Mia Bankston-Young’s voice was her ticket to the world: first to the bright lights of the stage, and then to a thriving career behind the mic. But it was the quiet, deafening silence of a Christmas Eve loss and a lonely pandemic apartment that taught her what she truly wanted to use her voice for: to build a home.

Born in Detroit to a musical father whose own career was cut short by illness, Mia’s journey is a profound study in resilience, legacy, and listening to the quiet call of your heart. From the vibrant halls of Tennessee State University to the grueling conservatory at Florida State, she chased a life in theater, only to have the 2008 financial crash redirect her path. In a padded closet in Brooklyn, she discovered voiceover, building a national career from the ground up that included campaigns for McDonald’s and becoming the signature voice for the OWN Network. In this heartfelt episode, Mia opens up about the earth-shattering loss of her father, the “golden handcuffs” of success, and the pivotal loneliness of the pandemic that led her to trade the New York hustle for Michigan soil, community, and a surprising new chapter of love and motherhood.

Tune in for an inspiring conversation about honoring a parent’s legacy by writing your own, the courage to redefine success on your own terms, and the beautiful, unexpected life that can begin when you finally give yourself permission to rest. This is the story of how Mia Bankston-Young found her most important role yet—not behind the microphone, but in the heart of her own home.

Connect with Mia Bankston-Young:

https://www.miabankston.com/

Connect with Curtis:

Website: https://www.uncoveredlegacy.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncovered_legacy_podcast/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/curtis.burke.1088

More About Uncovered Legacy Podcast:

The Uncovered Legacy Podcast is where storytelling is not just left at the kitchen table. Many of us walk through life leaving a silent legacy, but we’re here to change that by keeping those stories alive. Each tale will allow us to learn, discover, listen, and remember.

Join your host, Curtis Burke, for a trip around the world, through the smallest towns, biggest cities, oldest communities, and overlooked cultures. Because no matter where you're from, your part of history deserves to be heard.

--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/curtis-burke/message

Franklin Henderson's story begins in Miami, Florida in 1929, just as the Great Depression took hold. When his father passed away at age four, his mother was left to raise four children alone with only a seventh-grade education, surviving on government relief food and navigating the brutal realities of segregation.

In this episode, Franklin shares what it meant to grow up Black in segregated Miami, where every bus ride was a reminder of his place in society and every opportunity required fighting twice as hard. After graduating from Southern University and becoming a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (Beta Sigma,1950), he enlisted in the Army and shortly afterward became a paratrooper at a time when the armed forces were still navigating integration.

He speaks about the discipline, the danger, and the pride of serving his country, even when that country didn't always see him as equal. While serving at Fort Campbell in Kentucky he met the love of his life Doris (Bond) Henderson. After service, he pursued a second degree (Electrical Engineering) at Tennessee State University. He and Doris built 68 years together in Los Angeles, a marriage so strong that even after her passing in 2024, Franklin visits her grave daily, decorates their home as she would have, and refuses to leave the house they shared until his own time comes.

Franklin's story shows why legacy matters, not because it's perfect or easy, but because it's honest. He reminds us that a life well-lived is measured not in years, but in purpose, connection, and the dignity of showing up. Tune in as we witness how one man's journey from Depression-era Miami to present-day Los Angeles reveals the power of resilience, love, and never giving up.

Connect with Curtis:

Website: https://www.uncoveredlegacy.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncovered_legacy_podcast/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/curtis.burke.1088

More About Uncovered Legacy Podcast:

The Uncovered Legacy Podcast is where storytelling is not just left at the kitchen table. Many of us walk through life leaving a silent legacy, but we're here to change that by keeping those stories alive. Each tale will allow us to learn, discover, listen, and remember.

Join your host, Curtis Burke, for a trip around the world, through the smallest towns, biggest cities, oldest communities, and overlooked cultures. Because no matter where you're from, your part of history deserves to be heard.

--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/curtis-burke/message

Mica’s story begins in the Midwest, growing up in Iowa in a college town where she often felt out of place, but deeply shaped by education, movement, and strong family ties. Raised between two homes, with football Sundays spent alongside her father and a steady foundation from both parents, she learned early how identity, belonging, and perception are shaped by place. From graphic design and photography to graduate school in Minnesota, her path was never linear, but it was always driven by curiosity and a pull toward history.

In this episode, Mica shares how genealogy entered her life unexpectedly through art. What began as a photography degree and an MFA project turned into quilts mapping family histories, then into archival work, teaching, and eventually professional genealogy. She speaks candidly about the responsibility of uncovering buried stories, the ethical weight of working with DNA, and the care required when truth disrupts long-held family narratives. For Mica, genealogy is not about answers alone, but about how stories are handled, shared, and honoured.

Mica’s story shows why uncovering the past matters, not to rewrite it, but to help people move forward with clarity, honesty, and connection. Tune in as we witness how genealogy becomes a way of making sense of loss, restoring continuity, and reminding people who they are when systems fail and answers are hard to carry.

Connect with Mica Anders

Website: https://www.andersgenealogicalservices.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andersgenealogicalservices/

Connect with Curtis:

Website: https://www.uncoveredlegacy.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncovered_legacy_podcast/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/curtis.burke.1088

More About Uncovered Legacy Podcast:

The Uncovered Legacy Podcast is where storytelling is not just left at the kitchen table. Many of us walk through life leaving a silent legacy, but we’re here to change that by keeping those stories alive. Each tale will allow us to learn, discover, listen, and remember.

Join your host, Curtis Burke, for a trip around the world, through the smallest towns, biggest cities, oldest communities, and overlooked cultures. Because no matter where you're from, your part of history deserves to be heard.

--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/curtis-burke/message