Episodes

  • From the UK to Queens, Richard Mazda and the Secret Theater

    From the UK to Queens, Richard Mazda and the Secret Theater
    May 5 2026
    In this episode, Luchia sits down with Richard Mazda - actor, director, musician and founder of The Secret Theatre in Queens. They talk about his journey from the UK to New York, what it takes to build and sustain an independent theatre, and the many roles he’s taken on, both behind the scenes and on stage. Luchia and Richard also explore what continues to drive his work - storytelling, community, and the future of the arts in Queens.
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    41 mins
  • Why Maternal Care Is Failing - and What Charline Mitchell Is Building Instead

    Why Maternal Care Is Failing - and What Charline Mitchell Is Building Instead
    Apr 16 2026
    In this episode, Luchia sits down with Charline Mitchell, lactation consultant, doula and founder of what could become Queens’ first birth center. They talk about Charline’s journey from school counselor to maternal health advocate, the moment that pushed her to leave the system and why she’s now building something entirely new for families in Queens. Luchia and Charline also get into what’s ahead - the barriers, the vision and what it will take to create real change in maternal care.
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    22 mins
  • Leading Queens Theatre into a New Era with Julia del Palacio

    Leading Queens Theatre into a New Era with Julia del Palacio
    Apr 2 2026
    In this episode, Luchia sits down with Julia del Palacio, Executive Director of Queens Theatre, to talk about the moment she left the path she thought she had to follow - and built something bigger. Julia and Luchia also discuss the real work of sustaining the arts, why access still isn't equal and what it takes to keep culture not just alive, but essential.
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    31 mins
  • The Woman Turning Queens into a Stage with Karesia Batan

    The Woman Turning Queens into a Stage with Karesia Batan
    Mar 27 2026
    In this episode, Luchia sits down with Karesia Batan, Founding Executive Director of the Queensboro Dance Festival, to explore how she turned a lack of access into one of Queens’ most powerful cultural platforms. They talk about the real story behind QDF, the mission to bring dance out of institutions and into the streets and what it means to build community through art in a city that often overlooks it. And, finally, they dive into what’s ahead - how Karesia is reimagining the future of culture, access and belonging in Queens.
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    25 mins
  • Breaking the Silence on Mental Health with Dr. Edgar Hobbs Jr.

    Breaking the Silence on Mental Health with Dr. Edgar Hobbs Jr.
    Mar 19 2026
    In this episode, Luchia sits down with Dr. Edgar Hobbs Jr., a Queens native, licensed mental health counselor and longtime guidance counselor who spent 26 years supporting students with emotional and developmental needs in New York City's District 75. Now the founder of Strategies & Solutions for Life and Director of the Hope & Grace Mental Health Wellness Center at First Baptist Church of Corona, Dr. Hobbs works to bring open and honest conversations about mental health into the community. They discuss his personal journey, the growing awareness around mental health and why he is especially committed to helping Black and Brown men access the support they deserve.
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    38 mins
  • Keeping Theater Alive in Queens with Thom Harmon

    Keeping Theater Alive in Queens with Thom Harmon
    Mar 18 2026
    In this episode, Luchia speaks with Thom Harmon, performer and co-founder of City Gate Productions, an independent theater company supporting the performing arts scene in Queens. Originally from Philadelphia, Thom built a career in fundraising for academic medical research before rediscovering his passion for theater later in life. That path eventually led him to help build a growing theater community in Queens. They discuss collaboration in the arts, the challenges independent theater companies face and why Queens' diversity makes it a powerful home for creative expression.
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    28 mins
  • Music, Dance and the Golden Festival with Michael Ginsburg

    Music, Dance and the Golden Festival with Michael Ginsburg
    Mar 18 2026
    This episode explores the world of Balkan music and dance with Michael Ginsburg, a musician, teacher and founder of the Golden Festival. Ginsburg has spent decades sharing Balkan music traditions through performance and community events. His band, Zlatne Uste Balkan Brass Band, founded in 1983, has performed across the United States and internationally - including at Serbia's renowned Guca Brass Festival. The conversation looks at how traditional music builds community, why Queens is the perfect home for a festival celebrating global culture and how events like the Golden Festival bring music, food and dance together.
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    35 mins
  • Community, Culture and Main Street with Leslie Ramos

    Community, Culture and Main Street with Leslie Ramos
    Mar 18 2026
    In this episode, Luchia sits down with Leslie A. Ramos, Executive Director of the 82nd Street Partnership in Jackson Heights and Elmhurst. Leslie has built her career at the intersection of public policy, economic development and community leadership. Under her guidance, the 82nd Street Partnership has become internationally recognized for culturally responsive programming, creative placemaking and initiatives supporting immigrant and minority-owned small businesses. They discuss how Main Streets are becoming the center of community life again, how the arts can serve as an economic engine and how local organizations translate community needs into policy and action.
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    31 mins