In my second interview with Tongo Eisen-Martin, former Poet Laureate of San Francisco. We sat down to discuss his latest project "Traveling Shoes" which features composer Damani Rhodes and vocalist Vadia.

In this first installment of my coach's series, I sat down with San Diego girls basketball legend Nicole “Colie” Anderson. We discuss her days growing up and honing her skills at Memorial Gym. Being the young sister of four older brothers and always playing with the boys helped Nicole become a great player and inspirational leader. She talks about her connection with one of the most respected and important figures in her neighborhood, coach and mentor Jose Hall. We dive into her illustrious career at La Jolla High and UCLA, she was a four year starter at both. She takes us on a journey of one of the most impressive basketball stories of passion and resilience, where she was one of 572 women trying out for the newly formed WNBA. Lastly we talk in depth about her coaching career, her role as a leader and mentor of young girls and adults.

Colie is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of San Diego County girls basketball. She was also named one of the 15 greatest players at UCLA.

Last summer 2025 I made my first ever trip to South Africa, specifically Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. I went there to make connections, interview local jazz artists, elders and community leaders. One of the very talented artists I connected with was jazz drummer, composer and scholar Tumi Mogorosi. We took a deep dive into his journey as an artist and activist. He spoke about what inspired him to play the drums and to study the rich history of this music we call jazz. He expressed the importance of knowing his history as a South African and all that it entails, including the horrors of apartheid, the 1976 Soweto uprising and the injustices that continue to exist today. We dove into his projects as a leader which include the 2014 “Project Elo”, “Sanctum Santorium” with his partner and vocalist Gabi Motuba, and his most recent album Group Theory: Black Music. We touched on his collaborations with Shabaka Hutchings’ Shabaka and The Ancestors and lastly as a historian, he expressed his deep appreciation for Frantz Fanon and why his work is so relevant, even today.