Black Men Speak talks with Malcolm D. Lee is a highly accomplished director, producer, and screenwriter known for films like The Best Man series, Girls Trip, and Space Jam: A New Legacy. We discuss his creative process, career evolution, and unique perspective on filmmaking regarding Black Men.

Black Men Speak host, Keith Dent speaks with Jelani Millard, host of the podcast Pay Me in Plane Tickets, a podcast discussing all things travel with individuals who love to explore all parts of the world, experience all cultures and people and would rather be paid in plane tickets. 

In this episode, we will discuss the importance of empowering black voices through media and mentoring with Kevin Benoit. Established in 2004 by founder, Kevin Benoit, Parlé Magazine began as an entertainment and lifestyle print publication, distributed in New York City. The print publication featured some of the biggest names in music, literature, and film.

Kevin is interested in discussing topics such as "How to Launch an Arts Nonprofit and Get Funding in Year One" and "Empowering Black Voices: The Vital Role of Supporting Black-Owned Media Publications in 2024," offering practical insights and actionable advice to your listeners. As a first-generation Haitian American, Kevin graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice with a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies and holds a Master’s in Business Administration with a focus in media management. His passion for empowering the urban community led him to create Parlé Magazine in 2004, an entertainment magazine spotlighting entertainment and featuring celebrity interviews, yet also mindful to keep literacy and the written word at the forefront. The publication prioritizes BIPOC voices and stories, aiming to empower, entertain, educate, and motivate Black and Brown lives within the media industry. Kevin's extensive work at various nonprofit organizations in New York City, including Police Athletic League, Job Path, Hip-Hop 4 Life, Imani House, and SCO Family of Services, showcases his dedication to youth empowerment and community development. He founded Parlé Endeavors to continue his impactful work, providing comprehensive mentorship programs, scholarships, grants, exposure to industry leaders, and invaluable hands-on experience to youth with a passion for and interest in the fields of arts, media, journalism, and entrepreneurship. In his first year of running Parle Endeavors, Kevin was awarded the BeyGOOD Small Business grant, which he used to host Parle Endeavors' inaugural Teen Poetry Slam and provide youth comprehensive mentorship programs, scholarships, grants, exposure to industry leaders, and teen poetry writing workshops. This accomplishment further highlights his expertise and success in the entrepreneurial realm.

Ameer Natson wears several hats. He is a chef, humanitarian, entrepreneur, faith leader and counselor. He is the founder of Become Creative Agency, a full-service creative and marketing agency that hires local talent from inner-city communities.

He is also the founder of Fresh Chef Foundation, an organization that transforms lives through food. Their mission is  to combat food insecurity, empower aspiring chefs, and nourish communities. They believe everyone deserves access to fresh, nutritious meals and the opportunity to pursue their culinary dreams.

We sit down with him to discuss the early days of entrepreneurship owning a hot dog business into being a celebrity chef, winning a James Beard award, and ultimately giving back opening a non-profit organization.

In this episode we tackle the issue of nutrition and the importance of speaking to a nutritionist with licensed dietitian Gregory Lafortune. 

At the age of 11, he was told that he had Type 1 Diabetes. He truly hated this reality and battled it daily.  He had two options to choose from: 1) Make excuses & let this diagnosis ruin his life or 2) Take control of his health & rule over negativity.

Through faith, prayer,  and support from his village, he was able to adopt a more positive outlook on his condition. Based on his journey, he decided to pursue nutrition as a career to help communities of people, especially men of color who also struggle with chronic diseases of many sorts.

Gregory is the owner and operator of  Clocked in Wellness, LLC., an organization that is designed to transform healthcare by providing services that are male-centered & improve chronic disease rates in different populations. 

Gregory, earned my B.S. at Georgia State University in 2016 and his M.S. in Nutrition & Human Performance at Logan University in 2020.

Thomas C Knox, a Master Connection Curator, Social Entrepreneur, and Thought Leader from Brooklyn, New York, is committed to curating impactful educational and community experiences through The Connection Collective. At the forefront of innovation, his company endeavors to challenge and empower individuals to forge unique connections. As the owner of BeGreat Bow Ties, an exclusive custom bow tie brand, Thomas encourages his customers to express their individuality by being unique in style. Importantly, he is the visionary creator and host of the Emmy-winning television series, boasting an impressive 13-time award recognition. This achievement is rooted in his pioneering connection platform, Date While You Wait.

We catch with Eric Seals and Donnie Seals as we discuss their documentary film Bike Vessel. It's a film that follows a father and son, 35 and 70, as they cycle from St. Louis to Chicago. Film director Eric Seals ’father almost died after three open-heart surgeries. However, he makes a miraculous health recovery after discovering his love for cycling, bringing his son Eric along with him.

Today's episode is about When Crack Was King with author Donovan X. Ramsey. It's a book about the crack epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s. It is arguably the least examined crisis in American history and how it impacted the lives of four individuals, Elgin Swift, son of a crack-addicted father who turned their home into a “crack house”; Lennie Woodley, a former crack addict, and a sex worker; Kurt Schmoke, former mayor of Baltimore and an early advocate of decriminalization; and lastly, Shawn McCray, community activist, basketball prodigy, and a founding member of the Zoo Crew, Newark's most legendary group of drug traffickers. Donovan X. Ramsey is a journalist, author, and an indispensable voice on issues of identity, justice, and patterns of power in America. Ramsey’s writing career has been focused entirely on amplifying the remarkable unheard stories of Black America. He believes in people-first narratives that center individuals and communities—not just issues.