Can We Talk? 360 Podcast

In honor of recognizing that January is Human Trafficking Awareness month, we invited Jessica Kahn Obenauf, Esq. to be our podcast guest and give us some updated information on this major global and regional issue. Jessica is an Assistant U.S. Attorney with the U.S. Attorney's Office, in the Southern District of Florida. She specializes in prosecuting human trafficking cases and was able to share her in-depth perspectives in this episode. Jessica reviewed some of the common vulnerabilities that victims of sex trafficking share (ex. foreign nationals and their fear of deportation preventing them from reporting crimes to law enforcement). How the victims of these types of crimes are most frequently female minors, and that traffickers use emotional/brainwashing tactics, not necessarily physical violence, in order to manipulate them. Finally, she outlined what even the most vigilant of parents need to avoid and look out for (ex. social media monitoring) in order to protect their loved ones.

1/30/25 • 53:45

Today's Motivational Moment tackles the issue of fake news. Fake news is a dangerous and global trend. We see negative impacts in politics. It has put marginalized groups and even our own health in danger! How can you avoid being one of the misinformed? What are the five major impacts? What are the consequences? What are some countries doing to try to combat these issues? I address these questions and more in this episode. Because people have the right to their own opinion, but people don't have the right to create their own facts. This podcast was originally recorded in October 2024.

11/20/24 • 08:20

We welcome my friend Karim Giscombe to today's podcast to discuss his innovative $9 billion startup, PLANT-AG. This entity wholly embraces the controlled environment, using greenhouse farming and technology to grow delicate crops like tomatoes, strawberries and lettuce. This concept solves many of the agricultural problems we face today, by reducing water usage, removing the need for pesticides and shrinking the amount of land needed to plant crops. We also talk about the growing health crisis as it relates to foodborne illnesses, such as the recent Listeria and E. coli outbreaks, and how PLANT-AG's technological advances gives consumers a better way to track where the food came from, while also no longer needing the food to be genetically groomed to increase shelf life and avoiding transport-related spoilage. It is a truly fascinating discussion, and I hope you can tune in!

10/31/24 • 61:37

Welcome to our newest Motivational Moment podcast episode, where I ask the question: How are we going to shape our society for the better? BY VOTING! This message is particularly important to share with our young voters. If you have a young voter in your circle, I encourage you to support and guide them as they navigate through this voting season. October 7 is the last date to register to vote. Visit and share the link https://registertovoteflorida.gov/home for online voter registration in Florida. But do not delay! Our freedom and our democracy are on the ballot.

9/20/24 • 07:32

Here are my thoughts on the current misunderstandings surrounding the concept and definition of inclusion. History has shown that we are better as a society when we allow everyone to prosper. But there is still work to be done. Statistics show that certain leadership roles (superintendents, government officials, etc.) are still overwhelmingly white and male. I have personally been involved in many public and private organizations that have embraced diversity efforts and have evolved stronger than ever due to those efforts. So, there is no reason to pull back programs and efforts to increase diversity throughout our society, clearly there is still a need to "help EVERYONE develop their talents and use their gifts for the good of the community." Do not get caught up in the culture wars. Remember that inclusivity brings progress and evolution, not exclusivity.

7/10/24 • 09:22

Today's podcast features an interview with our friend, Joe Scott, who is the Broward County Supervisor of Elections. This year is obviously a very important year for voters and there have been some major changes for voters in Florida since the last Presidential election that you need to know! We run through all the major changes and the questions and answers voters may have this year. What do you need to do to register for a mail-in ballot? What is the deadline to register to vote? Who can register to vote? Where can you vote? What are the six MAJOR constitutional amendments on the ballot this year in Florida? Once you listen in on this podcast, we urge all our listeners to visit https://www.browardvotes.gov/ to make sure your voter registration is up to date. Also please pass along this informational podcast to your friends and family. Remember, let your voice be heard! Every vote counts!  

6/14/24 • 56:38

I kickstart my latest podcast by discussing the historical significance of the saying “Rome is burning,” which is used in situations where people focus on the trivial and take no productive action during a crisis. I believe that one just needs to turn on the news to see that this theory is more relatable than ever. We are being distracted when there are real problems we need to address - some examples include the failures of our educational institutions, the ineffectiveness of our healthcare systems, the lack of affordable housing, etc. I encourage everyone to ignore these fabricated cultural wars politicians are trying to get us to obsess over and redirect our energies to educating ourselves and resolving the real crises that are impacting us.

6/5/24 • 08:04

We welcome Delvin Rogers, Behavioral Technician Specialist and Executive Director of C.A.L.M. 24/7, as our guest of today's Can We Talk? 360° podcast episode. Our conversation focuses on his work with students in the local schools and young adults in the juvenile detention system, and how he found a need in the community to create his organization C.A.L.M. 24/7. This groundbreaking organization teaches young people how to develop better communication skills, coping skills and conflict resolution skills as they navigate through this complicated thing called life!

5/9/24 • 42:35

I continue to focus on my Haliczer Pettis & Schwamm Healthcare Disparity Initiative’s mission to educate the minority community on healthcare issues. What individuals can do to take ownership of their own healthcare journey and learning how to navigate being a better healthcare consumer. Today’s podcast focuses on one healthcare disparity issue in particular, minority maternal mortality rates. The statistics are startling, Black women are 2x more likely to become victims of maternal mortality than white women. But it is not only the mother’s responsibility to maintain her and her baby’s health and avoid becoming a victim, the government and the healthcare industry also needs to aid and take ownership of these issues.  I encourage my listeners to consider sending this podcast episode to any of your loved ones, young and prospective mothers and families to be, who may find this discussion of the problem and some of the solutions helpful.

4/24/24 • 07:39

Today’s guest is Victor Williams, President of the Anti-Human Trafficking organization Quest2Freedom. Victor has made it his mission to inform the public on how truly insidious the issue of human trafficking and exploitation is today. It is the fastest growing criminal industry, with more that 50 million victims worldwide and counting. Victor reviews the three-tiered approach his group focuses on to combat this problem, which consists of education, awareness and advocacy. He reminds us that traffickers target their victims by preying on their insecurities and vulnerabilities and that we can only begin to fight by advocating for systemic and cultural changes to protect our children and our future.

4/11/24 • 61:17

Welcome back to our second Can We Talk? 360° Motivational Moment for 2024! Today I speak of the miracle when someone briefly enters your life but changes it for the better forever. I recall those instances where my life was changed due to these “angels” and also how I have unknowingly influenced others’ lives in the positive by just the shortest of interactions. We all should always remember that our actions and reactions towards others matter. Be kind to each other. Give of yourself. You never know how much it could impact those around you.

4/2/24 • 07:41

Our first Can We Talk? 360° podcast interview of 2024 features Jerry Girley, Founder and Managing Partner of The Girley Law Firm, and his daughter, Brooke Girley, Professor at the Delaware Law School and Of Counsel at The Girley Law Firm. Jerry and Brooke talk to me in this episode about the origins of civil rights and civil rights law, examples of transformative civil rights battles, and the ongoing efforts to redefine civil rights in the United States. We discuss their own personal legal battles, after a Florida judge recommended 30-day suspensions based on their vocal criticisms following the overturning of a $2.7 million jury ruling in one of Jerry's cases. Finally, we review how some legal experts have now raised concerns that these proposed suspensions may have more long-lasting and far-reaching negative impacts on the free speech rights of lawyers in Florida.

3/11/24 • 62:13

Hello and welcome to our first Can We Talk? 360° Motivational Moment of 2024! Keeping with my mission to discuss topics on tolerance and inclusion, I ask you, have we lost the thread when it comes to doing what is best for our people and our country? Why in some spaces has the term patriotic mutated to mean we can do whatever we want, whenever we want, despite the consequences that may harm our neighbors, our communities or our entire country? The hope of society is to bring people together to build a beautiful tapestry and let that lead us to a more perfect union. So, this year, let us all strive to be better listeners, be more accepting and do more acts of kindness for each other.

2/15/24 • 07:01

Did you catch Gene's interview today on Hot 105! with Rodney Baltimore promoting his October 7th Healthcare Disparity Initiative presentation? If not, listen to the interview here and as a reminder, the presentation will take place at New Mt. Olive Baptist Church (400 NW 9th Ave., Fort Lauderdale). This event, which starts at 10 am, is being co-sponsored with MOUNTMENTUM, a strategic initiative of 3 churches in our community (New Mount Olive Baptist Church, Mount Bethel Ministries and Mount Hermon AME Church) and Haliczer Pettis & Schwamm. For decades, studies have shown that African Americans face greater healthcare challenges than other racial groups. Despite this knowledge, over the past 60 years, there have been insufficient changes and improvements to these disparities. Gene will discuss this crisis and the ways how community members can navigate the healthcare process, more knowledgeably and safely. Visit Mount Olive Baptist Church's website to learn more about this event: https://mountolive.org/event/combathealthcaredisparity/

10/4/23 • 03:34

During this podcast, we are once again joined by Dr. Carl B. Mack for another fascinating discussion around the history of black history. We tackle the controversial relationship between sports and politics in this episode. Some have said and may say today that politics has no place in sports. However, whether it was Jackie Robinson and his trailblazing role in 1947, to the 1968 Olympics, all the way to Colin Kaepernick's kneeling during an NFL game in 2016, history has proven otherwise. America has always fit politics into the sports agenda! The public needs to accept it. Professional sports figures need to accept it and realize their related community responsibilities. Change may be risky, but we need to continue to honor our legacy, take those risks, and use the platforms we have to keep moving forward. Justice and equality for all mankind is the ultimate goal.

7/27/23 • 54:20

For this podcast session, one of two in the series, I am joined by the esteemed scholar Dr. Carl B. Mack, Civil Rights Activist, Author and Lecturer. Dr. Mack and I review some of the most important and painful Black American History milestones, especially when some historians seem to get it wrong. Our topics include preserving our heritage in this current polarizing U.S. political climate, the misrepresentation of Juneteenth, and all the complexities that surround the issue of Reparations. Unlike past podcasts, this session comes with visual aids supplied by Dr. Mack, so if you can, I recommend checking out the video version of this podcast, which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_elhU1x094. And stay tuned for our next session, continuing our discussions on Black history with Dr. Mack, coming soon!

5/11/23 • 64:52

Join us as we once again take the time in our podcast series to interview a few Broward County Public Schools Debate Initiative student superstars! This episode features three extremely talented individuals – Malika Johnson and Faith Pierre-Toussant from Westpine Middle School, and Eli Seiden from Western High School. Listen in as they share their thoughts on how social media has impacted them and their peers (for better or for worse?), how has debate and learning debating skills helped them succeed in life and in an educational environment, and their goals/where they see themselves after graduation.

3/30/23 • 53:06

Our first Can We Talk? 360° podcast interview for 2023 is with Desmond Meade, proud father, Floridian, voting rights activist and Executive Director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC). We sit down to talk about the FRRC’s mission, which is to “end the disenfranchisement and discrimination against people with convictions” and his fight to remind the community at large that there is a redemptive value in each and every human being.  We also discuss Desmond’s activist journey and how in 2018, he led the successful effort to pass Florida Amendment 4, a state initiative that restored voting rights to over 1.4 million Floridians with previous felony convictions. Today the FRRC has been working on funding and counseling services for individuals who may have been inappropriately targeted for election fraud in Florida. If you would like to learn more about supporting the FRRC’s initiative, or if you know someone who may need their services, visit https://floridarrc.com/.

2/16/23 • 62:16

As the new year is upon us and we find ourselves in late January, some of us also find ourselves losing the momentum and motivation to keep our resolutions going. I often wondered why do we miss our mark so quickly and often? In my latest Motivational Moment podcast, I discuss how you need to be relentless in your pursuit of your goals. There is still time! Stay committed and continue to move forward towards your true and desired destiny.

1/30/23 • 04:44

The statistics show the facts that can’t be denied, there is a real problem with healthcare disparities in the U.S. among certain races, genders and ethnicities. In my latest Motivational Moment, I review some of those startling statistics. I also talk about my own personal health experiences and representing clients who have dealt with these types of situations. Most importantly, because of my professional and personal history, I outline some healthcare best practices you too can adopt to protect yourself and your loved ones going forward. And I know a lot of us have faced challenges when scheduling doctor appointments lately, especially due to COVID. So I urge each of you – don’t delay in talking to your doctor today! Because our health is our most valuable asset!

9/19/22 • 17:40

In our second episode on Critical Race Theory (CRT), we dig deeper into the concerning attempts by those in power to prevent the accurate teachings of the history of racism in America. Listen in as Dr. Butler makes the excellent comparison that “taking race out of the story of American history is like taking a leading character out of your favorite movie.” Now the plot doesn’t make sense. The same thing happens when they try to take the issue of race and racism out of the teachings of American history. It's incomplete, doesn't make sense and most importantly, it is dishonest. That is one of the reasons why omitting parts of our history should matter to all Americans. The intentional rewriting of the past is a tool that authoritarians use. It is dangerous for the future of democracy when we seek to alter history by erasing parts of it. Luckily our hosts say that there is hope, that they have seen the motivation of our young people  to learn the truth, and change our world for the better.

8/10/22 • 41:25

After a brief hiatus, the Can We Talk? 360° podcast series is back and better than ever! Our latest session is part one of a two-part series on Critical Race Theory, the myths, the misinformation and current state of affairs surrounding this topic today (especially in the Sunshine State). Gene's discussion on this polarizing topic features an in-depth interview with esteemed Flagler College Professor of History, Dr. Michael Butler, author of "Beyond Integration: The Black Freedom Struggle in Escambia County, Florida, 1960-1980 (available on Amazon). You can also follow the Professor on Twitter at @dr_mbutler. We hope our listeners find this podcast as intellectually stimulating as we did producing it!

7/27/22 • 53:35

Most of us show our appreciation towards the special people in our lives during “the month of love” (aka February). But I challenge you now to share the love universally – 365 days a year. Sharing our love universally includes the act of showing empathy for others. It means you should love thy neighbor – even if they look, act, believe and love differently than you. If we could love our neighbors truly, then we would not have people bringing harm to others, like we are seeing with the people of Ukraine. My heart especially goes out to them right now. Please show the love to them, either by charitable donations (https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/09/heres-a-list-of-top-rated-charities-to-help-the-ukraine-relief-effort.html) or by prayer. Remember we are all equal. And all we need is love.

3/15/22 • 07:17

The show producer has not yet provided a description for this episode.

3/3/22 • 00:15

We had an excellent podcast interview recently with my guest Dr. Thelma Tennie, ​​LMFT, Certified Clinical Sexologist, and owner of the successful private practice, Dr. Thelma Tennie and Associates, LLC. Our discussion revolved around the subject of modern love and how regardless of whether you are in a same sex, heterosexual, married, or unmarried relationship, we actually all deal with similar issues. I discuss with her what unique issues couples are facing in the 21st Century and how Dr. Tennie counsels individuals on dealing with these types of challenges. Dr. Tennie also walks us through how one of the most important factors in a healthy relationship is honesty, not only with your partner, but to be honest with yourself about what your true authentic self looks like/what your needs are.   

2/18/22 • 59:38

I recorded this Motivational Moment episode to honor Black History Month. As I was coming of age in the ‘60s, I saw changes in society that led me to believe our country was going to recognize our greatest strengths and embrace equality. Unfortunately there are now some troubling signs that we are moving backwards and ignoring the lessons we learned from the mistakes made in the past. We cannot ignore these efforts to make America unremarkable again. So this month, I ask you to stand up and speak out in the face of this growing evil in society. We must make a resounding clarion call for Americans to demand better and to live up to her highest ideals of LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. 

2/14/22 • 12:53

I was very pleased to welcome my friend Mr. Hardge, aka "the EduTainer", to be my latest guest on my Can We Talk? 360° podcast. This episode is positively brimming with positivity! We first talk briefly about Mr. Hardge's mission to motivate the youth of today. Then he and I pivot to the topic du jour! So many of us come into January with new goals and new plans. Let us share with you our tips on how to find your gift, achieve your goals and how to overcome adversity (internally as well as externally) to make your dreams a reality. We hope you find this session inspirational!

2/1/22 • 67:47

In this first Motivational Moment podcast of 2022 I discuss how human interaction often changes for the better during the holiday season -- in comparison to the earlier part of the year. We are kinder and more charitable towards our fellow man. We treat each other in a manner that could change the world if we could sustain it all year. So let’s try to hold onto that kindness and charity I know we have in our hearts. And don't forget to smile, it's free therapy! :) 

1/25/22 • 05:28

Hello and a very Happy Holidays to all my followers! In my latest Motivational Moment episode, I ask the question "Is Consumerism Ruining Our Holidays?" We all know how easy it is to get caught up in the hype to go bigger and better during this time of year. We have a preoccupation as a society with the constant acquisition of consumer goods. But we also know that our happiness should not be defined by our ability to obtain more material possessions. What is really important during our walk on this earth is family, close relationships, being helpful towards your fellow man, etc. So I encourage all of us to adopt a new perspective this year, be thankful of what we have and acknowledge those true gifts, instead of focusing on the unquenchable thirst for more.

12/14/21 • 07:14

The Broward County Public Schools Debate Initiative is a community endeavor that is close to my heart. I have seen first hand the transformative power of debate in students' lives and my two panelists embody that greatness. So I am very excited to share with you my latest podcast, where I interview two extremely gifted and animated Debate Students - Kourtney Savage, from Sawgrass Springs Middle School and Marc Zavarro, from Western High School. Listen in as they answer questions like "How has social media impacted their generation?", "What was one major thing you learned about yourself during the most challenging times of the pandemic?" and "What are some topics that your peers are discussing right now?"

12/1/21 • 59:51