and expose the fun, crazy and unpredictable lives of real Dads on Duty 365 days of the year. Listeners are sure to be drawn in by the laughter, unfiltered truth and advice they receive from the person that in one way or another is always in their life through their entertainment, news or social careers. Besides talking about your life as a dad you are of course welcome to promote any projects you are working on.

This weekly broadcast is hosted by Emmy Award-Winning TV Show Host, co-author of the Random House book Jefferson’s Children (as the 6th Great Grandson of Thomas Jefferson/Sally Hemings) and father of 3, Shannon LaNier. Daddy Duty 365 is scheduled for a soft launch on November 12th, 2019. However, the official big launch is scheduled for January 8th, 2020. 


Mr. Shannon LaNier
Anchor, CW39's "Morning Dose"
Father/Family Influencer & Author
Social Media: @MrShannonLanier & @DaddyDuty365
http://www.DaddyDuty365.com

News & Entertainment Reel
https://tinyurl.com/y7t7x8bl

Bestselling author, Bruce Feiler, offers pioneering advice on how to navigate these uncertain times in his new book, LIFE IS IN THE TRANSITIONS

BRUCE FEILER

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Bestselling author offers pioneering advice on how to navigate these uncertain times in his new book, LIFE IS IN THE TRANSITIONS

The pandemic has brought an unprecedented crush of change and uncertainty—personal, professional, emotional, spiritual. Many Americans are losing jobs, losing loved ones, changing careers, rethinking where they live, whom they live with, what they believe. How do we make sense of all this change? How do we process pivotal moments and convert them into periods of growth and renewal? In a timely and pioneering new book, LIFE IS IN THE TRANSITIONS: Mastering Change at Any Age, Bruce Feiler investigates how to navigate life’s biggest transitions with meaning, purpose, and skill.

Feiler, the New York Times bestselling author of The Secrets of Happy Families and Council of Dads and himself a cancer survivor, spent the last five years crisscrossing the country, collecting hundreds of life stories of Americans who’ve been through major life changes, or lifequakes as Bruce calls them. With a team of twelve, he coded these stories, identifying patterns and takeaways that can help all of us survive and thrive in times of change. Several of the lifequakes Feiler explores—illness, the loss of a loved one, losing a job, changing careers, feeling rudderless– speak directly to the challenges many of us are facing.

Bruce Feiler discusses:

• The three phases of transitions: What they are and how to navigate them successfully
• The three biggest emotions that can derail us in times of change and how to
  overcome them
• How to say goodbye to a chapter of your life
• How to identify which habits you should shed
• Why turning to new creative endeavors can help rebuild your life
• Moving forward: how best to share your new self with others
• Why even a painful transition can improve your life

All of these tips are backed up by data, science, and real-life examples. In addition to this advice, Bruce Feiler brings deep personal experience with overcoming personal hardship and a breathtaking collection of inspiring, real-world examples. A bestselling author and TV host whose two TED Talks have been viewed more than two million times, Bruce Feiler mixes entertaining stories with practical takeaways that allow people of any age to turns periods of stress into opportunities for creativity and growth.

About the Author

Bruce Feiler is the author of six consecutive New York Times bestsellers, including The Secrets of Happy Families, The Council of Dads (now a hit series on NBC), and Walking the Bible. He's the writer/presenter of two primetime series on PBS, and his two TED Talks have been viewed more than two million times. A native of Savannah, Georgia, Bruce lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Linda Rottenberg, and their twin daughters.

NEW BOOK ALERT! Leslie Korn, Ph.D. joins host Janeane to talk about her new book, Natural Woman - Herbal Remedies for Radiant Health at Every Age and Stage of Life

Natural Woman

Herbal Remedies for Radiant Health
at Every Age and Stage of Life

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Natural Woman weaves together story, tradition, and timeless wisdom into a modern approach that helps us thrive in our lives as women. Leslie Korn inspires us to nurture our health and well-being in all stages of life.
-- Bevin Clare, President, American Herbalists Guild


It’s time for women to reclaim their bodies, minds, and entitlement to joy, vitality, and emotional depth. Natural Woman is a practical and comprehensive roadmap to working with plants, indigenous feminine wisdom, and our sacred kitchens in order to free us from the constraints of a medical system that would otherwise hold us captive. This beautiful book will be featured prominently on my shelf for years to come!
-- Kelly Brogan MD, NY Times Bestselling author of A Mind of Your Own

An herbal guide to support physical, mental, and spiritual health for women and their children at all stages of life–by a healer with over 40 years of experience.

Plant medicines are a woman’s ally to achieve optimal health; they bring balance and nourishment to daily life and can reduce or eliminate symptoms of physical and emotional distress. They can also provide alternatives to many pharmaceuticals. This go-to herbal sourcebook helps women thrive at every age and stage of their lives, with remedies using common herbs and plants to support a healthy body, mind, and spirit.

Organized by disease or discomfort, this book is an essential guide to help women find the herbal support they need. Treatments for sleep disorders, menstrual issues, autoimmune conditions, anxiety, fertility, post-partum recovery, skin ailments, and more, can be found and prepared with ease. Herbal guidance for rites of passage or moments of community are provided, and the inclusion of psychoactive herbs, protocol for end-of life care, and extensive resources round out the coverage–including common discomforts that affect children. Dr. Leslie Korn brings over 40 years of experience in numerous herbal traditions and healing modalities to Natural Woman, offering timeless wisdom that can be shared with friends and passed down in the family for generations.

https://drlesliekorn.com

Poet, Filmmaker and Actor Kalpna Singh-Chitnis speaks with KUCI's Janeane Bernstein about her 2020 Silent River Film Festival happening NOW Virtually!

2020 Silent River Film Festival

August 7th-16th, 2020

View the trailer of the 2020 Festival 

LISTEN or WATCH the conversation 

with Kalpna Singh-Chitnis

Founded in 2011 by writer and filmmaker Kalpna Singh-Chitnis, the “Silent River Film Festival” (SRFF) is known as a premier platform for independent filmmakers worldwide.

The Silent River Film Festival was founded on the 40th anniversary of the City of Irvine. It is known as the first international film festival of the city nestled in the heart of beautiful southern California.

Since 2011, the festival has showcased over 300 films from 38 countries. It is known for bringing new and established filmmakers together to share their best works of films and Cinema and Causes on one platform.

After a short hiatus, the Silent River Film Festival is proud to be back, this time as a virtual fest. Due to the pandemic and its adverse effect on our industry, the festival will now take place globally online.

The 2020 Silent River Film Festival will open to international audiences from August 7th-16th, 2020.


SILENT RIVER FILM FESTIVAL UNVEILS ITS 2020 LINEUP
Press Release
July 28th, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Irvine (Greater Los Angeles), California, USA


Some of the industry's finest filmmakers come together to share their best works of film and love for cinema at the 2020 Silent River Film Festivaltaking place globally online from
August 7th-16th.

After a short hiatus, the festival returns in digital form, in the wake of COVID19, subsequently gaining its original status, independent from the Silent River Film and Literary Society, a non-profit.  Founded by writer, filmmaker, and actor Kalpna Singh-Chitnis, the Silent River Film Festival has been established with a vision to discover, recognize, and celebrate the spirit of
independent filmmakers. 

The festival's mission is to bring the best works of film from
East and West, and Cinema for Causes to raise awareness about important issues.
This year's entries were received from twenty countries, and with thirty-three hand selected films, the festival will present its fifth edition.

Silent River Film Festival

Official Website: silentriverfilmfestival.com
Facebook: facebook.com/SilentRiverFilmFestival
Twitter: twitter.com/SilentRiverFest

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silentriverfilmfestival/

Patti Temple Rocks shares the scoop on her new book, I'm Not Done: It's Time to Talk About Ageism in the Workplace

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When it comes to discrimination in the workplace, we've come a long way as a society. But there's still one systemically ignored form of discrimination that happens all the time, and it affects everyone: ageism. Ageism is real. It's widespread, insidious, and up until now, it's been largely hidden, due to the low rate of reporting from those who are pushed out of their jobs when they reach a certain age. 

With the largest demographic America has ever seen-baby boomers-now experiencing age discrimination at work, it's time to talk about this deeply hurtful and bad-for-business practice. In I'm Not Done, Patti Temple Rocks takes a deep dive into ageism in the workplace-what it looks like, how it harms people and businesses alike, and how business leaders can get on the right side of the issue. Patti's story, and the stories of those like her, create a powerful declaration and a movement to stop this last remnant of workplace discrimination in its tracks: #ImNotDone!

On August 3, 2020 at 9:00am pst - KUCI host Janeane speaks with HGTV’s Steve Cederquist about his NEW Book: GET OUT ALIVE: Surviving and Thriving After Drugs, Guns, Gangs, Dysfunction, and Crazy

WATCH Steve's conversation with Janeane

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SoCal local Steve Cederquist speaks with KUCI host Janeane about his story of survival and how he changed his mindset to success.

You know him from HGTV's hit show "Flip or Flop," but what you don't know is that he spent time in prison, was a drug addict, a gang member, and had a whole lot of crazy going on in his life before!

NOW - he's an Emmy Judge, runs a successful renovation and design company, is an award-nominated philanthropist, and a season regular on HGTV's show "Flip or Flop."

His new book "GET OUT ALIVE: Surviving and Thriving After Drugs, Guns, Gangs, Dysfunction, and Crazy" is out, and everyone is raving about it!


It's not only his memoir, but Steve is sending a message for spreading positive growth to everyone and contributing to eliminating addiction issues.

It will take you on a ride! 

Here's the TRAILER: https://youtu.be/DK1YF6_FoKQ

PRESS RELEASE

https://www.einpresswire.com/article/519378036/hgtv-s-steve-cederquist-s-book-get-out-alive-surviving-and-thriving-after-drugs-guns-gangs-dysfunction-and-crazy

Sandra Tsing Loh, a performer, adjunct associate professor of Drama at UC Irvine, and author of seven books, including The Madwoman in the Volvo, which was named one of 2015's NY Times 100 Notable non-fiction books.

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New (June 2, 2020) from W.W. Norton

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ABOUT SANDRA
SANDRA TSING LOH is the author of six books, including THE MADWOMAN IN THE VOLVO: MY YEAR OF RAGING HORMONES (2014, W.W. Norton), which was selected as one of the New York Times’ 100 Most Notable Books. It is based on her Best American Essay 2012 on menopause, originally published in The Atlantic Monthly. The Madwoman in the Volvo has inspired Sandra's new stand-up show, The B**** Is Back: An All-Too Intimate Conversation, running at The Broad Stage in July, 2015, as well as a multi-character play, which will premiere at South Coast Repertory Theatre in January, 2016.

SANDRA TSING LOH is the author of the THE MADWOMAN IN THE VOLVO: MY YEAR OF RAGING HORMONES (2014, W.W. Norton), which was selected as one of the New York Times' 100 Most Notable Books. It is based on her Best American Essay 2012 on menopause, originally published in The Atlantic Monthly. Her previous book, MOTHER ON FIRE, was inspired by her hit solo show about Los Angeles public education. During that time, she was named one of the 50 most influential comedians by Variety. 

Her other solo shows include "Aliens in America" and "Bad Sex With Bud Kemp" (both off-Broadway at Second Stage Theatre), "Sugar Plum Fairy" (Geffen Playhouse, Seattle Rep), and "I Worry" (Kennedy Center, Actor's Theatre of Louisville). Her short story, "My Father's Chinese Wives," won a Pushcart Prize in 1996, and is also featured in the Norton Anthology of Modern Literature. Loh's previous books include A Year in Van Nuys, Aliens in America, Depth Takes a Holiday, and a novel, If You Lived Here, You'd Be Home By Now, which was named by the Los Angeles Times as one of the 100 best fiction books of 1998. 

She has been a regular commentator on NPR's "Morning Edition," and on PRI's "This American Life" and "Marketplace"; currently, her weekly segment "The Loh Life"" is heard on KPCC. Loh's education includes a BS in physics from the California Institute of Technology, an institution which granted her a Distinguished Alumna Award, its highest honor, and for whom she was the first alumna to give a now-famous commencement speech. 

Loh's combining of her communication and science skills continue with her syndicated daily minute "The Loh Down on Science," which is heard weekly by 4 million people. Excerpts from her solo piano CD Pianovision has been heard on several NPR shows, and she also scored the music for the 1998 Oscar-winning documentary Breathing Lessons. A Pushcart Prize winner, MacDowell Fellow and three-time National Magazine Award nominee, she is a contributing editor for The Atlantic Monthly and adjunct professor of visual art and science communication at the University of California, Irvine. 

Sandra's stand-up show, The B**** Is Back: An All-Too Intimate Conversation, ran at The Broad Stage in July, 2015. Her multi-character play based on The Madwoman in the Volvo premiered at South Coast Repertory Theatre (SCR) in January, 2016, and enjoyed subsequent runs at The Pasadena Playhouse and Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Loh workshopped a new piece, "Blue State," at the Ojai Playwrights Conference in August, 2017. A new three-actor version of "Sugar Plum Fairy" will be produced by SCR in December, 2017. Loh is an adjunct associate professor of Drama at UC Irvine, where she also teaches Science Communication.