Welcome to the Melanin Muses Podcast

A bold podcast hosted by two women of color diving into the emotional and psychological layers of anime, pop culture, and the stories that shape us.

Every other week, we dive into the stories, characters, and moments that move us — unpacking the emotional layers of our favorite worlds while exploring how they mirror our own growth, identity, and healing.

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Two women wearing gold crowns posing confidently in front of architectural columns

The Melanin Muses Podcast is a vibrant, soulful space where anime, pop culture, and emotional intelligence collide.

We celebrate the artistry, storytelling, and representation that inspire us — while exploring how those same narratives teach us about ourselves.

Whether we’re unpacking trauma in Attack on Titan, finding peace in Studio Ghibli, or laughing through One Piece chaos, every episode blends geeky joy with grounded insight.

We talk fandom, feelings, and the beautiful mess of being human — all through a melanated lens.

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Meet Your Muses

  • Niki "Cleo" Brogen

    Founder | Producer | Host

    The Creative Systems Muse — where design, storytelling, and self-discovery align.

    Niki is a Creative Systems Designer, Squarespace expert, and brand strategist who lives at the crossroads of creativity and structure. With years of experience in branding, web design, and operational strategy, she’s passionate about helping small businesses and creatives find their flow — both visually and behind the scenes.

    As the creator and producer of the Melanin Muses Podcast, Niki built the show from the ground up — designing the logo and branding, organizing episodes and scripts, editing each recording, and managing all the backend systems and social media with her signature precision and flair.

    A storyteller at heart, Niki brings her design sense and emotional intuition into the world of fandom, exploring how pop culture and personal growth intertwine. Whether she’s building a brand, breaking down anime symbolism, or talking about healing through art, her approach is always grounded, intentional, and a little bit magical.

    When she’s not designing or recording, Niki can be found caring for her doggos, playing LADs (if you know, you know), watching anime, listening to EPIC: The Musical, or getting lost in a good fantasy novel — usually with coffee in hand, of course.

  • Ben "Booth Man"

    CEO & Lead Content Director - Scope Productions | Lead Editor & Technician - MMP

    Booth Man" aka Benjamin Collins is the lead editor and technician for the Melanin Muses Podcast. His primary job however, is CEO and lead content director at Scope Productions. His involvement in the podcast stemmed from a series of podcast collaborations with Cali on some of Scope's other shows like "Die Time," and "The Return of the Movie." Ben wanted to bring The Melanin Muses podcast back from hiatus to the Scope YouTube channel with improved production value and a more focused format.
    You can find Ben taking long walks on the beach, and throwing dice at people he doesn't like at random locations in the Philadelphia area.

  • Ishara "Callie" Pinkney-Lee

    Co-Host
    The Counselor Muse — where mental health meets meaningful storytelling.

    Callie is a Clinical Mental Health Counselor, aka a therapist with many years of experience supporting clients from all walks of life. She brings empathy, insight, and a therapeutic touch to every conversation.

    While Callie draws from her professional counseling background for our episodes, it's important to keep in mind that she is not YOUR therapist and the discussions shared on Melanin Muses are for reflection and entertainment- not a substitute for therapy or mental health treatment.

    When she's not counseling or recording, you'll find her cosplaying, doing lightsaber choreography, gaming, or diving deep into folklore and film always finding new ways to make meaning of the stories we love and the human experience."

Why We Created This Space

For the Dreamers, the Feelers, and the Fandom Fam

We started Melanin Muses to carve out space where Black voices (and all voices), emotions, and creativity could thrive in fandom culture.

This isn’t just a podcast — it’s community, it’s connection, and it’s a celebration of storytelling through our unique lens.

We’re here to geek out, get real, and grow together — one episode at a time.

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Scope Productions

SCOPE was founded by Abrham Bogale and Ben Collins, two Temple University grads who traded student debt for filmmaking dreams. With just $400, a handful of gear, and an unshakable belief in their craft, they built what would become SCOPE — a production company that blends creative vision with technical precision while never losing the spark that started it all.

Abrham and Ben’s collaboration began long before college — back in middle school, where their early multimedia projects laid the groundwork for the storytelling style SCOPE is known for today.

Now, SCOPE is a Philly-based team of producers, editors, and all-around creative troublemakers with over 40 years of combined experience in YouTube and content creation. Together, they craft bold, engaging media that doesn’t just meet expectations — it shatters them.

Because around here, they don’t just make content.
They make it rock your socks off.

Check out Scope Here!

Your story stays with you — we keep your information safe and private, always.