THE WATSONS. STRONGER TOGETHER.

Most of us are born into, marry into, or end up creating a messy family. The Watsons Stronger Together is a rare look at one that works, even when it doesn’t.

Carolyn, Beverly, and Carlos Watson open up about adoption, success, loss, resilience, and even their battle with the U.S. government. Their conversations are real, unfiltered, sometimes hilarious, and always full of love. Think Black-ish meets The Kardashians, but grounded in truth and heart.

This isn’t just a podcast. It’s a family movement. And you’re invited into the circle.

Meet the Watsons

THE ANCHOR

Carlos Watson

Carlos is more than a father. He’s the glue that holds the Watsons together. His story is one of resilience and responsibility, showing what it means to fight for family in the face of adversity. Whether sharing the weight of adoption, the fight with the government, or the everyday chaos of family life, Carlos is steady, strong, and unflinchingly honest.

THE SPARK

Beverly Watson

Beverly is laughter in human form. She has a gift for turning pain into humor, using wit as her survival tool through loss, struggle, and the rollercoaster of family life. Behind the jokes is a heart of resilience, love, and loyalty that shines through in every conversation. With Beverly, you’ll laugh hard, and sometimes cry harder.

THE VOICE

Carolyn Watson

Carolyn’s journey through adoption and self-discovery has given her a powerful perspective. She speaks with courage about the messy parts of healing, the strength it takes to show up for family, and the importance of telling the truth, even when it’s hard. She is the reminder that resilience isn’t about perfection, but about showing up again and again.

A delicious podcast 150 years in the making

THE WATSONS — A BRIEF TIMELINE

“Ours is a story of flight, faith, and fierce love — proof that the roots of a
family can reach across continents and centuries.”

— The Watsons

The name Rose first enters the Watson story — and never leaves.
~1860

The Escape

Dave Tuppins (later David Thomas), the Watsons’ great-grandfather, escapes a plantation in North Carolina.
He makes his way to Virginia, where he meets and marries Rose — the woman whose name and spirit will echo through generations. Together they raise three sons, including Reverend Otto Minor Thomas, a minister who teaches faith, education, and courage as acts of liberation.
From the sugarcane fields to the heartland — the Watsons’ journey becomesglobal.
~1890

Roots in Jamaica

Marxman Watson is born in the Jamaican countryside.
A farmer’s son turned master builder, Marxman works on the Panama Canal and later in Cuba, where he falls in love with the name Carlos.
By the 1950s, he brings his children — including Carlos Sr. — to Ohio, where Caribbean rhythm meets Midwestern resolve.
From segregation to sophistication — Rose’s spirit lights the way.
1931

A Rose in Bloom

Born in segregated Virginia, Rose Thomas Watson learns to blend grace and grit. Her life will carry her from the Jim Crow South to Portugal and Angola, and finally to New York City, where fate reintroduces her to a young Jamaican man named Carlos Watson Sr.
He waited years for her — and built a life worth waiting for.
1934

 The Builder’s Son

Carlos Watson Sr., son of Marxman, leaves Jamaica to chase education and opportunity across Ohio, New York, and West Virginia.
When he first meets Rose, she’s boarding a ship to Portugal. Years later, when she returns, he still remembers. Their love story begins in New York and endures for life.
Two educators raising four dreamers — a family built on curiosity andcourage.
1966

A Union of Strength

Rose and Carlos marry in Cincinnati, Ohio, launching a life filled with books, classrooms, and love.
Within five years they have four children — Crystal, Carlos, Carolyn, and Beverly — and move through Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Kalamazoo, and Miami chasing higher education and new dreams.
Both serve as teachers and mentors at FIU, University of Miami, Florida Memorial, and public schools.
Education wasn’t just a value — it was the family business.
1985–1990

The Next Generation

The Watson children scatter across top universities.
Crystal earns a PhD-MD overseas.
Carlos and Beverly become lawyers.
Carolyn earns her PhD in psychology.
The seeds of purpose sown by Rose and Carlos Sr. blossom into achievement.
From family ideals to national impact.
1997–2002

Building a Movement

Carlos, Carolyn, and a friend co-found Achieva, a groundbreaking education company helping 100,000 students across 75 districts, from New York to Chicago to Miami.
The Washington Post acquires Achieva and merges it into Kaplan, turning the Watsons’ vision into a national movement.
Four siblings. One mission: to make meaning.
2000s

Expanding Horizons

Each Watson takes a different path:
Crystal pioneers medical research.
Carlos becomes a journalist and TV host on CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, and BET.
Carolyn builds a thriving therapy practice.
Beverly becomes a global lawyer and diplomat.
When the world turned on them, they turned to each other.
2012–2023

The Rise (and Test) of OZY

With help from Rose and Carlos Sr., Carlos Jr. launches OZY Media — a home for fresh ideas and rising voices.

OZY grows into a cultural force:
5 newsletters • 14 TV shows • 10 podcasts • 4 festivals • 229 clients • $250M in contracts • An Emmy Award

When BuzzFeed fails in its attempt to buy OZY, its editor Ben Smith launches a smear campaign, triggering a wrongful prosecution.

The Watsons face it with grace, faith, and unity.
Faith didn’t just sustain them — it redeemed them.
2023–2025

Grace Under Fire

Despite biased judges and dishonest prosecutors, the Watsons endure.
Their steadfast faith draws allies from across the nation.
With help from President Trump and Clemency Director Alice Marie Johnson, both Carlos Watson and OZY are granted full clemency, vindicating their fight for justice.
From enslaved ancestors to Emmy winners — 150 years of brilliance, stillunfolding.
2025

The Rebirth: ROSE Media

In honor of their mother — and of every silenced voice that deserves to be heard — the Watsons launch ROSE Media.

Its first slate of shows embodies resilience, intelligence, and joy:
🎙 From Behind This Chair
🎙 The Carlos Podcast
🎙 The Watsons: Stronger Together

WHY STRONGER TOGETHER?

“The Watsons: Stronger Together” isn’t just a podcast. It’s a living legacy —

150 years of resilience, love, and reinvention, shared one conversation at a time.

WATCH NOW