Shows / Sista Brunch
Sista Brunch
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…
Episodes
Sista BrunchCelebration Interviews: Tish Arana and Kimber Smith on Belonging, Directing, and the Stories That Name Us
At our Season Six Celebration and Season Seven Fundraiser, we set up a podcast room and invited everyone in the building to interview each other with prompt…
Sista BrunchCelebration Interviews: Lanett Tachel and Hari Williams on Hiding the Medicine and Winning on the Last Day
At our Season Six Celebration and Season Seven Fundraiser, we set up a podcast room and invited everyone in the building to interview each other with prompt…
Sista BrunchCelebration Interviews: Jade-Jenise Dixon and Lanre Idewu on Proof, Refusals, and Two Decades of Watching Each Other Work
At our Season Six Celebration and Season Seven Fundraiser, we set up a podcast room and invited everyone in the building to interview each other with prompt…
Sista BrunchCelebration Interviews: Rraine Hanson and Hari Williams on Expansiveness, Installation, and Making Work That Matters
At our Season Six Celebration and Season Seven Fundraiser, we set up a podcast room and invited everyone in the building to interview each other with prompt…
Sista BrunchCelebration Interviews: Shawn Pipkin-West and Janean Jeffries on Fear, Layoffs, and Building Your Own
At our Season Six Celebration and Season Seven Fundraiser, we set up a podcast room and invited everyone in the building to interview each other with prompt…
Sista BrunchCelebration Interviews: Charisma Justice and Michelle Turner on Rest, Enough, and the Pre Stage
At our Season Six Celebration and Season Seven Fundraiser, we set up a podcast room and invited everyone in the building to interview each other with prompt…
Sista BrunchWelcome Back to Hillman: A Different World with Consider This for Comfort
This is our first collaboration episode. We teamed up with Consider This for Comfort, the award-winning podcast hosted by Eteng Ettah, to welcome back Hillman…
Sista BrunchFelicia Pride (replay) on Pivoting, Ownership, and Building a Sustainable Creative Career
Fanshen Cox and guest co-host Christabel Nsiah-Buadi welcome writer, director, and producer Felicia Pride to Sista Brunch for the first remote-recorded episode…
Sista BrunchCelebration Interviews: Geraldine Porras and Liz Franco on Hard Conversations and Roads Not Taken
At our Season Six Celebration and Season Seven Fundraiser, we set up a podcast room and invited everyone in the building to interview each other with prompt…
Sista BrunchREPLAY: Hanelle Culpepper — Emmy Nominee, and the First Woman to Launch a Star Trek Series
Hanelle Culpepper is nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series for "Exodus," the season two finale of Paradise on Hulu. She is the…
Sista BrunchCelebration Interviews: Tamika Lamison and Kai Bowe on Perfection, Power, and Leading Without Fear
At our Season Six Celebration and Season Seven Fundraiser, we set up a podcast room and invited everyone in the building to interview each other with prompt…
Sista BrunchCelebration Interviews: Diana Williams on Making Stories in an Attention Economy
At our Season Six Celebration and Season Seven Fundraiser, we set up a podcast room and invited everyone in the building to interview each other with prompt…
Sista BrunchCelebration Interviews: Kalle White and Daria Strachan on Authenticity, Accessibility, and Rejection as Redirection
At our Season Six Celebration and Season Seven Fundraiser, we set up a podcast room and invited everyone in the building to interview each other with prompt…
Sista BrunchCelebration Interviews: Arielle Estoria and Daniel K. Hunter on Creative Sparks, Spilling Words, and Why Podcasting Is Radio Reborn
At our Season Six Celebration and Season Seven Fundraiser, we set up a podcast room and invited everyone in the building to interview each other with prompt…
Sista BrunchCelebration Interviews: Shannan Johnson and Jade-Jenise Dixon on Money, Mentors, and Mastering Your Lane
At our Season Six Celebration and Season Seven Fundraiser, we set up a podcast room and invited everyone in the building to interview each other with prompt…
Sista BrunchCelebration Interviews: Candace Nicholas-Lippman and c. Craig Patterson on Valley Seasons, Viola Davis, and Not Staying Down
At our Season Six Celebration and Season Seven Fundraiser, we set up a podcast room and invited everyone in the building to interview each other with prompt…
Sista BrunchCelebration Interviews: Maegan Philmore and E'lon Joi on Invisibility, Reclaiming Space, and Peer Mentorship
At our Season Six Celebration and Season Seven Fundraiser, we set up a podcast room and invited our community to interview each other with prompt cards. This…
Sista BrunchCelebration Interviews: Two Generations of Black Women Filmmakers on Integrity, Myths, and Defining Moments
At our Season Six Celebration and Season Seven Fundraiser, we set up a podcast room and invited our community to interview each other with prompt cards. This…
Sista BrunchWelcome to Sista Brunch: Black Women+ Thriving in Media
Pull up a chair. This is Sista Brunch. Sista Brunch is a weekly podcast sharing the stories of Black women and Black gender-expansive people thriving in film…
Sista BrunchThe UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report: What the 2026 Data Actually Says (with Dr. Ana-Christina Ramón & Jade Abston)
Four years running, the most-watched films on streaming have been led by Women of Color. So why is Hollywood still treating diverse stories as a risk? On this…
Sista BrunchLuchina Fisher on "The Dads," Storytelling as Activism, and Why Everything Starts With the Word
Show Notes How does an "army brat" with no Hollywood connections become an Emmy-winning documentarian whose work sits at the center of one of the most urgent…
Sista BrunchThe Insider Language of Hollywood: Every Season 7 Guest Decodes Their Craft
What's Greeking? What's a Frankenbite? What does it mean to "package" a project? And why does a Hollywood producer call a sewing machine her most important…
Sista BrunchCharlie T. Savage: Our Own Associate Producer’s Secret Feature Film Premiering at ABFF
While working as one of Sista Brunch's season seven associate producers, Charlie T. Savage was quietly making a feature film. Voices the Musical is a 1967…
Sista BrunchEffie Brown on Project Greenlight, Producer Pay & Why Distribution Eats First
Effie T. Brown is an award-winning producer, CEO of Game Changer Films, and a Governor of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Her producing…
Sista BrunchDiana Williams: From the DGA Training Program to Building the Future of IP
Diana Williams is the CEO and co-founder of Kinetic Energy Entertainment, a multi-platform venture studio building franchise IP across film, TV, video games…
Sista BrunchAshlee Hypolite: Running Hollywood’s Pipeline From Free Training to Union Careers
Ashlee Hypolite is the Executive Director of Hollywood CPR, the nonprofit workforce development program that provides free, union-track training for…
Sista BrunchAaliyah Williams: From Her First Short at Sundance to Netflix’s Black Barbie
Aaliyah Williams is an Emmy Award-winning producer and founder of Just a Rebel. She produced Netflix's Black Barbie, which earned two Daytime Emmys and an…
Sista BrunchHow Stories Actually Get Greenlit: Kamala Avila-Salmon on Studio Deals, Salary Transparency & Inclusive Development
Kamala Avila-Salmon is a producer, studio executive, and inclusion strategist who has been at the center of how stories get developed and greenlit at major…
Sista BrunchGeorgia Fort: Covering the Chauvin Trial, Fighting for Press Freedom & Building the Future of Journalism
Journalist and media innovator Georgia Fort joins Fanshen and Shawn for a powerful conversation about her journey from radio intern to Emmy-nominated…
Sista BrunchMarie Douglas on Composing for Film, Freelance Music Careers, and Building a Sound That Blends Everything
Guest: Marie Douglas Titles: Composer; arranger; educator; musical director; conductor; freelance creative Episode Theme: What it takes to build a career as a…
Sista BrunchKai 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…
Sista BrunchApril 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…
Sista BrunchRraine 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…
Sista BrunchKelly 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…
Sista BrunchAsha 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…
Sista BrunchKaren 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…
Sista BrunchFelicia 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…
Sista BrunchPraise 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…
Sista BrunchSheila Ducksworth on Making Soap Opera History | Sista Brunch Bonus Episode
TV history in the making! Sheila Ducksworth, executive producer of Beyond the Gates—the first one-hour soap with a predominantly Black cast—joins us to share…
Sista BrunchLove, Identity & Self-Liberation: Kareema Bee x Ekwa Msangi | Sista Brunch + The HiveMind Unified Q&A
In this intimate post-screening conversation, The HiveMind Unified founder and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Kareema Bee sits down with acclaimed director Ekwa…
Sista BrunchEkwa Msangi on Farewell Amor, Filmmaking Grit & Legacy | Sista Brunch x HiveMind Unified
In this special Juneteenth bonus episode of Sista Brunch, co-hosted by The HiveMind Unified, we sit down with award-winning writer/director Ekwa Msangi…
Sista BrunchLet’s Talk Tech: Tools & Tips from Black Women in TV + Film | Sista Brunch Season 6 Bonus
How do Black creatives in entertainment actually get the job done? In this end-of-season bonus episode of Sista Brunch, our guests and Black Girls Film Camp…
Sista BrunchDream Bigger: Wisdom for the Next Generation | Sista Brunch Season 6 Compilation
What would you tell your younger self if you could sit down together for a real Sista Brunch? 🥂 In our Season 6 finale, our brilliant guests — from…
Sista BrunchReal Money Talk: How Black Women Thrive Financially in Film, TV & Media | Sista Brunch Podcast Bonus
At Sista Brunch, we keep it real — and this bonus episode is no different! 🎤💸 Season 6 guests open up about salaries, budgets, residuals, and multiple income…
Sista BrunchHow to Get Away with Murder Screenwriter/Producer Erika Green Swafford on Empowering Black Women in Film and TV
In this episode of Sista Brunch, hosts Fanshen Cox and Shawn Pipkin-West, along with Black Girls Film Camp alumni co-host Jaida Cox, delve into the journey of…
Sista BrunchNetflix Sr. Physical Production Executive Noelle Green on Navigating the Industry From Reston, Virginia to the Most Successful Streaming Service
In this episode of Sista Brunch, hosts Fanshen Cox and Shawn Pipkin-West interview Noelle Green, a Senior Physical Production Executive at Netflix. Noelle…
Sista BrunchLionsgate Head of Inclusive Content Tayanna Todd on Navigating Inclusive Content and Career Growth
In this episode of Sista Brunch, host Fanshen Cox interviews Tayanna Todd, Head of Inclusive Content at Lionsgate. Tayanna shares her inspiring career journey…
Sista BrunchThriving in Hollywood with a Disability – A Journey of Resilience-Nandi Bowe-Assistant Director, Writer, Director
In this episode of Sista Brunch, hosts Fanshen Cox and Shawn Pipkin-West interview the award-winning writer and director, Nandi Bowe. Nandi shares her unique…
Sista BrunchMeaganzworld Star and Black Girls Film Camp Director Marley Jones: Unveiling Young Talent and Improving Film & TV Criticism
In this episode of Sista Brunch, host Fanshen Cox connects with Marley Jones, winner of the Black Girls Film Camp most original story award, and Meagan, a…
Sista BrunchFrom Theater Kid to Emmy Winner and Producer of High On The Hog: Shirlyn A. Cesar’s Journey in Film and Media
In this Sista Brunch episode, hosts Fanshen Cox and Shawn Pipkin-West interview Emmy-winning producer Shirlyn A. Cesar. Highlighting her journey from a theater…
Sista BrunchPeabody Award & Emmy Award-winning Editor Daysha Broadway From Compton to Hollywood and the Kardashians to Sundance
In this episode of Sista Brunch, host Fanshen Cox interviews Daysha Broadway, an acclaimed film and television editor. Daysha shares her experiences and…
Sista BrunchGrey’s Anatomy Actor Khalilah Joi: Her Inspiring Journey From Broadcast Aspirations to Acclaimed Actor
In this episode of Sista Brunch, hosts Fanshen Cox and Shawn Pipkin-West dive deep into the inspiring journey of critically acclaimed actor Khalilah Joi. The…
Sista BrunchBlack Latina Movement Founder Crystal Roman: Embracing Identity and Storytelling
In this episode of Sista Brunch, host Fanshen Cox welcomes Crystal Roman, founder and CEO of Black Latina Movement, a theater and film production company based…
Sista BrunchUPM/Line Producer Canella Williams Larrabee Shares Tips for Success in the Industry
AD/Director Shawn Pipkin-West takes over as full host in this episode with Canella Williams Larrabee, a seasoned unit production manager and line producer in…
Sista BrunchFilm & TV Acquisitions Executive and Company Founder Loretta Edwards Wilson: Crafting the Future of Black Narratives
Welcome to another enlightening episode of Sista Brunch! This time, we're joined by Loretta Edwards Wilson, a seasoned acquisitions executive and founder of A…
Sista BrunchNetflix ’Act Your Age’ Creator and Director: Celebrating Black Women in Media
In the season 6 premiere of Sista Brunch, hosts Fanshen Cox and Shawn Pipkin-West celebrate the stories of Black women and gender expansive people in…
Sista BrunchLive from Essence Fest 2024 Protecting IP and Navigating the Entertainment Industry with Entertainment Attorney Jalene Mack
In this special episode of Sista Brunch recorded live at the Essence Film Festival, Fanshen speaks with entertainment attorney Jalene Mack (@jalenemack). The…
Sista BrunchLive from Essence Fest 2024 with Letitia Guillory & Crayton Robey | Sista Brunch Podcast
This is our final special bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast recorded live at the Essence Film Festival in New Orleans! Fanshen was thrilled to sit down…
Sista BrunchLive from Essence Fest 2024 Jacqueline Luckett on Adapting ’Passing Love’ for the Screen
In this special bonus episode of Sista Brunch, recorded live at the Essence Film Festival, host Fanshen Cox sits down with acclaimed novelist Jacqueline…
Sista BrunchLive from Essence Fest 2024 Celebrating Animation and HBCUs with Angela Davis & LaToya Turner
It’s another special bonus episode of the Sista Brunch podcast recorded live at the Essence Film Festival! 🎬🌟 Fanshen shares time with the inspirational…