Cocoa Fly

After being hospitalized in his 20's, Chad Cherry became passionate about eating organic food. Chef Cherry is the founder of Chef Kulture, a company based in Ft. Lauderdale that educates the community about healthy eating and is fighting food disparities in low-income areas. Cherry was one of the few chosen to be part of the Red Bull Amaphiko Academy for social entrepreneurs. He talks to Cocoa Fly host Jenee Darden about his passion to help the community and a special meeting with the Obamas.     

Cocoa Fly host Jenee Darden interviews women entrepreneurs who are handling their business in unique ways. Zuvaa founder Kelechi Anyadiegwu turned a $500 investment into a $2 million dollar traveling African fashion marketplace. Cosplayer Lisa Lou Who has made bringing our favorite characters to life her business. Black Girls Run co-founder Toni Carey talks about how her organization is making a difference. Black Girls Run is partnering with Lexus for the upcoming Lexus LaceUp Running Series in Orange County, California.   

Many Black women were turned of by the Women's March following inauguration of Trump. Some felt our issues were ignored. Well, now it's our turn. The nonprofit Black Women United in Sacramento, Calif. decided it's time to put our issues first. On Saturday, July 15th they're taking their voices to the capital of California, along with other major womanist, Black feminist and civil rights leaders. The march is called Ain't I a Woman, in honor of Sojourner Truth's groundbreaking speech.  Cocoa Fly host Jenee Darden talks about the march and Black women's issues with Vocheri Thomas, one of the founders of Black Women United. 

Jenee Darden performed stories about family, the O.J. Trial, love, online dating and womanhood at the Nomadic Press Uptown Fridays in Oakland. This podcast includes: "Grandma Wants a Boyfriend," "Life Sentence," "Burger," "Eartha Kitt/Selena Kyle" and more. 

  Real, Raw and Beautiful describes this literary reading with Cocoa Fly host Jenee Darden, writer and filmmaker Christine No and singer Nkechi. They performed at Nomadic Press Uptown Fridays in Oakland.   This episode is for mature audiences.     

Political cartoonist Lalo Alvaraz talks to Cocoa Fly host Jenee Darden about his new gig, TV writer for the FOX animated series Bordertown. The show, which is created by the producers of Family Guy, takes a satrical look at immigration.  Alvaraz, who is the creator of the nationally syndicated comic strip La Cucaracha also shares his reaction to the backlash he received for signing on to work with Disney Pixar on the film Coco. The film is about the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead, which honors the deceased.   

Our Women and Sexual Empowerment series continues with a look at a new play that’s arousing interests, “The V Monologues: A Black Woman’s Interpretation.” Tracie Collins is the show’s writer, director and producer. It is derived from Eve Ensler’s groundbreaking production “The Vagina Monologues.” Tracie has worked in theater most of her life and and produced a number of shows. This is her first time in the director’s chair.  You can see “The V Monolgues” this Saturday, October 19th at the Malonga Casquelord Theater in Oakland, Calif. I spoke with Tracie, a charming actress from the play named Renee Wilson; and the play’s narrator—retired San Francisco news anchor Dana King. That conversation got real and I loved every second of it.   Now let’s talk about vaginas…  FYI: This podcast is no suitable for the kids.  

In the first episode of Cocoa Fly’s Women and Sexual Empowerment Series, host Jenee Darden talks to one of her favorite authors, Roslyn Hardy Holcomb.  Jenee says Roslyn brings the sweet and the HEAT in her writing. Roslyn is an interracial romance writer. She and Jenee chat about sexuality, writing, and whether sex gets better with age.   Roslyn Hardy Holcomb’s latest novel is Milk & Honey.