Where did Richmond discover his love for fashion? "I think part of being African, at least with my parents, is presenting yourself to the best of your abilities. From a young age I was always well-dressed, wearing my little suit, little ties, things like that. I think people were gassing my head up!"

Richmond Addae is a junior in the ILR School chatting with Daniel James II about self-care shopping, growing up in NYC, his journey to Cornell ILR, navigating a PWI in both high school and college, bringing his identity to corporate finance and fashion, code-switching at work, and so much more.

“Sometimes students ask me what was Malcolm’s biggest accomplishment… Malcolm’s biggest accomplishment was turning negroes into black people. There’s no legislation— he burrowed into your soul and your psyche and gave you a reason to live.”

Dr. Peniel Joseph is a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, and you may be familiar with his analysis of race relations with Don Lemon on CNN. Listen to his conversation with Daniel James II about his book The Sword and the Shield, the convergences of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., radical black dignity and radical black citizenship, the value of bringing all black lives to the forefront in today’s movement, and the effectiveness of the Movement for Black Lives.

What is a brave space? “It’s not protecting you from challenge, but it’s giving the space to be able to overcome challenges and overcome barriers with support, community, affirmation, and feedback.”

Cornell Dean of Students Marla Love is working to advocate for an inclusive Cornell student experience. Listen to her conversation with Daniel James II about her path to a career in student affairs, the difference between a brave space and a safe space, unequal access on the path to graduate school, the impact of her first black teacher, the Access Fund, sharing responsibility for mental health on campus, and so much more.

“A lot of people talking about critical theory don’t even know what it is…to be so invested in spreading lies, or trying to shut down the study of black history, or shut down conversations about slavery…unrighteousness will not take us forward. When you have things that have happened in the past, there must be some acknowledgement…” said Dr. Riché Richardson. This renowned author who has had pieces published in O Magazine, and NY Times, Alabamian by birth, and black academic by trade is also an Associate Professor of African-American Literature in Cornell University’s Africana Studies Department. Listen to this episode as Daniel and her discuss her Montgomery roots, book bans, the history of Africana studies being birthed at Cornell, and the Beyoncé Nation course spicing up Cornell’s curriculum, and has even reached Beyoncé’s ear?

“Sometimes I have a hard time saying there should be more [black voices] in the room because I also think more of us should be able to just chill. I know I wouldn’t be who I am today without all of these things that I’ve done, but sometimes I wish I could walk to campus, come back home, watch some TV, make dinner, and go to bed.”

Liz Davis-Frost is from Birmingham, Alabama, the daughter of a single mother, and Cornell’s graduate student-elected trustee. Listen to her conversation with Daniel James II about the sexualization of black girls, growing up around relics of Jim Crow, how a concussion during COVID led her to Cornell’s masters in public administration, running for student-elected trustee, gender advocacy on campus, and so much more.

“It’s really easy when discussing a case to forget about the impact that it has on people… but I think having those conversations with the black voices in my class brings in context about many disadvantaged communities. I think this has improved everyone’s education.”

Niyyah Barber entered Cornell as an ILRie from Texas, and now she is about to graduate from Stanford Law School. Listen to her talk with Daniel about her LSAT and law school admissions strategies, finding community through KAPi and Black Ivy, sticking with her love of labor and employment law, and her advice for new students making friends.

“If you have more tools in your toolkit, I feel like meeting someone where they’re at isn’t too much to ask, especially if you know they can’t stretch any further. Just try— that goes a long way. It might not look how you expect it to look, but if someone knows you’re trying, there’s grace to be given.”

JeNaye Beavers has not written a self-help book yet, but she might be on her way. Listen to the Class of '20 Cornellian and her conversation with Daniel James II about her experience with therapy, the loss of her father, meeting people where they are emotionally, her decision to leave her corporate job and take a gap year, pursuing graduate programs in therapy, her Human Nayeture podcast, the difference between personal success and prestige, and so much more.

“When people ask me who I am, the first thing I can think of is ‘I am the son of Mercedes and Brian Francis.’ The sacrifices they have made at such a young age [help me] know my ‘why,’ why I wanted to pursue not just criminal law but government in general… I want to take care of people who have been incarcerated because they were forced to take plea bargains because they couldn’t afford to stay in jail… I want to not only help them in that capacity, but to dismantle all systems of oppression.”

Mar’Quon is a grooving Cornell in sophomore in KAPi who has lived everywhere, and people call him Sweetness on the roller rink. Listen to his conversation with Daniel James II about his ‘why,’ his calling to pursue a career in criminal justice, the sacrifices his parents have made to give him opportunities like attending Cornell, his work fighting incarceration, housing, and other justice issues in Ithaca, how money dictates political power, and so much more.

“It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized being told I was “pretty for a black girl” wasn’t a compliment the way I thought it was when I was growing up… why can’t I just be pretty? You don’t realize until you get out of that environment [what kind of] impact it can have on you.”

Nkili Gause is a scholar hailing from Loris, South Carolina, and is currently a legislative assistant for Rep. Clyburn on Capitol Hill. Listen to her conversation with Daniel James II about her hometown's chicken bog specialty, her path to the Hill, her work on appropriations and policy development, her education aspirations, representation on the Hill, her perspective as a staffer on 1/6, and her response to people who ask about 'black on black crime.'

Khalil on tax-funded magnet schools: "...they give students a huge stratifying advantage for life. I think it’s messed up that because one student can memorize ten history facts and another student can’t, they’re put in these extra rigorous programs… [I think] all learning should be more tailored rather than uniform.”

Khalil Greene has a voice to guide a generation. Listen to the first black student body president of Yale talk to Daniel James II about connecting student government to student activism, crafting nuanced activist arguments for social media, the problematic narratives about black fatherhood portrayed in media, growing up in a majority-POC school in Germantown, Maryland, his journey from studying STEM to history, why he wants to abolish magnet schools, and his work with the Boys & Girls Club.