Sista Brunch

TruJuLo Productions

Whether you’re a seasoned professional in the film industry, an aspiring filmmaker, or a media enthusiast, Sista Brunch offers a rare glimpse into the professional lives of those who shape contemporary entertainment. It's an essential resource for understanding the role of an inclusive lens in crafting stories that resonate across audiences. Tune into Sista Brunch to hear the powerful voices of those leading the way in Hollywood and beyond. Learn from their experiences, get inspired by their stories, and gain insights into making your mark in the entertainment world.

  1. Kai Bowe on Unscripted Power, Showrunning, and Building a Career That Can Actually Sustain You

    3D AGO

    Kai Bowe on Unscripted Power, Showrunning, and Building a Career That Can Actually Sustain You

    Guest: Kai Bowe Titles:Titles: Director of Current Programming, Unscripted, at OWN; showrunner; story producer; documentarian; screenwriter; former attorney Episode Theme: How a nonlinear path through law, writing, and unscripted television can turn into real creative authority and why career longevity requires both craft and inner work. Why this matters right now: At a time when so many creatives are chasing unstable pipelines, Kai Bowe offers a blueprint with range. This episode breaks down the real mechanicsof unscripted TV, the money behind it, the difference between freelancing and network life, and why learning how to hold success matters just as much as getting the opportunity. Kai Bowe’s path into the industry was anythingbut standard. She got her start as a teenager on set, interning on Do the Right Thing through her sister, but spent years convinced Hollywood was not her destination. She earned a psychology degree from UCLA, went to law school at Howard, and only fully claimed writing after doing The Artist’s Wayand realizing creativity was not a hobby for her, it was a calling. From there, she wrote screenplays, learned hard lessons about timing and self-sabotage, then made a strategic pivot into reality television just as unscripted programming was taking off. ●  Getting started on iconic film sets(00:02:15) ●  Leaving law behind to pursue writing(00:03:53) ●  Turning early success into a hard lesson(00:07:12) ● How unscripted story producing reallyworks (00:10:27) ● Freelancing, stability, and OWNleadership (00:19:44) ●  How Kai built a nontraditional TVcareer (00:01:55) ●  “Success is something that is alearned practice.” (00:08:29) ● Why freelancing needs a mindsetshift (00:27:23) ● What unscripted jobs actually pay(00:30:10) ● How ethical editing works inunscripted TV (00:37:46) Kai Bowe is a veteran television producerand executive who has worked across scripted and unscripted television for decades. Her credits include America’s Next Top Model, Project Runway, Red Table Talk, and Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. She has worked as a story producer, showrunner, and documentarian, and now serves as Director of Current Programming, Unscripted, at OWN. With abackground that spans psychology, law, writing, and production, Kai brings both strategic insight and creative depth to the way she builds stories and leads teams. Listen now on Apple Podcasts andSpotify. Watch the full episode on YouTube@TruJuLoMedia. If this conversation resonates,subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a creative who needs to hear it. Follow @SistaBrunchPodcast for clips, community, and resources. Support the show and help keep theseconversations accessible at Patreon.com/SistaBrunch  or GiveButter.com/SistaBrunch. Keywords: Kai Bowe, Sista Brunch Podcast, OWN Network, unscripted television, reality TV, showrunner, story producer, documentary storytelling, Black women in Hollywood,TV executive, America’s Next Top Model, Project Runway, Red Table Talk, Leah Remini Scientology and the Aftermath, entertainment careers, freelance producer, network executive salaries.

    48 min
  2. April Reign on #OscarsSoWhite, Media Futures, and Building Equity That Actually Sticks

    MAR 10

    April Reign on #OscarsSoWhite, Media Futures, and Building Equity That Actually Sticks

    Guest: April Reign Titles: Creator of #OscarsSoWhite; media futurist; strategist; speaker; consultant; former attorney Episode Theme: What happens when sharp cultural critique becomes industry impact and why real equity requires more than optics. Why this matters right now: As awards season keeps asking who gets recognized, April Reign reminds us that representation is not a trend, it is infrastructure. This episode digs into the origin of #OscarsSoWhite, the work of changing systems from the inside, and why Black communities cannot afford to sit out conversations about AI, access, and the future of media. April Reign did not come into Hollywood through the traditional pipeline. She was a lawyer, an Oscars superfan, and a lifelong advocate before one tweet in January 2015 changed the industry conversation around race, recognition, and access. In this episode, April talks about the advocacy roots that began in college, the research behind #OscarsSoWhite, and how that moment helped open Academy membership to artists and craftspeople who had long been excluded. She also gets real about consulting, credibility, AI, self-care, and what it means to think like a media futurist while keeping artists and community at the center. How Academy membership changed and why that matters (00:10:29) Breaking the cycle of industry gatekeeping and union access (00:12:21) Media futurism and thinking about the next era of storytelling (00:14:08) Creative work, strategic communications, and what may come next (00:25:54) Self-care, travel, and staying grounded while doing advocacy work (00:27:49) The real origin of #OscarsSoWhite and the strategy behind it (00:03:26) Why diversity talk without action is just optics (00:15:27) How access works behind the scenes in Hollywood (00:10:29) AI in entertainment: real stakes and real opportunity (00:19:59) “What you do today is a day of your life exchanged.” (00:30:23) April Reign is a strategist, speaker, consultant, and the creator of the global movement #OscarsSoWhite, which sparked an industry-wide reckoning around race, representation, and access in Hollywood. A former attorney turned cultural critic and change agent, she works across media, communications, and equity strategy, helping organizations tell better stories and build more accountable systems. April describes herself as a media futurist, with a focus on where culture, technology, and justice intersect. If this conversation resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a creative who needs to hear it. Follow @SistaBrunchPodcast for clips, community, and resources. Support the show and help keep these conversations accessible at Patreon.com/SistaBrunch  or GiveButter.com/SistaBrunch.

    35 min
  3. Rraine Hanson on Queer Jamaican Cinema & Experimental Film

    MAR 3

    Rraine Hanson on Queer Jamaican Cinema & Experimental Film

    Rraine Hanson is a Jamaican transdisciplinary artist and experimental filmmaker exploring queer identity, mixed media storytelling, and worldbuilding across film and art department craft. In this Season 7 conversation, we discuss growing up in Kingston, studying film at Emerson College, working in production design and art department, and creating Transcend — a short film about a Jamaican father raising a trans child with care and intention. We also talk about fundraising as an independent filmmaker, queer representation in Caribbean cinema, and what “experimental” filmmaking actually means. Sista Brunch is a Webby-nominated podcast centering Black women and Black gender-expansive creatives working in film, TV, and media.

    42 min
  4. Kelly Harris on Locations, Logistics, and Powering Hollywood From the Ground Up

    FEB 24

    Kelly Harris on Locations, Logistics, and Powering Hollywood From the Ground Up

    Guest: Kelly Harris Titles: Supervising Location Manager; Locations & Production Logistics Leader Episode Theme: Locations aren’t just “where you shoot”—they’re how production actually happens. Kelly breaks down the creative + logistical power of the locations department, from scouting to permits to managing entire neighborhoods. Why this matters right now: With tighter budgets, shorter seasons, and new formats like verticals, productions need smarter location strategy more than ever—and Black women need visibility in the roles that quietly run the industry. Kelly Harris is the kind of industry pro who makes the impossible look effortless because she’s doing the work nobody sees. From getting her start in Cincinnati on Rage in Harlem to building a career in Los Angeles, Kelly shows how relationships, preparation, and leadership make locations the backbone of production. This is a masterclass in how the location department touches every department. Relationships as Currency: The Call That Changed Her Career (00:04:29) A day in the life of a location manager: scouting, strategy, and service (00:09:41) Let’s Talk Tech: “Area of Use” and why it’s everything (00:16:37) Let’s Talk Finance: FilmLA, permits, union wages, and location budgets (00:19:34) Verticals + the future: why this format could be a win for locations (00:33:58) A crystal-clear breakdown of what locations actually does (00:09:41) Real talk about FilmLA fees and what they do and don’t control (00:20:13) Practical career money: union wage ballparks + negotiation mindset (00:23:59) Future-proofing: how vertical storytelling changes production strategy (00:33:58) The leadership gem: protect your health, reputation, time, and finances (00:42:18) Kelly Harris is a Supervising Location Manager whose career spans film and television across major studios and networks. Known for her strategic scouting, production diplomacy, and deep logistical expertise, she’s helped productions secure and manage complex locations from neighborhoods and private properties to major institutions while supporting every department on set. Listen now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Watch the full episode on YouTube @TruJuLoMedia. If this conversation resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a creative who needs to hear it. Follow @SistaBrunchPodcast for clips, community, and resources. Support the show and help keep these conversations accessible at Patreon.com/SistaBrunch  or GiveButter.com/SistaBrunch. Keywords: Kelly Harris, Sista Brunch Podcast, location manager, supervising location manager, Teamsters Local 399, FilmLA permits, area of use, filming in Los Angeles, production logistics, locations department, vertical series, Black women in entertainment, Hollywood crew careers, production budgets, scouting locations

    46 min
  5. Asha Chai-Chang on Financing Creativity, Accessibility, and Building Industry Power

    FEB 17

    Asha Chai-Chang on Financing Creativity, Accessibility, and Building Industry Power

    Guest: Asha Chai-Chang Titles: Filmmaker; Director; Producer; Accessibility Advocate; Founder, Funding Your Foundation Episode Theme: What happens when a filmmaker learns to fund their own path using finance, community, and strategy as creative tools. Why this matters right now: As traditional pathways shrink and industry access tightens, creatives are being forced to understand money, infrastructure, and ownership. Asha breaks down how financial literacy, accessibility, and self-investment create real leverage, not just opportunity. Asha Chai-Chang didn’t enter the industry through one door, she built several. From political science at Yale to finance and supplier diversity work, to directing award-winning projects and advocating for disabled filmmakers, her journey reframes what a “creative career” actually requires. This conversation connects the dots between art, money, and access and why knowing how systems work can be as powerful as talent. Oscar Festival Win to LA Career Leap (00:16:14) Funding the Creative Life Strategy Blueprint (00:21:05) Access and Advocacy for Disabled Filmmakers Everywhere (00:24:10) 48-Hour Writer’s Room Reality Check Experience (00:09:28) Invest in Yourself First Always (00:32:13) A real blueprint for funding your creative work without waiting for permission (00:21:32) How community partnerships and local businesses can sustain productions (00:10:18) A reframing of “failure” as a leadership and directing tool (00:12:21) Accessibility as a creative and production standard not an afterthought (00:24:38) Practical editing and captioning insights filmmakers can use immediately (00:30:23) A reminder to prioritize yourself while building a career that serves others (00:34:49) Asha Chai-Chang is a filmmaker, director, and accessibility advocate whose work blends storytelling, financial strategy, and industry equity. With a background in political science and finance, she has produced and directed projects that have screened at major festivals, including Oscar-qualifying platforms. She is the founder of Funding Your Foundation, a framework helping creatives understand credit and financial pathways to fund their work, and a leading advocate for disabled filmmakers expanding accessibility across production and exhibition. Listen now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Watch the full episode on YouTube @TruJuLoMedia. If this conversation resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a creative who needs to hear it. Follow @SistaBrunchPodcast for clips, community, and resources. Support the show and help keep these conversations accessible at Patreon.com/SistaBrunch  or GiveButter.com/SistaBrunch.

    37 min
  6. Karen Horne on Power, Pay, and Mothering Hollywood From the Inside

    FEB 10

    Karen Horne on Power, Pay, and Mothering Hollywood From the Inside

    What does it really take to survive — and shape — Hollywood as a Black woman executive? In this intimate, mentorship-driven conversation, Karen Horne reflects on motherhood, leadership, money, and the invisible labor Black women carry while building entire ecosystems inside the film and television industry. From running major studio diversity and talent pipelines to being laid off during industry “restructuring,” Karen speaks candidly about power, pay inequity, coalition-building, and why Hollywood’s progressive image has never guaranteed real equity. She also shares how nurturing writers, executives, and creatives shaped her leadership style — and why stepping away from corporate Hollywood forced a deep reckoning with worth, rest, and reinvention. This episode is a masterclass in longevity, impact, and believing you’ve earned your seat — especially for Black women and Black gender-expansive creatives navigating entertainment, media, and executive pathways right now. What We Talk About Motherhood and executive leadership in Hollywood Pay gaps, bonuses, and knowing your worth Why diversity programs don’t fail — studios do Coalition-building across marginalized communities Leaving corporate power and redefining success Mentorship, legacy, and making real impact Sista Brunch is a Webby-nominated podcast centering Black women and Black gender-expansive people working in film, TV, and media. Each episode blends honest conversation, career insight, and cultural context — like brunch with mentors who tell the truth. Listen, subscribe, review and share on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. On IG follow @sistabrunchpodcast for clips, updates, and community. Support the work via Patreon or Givebutter to help sustain independent Black media.

    41 min
  7. Felicia D. Henderson on Longevity, Power & Directing Your Own Path

    FEB 3

    Felicia D. Henderson on Longevity, Power & Directing Your Own Path

    Felicia D. Henderson has built a career most writers only dream of — and she’s still expanding. In this episode of Sista Brunch, the Emmy-nominated writer, director, and showrunner joins us for a grounded, honest conversation about what it really takes to build longevity in television without letting the industry box you in. From navigating power rooms as a Black woman to making the leap from showrunning into directing, Felicia shares what she’s learned — and what she wishes more creatives were told earlier. We talk about her directorial debut, The Rebel Girls, a short film that has screened and won at festivals across the country, and the significance of being honored with the Best Live Action Shor Award by the African American Film Critics Association. But this conversation goes deeper than accolades. It’s about creative agency, timing, and trusting yourself when the path forward isn’t linear. This episode is for Black women and Black gender expansive creatives building careers in film and television — especially those thinking about expansion, reinvention, or simply staying in the game long enough to tell the stories that matter. If you’ve ever asked how to grow without shrinking, how to pivot without starting over, or how to claim authority on your own terms, this one’s for you. Save this episode. Sit with it. And come back to it when you need clarity.

    36 min

  8. JAN 26 ·  BONUS

    Praise Odigie Paige on Birdie, Sundance, and Making the Film You Want to See

    In this Season 7 pre-launch bonus episode, we sit with filmmaker Praise Odigie Paige, whose short film Birdie is playing at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, to talk about quiet storytelling, risk, faith, and what it takes to make the work you believe in — even when the odds feel stacked. This conversation is a reminder that there is power in patience, in subtlety, and in choosing yourself as an artist. Praise’s journey to filmmaking — from growing up between Nigeria and the U.S. to abandoning a pre-med path for film ([00:02:00–00:06:30]) The making of Birdie and why she was drawn to a quiet coming-of-age story rooted in faith, displacement, and girlhood ([00:08:00–00:13:30]) The Biafran War and why this under-discussed history matters to the film’s emotional core ([00:11:00–00:12:45]) Why Virginia (and Appalachia) became the setting for a Nigerian immigrant story — and what cultural exile looks like on screen ([00:14:00–00:15:30]) Writing against expectation: resisting pressure to make the story louder, faster, or more “palatable” ([00:16:00–00:19:30]) Financing the film — self-funding, shooting on 35mm, and what it really costs to make a period short ([00:20:00–00:21:30]) Shooting during election week in rural Appalachia and navigating safety, community, and grace on set ([00:22:00–00:23:15]) The Signature Sista Brunch Question — what Praise would tell her younger self about mistakes, timing, and growth ([00:25:00–00:26:45]) If you’re a Black woman or Black gender expansive creative navigating film or media, this episode offers: A grounded look at career sustainability in entertainment Permission to make work that’s quiet, specific, and true Honest insight into mentorship, risk, and self-trust A reminder that representation isn’t just about visibility — it’s about nuance Praise’s story speaks to anyone building in real time and learning to honor their own pace. Praise Odigie Paige is a Nigerian-born filmmaker based in Brooklyn. Her work centers girls and women on the edge of quiet transformation. Her short film Birdie is screening at the Sundance Film Festival, and she is currently developing her debut feature, Igboland, an intimate period drama exploring faith, girlhood, and desire at the edge of war. 🎧 Listen and subscribe to Sista Brunch on Apple Podcasts and Spotify 📺 Watch the episode on YouTube: @TruJuLoMedia ⭐ Leave a review — it helps more people find this community 📲 Follow us on Instagram: @SistaBrunchPodcast 🤍 Support the podcast via Patreon or GiveButter to help us continue archiving these stories

    28 min
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5
out of 5
48 Ratings

About

Whether you’re a seasoned professional in the film industry, an aspiring filmmaker, or a media enthusiast, Sista Brunch offers a rare glimpse into the professional lives of those who shape contemporary entertainment. It's an essential resource for understanding the role of an inclusive lens in crafting stories that resonate across audiences. Tune into Sista Brunch to hear the powerful voices of those leading the way in Hollywood and beyond. Learn from their experiences, get inspired by their stories, and gain insights into making your mark in the entertainment world.

Information

  • Creator
    TruJuLo Productions
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    129
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 279398
  • Show Website
    Sista Brunch