SoCal Voices is an award-winning podcast that shares authentic stories and local wisdom to help Southern Californians navigate the region’s challenges and thrive in the place we call home.
Beyond the stunning coastline, golden sunsets, and endless calendar of world-class events and experiences… lies a different story.
Sky-high living costs. Soul-crushing commutes. The quiet ache for connection and purpose in the middle of all this sprawl.
SoCal Voices Podcast is your companion through it all. We hold space for both the beauty and the burnout — offering real talk, local insight, and honest inspiration to help you navigate life in this one-of-a-kind place.
Because Southern California isn’t just a dream. It’s a real place — and you deserve to feel grounded in it.
SoCal Voices. Real talk in the land of dreams.
Want to be a guest on SoCal Voices? Send Angela Ross a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/socalvoices.
In her book Trees Without Roots, author Ella Colic recounts the true story of her father and aunt who experienced life as refugees of the Bosnian war in the early 1990s. In this edition of SoCal Voices, Ella discusses the powerful and emotional journey she faced while writing the book, the impact of her relatives’ story on her life today, and how her own trip to Bosnia inspires her course of study and future career. Support the show...
In this edition of SoCal Voices, host Angela Ross chats with Clinton Galloway, author of Anatomy of a Hustle: Cable Comes to South Central LA and What Did you Think was Going to Happen? — books that detail his experiences trying to establish the first Black-owned cable franchise in the country and the government corruption that he says stopped it. Support the show
Midterm election day is just around the corner and as voters go to the polls, they have economic inflation, voter suppression, reduced access to abortion and candidate conduct on their minds. In this edition of SoCal Voices, Kim Moffat returns to discuss the upcoming elections, and the work she’s doing with We’re The People, a voter outreach and advocacy organization that aims to increase voter turnout nationwide and specifically among 18 - 24 year olds. Support the show...
Music can instantly transport us to a specific place or special time in our lives. Many believe it also has the power to heal. In this edition of SoCal Voices, Master Speaker, Energy Sound Healer and Visionary Mark Romero shares his experience with high-vibration healing music and how listening to it can shift you into a greater sense of awareness and well-being. Support the show
Jocelyn Harris is Founder and CEO of Connections, Inc. Her organization helps bring joy to struggling low-income families in San Bernardino County. In this edition of SoCal Voices, Jocelyn shares how Connections makes a meaningful difference in the lives of people who need a helping hand. jollyconnectionsinc.com Support the show
Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson are super fans of television. They channel their passion for TV into a fun and informative podcast, The 80s TV Ladies! Susan and Sharon bring their joy, fun and wit to this edition of SoCal Voices, as they describe their love for 80s TV, with a special focus on the female-driven shows of this fabulous era. (Photo credit of Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson goes to Keida Mascaro) Support the show...
LA County elected leaders and government officials have received well-deserved praise this year for returning Bruce’s Beach, prime coastal land in the city of Manhattan Beach, to the descendants of Charles and Willa Bruce. This comes nearly 100 years after the Bruce’s endured anti-Black harassment, and the Manhattan Beach city council unjustly condemned and seized the land through eminent domain, depriving Charles and Willa of their livelihood and the opportunity to pass down generational wealth...
This first installment in SoCal Voices’ “On the Road” series begins at one of the most iconic sites in Southern California, the Historic Mission Inn in Downtown Riverside. The story of the Mission Inn spans more than 100 years including 30 years of construction and powerful stories about the people who worked for founder Frank Miller and made the hotel the icon that it is today. In this edition of SoCal Voices, host Angela Ross speaks with Mission Inn Foundation Executive Director Jarod Hoogland...
We close out this season of SoCal Voices with an interview featuring Shanti Hershenson, a 14-year-old southern California teenager who has written 15 books including You Won't Know Her Name , a novel-told-in-poetry about bullying in middle school. Want some Sci-Fi? Dystopia? She has that and more. In this edition of SoCal Voices, Shanti talks about what inspired her to become a writer, her super-charged workflow, how she stays on track, and what she’s working on next. Listen and be inspired by S...
Claudia Clark is an expatriate activist, historian and author of Dear Barack: The Extraordinary Partnership of Barack Obama and Angela Merkel. In this edition of SoCal Voices, Claudia discusses the inspiration behind her book about two of the world’s most influential leaders, and her struggles to get published. She also shares her views on current events through the lens of an American living in Berlin. Support the show...
In this mid-term primary election season, voters have a lot on their minds, including the possible overturning of Roe v Wade, the war in Ukraine and public safety, following back-to-back-to-back mass shootings. How are voters feeling? Will they vote? What will they decide? In this special edition of SoCal Voices, Kim Moffat, host of the “Here’s What’s Happening” and “My America” podcasts, talks about the work she does to help get out the vote, and shares her thoughts on how recent events may inf...
In his award-winning book, Alabama Grandson: A Black, Gay Minister’s Passage Out of Hiding, Cedrick Bridgeforth chronicles the many years he spent shielding his truth from the world, the pain he experienced when his secret was exposed and how he found his way to self-acceptance. In this edition of SoCal Voices, Bridgeforth talks about his life and faith, his experience writing Alabama Grandson , and how he came to embrace all of who he is - and how his story might help others struggling to live ...
Are you ready to transition from employee to entrepreneur? There are many matters to consider before you take that leap. In this episode of SoCal Voices, Bert Wright, entrepreneur and #1 Amazon best-selling author of the book Say Y.E.S.! Going from Employee to Entrepreneur in 5 Steps, discusses his journey through entrepreneurship and outlines what you need to know to make an informed decision about becoming an entrepreneur. Support the show...
Is China really the economic behemoth we hear about in the media? What are the real long- and short-term impacts of China’s role in the global economy? In this edition of SoCal Voices, author and China Unraveled podcast host Jason Szeftel shares his perspective on China’s role in the global economy, and what China’s future could mean for the economies of the US and southern California. https://www.chinaunraveled.com/ Support the show...
Alicia Montgomery is CEO of the Center for Powerful Public Schools, a Los Angeles-based organization that helps educators create and sustain powerful public schools that prepare every student for college, career, and life. In this episode of SoCal Voices, hear how Ms. Montgomery and her team work to address the needs of students working to thrive in a system that was not designed for their success. Support the show
One of southern California’s most unique and authentic voices belongs to a former DJ who got her start in radio as a teenager. In this edition of SoCal Voices, Jewel, host of the Old School Jewels podcast, discusses how she became interested in radio, how her personal life experiences inform her podcast topics, the challenges of raising her grandchildren, and how her faith sustains her. Support the show
Are you dealing with imposter syndrome? That nagging, anxious feeling that you don’t have what it takes and don’t belong in the spaces you occupy? Maybe a workplace bully shattered your confidence and you’re unsure how to get it back. In this edition of SoCal Voices, author, coach and hypnotherapist Michele Molitor shares how she regained her confidence after being bullied at a previous job and how she helps others beat imposter syndrome. Support the show...
The Inland Empire Black Worker Center (IEBWC) serves as a resource to help address Black unemployment and under employment. In this edition of SoCal Voices, Community Organizer Dominique Dean shares the principles that guide IEBWC’s approach to helping workers learn about all the services available to help them carve a path toward higher-wage jobs in the water industry. Support the show
Riverside’s Gail B. Smith started working for Pacific Telephone/Pacific Bell (known today as AT&T) in the 1970s. When she was hired, she was Riverside’s first African American woman splicer and installer for the phone company — jobs that were held primarily by Caucasian men. In this episode of SoCal Voices, Ms. Smith discusses her experience being the first person like her in her workplace, the “nice nasties” she experienced from some of her co-workers, the support she received from others, ...
Kathy Murphy is an author, singer, inspirational speaker, surfer, mother and certified health and life coach who believes in faith and trust over fear. In this edition of SoCal Voices, Kathy discusses her coaching business, The Rising Tide, and how she helps empower people who lead to overcome challenges and see their lives in a whole new way. Resources: https://wearerisingtides.com Instagram: @wearerisingtides.com Support the show...
Verious Smith, III is a man on a mission. He’s a web developer by trade, podcaster and founder of Startempire Wire that aims to foster and build the startup culture in the Inland Empire. In this edition of SoCal Voices, Smith shares what led him to launch his project and his vision for the Inland Empire’s startup ecosystem. startempirewire.com Support the show
Novelist, essayist and short story teller Keenan Norris’ new coming-of-age novel, The Confession of Copeland Cane is being hailed as “simply genius,” “potent” and “engaging.” In this edition of SoCal Voices, Norris, a SoCal native who teaches American Literature and Creative Writing at San Jose State University, discusses his latest work and what inspired his writing career. Norris also shares his perspective on the creative process and what he wishes his students would ask him more often. www.k...
Josh Giles is the super successful head coach of the Corona-Centennial High School’s boys basketball team. As coach of the Huskies, Giles’ long list of honors includes being named the 2020-21 Cal-Hi Sports Coach of the Year. He’s also known for his dedication to helping students become champions on and off the court. In this edition of SoCal Voices, Coach Giles shares how he came to basketball and the experiences that helped shaped his coaching philosophy. Resources: coronacentennialboysbball.co...
The John M Pfau Library on the campus of Cal State University San Bernardino holds a digital archive honoring inland southern California’s Black history. In this edition of SoCal Voices, Assistant Professor of History Marc Robinson shares how “The Bridges that Carried Us Over” project came to be and his role in helping to preserve African American history in the Inland Empire. Resources: https://www.instagram.com/ieblackhistory/ https://www.facebook.com/IEBlackHistory bit.ly/bridges-project Supp...
A new business publication in the Inland Empire — IE Business Edge — promises content that is informative and actionable. The brains behind this new magazine brings years of corporate and entrepreneurial experience to this latest enterprise. In this episode of SoCal Voices, publisher Norm Pelzer discusses why he launched IE Business Edge, the challenges he overcame to get the magazine off the ground, and what he believes the publication can do for business owners. He also offers advice to anyone...
In this “Ask Me Anything” episode, the tables are turned as SoCal Voices host Angela Ross answers questions posed by KGGI and KOST radio personality Evelyn Erives on Black History Month and more! #socalvoices #socal #california #podcast #lifestyle #workforce #ad #chamberofcommerce #InlandEmpire #news #media #community Support the show...
Dianne Callahan is an award-winning communication professional and non-profit executive who lives what many would describe as a charmed life, but she has experienced challenges, including three bouts with cancer. In this edition of SoCal Voices, Dianne talks about her life and expertise as a negativity disrupter and how she inspires people to live joyful lives. Resources: www.catalystcoaching.biz https://www.lightheartedlife.org Support the show...
Anthony Victoria is a journalist, community organizer and communications advisor who has spent years focusing on local civic and environment justice. Recently, Anthony’s newly launched outlet, The Frontline Observer, received a grant from The Listening Post Collective . In this edition of SoCal Voices, Anthony discusses how the grant will help him chronicle social and environmental justice issues in the Inland Empire and help improve lives along the way. Resources: Twitter: @eyeofthebarrio Insta...
When you think of a pilot or certified flight instructor, chances are, thanks to your social conditioning, you don’t think of a petite 26-year-old African American woman. Free your mind and meet pilot and certified flight instructor Lauren Harris of Moreno Valley. In this episode of SoCal Voices, Lauren discusses what pulled her into the world of aviation, what she loves most about flying, and how she hopes to inspire others to take the controls and fly. Support the show...
Brief summary of show: Feeding America Riverside-San Bernardino CEO Stephanie Otero returns to SoCal Voices to share how you can be a real holiday hero by helping people dealing with food insecurity. Resources Instagram: @feedingamericaie Facebook: @feedingamericaie Twitter: @feedingie Website: www.feedingie.org Support the show
