Victoria Levert is no stranger to the spotlight. As a seasoned TV host with credits across major networks like NBCUniversal, BET, Viacom, and CBS, she’s known for lighting up red carpets and studio sets with her signature charm and elegance. But when the LA wildfires came roaring through her neighborhood, it wasn’t just her home or possessions that were threatened—it was her identity, her safety, her entire foundation.

In a soul-stirring conversation on the AW Confidential Podcast, Victoria sat down with me to peel back the layers of survival that go far beyond the physical. “People think survival is just about making it out,” Victoria said. “But survival is also spiritual, mental, and emotional. It tests who you are at your core.”

And the fires tested her deeply. Victoria fled her home in Santa Monica with nothing but a laptop, phone, and the clothes on her back. For six hours, she drove through a literal hellscape—gridlocked traffic, flames dancing on both sides of the highway, and no clear plan on what came next.

This episode will remind you of the power of resilience.

Learn more about Victoria, visit Instagram @itsjustvick

Mauricio Mendoza, who stars as Raúl Garcia, leads the Tony-nominated Broadway show Real Women Have Curves. The actor has a recurring role in the new season of Tyler Perry's hit series, THE OVAL. His other credits include MATLOCK, THE ROOKIE, EAST LOS HIGH, THE LAST MAN ON EARTH, CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, and NCIS.

From center stage to the soundstage, Mauricio opens up about the power of Latinx storytelling, what it means to play a male role in a woman-centered narrative, and the emotional impact of portraying an immigrant story in today’s climate.

With a career that spans everything from East Los High to The Oval, Mauricio shares the truth he had to confront as an artist, an advocate, and a man stepping into a story that challenges stereotypes and uplifts the community.

This isn’t just about representation—it’s about evolution.

To learn more about Mauricio, visit: Instagram@mauriciomendozaofficial or True Forms Films.

Success. It’s a word we hear everywhere—but what does it really mean when you're not just climbing the ladder, but building your damn staircase?

Mariela Dabbah is a woman who didn’t just rewrite the rules—she created a movement. She is the award-winning author, TEDx speaker, and visionary founder and CEO of the Red Shoe Movement—a global career and leadership development company dedicated to advancing women into executive roles. Through initiatives like #RedShoeTuesday, she empowers women to define success on their terms and fosters inclusive leadership across industries.

The Red Shoe Movement has been featured in People, Forbes, CNN, New York Times, Yahoo!, CBS2, Univision, and many other platforms that champion leadership development.

In this episode, Mariela shared wisdom, offered a personal definition of success, provided actionable items to quiet the noise in our lives, and revealed the biggest myth women still believe. She also provides daily practices to align with our truest, best selves.

Get ready to redefine the hustle—and maybe even yourself.

To learn more about Mariela and the Red Shoe Movement, visit www.redshoemovement.com or Linktree for more details.

In this episode of AW Confidential, we’re diving headfirst into the bold, beautiful chaos of reinvention.

Meet Dara Woo—a woman who went from coding at Lyft to captivating audiences on Broadway in The Picture of Dorian Gray. Yup, she’s fluent in Python and Playbills. We talk about what it takes to leave a stable career for an unpredictable dream, the fears she had to silence, and why she refuses to be defined by one version of success.

This is a story about courage, duality, and breaking the blueprint. Whether you are stuck at a 9-to-5, chasing something more, or standing at a crossroads, Dara’s journey will speak to your soul.

💡 Spoiler: You can do both. And yes, your dream is valid—even if you only chase it on your lunch break.

Handbag Designer Kim Tran has been in the industry for many years, working with brands such as Coach, Vince Camuto, Crocs, Vera Bradley, and others. Now, she has created a collection of vegan and sustainable bags, popular for their simplicity and style.

Kim started Practice What You Love bags with a purpose. She partners with suppliers who produce materials and do construction in small batches. Ship with earth-friendly mailers, no boxes, and package recycling. The company also gives back by donating 15% of its profits to organizations close to its heart. Influencers like Instagram's @yourRichBFF, @Ohjoy, and @JamieMakeup have celebrated the bags for their practical and stylish looks.

The Karma Backpack is their best-selling product, is a looker, and great for daily or weekend travel!

AW sat down with Kim to discuss Practice What You Love designs, mission, career, definition of success, branding, giving back, and doing what you love.

Learn more at www.practicewhatyoulove.com

#fashion #careergrowth #founderstory #handbag #shopping #purpose #awconfidentialpodcast

This time, the mic turns toward me.

In this deeply personal episode of AW Confidential, I sit down with a licensed therapist, not as your host, but as a woman who's been doing the work.

For the first time, I open up about my journey through therapy, what healing has looked like behind the scenes, and the moments that broke me just enough to rebuild stronger.

We talk about trauma, truth, and the strength it takes to face yourself, not for the ‘gram, but for your growth.

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, this episode is a reminder that healing isn’t linear, therapy isn’t weakness, and you don’t have to carry it all alone.

This is for anyone who has been holding it in, keeping it in, and is finally ready to heal.

🎙️ Listen now. Your story deserves space, too.

Crystal S. Roman is the CEO, Founder of Black Latina Movement, Host of the Black Latina Summit, and Curator of Talks & Tequila.

The Puerto Rican-Jamaican activist is a native New Yorker. She attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

In 2008, she launched the Black Latina Movement and began performing her one-woman show, "Black Latinas," about the lives of dark-skinned Latinas and African American Latinas. In 2013, it became an all-female ensemble cast. The revamp led to sold-out shows getting recognition across many film festivals celebrating "Memoirs of a Black Latina," which she produced and directed! The play has been performed in many educational organizations. Among them are Penn State University, Lehigh University, The Smithsonian Institute, and The University of Southern California.

AW sat down with the Latina to discuss inspiration for platform, mission, post-performance feedback from students and faculty of institutions visited, the impact that today's political climate is having on funding, and how changes in the current administration affect the demand for this production, and the pivot she was forced to make after the shift took place.

We also talked about Talks & Tequila and the gatherings that are creating community, as well as how we can stay positive in times of change.

Learn more at www.blacklatinamovement.

In a world obsessed with going viral, Bob Treviño Likes It reminds us that the most life-changing moments often come from one small act of kindness.

In this soul-stirring episode, director Tracie Laymon joins AW Confidential to discuss the real story that inspired her film — and the emotional truths she had to face to bring it to life.

We dive into what loneliness really looks like today, the healing that happens when we stop performing and start connecting, and why being seen, truly seen, is one of the most radical things we can offer one another.

If you've ever felt invisible, this one is for you.

Bob Treviño Likes It is available in Digital EST and On Demand.