Saturday Mornings With Joy Keys

Special Guest:  Amana Melomé: Born in Germany, raised around the world, Amana Melome' is a Euro-Caribbean-American singer-songwriter.Both Amana’s mother and grandmother were professional singers and her father hailing from the Caribbean island of Aruba is still an active musician in the European scene. Amana recorded her debut album INDIGO RED as well as her sophmoric LP PHOENIX RISING with producer Saverio ‘Sage’ Principini in LA. After a US release with indie label Savana Records and a distribution deal thru the Whole Foods Markets her album was licensed in Europe with IRMA records. While promoting her CD in Italy she landed a lead role, playing herself, on the most popular sitcom on national TV: Un Medico In Famiglia.  Amana's new EP 'Lock and Key' brings exciting new collaborations with the production duo Itai Shapira and Adam Berg of the Decoders, also recorded in Los Angeles. Her music is a blend of styles ranging from Soul to World with a strong Reggae influence. http://www.melomemusic.com

November is Diabetes Awareness Mionth. 29 million Americans have Diabetes.(CDC) The mission of the American Diabetes Association is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. - http://www.diabetes.org Special Guest: Theresa Sims-Cardiothoracic Registered Nurse. BSN from Drexel University. She is a volunteer with the American Diabetes Association. 

Whether you are single, divorced or widowed -- Dr. Shane Perrault, PhD., has learned first hand that "It is never too late to live happily ever after." As founder of AfricanAmericanMarriageCounseling.com, he has provided relationship and marital counseling to hundreds of couples since 2004. Throughout his work as a marital psychologist, he as found one of the key factors in relationship or marital success is choosing the right partner. Dr. Shane received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the Ohio State University, and received his BS from Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA. He also completed Level I, II and III training at the world-renowned Gottman Marital Therapy Institute. He is regularly invited to speak at church retreats, has spoken at the Congressional Caucus on the topic of "What has happened to Marriage in Black America", blogs for Psychology Today; and has been featured in Ebony and Essence Magazines, the Washington Post": XM Radio, BET and TV One. He has also appeared as a guest expert

It is estimated that as many as 5.1 million Americans may have Alzheimer's disease. The mission of the Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) is "to provide optimal care and services to individuals confronting dementia, and to their caregivers and families-through our member organizations dedicated to improving quality of life..” http://www.alzfdn.org/ Special guest: Charles J. Fuschillo was appointed chief executive officer of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America in January 2014. Prior to that, he served eight terms as a New York state senator representing the 8th Senate District. Special Guest:  Amy McVeigh.worked with the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging for about 10 years. Currently working with the Caregiver Support Program as a Supervisor. She has a Masters of Gerontology and she has worked in the field of Aging for 16 years. www.pcacares.org

Special Guest: Singer, Model, and Actress Kristen Henry King  (http://kristenhenryking.com) - Kristen battles with Multiple Sclerosis. She was inspired to write the song IMPERVIOUS chronicling her experience with MS.. listen to the song here on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScJit0ET-pw Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system). In MS, the immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers nerve fibers and causes communication problems between your brain and the rest of your body.  Signs and symptoms of MS vary widely and depend on the amount of nerve damage and which nerves are affected. Some people with severe MS may lose the ability to walk independently or at all, while others may experience long periods of remission without any new symptoms. There's no cure for multiple sclerosis. However, treatments can help speed recovery from attacks, modify the course of the disease and manage symptoms.

Special Guest: CYNTHIA BOND is a New York Times Best-Selling Author. Her novel RUBY was chosen to be an Oprah Book Club 2.0 selection. RUBY was also a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection, and an Indie Next Pick. A PEN Rosenthal Fellow, Bond attended Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, then moved to New York and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She founded the Blackbird Writing Collective in 2011. Cynthia has taught writing to at-risk and homeless youth for over fifteen years, and is on staff at Paradigm Malibu Adolescent Treatment Center. http://cynthiabond.com

Special Guest: David Charmatz, SVP of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation.Charmatz oversees marketing, public relations, research and analysis for Global, and his top priorities will be growing the personnel and revenue in order to better serve the needs of people with Down syndrome nationally and internationally. Before joining Global full-time, Charmatz was a consultant assisting with the launch of Down Syndrome World magazine and Global’smonthly electronic newsletter, and with the planning of a second edition of the Down Syndrome Prenatal Testing Pamphlet. The Global Down Syndrome Foundation is a public non-profit 501(c)(3) dedicated to significantly improving the lives of people with Down syndrome through Research, Medical Care, Education and Advocacy. www.globaldownsyndrome.org  

On average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States--more than 12 million women and men over the course of a year.(www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/ipv-factsheet.pdf) Special Guest: Jeannine Lisitski, Executive Director and President for Women Against Abuse.the mission of women against abuse  is to provide quality, compassionate and nonjudgmental services in a manner that fosters self-respect and independence in persons experiencing intimate partner violence and to lead the struggle to end domestic violence through advocacy and community education. www.womenagainstabuse.org Special Guest: Vashti Bledsoe, Director of Lutheran Settlement House’s Bilingual Domestic Violence Program.Established in 1902, Lutheran Settlement House (LSH) is a non-profit, community-based organization committed to serving vulnerable children, adults, and families living in Philadelphia. Over the past century, the programs and services offered by LSH have

Special Guest: Toshi Reagon has been described as “a talented, versatile singer, songwriter and musician with a profound ear for sonic Americana—from folk to funk, from blues to rock” by critic/blogger Eva Yaa Asantewaa (InfiniteBody). “She masters each of these genres with vocal strategies that easily spiral and swoop from the expressively sinuous to the hard-charging, a combination of warmth and mischief.” While her expansive career has landed her comfortably in residence at Carnegie Hall, the Paris Opera House and Madison Square Garden, you can just as easily find Toshi turning out a music festival, intimate venue or local club. Toshi finds home on any musical stage. Toshi has had the pleasure of working with Lenny Kravitz, Lizz Wright, Ani DiFranco, Carl Hancock Rux, Nona Hendryx, Pete Seeger, Chocolate Genius and many other amazing artists, including her favorite collaborator, her mom, Bernice Johnson Reagon. Toshi has been the recipient of a NYFA award for Music Composition, The Black Lily Music and F

Special Guest: Jeffrey Renard Allen. Born in Chicago, Allen holds a Ph.D. in English (Creative Writing) from the University of Illinois at Chicago and is currently a faculty member in the writing program at the New School. Allen is the author of two collections of poetry, Stellar Places (Moyer Bell, 2007) andHarbors and Spirits (Moyer Bell, 1999), and two works of fiction, the widely celebrated novel, Rails Under My Back (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2000), which won The Chicago Tribune's Heartland Prize for Fiction, and the story collection Holding Pattern (Graywolf Press, 2008), which won the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. He is presently at work on a memoir-travelogue-meditation that uses his travels about the African continent to frame an exploration of subjects such as place, race, religion, music and culture, identity, and family. In May 2014, Graywolf Press published his novel Song of the Shank, which is based on the life of Thomas Greene Wiggins, a nineteenth-century African-America

Special Guest:  Margaret Avery moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career in 1968. In 1973 her Los Angeles Drama Circle Award-winning performance in the play “Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?” caught the attention of Clint Eastwood and he quickly cast her in his film “Magnum Force”, serving as an entree for guest starring roles in numerous episodic T.V. shows and Blaxploitation films including “Scott Joplin”, “The Lathe of Heaven”, “The Return of Superfly” and “Heatwave”. She eventually got cast in her most widely recognized Academy-Award nominated role as Shug Avery in Steven Spielberg’s “The Color Purple”. She is a new public advocate for continued Lupus research and education through the Lupus Foundation of America; a cause preempted by personally knowing individuals living with Lupus as well as playing a character who suffers from the disease on BET's Being Mary Jane. http://www.margaretaveryonline.com Special Guest: Annette Myarick is the CEO for the Lupus Foundation of America’s (LFA) Philadelphia Tr

JR Lemon was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. A Stanford University graduate with a BS degree in Management Science and Engineering, JR was signed as a running back to the Oakland Raiders subsequent to finishing school.  After being released from the Raiders, JR relocated to southern California with the intention of continuing his football training.  Little did he know at the time, but the move would expose JR to possibilities of a life he had never imagined in the entertainment industry. While appearing in numerous national commercial and print campaigns JR honed his craft with the intention of pursuing an acting career.  The hard work paid off when he booked a series regular role in NBC’s medical drama The Night Shift, which was recently renewed for a third season. He recently also made his big screen debut as one of the male leads in Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas – the next installment in Lionsgate’s successful franchise. In order to satisfy his football interest, JR still performs much of the Moti

Special Guest:  Amber Stevens West can be seen starring opposite Jerrod Carmichael, David Alan Grier, and Loretta DeVine on NBC’s The Carmichael Show.  Previously Amber starred opposite Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum in Sony’s 22 JUMP STREET, which Chris Lord and Phil Miller directed. For four years, Amber starred on ABC Family’s hit series GREEK and recently recurred on 90210 for the CW.  Last year, she filmed JESSABELLE for Lionsgate and co-starred opposite Laura Prepon and Bryan Greenberg in the independent film THE KITCHEN.

Dilman Dila is a writer, filmmaker and a social activist who believes that stories are an important tool in creating a better world. Dilman was shortlisted for the prestigious Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2013, long listed for the Short Story Day Africa prize, 2013, and nominated for the 2008 Million Writers Awards for his short story, Homecoming. Dilman’s first works appeared in print in The Sunday Vision in 2001, and have since featured in several e-zines and book anthologies, including the African Roar 2013, Storymoja, and Gowanus Books. His first novella, a romance, Cranes Crest at Sunset, was released in 2013 during the Hay Festival in Nairobi. www.dilmandila.com ‘A Killing in the Sun’ is a collection of speculative fiction from Africa. It draws from the rich oral culture of the author’s childhood, to tell a wide variety of stories. Some of the stories are set in a futuristic Africa, where technology has transformed everyday life and a dark force rules. Others are set in the present day, with refugee

Actor Arlen Alexander Escarpeta. He is best known for his roles in the films Friday the 13th,Brotherhood,Final Destination 5, and Into the Storm (2014). Escarpeta will be playing the role of Bobby Brown in the new Whitney Houston Biopic, Whitney (film), airing on Lifetime (TV Network) January 17, 2015. Golden Globe® Award winner and Academy Award® nominee Angela Bassett makes her directorial debut with the Lifetime Original Movie "Whitney," featuring Yaya DaCosta (Lee Daniels’ "The Butler") in the lead role with Arlen Escarpeta ("Final Destination 5") alongside her as Bobby Brown.  "Whitney" chronicles the headline-making relationship between the iconic singer, actress, producer and model Whitney Houston and singer and songwriter Bobby Brown from the time they first met at the very height of their celebrity to their courtship and tumultuous marriage. Throughout it all, difficulties followed the superstar couple while they dealt with the overwhelming rewards and consequences of the fame and fortune created

INTO THE GO-SLOW is a novel about sisters, the legacy of the Black Power Movement, and the troubled bond between African Americans and Africans.  It’s 1986, and twenty-one-year-old Angie is adrift in her hometown of Detroit. Her older sister, Ella, had disappeared in Lagos a decade earlier, and Angie decides to retrace her steps. Against a backdrop of Nigeria’s infamous go-slow—traffic as wild and surprising as a Fela lyric—Angie begins to unravel the mysteries of the past, and opens herself up to love and life after Ella. BRIDGETT M. DAVIS’s debut novel, Shifting Through Neutral (Amistad 2004), was a finalist for the 2005 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award. Davis is the books editor at Bold As Love Magazine, a black-culture website, and her work has appeared in the Washington Post, Essence, O, The Oprah Magazine, and The Root.com, among other publications. She is a professor at Baruch College, City University of New York, where she is the director of the Sidney Harman Writer-in Residence Program, and she is the c

Special Guest: Actor Stephen Hill.Stephen Hill is an award winning actor (Best Male Actor, ABFF Star Project 2010) and is known for solid work in a variety of roles in film, TV, theater, web series, etc. As an accomplished actor, he can be seen on Law & Order SVU, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Louie, Political Animals, and Do No Harm. Hill can also be seen in the award winning documentary, Jackie Robinson: My Story, as he embodies the role of Jackie Robinson. Known for his versatility by seamlessly delivering compelling performances in both comedic and dramatic roles, Hill gives stellar performances as the lead in the feature films Christmas Wedding Baby, and Stay Cold, Stay Hungry. On the small screen, he stars opposite Jane Curtain in an episode of the CBS series Unforgettable, and plays the role of Clarence, right hand man to Jeffrey Wright's Dr. Narcisse on the final season of HBO's hit series Boardwalk Empire. Hill recently enjoyed the opportunity to display his "leading man" charisma in the sho

Samuel F. Reynolds, a former skeptic, had a life-changing visit to an astrologer and has since spent 23 years doing charts and studying astrology. Now Samuel consults and teaches astrology full-time. He also serves on a few astrology organizational boards and writes horoscopes for Ebony.com, MySign.com, andPride, a British Black women’s magazine. His site is UnlockAstrology.com. 

Bryan Stevenson is a public-interest lawyer who has dedicated his career to helping the poor, the incarcerated and the condemned. He's a professor of law at New York University Law School and the founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, an Alabama-based group that has won major legal challenges eliminating excessive and unfair sentencing, exonerating innocent prisoners on death row, confronting abuse of the incarcerated and the mentally ill, and aiding children prosecuted as adults. EJI won an historic ruling in the U.S. Supreme Court holding that mandatory life-without-parole sentences for all children 17 or younger are unconstitutional. He has won relief for dozens of condemned prisoners, argued six times before the Supreme Court, and won national acclaim for his work challenging bias against the poor and people of color. He has received numerous awards, including the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Grant. He is a graduate of the Harvard Law School and the Harvard School of Government,

Imany wa born Nadia Mladjao in Martigues, France. She was a model for European FORD modeling agency for several years. She began signing in 2008. Imany opened shows for artists such as N’Dambi at the New Morning, Wasis Diop at the Cigale, and Anthony Hamilton and Angie Stone at Elysee Montmartre. Imany’s first album, Shape of a Broken Heart, which was named after a drawing she made with closed eyes, contains twelve songs written in English. Imany recorded the album at the studio Question de Son, where she collaborated with some of the most well-known musicians in Paris.  Imany produced the soundtrack for the 2014 film Sous les jupes des filles by Audrey Dana and on 26 May 2014 released her second album of the same name. http://www.imanymusic.com/