Rainbow Soul

Host Deardra Shuler discusses the ins and outs of setting up and running a successful business with Business Coach Liz Wolfe who is a skilled and energetic motivational speaker, coach and trainer. Liz got her entrepreneurial start growing up on a sheep farm in Western Pennsylvania where her family had a cottage industry selling wool items. Ms Wolfe developed public speaking and selling skills which came in handy after she moved to NYC where she then created a successful computer consulting business with her husband, Jon.  Eventually she transitioned out of the technology business.  She now coaches entrepreneurs using her broad experience in small business to help them get unstuck so they can launch and grow an abundant business. She authored the book “Your Business Vision Blueprint: Go from Getting Things Done to Doing Great Things,” and is currently working on a second book. Liz says that one of her greatest accomplishments is staying married to her husband for 25 years while running a business with him. He

Deardra Shuler interviews Fiber Artist and former CUNY Adjunct Professor, Alicia Evans..  As a Nature Coordinator, trees are an emblem of Ms Evans cooperation with nature.  She hosted and created with Nassau County AA Museum & the TAAGS Geneology Society, an art workshop for children.  As part of Tree friends, Evans uses the arts to transform her relationship with nature.  As an Events Planner Alicia coordinated a regional youth songwriting contest.  Via her Program the Living Room Exxperience, Evans invited a variety of individuals to talk about current events.  Her work in PR led to work with Proctor & Gamble Hair Care Museum.  Alicia talks about her ife theme of art, the art of conversation, fiber arts, medical acting, living life via art and creatively finding ways to thrive. 

Deardra Shuler talks with artist & painter Bronxite Laura James.  As a child, Laura spent time at the Brooklyn Public Library where she explored her passion for literature, photography,& later painting. Her African and Caribbean-American heritage & love of stories, design, & color, are all elements in her work. Painting in sacred & secular styles, James exposes the sacrosanct and the ordinary. Her work is timeless.  She has created a diverse body of work of secular and sacred work; icons that expand the collection of stories traditionally painted in this style. James is pleased to help black people see themselves in their sacred texts of  African religions and Christianity, a place where racialized people have curiously been excluded in the west. James illustrated The Book of the Gospels lectionary, published by Liturgy Training Publications in 2001,  In its 2nd edition, the book is used worldwide by numerous Christian denominations. Her religious art is at the forefront of a more inclusiv

Host Deardra Shuler interviews Black women in business.  She talks to award-winning Guadeloupean/Parisian filmmaker Mariette Monpierre.  Born in Guadeloupe and raised in Paris, Mariette completed her Masters Degree in Languages and received her BA in Television & Medias at l’Université de Paris-Sorbonne and her graduate degree in American Studies at Smith College in Massachusetts. She began her career as a producer at ad agency BBD&O in New York where she produced commercials for Frito-Lay, Visa, Campbells, Pizza Hut, etc.  Her portfolio includes advertising, feature films, documentaries, shorts, music videos and podcasts.  Her documentary "Knowledge is Power." helped raise HIV/AIDS awareness. Other films include: “Sweet Mickey for President?” that won Best Documentary at the Reel Sisters Film Festival in New York, a short film “Rendez-Vous,” nominated for the Djibril Diop Mambety Award. The film experienced a successful run in several major international film festivals and took her around the world a

Born in Harlem/raised in the Bronx, Wanda Dee is a performer who co-produces with husband Eric Floyd their Management/Promotion organization, Goddess Empire.  Goddess Empire LLC and Goddess Empire Entertainment is a full scale production company that has been producing Ms Dee's world tours & all-star cavalacade of US & world tours featuring talent such as Eric Floyd's OLD SCHOOL PARTY & Eric Floyd's GRAND DIVAS OF STAGE. None of this would be possible were it not for the revenue Wanda's world tours generate in box office, mercandise,and concession receipts. Notwithstannding Coronavirs, a 2021 tour is planned for the annual Rezerection Festival in New Castle, England. Dee was Hip Hop's 1st female inductee into The Universal Zulu Nation, 1st female Hip Hop DJ cast by HARRY BELAFONTE  in his urban cult classic "BEAT STREET,  Dee was the 1st & only female Rapper signed to The U.K.'s production team of STOCK, AITKEN & WATERMAN on PWL Records, where she debuted "BLUE EYES."   Later Dee was  disc

Host Deardra Shuler talks with singer/lecturer Camille Yarbrough who is an award-winning performance artist, author, and cultural activist. With a career that spans over sixty years, several continents, countless awards and accolades, and a few generations, Nana Camille has earned legendary status. Her long running TV Show (Ancestor House), via her popular musical CD (also entitled Ancestor House).  Her performances and lectures focus on poetry, music, Black art, spirituality, and culture.  She toured with the Katherine Dunham Company of Dancers, Singers, and Musicians. She taught African Dance and community courses at the CUNY. An accomplished theater actress, she co-starred/toured in Lorraine Hansberry’s To Be Young, Gifted, and Black and did a national tour "God’s Trombones",and danced, sang and acted in the Broadway Musical, Kwamina.She appeared in the soap operas:Where the Heart Is, Search For Tomorrow, Television Special; Soul, CBS Special; Caught in the Middle and Gil Noble’s Like It Is. She also toure

Host Deardra Shuler talks with 2 time Tony Award nominated Vivian Reed who also includes among her awards the NAACP Award, Drama Desk Award, Theatre World Award, Mabel Mercer Award, et al. She has appeared on TV variety and talk shows both nationally and internationally including The Tonight Show, The Today Show and the ABC-TV daytime drama, ‘One Life to Live.’ She has shared the bill with notable performers as Pattie Labelle, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Audra McDonald, Elaine Stritch, Alan King, Sammy Davis Jr., Quincy Jones. She appeared in Don't Bother Me I can't Cope, Bubbling Brown Sugar.  Received acclaim in major productions of ‘Sophisticated Ladies,’ ‘Roar of the Greasepaint, Smell of the Crowd,’ ‘Blues in the Night,’ ‘High Rollers,’ ‘Show Boat’ in which she portrayed the role of ‘Queenie’ and ‘Tintypes.’ Her recent plays include ‘Tartuffe,’ ‘Blues for an Alabama Sky,’ et al.  Ms Reed is a celebrity vocal teacher at Marymount Manhattan college in NYC

Host Deardra Shuler interviews guest Naiika Sings.  A  native New Yorker.  Naiika has a range that highlights the messages she conveys in her songs.  The singer/songwriter is co-founder of The All My Friends Are Stars Music Festival that has taken place in Gothenburg, Sweden for the last 5 years.  Her band members are also called "All My Friends Are Stars." Sings sang the theme song of a documentary entitled (“Coded Bias” a film screened at Sundance Festivals).  A curator of items given to her by men is featured by prominent art critic Larry Qualls).  Featured in newspapers, she's heard on Hot 97, Power 105.1, WBLS 107.5 and Sweden radio P3 Din Gata.  She  appeared on news stations WPIX 11, WNBC, CBS and ABC. Her subway performances have drawn crowds and video garnered over 10+ million views. She has been lauded by talents like as 50 cent, Marjorie Harvey, Ledisi, R Kelly, et al. A video featuring her NYC subway performances has garnered over 10+ million views.  Currently Ms Sings is working on her latest CD

Host Deardra Shuler invited Lorcan Otway, owner/director of St Marks Theatre 80, located at 80 St Mark’s Place in NYC.  Mr Otway will discuss the recent play presented by the Negro Ensemble Co, "Grandma's Quilt, starring Karen A. Brown. The influence the Coronavirus has on the theater community. What both the Broadway and off-Broadway Theater Alliances are doing to protect its people, actors, audience and much more. Theatre 80 St Marks is an historic theater also known as "the jewel of Off-Broadway"  built in 1964.  It was built in a former speakeasy and jazz club where Frank Sinatra and Edward Albee began their careers.  This Lower East Side landmark is one of the city’s oldest revival theaters. It was designed by its late owner Howard Otway and his son Lorcan Otway.  "You're A Good Man Charlie Brown" opened at the theater in 1967, launching the careers of Bob Balaban, Gary Burghoff and one of the ushers, Billy Crystal. From 1970 - 1994 it was central in the third wave of classical film revival houses. The

Deardra Shuler's guest is the legendary Emme Kemp. Kemp was a child prodigy who grew up with the gospel and blues of Chicago.  The protege of Eubie Blake, she recorded with the ragtime piano man.  She performed a jazz concert at Carnegie Hall. Played at Josephine Baker's Welcome Back Party after Ms Baker's 1972 appearance at Carnegie Hall, the Waldorf, venues in Japan and her beloved Harlem. And in Monte Carlo before Princess Grace.  Most recently she delighted listeners at the Jackie Robinson Recreation Center in Manhattan for Black History month. When Ms Kemp lived in California she coached under the eminent pianist Egon Petri. Her Jazz anthology is classic to modern. Emme appeared in Woody Allen's movie "Sweet & Lowdown, starring Sean Penn," on college campuses, gave her overview on popular culture through her lectures, poetry and writings, paid tribute to the music of Harold Arlen, Gershwin and Ellington on her album "Try a Little Tenderness," composed the original song Bubbling Brown Sugar for Broad

Host Deardra Shuler talks with Desmond Richardson, one of the Artistic Directors of the Complexion Contemporary Ballet.  Complexions will feature its upcoming season at the Joyce Theater in NYC from January 21 – February 2nd.  Program A will feature the world premiere of “Love Rocks” a full company ballet set to works by the iconic GRAMMY Award winning singer and songwriter, Lenny Kravitz.  Photo credit for Love Rocks goes to Chad Wagner and Steven Trumon Gray, @THEGINGERB3ARDMEN; Sharen Bradford for Bach 25 Dance company photo and Woke photo by Joseph Franciosa. In the second week (Program B), the company will reprise “WOKE,” a physical reaction to the daily news. A bold and dynamic socially conscious one act ballet featuring the full company that examines our humanity in conjunction with today’s political climate.  Also  featured“BACH 25.” Set to the music of Johann Sebastian and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach will be presented as part of Programs A*and  B.

Host Deardra Shuler talks with Dawn Marie Driver (member of the Irving Street Repertory) about the show "Ain't Misbehavin" being featured at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, January 18, 2020 at 8:00 pm,   A strong soprano, Ms Driver tutored under Bishop Nathanial Townsley Jr and has traveled extensively across the US and overseas. She  has collaborated with Gospel Great-Edwin Hawkins, Director -Dwight R.B. Cook, B’way and Film Choreographer Louis Johnson, as well as with the legendary Woodie King, Bway, Movie & Television Stars Carol Woods, Ben Vereenand Ruby Dee to name a few.  She is the Executive Producer and co-writer of four On-Stage Musicals:“NightSongz-The New Musical”, “Follow The Star-The Musical”, “Love Songs” and “Brooklyn To Bethlehem.”.Dawn is a cast member of Smokey Joe’s Café and a 2015 Audelco Award Winner for Best Revival in Ain’t Misbehavin’ with Irving Street Repertory Company. She appears in Ain't Misbehaven the musical featuring the songs of  Fats Waller with fel

Host Deardra Shuler talks with artist Dread Scott regarding his 6 year project in collaboration with John Akomfrah, Ghanaian-British artist, filmmaker, and writer on the Slave Rebellion Reenactment. Jointly they created the film documentation of a performance that includes hundreds of local community members in New Orleans who start in the River Parishes of New Orleans on Nov. 8, and for 2 days November 8-9, reenact a 26-mile Slave Rebellion that will end in Congo Square at an event featuring music and dance from community artists including trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis, rapper Truth Universal and the Kumbuka African Drum & Dance Collective. In 1811, those who hoped to abolish slavery took part in the uprising.  Individuals such as Charles Deslondes, Gilbert, Marie Rose, Jessamine, Quamana, Jupiter and others will be celebrated.  The  German Coast 1811 uprising its said, claimed a total of 200 to 500 slaves participating in a 2-day, twenty six-mile march, wherein slaves burned five plantation houses, seve

Host Deardra Shuler interviews publisher/founder of African Voices, Carolyn A.Butts. African Voices is a leading non-profit arts magazine devoted to presenting fine art and literature by artists of color.  Carolyn is also the founder of the Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival & Lecture Series (www.reelsisters.org), an annual Brooklyn-based festival for women of color in the film industry. A Brooklyn native, Ms Butts served as an assistant press secretary to former New York State Comptroller H. Carl McCall and a press aide to former Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger. Films featured: Skin, And Nothing Happened, Ballet After Dark,  Wash Day, Plant the Seed etc. Reel Sisters 22nd Anniversary event will take place from Oct. 19 & 20th, 2019 at Alamo Draft House in Brooklyn.  Their awards ceremony took place October 11th where the honored Pioneering Activist/Author Nana Camille Yarbrough, Filmmakers Sandra Guzmán and Leslie Harris (Just Another Girl on the IRT).  Actress Rosie Perez present

Deardra Shuler has as her guest nationally acclaimed minister, Rev. Herbert Daughtry, who is the National Presiding Minister of the House of the Lord Churches.  Rev. Daughtry has been involved in protest actions in cooperation with Brooklyn CORE and Operation Breadbasket, the economic arm of Dr. Martin Luther King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) as part of the struggle for equality and community control of schools in the 1950s-'60. In addition to serving as co-chairman of Ministers Against Narcotics, he also served as vice chairperson of the board of directors of Bedford Stuyvesant Youth in Action and executive vice chair of Operation Breadbasket’s Metropolitan New York Chapter.  Having authored several books, he includes among them “No Monopoly on Suffering: Blacks and Jews in Crown Heights and Elsewhere,” “My Beloved Community,” “Effectual Prayer and Dear 2pac: Letters to a Son.”   He is a founding member of the Black Leadership Commission on AIDS, founder of the Alonzo Daughtry Family Li

Host Deardra Shuler talks with singer Jonathan Butler who was born and raised in Cape Town during Apartheid. Jonathan Butler started singing and playing acoustic guitar as a child. Racial segregation and poverty during Apartheid has been the subject of many of his records. His first single earned a Sarie Award, South Africa's equivalent to the Grammy Awards. Butler  has achieved chart-topping success, Grammy ® nominations and other accolades for his recordings. His self-titled debut album put him on the map internationally and garnered two Grammy ® nominations, which include the R&B-pop vocal statement "Lies" and the poignant instrumental, "Going Home." Butler, a multi-talented musician, produces, arranges, and plays guitar, bass and keyboards. He has released several best-selling Gospel CDs, most notably "Gospel Goes Classical" and "Brand New Day.  He  has come full circle and back to his love of Bacharach with the music of his new album, Close To You. The 11-­song project features 10 Bacharach/David ge

Host Deardra Shuler talks with creator, producer and director, Darrin Ross, who will be celebrating the 10th Anniversary of his spectacular show in tribute to Michael Jackson 10 years after his passing.  The Tribute show will be at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts in the Bronx, Saturday, May 25 at 8pm. Darrin Ross has been producing and engineering songs since 1984. He worked with Jam On Productions, producing hit songs “Jam On It,” “Push the Button,” “Destination Earth” etc. He later created his own record company with Keith Davis wherein they started a group called The Roots. He worked with Rennie Harris Pure Movement as the Executive Director and co-collaborator, creating music and lighting.  He worked on Rome and Jewels, a hip hop version of Romeo and Juliet resulting in Ross winning a Bessie Award for Sound Design and Composition. Darrin created his current show Invincible: A Glorious Tribute to Michael Jackson in 2009, right after Jackson died. Ross searched all over the world to find people tha

Host Deardra Shuler interviews singer, author, motivational speaker and former Supremes member, Mary Wilson, who will be appearing at the Café Carlyle in NYC from, May 28-June 8.  Ms Wilson will also be releasing her latest book “Supreme Glamour” which will be released in the UK on May 23, 2019 and the US on September 17, 2019. The highly anticipated coffee-table book will showcase the gowns The Supremes were known for over the decades and delve into additional history of the most successful female recording group of all time. Supreme Glamour is now available for pre-order on Amazon.  In 2019, she will also be celebrating the 60th anniversary of The Supremes. Wilson was named as a spokesperson for the Humpty Dumpty Institute's initiative to raise public awareness about the worldwide scourge of landmines. After helping to detonate 58 bombs and declaring safe zones, she held a charity concert in Colombo, Sri Lanka.   She is active in non-profit organizations, including the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundati

Host Deardra Shuler talks with Malaika Uwamahoro (pronounced Mah-Like-ah  Ooh-wam-ah-har-oh) who is a young actor, spoken word poet-performer, singer, and social justice artist.  She will be performing the central character plus 9 others in the critically acclaimed play “Miracle in Rwanda,” at the Lion Theater on Theater Row off-Broadway beginning April 4, 2019.  The run of the play coincides with this 25th anniversary of the historic massacre in Rwanda where 800,000 lives were lost. “I am so happy to pass on this role to a woman of Rwandan heritage. Malaika is a brilliant actress, and she brings a sensibility that will move and inspire the audience. I can’t wait for the world to see her work,” said Leslie Lewis. MIRACLE IN RWANDA chronicles the dramatic events of Rwandan Genocide Survivor Immaculée Ilibagiza. The message is one of personal empowerment, of overcoming all obstacles through the power of faith, forgiveness and ultimately finding peace of mind amidst unbelievable hardship.  The play runs from

Deardra Shuler interviews Ruben Studdard, the Grammy nominated R&B, pop and gospel singer.  Born in Frankfurt, Germany while is father was stationed in the US Army. Later moved to Birmingham, Ala., where he grew up singing in the church.  He attended Alabama A&M University on a football scholarship graduating with a degree in music. Studdard’s big break came in 2003, when he was accepted as a contestant on American Idol. In a nod to Luther Vandross, he performed a cover of the song “Superstar”, an R&B hit for Vandross. Ruben’s 2003 debut album, the hip-hop flavored R&B record Soulful, hit #1  on the Billboard charts, has been certified Platinum,  sold over 1.8 million copies, and won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding New Artist .  He is appearing at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, March 30th, 2019 at 8pm.  For tickets call 718-960-8833.