Lauren LaRosa (2:17)

I'm the homegirl that knows a little bit about everything and everybody.

Dani Shapiro (2:21)

You know, if you don't lie about that, right?

Guest on Gracias podcast (possibly Honey German's guest) (2:23)

Lauren came in hot.

Lauren LaRosa (2:25)

Hey, y', all, what's up? It's Lauren LaRosa and this is the latest with Lauren LaRosa. This is your daily dig on all things pop culture, entertainment news, and all of the conversations that shake the room. Now, this episod is extra special. I would say that this is an exclusive, but it's even more than that. So today I'm taking you guys on a journey with me back to my hbcu, my alma mater, Delaware State University. I'll be speaking at a ceremony called Convocation. Now, this ceremony is the welcome ceremony that sets the tone for all of the freshmen and incoming transfer students and, you know, a lot of the students of the student body who just need that extra word and push to get through their semesters. Super crazy, because I remember being at my convocation and wondering what was going to happen, when it was going to happen, and how it was going to happen. And now we are here. Started from the bottom, now we here. So take a listen to some of the ceremony. Enjoy. You know, if you guys are online just having a conversation about anything inspo, anything black, college, anything, HBCU pride, remember this conversation and include this conversation, because this is exactly what the full circle of the HBCU alumni life or world looks like. You go, you leave, you come back, you motivate, you inspire, and you just lend a helping hand. Enjoy. Lauren is a proud alumna of Delaware State University, and we couldn't be more proud to welcome her home. Thank you. Y' all done got me emotional. I ain't even said a couple words yet. Good morning, everybody. How are you guys? Y' all gotta wake up a bit. I'm the pre game queen. Good morning, everybody. How y' all feeling this morning? So my name is Lauren LaRosa. You know, I am so honored to be here. I was a student at Delaware State University. I graduated in 2014, and I'm hearing them talk about the class of 2029, and I'm like, woo. I'm a grownup. I'm here. This is happening. I'm just honored to be here for many reasons. I heard people before me talk about vision, and that's ironic because this morning when I decided what I was going to talk about, vision was one of the things that popped up and coming to Delaware State University was that for me, it was the sharpening of the vision. It was the tool that I needed to really, like they say, go out and make your mark on the world. And when you hear it here, it's just something you have to know. The same way you have to know that slide and, you know, state, State. Okay. Y'. All. Y'. All. Y' all kind of know Seniors, State. Oh, no, no, no, baby. So y'. All. Y' all might be the largest class they didn't had in a while, but if we were in this room, you could hear it and you could hear the thunder of it. Because the things that you learn here, the state, the make your mark on the world, the, you know, look to the left of you, look to the right of you, and really understanding relationship building that has carried me and so many of my peers so, so, so far. You know, when I came on the campus, I'm from Wilmington, Delaware. Any Wilmington, Delaware here? Yes. Okay. So I'm from Wilmington, Delaware. When I came on this campus, one of the things that I knew was that, like, I wanted to work in entertainment. I didn't know how. I didn't know what it would be. I just knew what I liked and what I didn't like. So I thought. But I was able to use this campus, and I want to implore you guys and, you know, challenge you guys to do the same thing. I was able to use this campus to really understand vision and how vision should be protected. So you might not know today. You might not know what the school year is going to hold. You might not know what every single day will be. Shoot. You might not even know if the major that you guys have chosen at this point or will choose or will go in and out of is exactly what you want to do. Anybody here still figuring life out, raise your hand. Everybody should raise their hand. Adults. Look. Every day, I woke up this morning and I said, God, I don't know what today has in store for me. I don't know. But I'm here. And that is my message. As you sharpen and protect your vision, you may not know. There's a lot of things you will not know. There's a lot of days you will not be for sure. But you are here. You are showing up. And if you wake up every day, if you apply yourself to something every day, if you are here at Delaware State University, you are a lot further than the people that are not here with you. Now, in times where you don't know, there are certain things that you choose, intend to do, you might pick up a phone and call a friend. You might look around you. People have talked about mentors. I know Ms. Lori Hayes is in the building. Say hi, Ms. Hayes. Ms. Hayes was my mentor. I have my Uncle Tony here as well. There are people that are placed right next to you. I said, look to your Left and look to your right earlier. Let's really do it. Look to your left and look to your right. In times that you do not know, you will learn as you go out into the world how important you, these people that you are building these relationships from day one, day two, day 20, day 30 here at Delaware State University will be for your end. All, be all. I cannot say that enough. There are times where I'm doing certain things, whether it's at work or in life, and I pick up the phone and the people that I call are graduates also of Delaware State University. It is so important that as you understand what your vision is and you try things and you do things and you sharpen that, you also understand that the person now, but that one plus one will always equal two. Because you know, everybody's building something. Everybody has a dream, a thought, a goal. And when you do not know, you can look to the people next to you. You can call on, you know, other Delaware State University students that you will begin to meet and do things with to help you bring that vision to life. There's a lot of times where you may not know, but you'll still do it anyway. And you should. I implore you, I challenge you to do it anyway. You post that pic on the gram you promoting that business, only one person likes it. Post the second one. You put on that outfit because fashion is your thing. It don't come out like we thought it would. I've been there before. Put on another outfit. You're in. You're literally in a game and you're in a league, whether you're actually playing a sport or, you know, I'm hypothetically speaking, where if you don't shoot the shot, the shot can't go in. And you guys are already here like, you're already, like, you're not even trying out for the team. You're on the. You're literally sitting on the side of the court. You have the team jerseys on. They've already called your name, your family's here to cheer you on. All you have to do up is do, is get up and go and do it. Get up, get in the game and try. So every day when you don't know, I challenge you to continue to get up, try, get in the game, miss the shot. If you don't take the shot, you won't. You don't even know if you'll make the shot. Now, recently I learned a big lesson in you don't know. I've always been a person that just kind of you know, jump out the window and figure it out on the way down. But. And it happens, coming to Del State was like that for me. I was not supposed to be here. I thought I was going to be in New York or California or wherever. I honestly only applied to Del state because of Ms. Lori Hayes back there. She was like, well, you know, just in case, apply to Delaware State, because you're not going to want to not be anywhere again. I want you to at least be able to get on the court. When everybody else suits up, I want you to be at least able to get on the court, throw something at the wall, see if it sticks. I applied for Delaware State. They came to my high school, they offered me scholarships. I don't even think I really understood the gravity of what I was offered. I came here on a full academic ride. I was able to do so much, and I wasn't burdened with, like, financial issues and, you know, some of the other issues that I had saw a lot of my friends who went to other schools have to deal with because the Delaware State family really took me in. I made friends in financial aid. I did everything that was said to me to do. But years later, I'm still walking in rooms and figuring things out where I don't know. So to back it up. So within this year, I decided to jump out another window again and I left la. I moved back to the East Coast. No job, just trying to figure it out. And in my industry, you're really out of sight, out of mind. If people don't see you every day, if they don't hear you every day, it could be the end of the end. And I told y', all, I realized while I was sitting here, I'm a real grownup now, and real grownups have real bills. So that was very scary for me to do that at the time because of so many different reasons, including, you know, financially. It's just a thing to start over. When you get to a certain point, you guys are in a very great position. Because when you don't know, here at Delaware State University, you'll have your things and you'll have your issues and your things that become your daily, like, you know, burdens that you're figuring out. But, man, this is the time where if y' all want to go out of, you know, I was gonna say out of a few windows, but maybe I shouldn't say that. But if y' all wanna try things and do things, you don't have as much weight on you to figure it out. And you learn here how to soar at times where you're not even taught to fly. You just literally have to figure it out. So when I decided to step out of that window again, move back over to the east coast, it was what I learned here at Delaware State University about vision and what I wanted for myself that made me realize this is something I can't even talk to people about. I just have to do it. So in doing that, I did it. I decided to start guest hosting. Not even decided, but I was given the opportunity to start guest hosting at a platform called the Breakfast Club. Have any of you guys ever listened to us? So I sit with Charlamagne, Tha God, DJ Envy, and Jess. Hilarious. But in that whole process, within the last couple months, me and Jess were super viral. And that was a space that I had never been in either. And here I am again. I don't know. I don't know what's about to happen. I don't. You know, I literally have no idea. But all I know is what my vision was for myself. And a lot of that vision, again, is what I sharpened and honed in here at Delaware State University. I knew, you know, what I wanted my end goal to be. I knew. I learned right here at Delaware State University, conflict resolution and, you know, just perception and branding. And starting right here, when people came on campus, we knew who was the what. Okay, this girl does the interviews. This girl is the dancer. This girl is fashion. That guy's a scientist. That guy's the number in, the accountant guy. You guys don't even realize it, but what you're working at every single day, just by showing up and getting on the court with your jerseys already on becomes your vision, becomes your brand, and that carries you into life. And then you have a clear pathway of what you want. When you know what you want, it doesn't matter what happens. So I'm walking into this new room, new people, new conflict, new things that I have to figure out for once in my lifetime. I was the story. I wasn't chasing the story. And it's a lot of noise. Can y' all start clapping in here for me? Everybody clap really, really loud. Now, what you guys will notice is when you clap, you can't really hear me. Okay, you can stop clapping now. So how many of you guys were able to hear me perfectly as the claps were happening? A few of you, right? How many of you guys can hear me better right now? Let me see some hands in the air, right? So life is always good when it's quiet and it's calm and there is no noise. But as you go throughout your years here at Delaware State University and you get out of Del State and you go to leave your mark on the world and that vision has to kick in, the biggest thing you have to remember is that the noise will come, those things will happen. But you always think back to your foundation, which is what you get right here at this hbcu. And when you're able to do that, you learn how to mentally, when all of that is happening, when all the clapping and all the noise is happening, you learn how to tunnel vision right through it and remember where your vision is taking you and why it's important that you arrive there unscathed. Outfit, heels, all of that. When I show up, I show up, and I make it a thing to make sure that I do. Because that walk, trying to talk to y' all over the clapping and the noise, that is not easy. Being here for the four years, the five years, the. Hopefully it's four. The five years, the one year you have left, wherever you guys are in your, you know, your school at this point, it's not an easy thing. It's fun. You learn a lot. It changes your life. The experience of life that you learn at Delaware State University and traveling to other HBCUs and becoming Greek, being in the band, all that stuff is fun and it will shape you as a person. But there will be hard times. Things will happen. You will have to figure out money, life will life. But you'll still have your dream. You'll still have the things that you're pushing for. And it is so important that when people start clapping and the noise starts happening, clap again. For me, it is so important that you learn how to speak over that, how to focus over that. Y' all get what I'm doing here. Y' all have to like the amount of leverage that you guys have because you're already on the court. You won't understand it while you're here. I didn't understand it while I was here, but when I left, I was like, man, I was somewhere for four years. That allowed me to figure out who I was, what I wanted. I thought I knew what I wanted. But when I came to Del State, the way that, you know, I was able to polish it, wipe it off, hang it up, take it to the dry cleaners, steam it, get it really ready for what the world was going to throw at me. Because that's another thing, too. When you get out into this world, you know, especially for all of the people in here that look like me. You get out into this world, baby, they can't wait to humble you or try to. But when you have your vision, when you have your foundation, look to the left of you again. Look to the right of you again. When you have the people that you can call on that started right here with you, it's nothing nobody can tell you. Thank you. I don't know why I be so emotional. Oh, my God. My point is, I'm so honored to be here. I don't know why I'm so emotional. Maybe it's just like a it's all happening for me type of thing, because it's happening for y', all, too. But I really, you know, just, I want these next couple years for y' all to be amazing. And if I haven't said anything or these tears and my makeup that's messing up right now hasn't done anything for y'. All. I hope that it really motivates you guys to get on campus. Do what? Listen, go to class. Have a good time. At the same time, learn the balance. Enjoy these years. You won't get them back. And I know I sound old or however saying that, but listen to me when I tell you this right here is the best pregame for life you will ever experience. Do it and do it well.

Narrator for America's Crime Lab and Guardian Bikes ads (16:36)

There's a moment every parent remembers the day their child takes off on two wheels with Guardian bikes. That moment comes as early as 2 years old and with less stress and frustration. These bikes are built just for kids. Lightweight frames, low center of gravity, easy to use brakes. Everything about Guardian is designed to help kids ride confidently, often in just one day. No training wheels needed. And because Guardian bikes are designed and assembled right here in the usa, you know they're built to last with care in every detail. Their patented SureStop braking system stops both wheels with a single lever, helping your child stop safely without tripping forward or losing control. Right now, save hundreds when comparing Guardian to its competitors@guardianbikes.com and get a free lock and pump when you join their newsletter. A $50 value. Visit guardianbikes.com today to save and help your child learn an essential life skill safely. Guardian bikes built for your kid and for the memories you'll never forget.

Hunter (Host of Hunting for Answers) (17:37)

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stor of missing and murdered black women and girls in America. There are several ways we can all do better at protecting black women. My contribution is shining a light on our missing sisters and amplifying their disregarded stories. Stories like Tameka Anderson. As she drove toward Galvez, she was in contact with several people talking on the phone as she made her way to what should have been a routine transaction. But Tameka never bought the car, and she never returned home that day. One podcast, one mission. Save our girls. Join the search as we explore the chilling cases of missing and murdered black women and girls. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Narrator for Shock Incarceration podcast (18:40)

What would you do if one bad decision forced you to choose between a maximum security prison or the most brutal boot camp designed to be hell on earth? Unfortunately for Mark Lombardo, this was the choice he faced.

Guest on Gracias podcast (possibly Honey German's guest) (18:53)

He said, you are a number, a New York state number, and we own you.

Narrator for Shock Incarceration podcast (18:58)

Shock incarceration, also known as boot camp, are short term, highly regimented correctional programs that mimic military basic training. These programs aim to provide a shock of prison life, emphasizing strict discipline, physical training, hard labor and rehabilitation programs. Mark had one chance to complete this program and had no idea of the hell awaiting him the next six months.

Guest on Gracias podcast (possibly Honey German's guest) (19:24)

The first night was overwhelming and you don't know who's next to you, and we didn't know what to expect in the morning. Nobody tells you anything.

Narrator for Shock Incarceration podcast (19:32)

Listen to shock incarceration on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Honey German (19:40)

Hola, it's honey German. And my podcast, Gracias, Come Again is back. This season we're going even deeper into the world of music and entertainment with raw and honest conversations with some of your favorite Latin artists and celebrities. You didn't have to audition?

Guest on Gracias podcast (possibly Honey German's guest) (19:53)

No, I didn't audition. I haven't auditioned in, like, over 25 years.

Honey German (19:57)

Oh, wow. That's a real talk right there.

Guest on Gracias podcast (possibly Honey German's guest) (19:59)

Oh, yeah.

Honey German (20:00)

We've got some of the biggest actors, musicians, content creators, and culture shifters sharing their real stories of failure and success. You are destined to be a star. We talk all about what's viral and trending with a little bit of cheeseme, a lot of laughs, and those amazing vivas you've come to expect. And of course, we'll explore deeper topics dealing with identity struggles and all the issues affecting our Latin community. You feel like you get a little whitewashed because you have to do the code switching.

Guest on Gracias podcast (possibly Honey German's guest) (20:31)

I won't say whitewash because at the end of the day, you know, I'm me.

Lauren LaRosa (20:33)

Yeah.

Guest on Gracias podcast (possibly Honey German's guest) (20:34)

But the whole pretending and co, you know, it takes a toll on you.

Honey German (20:37)

Listen to the new season of Gracias. Come again as part of my Cultura podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

Lauren LaRosa (20:49)

At the end of the day, y', all, there's always a lot to talk about. And every single time you guys are right here with me to talk about it, I'm just elated. Okay? We are 5 million plus downloads in and we're doing this thing together. I feel like we are a family. My lowriders. Thank y' all for tuning in. Epic every episode. Tell a friend to tell a friend that this is where their daily download needs to be for all things pop culture. I'm your host, Lauren LaRosa. I'll see you guys in my next episode and I promise I won't be jiggling, baby. Go ahead, baby. Y' all won't hear the necklace next time. My bad. See y' all later.

Hunter (Host of Hunting for Answers) (21:25)

Short on time, but big on true crime. On a recent episode of the podcast Hunting for Answers, I highlighted the story of 19 year old Lachey Dungey. But she never knocked on that door. She never made it inside. And that text message would be the last time anyone would ever hear from her. Listen to Hunting for Answers from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Dani Shapiro (21:55)

Your entire identity has been fabricated. Your beloved brother goes missing without a trace. You discover the depths of your mother's illness. I'm Dani Shapiro, and these are just a few of the powerful stories I'll be mining on our upcoming 12th season of Family Secrets. We continue to be moved and inspired by our guests and their courageously told stories. Listen to Family Secrets Season 12 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Honey German (22:26)

Hi, it's Honey German, and I'm back with season two of my podcast. Gracias. Come again. We got you. When it comes to the latest in music and entertainment, with interviews with some of your favorite Latin artists and celebrities. You didn't have to audition.

Guest on Gracias podcast (possibly Honey German's guest) (22:38)

No, I didn't audition. I haven't auditioned in, like, over 25 years.

Honey German (22:42)

Oh, wow. That's a real G talk right there.

Guest on Gracias podcast (possibly Honey German's guest) (22:44)

Oh, yeah.

Honey German (22:45)

We'll talk about all that's viral and trending with a little bit of Cheeseman and a whole lot of laughs. And of course, the great Biblas you've come to expect. Listen to the new season of Dashes. Come again on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman (23:03)

I'm Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, host of the Psychology Podcast. Here's a clip from an upcoming conversation about how to be a better you when you think about emotion regulation, you're not gonna choose an adaptive strategy which is more effortful to use unless you think there's a good outcome. Avoidance is easier. Ignoring is easier. Denial is easier. Complex problem solving takes effort. Listen to the Psychology podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Lauren LaRosa (23:33)

This is an iHeart podcast.