Ruganzu Howard @rggz spent  a decade as a Baltimore PD detective and hostage negotiator. Now he directs commercials. Youngest of 11 kids. Raised by a father born in 1920s Mississippi.

We got into the friend whose one question redirected his life, why he thinks community is the real reward of the work, and a definition of cool Fiona and Tara keep going back to again and again. 

Stay Connected with Legacy of Loud: https://linktr.ee/legacyofloud

Chapters:
00:00 The Cultural Significance of Conversations

00:41 Fatherhood: Reflections and Realizations

01:51 Growing Up in a Large Family: The Impact on Identity

02:47 Growing Up in a Unique Family Dynamic

04:18 Reflections on Family History and Heritage

05:26 The Importance of Cinema and Storytelling

07:09 Navigating Communication in the Digital Age

09:16 The Power of Writing and Note-Taking

10:19 Defining 'Cool' and Influential People in Life

15:41 Transitioning from Law Enforcement to Directing

23:02 The Lighthearted Side of Advertising

25:14 Navigating Identity and Perception

27:46 The Complexity of Law Enforcement Views

29:30 Career Transitions and Non-Linear Paths

31:42 Finding a Place in Advertising

37:29 The Power of Collaboration in Directing

41:17 Embracing Community and Support

42:26 Advice to the Younger Self

In this episode, we get into wanting more, hating yourself less, and why God might need better PR. The 50% light / 50% asshole problem. The $40 million question. Why your body and mind are designed to fuck with you — and how to make them work for you anyway. Why she treated her now-husband like a six-year-old for six months before they ever dated. And the Midtown story you'll be telling for weeks.

Stay Connected with Legacy of Loud: https://linktr.ee/legacyofloud

Chapters:

00:00 Exploring Spirituality and Transformation

00:13 Intergenerational Perspectives on Life

02:23 Understanding Capacity and Desire

05:12 The Dichotomy of Life's Struggles

07:26 Money, Self-Worth, and Clarity

09:48 Desire and the Pursuit of More

15:35 Permission to Want More

17:37 Finding Bliss in the Present

20:28 Body Positivity and Health Debate

22:07 The Return of God in Modern Life

26:50 Experiencing God Through Art

33:23 Marrying Spirituality and Commerce

44:45 Dating and Relationships: A New Approach

47:32 Navigating Rejection and Communication in Relationships

50:05 The Impact of Grief and Loss on Personal Growth

52:19 Living Life Fully Despite Fear of Loss

54:05 The Challenges of the Anxious Generation

56:57 Creating Meaningful Experiences in a Digital World

58:20 Overcoming Doubt in Creative Pursuits

Follow Legacy of Loud: https://linktr.ee/legacyofloud

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction  

00:10 Mother-Daughter Dynamics and Podcast Genesis

03:26 Political Conversations and Perspectives

08:35 Navigating Political Differences in Relationships

12:35 Navigating Political Conversations

18:33 Challenges in Political Discourse

22:56 The Changing Dynamics of Gender Roles

28:06 The Importance of Social Skills in Youth

33:56 The Impact of Choice on Relationships

38:11 The Reality of Long-Term Relationships

41:11 The Impact of Therapy on Modern Relationships

43:14 Navigating Community and Connection in a Digital Age

48:00 Cultural Differences in College Experiences

50:59 The Role of Parenting in Shaping Independence

58:32 Trusting Authority and the Pandemic Experience

01:00:00 The Evolution of Political Parties in the UK

01:00:25 The Impact of Conservative Governance and Brexit

01:01:23 Immigration and Integration Challenges

01:02:42 The Rise of Antisemitism and Community Integration

01:04:17 Cultural Integration vs. Multiculturalism

01:05:44 The Grooming Gangs Inquiry and Racial Dynamics

01:09:42 Cultural Values and the Limits of Tolerance

01:11:15 The Complexity of Cultural Identity and Values

01:12:54 Navigating Polarization in Political Discourse

01:14:41 The Role of Police in Community Safety

01:16:32 The Challenge of Cancel Culture

01:18:58 The Debate on Gender Identity and Women's Spaces

01:25:47 Navigating Responsibility and Consequences

01:27:06 Parenting and Alcohol: A Personal Perspective

01:29:19 Cultural Differences in Drinking Norms

01:31:35 The Role of Liberal Parenting in Rebellion

01:33:09 Lessons from Parenting: The Swimming Pool Analogy

01:38:27 The Human Experience of Parenting

01:39:40 The Journey of Self-Acceptance

01:43:41 Comparison and Self-Worth

01:46:59 Embracing Different Types of Fabulousness

In this episode, we get into what it actually means to prepare for death — and why that's really just another way of saying: stop sleepwalking through your life. We talk about competency addiction, the illusion of control, why we medicate the dying for our comfort, and what happens when the roles we've built our identities around disappear. We go to Varanasi. We talk about Franklin. We talk about your grandfather wanting to watch the Giants.

Jeff's new platform, The Departure Lounge, exists to do what this conversation does — make death less of a threat and more of a teacher.

What do you know now that you wish you knew earlier? Jeff's answer: that he's going to die. And that changes everything.

Stay connected with legacy of loud: https://linktr.ee/legacyofloud

Chapters:
00:00 Understanding Death and Dying

02:00 Cultural Perspectives on Death

04:32 The Departure Lounge: A New Venture

07:03 Conscious Living and Death Awareness

11:42 The Nature of Energy and Existence

12:28 Cultural Perspectives on Dying and Death

13:44 Medication and Comfort in End-of-Life Care

15:17 The Intersection of Life and Death

16:10 Navigating Discomfort and Control

17:43 Cultural Reflections on Identity and Death

19:17 The Journey to India and Death Rituals

27:31 Cremation Practices in Varanasi

29:14 Cultural Practices Around Death

30:17 The Normalization of Death in Daily Life

31:49 Facing Mortality: Conversations on Death

33:39 The Role of Identity in Life and Death

35:07 The Value of Death Doulas

37:19 Living Fully: The Impact of Mortality on Life

40:11 Rituals and Transitions in Life

43:30 Community and Connection in Modern Society

51:41 Navigating Modern Convenience vs. Authentic Living

52:52 The Obsession with Longevity and Convenience

54:17 The Tension Between Technology and Authentic Experience

55:56 The Importance of Living Life Fully

57:39 Facing Death and Embracing Life

59:18 The Impact of COVID-19 on Our Perception of Life

01:01:08 Branding and Authenticity in a Digital Age

01:03:10 The Journey of Acceptance and Letting Go

01:05:17 What We Wish We Knew Earlier About Life and Death

In this episode, Tara and Fiona sit down with Kassi for a conversation about feminine and masculine energy that is neither a return to the 1950s nor a rejection of feminism. It's more complicated than that. And more interesting.

They get into why modern motherhood has become a masculine exercise in logistics, why the tradwife is actually the countercultural figure right now, what healthy masculine pursuit actually looks like, why YouTube dating coaches are making the whole thing worse, and why men waiting for women to text first is — biologically, metaphysically, practically — completely backwards.

"It takes two hours to get into your feminine after work. Expecting a woman to hustle her ass off all day and still be a soft place to land is unrealistic."

Also: the midnight Uber situation. The general. The dish in the dishwasher. And the sperm-to-egg theory of pursuit.

Connect with Kassi: 

Website: https://kassiunderwood.com

Free 1-minute morning practice: 

https://kassiunderwood.com/morningpractice/

Connect on IG: 

@kassiunderwood

Keep in touch with Legacy of Loud: https://linktr.ee/legacyofloud

Chapters:

00:00 Casual Conversations and Personal Reflections

01:37 Introducing Kassi Underwood

04:09 Understanding Kassi's Work and Metaphysics

06:48 Intuition and Truth in Coaching

07:26 Exploring Dating and Polarity Concepts

08:46 Navigating Masculine and Feminine Energies

12:00 The Complexity of Gender Roles

16:34 Expectations in Relationships

19:51 The Rise of the Tradwife

24:19 Attention Economy and Self-Expression

26:35 Financial Dynamics in Relationships

32:41 Empowering Women Through Solidarity

33:31 The Need for Protection and Provision

34:22 Navigating Modern Dating Dynamics

36:25 Understanding Masculine and Feminine Energy

38:58 The Impact of Societal Expectations on Gender Identity

43:24 Defining Healthy Masculine Energy

47:37 Emotional Intelligence in Relationships

50:54 The Importance of Chivalry and Care

52:50 Cultural Implications of Gender Dynamics

Stay Connected with Legacy of Loud: https://linktr.ee/legacyofloud

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Legacy of Loud

02:45 Nancy Whang's Journey to New York

05:39 The Allure of New York City

08:13 Cultural Shifts and Community in NYC

10:55 The Evolution of Music Scenes

13:47 Generational Perspectives on Art and Music

16:27 The Impact of Digital Media on Culture

19:15 Audience Demographics and Music Appreciation

21:54 Family Connections Through Music

24:40 Nostalgia and the Changing Landscape of NYC

28:51 The Power of Community and Tradition

31:21 The Evolution of Live Music Experiences

33:58 Navigating Gender Dynamics in Music

41:54 Empowerment and Taking Up Space

We talk about fear, perfectionism, starting over (more than once), and the moment someone told her, “You’re not a producer — you’re a director.” If you’ve ever felt behind or scared to leap, this episode is for you.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction 

00:21 The Journey to Sugar Babies

02:46 Intimacy in Documentary Filmmaking

06:50 Understanding Sugar Baby Dynamics

09:46 Community and Connection in a Digital Age 

13:07 The Evolution of Sugar Baby Relationships

15:53 Reflections on Value and Community

21:00 The Journey to Becoming a Documentarian

29:24 The Art of Time Management and Creative Discipline

32:00 Unpacking Ancestral Trauma Through Storytelling

He organized.

As founder of the Better Block Project, he's mobilized 110+ neighbors in Bed-Stuy to solve problems the city won't fix: vacant buildings attracting crime, illegal dumping, broken bus stops, and negligent landlords who never pay their fines.

In this conversation, Tara and her daughter Fiona (a Gen Z journalism student) sit down with David to explore what civic engagement actually looks like in 2025—and it's messy, exhausting, and surprisingly hopeful.

IN THIS EPISODE: ✅ What it takes to get ONE building inspected (spoiler: 9 months and the head of the Department of Buildings) ✅ Why NYC has $1-2 billion in uncollected fines from negligent landlords ✅ The "bandos" confession: What Gen Z was actually doing in abandoned buildings ✅ Career advice for Gen Z entering the toughest job market in decades ✅ The work-life balance debate: Millennial vs Gen Z values ✅ How to actually create change in your neighborhood (persistence + organizing) ✅ Why the city solves symptoms but never root problems

CONNECT WITH DAVID: Better Block Project: betterblockproject.com

Weekly newsletter: Every Sunday at 9am Upcoming event: December 13th trash cleanup on Fulton Street, Brooklyn

FOLLOW LEGACY OF LOUD: https://linktr.ee/legacyofloud

0:01 Introduction

0:29 David's Background and Better Block Project

2:34 Challenges and Community Engagement

6:12 Persistence and Policy Change

9:08 Community and Policy Change

15:31 Intergenerational Perspectives and Values

Rebecca Alvarez, founder of Bloomi and trained sexologist, shares the research that shocked us: over 50% of kids see porn by age eight. She explains why “eight is too late,” how she convinced Target to change their sexual wellness aisle, and why building a pleasure-forward business during a recession actually makes sense. For parents who want to do better than what they got.

Rebecca grew up in a Catholic, Mexican-American household where “pleasure was not a word I heard until college.” Now she’s building a plant-based intimacy brand sold in Target, CVS, and Free People, while creating bilingual resources for parents who want to have better conversations than the ones they had. 

Rebecca’s free parent guide is available at www.thebloomi.com

Follow Legacy of Loud: https://linktr.ee/legacyofloud

00:00 Intro

03:15 Growing up in Catholic, Mexican-American household

08:42 “Eight is too late” - when kids see porn

15:30 Creating a sexology major at Berkeley

22:18 Starting Bloomi: why products matter

29:45 Changing Target’s aisle names

35:12 Recession-proof intimacy

41:38 ADHD and sex: creating containers

45:20 Expanding to Mexico

Karla is a partner at Tangerine, connecting exceptional talent with companies like A24, Spotify, OpenAI, and The New York Times. She co-founded Moody in 2017—the hormone-tracking app that became an Apple Top Health Pick and was featured in Vogue, Elle, and Forbes. Through Moody at Work, she's creating a new operating system for women in the workplace, transforming hormonal health from hidden career disruptor into source of strength

Connect with karla:.instagram.com/karlanewyork/

Follow our podcast: linktr.ee/legacyofloud

Legacy of Loud is Gen X mom and a Gen Z daughter having incisive conversations with ourselves, each other and our community. Hosted by Tara Averill (founder of Representation Co, 35+ years in NYC, decades of recovery) and her daughter Fiona Averill (journalism student at Northeastern University), we bring together wisdom-keepers, creative mavericks, and young disruptors for honest dialogue that goes beyond the algorithm. What do you know now that you wish you knew earlier? New episodes weekly. Subscribe so you never miss a conversation.