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- [00:00]
Taylor Hosking
Foreign.
- [00:07]
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
Hey y', all, thanks so much for joining me for this episode of Therapy for Black Girls University. Today, I'm passing the mic to TBGU Council member Michaela Weary, who's sitting down with someone living her dream job, documentary filmmaker. We'll jump right into the conversation after a word from our sponsors.
- [00:28]
Michaela Weary
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.
- [00:33]
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
You know that moment when your kid asks for your phone and you're already bracing yourself for whatever random video they'll disappear into? Have you heard of Lingokids? It's an app where kids are actually playing, singing, tapping and exploring stories. It's colorful, high energy, and designed so kids stay curious instead of just zoning out. They think they're getting a treat and it was built just for them. Lingokids Everything kids love Download the Lingokids app now on your phone or tablet. It's free. I'm Dr. Joy from the Therapy for Black Girls podcast. Ever been at the pharmacy counter and your mind goes blank when the pharmacist asks any questions? That's why you need to listen to beyond the Script from CBS Pharmacy and iHeartMedia. Hosted by Dr. Jake Goodman, this podcast answers the questions you wish you'd asked, like which meds may not work well together, what vaccines you might need before a trip, and even the ones you were too embarrassed to say out loud. Listen to beyond the script on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. For this episode, I'm thrilled to introduce you to a conversation led by Council Member Michaela Weary, who's been dreaming of a career in storytelling and documentary work. So it felt only right to connect her with someone who's already blazing that trail, filmmaker Taylor Hosking. In their conversation, Michaela and Taylor explore what it really looks like to build a creative career from the ground up, how Taylor found her voice as a filmmaker, and the behind the scenes realities of working in documentary film. They also talk about navigating identity, community and purpose while pursuing a path that isn't always linear. Whether you're a student, a creative, or someone dreaming about your next chapter, this episode offers inspiration, insight and a reminder that your passions are worth following. If something resonates with you while enjoying the conversation, please share with us on social media using the hashtag TVG Incession. Or join us over in our Patreon to talk more about the episode. You can join us at community.therapy for black girls.com here's the conversation. Well, thank you for joining me again today, Mikayla.
- [02:41]
Michaela Weary
Yes, thank you so much and remind
- [02:44]
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
our audience who you are and where you went to school.
- [02:46]
Michaela Weary
So my name is Mikayla Weary and I'm an interdisciplinary artist, filmmaker and curator and I went to the illustrious Dilley University and I recently graduated summer of 2025, so I'm living that post grad life. Indeed. Indeed.
- [03:01]
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
Very excited to have you here with us being one of our inaugural TVGU ambassadors.
- [03:07]
Taylor Hosking
So.
- [03:07]
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
So you recently had the opportunity to interview Taylor Hosking as she prepares for the debut of her documentary, west side Familia. Before we get into the reflections around the piece, what initially drew you to Taylor and her work?
- [03:20]
Michaela Weary
Oh, my goodness. Taylor's work is super inspiring. And it's like, honestly, really what I want to do with my career. A lot of Taylor's work is very interdisciplinary, mostly working on documentaries, which is my plight of filmmaking that I want to go down. And then also having a podcast and then talking about black queer life is very inspirational to me. It speaks directly to me and I was just drawn to their work.
- [03:48]
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
Is there anything in particular that felt really inspiring or like it felt very aligned with the path you're hoping to walk?
- [03:55]
Michaela Weary
I think just doing all the dope, like, independent kind of work as well as doing like huge scale documentaries like Taylor has the podcast and then all these super cool journalism and just experience in every kind of realm of creativity. I'm not the type of person to be glued to one thing like I'm just going to be a journalist or I'm just going to be a filmmaker. Taylor does it all and it's just super cool to be able to interview somebody who has that type of workflow and how can you even do that? Right? So just learning how that is all balanced.
- [04:32]
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
As you prepare for your conversation with Taylor, what were you hoping to learn about her creative process?
- [04:37]
Michaela Weary
Man, I was just hoping to learn how you balance that much work and then just like yourself. And so going into the conversation, I had a lot of questions about just like work life balance with that kind of creative workflow. I think that's really important. I think it's not talked about a lot of just finding like time for yourself when you have so many overlapping deadlines and people to work with and stuff like that. So how do you make that for yourself when it seems impossible in those ways? And then also just like talking about the black queer identity. For me, when you're entering such an industry like entertainment, those are two things that, you know, make your social navigation a bit different than most. And so just knowing like what that looks like For Taylor, and openly talking about life, being a part of that community is just something that I also really wanted to learn about. Super, super amazing conversation.
- [05:40]
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
It sounds like you left feeling very inspired.
- [05:42]
Michaela Weary
Oh, I did.
- [05:43]
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
Was there anything in particular that she shared in terms of her background or her storytelling style or the content that made you feel even more connected to
- [05:52]
Taylor Hosking
her and her work?
- [05:54]
Michaela Weary
Yes. One of the moments I remember was I asked her specifically about what is it like being a journalist and having a podcast, openly talking about the black LGBT experience. And she said something that stuck with me was that she talks about it a lot, but then is not in the same way, like, confined to only talking about those things and being still expansive in her creative practice and in journalism, and then still talking about the themes that happen or just resonate with the black LGBTQ community. And so I really appreciate that because I want to be a storyteller in that way and tell my architect story, but then also, like, you know, if I want to do a dope documentary or, like, do other projects that are kind of expansive, I think that was super cool and a really fresh kind of perspective to gain, especially as someone who is going into that field. So I really appreciated that. And then also just, like, I asked a lot about work self balance, too, and Taylor just shared a lot of tips and things that she does to just keep things afloat. So that was really inspirational.
- [07:02]
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
As you prepare for the next part of your educational career. So you're starting grad school soon, is there anything from your conversation with Taylor that you feel like has shifted how you're thinking about the beginning of your graduate program?
- [07:14]
Michaela Weary
My grad program is going to be more in archives, and I want to still be a documentarian. I think I got the film perspective in undergrad. That was my major at Dillard University. And so I asked about her process in making documentaries a little bit, and Taylor really went into, like, the research and the organization and all the things that it takes to do it. And so I'm really considering that now in my grad program. Okay. If I want to make a documentary, especially as it pertains to, like, history and communities of people, there's a lot of extensive information that I need to know and know how to deal with it, process it, organize it, add in my own story to it, and then also, like, listen to stories of other people and stuff like that, and consider it as a firsthand experience or source, because that type of archival methodology is found in, like, black and brown communities. Like, you know, we take what we hear and use it and validate it. But that type of research practice is not known in academia to be like the forefront. You got to reference a book or a piece of writing, but referencing a group of people, that's a different type of thing. And so taking that into like a traditional grad school program and kind of using it to weave into my creative work, I think it was super inspiring to hear and something that will make my work unique and potent and when I talk about communities and history in those types of things.
- [08:46]
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
And what are you hoping that young black women will take away from your conversation with Taylor?
- [08:51]
Michaela Weary
I hope that what young black women take away from this conversation is still just being every version of yourself that you want to be and not being confined to one thing when it comes to career or just when it comes to your personal interests. Also, if you're expanding and doing lots of things at once, also finding time to ground yourself, still know when you've reached capacity, communicate it, take breaks. But yeah, I think that sort of thing.
- [09:20]
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
Well, I'm really excited for people to hear the conversation and I'm glad that you got a chance to talk with Taylor. Thank you so much, Mikayla.
- [09:27]
Michaela Weary
Thank you so much.
- [09:29]
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
More from our conversation after the break. You know that moment when your kid asks for your phone and you're already bracing yourself for whatever random video they'll disappear into? Have you heard of Lingokids? It's an app where kids are actually playing, singing, tapping and exploring stories. It's colorful, high energy, and designed so kids stay curious instead of just zoning out. They think they're getting a treat and it was built just for them. Lingokids Everything kids love. Download the LingoKids app now on your phone or tablet. It's free.
- [10:08]
Michaela Weary
Hey, y', all, My name is Mikayla Weary and I'm a recent Dillard graduate filmmaker. And I am so excited today as a TBGU Advisory Council member to interview a journalist and filmmaker by the name of Taylor Hoskins, someone who is doing super dope work. And so I am super excited to talk with you and ask you a few questions today. As someone who is like black and part of the queer community, like both, I understand that navigating the industry in both journalism and filmmaking is just difficult in their own rights. And so what are some of the things that you have done to navigate this space? And then also just words of advice for young filmmakers like me who aspire to do this type of work that you're doing.
- [11:01]
Taylor Hosking
It's funny how at some point in my career, well, when I was first starting out as writing about identity, and writing about queerness and queer entertainment and culture was what I was paid to do, which I'm sure my family wouldn't have suspected when I was first coming out. And they were like, oh, Lord, life's gonna be hard, huh? So I think that was a really exciting time back in, like, 2019, Wild west, pre pandemic days, where there were a lot of journalists getting paid to just write about their perspective on the world from their identity POV. And then I feel like once 2020 came around, of course, a lot more people were getting their voices out there. But then there was a pretty quick backlash after that around, like, 2022 or so, where suddenly a lot of the projects in Hollywood and elsewhere that had gotten greenlit off the energy of, like, George Floyd Summer were then getting canceled. And it was really hard for people to get especially film and TV projects off the ground that were more, like, identity focused. So I think I've definitely experienced, like, the booms and busts of those times in the industry. And I think right now, we're still coming out of that. We're still in that period where it's a lot harder to sell a TV show or sell a film that is primarily about identity politics in the thing, as opposed to something that happens to be a theme for a murder mystery or some alien invasion thing. So I do think having experience coming into the industry at a time where it was really potent and powerful and possible to make a name for yourself, like speaking directly to queer issues and issues of, like, black identity and culture and entertainment, showed me that that could certainly happen again and that there is a particular moment that we're in right now that might not always be the case. So I think I feel pretty hopeful about it, that even though some stories are not necessarily the smartest things to be pitching to a contact that you might not be able to get meetings with all the time right now, that doesn't mean that it wouldn't be a good idea to pitch that to them, like, a couple of years from now, and that you could have other ideas that you're interested in right now that are more, like, fitting for what the industry wants, and that doesn't necessarily mean that it's abandoning who you are, because we are more than our identities as well. So I think right now is just kind of a time where, for myself, I'm asking myself, what kind of stories or what kind of topics am I interested in outside of stories that are primarily about, like, this character's Identity navigating in this situation, that's been an interesting challenge. And I also think being in this period has really elucidated the corners of the industry that are still really supportive to like independent filmmakers. My film right now, west side Familia, is a feature documentary about the Puerto Rican and black community on the Upper west side of Manhattan, which is where my family has been from for generations. And it's a neighborhood that is known to many as a kind of like preppy white place. And then if you know, you know that there's actually this long standing like black and Puerto Rican community over here in Dominic Rio do that has had a really big impact on like music culture and popularizing breakdancing and roomba and salsa and protests and housing rights in the city and just the melting pot up here and the like cross racial solidarity that was going on in the 70s and 80s, like all the way up until things got pretty shaky during the crack epidemic was something that created so much like political momentum and energy that the Cuban liberation movement and the Puerto Rican liberation movement were a real conversation on the national stage stage at that time. And not just like an ancillary thing that people don't necessarily believe it's going to happen in their lifetime. So that kind of story is something that could only really happen in the public media sphere, which is where it's happening right now because we were able to get some grants through PBS's Latino Public Broadcasting for it. And black public media helped us out with a letter of rec for that. And it was able to get us to the place where we are now where we have an avenue for national TV broadcasts. And so that's been really exciting. But it's also been just very clarifying as to if you do have a story that's more about your identity, there are fewer options available as to how to get it done. But it's at least very clarifying as to what those places are.
- [16:08]
Michaela Weary
That makes me think about a lot of different things. For one, like just you said like you're in a place where you're kind of like considering the confines. You know, how speaking about your identity is something framed, but also it has its confines that that could be the only thing that the industry wants you to speak about. And expanding on that and doing like projects that kind of reach more people. I think that's like super dope. And especially with your documentary that she just made, like that is super important work, especially now to know with gentrification happening everywhere, especially New York, just like having that Eye and having those stories being accessible to, like, for future generations to see, I think that's really important work. And I guess for a follow up, like, what was that process like, you knowing the story and then how to tell it? Because we know, like, as we know the documentary kind of field has been overrun by, like, white guys who aren't educated, who don't really ethically tell stories from people for people's perspectives. So, like, what was your kind of process of, like, telling the story the right way?
- [17:20]
Taylor Hosking
Yeah. So back in the pandemic, when we were all spending more time in our neighborhoods and having those more quiet, observant moments of where you're really from and where you live instead of just, you know, life in the fast lane, I was hanging out on the balcony of my childhood apartment and saw these elders from the neighborhood scaling this traffic light pole and hanging this Puerto Rican flag. And other people were singing the, like, Puerto Rican flag song at the same time. And this all just unfolded in this really cinematic way. And this older guy was, like, standing on top of the traffic light and the cars are going by, and he's just dramatically looking out over the neighborhood. And that compelled me to definitely want to do a story about them. But it took a couple of years after that to really, like, figure out how that was going to unfold. And it took, like, talking to one of my friends who's a DP about the story that I'm interested in, and then her just saying, like, oh, cool, like, when are they doing it again? Let's just pull up, let's start shooting. And so when we started shooting, we didn't know, like, if it was going to be a short, if it was going to be a bigger project. But in the first interview with the main character, the Sky Chino Familia, he just starts talking about how he was in the Young Lords, he was in the Black Panther, as he was part of the Cuban Liberation movement, the Puerto Rican Liberation movement. He was at the Statue of Liberty takeover. And it just started to become clear that he has this almost like Forrest Gump, like, life story of this, like, everyday man. Every man who found himself at these important moments in, like, neighborhood history and American history, just by being somebody who's so about the community and about, like, hanging out outside and really about these movements. And so he's not somebody that is used to being on camera. He's not very media trained. So it took a lot of time shooting and hanging out and listening to these guys to really hone in on what is the most important, like, aspects to be the kind of like, tent poles of this story. And it just snowballed into this bigger project. And then once we got that grant from pbs, we were like, okay, cool. We have, like, some financial foundation to actually pursue this thing. Even though in classic filmmaking fashion, there are still more grants that we need to wrap things up.
- [19:53]
Michaela Weary
Yeah, for sure. But, yeah, no, that's such a beautiful story, I think. I don't know, just having it all come together, just play out cinematically right in front of you and then just come into fruition. Like, I think that is just like, such a beautiful story as to how to make a project usually, like, the answers that I wanted. These weekenders. I made a pitch deck, you know, or something. But, like, just like having it all come together just like in real time. Just something like, super inspiring.
- [20:23]
Taylor Hosking
Yeah. When I saw them doing that, I was really putting the pieces together in the moment that I had seen this flag appear every summer around the time of the Puerto Rican parade, like, in the neighborhood. And I had always, like, my whole life had this fondness for it, even though I never knew who puts it there. And so it was this interesting thing where people have a presence in your life before you even know them and then discover your purpose within one another's lives later.
- [20:52]
Michaela Weary
How do you balance care and then also doing this type of work where it's very personal?
- [20:58]
Taylor Hosking
I think this has definitely been the hardest project I've ever worked on. And I am used to self editing my articles, the podcasts that I produce. I've often been the editor of other people's work. But me being in it and the narrator and having this tie to my family history because my family is third generation in this neighborhood and having lost my mom and these stories being a big part of our, like, relationship and connection to each other. It was definitely a lot and pretty emotional and tough to even just in the edit phase, get to a place where you're able to say, okay, pencils down. I think we're gonna wrap this up. Like, it's something that I think I could be editing forever. Like, I could work on this forever. There could always be more people to interview and more ways to like, amplify what the heart of the thing is. But I think, well, one, there's an aspect of you only have about so much time and money, and sometimes you let that dictate things where you can to just get into that practical headspace. And then the other thing is that I definitely am interested in doing more film projects in General. But I realized that like I can only do one at a time where everything else I'm doing in my work life is mostly podcast producing right now. And a lot of that is like video talk show work and not so much like documentary style audio either, even though I have done that historically. Because I just am like, let's use a different part of the brain for the other parts of the day and getting more into other ways of making money too. You know, buying properties and things like that and like getting excited about other aspects of one's furthering of your career and endeavors to just make sure that there's basically like a diversified streams of not just income but like meaning and excitement and enjoyment in your life. Because it also can be really taxing and just tough when it's the kind of project where sometimes like you might have a problem that can't be solved overnight. So you don't want that to like get to you.
- [23:24]
Michaela Weary
Yeah, no, that's so real. Like I appreciate you for sharing everything and the what it took and just like what the things that would go on, you know, during a production, like life goes on during a production for sure. And also just like what you said about investing in different things at the same time, I think that's so important as well because you can become fixated on this one thing and if something doesn't go well, can just, I don't know, turn into something that is just a bit harmful. So I also really think that's so cool that you're doing other things while doing this thing just to keep her balance. So that's super cool. Okay, I'm trying to think of my very, very last question. Since a lot of young people who are in college, out of college, maybe a bit before say they want to go into this space, what are three things that they can do like right now to kind of ensure that they're equipped? Just not just like skill wise, right? Just like emotionally, creatively, just things that they should bring into the space if they aspire to enter.
- [24:32]
Taylor Hosking
Filmmaking definitely requires a lot of confidence and a lot of people skills to be able to get someone to trust that even if you can't pay them right right now, you definitely will pay them soon. And to have the kind of like business management skills with yourself that you're not gonna bring someone on when you don't really know where the money's going to be coming from for them and things like that. So definitely if they can already, let's say there is like a campus newspaper that has a Budget for events or productions to a certain degree. Learning how to be the person who manages money is definitely really important for this like field. And how to get people inspired by your work enough so to want to. You're not always going to be able to pay like top dollar when you're first out the gate. And I think a lot of that has to do with staying in community and building up your relationship, showing up for other people and making sure that you are well aware of what the people who are closest to you do, like, what they're best at. Because there are plenty of times where people are still to this day, even though my friend group has existed for like 10 years plus at this point from college and like the college years and the 20s, where people are still like finding out what the other person does in their day job or what the other person has done and is capable of doing. I think paying close attention to the interests and the skill sets of the people that you're already closest to is really important. And then, yeah, learning how to be a good manager of like, projects. But I also think when it comes to idea pitching and selling and story development, being patient, being willing to sit with somebody for hours and figure out what draws you to them, like have some sense of what already draws you to them and then like, dig into that further with them and being able to like, follow your own curiosity and also leave room for the person to surprise you and take you into different directions can be like a really fun part of the process. I think story development and story producing is probably my favorite part. But I think there are so many people that you have access to when you're younger who have amazing stories who might not be very media trained or they're not very famous. So you actually are kind of like front row to a unique story that's never been told before. And it's just kind of up to you to like have the confidence to believe that your intense intrigue and curiosity about something does mean something and that you can certainly follow that and dig further into it to start to give it a shape. And that writing articles and working on story structure in those smaller ways is certainly helpful for getting into it in a bigger way.
- [27:35]
Michaela Weary
For sure. Yeah. Thank you so much. That's very important because again, like usually when this question is asked and answered, it's like, go on LinkedIn, make sure your resume is okay. But like, knowing the practical, like, you gotta have confidence, you gotta know how to talk to people. You gotta know like the people in your circle and what their Passions are like, that's definitely very practical, realistic and super applicable to now. I really appreciate you answering that question. Just like a real life answer, of course. I really appreciate you for taking the time out today to do this and leaving us with some advice and telling us a little bit about yourself.
- [28:12]
Taylor Hosking
Thank you. Yeah, glad to be able to contribute a bit to this university you guys have going on over here. It's much needed for sure.
- [28:22]
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
More from our conversation after the break. If you've got kids between the ages of 2 and 8, you know that not all apps are created equal. If you want something that actually gets them excited and thinking, then check out lingokids. It's an absolute blast. It's a world of interactive games, music they'll want to sing along to, and stories that spark their imagination. It's high energy, it's vibrant, and it keeps them actively playing rather than just zoning out. Whether it's a rainy afternoon or a weekend morning, it's the fun they're looking for and the quality you want. Lingokids. Everything kids love. See why millions of families love it. Download the LingoKids app on your phone or tablet now for free. What moment during your interview with Taylor made you think? Wow, I could really see myself doing something like this.
- [29:16]
Michaela Weary
I think the moments that made me think about that is that Taylor is really connected to community. I think across the creative practice, that is where a lot of the storytelling started. And for me, that is what drives my creative practice in journalism. And talking about my life and just talking about my community is something that I want to do forever. And I think it is so amazing to see how just talking about your community, being in the know of certain things and having certain conversations, doing that through a creative medium such as documentary work, is just super inspiring. Something that I really hope to do. And it just packed me something that
- [30:02]
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
I love asking after moments like this is what do you want to take with you? So when you think about Taylor's journey, her skills, and the impact of her work, what are the specific things you hope to incorporate into your own career?
- [30:13]
Michaela Weary
The things that I want to take with me in my personal journey is just going for the ideas that I have in acting on them and treating them like this is something that I should be doing. If it's unheard of, if it's like I don't really know the ropes quite well, not having that be something that holds me back, but asking the questions and doing the things that will get me there no matter what the unknown may look like. I think just Taking that chance in the first place, whether it's making a documentary project or talking about my identity in my community, I think nothing should hold me back, even if I don't know. But just starting and seeing how it rectifies into something beautiful and amazing like Taylor's work would just be something that I want to take on myself to miss.
- [31:05]
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
Ok, so what's one thing you're excited to apply or experiment with in your own career after learning Taylor's approach?
- [31:12]
Michaela Weary
I think something that I would like to apply to my work is just practice. I think hearing all the steps and the years and the process of making such a project, I think just I can do this on a scale that leads me to that path. I had a phone, I have social media, like there are lots of people in my community or just nearby with stories. I can really get innovative and take it step by step and do the same kind of documentary work and research and meet the community where they are, but on a scale where I can take a bite instead of getting the whole plate, which is a documentary. There's something I want to do in my life, but I know what it takes to get there now and I can do that sort of thing.
- [31:59]
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
Yeah, it sounds like there's like a start with what you have approach. Right. Like you don't need a big fancy camera and like to have a location and to find us a subject. Right. Like you can start with where you are with the people you know, with the equipment that you had.
- [32:12]
Michaela Weary
For sure, for sure, yeah.
- [32:17]
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
So if you had to name the biggest lesson that you're carrying forward from this interview, what would it be?
- [32:21]
Michaela Weary
I think the lesson that I would take would just be to go for it and then also have discipline and then in the same breath as going for it and having discipline, that takes a lot of energy. Right. But when I have a lot of that energy just knowing when to take breaks as well, because I know what it takes to now do this type of scope of creative work and film work and I think staying on it, just going with the flow with certain things because there's no clear path to making such a project. But also just listening to myself and my body and knowing when, okay, I've reached capacity, but I still have this goal and knowing step by step along the way what I can do to reach it in a way that works best for me and my mental.
- [33:12]
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
I'm so happy Taylor was able to join us for today's episode and grateful to Mikayla for guiding such a thoughtful conversation to learn more about Taylor and her work, visit the Show Notes at therapy for black girls.comtbgu if you're looking for a therapist in your area, visit our therapist directory@therapyforblackgirls.com directory don't forget to follow us on Instagram at Therapy for Black Girls and join us over in our Patreon community for exclusive updates, behind the scenes content and much more. You can join us at community.therapy for black girls.com this episode was produced by Elise Ellis, Inde Chubu and Tyre Rush. Editing was done by Dennison Bradford. Thank y' all so much for joining me for this episode. We look forward to connecting with you again next month. Take good care of if you've got kids between the ages of 2 and 8, you know that not all apps are created equal. If you want something that actually gets them excited and thinking, then check out lingokids. It's an absolute blast. It's a world of interactive games, music they'll want to sing along to, and stories that spark their imagination. It's high energy, it's vibrant, and it keeps them actively playing rather than just zoning out. Whether it's a rainy afternoon or a weekend morning, it's the fun they're looking for and the quality you want. Lingokids Everything kids love. See why millions of families love it? Download the Lingokids app on your phone or tablet now for free.
- [34:40]
Michaela Weary
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.