Brandon Kramer

Kathryn interviews Documentary Filmmaker & Co-Founder, Meridian Hill Pictures Brandon Kramer. In this revealing observational portrait, Black progressive activist and political commentator Van Jones faces a polarised society head-on in an effort to reform a broken criminal justice system. Jones, known for calling Donald Trump's election "a whitelash" live on primetime TV, navigates increasingly tense and isolating political and racial divides in his attempt to become a "bridge-builder" during the Trump administration. Condemned by the right for his progressive beliefs, and by the left for embracing conservatives, this fraught and cinematically captured personal journey questions his integrity from all sides, forcing him to consider not only his activism but his own identity. Director Kramer won Best Director at the 2016 Chesapeake Film Festival and Indie Capital Awards, received the Audience Choice Award at the 2015 American Conservation Film Festival and was a 2015 DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities Individual Arts Fellow. Kathryn also interviews Attorney Nadine Haruni JD, author of "Freeda The Frog™and The Two Mommas Next Door." For toddlers, preschoolers and older kids too, the world of grown-ups is often confusing and sometimes scary. In her Freeda the Frog™ children's book series, author Haruni makes coping with various life challenges easier for little ones with the help of a momma frog, Freeda, and her three little tadpoles, Frannie, Frank and Jack. The Freeda the Frog™ series also serves as a tool to help parents, educators and school counselors open up conversations about difficult topics with children in an upbeat and non-scary way. Toward that goal, each book offers discussion questions at the end. The entire series has been leveled for schools to align with National Education Standards, and all five books have received Readers' Favorite 5-star reviews and Gold Mom's Choice Awards for excellence in the family-friendly picture book category.