The Steve Harvey Morning Show

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Leonard S. Graham.
Social Security disability advocate, Leonard S. Graham joined Rushion McDonald on Money Making Conversations Master Class to explain how Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) really work, who qualifies, and how misconceptions prevent people—especially within the Black community—from receiving benefits they are legally entitled to. Graham has over 35 years of experience assisting clients nationwide with disability claims, appeals, and hearings.
The conversation sheds light on the disability process, eligibility, the appeals system, the role of advocates vs. attorneys, and the importance of education, honesty, and persistence in navigating Social Security.
🎯 Purpose of the Interview
The interview aims to:
Educate listeners on Social Security disability benefits, including eligibility, filing, and appeals.
Debunk common myths, such as the belief disability is only for seniors.
Explain SSDI vs. SSI, work credits, resource limits, and Medicare connections.
Highlight the importance of advocacy, especially for underserved communities unfamiliar with the system.
Encourage individuals not to fear or stigmatize applying for disability, and to avoid misinformation from non‑professionals.
🔑 Key Takeaways 1. Disability Isn’t Just for Seniors
Many mistakenly think Social Security disability is only for people over 65, but anyone with the required work credits can qualify, regardless of age—even individuals in their 20s or 30s.
2. Working Does NOT Automatically Disqualify You
Applicants can work while applying as long as they do not exceed the monthly substantial gainful activity (SGA) threshold of $1,690 per month.
3. Every Claim Is Unique—Don’t Compare Your Case to Others
Graham warns clients not to take advice from neighbors or relatives because each disability case depends on medical evidence, work history, age, and individual conditions.
4. SSDI Requires Work Credits; SSI Is Needs-Based
SSDI: Requires 20 credits minimum, 40 credits for maximum benefit, earned through past work. Assets do not affect eligibility.
SSI: For people with low resources ($2,000 single / $3,000 married). Primary home/car do not count as resources.
5. Medicare Comes After Approval
Medicare eligibility begins 24 months after being awarded SSDI benefits.
6. Appeals Are Normal—Most Initial Claims Are Denied
95% of initial applications are denied, and the real opportunity often comes during a hearing before an administrative law judge. Persistence is essential.
7. Honesty Prevents Fraud & Overpayments
Applicants should always disclose their financial situation truthfully to avoid fraud investigations and repayment demands.
8. Disability Benefits Can Provide Back Pay
Approved claimants often receive a Notice of Award detailing monthly benefits and any back pay owed. Representatives are only paid from back pay—not monthly benefits.
9. Stigma & Fear Prevent People from Applying
Graham emphasizes that pride, fear, and misinformation often stop people—especially in the Black community—from seeking help, even when disability support could save them financially.
🗣️ Notable Quotes ✔ On Who Needs Disability
“What if you get in a car accident… or have an illness and you can’t work? Those are reasons to file for disability.”
✔ On Misinformation
“Don’t talk to your neighbor or relatives about your claim… Each claim is its own individual claim.”

✔ On Work Limits
“You can still work and have an active claim as long as you don’t gross over $1,690 a month.”
✔ On Stigma
“Some people feel applying for benefits makes them look a certain way. But the system is there to help you when you are unable to work.”
✔ On Honesty
“Just tell the truth. If they catch you on the fraud side, you’ll have to pay the money back.”
✔ On Perseverance
“Getting a denial is nothing out of the norm… The key is to continue with the claim.”

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST
Support the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/
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Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning!
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald, interviewed Jocelyn Pearson.
Purpose of the Interview
The interview on Money Making Conversations Masterclass with Rushion McDonald and Jocelyn Pearson aimed to:
Share Jocelyn’s journey of graduating debt-free by securing $126,350 in scholarships.
Educate families on how to avoid student loan debt through her proven system, The Scholarship System.
Dispel myths about scholarships and provide actionable steps for parents and students.
Key Takeaways
Scholarship System Approach
Jocelyn developed a six-step process to simplify scholarship applications and avoid overwhelm.
Focus on breaking the process into small, manageable steps rather than a vague “go get money” directive.

Common Myths Debunked
Too early or too late to apply: Start by junior year; it’s never too late—even college seniors can apply.
Only perfect students or low-income families qualify: Many scholarships don’t require high GPA or athletic ability.
All good scholarships are gone: Smaller, local scholarships ($500–$5,000) add up over time.
It takes too much time: With a system and reusable materials, effort decreases each year.

Avoiding Scholarship Scams
Beware of “easy,” “enter to win,” or sweepstakes-style scholarships—they often sell personal data.
Real scholarships require effort and personalization.

Role of Parents
Parents should help with planning and identifying legitimate scholarships but not complete applications for students.
Committees can detect when parents write essays.

AI in Scholarship Applications
Jocelyn warns against copy-pasting AI-generated essays.
Her platform introduced TESS, an AI assistant for ethical guidance and support.

Financial Aid Basics
Submit FAFSA even if you think you won’t qualify; some colleges and states require it.
Combine all sources—government aid, institutional aid, and private scholarships.

For Current College Students
Check with financial aid offices, academic departments, and organizations for scholarships available after freshman year.

Entrepreneurial Journey
Jocelyn turned her passion into a business by starting with a book, building an email list, and launching webinars.
She emphasizes persistence and ignoring naysayers.

Notable Quotes
“I had to accumulate my way to getting college paid for—the mere mortals’ way to going to college without tons of debt.”
“Most families want scholarships, but they get stuck in the overwhelm.”
“There’s no big red easy button—but with clear steps, it feels less daunting.”
“We’re saying no to the broken system… It takes, on average, 21 years to pay off student loans.”
“With great power comes great responsibility—AI can help, but only if used ethically.”
#SHMS #STRAW #BEST
Support the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning!
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Marsha Evans.
A licensed mental health therapist, founder of Willow Tree Counseling & Educational Center, and creator of the FELT Experience and Marsha Listens wellness platform. The conversation centers on emotional health, nervous system education, sound therapy, community healing, and her evolution as a therapist and entrepreneur. Marsha shares her personal journey from being a competitive athlete to becoming a calming force for high‑functioning individuals dealing with burnout, stress, and emotional disconnection.
She explains the origins of her signature FELT Experience, a wellness model designed to help people reconnect with themselves through somatic movement, sound healing, intentional rest, and community. She also highlights the challenges and breakthroughs in mental health—particularly within the Black community—and reflects on 16+ years of therapeutic practice.
Purpose of the Interview
The interview aims to:
1. Introduce Marsha Evans’ holistic mental health approach
Rushion invites Marsha to explain how she blends psychology, somatics, and sound‑based healing to help people process stress differently.
2. Explain the FELT Experience and its healing framework
Marsha details her signature F.E.L.T. model—Free, Expand, Listen, Transform—and why embodied emotional experience is key to healing.
3. Share her personal journey
She discusses how sports, music, and modalities like breathwork and yoga helped her turn stress into purpose.
4. Encourage new perspectives on mental health in the Black community
She and Rushion address the stigma, evolution, and growing acceptance of mental health support.
5. Showcase community‑centered healing
Marsha emphasizes connection, shared experiences, and intentional spaces that allow vulnerability and transformation.
Key Takeaways 1. Healing Requires Intentionality
Marsha explains that activities like massage or yoga can be therapeutic—but only when approached with intentionality, presence, and consent to release emotional tension.
2. The Body Holds Stories (“The body keeps the score”)
She emphasizes that the body stores emotional experiences, and modalities like breathwork, sound healing, and somatic movement help release what the mind can’t articulate.
3. The FELT Framework
The FELT Experience moves participants through:
F – Free: Permission to just be (coloring, resting, arriving without expectations)
E – Expand: Allowing the body to open and receive
L – Listen: To one’s own body, movement, and emotional cues
T – Transform: The hardest phase—moving from chaos to peace
4. Safe Community Spaces Accelerate Healing
Marsha’s events often result in participants forming friendships, emotional breakthroughs, and even planning outings together—an indicator of her program’s power.
5. People Are Conditioned to Avoid Emotions
Growing up, she was taught to hide emotions in competitive sports—especially tears as a sign of weakness. Her therapeutic mission now is to help others unlearn similar conditioning.
6. Cultural Shifts Around Mental Health
Marsha highlights major strides in the Black community, especially post‑COVID, as more people (including athletes) publicly acknowledge mental health struggles.
7. Therapy Isn’t Just Talking
She incorporates nonverbal tools like:
Play therapy
Sand tray therapy
Sound healing
Somatic movement
Yoga
These help clients who can’t articulate their emotions—especially those conditioned to suppress them.
8. Human Connection Still Matters—even in an AI World
Marsha is open to exploring AI in mental health but insists that physical presence, touch, and human empathy are irreplaceable.
Notable Quotes (from the transcript) On her calming presence
“I think laughter is good for the soul… just being able to find peace has been really big for me… It’s just a God‑given talent.”
On coping mechanisms
“As long as I had some type of music or some form of therapy… I could navigate any stressful environment.”
On cooking as therapy (reflecting Rushion’s habits)
“You’re creating new neural pathways… recalibrating your nervous system.”
On intentional healing
“Yoga and massages can be therapeutic, but you have to be intentional.”
On the purpose of the FELT Experience
“In order to release whatever your body is experiencing, you have to have a felt experience.”
On the challenge of transformation
“We are used to chaos… but we’re not used to healed environments.”
On the evolution of her practice
“I wanted to understand the whole person… and help them change the dial on their dashboard to fit their calling.”
On mental health in the Black community
“People perceive admission as a flaw… but healing is about understanding your story.”
On creating safe spaces
“By creating a space of safety and healing… people get to live the life they desired and not a life from survival.”
#SHMS #BEST #STRAW
Support the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning!
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Kelsey Nicole Nelson—award‑winning sports media personality, and entrepreneur. She joins Rushion McDonald to discuss her journey in sports journalism, entrepreneurship, branding, and building a successful multi‑hyphenate career. She details how she built her media presence from the DMV area, launched her branding and digital communications company, navigated a male‑dominated industry, and leveraged authenticity, work ethic, and strategic networking to grow both her journalism and business ventures.
🎯 Purpose of the Interview
The interview was designed to:
Highlight how Kelsey built a career in sports journalism, on‑air talent, content creation, and entrepreneurship.
Explore the creation and mission of her digital branding and communications company, KryptiaNN.
Provide guidance for aspiring journalists and entrepreneurs navigating today’s evolving media landscape.
Discuss the importance of authenticity, networking, representation, and strategic risk‑taking in developing a long‑term career.
🔑 Key Takeaways 1. Building a Media Career Starts with Identity, Roots & Confidence
Her upbringing in the DMV and her HBCU‑rich family culture shaped her early exposure to sports.
She emphasized being confident in spaces where representation is limited and carrying the responsibility of opening doors for others.
2. Entrepreneurship Grew Out of Demand for Her Skills
KryptiaNN was born when people repeatedly sought her help for branding, social media, and communications—and her tax professional advised formalizing it as an LLC.
The name “KryptiaNN” is a tribute to Black history, Egyptian culture, and her own branding identity.
3. Career Growth Comes from Work Ethic + Relationships + Visibility
She built her national profile after a podcast interview with LaVar Ball went viral, leading to coverage on major platforms.
Networking, showing up at events, and being active in the sports community helped her become a Heisman Trophy voter.
4. Journalism Today Requires Branding, Storytelling & Ethical Grounding
She teaches sports media at George Washington University and stresses ethics, objectivity, and authenticity.
She explained that today’s journalists must also be content creators, with employers evaluating social media presence as part of hiring.
5. Entrepreneurship Requires Client Base, Visual Branding & Courage
She advised new entrepreneurs to secure initial clients before launching.
Strong online visuals and consistent content creation are essential for credibility.
6. Relationship‑Building Matters in Athlete and Nonprofit Work
Working with athletes requires trust, knowledge of sport, and navigating personal brands.
A decade of nonprofit communications experience helped her develop the communications and relationship‑management skills that fuel her company today.
🗣️ Notable Quotes from the Interview On Career Confidence & Identity
“There’s never been a room I haven’t walked in with confidence… I own being a Black woman and love it.”
On Journalism
“There are two things no one can teach you—work ethic and passion.”
“Ethics means being unbiased, being objective… leaving your biases at the door.”
On Entrepreneurship
“Fear is always real… but the field called me into entrepreneurship.”
“You need to have some clientele—you don’t want to start entrepreneurship with your bank account negative.”.
On Branding & Social Media
“Brand yourself. Don’t think people are just going to come to you.”
“Have at least one piece of content posted every day.”
On Athletes & Image
“The first thing people do is look you up—your track record matters.”
“Some things you have to soak in silence and take the higher road.” (Discussing athlete PR mistakes).
On Her Purpose
“I’m driven by one word—legacy.”
#SHMS #STRAW #BEST
Support the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Steve Harvey Morning Show for Friday, March 27th, 2026: Steve Harvey's Morning Inspiration | Show Open | Nephew Tommy's Run That Prank Back - "Your Trash Stinks" | Ask The CLO | Trending & Entertainment News | Another Women's Month Poetry From Junior | Roscoe Wallace | Nephew Tommy's Prank - "Wedding With Butchy" | Strawberry Letter - "I Don't Like His Features" Pt. 1-2 | Junior's Sports Talk | Social Media Advice | No More Encrypted DMs | Would You Rather | Steve Harvey's Closing Remarks
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