Our True Colors: Mixed Race Voices and Other Stories of Belonging
Our True Colors is a podcast about identity, belonging, and life in the in-between. We explore what it means to be mixed race, multiracial, multicultural, racially ambiguous — or to grow up across cultures, through adoption, or in any space where identity doesn’t fit neatly into a box.
What’s it like to feel like you fit everywhere yet belong nowhere, all at the same time? If you or someone you love has ever been called a racial riddle, an ethnic enigma, or a cultural conundrum, this show is for you.
Each season, host Dr. Shawna Gann — a business psychologist and storyteller — is joined by a new co-host who brings their own lens. Together with guests, they share candid conversations, family stories, and professional insights that remind us we don’t clock in and out of our identities.
At its heart, Our True Colors is about connection: creating a space where mixed, multicultural, and cross-cultural voices can be heard, where belonging is explored, and where “otherness” becomes something powerful to claim.
Our True Colors is an extension of True Culture Coaching & Consulting, Dr. Gann’s practice dedicated to building stronger, more inclusive workplace cultures. Learn more and connect at www.truecultureconsulting.com
Episodes
110 episodes
From Vitamin D Deficiency to Fibroids: Closing the Gap with Lauryn Walker
What if something as simple as vitamin D could unlock deeper conversations about health equity, research gaps, and advocacy? In this powerful episode, Dr. Shawna Gann and Season 6 cohost, Marcel DeJonghe, are joined by Lauryn Walker, a patient ...
The Belonging Wound: Raina LaGrand on Identity, Community, and Healing
What does it really mean to belong when your identity doesn’t fit neatly into one box?In this powerful and deeply human conversation, Dr. Shawna Gann and cohost, Marcel DeJonghe, chat with somatic psychotherapist, coach, and educator Rai...
Rewriting the Story: Tara Moore on Identity, Healing, and Personal Agency
Content note: This episode includes strong language and explores childhood abuse, sexual abuse, and the lasting impact of trauma on identity and self worth.In this powerful and layered conversation, Dr. Shawna Gann and co-host, M...
Mindful Inquiry and Better Questions with Ashnie Butler
In this episode of Our True Colors, Dr. Shawna Gann sits down with returning guest Ashnie Butler for a rich conversation about identity, belonging, and the p...
SPECIAL EPISODE: Fire, Healing, and CMRSA: 2026 Critical Mixed Race Studies Association Conference in UCLA
Dr. Shawna Gann travels from Washington, DC to UCLA for the 2026 Critical Mixed Race Studies Association (CMRSA) Conference, themed Critical Healing. Before the first keynote, a grounding experience at the Fowler Museum’s Fire and Kinship exhib...
From Luanda Angola to Los Angeles: Joy DuVivre on Mixedness Across Borders
What would people assume about you if they could only hear your voice? In this expansive and thought provoking episode, Dr. Shawna Gann and Marcel sit down with global cultural commentator Joy DuVivre to explore identity across borders, histori...
SPECIAL EPISODE: “Wait, Is This Really Happening?” A Candid Check In From Inside the Moment
No guest today, no polished lesson, no neat ending. Just Dr. Shawna Gann and Rachel, one of last year’s co-hosts, sitting down for an unfiltered, unscripted conversation about what it feels like to be alive in this moment. They jump from media ...
Half of Many Things, Whole on Purpose: Conversation with Shaman and Reiki Master AB Caplan
Host Dr. Shawna Gann and co-host Marcel welcome their first guest of the season in this powerful conversation of Our True Colors. They are joined by the founder of Lonewolf ...
Meet Season 6 Co-Host Marcel De Jonghe: Mixed is a Whole New Recipe
Season 6 is here—and we’re starting with a Meet the Co-Host episode. Shawna welcomes back Marcel De Jonghe (joining from Birmingham, UK) for a warm, funny, and deeply reflective conversation about what it means to live in comple...
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START HERE: Learn About Our True Colors
Welcome to Our True Colors. This brief introduction gives you the full picture of what the show is about, who I am, and what you can expect in every season.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why I started this podcast and...
Our True Colors - The Trailer
If you’re new here, this short trailer will give you a taste of Our True Colors. You’ll hear how the show explores identity, belonging, and life in the in-between spaces.Subscribe now and then check out the full Start Here episode for a...
Double Feature Season 5 Finale: Our True Colors at Home
For the first time, I’m joined by my full family—my husband Chad and our kids, Christian and Ariana—in a double-length finale to close out Season 5 of Our True Colors.We get into it all:Identity, hair, and insecurities...
Bloodlines and Borders: Tracing the Truth of Mixed Ancestry with Victoria Kabeya
In this rich and vulnerable episode, Dr. Shawna Gann welcomes Belgian-French author, historian, and researcher Victoria Kabeya to discuss the complexities of multigenerationally mixed...
Conversations in Color: From Research to Real Life
This week, Dr. Shawna Gann—joined by her co-host Kat—welcomes Dr. Geoffrey Greif and ...
Ian Gibbs-Hall on Curiosity Architecture and Rethinking Identity
In this episode of Our True Colors, Shawna is joined by co-host Rachel Sadler and special guest
Belonging by Design: How a Choir Became a Home
In this powerful episode of Our True Colors, Dr. Shawna Gann is joined by Cindy Ogasawara and Kara De Maine, leaders in the <...
Bridging Identities and Building Belonging: A Conversation with Hallie Pritchett
In this episode of Our True Colors, Dr. Shawna Gann is joined by Hallie Pritchett — a public health leader, facilitator, and equity strategist — for a deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation about identity, belonging, and the cha...
Masks, Mirrors, and Metamorphosis: Londell Jackson on Living Unboxed
In this episode, Shawna sits down with Londell Jackson—educator, strategist, and author of Between the Opposites—for a pow...
Both/And: Belonging, Identity, and the Bridge-Building Superpower with Annemarie Shrouder
In this rich and candid episode of Our True Colors, Shawna is joined by Rachel, returning co-host and fellow deep thinker and wonderful guest Annemarie Shrouder, international speaker...
Ornamental No More: Dr. Kalya Castillo on Identity, Hypervisibility, and Healing
In this powerful conversation, Dr. Kalya Castillo—a Black and Japanese psychologist and trauma-informed therapist—joins Shawn...
Third Culture Stories: Identity, Belonging, and Finding Home with Urmi Hossain
In this episode, Dr. Shawna Gann and Rachel Sadler sit down with Urmi Hossain—polyglot, author, global citizen, and financial services professional—for a deep conversation about identity, c...
Untapped Leadership: Finding Your Authentic Leadership Identity with Dr. Jenny Vazquez-Newsum
What does it mean to be a leader when traditional leadership models weren’t designed with you in mind? In this episode of Our True Colors, we sit down with Dr. Jenny Vazquez-Newsum, an educator, leadership expert, and founder of Untapp...
Sensitive Curiosity: A DEI Leader’s Journey with Marcel De Jonghe
What does it mean to navigate the world as a mixed heritage individual when belonging feels just out of reach? In this episode, Shawna and co-host Kat Aragon welcome Marcel De Jonghe,...
Breaking Out of the Box: Multiracial Identity, Monoracism, and Belonging with Dr. Victoria K. Malaney-Brown
In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Victoria K. Malaney-Brown, a scholar-practitioner at Columbia University and the first-ever Director of Academic Integrity for undergraduates at Columbia College and Columbia Engineering, joins us to explo...
