Only One In The Room

What if your white mother couldn’t raise you and your black father, who adored you, was in and out of prison for most of your life, leaving you to child services in Minnesota where you were one of the few mixed race children entrusted to their foster care system? Tracy McMillian, Best selling author, screenwriter, relationship thought-leader and influencer, was raised by a foster family with solid Minnesotan values, getting a paper route in the dead of winter and visiting with her biological father whenever she could. But what would you do if after growing up, you had a chance to forgive your circumstances, including the mother and father who’d abandoned you? Would you put your past feelings aside, deciding to believe that they did the best they could? Or would you leave your past behind and move forward with the amazing life you’d built — for yourself? More From Tracy McMillan: Visit her website www.tracymcmillan.com Buy her BOOKS Finding Tracy McMillan: Twitter & Instagram: @tracymcmillan Be sure not to miss our new Now Normal series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question for either the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on Now Normal, be sure to join our Facebook Group . You can also DM us on instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website www.theonlyonepod.com. Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins such as live events, appearances, featured articles and more. Don't miss our bonus after show Scott Talks, where co-host and producer Scott Slaughter (aka Hon) briefly chops it up with our guest immediately after the interview. *If you know someone who might be feeling like they're the "Only One" be sure to share this or one of our other unique episodes with them. Also be sure to subscribe, comment and review us on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, podcaster Sara Dean of the Shameless Mom Academy Podcast, talks to us about what it’s like to be a white woman during the current Black Lives Matter movement. Sara is a friend, a generous resource for women, mothers and her fellow podcasters. She also gave me the honor of being the opening keynote speaker at Shameless Mom Con 2020 and has been a huge supporter of The Only One In The Room from day one. The Shameless Mom Academy Podcast is a top rated podcast with over 2 million downloads. Her biggest passion is helping women own their space. Today, Sara motivates and inspires women to stop shrinking and start growing in every aspect of their lives. She is on a mission to inspire women and moms, in particular, to live bigger, bolder, braver #everydamnday. Connect with Sara: www.shamelessmom.com Listen to the Shameless Mom Academy Podcast Free Facebook Group: www.shamelessmom.com/facebook Instagram: @shamlessmomacademy Podcasts Mentioned: Check Your Privilege, Hello 7, Unlocking Us Laura's Huffington Post article mentioned: White Women, I’m Glad You’re Showing Up. But I’m Not Sure I Trust You Just Yet Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays and Scott Talks now released on Wednesdays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series. Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room reflects on our favorite episodes from Season 5 of the Only One In The Room and our new additions "COVID Warriors and The NOW Normal" as well as announces our up-coming Season 6 dropping on July 7th. Make sure to listen to the end of this one, as we feature a powerful spoken word by the talented Valyn Turner entitled "Bleeding Red, White & Blue". Watch Valyn Turner's "Bleeding Red, White & Blue" on YouTube Instagram: @valynturner Twitter: @valynlyric_t Don't miss our new Now Normal series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question on the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on Now Normal be sure to join our Facebook Group. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Got MILK? We do! Introducing MILK podcast hosted by Mallory Kasdan. As we gear up for our Season 6 premiere on July 7th we wanted to share with you another podcast that we love and know you'll love too. Enjoy! Meena Harris joins Mallory in the MILK Studio. Meena is the author of “Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea," an illustrated picture book based on a true story from the childhood of Meena’s mom and aunt. Meena is founder of the groundbreaking Phenomenal Women Action campaign, she is a respected entrepreneur and is recognized as an influential voice for women’s equality. In the book, two sisters make a difference in their community by dreaming big and fighting for what they believe in. It’s an early lesson on the power of community organizing, and an example of what Meena’s grandmother always told her: “Each of us has a role to play.” Meena believes that to fight for women’s equality, we need to start with girl’s equality, and her book focuses on listening to girls of color, supporting their big ideas, and following their lead. Currently, Meena is head of strategy and leadership at Uber, where she leads brand transformation initiatives focused on corporate citizenship, customer loyalty, and employee engagement. In addition to Uber, she has advised major brands on diversity and inclusion. Meena is also an attorney with extensive experience in consumer protection, data privacy, and cybersecurity. She is a graduate of Standford University and Harvard Business School. She lives in San Francisco with her partner and two daughters. The book can be purchased through a link on phenomenal girl dot com. Follow Meena @meenaharris or phenomenalwoman.us Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All Black Lives Matter came on my radar last week after it was painted down the center of Hollywood Blvd here in Los Angeles. The issue on the table is that black queer people in this country have been hit twice. Being black and queer in America can be seen as a double threat and not necessarily in a good way. Many black members of the LGBTQ+ community feel like a people without a country. They experience racism within the LGTBTQ+ community and they experience prejudice and homophobia from straight, cisgender members of the black community. And now that the George Floyd protests and Pride month are erupting at the same time, where do our Queer black people stand? How do you know which identifier to fight for first? Black or Queer? Travis Coles is an actor, comedian, air force brat born in Germany and then raised in Texas, DC and Maryland. He still looks great in lederhosen. He attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and began his improv training after moving to Los Angeles. Instagram & Twitter: @travesties Opportunities To Educate Yourself: Definitions: Heteropatriarchy- a society or culture dominated by a ruling class of heterosexual males whose characteristic bias is unfavorable to gay people and females in general. Cis gender (adj)- one’s personal identity and gender corresponds with their birth sex. Microaggression- a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group, such as a racial minority. (Webster Dictionary,https://www.merriam-webster.com/) People Mentioned Whose Names You Should Know: Dominique Fells Riah Milton Breonna Taylor James Baldwin Resources Mentioned: Los Angeles LGBTQ Center Donate to the LALGBTQ Center Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays and Scott Talks now released on Wednesdays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series. Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Manon Mathews right after the show. Don't miss our new Now Normal series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question on the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on Now Normal be sure to join our Facebook Group. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if, since you were a little girl, you’d found yourself a quest for your soulmate, one that would hopefully end with you meeting and marrying the love of your life? Manon Mathews, social media star, comedianne, actor, writer, director, was a guest on The Only One In The Room in summer 2019. During her interview, she told us about her belief in soulmates and how all the work she had done on herself, had led her to meet HIM, the absolute love of her life. Forty-six days after we taped the interview, to the delight of her 604 thousand Instagram followers, Manon would have a fairytale wedding, with pictures that would garner thousands upon thousands of likes and comments. But what if, only a few months after your wedding, you found yourself in therapy trying to move through some unexpected “speed bumps” that threatened to derail your marriage? Would you continue to share your story publically? Creating a heartfelt post to let your fans know that you and your new husband were separating? Or would you shut the door on your past and continue to post as though you were living, as everyone had hoped - happily ever after? More From Manon Mathews: Buy her book Funny How It Works Out: Personal Stories & Lessons On How I Got My SH*T Together Finding Manon Mathews: Watch her videos on Facebook Twitter & Instagram & TikTok: @manonmathews Be sure not to miss our new Now Normal series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question for either the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on Now Normal, be sure to join our Facebook Group . You can also DM us on instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website www.theonlyonepod.com. Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins such as live events, appearances, featured articles and more. Don't miss our bonus after show Scott Talks, where co-host and producer Scott Slaughter (aka Hon) briefly chops it up with our guest immediately after the interview. *If you know someone who might be feeling like they're the "Only One" be sure to share this or one of our other unique episodes with them. Also be sure to subscribe, comment and review us on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While Black Lives Matter protests seem to be finding a more peaceful groove here in the states, BLM protests are really just ramping up around the world. In London, more than 130 people have been arrested during the almost 200 demonstrations across Britain since the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. Statues in Parliament Square have been boarded up in preparation for the thousands of demonstrators expected to flood the area on Saturday. Today we have with us, our favorite brothers, Sammy and Don Appah, of The Family podcast in London, who just this past Sunday, released their first episode since March 22 of this year (like so many others, they had been sidelined by COVID). Their latest episode was called, “George Floyd, Let’s talk about it,” and we are thrilled to welcome them to The Only One In The Room, The Now Normal. Follow them on Instagram @thefamilypodcast Listen to their podcast The Family Podcast Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays and Scott Talks now released on Wednesdays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series. Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Jasmin Savoy Brown right after the show. Don't miss our new Now Normal series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question on the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on Now Normal be sure to join our Facebook Group. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here’s a story of a lovely, mixed raced lady who grew up looking for spaces where she didn’t always stand out - places where she might not have to be - the only one in the room. When Actress/musician, Jasmin Savoy Brown moved from Oregon to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career, she was dismayed to find that once again, more often than not, she was the only person of color on her film and TV sets or at the industry parties she was invited to attend. What would you do if one day you’d had enough? If you decided that you weren’t going to even ONE MORE event where you’d be the only person of color? Would you discreetly decline invitations where you’d be the only POC in the room? Or would you post your intentions on Instagram, putting the world on notice that you’d rather pass on the invite than show up and be the token “other”? Finding Jasmin Savoy Brown: Twitter & Instagram: @jasminsavoy Be sure not to miss our new Now Normal series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question for either the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on Now Normal, be sure to join our Facebook Group . You can also DM us on instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website www.theonlyonepod.com. Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins such as live events, appearances, featured articles and more. Don't miss our bonus after show Scott Talks, where co-host and producer Scott Slaughter (aka Hon) briefly chops it up with our guest immediately after the interview. *If you know someone who might be feeling like they're the "Only One" be sure to share this or one of our other unique episodes with them. Also be sure to subscribe, comment and review us on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spunky Chicagoan, Marisa Sullivan is a journalist, writer, actress, and survivor based in Los Angeles. As a former Us Weekly staffer, Marisa has interviewed everyone from 50 Cent to Meryl Streep. Marisa has worked for Variety, Life & Style, In Touch Weekly, TMZ, and Hollywood Life, and you can find her on Instagram @sullivanmarisa. After a 2019 triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis, Marisa started seeking more fulfillment outside of the entertainment world and has been writing for health sites to bring more awareness and inspiration to her infectious energy and fighting spirit. Recently featured in the New York Times and Reuters, Marisa was declared an official breast cancer survivor on May 26th when she beat the disease. Dignitana https://dignitana.com/ TMI Hollywood https://tmihollywood.com/ Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays and Scott Talks now released on Wednesdays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series. Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Covid 19 has claimed the lives of over 100,000 Americans. But today’s guest, Gregg Garfield, is a man who made national headlines over the last few weeks, appearing on The Today Show and most recently, Ellen after beating the odds. His unbelievable story begins earlier this year with a fabulous yearly February ski trip to Italy. And ends with him checking into Providence St Joseph's Medical Center in Burbank, California, as patient zero and was given a 1% chance of survival. Sixty-four days after arriving at St. Joe’s by ambulance, and literally supported by his ride or die girlfriend, AJ Johnson and sister, Stephanie Bruno, he was able to go home. Gregg Garfield lives in Studio City California with his girlfriend, A.J. and his furbaby, Bear the dog. You can donate to Gregg’s Gofundme HERE Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays and Scott Talks now released on Wednesdays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series. Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Misha Euceph right after the show. Don't miss our new COVID Warriors series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question on the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on COVID Warriors be sure to join our Facebook Group. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine being born in Pakistan and then moving to the United States at age 12, where your family settles into the Tony Beach community of Palos Verdes, California. Can you picture arriving at your new middle school and not knowing where to sit for lunch or who to sit with? Misha Euceph, Founder and CEO of Dustlight Productions, started her podcasting career with “Beginner” an autobiographical podcast series about learning to belong as an immigrant in America and went on to quickly become one of the most admired and prolific podcasters around. But what would you do if, after making a SECOND multi-award winning podcast titled, The Big One: Your Survival Guide, you felt called to make a podcast that honored your Pakistani roots? Would you ignore your instincts and continue to pursue podcast ideas that were more “mainstream”? Or would you follow your heart and create a podcast where all the voices were Muslim but the stories were universal? More From Misha Euceph: Visit Dustlight Productions Listen to her podcasts: Beginner The Big One: Your Survival Guide Tell Them I Am Finding Misha Euceph: Instagram: @mishaeuceph Be sure not to miss our new COVID Warriors series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question for either the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on COVID Warriors, be sure to join our Facebook Group . You can also DM us on instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website www.theonlyonepod.com. Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins such as live events, appearances, featured articles and more. Don't miss our bonus after show Scott Talks, where co-host and producer Scott Slaughter (aka Hon) briefly chops it up with our guest immediately after the interview. *If you know someone who might be feeling like they're the "Only One" be sure to share this or one of our other unique episodes with them. Also be sure to subscribe, comment and review us on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Featured Guests: Levy Lee Simon Harlem native, Levy Lee Simon is a multi hyphenate, award winning producer, author, actor and playwright. He is also a black American historian. Plays include: For Love For Freedom The Bow Wow Club God The Crackhouse and The Devil The Stuttering Preacher The Guest At Central Park West The Last Revolutionary Gentrified - The Metaphor of The Drums Instagram: @levyleethejazzlion Find him on Facebook: Levy Lee Noel True Noel True currently works as a communications professional. In an eclectic career path, she has also been a professional actor, bookkeeper, entrepreneur and business owner. She volunteers for youth organizations in her community and is active in her recovery community. A proud parent to two young African-America boys, she is invested in education and making sure they knew about their rich heritage. You can find her and the fabulous document that she created HERE Or find her on Facebook: Noel True Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since our launch over a year ago, The Only One In The Room hasn’t missed a week. No matter what was going on we made sure you’ve had an episode to listen to every single Tuesday. But if you’re like us this week, then you are distraught, exhausted, heartbroken and confused. And because the world is such a fragile, tumultuous place right now, we’ve decided not to release the beautiful interview that we had all ready for you until next week. We’d like to tell you that we’ve put something special together for you, but the truth is we haven’t. We didn’t hustle to get some fabulous celebrity guest who could beautifully articulate what we’re all feeling right now. We’re not releasing a new episode. We’re not promoting anything on social media. Everything feels so heavy right now that we’re just taking this week to rest and to give you a chance to rest and process too. And next week, as long as it feels right, we’ll have that episode for you, and then one every Tuesday and Thursday as usual. In the meantime, please check out some of our favorite episodes with guests who have educated us about what we’re all facing right now. Guests like: -Jay Conner, The Only Black Man In The Writer’s Room -Sharoni Little, The Only Single Black Mother Who Honors The Value Of Education -Mario Van Peebles, The Only African-American Father & Son In the Business -Dolores Robinson, The Only Octogenarian Living Her Best Life Ever -Jon Cryer, The Only Supervillain fighting wrongful convictions We posted a video in our Facebook Group today asking for your thoughts and feelings about what’s going on. We want to create a safe space for you to have those conversations. We want to have those conversations with you. So look for us there this week, and we’ll see you next week with all new episodes. And if you find yourself feeling alone, like you’re the only one in the room having these experiences, please know that you aren’t alone. We’re right here with you. *Be safe, be well and look out for each other, from all of us at The Only One In The Room. Be sure not to miss our new COVID Warriors series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question for either the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on COVID Warriors, be sure to join our Facebook Group . You can also DM us on instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website www.theonlyonepod.com. Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins such as live events, appearances, featured articles and more. Don't miss our bonus after show Scott Talks, where co-host and producer Scott Slaughter (aka Hon) briefly chops it up with our guest immediately after the interview. *If you know someone who might be feeling like they're the "Only One" be sure to share this or one of our other unique episodes with them. Also be sure to subscribe, comment and review us on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Colin Simon is a southern California Ocean Lifeguard, actor, artist, and small business owner who lives in Topanga Canyon with his wife Jackie, their puppy Lupine and their cat Jacques. You can find Colin on his off days teaching swimming at Zuma Surf and Swim Training at www.Zumasurfandswim.com. You can also find Colin on Facebook at Colin Simon or on Instagram @aguacowboy. To donate food or send cards to your local lifeguards, contact your local fire department. In Los Angeles county you may contact, https://www.fire.lacounty.gov/lifeguard/ Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays and Scott Talks now released on Wednesdays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series. Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Riz Mirza right after the show. Don't miss our new COVID Warriors series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question on the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on COVID Warriors be sure to join our Facebook Group. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine meeting someone for the first time and instantly knowing their date of birth or inadvertently blurting out some eerily accurate detail of their lives, moments into your first conversation. Riz Mirza, psychic, mystic, medium, trance-channeler, born to Indian immigrants in New York City, had his first psychic experience at age 7 and then spent the rest of his youth trying to tame the intuitive impulses that often made him feel like the only one in the room. But what if one day you decided you were tired of suppressing the extraordinary abilities with which you’d been born? Would you choose a few select friends or family members and reveal the nature of your powers to them in private? Or would you hang out your “the psychic is IN” shingle and offer your services to the world? More From Riz Mirza: Website: www.RizMirza.com Check out his books: Here Finding Riz Mirza: Instagram: @psychic_riz_the_wiz Be sure not to miss our new COVID Warriors series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question for either the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on COVID Warriors, be sure to join our Facebook Group . You can also DM us on instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website www.theonlyonepod.com. Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins such as live events, appearances, featured articles and more. Don't miss our bonus after show Scott Talks, where co-host and producer Scott Slaughter (aka Hon) briefly chops it up with our guest immediately after the interview. *If you know someone who might be feeling like they're the "Only One" be sure to share this or one of our other unique episodes with them. Also be sure to subscribe, comment and review us on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rehani Slipock lives in Northridge, California with her husband, Mark, their three children, Jackson, Shanna, Scarlett and their puggle, Maggie. A member of the Sierra Canyon day school community for the past 27 years, Rehani has done everything from play yard supervisor to school bus driver! And for the past 11-years, Rehani has been a much-beloved, first-grade teacher. Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays and Scott Talks now released on Wednesdays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series. Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Rochelle Webb right after the show. Don't miss our new COVID Warriors series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question on the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on COVID Warriors be sure to join our Facebook Group. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine growing up in a culture where from the time you were born, there was a playbook as to how your life should look. You go to school, get your college degree, get married and then have at least two kids, in that order. Rochelle Webb, faculty member at Loyola Marymount University and founder of Optimist Made, a cause-inspired e-tailer, realized in her thirties that she had attended over 100 weddings and was starting to become the focus of her friends and family who often wondered out loud, “Why are you still single?” So what would you do if society demanded that it was “time” for you to find a man, but you weren’t interested partnering up with someone simply so that you wouldn’t be alone? Would you take suggestions from well-meaning friends and use dating apps and matchmakers to find your ideal mate? Or would you empower yourself with the realization that you were fine on your own. More From Rochelle Webb: Visit Optimist Made Follow on Instagram @optimistmade Finding Rochelle Webb: Instagram: @rochellewebb Be sure not to miss our new COVID Warriors series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question for either the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on COVID Warriors, be sure to join our Facebook Group . You can also DM us on instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website www.theonlyonepod.com. Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins such as live events, appearances, featured articles and more. Don't miss our bonus after show Scott Talks, where co-host and producer Scott Slaughter (aka Hon) briefly chops it up with our guest immediately after the interview. *If you know someone who might be feeling like they're the "Only One" be sure to share this or one of our other unique episodes with them. Also be sure to subscribe, comment and review us on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wade Trimmer lives in Santa Clarita, Ca with his wife Jenn and their three sons, Zane, Zack, and Quinn. He is the Executive Director of Housing and Homelessness for The National Health Foundation. Executive Director of Housing and Homeless serviceshttps://nationalhealthfoundation.org/our-team/bio-wade-trimmer/ for the National Health Foundation https://nationalhealthfoundation.org/ / Dockweiler Beach RV park for people facing homelessness Amoeba music store https://www.amoeba.com/ LA city website https://www.lacity.org/ CDC website https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html Connecting with NHF & Wade Trimmer: Instagram: @nhfcommunity and @wadetrimmer Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays and Scott Talks now released on Wednesdays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series. Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Holly Whitaker right after the show. Don't miss our new COVID Warriors series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question on the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on COVID Warriors be sure to join our Facebook Group. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Picture this - it’s morning, and you’ve woken up on a mattress stained with food, wine and puke. Your computer and your TV are still on and there are half-eaten food cartons and beer bottles strewn around your apartment. Can you imagine what it must feel like to realize for the first and last time that this is NOT normal, not something you will just “grow out of” one day? Holly Whitaker, founder and CEO of Tempest Sobriety, and author of the New York Times bestselling memoir/self help book, Quit Like A Woman, found herself at a crossroads in 2013 after finding that she was unable to connect with the literature and tenants of the recovery meetings she’d been attending. So what would you do if you wanted to stop drinking but the traditional way felt too patriarchal, and simply did not resonate with you? Would you decide to keep trying anyway, since it was the only game in town? Or would you start your own sobriety school? Creating an 8-week virtual course that could provide another way for people to heal and live the lives they’re supposed to live? More from Holly Whitaker: Visit the website: www.jointempest.com Check out her book & book tour updates here: Quit Like A Woman Finding Holly Whitaker: Instagram: @holly Be sure not to miss our new COVID Warriors series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question for either the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on COVID Warriors, be sure to join our Facebook Group . You can also DM us on instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website www.theonlyonepod.com. Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins such as live events, appearances, featured articles and more. Don't miss our bonus after show Scott Talks, where co-host and producer Scott Slaughter (aka Hon) briefly chops it up with our guest immediately after the interview. *If you know someone who might be feeling like they're the "Only One" be sure to share this or one of our other unique episodes with them. Also be sure to subscribe, comment and review us on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Captain Ron Beaulieu works at Engine 29, New Orleans Fire Department in the historic French Quarter. On June 9, 2020 he will have worked for the department for 35 years. Captain Ron is married to Stacey Beaulieu and together they have three children, Ron III, Dakota and Sierra. If you’d like to send cards and or food to Engine 29 in New Orleans for Captain Ron and his crew, please address it to: Captain Ronald Beaulieu Engine 29 2nd Platoon 317 Decatur Street New Orleans, LA 70130 Most Fire Stations are now accepting funds to help purchase and replenish important personal protective equipment and other essential tools for firefighters. Contact the non-emergency number for your local station to find out how you can help. We also want to acknowledge and thank Stephanie and Jack McGee. You two will always have our deepest gratitude for connecting us with such an amazing man. Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays and Scott Talks now released on Wednesdays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series. Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Damona Hoffman right after the show. Don't miss our new COVID Warriors series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question on the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on COVID Warriors be sure to join our Facebook Group. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you envision going through high school and college without ever being asked out on a date? And all the while wondering what was wrong, was it the city you were in? The guys that you were attracted to? Or was it you? Dating and relationship expert, Damona Hoffman decided to try online dating in the early 2000’s and then proceeded to fall in love with the process, delighting in the science of “soul swiping”, and developing a side hustle, coaching others through the online dating hacks she discovered while finding her own soulmate. What would you do if after marrying your husband and getting promoted to Vice President in your dream career, your friends still clamored for your guidance on their quests to find their ideal mates? Would you make your side gig your main gig and devote yourself to helping people find their life partners? Or would you decide it was better to hold on to your VP status, even if it suddenly felt inauthentic to who you really were. More From Damona Hoffman: Listen to her podcasts Dates And Mates and start with Laura & Scott's episode Blended Family & Bumble Buzz Visit her website www.damonahoffman.com Finding Damona Hoffman: Twitter & Instagram: @damonahoffman Be sure not to miss our new COVID Warriors series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question for either the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on COVID Warriors, be sure to join our Facebook Group . You can also DM us on instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website www.theonlyonepod.com. Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins such as live events, appearances, featured articles and more. Don't miss our bonus after show Scott Talks, where co-host and producer Scott Slaughter (aka Hon) briefly chops it up with our guest immediately after the interview. *If you know someone who might be feeling like they're the "Only One" be sure to share this or one of our other unique episodes with them. Also be sure to subscribe, comment and review us on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kacy Joy Stravitz lives in Cambrian Park, a suburb of San Jose, California with her husband, Matthew Stravitz and their children, Josh, age 11 and Stella, age 6. Kacy normally works full time at a large tech firm but since COVID 19, she has been complying with California's "safer at home" orders and has spent every day at home with her family since Friday, March 13, 2020. To see photos of Kacy's beautiful family, you can follow her on Instagram @kacyface510 Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays and Scott Talks now released on Wednesdays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series. Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Chris Cormier right after the show. Don't miss our new COVID Warriors series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question on the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on COVID Warriors be sure to join our Facebook Group. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the beginning, he was a shy, skinny kid who joined the wrestling team at his Palm Springs high school and then surprised everyone by switching gears and entering into the world bodybuilding at age 17. American bodybuilder, Chris, “the real deal” Cormier, dedicated all of his time to his craft and was named first runner-up a record 6 times at the prestigious Arnold Classic. And at the peak of his career, Cormier was said to be well on his way to achieving the ultimate prize -- the coveted Mr. Olympia title. But what if one day, an unforeseen hospitalization threatened your life and consequently derailed your quest for the title for which you’ve worked since 1983? Would you throw in the towel and start a new career at the age when most of your peers were thinking about retirement? Or would you decide to switch gears and guide someone else toward that elusive prize, the one which had always remained, just out of your reach? More From Chris Cormier: Watch his documentary Chris Cormier: I Am The Real Deal on Amazon Finding Chris Cormier: Instagram: _@ChrisCormier, @cormierclassic , @chriscormiermovie Email Chris Cormier: [email protected] Be sure not to miss our new COVID Warriors series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question for either the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on COVID Warriors, be sure to join our Facebook Group . You can also DM us on instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website www.theonlyonepod.com. Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins such as live events, appearances, featured articles and more. Don't miss our bonus after show Scott Talks, where co-host and producer Scott Slaughter (aka Hon) briefly chops it up with our guest immediately after the interview. *If you know someone who might be feeling like they're the "Only One" be sure to share this or one of our other unique episodes with them. Also be sure to subscribe, comment and review us on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode features Dr. Ronald Cathcart, who has specialized in patients living with HIV since 1989 and has spent the past 14 years as the staff physician at Comprehensive Healthcare in Melbourne, Florida. Dr Cathcart is happy to answer your questions about COVID 19 and/or making better lifestyle choices via email, using the subject line: I HEARD YOUR PODCAST EMAIL: [email protected] Recommended Authors: Dr. Michael Gregor Dr. Neal Bernard Nathan Pritkin Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes and Scott Talks each Tuesday by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series. Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you picture spending your summers on your grandmother’s farm in Oklahoma? Living off the bounty of the earth, playing in rivers and coming in breathless and muddy at the end of every day? Supermodel and environmental activist, Amber Valletta, was discovered at age 15 and became a staple on catwalks and on magazine covers by the time she was 18 years old. And even though she was living a life that most people only ever saw on MTV, she found herself nostalgic for the clean streams and organic harvests of her youth. But what would you do if the most effective way for you to bring attention to the environment was to get arrested? Would you join actress/activist Jane Fonda in Washington DC for Fire Drill Fridays and risk getting cuffed? Or would you decide to keep a lower profile and support your cause in a way that might not result in a mug shot? Finding Amber Valletta: Instagram: @ambervalletta Be sure not to miss our new COVID Warriors series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question for either the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on COVID Warriors, be sure to join our Facebook Group . You can also DM us on instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website www.theonlyonepod.com. Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins such as live events, appearances, featured articles and more. Don't miss our bonus after show Scott Talks, where co-host and producer Scott Slaughter (aka Hon) briefly chops it up with our guest immediately after the interview. *If you know someone who might be feeling like they're the "Only One" be sure to share this or one of our other unique episodes with them. Also be sure to subscribe, comment and review us on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Amber Valletta right after the show. Don't miss our new COVID Warriors series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question on the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on COVID Warriors be sure to join our Facebook Group. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an effort to really acknowledge this time, this crisis that seems to keep going on and on, hosts Laura Cathcart Robbins & Scott Slaughter track down some real life heroes and she-ros who are currently showing up on the front lines of this pandemic. People like nurses, doctors, advocates for the homeless community, teachers, grocery store workers, firefighters and more. When COVID 19 first traveled out of Wuhan, China, it hit Italy first, quickly finding its way to the wealthy Lombardy region and settling in. Of Italy’s 159,516 cases, Lombardy has over 60,000. And of Italy’s 20,000 deaths - over half of those were in the Lombardy region. Today we spoke with my dear, long-time friend, Josine de Wolde (pronounced, YO-seen deeVoldah) who grew up in and currently lives in the Lombardy region. Josine is the NYT Circulation and B2B Sales Director for Italy, UK and Ireland. She lives in Taino Italy, just outside of Milan with her husband and two daughters ages 14 and 17. Please note that Josine gave this interview as my friend and is not speaking on behalf of her employer, The New York Times. Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes and Scott Talks each Tuesday by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series. Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine, growing up without running water outside of Philadelphia and then, as an adult, finding yourself managing the careers of such Hollywood luminaries as Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlburg and Pierce Brosnan. And being on speaking terms with US Presidents, everyone from Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama. Dolores Robinson, Executive producer, talent manager, reality TV star and mother of season two guest, Holly Robinson Peete, took her two kids and moved to Los Angeles three decades ago, and made a name for herself as one of the most prolific managers in the biz. But what if one day, just after your 71st birthday, you got a diagnosis that other people might consider to be the beginning of the end? Would you start planning for your inevitable demise? Or would you kick those gloomy notions to the curb and decide to live your best life ever? Finding Dolores Robinson: Instagram: @dolores4136 Be sure not to miss our new COVID Warriors series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question for either the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on COVID Warriors, be sure to join our Facebook Group . You can also DM us on instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website www.theonlyonepod.com. Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins such as live events, appearances, featured articles and more. Don't miss our bonus after show Scott Talks, where co-host and producer Scott Slaughter (aka Hon) briefly chops it up with our guest immediately after the interview. *If you know someone who might be feeling like they're the "Only One" be sure to share this or one of our other unique episodes with them. Also be sure to subscribe, comment and review us on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Dolores Robinson right after the show. Don't miss our new COVID Warriors series releasing every Thursday. If you'd like to ask a question on the Dear Laura segment or of an upcoming guest on COVID Warriors be sure to join our Facebook Group. You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an effort to really acknowledge this time, this crisis that seems to keep going on and on, hosts Laura Cathcart Robbins & Scott Slaughter track down some real life heros and she-ros who are currently showing up on the front lines of this pandemic. People like nurses, doctors, advocates for the homeless community, teachers, grocery store workers, firefighters and more. This episode features Natalie Gordon, a RN BSN who works in the ER Trauma unit at LAC + USC Medical Center, a 600 bed medical facility, one of the largest hospitals in the country. How To Help: To send a card: 2051 Marengo Street LA CA 90033, attn: ER Department To send food to your local ER, contact DINE 11 at dine11.org Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes and Scott Talks each Tuesday by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series. Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine being an actress, dating celebrity after celebrity and then (predictably) finding the love of your life on a film set, getting married and having three beautiful babies and then feeling that your life is completely complete. Actress and producer, Kimberly Russell and her husband, Michael Bonewitz, made the decision together to put her acting career on hold while she raised their three children. But a chance encounter with a stranger, a mom at her kid’s school, threw them all an unexpected curveball: her dying wish was to have Kim and Michael take her five children after she died and raise them as their own. What would you do if you were faced with a question that would change your life and those of an entire family that isn’t your own? Would you do the unimaginable and take on an act of kindness that would be worthy of sainthood? Or would you look for a more reasonable solution in order to protect the family that you had worked so hard to curate. Finding Kim Russell: Instagram: @Kimberly_russell If you'd like to ask a question and be featured during the Dear Laura segment you can DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website www.theonlyonepod.com. Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins such as live events, appearances, featured articles and more. Don't miss our bonus after show Scott Talks, where co-host and producer Scott Slaughter (aka Hon) briefly chops it up with our guest immediately after the interview. *If you know someone who might be feeling like they're the "Only One" be sure to share this or one of our other unique episodes with them. Also be sure to subscribe, comment and review us on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once upon a time, there was a girl who grew up in the Mormon church, moved to Los Angeles to become an actor and ended up working in the sex industry. Amy Bond, author, proud owner of San Francisco and Oakland Pole Dance studios and pro-bono family and immigration attorney, found herself working in porn after moving to Los Angeles at age 19. But after being “saved” from a severe downward spiral, Amy found herself enrolling in law school and then making a name for herself in Silicon Valley as an attorney. What would you do if you found yourself working alongside tech giants, allotting yourself a new found identity, one that allowed you to bury your sex-working past. Would you continue to lean into the Silicon Valley lifestyle and enjoy your newfound reputation as a baller? Or would you abandon your lucrative legal specialty repping start-ups and choose instead to rep actual human beings, ones who are unable to represent themselves? More From Any Bond: www.amybondwrites.com Finding Amy Bond: Twitter: @sfpoleanddance Instagram: @amysunshine007 If you'd like to ask a question and be featured during the Dear Laura segment you can DM us on instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website www.theonlyonepod.com. Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins such as live events, appearances, featured articles and more. Don't miss our bonus after show Scott Talks, where co-host and producer Scott Slaughter (aka Hon) briefly chops it up with our guest immediately after the interview. *If you know someone who might be feeling like they're the "Only One" be sure to share this or one of our other unique episodes with them. Also be sure to subscribe, comment and review us on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What would it be like to be THAT kid? You know the one who refused to dress like other students, the one who had piercings and worshipped punk rock and was always so loaded throughout high school that everyone wondered how they even graduated? John Feldmann, award-winning music producer, writer, mixer and acclaimed-band-Goldfinger-frontman, was a musically gifted punk rocker who grew up in the Santa Cruz mountains of California. But even as a teenager, John's inability to stay sober for more than a few months at a time threatened his relationship with his family, his music and eventually, even threatened his life. But what if when you turned twenty-one, the magical age while everyone else is celebrating taking their first legal drink, you make the decision to take your last one...ever? Would you follow your dream of making a living in an industry known for its decadent lifestyle? Or would you abandon your ambitions and choose a safer path, one with less risk of being led into temptation? More from John Feldmann: Big Noise- A multi-faceted music company To submit your demo or for inquiries go to: [email protected] Finding Feldmann: Twitter& Instagram: @johnfeldy Website: www.JohnFeldmann.com If you'd like to ask a question and be featured during the Dear Laura segment you can DM us on instagram @theonlyoneintheroomor email us via the website www.theonlyonepod.com. Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins such as live events, appearances, featured articles and more. Don't miss our bonus after show Scott Talks, where co-host and producer Scott Slaughter (aka Hon) briefly chops it up with our guest immediately after the interview. *If you know someone who might be feeling like they're the "Only One" be sure to share this or one of our other unique episodes with them. Also be sure to subscribe, comment and review us on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Statistically, the chances of success for men who grow up poor and are raised by single mothers are pretty low. Those who do “make it out” are envied, celebrated and are thought to make excellent husband material. Mike Hill, sportscaster, television personality, author, actor and entrepreneur, married young, and then got married and divorced a second time, before he was forced to admit to himself that he had never really been in love. But what would you do if one day you met someone...and this person was beautiful, successful and incredible. And even though everything in you warned you against following your heart one more time, you had a strong feeling that this one was different. Would you get down on one knee and put a ring on it? Or would you decide that you just weren’t the marrying kind and walk away from the woman who’d stolen your heart? More From Mike Hill: Watch Fox Soul Finding Mike Hill: Twitter & Instagram: @itsmikehill If you'd like to ask a question and be featured during the Dear Laura segment you can DM us on instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website www.theonlyonepod.com. Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins such as live events, appearances, featured articles and more. Don't miss our bonus after show Scott Talks, where co-host and producer Scott Slaughter (aka Hon) briefly chops it up with our guest immediately after the interview. *If you know someone who might be feeling like they're the "Only One" be sure to share this or one of our other unique episodes with them. Also be sure to subscribe, comment and review us on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/only-one-in-the-room--6052418/support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Mike Hill right after the show. If you'd like to ask a question and be featured on the Dear Laura segment you can DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/only-one-in-the-room--6052418/support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Picture being an unknown actor in New York City and then a chance encounter between your mother and casting agent results in you being selected for a role on the biggest television show in the history of Nielsen ratings. A move which catapults you from being an anonymous member of a theater group to someone who can no longer go to the grocery store without being mobbed. When Geoffrey Owens, actor, director, producer, was cast on The Cosby Show at age 24, it seemed to the the world that he would live the rest of his life in the luxurious celebrity style that we all knew and coveted. But what if one day, after the fame and money ran low, you had to take a day job, one that would help pay the bills and allow you to continue to pursue the craft you really loved: Theater. Would you bag groceries at Trader Joes, and risk being job shamed? Or would you let debt pile up and let go of the theater life you loved so much, wishing you could go back to being anonymous again? Finding Geoffrey Owens: Instagram: @iamgeoffreyowens If you'd like to ask a question and be featured during the Dear Laura segment you can DM us on instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website www.theonlyonepod.com. Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins such as live events, appearances, featured articles and more. Don't miss our bonus after show Scott Talks, where co-host and producer Scott Slaughter (aka Hon) briefly chops it up with our guest immediately after the interview. *If you know someone who might be feeling like they're the "Only One" be sure to share this or one of our other unique episodes with them. Also be sure to subscribe, comment and review us on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/only-one-in-the-room--6052418/support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Geoffrey Owens right after the show. If you'd like to ask a question and be featured on the Dear Laura segment you can DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/only-one-in-the-room--6052418/support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What would you do if you had a life that others envied? A successful acting career, a beautiful home, a rich spiritual life, successful wife and community of family and friends who loved you. Jeff Kober, Vedic meditation teacher, actor, author and photographer, knew that he had everything he thought he wanted and yet, something wasn’t quite right. But what if one day, on a spiritual quest in India, you had a chance to ask a Goddess to remove everything from your life that was no longer serving you? Would you ask, and risk losing the life that you’d worked so hard to build? Or would you pass, and hold on to the things you loved at all costs? More From Jeff Kober: See Jeff's art and other musings: www.jeff-kober.com Finding Jeff Kober: Instagram: @jeffkobermeditation If you'd like to ask a question and be featured during the Dear Laura segment you can DM us on instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website www.theonlyonepod.com. Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins such as live events, appearances, featured articles and more. Don't miss our bonus after show Scott Talks, where co-host and producer Scott Slaughter (aka Hon) briefly chops it up with our guest immediately after the interview. *If you know someone who might be feeling like they're the "Only One" be sure to share this or one of our other unique episodes with them. Also be sure to subscribe, comment and review us on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/only-one-in-the-room--6052418/support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Jeff Kober right after the show. If you'd like to ask a question and be featured on the Dear Laura segment you can DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/only-one-in-the-room--6052418/support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine that you’re a young, black man being raised by your single mom outside Dallas Texas. Can you visualize being so inspired by your tight-knit community, that at age eleven you decide that one day you’d like to become a leader, maybe even a pastor at your church? Major Williams, devoted husband, father of three and former marketing whiz kid, grew up respecting his elders, revering God and voting, like his family: a straight democratic ticket. But what if one day, you realized that your morals and principals were more inline with conservative values than the democratic ones you’d been taught to embrace? Would you keep quiet about your beliefs so that you wouldn’t be ostracized by your family, friends and other Black and Brown people? Or would you decide to throw your hat in the ring and run for office, claiming your new party in what may be the most politically charged election-year of our lives? More From Major Williams: Visit his website: www.majorformayor.com Reach him directly: (626)623-3753 Finding Major Williams: Twitter & Instagram: @majorformayor If you'd like to ask a question and be featured during the Dear Laura segment you can DM us on instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website www.theonlyonepod.com. Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins such as live events, appearances, featured articles and more. Don't miss our bonus after show Scott Talks, where co-host and producer Scott Slaughter (aka Hon) briefly chops it up with our guest immediately after the interview. *If you know someone who might be feeling like they're the "Only One" be sure to share this or one of our other unique episodes with them. Also be sure to subscribe, comment and review us on iTunes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/only-one-in-the-room--6052418/support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Major Williams right after the show. If you'd like to ask a question and be featured on the Dear Laura segment you can DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.com Also visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/only-one-in-the-room--6052418/support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Picture this if you will, your father is THE brilliant, iconic filmmaker, actor and revolutionist, Melvin Van Peebles. And when you are just thirteen years old, he gives you a pivotal role in a movie that will change the way the world looks at black men and women forever. Mario Van Peebles, actor, eco-activist, director and producer, took that role, playing the younger version of his father, Melvin’s character in the mega-hit indie film, Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song. An experience that would put Mario on the actor/filmmaker track for the rest of his life and allow him to bring his own vision of black people to the silver screen. But what if you found yourself confronted by ignorance and prejudice each time you sat in that director’s chair? Would you give up your vision and continue to allow Hollywood to whitewash America? Or would you stand your ground and make films that cast black people in all the starring roles? Finding Mario Van Peebles: Instagram: @mariovanpeebles Twitter: @mariovanpeebles Be sure not to miss Scott Talks on Wednesdays, our Sunday release called Sunday Edition & our brand new series On My Nightstand releasing on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series. Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/only-one-in-the-room--6052418/support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices