SoCal Voices
SoCal Voices is an award-winning podcast about navigating life in Southern California. Beyond the stunning coastline, great weather, and endless calendar of world-class events and experiences, other realities exist: High cost of living. Soul-crushing commutes. The pressure of hustle culture. The quiet ache for connection and purpose in the middle of all this sprawl. SoCal Voices is your companion through it all. Creator and host Angela Ross explores insightful conversations with guests offering real talk, local wisdom, and honest inspiration to help you navigate life in this one-of-a-kind place. Because Southern California isn’t just a dream. It’s a real place, and you deserve to feel grounded in it. SoCal Voices. Real talk in the land of dreams.
Episodes
156 episodes
How Autopsies Hide Police Violence in LA
Southern California may be the land of dreams but like other parts of the country, the region has its share of law enforcement misconduct, including autopsy reports that hide the truth about people who die in police custody. In his book ...
Fighting A Hidden Health Crisis in SoCal
Keziyah Yisrael-Gayle, PhD, is an innovator working at the crossroads of science and community. She’s the founder of TollRAir, a biotech startup developing new treatments for lung inflammation caused by environmental toxins, an issue hitting so...
Inland Empire Community News: Filling the Local News Gap
Corporate buyouts and downsizing have reduced budgets and staff in newsrooms across SoCal, leaving community issues underreported and community members less informed. But some independent journalists are stepping up to fill the void, including ...
Get Your Money Right in SoCal
If you feel like you're doing everything right and it still isn't enough to get ahead financially in Southern California, what you're about to hear may help. In this episode of SoCal Voices, host Angela Ross sits down with personal finan...
Can We Build Affordable Housing in SoCal?
Southern California is famous for sunshine, beaches, and opportunity but it's also known for a harsh reality. For far too many people, housing here feels out of reach. In this episode of SoCal Voices, host Angela Ross sits down with Emily Ramir...
Race, Gender, Class & the History of the Movie Awards
SoCal is the epicenter of the entertainment industry and award season is in full swing. While many focus on the glamor and festivities, film and media historian Monica Sandler views the movie awards industry through a diff...
Why the Health of Native Bees Matters in SoCal
Krystle Hickman is a community scientist, photographer, National Geographic Explorer and one of the few Black women working in the conservation space. In her book The ABC’s of California’s Native Bees, she’s helping the non-scientists am...
Ashes to Films - A Year After the LA Fires
A year ago, Shiloh Strong launched Ashes to Films, a nonprofit organization to help members of the creative community impacted by the Eaton and Palisades fires rebuild their lives. I sat down with him and filmmak...
Dr. Disneyland, Walt's Wisdom & the Power of Belief
Southern Californians know a thing or two about chasing sunshine and big dreams, and there’s no better example of that spirit than the man who created the happiest place on earth. In this episode of SoCal Voices, you’ll hea...
Beating Burnout in SoCal Hustle Culture
Southern California is filled with overachievers. Without some balance and healthy practices, the relentless drive to accomplish more can leave us feeling like we're running on fumes. Licensed marriage and family therapist Laurel van der Toorn ...
All In - The Power of Believing in Yourself
Since booking his first gig in 2004, LA voice actor Kyle Chapple has built a career across video games, animation, and commercials but he didn't reach those milestones on talent alone. His journey has also been about grit, risk, and beli...
What SNAP Changes Mean for Local Food Banks
The Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” included funding cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program known as SNAP. These cuts mean Southern Californians dealing with food insecurity may need to turn to local food banks in...
Protecting Democracy in a Targeted State
Serving as an effective state legislator in 2025 requires “next level” commitment and courage, as California finds itself targeted by what some political observers describe as the Trump administration’s retribution campaign. Despite this challe...
What's Next for Public Media?
The end of federal funding for public broadcasting has many Southern Californians wondering what's next for public media. In this episode of SoCal Voices host Angela Ross sits down with Connie Leyva
How Schools Make Race
Laura C. Chávez-Moreno is an assistant professor at UCLA and author of How Schools Make Race. Her research digs deep into the ways schools don’t just reflect race—they actually produce it. In this episode of SoCal Voices, Dr. ...
Helping immigrants thrive in the workplace
In a time when inclusion efforts are under pressure and immigrant communities are too often misrepresented, Dr. Lola Adeyemo is leading with courage, clarity, and heart. As founder of Immigrants in Corporate, she empowers first-gen and immigran...
Why 2025 Feels Like 1925 in SoCal
Living in Southern California in 2025 means navigating rapid tech change, intense culture clashes, and nonstop reinvention. Sound familiar? It’s exactly what was happening here 100 years ago.In this episode of SoCal Voices, Tom Lutz
How to Age with Power & Purpose
San Diegan Jeff Seckendorf defies expectations in the most inspiring ways. At age 70, he’s a competitive cyclist and a dedicated scuba coach, proving that age is not a limit, but a frontier.In a culture obsessed with youth, he’s c...
Will AI take your job?
We all know how tough it can be to keep up with fast-moving tech—and few things are evolving faster than artificial intelligence. AI can feel overwhelming, even intimidating, and fears about AI replacing some jobs is real.In this episode...
How to be a better boss
We hear a lot about how to be a better employee — but what if it’s the boss who needs the real advice? Jeff Matlow, CEO of The Best Leadership Company, coaches Fortune 500 executives on how to lead with impact — not just hold a ...
Faith, Identity & Resistance
Dr. Lauren Guerra is a dedicated lecturer in Chicana/Chicano & Central American Studies at UCLA and the heart behind Gold Hoops & God, a podcast that uplifts and empowers Millennial Latinas to embrace their purpose with confide...
Pitching Unity: Moreno Valley Mayor Ulises Cabrera & the Negro League Community Softball Game
The rich legacy of Negro League Baseball was front and center at Moreno Valley's Woodland Park on May 31 during the Community Softball Game organized by James Harris, founder of the African American History presentation series, Un...
Breaking the stigma of homelessness: Operation Helping Hands SoCal
As a teenager, Kim Valentine found herself without a home. Today, she’s the founder and president of Operation Helping Hands SoCal, a nonprofit dedicated to helping the unhoused rebuild their lives. In this episode of SoCal Voic...