Episodios

  • From USC Athlete to Underground Kingpin: The Owen Hanson Story
    Sep 29 2025

    In this gripping episode of "And Now, Love," Cynthia Marks sits down with Owen Hanson, author of The California Kid, to unpack his extraordinary life story. Owen takes listeners on a journey through his transformation from a USC athlete to running a high-stakes underground betting empire. The conversation dives into his struggles with identity, the pursuit of belonging, and the adrenaline-fueled decisions that led him to incarceration. Owen reflects on his time in confinement, his eventual path to self-reform, and his remarkable ability to rebuild his life. This episode offers an unflinching look at the consequences of ambition, the pursuit of redemption, and the lessons that come from finding purpose against all odds.

    Más Menos
    1 h y 8 m
  • Finding Your Sparkle: Devi Jags’ Journey to Creativity & Advocacy
    Sep 22 2025

    In this powerful episode of And Now Love, Cynthia Marks speaks with Devi Jags, producer, writer, activist, and host of Sparkle On. Devi shares her journey from being a competitive runner whose identity was wrapped up in athletics to becoming an outspoken advocate for gender-based violence awareness and mental health. She opens up about the traumatic experiences she endured during college, how those shaped her advocacy, and how she transformed her pain into purpose. Together, Cynthia and Devi explore the meaning of “sparkle” — happiness, passion, and self-worth — and how creativity can be a vital force for healing. Devi explains how writing, storytelling, and activism became her new form of expression, and why empowering others to discover their inner sparkle is central to her mission. The conversation touches on the complexities of sexual violence, breaking generational trauma, the importance of listening to young people, and the role of creativity as resistance and renewal. Ultimately, Devi reminds us that love and self-expression are essential tools for resilience.

    • 00:00 | Defining Sparkle: From Running to Self-Worth

    • 07:00 | College Trauma, Sexual Violence, and Speaking Out

    • 14:00 | Transforming Anger into Advocacy and Finding Voice

    • 21:00 | Creativity, Writing, and the Power of Story

    • 28:00 | Healing, Dreams, and Expressing Trauma Through Art

    • 35:00 | Sex Education, Consent, and Rape Culture

    • 42:00 | Generational Trauma, Ancestry, and Reclaiming Identity

    • 49:00 | The Sparkle Movement, Legacy, and Love as Resistance

    Más Menos
    55 m
  • How And Now Love Has Impacted the Team Behind the Camera
    Sep 5 2025

    In this rare and intimate episode of And Now Love, host Cynthia Marks turns the mic toward the crew behind the camera: Bobby, Ian, Whitley, and Denis — the creative team responsible for bringing the podcast’s message to life visually and emotionally. This isn't just a conversation about production. It’s a reflection on how the mission of And Now Love — with its core focus on healing, emotional imprinting, and generational transformation — has impacted those working to share it with the world.

    The team opens up about their own struggles with vulnerability, the tension between authentic storytelling and digital attention spans, and what it means to market a message they themselves are still processing. This episode explores the emotional labor of content creation, the challenge of translating deep ideas into digestible formats, and the surprising ways the show’s message has changed them.

    Más Menos
    1 h y 5 m
  • A New Sense of Normal: A Conversation with Niaz on Justice and Emotional Truth
    Aug 11 2025

    In this follow-up episode of And Now Love, Cynthia Marks continues her conversation with social and criminal justice advocate Niaz Kasravi. Niaz reflects on her path from silence to self-expression — shaped not only by personal trauma, but also by a deepening commitment to justice and community healing. She speaks candidly about the criminal legal system, her work supporting incarcerated individuals, and how trauma has shaped the way we relate to ourselves, to institutions, and to each other. Through a lens that is both compassionate and unflinching, Niaz explores how self-awareness, nervous system literacy, and emotional integrity have guided her advocacy — and her life. This is a conversation about finding your voice, standing up for what matters, and holding space for the truth.

    Más Menos
    46 m
  • Inside Homeboy Industries: Shirley Torres on Nonviolence, Hope & Humanity
    Jul 31 2025

    In this inspiring episode of And Now Love, Cynthia Marks sits down with Shirley Torres, Co-Executive Chief Officer at Homeboy Industries — the world’s largest gang rehabilitation and reentry program. With decades of experience in community healing, Shirley shares how she helps formerly incarcerated individuals find dignity, purpose, and transformation through connection, compassion, and care. She speaks candidly about the importance of listening without judgment, creating spaces where people feel safe to be seen, and honoring the humanity behind every wound. Shirley reflects on the spiritual foundation of her work, the influence of Father Greg Boyle, and why love — not punishment — is the most powerful agent of change. This episode is a profound look into how one woman leads with her heart and helps others reclaim theirs.

    Más Menos
    1 h y 6 m
  • The Therapy We Deserve: Dr. Loren Weiner on Healing at the Root
    Jul 21 2025

    In this powerful episode of And Now Love, Cynthia Marks welcomes back clinical psychologist Dr. Loren Weiner for a conversation that reframes how we understand therapy — not as symptom management, but as the process of uncovering and healing deep emotional imprints. Dr. Weiner discusses how therapy guided by dreams, honesty, and emotional safety can reveal unconscious beliefs formed in childhood that block love, self-worth, and connection. Drawing on her years of training under Dr. Bernard Bail, she explores the therapist’s role in helping individuals reconnect with their authentic selves, process guilt and grief, and challenge inherited psychological burdens. This episode is a moving exploration of how therapy, when done with depth and intention, becomes a liberating journey of emotional truth. Whether you're in therapy, considering it, or supporting someone on that path, this conversation offers a compassionate and radical lens on what it means to truly heal.

    Más Menos
    1 h y 10 m
  • Rebuilding Faith After Fire: Rabbi Amy Bernstein on Community, Post-Traumatic Growth & Love
    Jul 15 2025

    Wildfire, burnout, and a fast-changing world couldn’t dim Rabbi Amy Bernstein’s commitment to love and justice. In this And Now Love episode, host Cynthia Marks explores how Reconstructionist Judaism evolves with modern ethics, why inter-faith friendships matter, and how post-traumatic growth can turn crisis into community strength.

    Timestamps
    0:00 – 00:46 Intro & guest bio
    0:47 – 04:29 What is Reconstructionist Judaism?
    4:30 – 07:06 Interpreting Torah like the U.S. Constitution
    7:07 – 12:17 Facilitation vs. authoritarian leadership
    12:18 – 16:26 Women rabbis & egalitarian progress
    16:27 – 25:14 Amy’s journey: gay synagogue to rabbinical school
    25:15 – 31:00 Denominations in decline—good news?
    31:01 – 40:23 Eco-kashrut & mindful consumption
    40:24 – 49:58 Inter-faith clergy circle & hard conversations
    49:59 – 57:00 Palisades fire: losing home, leading others
    57:01 – 1:03:04 Queer identity, community fractures, media overload
    1:03:05 – 1:12:58 Post-Traumatic Growth vs. PTSD
    1:12:59 – Attention as life & taking a month off

    Like, comment with your biggest insight, and subscribe for more conversations that turn love into action.

    Connect with Rabbi Amy: Kehillat Israel, Los Angeles


    Follow our socials:
    Instagram / / andnowlove.podcast
    Facebook / / And Now Love Podcast
    Youtube / / @AndNowLovePodcast
    TikTok / / and.now.love.podc

    Más Menos
    1 h y 25 m
  • New Parenthood, Caregiving & Comedy with Adria & Jesus
    Jun 24 2025

    In this deeply moving episode of And Now Love, Cynthia Marks sits down with married creatives Adria Marquez and Jesus Trejo as they navigate life with a newborn, personal caregiving experiences, and the emotional growth that comes with slowing down. Adria shares the complexities of postpartum identity, the pressure of balancing work and motherhood, and the quiet power of presence. Jesus reflects on caregiving for his aging parents and how laughter has become his bridge to healing and connection. Together, they explore how support, vulnerability, and humor keep love alive during the most tender life transitions. Cynthia brings the teachings of Dr. Bernard Bail into the fold, connecting the emotional experience of caregiving with the deep need to feel lovable and seen. From diapers to dreams, this episode offers a beautiful meditation on generational love, grief, identity, and the quiet revolutions that happen inside every parent and partner. It’s a conversation full of honesty, humility, and the reminder that love is not just a feeling — it’s a practice.

    Más Menos
    1 h y 1 m