From Chicago to Hollywood sets and the heart of historic Greenwood Avenue, John Wayne S III’s path was anything but predictable. Once a pre-med student, a chance phone call landed him on a film set and he never looked back.

Over a career spanning three decades, John has directed music videos for Grammy-winning artists, produced award-winning films like “Red All Over” and “The Tuskegee Airmen Project,” and founded Londyn Town Pictures, inspired by his daughter. But what sets his work apart isn’t just the credits, it’s his unwavering commitment to telling stories that push for change. Whether he’s exploring gun violence, mental health, or lost chapters of Black history, John’s films are rooted in truth, compassion, and the belief that cinema should start hard conversations.

Dive into a conversation about creative detours, building legacy, and why the most powerful stories come from lived experience.

Full episode now streaming on Podcast Now Boarding on all your favourite platforms (Spotify, Apple, YouTube) or wherever you listen to podcasts

#filmmaking #blackhistory ##chicago #filmmakingchicago #race #mentalhealth #grammywinning #awardwinning #podcastmeltingpot #podcast #openconversations

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What if you didn’t have to choose just one life?

Adam LaSalle never fit in a box and he doesn’t want you to, either. From teaching English and math, to leading a music program, to acting on NBC’s Chicago Fire and performing off-Broadway, Adam has built a career by refusing to follow the “one path” rule.

In this episode, Adam reveals:

- Why being a multi-hyphenate actor, musician, coach, writer is powerful.

- The moment he realized he could rewrite his own story (and what it took to do it)

- The lessons he carried from the classroom to the stage and why every audience just wants to feel seen.

- His journey is proof that reinvention is essential.

If you’re ready to break out of autopilot and claim your next act, this conversation is your permission slip.

Listen now and get inspired by a story that doesn’t believe in limits.

Episode available on Spotify, Apple podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Also available on YouTube

#MeltingPotPodcast #Reinvention #MultiHyphenate #BreakTheRules #Inspiration #LifeStories #AdamLaSalle

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I flatlined. I lost my husband. I lost years. But I never lost myself.”

-

Cyndee Dhalai

Cyndee has been called a medical enigma. Surviving multiple near-death experiences, living 11 years in a wheelchair, and allergic to nearly every drug. But that’s not the story she chooses to tell.

Instead, she tells us what it means to begin again. To grieve without drowning. To listen when the body breaks and answer back with spirit.

A poet, educator, and the author of Grief is the Price You Pay for Love, Cyndee joins us for an unforgettable conversation about presence, purpose, and the long, slow climb back to yourself.

More Than Flesh, streaming now on all Melting Pot

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.