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LaVonda P. Rouse
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“Invest in Yourself. Give Your Dreams the Runway to Take Flight.”
LaVonda P. Rouse Brings AfricanAmerican Women Voices to the Media Forefront LaVonda P. Rouse, creator and executive producer of The Blend Talk, had the idea several years ago to change the narrative and empower women looking for actionable ways to transform their lives.
After a year on hiatus and pivoting because of the pandemic, The Blend Talk returned with a new look, a twist to the theme song, and a few new faces. However, the premise is the same—to heal the spirit, mind, and body.
Rouse is successfully bringing African-American women’s voices to the media forefront. In doing so, she handpicked three African American women—a balanced blend of ages, backgrounds, and outlooks—to co-host the one-hour weekly show. Dr. Lisa Lewis, ND, MBA, Lac, and CEO of the Lewis Healing Institute, and owner of Nature Drs Nutritionals; Jewel Diamond Taylor, aka The Self-esteem Doctor, is a life coach, counselor, spiritual coach, emotional-wellness and relationships talk therapist, and founder of Women on the Grow, Inc., and newcomer Karen McGibbon, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, and CEO and Founder of Live Free Coaching & Counseling Services, and the Assistant Professor of Clinical Counseling at Winebrenner Theological Seminary in Findlay, Ohio. We reached out to Rouse to get more insight on The Blend Talk.
Q. What is the mission of The Blend
Talk?
A. The Blend Talk focuses on helping
African American women identify and resolve their unspoken needs and real-life issues so that they can achieve holistic health, enrich their spirit, mind, and body, and ultimately live meaningfully.
Q. What makes The Blend Talk different from other talk shows?
A. The Blend Talk differs from other talk shows. It’s a ministry that brings African American women to the forefront, riding the wave of #blackgirlmagic as shown through
VP Kamala Harris, Naomi Osaka, and Issa Rae. The women I sought are professionals who are the best at what they do and are not on the show to take part in frivolous banter. They dig deep into the real you. They unapologetically embrace the fact that we are all spiritual beings and look at issues that affect our whole person.
Q. Why did you choose the webbased route as the platform for your show?
A. A web-based show allows me to maintain creative control, keep my rights, and make the series highly accessible. I did not want to be part of a network because I didn’t want anyone to say that black women could not lead a talk show, that I have to give up my rights to the show, or that we could not talk about Jesus. God graced me to do this, and anything I do is faith based.
Q. What obstacles did you face after being on hiatus then having to pivot because of the
COVID-19 pandemic?
A. The show tapes in the studio in Los Angeles. The pandemic prohibited our co-hosts from traveling because of the stayat-home order. However, once
I figured out the logistics of the show, we were back remotely.
Q. Any advice to women in the industry wanting to create or executive produce a faith-based
TV show?
A. Don’t be ashamed to share what
God has given you. You can do it—network backing or not.
Q. Where can the readers follow
The Blend Talk? A. IG: @theblendtalk1
Twitter: @theblendtalk
FB: @theblendtalkshow
The Blend Talk airs every Wednesday at 4 PM PST/7 PM ET at Affirmed TV and Facebook.
