The Truth In This Art: Stories That Matter

Jonene Lee

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Jonene Lee!Who is Jonene Lee: Philadelphia-based curator and owner of No Name Gallery, with roots in photography, dance, and deep ties across the city’s music and arts community.In our conversation, Jonene lays out how photography—documenting friends, parties, and performances—shaped her curatorial eye. She talks about organizing Philly DJ Day, uniting around 300 Philadelphia DJs for a single group photograph inspired by Gordon Parks. We get into her dance background and how that sense of rhythm and flow shows up in how she builds exhibitions and events. She also breaks down opening No Name Gallery in Chestnut Hill—learning business on the fly, tapping community support, and expanding the gallery’s role beyond a white-wall space to include urban, street, pop, abstract, and contemporary work, plus artist-made home furnishings.At the center is connection: photos that turn into relationships, music that anchors the scene, and a gallery that serves both artists and neighborhood.Be sure to check out No Name Gallery and explore the fantastic artists who are shaping the Philadelphia art scene. Visit NoNameGalleryPhilly.com for all the latest updates! The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

Dr. Lawrence T. Brown (The Black Butterfly: The Harmful Politics of Race and Space in America)

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Dr. Lawrence T. Brown!Who is Dr. Lawrence T. Brown: Research scientist at Morgan State University’s Center for Urban Health Equity and author of The Black Butterfly: The Harmful Politics of Race and Space in America.In our conversation, Dr. Brown traces a line from West Memphis, Arkansas, to Baltimore’s neighborhoods, explaining how a racial dot map led him to say, “that looks like a butterfly,” and name the pattern “The Black Butterfly.” He walks through what he found in local archives—mayors’ letters, municipal journals, urban renewal files—and how those records show displacement and segregation written into policy. We talk historical trauma, “urban apartheid,” and institutions that turn one era’s rules into the next—“slavery becomes Jim Crow and Jim Crow is the new Jim Crow.” He also shares how board games and comics—Urban Cipher and the Black Butterfly Dream Lab—let people feel these systems in practice, not just read about them.Dr. Brown’s point is clear: show the evidence, make it experiential, and give communities tools to see—and change—the structures around them. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

Rolando Reid, 2026 Olympian with Jamaica’s Four-Man Bobsled

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Rolando Reid!Who is Rolando Reid: A 2016 Morgan State graduate and two-time Olympian with Jamaica’s four-man bobsled team—Beijing 2022 and the current 2026 Winter Olympics—making him the first Morgan athlete to compete in the Winter Games.In our conversation, Reid looks back on winning gold with Morgan State’s 1,600-meter relay at the 2015 MEAC championships, then breaks down the jump from track to bobsled—explosive starts, speed on ice, and learning the sled as a team. He talks trust and roles in a four-man crew, how training shifted, and what it took for Jamaica to return to the four-man event in 2022 after a 24-year gap.Catch Rolando Reid and Jamaica’s four-man bobsled team on the road at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

Gianna Brooke

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Gianna Brooke!Who is Gianna Brooke: Gianna Brooke is an entertainment reporter with a fun and friendly vibe. Her natural charm and enthusiasm make every story engaging, turning even the simplest topics into something exciting. When she’s not busy covering the latest lifestyle trends, she’s flexing her creative muscles as an actor and model. Gianna enjoys diving into new projects and is always looking for fresh ideas to showcase on her social media platforms. Her approach to storytelling is all about genuine connections, celebrating the unique experiences of people she meets.In this episode, Gianna opens up about her journey into the entertainment journalism industry. She shares how a high school project, where she and a friend created funny morning announcements, ignited her love for storytelling. Reflecting on her experiences, Gianna discusses the challenges of merging emotions with facts in journalism, stressing how important it is to prepare well before sharing stories. Believing that every conversation matters, she strives to make people feel comfortable and open during interviews. Throughout our discussion, she emphasizes how vital it is to stay connected with the communities she covers, showing how her own experiences have informed her storytelling in a relatable way.Here's Gianna Brooke's website The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

Danielle De Jesus

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Danielle De Jesus!Who is Danielle De Jesus: Danielle De Jesus is a Nuyorican painter and photographer born and raised in Bushwick, Brooklyn, whose works tell the story of growing up in New York City amidst gentrification and displacement. De Jesus draws from her experience growing up in the diaspora as a native of Bushwick, New York to document her home neighborhood while creating narratives that uplift the lives and stories of the multi diverse residents she grew up with. Danielle De Jesus' work pushes us to think critically about the larger economies of urban America, but also about matters of intimacy and the interior lives of local residents. In this episode, Danielle shares her story. In the conversation, De Jesus shares insight on her process, intricate small-scale works, and painting dollar bills to narrate Puerto Rican politics, identity, community, rooted in Bushwick. She discusses how a viral 2016 painting of Lin‑Manuel Miranda as Hamilton on a $10 bill led her to repurpose dollar bills as political archives, inviting viewers to reconsider value through tiny, painstaking details. She reflects on gentrification, the persistence of local culture, and the struggle to remain in New York—even with a Yale degree—so her work stays connected to the people it documents. Be sure to check out Danielle's Paintings on US CurrencyHere's Danielle De Jesus's website  The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★