The Breakfast Club - Exclusive sit down with Golden Brookes celebrating Girlfriends 25th Anniversary

Episode Date: June 24, 2025

Loren has a live, unfiltered chat with Golden Brooks (Maya on Girlfriends) and friends celebrating an art gallery and 25th anniversary party that you should check out!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an iHeart podcast. I'm the homegirl that knows a little bit about everything and everybody. You hear that exclusive? You know she don't lie about that, right? Lauren came in hot. Hey y'all, it's Lauren LaRosa and this is the latest with Lauren LaRosa. This is your daily dig on all things pop culture, entertainment news, and the conversations that shake the room.

Now when we talk about conversations that shake the room, we know that y'all love when we bring the live conversations, the sit downs here on the podcast. So I got something really, really special for all of my low riders today. If you've ever seen the show Girlfriends, and I kind of feel like a little like a duh when I say that, because who hasn't seen the show Girlfriends? But if you have or have not seen the show, Girlfriends, and I kind of feel like a little, like a dud when I say that, because who hasn't seen the show, Girlfriends?

But if you have or have not seen the show, Girlfriends, we are going to talk a lot about it today in this episode because we have a icon joining us, Ms. Golden Brooks, who played Maya on the show. Will be joining us to talk about an art exhibition that is taking place in LA, June 29th and June 28th at the Line Hotel in LA. So on June 29th and June 28th or June 28th and June 29th, I'm like, why am I saying it backwards like that? You'll be able to come out and check out some

art pieces that were all created by black women artists and photographers, because girlfriends the show is turning 25 or has turned 25 this year. So we, and when I say we, we talked to Golden Brooks, me, Delaney George, who was the co-founder of DCDG&Co, she put the whole exhibition together. She figures out what is the focus of the exhibition, who will we focus it on, what, and then she puts all the pieces to the puzzle together.

So she brought me in with an amazing dope artist named Brittany Bird. Brittany is creating some of the pieces in the show, as well as helping to bring other artists into the show as well. And in conversation with Golden Brooks, we got to talk a lot about what the show meant to us and pour into Golden Brooks' Maya from Girlfriends

just on her impact and what that looks like for us at our ages. And we started watching Girlfriends so long ago. And Golden Brooks is in this conversation just receiving all of the flowers. But for a lot of the conversation, she's kind of in awe still of the impact of Girlfriends. But Mara Brackekeel,, Golden, Tracy Ellis-Rawes, Lynn, everybody who has played

on this series, Jill, Marie Jones, I think that they all in somewhat and in some way understand how important they are, but I think it's different when you get to hear it firsthand from women creatives who've been inspired by the work. So that's what we're doing here. So take a listen to this exclusive sit down with Golden Brooks, Maya of girlfriends as we celebrate 25 years of the show.

Hi. Hi. Good morning. Good morning. Y'all are glowed up for Lani on a Sunday. I know that's right. All y'all are giving and all of y'all are glowing. I'm really excited to be here.

I've been in preparation for this conversation. I've been watching a lot of girlfriends and conversations that I went back through some of the art that we selected or that was a part of the major selection. And when we narrowed it down to for the exhibition that is happening in LA. And I don't know, I think it's just so dope how a show that we watch and now have been able to rewatch with our mothers or grandmothers or nieces or aunties and all these people

in our lives is now, we're now talking about it in a way of art and exhibition. I think that it's amazing to see art be able to be communicated in so many different ways. So I'm excited for this conversation. You know, I know you guys are without introduction, but if you want to just say hello really quick to all Nance and let them know what part you guys are playing in this, you know, 25 year anniversary art exhibition that we're putting on in LA that will be open to the public in a few weeks. I think that that would be a great way to kick it off. Yeah. OK. Oh, Golden Goot, you go ahead, Golden.

Oh, you go first. OK. OK. Well, hi, everybody on the live. I'm Delaney George. I'm the co-founder of Creative Fine Arts Agency DCDG. Also, this is our first iteration of our new brainchild Iconic Visions, which basically partners legends like Golden Brooks here

and other people of multiple industries, whether it's music, sports, entertainment, and put them in the role of the curator. So kind of like you said, Lauren, taking something that we all know and love within our culture and then bringing it into fine art in the galleries and putting a contemporary twist on something that we all know and love. So I'm super excited to be talking about this with you all, but also

to be bringing this to life with so many incredible Black women artists. That's what it's really about. That's what's connecting us. So I'm excited to get into it. Hi, everybody in the live. I'm so excited to be a part of this project. My name is Brittany Bird and I am a multi-hyphenate artist and creative and I am exhibiting a piece in the show and I'm just like, heart full. Oh gosh, hi you guys, I'm Golden Brooks, AKA Maya Denise Wilkes.

I was asked to sort of come along this journey and help curate and just pick some amazing art pieces from some of these, you know, these artists and to work with the DCDG. It's just, it feels like such an honor. I feel, I feel very. And I still get really emotional when we're talking about any girlfriends. And just knowing that the show is still moving and being celebrated and empowering communities.

And it's being used to, as the muse for this particular art exhibition, it's mind blowing. All of us, Tracy, Jill, Persia and I, we're just blown away at the amount of just love and support and still the train is moving. And I think it just shows that we need more of this. We need more representation and just girlfriends

to be able to be in the art space, which I love. I'm a huge art lover. I feel very honored. So thank you for having me. This is a show that we all know and love and all grow. But now to be taking it from the screen and putting it on canvas or gallery wall, I think that's something that everybody can relate to. So even if you're a person that's not traditionally trained in art or you're not into it all the time, I think this show is going to bring something for everyone to be involved in. It really is a collection about what sisterhood looks like.

And the pieces are beautiful. And I mean, I think that Girlfriends, what it represents to me is the whole culture of what it is to be, and not just a brown woman, but female, womanhood, from our hair to our skin to how we connect physically, metaphysically. I mean, some of the art pieces were so metaphorical. And you know what? I feel like art is kind of like a really good dish. Like some people, you may not know what you're eating. You may not know all the ingredients.

And sometimes it's intimidating when you go to a certain restaurant. You're like, oh, what is that? But once you eat it, it's texture. It's feeling. You just know when you know. And you don't always have to have the right terminology but when you look at something and it moves you and it evokes an emotion that's when you know that that piece is for you you know it's all feeling. Very true. Yeah and Goldie this is kind of like another full circle

moment for you because you guys were the African-American Museum in DC. We were, we absolutely were. It's hard to say. It just, it's, you know, I think because Girlfriends was so iconic, I feel so old when I say that, I'm like iconic. But I think because it was one of the first shows that actually celebrated, or you know, Mara Bucket Hill, you know, hats off to her, showing black women doing yoga and eating sushi and wearing fly clothes designer. I think that was the first time I ever heard about, you know, the, well, not really the Birkin bag because Sex and the City did it, but you had women of women of color wearing designer, you know, we talk about it.

And I just think that on so many levels, it showcased us in a way that we hadn't seen ourselves and all of our flaws, you know? And I think that that's something that I think women of color, it opened up a whole new conversation piece on the black woman in TV and what that looks like. And I think museums, I think it should be celebrated. And I think Girlfriends really was sort of the catalyst for a lot of other amazing shows that have come after it.

So I feel very proud to be part of that. Well, Golden kind of talked a little bit about what the show meant to her. But for everyone else here, I would love to know the first time you watched, this is like an icebreaker, first time you watched Girlfriends, what did it represent right away to you? And I feel like there's a version of us

who watched it now as we're older. But try and think back to the very first time you watched the series. I'm like, I think I want to say it might've been like around like maybe 2003 or four. My mom used to religiously watch girlfriends, like get off and then tune in and like we would literally sit in front of the TV together.

So in a way, girlfriend represents like a motherly bond for me because that's something that my mom did together. Like that was we ate our dinner, watched girlfriends and my mom would literally call Maya's like, Oh, hell no. All the time. She's probably watching this. Oh, no, no. Get in here and clean this room. Exactly. So I mean, that was definitely a bonding moment for me and my mom. So early 2000s for sure. And then it's like when I saw just the imagery of these Black women, me being that age, I didn't really get to digest all like the drama in the series. But they were just so beautiful and like fabulous in the fashion in a stock like every single episode everybody was on

point Tony with all of her designer and her product like crazy because like I mean growing up in New Orleans like we just did not see that type of caliber of Black women. And I think you said like that golden like that didn't just expose, you know, that exposed everyone to like the fact that this is what we can be these Black women who exist and that was like my first occurrences with it. It was inspiring to see that. But also, it was a bonding moment for me and my mom. I love that.

So beautiful. That's amazing. I think I started watching it in maybe like 2000 or 2001. I was definitely like in elementary school, but it was just like always on in my house. And it was like, wait a minute, they're owning homes in Miracle Mile? I know, right? And y'all in the series, they were like, y'all were,

because when I was 30, I was like, wait, because in girlfriends, they were like 29, 30, 31, right? Right. And like growing up, it's like, oh, wait, 28 with real jobs, law firms? Yeah. That was cool for me to see because it definitely gave me like inspiration. Like you can be outlandishly loud. You can be yourself. You can be outlandishly loud. You can be yourself. You can be exceptionally beautiful.

So yeah, it was a lot of inspo for me. Wow. Yeah, same. I agree with both of you guys' sentiments. For me, I think the first time I watched it younger, it was just like, it reminded me of my group of friends and my family. You always have the aunt who has a great job and you can tell her lifestyle. You go to her house and it's like, oh my God, and then you got your homework.

There were so many different people in one show, but they all were together. And I don't think I've ever seen that. Because I think other than that, a show that sticks out to me is like a Moesha. But it was different because she was younger, she was figuring things out, she was, you know, like there was a certain unapologeticness in girlfriends for each character in different ways. And I was young, like, wait, hold on, because she just, but wait, because yeah, so figuring all those things out as I was learning and growing now, I'm like, oh, the rewatch hit different. The rewatch is crazy.

I was like, wait, this is actually unhinged activity. So do you guys feel like now you guys are still so young? And I mean, and I know you watched it with your moms. When you look at it now, even for me, when I look at it now, you know, 25 I look at it now, 25 years later, and sometimes I see so many memes now online like who was the most toxic friend or, you know. But looking at it now, now that you guys are older, more mature, does it resonate in a way that, do you feel something different?

Do you feel like you're more connected to one over the other now that you're in a space of living your full flushed out lives? Hell yeah. For sure. Oh my God. I been watching that show. I rewatched it a few years ago with my mom.

And then I just rewatched it on my own, just moving to New York and wanting to, you know, you have that girlfriends, like, I want to take over the city, you take over the worldwide. And I feel like it depends on what I'm going through in the week I'm having, I might identify with a different character for a different reason. And I might need, like, I might need to be Lynn and just be

like free spirited, things are going to work out. I might need to be Maya and be like, uh-uh, fuck this, this is not happening. I might need to be Joan. I might need to be Jill and be like, hold on. Cause for me, uh-uh, fuck this, this is not happening. I might need to be Joan, I might need to be Jill and be like, hold on, because for me, uh-uh, I deserve that. Like, you know what I'm saying?

Like, it just depends on what I'm going through, but Marlbrock IQ, I think what is so genius about the show is that I've never, I could re-watch it a thousand times and find a different reason why I needed to watch it. Like the art, the story doesn't get old. You know what I mean? Why can't I just like, I don't need to see it again.

Girlfriends is bad. Right. Definitely timeless for sure. Cause like a lot of, I primarily work in fashion and art, but like a lot of the fashion girlies are like, oh, let's watch Sex and the City. No shake, great show. But I resonate more with like the characters on on girlfriends. Oh, man, thank you.

Yeah, it's referring to me too, because it's like, I think watching it as an adult, like the ages 28, through like 31 32. It's like, it makes it like they're still going through so many things that you would like imagine people not go through. And it's like, wow, these are grown women around my age that's going through the same thing. It's just like, it's okay to still be figuring it out. Girlfriends just showed such a spectrum

of different types of black women. They were all different in their way, but it's like, their situations happen to all of us. We're not supposed to go through any of that. So I feel like it's really hard for me to be like, you can be a career woman can be like on your stuff, but you're still going to have like reality happen. So I feel like girlfriends is kind of like that little hug that you need to be like girl,

like you're okay, like you're figuring out and that's okay too. Yeah, yeah, that's you guys are so on it. I love it. I love it. I it's it really is crazy how it still holds up, you know, and we're all still so very close. And I mean, the fashion. We always talk about, you know what, I would take this from Joan.

You know, ooh, you know, Lynn, let me get that little black sachet or her real estate dresses and Mai with her little sassy jeans. And I loved it. I loved that we're having this conversation. And I think we're all, I mean, as black women, I really think we're all those women, right? I think we're all that. And I think we have to code switch.

That's what we do as women of color, women in the arts, women in, if you're in the professional space, we're a little bit of Maya when we're with our friends, the sister girl, and sometimes we have to put on that hat when Joan in the boardroom, and sometimes we're the perennial student where we're constantly wanting to learn, like Lynn, and I think we wear so many hats as women of color

that we have to. And so I'm so proud of all three of you for being in the space that you are. And I think people underestimate how art really can inspire you, whether it's TV or an actual art piece or because we're moved by what is us and something that's familiar

and something that gives us, you know, legency to be that and to explore that and to express that. So I just think conversations like this are really important, especially for, you know, you guys and even younger generations. So that they know it's okay. It's okay to be you.

You know? And I know that that, we're living in a space right now where we're kinda told who we need to be. That's another thing we always talk about. Girlfriends was around at a time, but there was no social media. There was no Instagram, there was no, I mean, I think Facebook was just starting.

But art was my space, right? Maybe. Yeah. Yeah. It was my space, right? Yeah. But like, you only found out about Girlfriends by word of mouth. Like, if you was, you know, at the grocery store,

grocery store, grocery store. Yeah. It definitely was like a talking point in like, kind of every point of black women lineage I can definitely say from like grandparents to like my parents. Right? I mean, it was sort of like you had to go to your local Sunday dinner or to church or to a friend's house to talk about that episode.

Oh, did you see when Joan did this? Because you know, that's also how you know that it was the power of us. Because it was really like, we'd have to get fan mail to hear what people were thinking. It was like, oh, wow. Wow. So we would sit there and open up envelopes. And it's very interesting.

We're in a different time now. So the fact that we're still having this conversation, it just, it really makes me a little bit emotional. So. Thank you. All right, y'all. So that has been the sit down with Golden Brooks. Now make sure

again if you have not heard it enough throughout this conversation you will hear right now that you come out if you were in LA on June 28th and June 29th to visit the exhibition. It will be open to the public you can go out take a look at all the art pieces and you know Golden will be there. It's gonna be a great time it's gonna be a day full of creativity and conversation through the lens of black women creators, which of course, again, girlfriends, you know, it was T for that that is that's what they gave even though they weren't all artists, you know, they were painting this campus of what real life looks like for us. As black women and 25 years later, we still celebrate it. So at the end of the day, like I always tell you guys,

y'all could be anywhere with anybody having these conversations, but you choose to be right here with me. I appreciate you guys so much, lowriders, and I will see you guys in my next episode. This is an iHeart Podcast.