- This and more coming up on the Whitney Reynolds show.

So I was diagnosed with autism at the age of three.

Couldn't speak till I was seven years old.

And it was definitely a rough journey trying to figure out who I am and what I wanted to do and try to figure out my identity.

- The Whitney Reynolds show was supported by 10 West Real Estate Group, a real estate investment partner specializing in multifamily apartment investing and long-term wealth growth.

Kevin O'Connor Law Firm, when it comes to your injuries, we take it personally.

Respiratory Health Association, healthy lungs, and clean air for all.

Together at Peace Foundation.

Together at Peace creates hopeful spaces for grief and remembrance.

Through Comfort Club founder Christine Marzullo shares her personal grief journey and faith, which has led to healing hearts, faith-based programs, supporting healing in communities.

Joe perillo.com where you can browse a selection of pre-owned vehicles.

Joe Perillo is based in Chicago and ships all over the country.

Children's learning place, a school for our earliest learners dedicated to aiding every child with the power of learning center for beautiful living, empowering people to live rich, robust, and beautiful lives.

Additional funding provided by the Intrigue Yellow Chicago Lifestyle Foundation in Creative Lab FE MO High five Sports Club, Chicago Girls Strong Empowerment Apparel and XOMD.

- Even in life's - Toughest moments, joy remains a choice.

And today we celebrate those who choose it anyways.

Awakening the soul of our stories.

Come for the stories.

Save for the heart.

W you might recognize a new look.

We are ready to take things to the next level.

Whitney's here to share your dream.

It's the show I watching the Whitney Reynold Show.

Be - Careful Lives show - Dr.

Welcome Victoria to the show.

Thank you for having me.

I appreciate it.

Diagnosed with autism at just three years old.

Victoria didn't speak until she was seven, but she found another language that was rhythm.

Today the Chicago native uses West African drumming to help others on the spectrum express, connect, and heal to her mission to make sure every beat reminds people they belong.

Well look at you.

You brought your drum on set and you brought your true self.

Walk us back, what it was like growing up and not fully knowing what was going on.

- So I was diagnosed with autism at the age of three.

Couldn't speak till I was seven years old.

And it was definitely a rough trying to figure out who I am and what I wanted to do and trying to figure out my identity.

Basically, you know, going through bullying and you know, trying to find myself and try to fit in and doing a lot of crazy stuff just to fit in with everybody and stuff.

And I just realized, you know what, I need to stay true to myself and allow the drum to use me.

- Well, before you found the drum at, when you were three, what year was that?

- So that was like 94.

- 94, yes.

And I feel like autism has evolved so much over the - Years.

Absolutely.

- When you were diagnosed, did your parents get you in any type of therapy or was it something that it was kind of, let's figure it out as we go.

- So my parents got me into speech therapy when I was three years old and I took speech therapy from like age three to age four.

And they took me until I was seven years old to speak full in complete sentences.

So that was kinda like the journey of how I started with the autism.

- When you were in grade school, did you identify with others or did you always feel different?

I - Always felt different.

Very unique.

I had a hard time fitting in, got into a lot of fights and arguments with students, a lot of bullying and stuff, and being misunderstood.

So it was definitely rough in my childhood.

Growing up.

- For a parent with a child on the spectrum, what would you want them to know?

- I would like them to know, never give up, stay, don't let the world try to change your child.

Embrace yourself and you know, always stick to who you are and whatever opportunities that come your way, take advantage of it.

- Okay, so now let's bring the drum into the conversation.

Oh yeah.

'cause this was that life defining moment for you when you realize you had a unique talent.

Tell us about that.

- Yeah, so I, I started drumming, I would say 13 years ago.

A high school administrator gave me a DJ band as a gift for my high school graduation.

I didn't know anything about DJ band or anything about African drumming.

At first.

I was like rapping and singing and being on a, the windowsill growing up.

And then the, a high school administrator figured that, you know, djembe would be a great instrument for me 'cause she know I love music.

So she knew my gift that I knew them myself.

So I just took that djembe and I went to Old Town School for music in Chicago and I learned the tradition about what West African drum and I went from there.

- What I love about your story is your, you had someone who believed in you and saw the talent.

I think there are so many chances where we are as people in the universe, people in the world that we can see somebody else's gift that maybe they don't see in themselves.

- Yeah, absolutely.

If it wasn't for that, a high school administrator, I don't know where I would be.

So that's, you know, just a true true testament that if somebody believes in you and see your talent, you know, you have to thank them for, for real because I had a free gym bait from her.

And to use that gym bait to go to o top school for music and going to college and learning the, the instrument and learning the traditional rhythms, it was just icing on the cake.

- Now, when we were learning about your story, you originally wanted to play another type of instrument.

- Yeah.

- When you got the djembe, when did you connect that this is my thing?

- Well, I felt like the djembe was more like a spiritual thing, more like a healing type of thing.

You know, going through a lot of trauma and stuff like that.

And I, that's why I knew that the gym band was more special than the other instruments I've been playing.

- So when you went to the School of Music, how did you learn how to channel what people might've said was different about you into this creativity?

- Well, I just kind of just learned how to just tune in and stay focused and not allow the negativity to get my way and allow the drum to use me.

- How was it for you after all these years of not fitting in or having people bully you to have people look at you in your moment of creativity, art, and say, you are doing an incredible job?

- Well, it's a full circle moment.

It shows that, you know, if you believe in yourself and continue to, you know, prosper and continue to grow, that you don't have to worry about any negativity and you can keep going.

- So let's talk about going off to college with the Gym Bay.

You kept progressing your skills.

- Yeah, actually, when I went to college at Western Illinois University, I actually was joined the choir called Heritage Ensemble.

And I didn't, I didn't study djembe at college.

It was until after college.

That's when I realized, okay, this instrument is gonna be something special.

And not only being a person that has autism, but also being a female that's playing this drum is, will really, you know, stand out.

- And there was this moment when you were part of a group and you were misunderstood again.

- Yes.

- But you had already connected the dots of, Hey, I have a special gift.

And you really learned that you have to tell people, Hey, I have autism.

- Yeah.

- And this is what makes me, what you might consider different, but this is who I am.

- Right.

- Tell the viewers about stepping into owning your diagnosis.

- I had a hard time disconnected with people.

I had a hard time know with the sarcasm.

I didn't get a lot of jokes.

And because of that, I got into a lot of arguments to the point that the director had to pull me to the side, say, Hey, what's going on?

We don't want people to, you know, judge you and stuff like that.

And that's why I had to open up to say, I have autism so they can understand who I am.

I understand that.

I don't, I I don't understand sarcasm as much as you do.

I might perceive things different than you.

So it, it made me realize I have to open up about my autism diagnosis in or for people to understand me and not judge me.

So I think it's very important to make people aware of your diagnosis and not be ashamed of it so people could understand you more better.

- So when you chose to step up and claim who you are, how much joy did you find in that?

- I felt excellent.

It just shows that, you know, if you, you know, stand up for yourself and stay true to yourself, everything will come together.

- Okay.

Well I want to hear you play a little tune.

Who wants to hear her play a tune?

- Hey girl.

Yeah.

Good job.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

You wanna see a magic trick?

Why do you have to be so annoying?

Open the notes.

Stevie.

Stevie will - Say, why do you have to be so, okay, we're done here.

Ta In a world that can feel heavy sometimes joy is something we have to choose.

And no one captures that better than Chicago's own.

Craig Robinson.

Even before we started rolling, joy was already in the room.

Welcome to the show.

Thank you so much.

And chilly Chicago.

- Yes.

Very chilly.

- Very - Chicago.

Extremely chilly.

- Well, speaking of Chicago, this is your old stomping ground.

You know, you've done a lot in this city, being back here, - Born and raised.

- Born and raised.

South side, - South side.

- Oh yeah.

And even taught.

- Taught.

Yeah.

This is where where I started doing comedy.

- Yes.

- Yeah.

- So how does it feel being back in the city that really helped raise you?

- It's always good to be home.

It's, you know, it feels like a, a recharge, you know, you come back and just, you know, get that battery charged up.

Yeah.

- I'm ready to go.

Giving it.

I know.

And so with this new production that you're in and the voice, like, it's so weird because I've seen you in several different types of roles.

One in Knocked Off was one of my favorites.

- Thank you.

- And you know, you, you make us all smile.

But in this movie, you're a very pivotal part.

Your voice really brings so much joy to what's going on.

Walk us through how you channeled your inner draft.

- My inner bologna Tony.

- Yes, baloney Tony.

- You know, it's a, it's a collaborative effort is because you got the director who's super passionate about this project.

He's been, I think that it was nine and a half years from start to to now that he's been working on it.

So he's amazing.

Alex Woo.

And you know, he, this that infects you and you in there and, and you're making him laugh in the booth and all of that - In your dreams.

Craig voice, baloney.

Tony a goofy, heartwarming character who reminds us that joy doesn't have to be perfect.

I knew I smelled something rotten.

- Nice to see you too.

Joanne.

Stevie.

That's what I said.

Joanne, Stevie - Jovie.

- Ann, I feel like we're saying the same thing.

It was just finding the character was, was a fun journey.

And you know, you and doing voiceover, you got this freedom.

'cause you get to do as many times as you need to versus live action.

Like, okay, we gotta get this taken and get out, you know?

- Yes.

- But the but voiceover.

And you can even go back and say, oh, we can rerecord that.

'cause now I see something in this character that I didn't have before.

So there's a lot of collaboration, a lot of fun efforts.

- Did he give you a little bit of creative Right?

If you wanted to have a little more fun with the lines?

- Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

- Oh yeah.

- For sure.

For sure.

Yeah.

- Tell us one of the lines that you did that with.

- Because I saw it in the premiere and people were like over everything.

So it was like trying to figure out where, where I did what, - When you go in for these roles, do they find you or do they already say like, we know that you are baloney Tony in this?

Or did you go in and say, okay, I'm gonna try this.

- So this is the role of a lifetime?

Yeah, they, they, they called, - It's no surprise Craig always brought warmth to the screen.

And this time his voice carries the joy.

Well, and one thing about the movies, it does hit on some a difficult topic of family and how you stay together.

What do you hope the people walk away with - Exactly.

That no matter what you go through, we come down to having each other's back staying together.

- Hey Gu, something came up and I'm headed outta town super early.

You're leaving dad.

It's not like mom's gonna move.

Right.

- I just don't want you to worry, honey.

- And that's what choosing Joy really means, sticking together through it all.

When the movie was done, you said, you know, over the years, 'cause it took years to bring it to life, what was that moment when you were watching it at the premiere?

- Just, it's, so I saw it, it had a screening.

It was months ago, and then I saw it at the premiere and I, I didn't remember it in between how good it was.

And so it was, it was like watching and I'm just like, man, it's, it's the cutest movie I've ever been a part of.

It's so special.

It's funny, it's hard.

It's got the adult things that, you know, it's gonna make people go.

Okay.

- Right.

- So yeah, it's, it's just a honor to be a part of it.

- When you describe your journey, how do you do that?

- You know, there, there's a, I had some vision.

I think you do have to try to have a vision of what you wanna do.

So there was some vision.

My, my goal was to be like, like Larry on three's company, you know, so I started in comedy and then, and then soon after I was like, oh, I think I, I could maybe try to act, you know, so I took some classes and like I said, one would be like Larry and three, then Wacky Neighbor comes in, Hey, what's up?

And need to step back out.

And, you know, one, one things kept, one thing kept leading to another.

When I got the Office, I was, I was doing this, this character with Ger Minor who's a, a a fellow actor and he's a great improviser sketch player.

So we, we were doing a song and the song Somebody's Doing My Lady is what it's called.

So, so it was a silly song and it, it got some, some play on different outlets.

And so when I went in the office to audition Greg Gains was like, Hey, who saw your, your video?

He said, it doesn't get any funnier than that.

So where a normal person would probably be like, oh, well let me relax and have fun.

I was thinking, I can't be as funny as a video, I'm gonna lose this.

So we went and did that audition and you know, got the office and, And, and in between there, you know, there was a couple things that happened and you know, one, it was, it's one thing leads to another, but, but I'm still doing the work so that those things can lead to another.

- Right.

You do have to put in the work and with the dream.

And coming from Chicago, was it late on your heart at a young age or was it one of those things that as you progressed, you know, in the music world you realized, hey, maybe I could do acting - Well, I was like, it, it wasn't until I started comedy that I started to think, oh, maybe I could, you know, do acting.

'cause I started doing comedy.

I just, that's what I wanted to just like make a room full of people out.

- Well thank you so much for coming on and sharing your journey.

- My pleasure.

Thank you, Whitney.

Appreciate you.

- Born and raised on Chicago's Lower West Side.

Dre Rodriguez grew up surrounded by hip hop, but for Dre, the Rhythm of Life took a hard turn years in the streets and a decade in federal prison.

When he was released, Dre faced a changed world and a chance to rebuild that Second chance became Love City.

A movement using film, music, and storytelling to give youth the voice he once searched for.

You know, when we heard about your story, it's one that took many twists and turns, but through every chapter you have chosen to find the light.

Tell me what it was like in federal prison.

- It was definitely a dark, dark time of my life.

Just, you know, being ripped away from your family, from your environment, from your friends.

And yeah, it was something that it wasn't easy to get through, but you know, I found a way to get through it and it, some positive things did come from it.

I - Wanna go back to what you think led you into Federal prison led - I think what led me into federal prison was, you know, some of the life choices I made when I was a young person.

You know, I chose to, you know, run in the streets and just be around the crowd that wasn't really making the best decisions in their life.

- You know, for the viewer that maybe is younger and founder a show for the first time that is in a similar seat you were in, what would you say to them?

- I'd say it's real important to get good people around you.

And I know unfortunately that's harder for some people to do.

There are places there are, you know, whether it's school, whether it's you know, boys Club, whether it's Love City.

If you find some good people just like try to stay in contact with them, stay in tune with them.

- You mentioned Love City and it is one of those pillars that you're talking about a safe space for kids.

Is that why you created it?

- For sure.

So when I first got released from prison, I got hired to work as a street outreach worker with gang involved youth in, in the community that I, that I grew up in.

So I was just trying to give them the, the same type of guidance that I just spoke about earlier.

And I was trying to look for ways to connect with them.

There's such an age gap there.

These kids are like 20, 25 years younger than me and I was just trying to find common ground something that we could both get involved in that they'd be excited about.

And so when I came home from prison, there was a whole new world that wasn't around when I left the smartphone didn't exist when I left.

And that was the whole like kind of idea behind Love City, let's create some content and get the youngsters involved.

- I love that.

And the content you're creating, you're not only giving them the skills to create, but also take it and walk us through what exactly Love City does.

- So Love City is a digital media program revolved around like youth development and violence prevention.

So like you said, we don't only, we don't only want to give them the skills to be able to produce content.

We want them also to be able, like to tell their story.

To be able to be seen.

Just so, so they know like their story matters, their story's important, and a lot of times they don't feel that.

But once they see the reaction from like the community, once we do produce like a short film, a music video, it's kind of like empowering to them and inspires them to like keep going.

And now they have something in their life that they didn't have before and they, they understand like, you know, everyone has value.

- You know, one thing you just said, just as music to my ears, you said our tagline, your story matters.

And reminding these kids in every season they can find joy in their story.

That's exactly what you're creating.

How did you get parents to trust you with the background that you had for kids to come in and work with you?

- It definitely wasn't easy.

You had to just basically just show and be consistent.

And like I said, some of the kids I was working with were some, some not the easiest kids to work with that were having issues, you know, in school at home.

And the fact that I was making any type of connection that said a lot in itself.

So the parents like, welcome that.

- Well it's amazing too because so often, you know, there's been this like narrative switch in shame because the way I grew up, we didn't wanna talk about the dark stuff, we didn't wanna talk about the seasons that were difficult.

And when I got it to adulthood, I created a whole platform for that to say, Hey, let's take our life experiences and use those to help people after us.

Is that what you lead with?

- Yes.

So like I said, I was trying to just give them me as an example.

Like I understand what you're doing right now because you know, I've been through it and like I said earlier, it doesn't feel like you're making the wrong decisions, but just look at me, look at what happened with me.

And that doesn't mean you're a bad person.

That doesn't mean like if you did make a mistake, that doesn't mean your life is over and I'm showing you, I'm proving to you.

So that was one of like the special things about me coming back home.

I was getting my life together and I was almost trying to help them get their life together and it, it felt like we're doing it together.

- I love it.

Well thank you so much for coming on.

- Well thank you for having me.

- And now to a story that's serving up passion pivots and purpose Chef Soan Michelin starred top chef alum and former golfer has taken a journey from the fairway to the fine dining table.

His playful yet precise style blends, Korean roots, French technique, and American nostalgia, creating dishes that remind us joy can be crafted and chosen.

Welcome to the show, chef.

I mean, everything looks amazing here, but we have you on for choosing joy anyway.

And the way you worked your way into the kitchen was finding your true joy and combining your passions.

- Yep.

- Tell us a little bit about how you started.

- Oh man.

How much time do you have?

So food has always been a big part of my life.

Growing up in Korea, all the big holidays, my aunties, aunts, uncles, grandma, grandfather would get together and we'd always cook a big meal.

Being a chef wasn't my first choice when it came to my career.

I was a professional golfer before this, - Which is a major, like when I was reading, I was like, okay, golfer turned chef, - I took a little hiatus from golf, went to culinary school.

13 years later I'm here.

During that process, I got to cook at the players, the Ryder Cup a little bit, and I'm gonna be cooking at some other golf events, new future.

So I am kind of living out my dream indirectly, but the fact that I get to have golf at such a big part of my life just as much as cooking is, I'm very blessed.

- So I wanna go back to that pivot of, okay, I'm not gonna do golf anymore, but I'm gonna go to culinary school.

Who influenced that?

Or was it back to all the family mills?

- So golf now working out, I needed to find a way to financially support myself.

So I started actually waiting tables and bartending.

I was lucky enough to have a chef there who was constantly engaging me in new techniques, new ingredients, and you know, anything that's interesting.

And that kind of snowballed me going into culinary school and obviously the, the underlying passion and the love for food from family and get togethers kind of just catapulted the whole career.

- Well, and I'm smelling the wonderful smells that you have created with being a chef like Adelina Prime hit the market.

Did, - Did you - Get to influence a lot of the menu?

- Yeah, so Chef Nim and I, we didn't want it to be your boring steak and potato menu.

I think with the steakhouse we can offer so much more put emphasis on the vegetables just as much as the steak.

And same thing with the seafood.

So we have our sea bass here.

- Mm.

- With the coconut curry, some pickle mustard greens, just some crispy noodles on top.

This is one of my favorite dishes on the menu currently.

Instead of your boring old mac and cheese, we use rice cakes as the vessel.

- Oh.

- And then next to it is our carrot, a la ranch carrot that's been comb feed grilled.

And last but not least, so 22 ounce dry age and then a seed.

My number one goal is to make sure my management team, my chefs are happy, my cooks are happy, they want to come to work, they want to put out good food.

- Choose enjoy.

- Yeah, exactly.

And I feel like choosing joy to be at work and cooking wood joy, I think that shows in the plates and then the guest gets to experience it.

- I love it.

Well thank you so much for coming on.

- Absolutely.

Thank you for having me.

- Yeah, this is so good.

No matter what comes your way, joy is a choice that we can choose every day.

Remember, your story matters and so does your joy.

- The Whitney Reynolds show is supported by 10 West Real Estate Group, a real estate investment partner specializing in multifamily apartment investing and long-term wealth growth.

Kevin O'Connor Law Firm, when it comes to your injuries, we take it personally.

Respiratory Health Association, healthy lungs, and clean air for all.

Together at Peace Foundation.

Together at Peace creates hopeful spaces for grief and remembrance.

Through Comfort Club founder Christine Marlo shares her personal grief journey and faith, which has led to healing hearts, faith-based programs, supporting healing in communities.

Joe perillo.com where you can browse a selection of pre-owned vehicles.

Joe Perillo is based in Chicago and ships all over the country, children's Learning Place, A school for our earliest learners dedicated to aiding every child with the power of learning center for beautiful living, empowering people to live rich, robust, and beautiful lives.

Additional funding provided by the Intrigue, yellow Chicago Lifestyle Foundation and Creative Lab, FMO High Five Sports Club Chicago Girl, strong Empowerment Apparel, and XOMD.

- Want to stay connected to all things.

Whitney Reynolds will follow us on social media and you'll get exclusive content and updates from the show.

All episodes are available for streaming anytime.

Hi.