We had the good fortune of connecting with Denise & Brian Hendershot and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Denise & Brian, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
Brian is from Ohio and I am Denise from Alabama. These are two cities with very different cultures yet, they both held very similar boundaries and limitations when it came to race and relationships. We both grew up with very little; we found ourselves depending on outside help, extended family, friends, & neighbors. As with any struggle, you hope to dig deep to find a reason to be fueled to want a better outcome in your future.

Both our Grandparents played a very intricate part in our lives. Brians’s grandparents cared for him throughout his Summers, where his grandmother taught him to love, show compassion, laugh, and care for others. His grandfather was very direct and pushed to position Brian for hard tasks and lessons in life. He taught him to work for what he wanted and never back down from challenges.

My grandparents were my sole guardians; they were not as astute as Brians, grandparents. Mine held a 6th-grade education as the highest between the two of them. My grandmother taught me life through parables and old-wives tales, while the biggest lessons my grandfather taught me were to always keep your “word”, stand firm on your promises, and build key relationships as they are more important than financial wealth.

We both believe that the insertion of our grandparent’s teachings and care has been the catalyst that pushes us to want not more, but better. We in turn try our best to teach our Grandjoys a fraction, if not more of the lessons we learned from our Grandparents and also give them nuggets from the countless lectures we received – whether we wanted them or not lol.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Although we are branching out and trying new adventures, it’s all under our brand, DiverseLuv. Most people believe that our brand was derived from the love that we have as a diverse/interracial couple. But, DiverseLuv, was birthed because of our diverse thoughts and ideas, as we would share with each other in endless conversations. We have always been able to talk with one another, as we started our relationship from an emotional connection, so conversating tirelessly was just natural. We have different opinions on some topics, but regardless of our differences, we have crazy respect and love for each other, thus the brand, DiverseLuv.

Through these diverse conversations, we have always enjoyed a good cup of coffee, well multiple cups of coffee actually lol. This eventually drove us to create, Truth & Coffee Time, which started as just a social media blog. As you know we have now branched out into our own Podcast on Anchor, Spotify, and other major podcast platforms. DiverseLuv drives the conversations on the Truth & Coffee Time Podcast. We have also infused a “side-hustle & entrepreneur” segment that will be highlighting amazing & astounding people who are not afraid to take risks in their entrepreneurial journey and also share their extensive knowledge in their field of expertise.

Over a great cup of coffee, we share our experiences of over 32+ years, through bold conversations, to bring you joy, knowledge, and revelation, while you are navigating life, relationships, society, & culture. We have now recorded over 40 episodes, launched our website, started our merchandise store, and also I co-authored a children’s book, entitled GRAND JOY. We are busier than ever, but the gratification of helping and sharing with others is one of the ultimate blessings.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We are in the DMV, so the itinerary of things to do are endless. There is such rich and profound culture and history that every day can be absolutely different than the day before. The museums, zoos, parks, restaurants, festivals, concerts, art shows, poetry, Go-Go & more will keep you busy and also keep you coming back for more and more. It is truly the most ideal place to tour, entertain and just have a phenomenal visit. We would tell our friends to just come with an open agenda and we will do the rest.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
As veterans, we’ve had the blessing to travel to so many places. We’ve had so many people, churches, & organizations cross our path in this amazing journey, that has pushed us to get where we are today. They’ve inspired us along the way and we pray we have supported and inspired them as well. If they’ve been in our path they know who they are – thank you! Also in this “now” journey, our family is the most crucial part of our life puzzle – we are grateful! Lastly, to our new podcast listeners, family and friends – we love ya’ll for real!

Website: www.diverseluv.com and www.truthandcoffeetime.com

Instagram: @diverseluv and @truthandcoffeetime

Twitter: @diverseluv

Facebook: @diverseluv and @truthandcoffeetime

Other: Podcast: Truth & Coffee Time Podcast on all major platforms

Image Credits
Brigz Crawford

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutMiami is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.