How do we create a culture that is welcoming and inclusive of people that are truly different than what we're used to? And more than that, how do we train and teach our children to befriend those who might have been born a little differently than them? On this very special episode of LifeChat Radio on World Down Syndrome Day, we talk with Michele Thomas, Director of the DeSoto Soaring Eagles Center, on how we can teach those around us to love differently, and love unconditionally.
Mar 21, 2018•34 min
It's one of our favorite festivals of the year. We're taking you Inside SXSW -- >> literally! If you've never been to the biggest music + film + interactive festival in the country, here's your shot at getting the scoop on the ins and outs of SXSW with a couple of festival vets, showcase presenter of Inside Gospel Live, Mr. Frankie Wilson(mrfrankiewilson.com) and hip hop and spoken word artist, ShySpeaks (shyspeaks.com). Music By: Shy Speaks Sho Baraka
Mar 10, 2018•49 min
So -- the last day to vote in the primaries is literally just a few days away. But how in the world are you supposed to know who should get your vote? Why is it even important? If it's not the president, should you care? Uh. Duh. Of course you should! And one of our favorite political gurus is gonna give you the ins and outs on how to figure out who you're voting for and WHY. LifeChatRadio.com
Mar 02, 2018•38 min
First of all, the music in today's show -->> #superdope. Thanks, producer. It’s February, which probably means you’re already slippin’ on that grand resolution you made at the first of the year. Although Esther goes off a time or two in this episode, we promise it won't hurt too bad. So, no worries - we’ll get you back on track in no time flat.
Feb 11, 2018•34 min
Before you take the big giant trendy leap of "faith," called entrepreneurship, the ladies of LifeChat Radio have a bit of advice that might save you from a bit of sorrow and frustration. We're back! And we've got a great year lined up with some amazing guests, deep topics, and more than a few truth bombs that are sure to make you go, "hmmmm..." Hey, 2018. We're ready.
Feb 01, 2018•42 min
CULTURE >> it's a word that has become incredibly polarizing by the moment. Either folks are quick to jump into or impact it, or their running away from it, and hiding their children, and their wives, AND their husbands from it just as quickly as they can find the closest rock. So - what is the best response to 'culture' in 2017 for the person who wants to make an impact? We chat it up this week on LifeChat Radio with the one of the dopest emcees we know, ShySpeaks [shyspeaks.com], as well...
Sep 13, 2017•56 min
#39: Pro-Everything w. Cessilye R. Smith by Feleceia Benton + Esther Calloway
Aug 17, 2017•38 min
"We’ve figured out how to put people on the moon, but we haven’t learned how to stop killing each other." No Badges. No Guns. Just Humans. Dr. Larry Terry of the UNT Dallas Urban SERCH Institute discusses their approach to solving a problem that seems to be be plaguing our country and paralyzing our communities from real reconciliation and forward motion. The Community Leadership Academy is the nation's first peer-led leadership program that pairs police officers and community members together, ...
Aug 11, 2017•56 min
How do you make your tiny idea a big deal? You hang out with Faith Anderson from Tenth Child Inc., that's how. This brilliant woman has executed about a million and a half amazing ideas, and caused them to come into fruition, including creating + hosting her own event at MegaFest AND the Stellar Awards. If you don't know what those are, do some Google searching, then be impressed. #ManifestationOnFleek [do they still say that?!] Ah well - who cares. She's doing it.
Aug 03, 2017•45 min
Everybody's just trying to eat -- we get that. And that hunger makes it super easy to go super cray on social media, especially if you're pushing a product, or music, or a service, or your kid's future career as a model. There's gotta be some balance and some strategy behind how this social media phenomenon works, right?
Jun 01, 2017•45 min
We've loved Chantae Cann for a LONG time at LifeChat Radio. On this very SPECIAL episode of the show, we get to chat one-on-one with one of our absolute favorite artists and get to know a little bit about her very own journey.
Apr 18, 2017•41 min
What better way to celebrate two years of LifeChat Radio [AND Women's History Month!] than with an awesome show! Well, we hope it's awesome at least. It's been a CRAZY ride, but we are loving life as much as we are loving this journey with all of you.
Mar 05, 2017•47 min
OK, ok...so, we recorded this after the first 10 days, and, well, some pretty intense stuff had already happened under America's newly guided hand at that point. So, we did what LifeChatters do -- we chatted about it, because you'd probably do the same -- and you're probably STILL doing the same. We deep dive into some political chatter with super smart [very balanced ;-)] political guru [and straight-up truth teller] Hendrick Maison on this week's show. Love it? Like it. Share it.
Feb 17, 2017•51 min
What happens when a handful of dedicated churches gather together in unity to create steps toward reconciliation in a single community? LIfeChat Radio recaps the Come.Unity gathering of believers from the Colin County area on MLK weekend. These people give us hope that reconciliation is not only possible, but happening, even if it's only happening in pockets.
Feb 01, 2017•56 min
Forty-nine years from his death and fifty-four years from the infamous "I Have a Dream" speech, and the country that Martin Luther King loved and fought for so deeply yet seems to lie in deep distress, and perhaps even deeper discourse. Disagreement is our badge of honor. Efforts surrounding ideas of unity seem foreign to a country who touts individualism so much that the very notion of laying aside those ideas for just a moment for the sake of togetherness are concepts unknown. But doesn't unit...
Jan 17, 2017•1 hr 5 min
Doing something new is hardly ever easy -- at least that's the way it felt when we launched into the land of podcasting at the start of 2016. But thanks to a "a little help from our friends," we were able to more than get by -- we created something awesome that we think can help make a small dent of impact in this somewhat noisy world that doesn't always feed us the most positive food for thought. So, here's a little recap of what we think was a pretty successful year. And if you hear something ...
Jan 03, 2017•43 min
We hear you. You're angry. Frustrated. You wanna do something, but you have no clue where to begin. What the heck are you supposed to do now? Well, if you're like us, you ask the people who are doing it, and doing it, and doing it well. This series is kinda blowing our brains, too. We're learning about not only the passion and fire required for someone to create change, but also the grave intentionality required to make shift happen in whatever space. Wanna create change? Here's your to-do list...
Dec 29, 2016•1 hr 13 min
I think we can all agree that the abortion debate is one about which we all likely have an opinion. With extremists on both sides, it's sometimes hard to consider what the in-between might actually look like. Perhaps ur conversation with New Wave Feminist Founder Destiny Herndon-De La Rosa seems to have navigated us to a place of new-found understanding. Perhaps organizations like her's, pro-life-pro-woman-pro-baby loving ones, will continue to reveal themselves and continue to provide resources...
Dec 15, 2016•58 min
Everybody wants to be a revolutionary -- especially right now. Seems like every day, we see a new hashtag, protest or so-called 'movement' pop-up on social media. But how does one actually begin to shift change in a culture or concerning an issue? By definition, the tride and true plight of a revolution is "a forcible overthrow of a government or social order in favor of a new system." Perhaps we've seen more overthrowing than proposed new systems. Something to consider when you're one of the on...
Nov 21, 2016•1 hr
We're in the homestretch of our Gearing up for Great series featuring one of our favorites, Laura Terhune with the DeSoto Chamber of Commerce. Listen, Laura spits some serious knowledge in this week's show, so don't miss a moment. And take notes, while you're at it.
Sep 29, 2016•58 min
Sometimes, you just gotta go back. Achieving greatness is no short-term feat. It takes time, energy, effort and a whole lot of patience. Spend a bit of your time with the Toni Holloway as she discusses continuing ed and the next steps for grown folks, and be inspired to get back in the game. Be better. Do more.
Sep 10, 2016•44 min
Achieving greatness is no short-term feat. It takes time, energy, effort and a whole lot of patience. Spend a bit of your time with the hard-working team at from the Action Center Network who have taken on the giant task of eliminating crime one zip code at a time. From OKC to Dallas-town, Action Center is on a mission -- and we're inspired by that.
Aug 26, 2016•42 min
We're closing out our #LoveIs series with some sounds that make our souls glad. We're also re-capping ShopTalk: a Battle of Understanding the Sexes with our boy, Jerome Walker.
Aug 12, 2016•1 hr 11 min
We're on a constant quest to discover the things that make love works. It's a hard enough journey already, isn't it? Why not dive into the minds of the folks who are digging and working to make their love last? The LifeChat ladies this week chat it up with The Morrows, a couple that has taken their individual passions and melded them into a thing of beauty and are together creating a union that they both enjoy. We're digging these "passionprenuers," and we KNOW you will, too.
Aug 02, 2016•1 hr 9 min
If I hear one more #single lady say she's 'ready for love...' #ReallyTho? You've had India Arie on repeat for one song too long...probably. We begin our new series series, #LoveIs: Conversations with the Patient and the Kind, with the founders of Shop Talk: a Battle of Understanding the Sexes -- a new Dallas-based event created to challenge the minds of those who dare to enter into the dating landscape of 2016. We'll go there -- we promise.
Jul 21, 2016•1 hr
Everybody's "woke" these days, but how many people are paying attention enough to simply be plugged into the pulse of their community? We chat with Belyn Bland-Xochia with the DeSoto Chamber of Commerce about their new community initiatives and about how everyday people can get involved in their own cities and towns.
Jun 30, 2016•1 hr 11 min
What makes her better? Sounds like such a loaded question, right? But for an artist like Neo-Soul-Christian-Hip-Hop-Rapper-Singer-All-Around boss woman like LaToria [she's on that all things to all men tip], the quest for lifelong improvement boils down to three simple words -- being like Christ. Cliche for many. Real for her. She's also gracing the cover of this month's Elisia Magazine. #CauseSheGotItLikeThat Check out her interview + new song on the podcast - LifeChatLive.com
Jun 02, 2016•1 hr 16 min
“If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.” - Ken Robinson. Revision doesn’t mean that your idea was wrong, but it does mean that perhaps there was a problem in your execution. There must be a way to execute your idea and there is no other choice but to revise and revitalize your process if you want to experience success in your goals. Frankie Wilson, CEO of Vision Media and Stellar Award winning radio personality explains how “creativity and innovation exi...
May 30, 2016•1 hr 4 min
Hard is relative. "It’s FINE" seems to be the ultimate American distraction, and we are OK with just being OK. As a result, we have no idea what extraordinary feels like because we’ve settled into the contentment of mediocrity. But how does one assess what is around them in order to know how to take steps toward living a life of purposeful amazement and continual joy? Social Impact Guru Chantel LaNeice Hobbs talks with the ladies of LifeChat about breaking through the fear and identifying the be...
May 25, 2016•1 hr 6 min
Values — that isn’t the first word that comes to mind when most folks think about venturing into the world of entrepreneurship. Whether its the quest for world peace or the almighty dollar, we tend to fix our eyes on an end goal and are not oft deterred by how that little ‘v’ word can affect what we choose to do or not do in business. But that little two-syllable word can either make your decision making process super easy or complicate the living daylight out of the gray issues that regularly r...
May 17, 2016•56 min
