The statistics on Black education in Alabama tell a painful truth—our children are being pushed out of classrooms and into courtrooms. Dakarai Larriett knows this struggle firsthand. After his own false arrest at 42, he turned his trauma into a mission for justice and educational reform. In this episode, Dakarai joins host Janice Robinson-Celeste to unpack how systemic bias and over-policing impact Black families—and what parents can do right now to break the cycle.

00:00 Welcome & Context01:51 Meet Dakari Larriett05:03 Book Inspiration07:57 The Talk & Survival16:59 Justice System Impact19:05 Advocacy & Reform30:03 Education Inequity34:25 School to Prison Pipeline39:43 Black Dads Advice40:17 Hope & Moving Forward41:47 Conclusion

Discover real stories of Black parenting, racial profiling, education reform, and systemic advocacy from Dakari Larriett. Watch, join, and share your voice.

If trauma can be inherited, so can healing. In this transformative BACKtalk episode, ancestral health educator Gilbert Martina reveals how Black parents can break cycles of generational trauma using rituals of belonging, storytelling, and cultural connection. Drawing on Afro-Caribbean traditions and modern science, Gilbert shares daily practices that help families reduce stress, strengthen identity, and raise emotionally resilient children who know where they come from—and where they’re going.Gilbert Martina is an ancestral health educator and former healthcare executive from Curaçao who helps families heal generational trauma and strengthen cultural identity. His forthcoming book, Healthy Minds – Healthy Nation (supported by the Dutch Foundation for Literature), amazingly shows how reconnecting with ancestral practices can reduce stress and build resilience in kids and parents. Gilbert is the founder of The Blenchi Sanctuary and speaks internationally on parenting, belonging, and community healing.Connect with Gilbert on social media.IG: https://www.instagram.com/gilbert.martina LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilbertbmartina/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/gilbert.martina.35/

How To Keep Kids Listening (and Loving It! | Ms. Monica on Positive Parenting & Preschool Strategies

Welcome to Back Talk, the official podcast from Successful Black Parenting Magazine!

🎙️In this episode, we are joined by YouTube star and educator Ms. Monica (Monica J. Sutton) — the beloved host of the preschool show “Circle Time with Ms. Monica.”

With over 1 million subscribers and collaborations with Disney, Crayola, and Educational Insights, she has turned a simple classroom idea into a global movement for families.

🌍As an Early Childhood Educator and Child Behavior Specialist with over 21 years of experience, Ms. Monica holds a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and is certified in Special Education. Since launching her hit YouTube series in 2020, she has inspired millions of parents and children to make learning joyful again.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:✨ The Power of Routine & Structure: How daily routines can calm chaos—without being overly strict.

🎧 Getting Kids to Listen: Discover Ms. Monica’s signature “Pause to Connect” technique.

📵 Managing Screen Time: Make technology meaningful instead of a digital babysitter.💛 Discipline with Empathy: Correct your child with love and understanding.🧒 Handling Stubborn Behavior: Why consistency and clear family rules are essential.😢 Tantrum & Meltdown Management: What to do when emotions run high.🌿 Self-Care for Parents: How to stay patient, calm, and connected even when life feels overwhelming.⭐

Building Confidence & Independence: Fun classroom-inspired activities to encourage growth at home. In this heartwarming and practical conversation, Ms. Monica reveals how Black parents can bring the “Circle Time magic” into their homes — helping children listen, follow directions, respect boundaries, and build confidence, all while having fun!

📱 Connect with Ms. Monica: Follow her everywhere → @MonicaJSutton💬

Join the Conversation: Like 👍 | Comment 💬 | Share 🔗 | Subscribe

🔔Use the hashtag #BackTalk to share your thoughts and parenting journey!

As parents, we send our children to college with hopes of safety, inclusion, and opportunity—but today’s campuses are under siege. With DEI rollbacks, the end of affirmative action, and rising mental health concerns, Black students face unprecedented challenges.In this episode of BACKtalk, Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum—acclaimed psychologist, former Spelman College president, and author of the new book Peril and Promise: College Leadership in Turbulent Times—shares straight talk on what these changes mean for our children. From navigating hostile policies to finding hope in HBCUs and inclusive leadership, Dr. Tatum provides parents with the insight and tools they need to prepare their students for success in today’s turbulent higher education landscape.

What if hip-hop could be more than music? In this episode of BACKtalk, we sit down with Dave Joisil — better known as Mr. J — whose YouTube channel Hey! It’s Mr. J! has earned over 1 million views for blending fitness, hip-hop, and social-emotional learning. He shows parents how rhythm, movement, and positivity can transform everyday moments into lessons of confidence, discipline, and joy. From healthy habits to emotional regulation, discover how to use music and play to raise resilient, empowered kids while celebrating positive Black male role models in children’s media.

What if the system is stacked against your child before they ever step into a classroom? In this episode of BACKtalk, Dr. Terence Lester—once a high school dropout who faced homelessness and gangs, now a PhD, author, and founder of Love Beyond Walls—teaches Black parents how to break generational cycles of poverty, trauma, and educational inequality.From navigating schools that fail our kids, to building confidence in children born into hardship, to fighting for policies that protect opportunity—this is a raw, practical, and empowering conversation every parent needs.👉🏾 Tune in, share this with another parent, and learn how you can help your child rise—no matter the barriers.

Autism doesn’t discriminate—but Black families often face late diagnoses, stigma, and fewer resources. In this episode of BACKtalk, Alisha Simpson-Watt, LCSW, BCBA, LBA, shares real strategies every Black parent can use to advocate for their child, build support systems, and break down barriers in schools and healthcare. Learn how to recognize early signs, push past systemic roadblocks, and create a thriving environment for your child and family.

If your child could write your co-parenting rules, what would they say? Author and child-of-co-parents Kylar Denae joins BACKtalk to flip the script—sharing the simple, science-backed shifts that make kids feel safe, seen, and stable after separation. We get real about boundaries (not beef), handoffs without drama, talking to your child without weaponizing them, new partners, holidays, and breaking generational patterns so your family can actually thrive.You’ll learn: how to build a child-first parenting plan, phrases that de-escalate fast, healthy communication rhythms between homes, red flags that harm kids, and routines that help children feel rooted—even with two addresses.Watch, take notes, and send this to the co-parent who needs a win today.Kylar Denae is the author of Two Homes, One Heart: A Guide to Co-Parenting from a Child’s Perspective. Raised in a successful co-parenting family and trained in Human Development & Family Science, Kylar helps parents create child-first routines, communication, and stability through speaking, workshops, and practical tools that break negative cycles and build healthier families.co-parenting, child-first co-parenting, parallel parenting, parenting plan, blended family, transitions, handoffs, conflict resolution, Black families, separation & divorce

She’s a world-famous ballerina, a bestselling author, and a history-maker as the first Black woman Principal Dancer at American Ballet Theatre—but Misty Copeland just told me she’s… clumsy. And yet, that didn’t stop her from becoming great. Listen to this episode and come and get some of this Black girl magic!

In this episode of BACKtalk, Misty opens up about her new children’s book Bunheads, Act 2: The Dance of Courage, how she’s raising brave kids, and what it really means to shine—even when life knocks you out of the spotlight. From stage to motherhood, Misty gets real about resilience, girl power, and how to keep dreaming through disappointment.

If you’ve ever had to tell your child, “This isn't your time to shine,” this conversation will speak to your soul.

#MistyCopeland #DanceOfCourage #BlackGirlMagic #RepresentationMatters #BunheadsBook #BlackMomsRaisingLegends #ParentingThroughDisappointment #BraveGirls #BacktalkPodcast #BlackExcellence #BlackParenting #GirlPower #BalletForEveryone #ResilientKids #BooksForBlackChildren #MistyCopelandInterview #RaisingCourageousKids #BlackAuthorsMatter #BalletStories #DreamBigLittleOne

Khadijah VanBrakle is a Black Muslim woman and contemporary young adult author living in the Southwestern United States. Born and raised in Canada to American parents, she writes stories that reflect the dual marginalization of Black American Muslim teens, because for far too long, those voices have been missing from the shelves. Her 2023 debut novel, Fatima Tate Takes The Cake, and her upcoming release, My Perfect Family (out August 26, 2025), center young Muslim girls navigating adolescence while holding space for identity, faith, and family. Her work is published by Holiday House. Learn more at khadijahvanbrakle.com or follow her @khadijahvanbrakle on Instagram.