Growing up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Lonnie learned the meaning of family and community around his grandmother’s table. He shares his journey of coming into his identity, leaving home to build a life of his own, and eventually finding his way to San Francisco, where his work as a philanthropist, community builder, and drag performer has become deeply rooted in creating spaces where people feel seen and supported.

The conversation expands into the challenges facing Black and LGBTQ+ communities today, from political and economic inequality to corporate accountability, AI, consumer power, and the importance of knowing where our dollars go. Lonnie also reflects on why he believes "community over competition" is one of our greatest strengths, and why supporting someone else’s success takes nothing away from our own.

In this episode:

• Lonnie’s journey from Kalamazoo to San Francisco
• Finding freedom and confidence in your identity
• Building and protecting Black and LGBTQ+ community
• The mental weight of staying informed in a difficult political climate
• AI, corporate power, and the future of work
• The power of Black consumer spending
• Making more informed decisions about the brands we support
• Why community is more powerful than competition
• Accountability, apology, and what real repair requires
• Creating spaces that celebrate Black and Brown queer communities
• Lonnie’s work with US, a celebration of BIPOC excellence in San Francisco’s Castro

From the choices we make with our money to the ways we support the people around us, this episode asks what becomes possible when we recognize the power we already hold—and choose to use it together.

Listen to Issue Zero.

_________________________________________________________

Learn more about Lonnie Haley:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonniephaley/

_________________________________________________________

Connect with us:

ISSUE ZERO SHOW + ZERO HOUR

Watch, follow & subscribe:

IG - @issuezero.show https://www.instagram.com/issuezero.show/

https://IssueZero.Show/

TROORA MAGAZINE & MEDIA

Explore TrooRa:

IG - @trooramagazine https://www.instagram.com/trooramagazine

https://troora.com/

THE WOMB ISSUE

Preview the latest issue:

Explore The Womb Issue https://troora.com/womb-2026/preview/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

RECKOND

Discover the app:

IG @reckond.app https://www.instagram.com/reckond.app/

https://Reckond.com/

THE BAG ICON

Discover the collection:

IG - @thebagicon https://www.instagram.com/thebagicon/

https://TheBagIcon.com/

Trystanne Cunningham

Founder | Creative Director | Executive Editor-in-Chief, TrooRa Magazine & Media

IG - @editor_in_t https://www.instagram.com/editor_in_t/

Seneca Connor

Founder | The Bag Icon | Reckond app

IG - @senecaberniardconnor https://www.instagram.com/senecaberniardconnor/

As the founder of Dorian Webb Jewelry, Dorian shares how her background in architecture shaped the way she approaches form, proportion, materials, and the relationship between an object and the person who wears it. From studying architecture at Yale and metalsmithing in Italy to building her jewelry business from the ground up, she reflects on the experiences that helped her find her own creative language and turn it into a lasting brand.

Through stories of getting her collection picked up by Neiman Marcus, learning the business of jewelry without traditional industry experience, working with women artisans in Peru, and developing her Give Her Her Flowers collection, Dorian explores the intersection of creativity and entrepreneurship. She also shares why community remains central to her work, why fine jewelry should stand the test of time, and how the objects we create can become artifacts of identity, history, and legacy.

In this episode:

• Dorian Webb’s journey from architecture to fine jewelry design
• Building a jewelry brand without traditional industry experience
• How architecture influences her approach to jewelry and design
• Breaking into the fashion and jewelry industry with Neiman Marcus and Essence
• Designing timeless jewelry meant to last across generations
• The story behind the Give Her Her Flowers collection
• Working with women artisans and preserving craftsmanship
• The role of mentorship and community in creative entrepreneurship
• Designing jewelry around identity, intention, and personal expression
• Why legacy means creating something that says, “You were here”

Whether you’re building a brand, pursuing a creative career, or thinking about the legacy your work will leave behind, this conversation is an invitation to trust what makes your perspective different, build with intention, and create something worth carrying forward.

Listen to Issue Zero.

______________________________________________________

Learn more about Dorian Webb:

IG - @dorian.webb

Shop Dorian Webb Jewelry:

https://dorianwebb.com/

______________________________________________________

Connect with us:

ISSUE ZERO SHOW + ZERO HOUR

Watch, follow & subscribe:

IG - @issuezero.show

https://IssueZero.Show/

TROORA MAGAZINE & MEDIA

Explore TrooRa:

IG - @trooramagazine

https://troora.com/

THE WOMB ISSUE

Preview the latest issue:

Explore The Womb Issue

RECKOND

Discover the app:

IG @reckond.app

https://Reckond.com/

THE BAG ICON

Discover the collection:

IG - @thebagicon

https://TheBagIcon.com/

Trystanne Cunningham

Founder | Creative Director | Executive Editor-in-Chief, TrooRa Magazine & Media

IG - @editor_in_t

Seneca Connor

Founder | The Bag Icon | Reckond app

IG - @senecaberniardconnor

In this episode of Issue Zero, Trystanne Cunningham and Seneca Connor sit down with photographer, visual artist, and creative entrepreneur Brandon Ruffin, ahead of his cover feature for TrooRa Magazine’s Border Issue. From discovering photography through his grandmother’s family albums to becoming a Leica Ambassador, Brandon shares how memory, curiosity, and human connection have shaped the way he sees the world through his camera.

At the center of the conversation is Brandon’s photo book, Migration Patterns, a deeply personal exploration of the Great Migration and the connections between Black life in the American South and California. Drawing from his own family’s movement between Louisiana and the Bay Area, Brandon explores migration as more than geography. It is physical, cultural, and spiritual. Carrying traditions, identities, memories, loss, and new beginnings across generations.

The conversation also expands into representation and who gets to shape the stories we see. Brandon reflects on growing up in Richmond, his decade working in law enforcement, and how those experiences taught him to see people beyond a single circumstance. For Brandon, photography is not simply about creating a compelling image; it is about approaching people with dignity, building trust, and finding humanity in places that are too often reduced to stereotypes.

Together, they examine the invisible borders we cross every day, from race and geography to culture, class, identity, and belonging, and the power of storytelling to challenge the narratives that keep people divided.

In this episode:

• How family photo albums first shaped Brandon’s relationship with photography
• Why connection and trust matter more than the camera itself
• What his experience as a former police officer taught him about humanity and dignity
• The story and family history behind Migration Patterns
• The Great Migration and the cultural connection between Louisiana and California
• Migration as physical, cultural, and spiritual movement
• Who gets to shape the narratives surrounding Black communities
• Why proximity can challenge stereotypes and division
• The diversity of Black identity across the diaspora
• What it means to cross borders that cannot be seen on a map
• Why representation continues to shape Brandon’s evolution from photography into filmmaking

From Richmond to Louisiana and from family archives to the streets of the Bay Area, this episode asks us to consider the stories, people, and histories that move with us, and what becomes possible when we choose to see the full picture.

Listen to Issue Zero.

___________________________________________________________

Learn more about Brandon Ruffin:

⁠https://www.instagram.com/ruffdraft/⁠

Shop the Migration Patterns Book:

⁠https://www.setantabooks.com/en-us/collections/brandon-ruffin/products/migration-patterns⁠

___________________________________________________________

Connect with us:

ISSUE ZERO SHOW + ZERO HOUR

Watch, follow & subscribe:

IG - ⁠@issuezero.show⁠

⁠https://IssueZero.Show/⁠

TROORA MAGAZINE & MEDIA

Explore TrooRa:

IG - ⁠@trooramagazine⁠

⁠https://troora.com/⁠

THE WOMB ISSUE

Preview the latest issue:

Explore ⁠The Womb Issue⁠

RECKOND

Discover the app:

IG ⁠@reckond.app⁠

⁠https://Reckond.com/⁠

THE BAG ICON

Discover the collection:

IG - ⁠@thebagicon⁠

⁠https://TheBagIcon.com/⁠

Trystanne Cunningham

Founder | Creative Director | Executive Editor-in-Chief, TrooRa Magazine & Media

IG - ⁠@editor_in_t⁠

Seneca Connor

Founder | The Bag Icon | Reckond app

IG - ⁠@senecaberniardconnor⁠

In Part 2, Trystanne Cunningham and Seneca Connor move from awareness to action, examining the difference between buying power and wealth, the history of economic protest, and what it could look like to intentionally redirect spending toward Black-owned businesses and communities.

Drawing from history, current events, and their own experiences as entrepreneurs, they explore why economic power extends beyond what we spend. From access to capital and corporate accountability to entrepreneurship, community investment, and ownership, this conversation looks at the systems that shape who gets to build, compete, and create lasting wealth.

They also unpack the role of technology through the Reckond app by Seneca Connor, the importance of visibility through TrooRa Magazine by Trystanne Cunningham, and why access to information can help consumers make more intentional choices about the businesses they support.

In this episode:

• The difference between buying power and building long-term wealth
• What the history of boycotts teaches us about economic power
• How redirecting spending can support Black-owned businesses and create jobs
• Why access to capital remains critical for Black entrepreneurs
• Corporate accountability and the power of conscious consumerism
• How Reckond helps consumers make more informed purchasing decisions
• Entrepreneurship, ownership, and creating alternatives within our communities
• Why community, collaboration, and sharing resources matter
• The relationship between cultural influence and economic ownership
• Moving from conversation to lasting economic change

Whether you're an entrepreneur, consumer, or simply thinking more deeply about the relationship between money, ownership, and community, Part 2 is an invitation to recognize the power already in our hands, and consider what we can build when we use it intentionally.

Listen to Issue Zero.

___________________________________________________________

Connect with us:

ISSUE ZERO SHOW + ZERO HOUR

Watch, follow & subscribe:

IG - ⁠@issuezero.show⁠

⁠https://IssueZero.Show/⁠

TROORA MAGAZINE & MEDIA

Explore TrooRa:

IG - ⁠@trooramagazine⁠

⁠https://troora.com/⁠

THE WOMB ISSUE

Preview the latest issue:

Explore ⁠The Womb Issue⁠

RECKOND

Discover the app:

IG ⁠@reckond.app⁠

⁠https://Reckond.com/⁠

THE BAG ICON

Discover the collection:

IG - ⁠@thebagicon⁠

⁠https://TheBagIcon.com/⁠

Trystanne Cunningham

Founder | Creative Director | Executive Editor-in-Chief, TrooRa Magazine & Media

IG - ⁠@editor_in_t⁠

Seneca Connor

Founder | The Bag Icon | Reckond app

1. IG - ⁠@senecaberniardconnor⁠

In this first part of a two-part conversation, Trystanne Cunningham and Seneca Connor examine the relationship between spending, visibility, and economic power. Together, they explore how everyday financial decisions shape businesses, communities, and culture, and why understanding where our money goes is an essential part of understanding the systems we participate in.

Drawing from current events, consumer behavior, and the research behind Seneca's Reckond app, they discuss corporate accountability, conscious consumerism, and the role economic participation plays in creating lasting change. Rather than telling listeners what to think, this conversation invites them to ask deeper questions about the choices they make every day and the impact those choices have beyond the checkout line.

In this episode:

• Why economic power extends beyond the ballot box
• The philosophy behind The Power of the Purse
• Consumer choice, corporate accountability, and conscious spending
• The relationship between visibility, economics, and community investment
• How the Reckond app helps consumers make informed purchasing decisions
• Why data and transparency matter in everyday spending
• The difference between buying power and building long-term wealth
• Why this conversation is only the beginning

Whether you're an entrepreneur, consumer, or simply curious about the connection between economics, culture, and community, this episode is an invitation to think more intentionally about where your money goes, and what it helps build.

Listen to Issue Zero.

___________________________________________________________

Connect with us:

ISSUE ZERO SHOW + ZERO HOUR

Watch, follow & subscribe:

IG - ⁠@issuezero.show⁠

⁠https://IssueZero.Show/⁠

TROORA MAGAZINE & MEDIA

Explore TrooRa:

IG - ⁠@trooramagazine⁠

⁠https://troora.com/⁠

THE WOMB ISSUE

Preview the latest issue:

Explore ⁠The Womb Issue⁠

RECKOND

Discover the app:

IG ⁠@reckond.app⁠

⁠https://Reckond.com/⁠

THE BAG ICON

Discover the collection:

IG - ⁠@thebagicon⁠

⁠https://TheBagIcon.com/⁠

Trystanne Cunningham

Founder | Creative Director | Executive Editor-in-Chief, TrooRa Magazine & Media

IG - ⁠@editor_in_t⁠

Seneca Connor

Founder | The Bag Icon | Reckond app

1. IG - ⁠@senecaberniardconnor⁠

As the owner and lead formulator of Earth Tu Face, April shares how her personal healing journey, decades of experience in holistic health and education, and passion for herbalism led her to acquire and lead a plant-based skincare brand built on integrity, intentionality, and care. Together, they explore founder transitions, conscious consumerism, and why true wellness begins long before the products we put on our skin.

In the second half of the episode, Desirée Rogers joins the conversation to expand on leadership, brand stewardship, and the evolving beauty industry, offering an executive perspective on building enduring brands and creating businesses with lasting impact.

In this episode:

• April Vaughn Shabazz's journey from holistic health practitioner to entrepreneur
• Acquiring and leading Earth to Face
• Herbalism, holistic wellness, and lifelong learning
• The evolution of clean beauty and conscious consumerism
• Founder transitions and preserving a brand's mission
• Leadership, stewardship, and sustainable growth
• Executive insights from Desirée Rogers on brand-building and the future of beauty
• Why education is at the heart of meaningful entrepreneurship

Whether you're building a brand, leading a business, or simply curious about the intersection of wellness, purpose, and entrepreneurship, this conversation is an invitation to think more intentionally about the products we use, the businesses we support, and the impact we create.

Listen to Issue Zero.

As the founder and CEO of Change Cadet, author of White Supremacy Is All Around Us, and co-owner of the Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul Sports Club, Dr. Cadet shares how personal experience shaped her work, and why learning and unlearning are essential to building stronger organizations, communities, and leaders. Through stories of navigating the workplace, advocating for herself, launching a business, and helping organizations rethink culture, she offers a perspective on how power, identity, and opportunity intersect in everyday life.

In this episode:

1. Dr. Cadet's journey from healthcare executive to entrepreneur
2. Why storytelling is one of the most powerful tools for change
3. Learning, unlearning, and challenging systems of power
4. Workplace discrimination, leadership, and advocating for yourself
5. Disability, identity, and leading authentically
6. The role of education, civic engagement, and critical thinking
7. Building organizations where people can truly thrive
8. Why meaningful change begins with honest conversations

Whether you're building a company, leading a team, or simply trying to better understand the world around you, this conversation is an invitation to ask deeper questions, think more critically, and lead with greater intention.

Listen to Issue Zero.

Purchase Dr. Akilah Cadet's Book:

White Supremacy Is All Around Us

Connect with us:

1. Issue Zero Website
2. Issue Zero Instagram
3. Issue Zero TikTok
4. Issue Zero LinkedIn

Issue Zero is Sponsored by:

1. TrooRa Magazine
2. The Bag Icon
3. Download the Reckond App

In this episode of Issue Zero, Trystanne Cunningham and Seneca Connor sit down with entrepreneur Carla Truitt, founder of Eight Royale, to explore the story behind building a luxury brand from the ground up. From sketching her first ideas between board meetings and red carpets to navigating manufacturers, bootstrapping her business, and building a brand rooted in purpose, Carla shares what it really takes to create something that lasts.

Together, they unpack the realities of entrepreneurship that rarely make the headlines, from funding challenges and finding the right partners to why collaboration, community, and consistency matter more than perfection. Because every meaningful brand begins long before it becomes visible.

In this episode:

1. The moment Carla realized women deserved a better solution
2. Building Eight Royale from one simple idea
3. Finding manufacturers who believe in your vision
4. Bootstrapping a business without outside funding
5. Why consistency matters more than having all the answers
6. Collaboration over competition
7. Creating a legacy that empowers women
8. Why purpose has always been at the center of Eight Royale

Whether you're building your first product or your next chapter, this episode is a reminder that every meaningful business begins with someone willing to solve a real problem.

Listen to Issue Zero.

In Episode 1 of Issue Zero, Trystanne Cunningham and Seneca Connor are joined by Tony and Emmy-nominated comedian, writer, producer, and bestselling author Amber Ruffin for an honest conversation on creativity, visibility, resilience, and the audacity required to build without waiting for permission.

After gracing the cover of Cunningham’s TrooRa Magazine The Womb Issue ’26 (available now), Ruffin reflects on the path that has shaped her work across Broadway, late-night television, publishing, and performance. She speaks with candor about navigating identity, advocating for women’s health, claiming space in rooms not designed with her in mind, and learning to ask for more with clarity and conviction.

Together, they explore the power of creating opportunities where none exist, the importance of representation, and the ways our most meaningful work often grows from the experiences that have shaped us most.

In this episode:

• Amber Ruffin's journey across comedy, television, Broadway, and publishing
• Why creators shouldn't wait for permission to pursue bold ideas
• The power of asking for what you deserve
• Black excellence, visibility, and creating authentic representation
• The realities of women's health, fibroids, endometriosis, and motherhood
• Creating impact beyond traditional definitions of success
• Why storytelling remains one of the most powerful tools for change

Whether you're building a creative career, navigating life's unexpected challenges, or learning to trust your own voice, this conversation is a reminder that your story, and how you choose to tell it, matters.

In the very first episode of Issue Zero, creator Trystanne Cunningham and co-host Seneca Connor sit down for an honest conversation about the experiences that shaped them long before entrepreneurship entered the picture.

From immigration and identity to grief, resilience, motherhood, creativity, and building businesses from the ground up, they explore what it really means to create with intention in a world where visibility isn't equally distributed.

Together, they unpack why they believe storytelling matters, why representation is more than a buzzword, and why Issue Zero was created. Not just as another podcast, but as a platform designed to amplify founders, creatives, and underrepresented voices through meaningful conversation.

This episode is the foundation for everything to come.

In this episode:

Why Issue Zero exists

• The stories that shaped Trystanne and Seneca before entrepreneurship
• Building businesses through uncertainty, setbacks, and resilience
• The relationship between identity, visibility, and opportunity
• Why ownership and representation matter now more than ever
• What listeners can expect from Season One
• Meet the founders, creatives, and change makers joining future episodes

Whether you're building a business, navigating your own identity, or simply looking for conversations rooted in purpose, this is where the story begins.

This is Issue Zero.