Roots, Race & Culture returns for a second season and invites viewers into open and honest conversations on identity and culture, centered around the experiences of Black and POC communities in Utah. Hosts Lonzo Liggins and Danor Gerald are back to discuss shared experiences, with a healthy dose of humor, empathy, and candor. The four-episode series premieres Thursday, Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m. on PBS Utah.
“Continuing to produce and host Roots, Race and Culture for a second season is a dream come true,” says Danor, award-winning Utah filmmaker, creative consultant, community advocate, and co-host of the series. “I’ve had many friends and strangers stop me around town and tell me how much they enjoy different episodes of the show. They learn new things about people, and say they've grown to appreciate themselves and others more deeply. Roots, Race and Culture is the best way to participate in a conversation that we all need to have, but don’t know how or who to have it with. I’m so grateful I get to participate on the front row.”
After its first season on PBS Utah, Roots, Race & Culture went on to win the Afro Utah 2022 DEI Leadership Award. The first season is available to stream on pbsutah.org and the PBS Video App. Full conversations heard in the original episodes as well as extended interviews are on the Roots, Race & Culture podcast, available to listen on pbsutah.org and wherever podcasts are offered.
In the premiere episode, Roots, Race & Culture looks at Black social media and how Black culture has developed a unique relationship with social media. Black individuals are generating awareness about culture, beliefs, and values on mainstream media that has typically been filtered through the lens of white gatekeepers.
In the second episode, Liggins and Gerald invite viewers to learn about Ogden’s rich history. In the early to mid-1900s, Ogden, Utah had a bustling Black community and vibrant art scene from the influx of African Americans in the early to late 20th century. The third episode focuses on why Blacks and Latinos aren’t leaning towards STEM careers and how Utah measures in this spectrum. The season’s finale dives into the growing indigenous food activist movement and the benefits of returning to a simpler pre-colonization Native American diet.
“Roots, Race & Culture is the Utah show I always wanted to see growing up in Utah,” says Lonzo, actor, entertainer, filmmaker, and co-host of the series. “It’s informative, educational, and it gives you an inside view of people of color living in our state. We need more content like this in Utah… now more than ever.”
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.