Close: snippet of “Casa Bey” by Mos Def

Background Music for this episode’s “Wall of Fame” segment: “Drifting Through” on the album LOFI MOODS from the APM royalty-free music library

Visit https://linktr.ee/StefRenee to access more information on host Stephanie Renée and her many creative ventures.

Close: snippet of “Casa Bey” by Mos Def

Background Music for this episode’s narrative close: “Horizon” on the album BEAUTIFUL STORIES from the APM royalty-free music library

To see Octavio's documentary Silences: trailer on Vimeo, full film on Kanopy (where available)

Close: snippet of “Casa Bey” by Mos Def

Background Music for this episode’s “Hijinks” segment: “The Back Story (vers. D)” on the album INVESTIGATIVE UNDERSCORES from the APM royalty-free music library

This one was inspired by ALLLLL of the love shown to Caribbean history and culture during the Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime performance. From Puerto Rico to every other nation in the Americas, we are a strong and mighty people.

Opening: excerpt from "Blood" by Sarah Jones

Closing: excerpt from "Casa Bey" by Mos Def

Background for the Hijinks & Shenanigans segment: "Washington DC" and "Hidden Cam" from the CONSPIRACY royalty-free album by Felix Halbe

All other recorded material and content of this podcast: Copyright 2026 Creator's Child Productions. All rights reserved.

In the interim since my last episode went live, I’ve been practicing self-care after the election and focusing on other ways for me to express my concern for and dedication to my community. There are a lot of folks out here who are scared and angry, rightfully so. I’m trying to remind us to stay productive with all of that energy, but I don’t think the lid is going to stay on for very long. More than a few of my friends have been verbally or physically assaulted over the past few weeks, and I don’t see it getting any better in the foreseeable future. I’ve also stopped insisting upon viewing the late news every night. Being too plugged in to all of the asinine Cabinet nominations will only give me agita. I don’t need the hand-wringing or the stress, so I’m opting out. Too much runway between here and early January.

This research brings me joy. The past few weeks have been a lot of cleaning up information on some of my DNA cousins’ trees that was not pointing to our family connections. Too many people with nearly identical names, but “the math wasn’t mathing,” as we say. So I’ve been pruning the bad leads and reconnecting branches with the correct info. Still no major breakthroughs, but at least some of the DNA cousins are better connected to each other. Eventually, that will point more concretely to one of my known relatives.

I am also fascinated by the number of cousins I have who are the product of warfare. I’ve got half-Italian, Japanese, Vietnamese, Korean, French, German, and more family who are clearly the result of my enlisted relatives’ relationships. Given the vast number of my male relatives who have served, it may be a long while until I get all of them sorted out on my tree. But when I say to you that my family is the real United Colors of Benetton, believe it!

It pains me to think that, after that guy’s inauguration, it might be much harder for me to connect face-to-face with some of these cousins. Our government might not want to let them in the country, or let me back in when I return. I headed back to Philly from a media trip to Ghana in 2017 on the EXACT day when the last travel ban went into effect. I saw families at JFK looking hurt and confused as Customs agents were forced to explain why they were being delayed. It was TERRIBLE.

Ugh, there I go inadvertently caught up in this political moment, again.

Anyway, I wish each of you in this genealogy community a restful, peaceful start to the holidays. Let’s keep love on the menu, shall we?

And if you enjoy the video series and want to add me to your Giving Tuesday plans or other charitable contributions this season, your support is welcomed. Even switching from a free to a paid subscription helps keep this project moving. Thanks!

This one was the easy lift, because it’s an overview and could be done easily at home. Up next is the first real location shoot here in Philly and beginning to tell the official story. Crowdfunding is also off to a good start, with about 30% of the funds raised in the first week. If you want to join the village and help see this through, you can give here.

Also, as I shared in today’s Soul Sanctuary Bulletin, I now have a date when I’ll be presenting some of my maternal side family story on our native ground in Nelson County, VA. Mark your calendars for Sat May 10 2025. I plan to film and stream the presentation for those outside of the area, and do some additional filming while I’m there. There are still so many burial grounds and homesteads I have not yet visited in person. One of my cousins is clearing her schedule to be there and do this heart work with me, so it’s sure to be an emotional moment for us both. And you will get to share in it vicariously when I’m done.

I still intend to speak on the uproar at 23andMe, but it’ll have to wait until I recharge the personal battery. Soon. Until then, be well.

Sometimes I sell myself short. I have already amassed an incredible amount of photos, footage, and data. But it sure would be nice to be able to offer a few good people some funds to get in the production trenches with me. Hoping some of you will see the value in jumping in with me and helping this vision manifest further. Thanks.