PBS Utah is thrilled to announce the return of Roots, Race & Culture for a highly anticipated third season. Continuing their mission of fostering open, honest conversations about identity and culture, co-hosts Lonzo Liggins and Danor Gerald engage with Utah's Black and POC communities to provide unique perspectives, insights, and experiences. The four-episode series premieres Thursday, October 5 at 9:30 p.m. on PBS Utah 7.1.
“For the third season and our season to come, we are finding ways to meld history and culture in every episode, said Liggins. "It’s transcending our shows into an all-in-one experience.”
The upcoming season features a diverse lineup of guests, including newsmakers, changemakers, experts, and entrepreneurs. With humor, empathy, and candor, each episode offers engaging dialogue that sparks understanding and enlightenment.
"The more you learn, the more you earn," said Gerald. "In this season, the information you’ll learn about being beautiful and healthy in America will allow you to earn people's respect and admiration," he said. "Prepare to have your mind blown when you hear the conversations we have with our guests this season."
Episodes and broadcast dates are provided below:
Episode 1: Race and the Beauty Standard - Thursday, October 5
The premiere kicks off by exploring the topic of race and the beauty standard. Tiffany Rasmussen and Dr. Harjit Kaur join this discussion to shed light on the impact of racial biases and Eurocentric beauty standards, sharing personal experiences and addressing societal pressures and biases faced by people of color.
Episode 2: Distrust in Healthcare - Thursday, October 12
Liggins and Gerald tackle the issue of distrust in healthcare, particularly within marginalized communities. By highlighting historical events such as the Syphilis Study at Tuskegee and the alarming healthcare disparities faced by minority communities, the panelists bring awareness to the reasons behind this distrust.
Episode 3: Jazzin' in the Beehive State - Thursday, October 19
This episodes celebrates the vibrant history of Jazz music in Utah. Liggins and Gerald engage in dialogue with guests Dee Dee Darby Duffin and George Brown to uncover the evolutionary path of jazz in the Beehive State, paying tribute to Utah's rich jazz legacy.
Episode 4: Is Diversity and Inclusion Under Attack? - Thursday, October 26
The season concludes with a conversation about the state of diversity and inclusion in America. Joined by Dr. Sidney Shorter and Nikki Walker, they examine the obstacles in achieving true equality and inclusiveness throughout society.
Roots, Race & Culture is a winner of the Afro Utah 2022 DEI Leadership Award, a 2022 NETA Public Media Award finalist, and a current nominee for the 46th Rocky Mountain Emmy Awards. The first two seasons are available to stream now on pbsutah.org and the PBS Video App. Full conversations and extended interviews from the original episodes are also available as a podcast on the PBS Utah website and wherever podcasts are offered.
About the Hosts
Lonzo Liggins is a Utah actor, entertainer, and filmmaker, whose appearances include more than 150 different commercials and industrial films.
Danor Gerald is an award-winning Utah filmmaker, creative consultant, and community advocate based in Saratoga Springs.
About PBS Utah
PBS Utah is Utah’s PBS station, providing the state with access to exceptional content that entertains, informs, and enriches viewers. PBS Utah airs PBS programming plus award-winning, locally produced documentaries and series. Recognized as one of the leading public television stations in the country, PBS Utah is committed to serving and engaging with the Utah community through its diverse productions and its educational and outreach programs. PBS Utah is always evolving to provide Utahns with relevant programming and services while maintaining its core values of integrity, fairness, independence, education, and innovation. PBS Utah also provides three other broadcast channels: WORLD, PBS KIDS 24/7, and Create. PBS Utah broadcasts from The University of Utah.
