The initial thought to create the podcast Truth Be Told came to Tonya Mosley after her daughter asked her a question. Tonya recalls driving through San Francisco with her seven-year-old in the back seat. Out of nowhere, the child questioned why all the homeless people she saw were brown. As a longtime journalist, this was something Tonya thought about often. But she had no idea how to explain the perils of systemic racism to a kid. Instead, she provided an age-appropriate reply. It was good enough for that moment, but Tanya wished she had a place to discuss such issues. So she decided to create one.

The podcast Truth Be Told is a form of an advice column. Its goal is to offer guidance for those who classic call-in shows usually exclude. Tonya feels that Black, Brown, Asian, and Indigenous people are not the main part of the discussions on those shows. If they are, the recommendation might be to try and integrate with the community, and to not make a fuss or get too angry. This podcast understands that the world is not always kind toward people of color. But if they band together, they can grow stronger, mentally and in spirit.

In each episode of Truth Be Told, Tonya answers questions related to joy in a racist society. She explores the emotions of not being enough in a certain minority group. Listener questions prompt her to examine feelings of grief for deported family members. The host tries to provide answers to struggles that are both internal and external. She also has experts, like Code Switch host Gene Demby and activist Virgie Tovar, to give advice.

The host of Truth Be Told does a great job creating a podcast that is comforting and educational at the same time. Often, she also incorporates documentary-style reporting in this American Public Media podcast. This addition makes even the hardest questions easier to digest. New episodes of the podcast usually come out on Thursdays.