November 6, 2024 • 48 mins
Welcome to the premier episode of Soul SiStories!
What if embracing the unpredictable could transform your life? Meet Brianna McDonnell, a beacon of hope and creativity, as she shares her inspiring journey on our podcast. As a cherished relative and a courageous soul, Brianna reveals her philosophy of jumping in with both feet and crafting her own path. Her story is a testament to the power of living fully, embracing the unknown, and building a legacy of hope and creativity. Through intimate reflections, we explore how she navigates life's challenges with grace and inspires others to dream bigger.
We also reflect on past projects like "Just Breathe," inspired by classics like Drew Barrymore's "Ever After," and emphasize the legacy of storytelling as a vehicle for inspiration and change.
Brianna’s personal story of self-discovery shines through as she recounts how a simple piece of advice from her mother led her to forge genuine friendships and eventually a professional career as a plus-size blogger and actor. The discussion embarks on her challenges in an industry with limited roles and the empowering choice to create her own opportunities through theater and online content. Her experiences underscore the broader themes of hope, legacy, and inclusivity in creative spaces. We wrap up our conversation with reflections on courage, empowerment, and the lasting influence of mentors and family, celebrating creativity as a transformative force in our lives.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Welcome to Soul Sisteries, amazing individual
named Brianna that is fulldisclosure a relative of our two
hosts, but I don't think it'sgoing to diminish what you're
all going to hear.
So we're just going to spend alittle bit since this is our
inaugural episode, as it were,after our little intro trailer
and uh so so we're figuring thisout as we go along and I think
(00:43):
that's what's great about whatyou, as the world listeners, are
going to get, as long as we canstay motivated to produce these
episodes and send them out toyou with our own little mental
wellness breaks and planning ourbusy lives and whatnot.
But first off, I just want tothank you both for this great,
(01:08):
amazing idea, and when I firstheard about it it really
inspired me.
So I would like to hear aboutwe just recorded our first
episode and where are you?
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Very hopeful, hopeful , very hopeful, hopeful.
That's really excited, becauseI think our first guest is
incredible, dynamic, inspires us, I think, as her aunts, but
(01:42):
also she brings so much hope andinspiration into my life and,
yeah, I can't imagine this worldwithout her light in it.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Absolutely, sis.
For sure you know this issomething about our Brianna, who
has just been a light from thebeginning, and we knew that we
wanted to bring her forward here.
We knew that it would be areally easy and natural
conversation one, the history,but two for who she is and all
(02:08):
that she has to offer of herlifetime.
There were things that I washearing for the first time that
gave me chills and real ahasabout who she is and what makes
(02:28):
her so magnificent and also, canI just say, vibing with you,
sis, like here we are and we didthe thing that we've been
visioning and knew could be athing, and here we are making it
happen.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Kind of cool and I think along those lines with
learning new information fromBrianna as we asked the
questions.
Kind of cool and I think alongthose lines with learning new
information from Brianna as weasked the questions.
I kind of had in my head maybewhere it would go, and so it was
kind of fun when it had nothingto do with what I was thinking.
You know, yeah, and I lookforward to people hearing that
and really kind of getting, Iguess, from the mouths of babes.
(03:03):
But of course she's not mylittle baby anymore, she's a
full-grown woman.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Right, right and just the grace that she has and she
talked about her bravery andyou'll hear all about that, but
her bravery in just movingforward, taking the steps, but I
think there's so much grace inthat bravery.
She does it with so muchopenness and welcome to everyone
(03:28):
, to all.
She leads with love and sheshares herself so freely.
She is an absolute inspirationto me for those reasons and so
many more.
But that just was justbeautiful to hear.
We want to hear from you, Kirk.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah, yeah, so I think I said it afterwards when
we spoke.
I'm a girl, dad, you're alwayslike I wantness, confidence,
(04:07):
empathy.
She knew from a very early ageand, you know, having the
inspiration, she said it rightoff the bat the women in front
of me and she has embraced thatand she is proud of that and she
is, I think, allowed that tomold her vision and also her
(04:33):
vision of life, right, not onlythe vision for herself, but, I
think, what she wants out oflife and what she wants out of
other people.
And the one thing that I kepthearing as well is it was never
I, I, I, I, I.
It was we, we, we and a crew of, and, and and it was you and my
aunts and my other you knowpeople that have influenced in
(04:57):
her life.
And but also, just like I don'thave all the answers, but I'm
going to do what I can while I'mhere and I think she has an
awareness of you know, your timeis your time and you don't know
where it's going to go, and shechose and has chosen to embrace
(05:18):
it and use it for good.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Absolutely.
You know she talked about alsothat jumping in both feet first
and this being a philosophy, andI'm like, yes, yes, girl,
absolutely, that's how she'salways lived.
I loved her vocalizing thatparticular perspective and I
think it'll resonate with a lotof people also that this and
this is a choice.
(05:40):
This is not just a naturalinstinct and away we go.
It is a conscious choice tolive in this way and act in this
way, and that's what makes itso powerful and so hopeful.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Right, right, and she chose that word creativity
right.
The hope is through thecreativity and that is, I think,
so valuable for others to hearthat it's not like hope is just
handed to you, it's not thatyou're just waiting for somebody
to make your dreams come true,or you're waiting for I don't
know somebody to give you themoney, somebody to give you the
(06:14):
big break.
That's not what she does.
She could have, she could havejust waited for things to happen
.
But there was something in herat a young age I mean certainly
10 years ago, but I think evenbefore that where she just said
I'm going to make it happen, I'mgoing to take my life in my own
hands and I'm going to createwhat I envision.
(06:35):
Right, and that is very hopefulfor me and hopefully for others
to know that it doesn't justpresent itself, that you can
create hope which gives you thatwhole meaning of life.
The reason for living iswhatever you are hoping for.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Absolutely, and how she discussed, which I just love
so much, this idea of goingforward with this passion and
letting it also going withhowever it shapes that.
You have that vision in mind,you move towards it, but it may
not manifest in that way thatyou are particularly envisioning
(07:16):
, but this other journey, thisother ride that is related to it
, is going to be expansive andbeautiful and take you in new
and exciting directions.
That is a theme you know, in myother life as a children's book
author I do author talks andthat is a theme that I always
bring to the discussions is thatpassion, that thing that you
(07:36):
love.
Stay with it, do it, keepsaying yes to it.
You will find your way.
You're the basketball playerOkay, you might not be LeBron.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Even if you run into obstacles, keep going.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Keep going.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Learn from those.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
You can learn from those and you can find a path
that you didn't even know wasthere.
You're maybe not going to bethat one, the top player in all
the NBA, but you can maybe havea life of a professional
basketball player.
You can be a coach.
You can be in the world doingthe thing you love.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Not to give away too much, but one of the things that
really stuck with me is youasked her the vision of what you
wanted to do, where you wantedto be, and she clearly stated it
.
And then she's in it and it'snot quite that same that she had
envisioned as a child, but itdidn't deter one bit.
It was just hey, this is thereality of it.
(08:27):
Right, I only saw what wascaptured.
I didn't see all the stuff thatgoes into before the camera
turns on.
You know it was, and I thinkshe appreciates where she's at
more because she's had to gothrough that.
So there's going to be this andso much more on this episode.
So enjoy it, and we're alreadyworking with the powers that be
(08:51):
to do round two, because it wasjust an amazing conversation and
it needs to continue, so enjoy.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
We are welcome everyone, to today's podcast.
I'm Donna Rice and I'm DianaHerwick and we're the sisters of
Soul Sisteries and we're soglad to be here with you today.
And we are extremely glad towelcome our guest today, whom we
know and love but wouldcelebrate regardless of that
(09:27):
fact, because she, if anybodyslays, this girl does, and we're
so abundantly proud of her andin awe of her.
Today we have the wonderfulBrianna McDonald.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Yes, Brianna is a Los Angeles-based performer,
creative producer and socialmedia specialist.
She began with the B-word blogand a simple goal bring fat
bodies into the fashion world.
Today, Brianna is trailblazingwhat it means to be a
storyteller in the digital mediaspace.
Her passion for media driveseverything she does, from
(10:01):
starring in and producingcontent to elevating the
creatives around her.
Brianna is on a mission tocreate media that disrupts the
narrative, and on that, note.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
I know right, amazing , Amazing.
That in and of itself is soinspiring, that that's your
vision and that's what you'vecarried forward.
I mean, girl, from the time youwere a little one, so full
disclosure.
Brianna is our wondrous,beautiful niece also, and we're
so blessed to be able to saythat that's so, and so grateful
(10:33):
that she agreed to come and joinus in this talk.
So, yeah, we just we absolutelycelebrate you, brianna, and are
so, so proud of all that you doand are doing.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
Yes, thank you so much for having me.
I'm so excited to be on thisnew adventure with you guys here
today and excited to see whatwe get into.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Yes, so we do have some questions for you today,
but really, kind of before weget to that, we thought maybe
you would just share with usjust a little about, like,
what's going on.
I shared your bio and you'redoing some great stuff with
social media and influencing somany people in so many different
areas, and if you want to justtell us a little bit about,
(11:15):
maybe, what you're doingpersonally, professionally,
anything kind of that you'd liketo share, Sure, and like we
said, I mean we're family, sohow?
Speaker 1 (11:23):
deep do I?
How much do I update you?
Speaker 4 (11:27):
So, what am I up to?
So I gosh okay.
So January of this upcomingyear, 2025, will be 10 years of
the B word, which is crazy thatI started my blog literally in
my mom's garage just for fun andthat became my whole career and
all my experience.
And, as you guys know, I workprofessionally in entertainment
(11:49):
marketing and so that takes upquite a bit of my time.
So I'm less online now asBrianna, as the B word, but I'm
very, very excited.
Next week next week's the secondweek of September.
So whenever this comes out,second week of September, we're
launching our Kickstarter for mynext short film project.
So it's my first time going tomy audience asking to help
(12:11):
crowdfund, crowdsource, andwe're very, very excited for our
next short film.
We've been working on it forquite some time.
It's called Fat Ass the filmand I'm very, very excited about
it.
It's about it's a camp horrorfilm three plus size leads we
took, so we took like a year towrite it.
Then we took a year to find theteam all plus size team, which
(12:33):
is incredible as, like a filmproduction company, that's
pretty.
I don't know anybody who'sdoing that actually and, yeah,
we're so, so, so excited aboutit and we need quite a bit of
money to make it.
But we feel very confident thatwe'll raise the money through
the community and through otherpeople who are passionate about
body, diverse media.
So I'm really, really excitedabout that.
(12:56):
So fun things are coming up, sowe're crowdsourcing the film.
10 years of the B word inJanuary.
I plan to celebrate that andI'm just living, laughing,
loving, you know.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Love it, Love it.
It's incredibly beautiful andjust amazing that not only have
you had the vision, had theideas, but have put the feet to
your passion and haveconsistently across this decade
(13:36):
and certainly before that aswell, because we've been knowing
you forever, and certainlybefore that as well, because
we've been knowing you foreverthat you have really this way,
Just Breathe right.
Can you tell us, just talk tous a little bit about that,
Because for sure, people shouldbe finding that.
That brings tears to my eyes.
It's so beautiful.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
Please share a little Sure Again.
Over the last 10 years, and asyou guys have known, I've always
been from performing making mycousins perform with me to then
making my friends perform withme, to then like really building
a production company.
We've done digital, likedigital shorts.
We've done series, digitalseries.
(14:21):
We've done endless, countlessphoto shoots.
So my most recent production itwas also a digital short film.
We released it on social media.
It was called just breathe andit was inspired by um, so many
different things, but um drewbarry moore's um god, why am I
(14:42):
blanking on the title of thatfilm?
Speaker 1 (14:44):
uh, ever, ever after, ever after, ever after.
What am?
Speaker 4 (14:47):
I here movies of all time and um, really what was
exciting about that film, um,was that she was, it was like
the cinderella story, but shereally rescued herself and so
that was really um.
We wanted to like recreate thatidea with also um, following
themes from the movies and fromever after, in pulling sort of
(15:12):
significant iconography, um fromcinderella, from the storybook,
uh, from fairy tales, andweaving it into sort of a new or
more personal story.
Um, about sort of I mean,sexual assault was definitely
one of the themes and likerescuing yourself and finding
yourself through trauma and um,yeah, it was a lot deeper than
(15:37):
just a two minute digital shortfilm, but that's kind of how I
like to do things, yeah things.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Yeah, it was.
Not only was the outcomebeautiful and just lovely to see
, it was so um.
I took great joy and pleasurein watching your journey to that
, that time of not only filmingin them but releasing and
everything that brought you tothat moment of release your
(16:06):
diligence and your commitment toyour team and putting forward
something that was such acommunity based in particular
communities, voices being heard.
There was everything from topto bottom that just absolutely
inspired and you know, that'slegacy stuff.
That's stuff that you wereputting out there that lives and
breathes.
Yeah, yeah, that I mean that'slegacy stuff.
That's stuff that you wereputting out there that lives and
(16:26):
breathes yeah, yeah, um that Imean, that's always been a
component.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
The team has always been a component of what I do.
Um, I, as somebody who wouldlike to play every role in every
show by myself, um been there,but it's also, um, I just got to
a place where I was, like youknow, playing in the sandbox by
yourself is not as fun ascollaborating with people who
get the vision, who understandwhat you're doing, who are
excited about what you're doing,and I'm really really grateful
(16:52):
that.
I mean, it's taken many, manyyears to find people who are in
such alignment with me, but wefeel like in a really great
place, and that took a lot ofgrowth to get there.
But the team has always beenimportant to each piece.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
And so, of course, being your you know older aunts,
not too old but your older auntof course we are totally
inspired by you.
You know, from just like earlydays you've just been an
inspiration and not yes, I knowyou're modeling poses, and not
just really, not just for us,but we get to share the joy that
we have, you know, for you andyour growth in your journey with
(17:29):
all the people that we know andlove also, right, so I think
you do.
Your blog started with this oneaudience in mind, but it
certainly has grown from there.
Your, your film doesn't stickwith one community, it crosses
kind of community lines, right,and I think that's one of the
things about you that I know isjust that you kind of break down
(17:49):
barriers, like you are akick-ass girl, like nothing's
going to stop you, which for meto see that in somebody I love,
you know a young woman who'sgrowing up kind of behind me,
that's just really reallyexciting to see, which is one of
the reasons why Dawn and Ireally wanted to have you kind
of be the inaugural guest.
(18:10):
Yeah because you're just soimportant in our life and have
so much value in this world thatlike we've got to get it out
even more, right?
So?
Speaker 1 (18:21):
yeah, truth.
So you know, part of what, abig part of what brought Diana
and me together in the soulsisteries journey is this idea
of hope that we've been on somepretty dramatic, wild, powerful,
beautiful, deep, heartbreaking,glorious all the things
(18:43):
journeys for the past many years.
Um, as which right that is justhuman existence also, um, but
we have been very intentionalabout hope through this journey
and holding that space and, and,like I said, being intentional
about that.
So we've got a tagline for thispodcast we are soul sisteries,
(19:05):
hope through dot, dot, dot, andso our idea is that each of our
guests, you know, sort of hasthat hope through experience,
and we talked with you a littlebit about that and what is your
hope through word and that yougave to us and we would very
much like for you to speak on itif you could.
This is hope through creativity.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
Yes, hope through creativity.
I through my own soul searchingand growth.
And I mean first, I feel like Ihave to acknowledge that I am
nothing without the legacy ofwomen before me.
Like you know also, we maybeshould can't do this podcast,
because whenever we're together,we always just cry.
(19:49):
I'm I'm stunned that these arethe first moments of tears
honestly among us, so holler, Iwas holding it really together,
but, um no, I mean I like, yeah,I am nothing without the legacy
of women before me and that'sso pivotal to just who I am as a
person but also so pivotal tothe work that I do.
(20:13):
I talk a lot about like.
I learned so much about theworld through like the lens of
the women, like of my aunts, mom, my grandmother, like and
growing up sort of around akitchen table and like just so
many stories of womanhood thatare so like just who I am
(20:36):
because of you guys so happy tobe here.
And hope through creativity isreally Really, yeah, it's a
tenet of my being, it is anabsolute.
I live and die by hope and bycreativity Through my own soul,
(20:56):
art and really questioning like,does this still matter to me?
Does this still matter to anyone?
Do I still want to do this 10years in?
Do I still care?
Do I not care?
(21:17):
And so, really searching allparts of myself, I really really
found that without hope I amnothing Like if I do not have
hope for a better tomorrow or abetter future, or a hope for the
world or for, like globalcommunity, or for my neighbor,
or for my best friend, or formyself, like, if I don't have
(21:39):
hope, then I'm.
I, Brianna, as an entity, as asoul, it's done.
I, brianna, as an entity, as asoul, it's done.
So hope means so much to me andI'm so aligned with you both
that that is the theme of thisproject.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Yeah, thank you, sugar Pie.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, so you've talked a littlebit about the last 10-year
journey, but clearly the journeydid not start 10 years ago when
you started your blogging inMom's Garage, so if you can
maybe share with us a little bitabout what got you here, yeah,
okay.
Speaker 4 (22:13):
Well, I mean again, as someone who has known me my
literal entire life, I havealways been sensitive, I have
always been creative, I'vealways been called to sort of
express in my own unique way,which has always made me feel
sort of isolated and like, okay,are there other people out here
(22:39):
who are into what I'm into?
Or do I need to sort of likemold myself to become like
popular or well-liked?
And so one of the best lessonsmy mom, one of the many, many
lessons my mom gave me, but Iwas really, I was young, I was
in elementary school and I wasfeeling like that I wasn't
fitting in and I was alwaystaller and bigger than everybody
(23:02):
and so that kind of really, Imean that really peppered my.
That was my experience ofalways being the biggest girl
and like I really internalizedso much of what that meant to
like move through the world aslike a bigger person.
But my mom, I was like you know, I'm not fitting in, I don't
feel like I, like I don't, I'mnot like clicking with these
people and having friends andlike told me she said, well, why
(23:25):
don't you, instead of trying tolike, sit at the table with
everyone, why don't you sitalone and see who joins you?
And I was maybe eight years oldand don't again, I don't know.
That was really prolific and Ithought, okay, let me like sit
alone and see who like joins me.
And I I have.
I just went to my.
(23:46):
I just went now I mean, thiswas almost 25 years ago that me
and this friend met, but I justwent to her wedding and she was
one of the friends who sat withme when I went, you know.
So I found my people for sure,and I feel like when I started
my blog, I was also.
It was kind of like, okay, Ifeel like when I started my blog
(24:06):
, I was also.
It was kind of like, ok, I feellike there's other people out
here who are into what I'm intofashion, beauty, I'm plus size
and like that doesn't reallyexist I mean 10 years ago, like
the plus size space was sodifferent, and like let me just
take this leap of faith and seeif there's other people out here
, let me sit alone at the lunchtable and see who who finds me.
(24:27):
And it's been an incrediblejourney.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
Yeah, Okay.
So I've known you all your lifeand I've never heard that story
before.
My God, that moves me so deeply.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
And you know, Debbie, she's a saint.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
I know Debbie, but I also know Brianna and the
fortitude, debbie, but I alsoknow Brianna and the fortitude,
the bravery, the this is mepresence in the world and
sitting in that space, eventhough I know as part of what
you're not sharing right now, Iknow the deep emotional
challenges through that journeyas well, and particularly as you
(25:01):
are so present and public andyou know not everybody comes to
that space with light and loveright and tries to throw some of
that down, and that you notonly have continued to sit in
that space but to shine andshine and bring others with you.
(25:21):
Face, but to shine and shineand bring others with you.
Just speak so much to yourcharacter, who you are, your
heart and your commitment, yourpassion, all these wonderful
wonderful things that make upthe presence.
that is you.
Yeah, a little love fest herewe're having for sure yeah.
(25:44):
I love hearing that journey.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
Yeah, so you know our podcast is about hope, right,
and how you find hope and howyou create hope, but it also
sounds like one of the reasonsyou do what you do is to share
hope right To like who's comingto your table, who?
Who are you bringing hope to?
Also Right, so it's not justabout you know, fulfilling your
(26:09):
own needs, but it's it's alsofilling clearly a huge hole
that's been out there thatyou've been filling for at least
10 years in our life obviouslya lot longer than that.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
But yeah, I mean as an actor, I a little bit in a
part of that, like soulsearching, of like does this to
me?
Do I still like this?
Do I want to keep performing?
Do I want to do I keep doingthe b word?
Do I not keep doing the b word?
Um, and like.
Again, part of being an actoris like okay, is this just to
like, fulfill something for me?
(26:39):
Like, do I need just likeattention or do I just need like
something?
But it has always been biggerthan me for sure.
I really stepped away fromtheater for a long time because
I didn't feel like I had likethe autonomy that I wanted as a
plus size, like actress, whichis why I then started producing
and creating my own theater.
I felt like casting was reallylimited.
(27:00):
I know I'm not the only plussize actor who feels that and
that was really what started meto create my own work, because
not only did I want to work withpeople I respected and loved
and want to be in other people'sproductions and that, but I
just felt like it was so limitedand I didn't want to leave my
career up to just like ifsomebody else saw me as the part
(27:21):
and like I wanted to be so muchmore than I've ever seen
available on screen for plussize people and I'm also six
feet tall, so that's also verylimiting, like as a film actor
Something I didn't really know.
Going in, I was like, oh wait,wait.
(27:41):
So I'm just I am definitelyjust not a cookie cutter in this
industry, and so I really waslike I need to pave my own way
and, through that, have reallywidened the door for others.
And I just did an event.
I've been sort of like I saidlike I haven't been online as
Brianna as much recently and Ijust went to an event, an
(28:05):
in-person event, with like theplus size community and it was
like it was called Thick Thrift.
It's in Los Angeles.
It's the only plus size thriftmarket.
It's incredible.
And Maybe three or four groupsof women came up to me
throughout the whole day andtold me, oh my God, you were the
inspiration behind me startingmy business or, like you have no
(28:26):
idea, like you helped me, likerealize I wanted to get back
into acting and it was justthese like little fleeting
moments, but I was like, wow,that is really wild, is really
wild that like so much, likewe've said, beyond plus size
fashion, beyond being an actor,beyond making digital shorts and
short films and digital series,beyond whatever that people
(28:49):
could take that inspiration fromme, or that's, that's really
the why, yeah yeah, and that youknow speaks to the sisteries
and the legacy, and you know,know all the things that you
know are bigger than you.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
Right, that just continue yeah absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
what is it out in the world there that sparks that
hope for you, in you?
What gives you hope?
Speaker 4 (29:14):
Oh, that's a great question.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Thanks, we thought of it ourselves.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
There's.
It's like so many things, butto me it's like small human
moments, like little moments ofkindness.
It's like I feel like we canget really or I can for sure get
um washed up or overwhelmedwith bad news or this side
versus this side, or thesepeople are good, these people
(29:41):
are bad.
This is happening, this is thisatrocity is happening in the
world.
And then I go out and I see,like that, one of my favorite
parks by my house.
I go and I read and but there'smen who play dominoes every day
and they go and they are alwaysthere and they always play
dominoes and like that's wow,that friendship, or a friendship
I've had for you know a millionyears.
(30:02):
I just went to, like I said, myfriend, my childhood best
friend's wedding and I was likecrying and everyone's like can
you like hold this together?
And I was like this is just suchan amazing moment.
And, yeah, it's those momentsand for me too, something that
makes me feel alive and gives methose extra like tingles of
(30:23):
hope and of just aliveness, um,is going to the movies.
I love, love, love going to themovies.
I've always loved going to themovies, but it's right when the
lights go down and the movie'sabout to start.
It makes me think of the caroluh, carol burnett version of
annie.
There's a song where they'relike let's go to the movies, and
it's like this whole big ordeal.
(30:45):
And so whenever I go to justthe movies, I always think of
that.
Um, and I've always loved moviesand the magic of movies and the
transformative nature ofstorytelling.
It's the same feeling for me,too, when you're about to see a
musical and the band is tuninglike right as the lights go down
, like that's like a littlemagic moment for me.
(31:05):
So it's really those moments,or those like full circle
moments, when something happensthat you can't.
I could have never planned thisin my little human mind.
You know, like there, likethere's just a majesticness to
life and I love to, I love to bedelighted by the universe, I
(31:26):
love being alive, and those arethe moments that make me feel it
.
Speaker 1 (31:32):
Sweetheart, you know what I'm hearing through all
that you're saying is thatmoment of possibility, and that
possibility absolutely doesequate to hope.
There's more, there's life,there's breath, there's activity
.
I'm with you.
You put it so beautifully.
I had not thought of it inparticularly that way.
So thank you for that Love.
(31:53):
That, yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
Cool, and you shared with us the story of you know
kind of that incident inelementary school when your mom
said to sit at your own table.
I'm curious, or we're curious,I guess.
What would your 13-year-oldself so think back to when you
were 13,?
What would your 13-year-oldself say to you now about what
(32:15):
you're doing and where you're atnow?
What would 13-year-old Briannasay?
Speaker 4 (32:20):
Oh my gosh, I think about that often.
Um, I would hope that shethought I was so cool and like
bold and brave and followinglike her heart and, yeah, all of
(32:42):
those things I would.
I.
It really comes back to like Iwould hope, and I know that she
would think I was very cool, sothat that makes me feel like I'm
aligned and on the right pathand again, with the soul
searching and the therapy andthe personal work like my whole
life I dreamed of, you know,living in Los angeles making
(33:02):
movies and being a movie starreally, and so it's so
interesting the path that mylife has taken.
Now that I I live in losangeles, I work in entertainment
marketing, I'm going to theemmys next week for work and,
like, here I am, I'm making alike, not the way I pictured it,
but I'm doing exactly what Iwanted to be doing.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
And no doubt brave and amazing and awesome and
doing these great things, and Imean what a different world had
13-year-old Brianna had youalready present in the world as
this adult role model?
You know, yeah, so wow, yeah,and I love.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
That's just great case in point, because it's a
thing that we often forget.
We get so closed in, I think,in terms of the dreams and how
it needs to manifest, that weshut out the possibilities.
And you are just a gloriousexample of, you know, staying in
that alignment, staying in thattruth, you are certainly making
(34:05):
things happen, but things alsohappen in that space, right, and
it doesn't look exactly likelittle one dreamed, but it sure
is amazing and wonderful and isliving in the truth of what it
is that your heart desires,right?
(34:25):
So I love that and I love thatand I love young people to know
that.
That's so, you know, whateverthe dream is, there are ways to
really experience that deeply.
Anyway, this is not about meand my thoughts is back to back
to you and your thoughts, so Ilove the reflection back.
Speaker 4 (34:43):
Um, I know I think about that too.
Um, I think I mean 13 year oldrihanna, even 18 year old, 21.
I was very, very.
I was like, well, why am I 18and not on broadway yet?
And it was very like, why am Inot the next it thing?
So it took a lot of trust in mymindset.
Now at 32 is just so differentand I don't think I would have
(35:05):
traded any of the journey at all.
So I feel exactly in the rightplace here.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
Amen to that, amen to that, all right.
So here's a, here's a quickquestion.
Let's see if you have a quickanswer.
Okay, do you have a lifephilosophy?
Speaker 4 (35:25):
Oh my God, my life philosophy.
I had a friend once tell methat I was somebody who like
jumped in the pool both feetfirst, like not like a little
tiptoe, like really like jumpedin, dived in and that is like
good and bad.
But I would say that I likejust jump in both feet, like
(35:45):
you're alive here right now,like do it, go for it, don't
overthink it, don't know ifthat's a quick answer no, that's
a great quick answer, I'm.
Speaker 1 (35:53):
What I'm curious is where do you think that comes
from, like the just you just hadthat in you, or what inspired
just that knowing and doing inyou?
Speaker 4 (36:02):
okay, that's an interesting thing because I I
again a lot of people, I thinklook at me and are, like
brianna's, very brave and Ithere's so many times when I do
not feel brave, um, bravery is achoice.
It's you choose bravery and stepforward yeah and so I was
actually having a conversationwith my mom a couple days ago
and she brought up somethingreally lovely about my dad being
(36:27):
like um, that he was very we're.
We're similar in a lot of ways.
I'm like my mom and I'm like mydad, but I really think it
comes from both of them raisingme and my brother to really you
can do they.
I mean, they told us that everyday, like there's some really
(36:50):
hardcore life lessons that myparents, like were really strong
on, and one of them is like youcan be and do and have whatever
you want and you have to bewilling to work for it.
So I think I've always beendown to like work for it and, uh
, that was one thing, and theyalso, I mean they were really
strong on like you have, if youhave to be a person of your word
(37:12):
, and so I've given myself myword that I will do what I can
do to follow my dreams, and so II can't let myself down, and so
I will show up.
For my part, I've given myselfmy word that I, yeah, will show
up and do the work.
Speaker 3 (37:29):
Yeah, and that bravery word I mean by
definition.
In order to be brave, you alsohave to be scared.
There has to be fear If there'sno fear in the situation, then
there's no need for bravery,right?
I mean, if there's, you know,if the net and the mat is
underneath you when you take thejump, well, the fear is gone
because you know you'reprotected.
So bravery is doing it despitethe fear, despite the net not
(37:52):
being under you.
So you are the definition ofbrave.
You really are.
So you don't have to take itfrom me, but think of what the
word means and you are brave.
Speaker 1 (38:02):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (38:03):
Absolutely true.
So how do you hope to beremembered?
Speaker 4 (38:10):
Oh my gosh.
This feels very in line with alot of the work I've been doing
recently, so I have thesequestions at the top of my mind.
Someone just asked me to writemy eulogy, um, which was a
really interesting thing, um,and I'm trying to remember what
I wrote in there, but I reallywanted to be remembered as
somebody who was a light, reallylike I really believe in living
(38:36):
, breathing, being um a personof good and a person bringing.
Also go back to my girl scoutroots of like leave uh any place
better than you found it.
So I mean, in girl scouts thatreally meant like pick up five
pieces of trash, but I reallybelieve in like trying to make
the world a better place throughwhatever impact I could have
(38:59):
and I think at at one point Ireally it was I want to have a
global impact and I want tochange the world for good and
that means on a really grandscale.
I'm doing that and I'mimpacting people all over and
I've really realized that it'slike, you know, between me and
my neighbor, and it's between meand whoever's listening to this
podcast, or me and the guy atmy local gas station who I
(39:24):
always take one minute to saylike, hey, we chat.
So I would really like to beremembered as somebody who, yeah
, brought light into the worldand empowered other people to
live boldly.
Speaker 1 (39:40):
And you are absolutely that and have always
been.
That light, but it is themagnitude of the light is
brilliant, and not just becauseI love you personally and deeply
, but that is a truth about youand your presence in the world.
I want to say one more thingabout that that I'm aware of.
When you talk about that closespace or on the really big stage
(40:04):
, there's also the ripple effect, right.
So we hit globally also byimpacting the one.
Yeah, and out and out and outfrom that, and certainly that is
true of you, yeah, yeah.
So where are we?
Where are we on on ourquestions?
Speaker 3 (40:21):
I think we're at a section that we are going to
kind of call rapid fire.
We're just going to throw somequestions at you and you get to
throw the answer back to us.
Speaker 1 (40:29):
So there you go, let's do that.
And if you want to expand onthem or expound, do so.
Or if not, just say the thingand we'll go to the next.
Speaker 4 (40:37):
Cool, okay, all right here we go.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
What color is hope?
Speaker 4 (40:42):
Oh what color is hope .
I first went like baby blue,like ocean seashell-y blue.
Speaker 3 (40:51):
Love it, love it, love it.
Speaker 4 (40:57):
What does hope sound like?
Oh, okay, I'm going to go backto my answer.
It sounds like the musicianstuning right before right as the
lights go down of the start ofa musical.
Speaker 1 (41:12):
Great.
Speaker 4 (41:13):
Love it.
What is your theme song?
Something disco-y.
I've been really listening tothe song Sunny, a lot Sunny, oh
yeah, yesterday my life and I'vebeen feeling good with that
jamming with that song, so thatwould be my song right now.
That is so fun.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
Yes, I love it.
So, we asked what your13-year-old self would say to
you.
What would you tell your13-year-old self?
Speaker 4 (41:42):
Oh, okay, I like to think about this too, because
sometimes I at some points Ithink I wouldn't tell them
anything, because there's like alot of things that you have to
go through.
Um, yeah, and in the last, Imean from 13 to now, I
definitely have gone through alot of personal growth, a lot of
grief, a lot of change, and Ithink I mean that's like life
probably from 13 to 32, um, andpart of me wants to be like okay
(42:10):
, it's gonna be a lot, but likeyou'll be okay.
Um, but I don't think I wouldsay anything, honestly, just I
love you and I'm proud of you.
Speaker 1 (42:19):
Yeah, I like that.
I like that so much, absolutelyum who inspires you well, you
too girl um, I was.
Speaker 4 (42:30):
I didn't get harkening back the legacy of
women that I come from.
We are a strong, strong, badassbunch and like each a different
life journey, but it's beenreally an honor to watch
everyone as I've grown up.
(42:51):
But who else inspires me?
As far as like celebrities, orpeople, I mean I have to also,
of course, shout out my mom, Ihave to shout out or people, I
mean I have to also, of course,shout out my mom, I have to
shout out.
Um, I really have modeled mybusiness, consciously or
unconsciously, around women whoare stars and actors, but also
(43:12):
producers.
So, like a Reese Witherspoon,issa Rae, um, I would say Shonda
Rhimes as well, but she's notan actress, but that's really.
I'm very, very inspired bythose women as well.
Speaker 1 (43:25):
Who are also, like you, just super good women in
the world doing the thing yougotta be.
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (43:31):
Shining the light.
Shining the light, Fill in theblank.
Creativity is what.
Speaker 4 (43:39):
Life.
I think without that's my lifeforce it really is.
And, um, when we spoke aboutlike hoping creativity, my first
thought was really howimportant creativity is to my
mom as well and I was like, wow,it's so interesting because,
yes, we were creative togetherbut I've always like lived in my
(43:59):
creativity.
I've it's sort of been my ownprocess and, yeah, creativity is
really life and I like to livemy life with creativity in every
aspect of what I'm wearing towhat I'm listening to, to the
projects I'm doing, to what I'meating for dinner, like that.
It's really in all areas of mylife.
Speaker 1 (44:20):
All right, so another fill in the blank.
Speaker 4 (44:23):
the meaning of life is oh, the meaning of life is
love.
I mean, there's nothing reallymore to that.
It's really I do, I really livebehind, like you're just here
to live, laugh, love, and likethat is what I'm doing
absolutely live, laugh, love.
Speaker 3 (44:42):
Okay, last fill in the blank.
Hope is what?
Speaker 4 (44:49):
hope is.
Oh, hope is.
My first thought was likelife-giving and like to go back
to again our what we've saidbefore.
But if I don't have hope, it's,it's like in my soul.
(45:10):
Hope is in my soul like it hasto be.
Um, without hope, yeah, I'mnothing.
So it's really hope iseverything.
Speaker 3 (45:19):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (45:21):
Well, beautiful, brave, wonderful.
Brianna, we can't tell you howgrateful we are that you spent
this time with us.
Well, first, so grateful that,like you, came into being and
that you exist in this world,because the world is better
lighter lighter for you and yourpresence and your
intentionality about life andcreativity, hope and love in
(45:46):
this world.
Thank you for sharing this timewith us, love you so dearly and
I'm so very proud of you.
Speaker 3 (45:53):
And actually what we want to do is to allow you to
maybe share how people can findyou kind of.
You shared a little bit of whatyou're doing now, but where can
people find you?
How can people follow you?
You?
Speaker 4 (46:03):
well.
Thank you so much for having meso happy here to be here to
support you both.
I'm very excited for where thelike the lives this podcast
touches.
So, um, yay, you can find me,um, at the b word blogcom.
I'm on instagram, instagramtick tock.
That's mostly where I'm at.
Again, we're launching ourKickstarter for a new film fat
(46:25):
ass.
I cannot wait so I hopeeveryone that's listening is a
part of that.
$1, $5, $10, $1,000 helps.
So we're so, so, so excitedabout that and you can follow
that journey along as well.
It will all be on the B word.
Do you want to share yourfundraising goal for that film?
yes, yeah, we're raising 150 000yes, girl to pay a crew of
(46:48):
about 100 people all theirasking rate.
Um, again, nothing I do is, uhlike low-key.
So this is like it's fully acamp horror film.
So there's deaths, so we need astunt coordinator.
There's power cars, there'sfashion, there's blood, there's
(47:08):
I mean again, a crew of about100 people, including extras,
and so it's a everyone needs tobe paid their rate, and that's
what we're raising the money todo.
Speaker 1 (47:18):
I know with every fiber of my being that that is
being manifested and we will seethat.
So that is absolutely coming tobe, yeah.
Speaker 3 (47:27):
Yeah, thank you, very exciting.
Speaker 1 (47:29):
Well, thank you so much for this time with us and
for sharing hope, life, love,all the good stuff.
I think this is where we signout and we say everybody stay
tuned in to the wonderfulBreonna McDonald.
You want to keep hearing fromher, Thank you love, love you
guys.
Speaker 3 (47:45):
Thank you, love you, love you, sweetheart, love you,
love you.
Thanks for joining us today onSoul Sisteries.
Speaker 1 (47:51):
And thanks for sharing stories with us.
We'd love to hear your storiesas well and keep the
conversation going, absolutelykeeping the hope going.
So we're really hopeful thatyou'll connect with our guests
as well, who have great storiesto share.
Go ahead and follow them invarious social media platforms
or live venues, wherever it isthat they're performing and
(48:16):
sharing what they do.
Speaker 3 (48:17):
We would love to have you follow us on all of our
social media platforms,subscribe and rate, as that will
help us get our message of hopeout to others.
Thanks for listening to SoulSisteries.
Welcome to Soul Sisteries, amazing individual
named Brianna that is fulldisclosure a relative of our two
hosts, but I don't think it'sgoing to diminish what you're
all going to hear.
So we're just going to spend alittle bit since this is our
inaugural episode, as it were,after our little intro trailer
and uh so so we're figuring thisout as we go along and I think
(00:43):
that's what's great about whatyou, as the world listeners, are
going to get, as long as we canstay motivated to produce these
episodes and send them out toyou with our own little mental
wellness breaks and planning ourbusy lives and whatnot.
But first off, I just want tothank you both for this great,
(01:08):
amazing idea, and when I firstheard about it it really
inspired me.
So I would like to hear aboutwe just recorded our first
episode and where are you?
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Very hopeful, hopeful , very hopeful, hopeful.
That's really excited, becauseI think our first guest is
incredible, dynamic, inspires us, I think, as her aunts, but
(01:42):
also she brings so much hope andinspiration into my life and,
yeah, I can't imagine this worldwithout her light in it.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Absolutely, sis.
For sure you know this issomething about our Brianna, who
has just been a light from thebeginning, and we knew that we
wanted to bring her forward here.
We knew that it would be areally easy and natural
conversation one, the history,but two for who she is and all
(02:08):
that she has to offer of herlifetime.
There were things that I washearing for the first time that
gave me chills and real ahasabout who she is and what makes
(02:28):
her so magnificent and also, canI just say, vibing with you,
sis, like here we are and we didthe thing that we've been
visioning and knew could be athing, and here we are making it
happen.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Kind of cool and I think along those lines with
learning new information fromBrianna as we asked the
questions.
Kind of cool and I think alongthose lines with learning new
information from Brianna as weasked the questions.
I kind of had in my head maybewhere it would go, and so it was
kind of fun when it had nothingto do with what I was thinking.
You know, yeah, and I lookforward to people hearing that
and really kind of getting, Iguess, from the mouths of babes.
(03:03):
But of course she's not mylittle baby anymore, she's a
full-grown woman.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Right, right and just the grace that she has and she
talked about her bravery andyou'll hear all about that, but
her bravery in just movingforward, taking the steps, but I
think there's so much grace inthat bravery.
She does it with so muchopenness and welcome to everyone
(03:28):
, to all.
She leads with love and sheshares herself so freely.
She is an absolute inspirationto me for those reasons and so
many more.
But that just was justbeautiful to hear.
We want to hear from you, Kirk.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah, yeah, so I think I said it afterwards when
we spoke.
I'm a girl, dad, you're alwayslike I wantness, confidence,
(04:07):
empathy.
She knew from a very early ageand, you know, having the
inspiration, she said it rightoff the bat the women in front
of me and she has embraced thatand she is proud of that and she
is, I think, allowed that tomold her vision and also her
(04:33):
vision of life, right, not onlythe vision for herself, but, I
think, what she wants out oflife and what she wants out of
other people.
And the one thing that I kepthearing as well is it was never
I, I, I, I, I.
It was we, we, we and a crew of, and, and and it was you and my
aunts and my other you knowpeople that have influenced in
(04:57):
her life.
And but also, just like I don'thave all the answers, but I'm
going to do what I can while I'mhere and I think she has an
awareness of you know, your timeis your time and you don't know
where it's going to go, and shechose and has chosen to embrace
(05:18):
it and use it for good.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Absolutely.
You know she talked about alsothat jumping in both feet first
and this being a philosophy, andI'm like, yes, yes, girl,
absolutely, that's how she'salways lived.
I loved her vocalizing thatparticular perspective and I
think it'll resonate with a lotof people also that this and
this is a choice.
(05:40):
This is not just a naturalinstinct and away we go.
It is a conscious choice tolive in this way and act in this
way, and that's what makes itso powerful and so hopeful.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Right, right, and she chose that word creativity
right.
The hope is through thecreativity and that is, I think,
so valuable for others to hearthat it's not like hope is just
handed to you, it's not thatyou're just waiting for somebody
to make your dreams come true,or you're waiting for I don't
know somebody to give you themoney, somebody to give you the
(06:14):
big break.
That's not what she does.
She could have, she could havejust waited for things to happen
.
But there was something in herat a young age I mean certainly
10 years ago, but I think evenbefore that where she just said
I'm going to make it happen, I'mgoing to take my life in my own
hands and I'm going to createwhat I envision.
(06:35):
Right, and that is very hopefulfor me and hopefully for others
to know that it doesn't justpresent itself, that you can
create hope which gives you thatwhole meaning of life.
The reason for living iswhatever you are hoping for.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Absolutely, and how she discussed, which I just love
so much, this idea of goingforward with this passion and
letting it also going withhowever it shapes that.
You have that vision in mind,you move towards it, but it may
not manifest in that way thatyou are particularly envisioning
(07:16):
, but this other journey, thisother ride that is related to it
, is going to be expansive andbeautiful and take you in new
and exciting directions.
That is a theme you know, in myother life as a children's book
author I do author talks andthat is a theme that I always
bring to the discussions is thatpassion, that thing that you
(07:36):
love.
Stay with it, do it, keepsaying yes to it.
You will find your way.
You're the basketball playerOkay, you might not be LeBron.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Even if you run into obstacles, keep going.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Keep going.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Learn from those.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
You can learn from those and you can find a path
that you didn't even know wasthere.
You're maybe not going to bethat one, the top player in all
the NBA, but you can maybe havea life of a professional
basketball player.
You can be a coach.
You can be in the world doingthe thing you love.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Not to give away too much, but one of the things that
really stuck with me is youasked her the vision of what you
wanted to do, where you wantedto be, and she clearly stated it
.
And then she's in it and it'snot quite that same that she had
envisioned as a child, but itdidn't deter one bit.
It was just hey, this is thereality of it.
(08:27):
Right, I only saw what wascaptured.
I didn't see all the stuff thatgoes into before the camera
turns on.
You know it was, and I thinkshe appreciates where she's at
more because she's had to gothrough that.
So there's going to be this andso much more on this episode.
So enjoy it, and we're alreadyworking with the powers that be
(08:51):
to do round two, because it wasjust an amazing conversation and
it needs to continue, so enjoy.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
We are welcome everyone, to today's podcast.
I'm Donna Rice and I'm DianaHerwick and we're the sisters of
Soul Sisteries and we're soglad to be here with you today.
And we are extremely glad towelcome our guest today, whom we
know and love but wouldcelebrate regardless of that
(09:27):
fact, because she, if anybodyslays, this girl does, and we're
so abundantly proud of her andin awe of her.
Today we have the wonderfulBrianna McDonald.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Yes, Brianna is a Los Angeles-based performer,
creative producer and socialmedia specialist.
She began with the B-word blogand a simple goal bring fat
bodies into the fashion world.
Today, Brianna is trailblazingwhat it means to be a
storyteller in the digital mediaspace.
Her passion for media driveseverything she does, from
(10:01):
starring in and producingcontent to elevating the
creatives around her.
Brianna is on a mission tocreate media that disrupts the
narrative, and on that, note.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
I know right, amazing , Amazing.
That in and of itself is soinspiring, that that's your
vision and that's what you'vecarried forward.
I mean, girl, from the time youwere a little one, so full
disclosure.
Brianna is our wondrous,beautiful niece also, and we're
so blessed to be able to saythat that's so, and so grateful
(10:33):
that she agreed to come and joinus in this talk.
So, yeah, we just we absolutelycelebrate you, brianna, and are
so, so proud of all that you doand are doing.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
Yes, thank you so much for having me.
I'm so excited to be on thisnew adventure with you guys here
today and excited to see whatwe get into.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Yes, so we do have some questions for you today,
but really, kind of before weget to that, we thought maybe
you would just share with usjust a little about, like,
what's going on.
I shared your bio and you'redoing some great stuff with
social media and influencing somany people in so many different
areas, and if you want to justtell us a little bit about,
(11:15):
maybe, what you're doingpersonally, professionally,
anything kind of that you'd liketo share, Sure, and like we
said, I mean we're family, sohow?
Speaker 1 (11:23):
deep do I?
How much do I update you?
Speaker 4 (11:27):
So, what am I up to?
So I gosh okay.
So January of this upcomingyear, 2025, will be 10 years of
the B word, which is crazy thatI started my blog literally in
my mom's garage just for fun andthat became my whole career and
all my experience.
And, as you guys know, I workprofessionally in entertainment
(11:49):
marketing and so that takes upquite a bit of my time.
So I'm less online now asBrianna, as the B word, but I'm
very, very excited.
Next week next week's the secondweek of September.
So whenever this comes out,second week of September, we're
launching our Kickstarter for mynext short film project.
So it's my first time going tomy audience asking to help
(12:11):
crowdfund, crowdsource, andwe're very, very excited for our
next short film.
We've been working on it forquite some time.
It's called Fat Ass the filmand I'm very, very excited about
it.
It's about it's a camp horrorfilm three plus size leads we
took, so we took like a year towrite it.
Then we took a year to find theteam all plus size team, which
(12:33):
is incredible as, like a filmproduction company, that's
pretty.
I don't know anybody who'sdoing that actually and, yeah,
we're so, so, so excited aboutit and we need quite a bit of
money to make it.
But we feel very confident thatwe'll raise the money through
the community and through otherpeople who are passionate about
body, diverse media.
So I'm really, really excitedabout that.
(12:56):
So fun things are coming up, sowe're crowdsourcing the film.
10 years of the B word inJanuary.
I plan to celebrate that andI'm just living, laughing,
loving, you know.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Love it, Love it.
It's incredibly beautiful andjust amazing that not only have
you had the vision, had theideas, but have put the feet to
your passion and haveconsistently across this decade
(13:36):
and certainly before that aswell, because we've been knowing
you forever, and certainlybefore that as well, because
we've been knowing you foreverthat you have really this way,
Just Breathe right.
Can you tell us, just talk tous a little bit about that,
Because for sure, people shouldbe finding that.
That brings tears to my eyes.
It's so beautiful.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
Please share a little Sure Again.
Over the last 10 years, and asyou guys have known, I've always
been from performing making mycousins perform with me to then
making my friends perform withme, to then like really building
a production company.
We've done digital, likedigital shorts.
We've done series, digitalseries.
(14:21):
We've done endless, countlessphoto shoots.
So my most recent production itwas also a digital short film.
We released it on social media.
It was called just breathe andit was inspired by um, so many
different things, but um drewbarry moore's um god, why am I
(14:42):
blanking on the title of thatfilm?
Speaker 1 (14:44):
uh, ever, ever after, ever after, ever after.
What am?
Speaker 4 (14:47):
I here movies of all time and um, really what was
exciting about that film, um,was that she was, it was like
the cinderella story, but shereally rescued herself and so
that was really um.
We wanted to like recreate thatidea with also um, following
themes from the movies and fromever after, in pulling sort of
(15:12):
significant iconography, um fromcinderella, from the storybook,
uh, from fairy tales, andweaving it into sort of a new or
more personal story.
Um, about sort of I mean,sexual assault was definitely
one of the themes and likerescuing yourself and finding
yourself through trauma and um,yeah, it was a lot deeper than
(15:37):
just a two minute digital shortfilm, but that's kind of how I
like to do things, yeah things.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Yeah, it was.
Not only was the outcomebeautiful and just lovely to see
, it was so um.
I took great joy and pleasurein watching your journey to that
, that time of not only filmingin them but releasing and
everything that brought you tothat moment of release your
(16:06):
diligence and your commitment toyour team and putting forward
something that was such acommunity based in particular
communities, voices being heard.
There was everything from topto bottom that just absolutely
inspired and you know, that'slegacy stuff.
That's stuff that you wereputting out there that lives and
breathes.
Yeah, yeah, that I mean that'slegacy stuff.
That's stuff that you wereputting out there that lives and
(16:26):
breathes yeah, yeah, um that Imean, that's always been a
component.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
The team has always been a component of what I do.
Um, I, as somebody who wouldlike to play every role in every
show by myself, um been there,but it's also, um, I just got to
a place where I was, like youknow, playing in the sandbox by
yourself is not as fun ascollaborating with people who
get the vision, who understandwhat you're doing, who are
excited about what you're doing,and I'm really really grateful
(16:52):
that.
I mean, it's taken many, manyyears to find people who are in
such alignment with me, but wefeel like in a really great
place, and that took a lot ofgrowth to get there.
But the team has always beenimportant to each piece.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
And so, of course, being your you know older aunts,
not too old but your older auntof course we are totally
inspired by you.
You know, from just like earlydays you've just been an
inspiration and not yes, I knowyou're modeling poses, and not
just really, not just for us,but we get to share the joy that
we have, you know, for you andyour growth in your journey with
(17:29):
all the people that we know andlove also, right, so I think
you do.
Your blog started with this oneaudience in mind, but it
certainly has grown from there.
Your, your film doesn't stickwith one community, it crosses
kind of community lines, right,and I think that's one of the
things about you that I know isjust that you kind of break down
(17:49):
barriers, like you are akick-ass girl, like nothing's
going to stop you, which for meto see that in somebody I love,
you know a young woman who'sgrowing up kind of behind me,
that's just really reallyexciting to see, which is one of
the reasons why Dawn and Ireally wanted to have you kind
of be the inaugural guest.
(18:10):
Yeah because you're just soimportant in our life and have
so much value in this world thatlike we've got to get it out
even more, right?
So?
Speaker 1 (18:21):
yeah, truth.
So you know, part of what, abig part of what brought Diana
and me together in the soulsisteries journey is this idea
of hope that we've been on somepretty dramatic, wild, powerful,
beautiful, deep, heartbreaking,glorious all the things
(18:43):
journeys for the past many years.
Um, as which right that is justhuman existence also, um, but
we have been very intentionalabout hope through this journey
and holding that space and, and,like I said, being intentional
about that.
So we've got a tagline for thispodcast we are soul sisteries,
(19:05):
hope through dot, dot, dot, andso our idea is that each of our
guests, you know, sort of hasthat hope through experience,
and we talked with you a littlebit about that and what is your
hope through word and that yougave to us and we would very
much like for you to speak on itif you could.
This is hope through creativity.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
Yes, hope through creativity.
I through my own soul searchingand growth.
And I mean first, I feel like Ihave to acknowledge that I am
nothing without the legacy ofwomen before me.
Like you know also, we maybeshould can't do this podcast,
because whenever we're together,we always just cry.
(19:49):
I'm I'm stunned that these arethe first moments of tears
honestly among us, so holler, Iwas holding it really together,
but, um no, I mean I like, yeah,I am nothing without the legacy
of women before me and that'sso pivotal to just who I am as a
person but also so pivotal tothe work that I do.
(20:13):
I talk a lot about like.
I learned so much about theworld through like the lens of
the women, like of my aunts, mom, my grandmother, like and
growing up sort of around akitchen table and like just so
many stories of womanhood thatare so like just who I am
(20:36):
because of you guys so happy tobe here.
And hope through creativity isreally Really, yeah, it's a
tenet of my being, it is anabsolute.
I live and die by hope and bycreativity Through my own soul,
(20:56):
art and really questioning like,does this still matter to me?
Does this still matter to anyone?
Do I still want to do this 10years in?
Do I still care?
Do I not care?
(21:17):
And so, really searching allparts of myself, I really really
found that without hope I amnothing Like if I do not have
hope for a better tomorrow or abetter future, or a hope for the
world or for, like globalcommunity, or for my neighbor,
or for my best friend, or formyself, like, if I don't have
(21:39):
hope, then I'm.
I, Brianna, as an entity, as asoul, it's done.
I, brianna, as an entity, as asoul, it's done.
So hope means so much to me andI'm so aligned with you both
that that is the theme of thisproject.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Yeah, thank you, sugar Pie.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, so you've talked a littlebit about the last 10-year
journey, but clearly the journeydid not start 10 years ago when
you started your blogging inMom's Garage, so if you can
maybe share with us a little bitabout what got you here, yeah,
okay.
Speaker 4 (22:13):
Well, I mean again, as someone who has known me my
literal entire life, I havealways been sensitive, I have
always been creative, I'vealways been called to sort of
express in my own unique way,which has always made me feel
sort of isolated and like, okay,are there other people out here
(22:39):
who are into what I'm into?
Or do I need to sort of likemold myself to become like
popular or well-liked?
And so one of the best lessonsmy mom, one of the many, many
lessons my mom gave me, but Iwas really, I was young, I was
in elementary school and I wasfeeling like that I wasn't
fitting in and I was alwaystaller and bigger than everybody
(23:02):
and so that kind of really, Imean that really peppered my.
That was my experience ofalways being the biggest girl
and like I really internalizedso much of what that meant to
like move through the world aslike a bigger person.
But my mom, I was like you know, I'm not fitting in, I don't
feel like I, like I don't, I'mnot like clicking with these
people and having friends andlike told me she said, well, why
(23:25):
don't you, instead of trying tolike, sit at the table with
everyone, why don't you sitalone and see who joins you?
And I was maybe eight years oldand don't again, I don't know.
That was really prolific and Ithought, okay, let me like sit
alone and see who like joins me.
And I I have.
I just went to my.
(23:46):
I just went now I mean, thiswas almost 25 years ago that me
and this friend met, but I justwent to her wedding and she was
one of the friends who sat withme when I went, you know.
So I found my people for sure,and I feel like when I started
my blog, I was also.
It was kind of like, okay, Ifeel like when I started my blog
(24:06):
, I was also.
It was kind of like, ok, I feellike there's other people out
here who are into what I'm intofashion, beauty, I'm plus size
and like that doesn't reallyexist I mean 10 years ago, like
the plus size space was sodifferent, and like let me just
take this leap of faith and seeif there's other people out here
, let me sit alone at the lunchtable and see who who finds me.
(24:27):
And it's been an incrediblejourney.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
Yeah, Okay.
So I've known you all your lifeand I've never heard that story
before.
My God, that moves me so deeply.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
And you know, Debbie, she's a saint.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
I know Debbie, but I also know Brianna and the
fortitude, debbie, but I alsoknow Brianna and the fortitude,
the bravery, the this is mepresence in the world and
sitting in that space, eventhough I know as part of what
you're not sharing right now, Iknow the deep emotional
challenges through that journeyas well, and particularly as you
(25:01):
are so present and public andyou know not everybody comes to
that space with light and loveright and tries to throw some of
that down, and that you notonly have continued to sit in
that space but to shine andshine and bring others with you.
(25:21):
Face, but to shine and shineand bring others with you.
Just speak so much to yourcharacter, who you are, your
heart and your commitment, yourpassion, all these wonderful
wonderful things that make upthe presence.
that is you.
Yeah, a little love fest herewe're having for sure yeah.
(25:44):
I love hearing that journey.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
Yeah, so you know our podcast is about hope, right,
and how you find hope and howyou create hope, but it also
sounds like one of the reasonsyou do what you do is to share
hope right To like who's comingto your table, who?
Who are you bringing hope to?
Also Right, so it's not justabout you know, fulfilling your
(26:09):
own needs, but it's it's alsofilling clearly a huge hole
that's been out there thatyou've been filling for at least
10 years in our life obviouslya lot longer than that.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
But yeah, I mean as an actor, I a little bit in a
part of that, like soulsearching, of like does this to
me?
Do I still like this?
Do I want to keep performing?
Do I want to do I keep doingthe b word?
Do I not keep doing the b word?
Um, and like.
Again, part of being an actoris like okay, is this just to
like, fulfill something for me?
(26:39):
Like, do I need just likeattention or do I just need like
something?
But it has always been biggerthan me for sure.
I really stepped away fromtheater for a long time because
I didn't feel like I had likethe autonomy that I wanted as a
plus size, like actress, whichis why I then started producing
and creating my own theater.
I felt like casting was reallylimited.
(27:00):
I know I'm not the only plussize actor who feels that and
that was really what started meto create my own work, because
not only did I want to work withpeople I respected and loved
and want to be in other people'sproductions and that, but I
just felt like it was so limitedand I didn't want to leave my
career up to just like ifsomebody else saw me as the part
(27:21):
and like I wanted to be so muchmore than I've ever seen
available on screen for plussize people and I'm also six
feet tall, so that's also verylimiting, like as a film actor
Something I didn't really know.
Going in, I was like, oh wait,wait.
(27:41):
So I'm just I am definitelyjust not a cookie cutter in this
industry, and so I really waslike I need to pave my own way
and, through that, have reallywidened the door for others.
And I just did an event.
I've been sort of like I saidlike I haven't been online as
Brianna as much recently and Ijust went to an event, an
(28:05):
in-person event, with like theplus size community and it was
like it was called Thick Thrift.
It's in Los Angeles.
It's the only plus size thriftmarket.
It's incredible.
And Maybe three or four groupsof women came up to me
throughout the whole day andtold me, oh my God, you were the
inspiration behind me startingmy business or, like you have no
(28:26):
idea, like you helped me, likerealize I wanted to get back
into acting and it was justthese like little fleeting
moments, but I was like, wow,that is really wild, is really
wild that like so much, likewe've said, beyond plus size
fashion, beyond being an actor,beyond making digital shorts and
short films and digital series,beyond whatever that people
(28:49):
could take that inspiration fromme, or that's, that's really
the why, yeah yeah, and that youknow speaks to the sisteries
and the legacy, and you know,know all the things that you
know are bigger than you.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
Right, that just continue yeah absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
what is it out in the world there that sparks that
hope for you, in you?
What gives you hope?
Speaker 4 (29:14):
Oh, that's a great question.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Thanks, we thought of it ourselves.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
There's.
It's like so many things, butto me it's like small human
moments, like little moments ofkindness.
It's like I feel like we canget really or I can for sure get
um washed up or overwhelmedwith bad news or this side
versus this side, or thesepeople are good, these people
(29:41):
are bad.
This is happening, this is thisatrocity is happening in the
world.
And then I go out and I see,like that, one of my favorite
parks by my house.
I go and I read and but there'smen who play dominoes every day
and they go and they are alwaysthere and they always play
dominoes and like that's wow,that friendship, or a friendship
I've had for you know a millionyears.
(30:02):
I just went to, like I said, myfriend, my childhood best
friend's wedding and I was likecrying and everyone's like can
you like hold this together?
And I was like this is just suchan amazing moment.
And, yeah, it's those momentsand for me too, something that
makes me feel alive and gives methose extra like tingles of
(30:23):
hope and of just aliveness, um,is going to the movies.
I love, love, love going to themovies.
I've always loved going to themovies, but it's right when the
lights go down and the movie'sabout to start.
It makes me think of the caroluh, carol burnett version of
annie.
There's a song where they'relike let's go to the movies, and
it's like this whole big ordeal.
(30:45):
And so whenever I go to justthe movies, I always think of
that.
Um, and I've always loved moviesand the magic of movies and the
transformative nature ofstorytelling.
It's the same feeling for me,too, when you're about to see a
musical and the band is tuninglike right as the lights go down
, like that's like a littlemagic moment for me.
(31:05):
So it's really those moments,or those like full circle
moments, when something happensthat you can't.
I could have never planned thisin my little human mind.
You know, like there, likethere's just a majesticness to
life and I love to, I love to bedelighted by the universe, I
(31:26):
love being alive, and those arethe moments that make me feel it
.
Speaker 1 (31:32):
Sweetheart, you know what I'm hearing through all
that you're saying is thatmoment of possibility, and that
possibility absolutely doesequate to hope.
There's more, there's life,there's breath, there's activity
.
I'm with you.
You put it so beautifully.
I had not thought of it inparticularly that way.
So thank you for that Love.
(31:53):
That, yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
Cool, and you shared with us the story of you know
kind of that incident inelementary school when your mom
said to sit at your own table.
I'm curious, or we're curious,I guess.
What would your 13-year-oldself so think back to when you
were 13,?
What would your 13-year-oldself say to you now about what
(32:15):
you're doing and where you're atnow?
What would 13-year-old Briannasay?
Speaker 4 (32:20):
Oh my gosh, I think about that often.
Um, I would hope that shethought I was so cool and like
bold and brave and followinglike her heart and, yeah, all of
(32:42):
those things I would.
I.
It really comes back to like Iwould hope, and I know that she
would think I was very cool, sothat that makes me feel like I'm
aligned and on the right pathand again, with the soul
searching and the therapy andthe personal work like my whole
life I dreamed of, you know,living in Los angeles making
(33:02):
movies and being a movie starreally, and so it's so
interesting the path that mylife has taken.
Now that I I live in losangeles, I work in entertainment
marketing, I'm going to theemmys next week for work and,
like, here I am, I'm making alike, not the way I pictured it,
but I'm doing exactly what Iwanted to be doing.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
And no doubt brave and amazing and awesome and
doing these great things, and Imean what a different world had
13-year-old Brianna had youalready present in the world as
this adult role model?
You know, yeah, so wow, yeah,and I love.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
That's just great case in point, because it's a
thing that we often forget.
We get so closed in, I think,in terms of the dreams and how
it needs to manifest, that weshut out the possibilities.
And you are just a gloriousexample of, you know, staying in
that alignment, staying in thattruth, you are certainly making
(34:05):
things happen, but things alsohappen in that space, right, and
it doesn't look exactly likelittle one dreamed, but it sure
is amazing and wonderful and isliving in the truth of what it
is that your heart desires,right?
(34:25):
So I love that and I love thatand I love young people to know
that.
That's so, you know, whateverthe dream is, there are ways to
really experience that deeply.
Anyway, this is not about meand my thoughts is back to back
to you and your thoughts, so Ilove the reflection back.
Speaker 4 (34:43):
Um, I know I think about that too.
Um, I think I mean 13 year oldrihanna, even 18 year old, 21.
I was very, very.
I was like, well, why am I 18and not on broadway yet?
And it was very like, why am Inot the next it thing?
So it took a lot of trust in mymindset.
Now at 32 is just so differentand I don't think I would have
(35:05):
traded any of the journey at all.
So I feel exactly in the rightplace here.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
Amen to that, amen to that, all right.
So here's a, here's a quickquestion.
Let's see if you have a quickanswer.
Okay, do you have a lifephilosophy?
Speaker 4 (35:25):
Oh my God, my life philosophy.
I had a friend once tell methat I was somebody who like
jumped in the pool both feetfirst, like not like a little
tiptoe, like really like jumpedin, dived in and that is like
good and bad.
But I would say that I likejust jump in both feet, like
(35:45):
you're alive here right now,like do it, go for it, don't
overthink it, don't know ifthat's a quick answer no, that's
a great quick answer, I'm.
Speaker 1 (35:53):
What I'm curious is where do you think that comes
from, like the just you just hadthat in you, or what inspired
just that knowing and doing inyou?
Speaker 4 (36:02):
okay, that's an interesting thing because I I
again a lot of people, I thinklook at me and are, like
brianna's, very brave and Ithere's so many times when I do
not feel brave, um, bravery is achoice.
It's you choose bravery and stepforward yeah and so I was
actually having a conversationwith my mom a couple days ago
and she brought up somethingreally lovely about my dad being
(36:27):
like um, that he was very we're.
We're similar in a lot of ways.
I'm like my mom and I'm like mydad, but I really think it
comes from both of them raisingme and my brother to really you
can do they.
I mean, they told us that everyday, like there's some really
(36:50):
hardcore life lessons that myparents, like were really strong
on, and one of them is like youcan be and do and have whatever
you want and you have to bewilling to work for it.
So I think I've always beendown to like work for it and, uh
, that was one thing, and theyalso, I mean they were really
strong on like you have, if youhave to be a person of your word
(37:12):
, and so I've given myself myword that I will do what I can
do to follow my dreams, and so II can't let myself down, and so
I will show up.
For my part, I've given myselfmy word that I, yeah, will show
up and do the work.
Speaker 3 (37:29):
Yeah, and that bravery word I mean by
definition.
In order to be brave, you alsohave to be scared.
There has to be fear If there'sno fear in the situation, then
there's no need for bravery,right?
I mean, if there's, you know,if the net and the mat is
underneath you when you take thejump, well, the fear is gone
because you know you'reprotected.
So bravery is doing it despitethe fear, despite the net not
(37:52):
being under you.
So you are the definition ofbrave.
You really are.
So you don't have to take itfrom me, but think of what the
word means and you are brave.
Speaker 1 (38:02):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (38:03):
Absolutely true.
So how do you hope to beremembered?
Speaker 4 (38:10):
Oh my gosh.
This feels very in line with alot of the work I've been doing
recently, so I have thesequestions at the top of my mind.
Someone just asked me to writemy eulogy, um, which was a
really interesting thing, um,and I'm trying to remember what
I wrote in there, but I reallywanted to be remembered as
somebody who was a light, reallylike I really believe in living
(38:36):
, breathing, being um a personof good and a person bringing.
Also go back to my girl scoutroots of like leave uh any place
better than you found it.
So I mean, in girl scouts thatreally meant like pick up five
pieces of trash, but I reallybelieve in like trying to make
the world a better place throughwhatever impact I could have
(38:59):
and I think at at one point Ireally it was I want to have a
global impact and I want tochange the world for good and
that means on a really grandscale.
I'm doing that and I'mimpacting people all over and
I've really realized that it'slike, you know, between me and
my neighbor, and it's between meand whoever's listening to this
podcast, or me and the guy atmy local gas station who I
(39:24):
always take one minute to saylike, hey, we chat.
So I would really like to beremembered as somebody who, yeah
, brought light into the worldand empowered other people to
live boldly.
Speaker 1 (39:40):
And you are absolutely that and have always
been.
That light, but it is themagnitude of the light is
brilliant, and not just becauseI love you personally and deeply
, but that is a truth about youand your presence in the world.
I want to say one more thingabout that that I'm aware of.
When you talk about that closespace or on the really big stage
(40:04):
, there's also the ripple effect, right.
So we hit globally also byimpacting the one.
Yeah, and out and out and outfrom that, and certainly that is
true of you, yeah, yeah.
So where are we?
Where are we on on ourquestions?
Speaker 3 (40:21):
I think we're at a section that we are going to
kind of call rapid fire.
We're just going to throw somequestions at you and you get to
throw the answer back to us.
Speaker 1 (40:29):
So there you go, let's do that.
And if you want to expand onthem or expound, do so.
Or if not, just say the thingand we'll go to the next.
Speaker 4 (40:37):
Cool, okay, all right here we go.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
What color is hope?
Speaker 4 (40:42):
Oh what color is hope .
I first went like baby blue,like ocean seashell-y blue.
Speaker 3 (40:51):
Love it, love it, love it.
Speaker 4 (40:57):
What does hope sound like?
Oh, okay, I'm going to go backto my answer.
It sounds like the musicianstuning right before right as the
lights go down of the start ofa musical.
Speaker 1 (41:12):
Great.
Speaker 4 (41:13):
Love it.
What is your theme song?
Something disco-y.
I've been really listening tothe song Sunny, a lot Sunny, oh
yeah, yesterday my life and I'vebeen feeling good with that
jamming with that song, so thatwould be my song right now.
That is so fun.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
Yes, I love it.
So, we asked what your13-year-old self would say to
you.
What would you tell your13-year-old self?
Speaker 4 (41:42):
Oh, okay, I like to think about this too, because
sometimes I at some points Ithink I wouldn't tell them
anything, because there's like alot of things that you have to
go through.
Um, yeah, and in the last, Imean from 13 to now, I
definitely have gone through alot of personal growth, a lot of
grief, a lot of change, and Ithink I mean that's like life
probably from 13 to 32, um, andpart of me wants to be like okay
(42:10):
, it's gonna be a lot, but likeyou'll be okay.
Um, but I don't think I wouldsay anything, honestly, just I
love you and I'm proud of you.
Speaker 1 (42:19):
Yeah, I like that.
I like that so much, absolutelyum who inspires you well, you
too girl um, I was.
Speaker 4 (42:30):
I didn't get harkening back the legacy of
women that I come from.
We are a strong, strong, badassbunch and like each a different
life journey, but it's beenreally an honor to watch
everyone as I've grown up.
(42:51):
But who else inspires me?
As far as like celebrities, orpeople, I mean I have to also,
of course, shout out my mom, Ihave to shout out or people, I
mean I have to also, of course,shout out my mom, I have to
shout out.
Um, I really have modeled mybusiness, consciously or
unconsciously, around women whoare stars and actors, but also
(43:12):
producers.
So, like a Reese Witherspoon,issa Rae, um, I would say Shonda
Rhimes as well, but she's notan actress, but that's really.
I'm very, very inspired bythose women as well.
Speaker 1 (43:25):
Who are also, like you, just super good women in
the world doing the thing yougotta be.
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (43:31):
Shining the light.
Shining the light, Fill in theblank.
Creativity is what.
Speaker 4 (43:39):
Life.
I think without that's my lifeforce it really is.
And, um, when we spoke aboutlike hoping creativity, my first
thought was really howimportant creativity is to my
mom as well and I was like, wow,it's so interesting because,
yes, we were creative togetherbut I've always like lived in my
(43:59):
creativity.
I've it's sort of been my ownprocess and, yeah, creativity is
really life and I like to livemy life with creativity in every
aspect of what I'm wearing towhat I'm listening to, to the
projects I'm doing, to what I'meating for dinner, like that.
It's really in all areas of mylife.
Speaker 1 (44:20):
All right, so another fill in the blank.
Speaker 4 (44:23):
the meaning of life is oh, the meaning of life is
love.
I mean, there's nothing reallymore to that.
It's really I do, I really livebehind, like you're just here
to live, laugh, love, and likethat is what I'm doing
absolutely live, laugh, love.
Speaker 3 (44:42):
Okay, last fill in the blank.
Hope is what?
Speaker 4 (44:49):
hope is.
Oh, hope is.
My first thought was likelife-giving and like to go back
to again our what we've saidbefore.
But if I don't have hope, it's,it's like in my soul.
(45:10):
Hope is in my soul like it hasto be.
Um, without hope, yeah, I'mnothing.
So it's really hope iseverything.
Speaker 3 (45:19):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (45:21):
Well, beautiful, brave, wonderful.
Brianna, we can't tell you howgrateful we are that you spent
this time with us.
Well, first, so grateful that,like you, came into being and
that you exist in this world,because the world is better
lighter lighter for you and yourpresence and your
intentionality about life andcreativity, hope and love in
(45:46):
this world.
Thank you for sharing this timewith us, love you so dearly and
I'm so very proud of you.
Speaker 3 (45:53):
And actually what we want to do is to allow you to
maybe share how people can findyou kind of.
You shared a little bit of whatyou're doing now, but where can
people find you?
How can people follow you?
You?
Speaker 4 (46:03):
well.
Thank you so much for having meso happy here to be here to
support you both.
I'm very excited for where thelike the lives this podcast
touches.
So, um, yay, you can find me,um, at the b word blogcom.
I'm on instagram, instagramtick tock.
That's mostly where I'm at.
Again, we're launching ourKickstarter for a new film fat
(46:25):
ass.
I cannot wait so I hopeeveryone that's listening is a
part of that.
$1, $5, $10, $1,000 helps.
So we're so, so, so excitedabout that and you can follow
that journey along as well.
It will all be on the B word.
Do you want to share yourfundraising goal for that film?
yes, yeah, we're raising 150 000yes, girl to pay a crew of
(46:48):
about 100 people all theirasking rate.
Um, again, nothing I do is, uhlike low-key.
So this is like it's fully acamp horror film.
So there's deaths, so we need astunt coordinator.
There's power cars, there'sfashion, there's blood, there's
(47:08):
I mean again, a crew of about100 people, including extras,
and so it's a everyone needs tobe paid their rate, and that's
what we're raising the money todo.
Speaker 1 (47:18):
I know with every fiber of my being that that is
being manifested and we will seethat.
So that is absolutely coming tobe, yeah.
Speaker 3 (47:27):
Yeah, thank you, very exciting.
Speaker 1 (47:29):
Well, thank you so much for this time with us and
for sharing hope, life, love,all the good stuff.
I think this is where we signout and we say everybody stay
tuned in to the wonderfulBreonna McDonald.
You want to keep hearing fromher, Thank you love, love you
guys.
Speaker 3 (47:45):
Thank you, love you, love you, sweetheart, love you,
love you.
Thanks for joining us today onSoul Sisteries.
Speaker 1 (47:51):
And thanks for sharing stories with us.
We'd love to hear your storiesas well and keep the
conversation going, absolutelykeeping the hope going.
So we're really hopeful thatyou'll connect with our guests
as well, who have great storiesto share.
Go ahead and follow them invarious social media platforms
or live venues, wherever it isthat they're performing and
(48:16):
sharing what they do.
Speaker 3 (48:17):
We would love to have you follow us on all of our
social media platforms,subscribe and rate, as that will
help us get our message of hopeout to others.
Thanks for listening to SoulSisteries.
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