Blacktivities

Blacktivities

By Shannon Chatmon, Talisa Hale, and Karen RobertsSociety & CultureHistoryPersonal Journals
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Blacktivities episodes

  • Why Black Women Are Still Dying in Childbirth — The Truth About Black Maternal Health

    Black women are 2–3x more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women — and that gap exists regardless of income, education, or celebrity status. In this episode of Blacktivities, we trace the roots of the Black maternal health crisis from the experimental surgeries performed on enslaved women in the 1840s to the racial bias still showing up in delivery rooms today.

    Hosts Shannon and Mona Lisa are joined by Tanessa, a certified full-spectrum doula, for an honest, culturally grounded conversation about why Black women aren't being heard in healthcare — and what we can do about it.

    In this episode:

    • The disturbing history of J. Marion Sims, the "father of modern gynecology," and the enslaved Black women his career was built on
    • The weathering hypothesis — why Black women's bodies age faster biologically due to the cumulative stress of racism
    • Why a college degree won't protect you: how provider bias affects Black women at every income level
    • What a doula actually does — and why having one can reduce your C-section risk by up to 39%
    • Lotus births, home births, water births, and birthing centers — your options beyond the hospital
    • How to advocate for yourself if you can't afford a doula (hint: know your state's birth rights)
    • Why going to the hospital alone is one of the biggest risks Black women face
    • How herbalism and ancestral healing practices connect to modern holistic care

    Bring Blacktivities to your inbox - stay posted on what's happening with the pod... more black culture, black history, black perspectives, and black panache!

    Follow our Guest: Tanessa

    @HarmoniaSanctuary

    @MavenProductions423

    @Tavernobeauty

    @mysticmaven33

    Other Ways to Join in the Blacktivities:
    1. Share this episode with a friend. Word of mouth is the best tool for growth.
    2. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
    3. Follow us on social media.
    4. Donate to the cause and help amplify more black voices.

    Hear more episodes - Blacktivities website

    About the Hosts

    Blacktivities is a Black Panache original production - a podcast network with a lineup of black-hosted shows sharing black stories and tackling black issues. For more information on shows like our newest production, Fat Lies Matter, visit blackpanache.com.

    Continue the Conversation on Social Media:

    Instagram - @blacktivitiespod

    Follow Shannon - @justshanofficial

    Follow Lisa - @monalisathepoet

    Follow Karen - @theekkroberts

    Threads - @blacktivitiespod

    Facebook - Blacktivities

    • The Weathering Effect: How Racism Contributes To Poor Health Outcomes | Henry Ford Health - Detroit, MI
    • Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Health: Current Status and Key Issues
    • Black Women Excluded from Critical Studies Due to ‘Weathering’ | Yale School of Medicine
    • “Weathering” and Age Patterns of Allostatic Load Scores Among Blacks and Whites in the United States - PMC
    • Racial bias in pain assessment and treatment recommendations, and false beliefs about biological differences between blacks and whites - PubMed
    • The ‘Father of Modern Gynecology’ Performed Shocking Experiments on Enslaved Women
    • Medical Exploitation of Black Women

    Copyright 2022-2026 Black Panache, LLC

    1 hr 7 min
  • From Minstrel Shows to Memes: The History of Blackface in America

    From minstrel shows to modern politics — Shannon and KK break down the deep history of blackface in America, why it was never just entertainment, and why whiteface is not the mirror image people claim it is.

    This past week, a blackface photo of a sitting Georgia state representative surfaced, and it sparked a response that hit every note of the classic "I'm not racist" playbook. The receipts are read and the hosts give their thoughts on his response.

    In Big Facts, Shannon traces blackface from its roots in 1828, when Thomas Dartmouth Rice stole a dance from an enslaved man and built a minstrel empire, all the way through Hollywood's golden age, the birth of Jim Crow laws, and the documented ways minstrel stereotypes still shape how Black people are perceived today.

    Then the conversation opens up: Druski's conservative woman skits, the Wayans Brothers' White Chicks defense, Jack Harlow going full R&B, and the difference between resistance and racism.

    No Lisa this week, but Shannon and KK hold it down.

    *Referenced Episode - Mandingos Mammies, and Jezebels

    Bring Blacktivities to your inbox - stay posted on what's happening with the pod... more black culture, black history, black perspectives, and black panache!

    Other Ways to Join in the Blacktivities:
    1. Share this episode with a friend. Word of mouth is the best tool for growth.
    2. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
    3. Follow us on social media.
    4. Donate to the cause and help amplify more black voices.

    Hear more episodes - Blacktivities website

    About the Hosts

    Blacktivities is a Black Panache original production - a podcast network with a lineup of black-hosted shows sharing black stories and tackling black issues. For more information on shows like our newest production, Fat Lies Matter, visit blackpanache.com.

    Continue the Conversation on Social Media:

    Instagram - @blacktivitiespod

    Follow Shannon - @justshanofficial

    Follow Lisa - @monalisathepoet

    Follow Karen - @theekkroberts

    Threads - @blacktivitiespod

    Facebook - Blacktivities

    • This is why blackface is offensive
    • Who Was Jim Crow? - Jim Crow Museum
    • How the History of Blackface Is Rooted in Racism | HISTORY
    • Blackface: The Birth of An American Stereotype

    Copyright 2022-2026 Black Panache, LLC

    41 min
  • Black Men’s Mental Health: Why So Many Suffer in Silence

    In this episode of Blacktivities, the conversation shifts to something deeper—Black men’s mental health and the silence that often surrounds it.

    Why don’t more Black men talk about what they’re going through?

    Is it cultural… generational… or something bigger?

    The hosts unpack the layers behind emotional suppression, stigma, and the expectations placed on Black men to always be strong. Also, Dr. Camillia Harris, founder of justUs, HM, shares how her father's death prompted her to create the organization and host black men's mental health conferences nationwide.

    This isn’t just a conversation—it’s a call to understand, to listen, and to create space.

    What We Discuss
    • Why many Black men struggle to express emotions
    • The cultural expectation of strength vs. vulnerability
    • How silence becomes survival—and isolation
    • The role of community, family, and relationships
    • What it actually looks like to create safe spaces for Black men

    Bring Blacktivities to your inbox - stay posted on what's happening with the pod... more black culture, black history, black perspectives, and black panache!

    Meet Our Guest:

    Dr. Camilla Harris, Founder of justUs, MH

    justUs, MH - https://www.bmmhc.com

    Instagram - @bmmhc1

    @camillia_milly

    Other Ways to Join in the Blacktivities:
    1. Share this episode with a friend. Word of mouth is the best tool for growth.
    2. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
    3. Follow us on social media.
    4. Donate to the cause and help amplify more black voices.

    Hear more episodes - Blacktivities website

    About the Hosts

    Blacktivities is a Black Panache original production - a podcast network with a lineup of black-hosted shows sharing black stories and tackling black issues. For more information on shows like our newest production, Fat Lies Matter, visit blackpanache.com.

    Continue the Conversation on Social Media:

    Instagram - @blacktivitiespod

    Follow Shannon - @justshanofficial

    Follow Lisa - @monalisathepoet

    Follow Karen - @theekkroberts

    Threads - @blacktivitiespod

    Facebook - Blacktivities

    Sources

    1. ScienceDirect — The Impact of Racism on Black American Mental Health https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2215036623003619
    2. PMC / NIH — The Traumatic Impact of Structural Racism on African Americans https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8352535/
    3. American Counseling Association — The Historical Roots of Racial Disparities in the Mental Health System https://www.counseling.org/publications/counseling-today-magazine/article-archive/article/legacy/the-historical-roots-of-racial-disparities-in-the-mental-health-system
    4. PMC / NIH — How Masculinity Impedes African American Men from Seeking Mental Health Treatment https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11409296/
    5. Talkspace — Why Black Men Face Greater Mental Health Challenges https://www.talkspace.com/blog/black-men-mental-health-challenges-therapy/
    6. CarePlus NJ — Black Men and Mental Health https://careplusnj.org/black-men-and-mental-health/
    7. PMC / Johns Hopkins — Achieving Mental Health Equity in Black Male Suicide Prevention https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10098101/
    8. KFF — Suicide Deaths: National Trends by Demographics https://www.kff.org/mental-health/suicide-deaths-national-trends-and-variation-by-demographics-and-states/
    9. U.S. Office of Minority Health — Black/African American Mental Health https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/mental-and-behavioral-health-blackafrican-americans

    Crisis & Support Resources

    1. Therapy for Black Men — Therapist Directory https://therapyforblackmen.org
    2. Black Men Heal — Mental Health Treatment Access https://blackmenheal.org
    3. Mental Health America — Black & African American Communities https://mhanational.org/issues/black-and-african-american-communities-and-mental-health
    4. SAMHSA National Helpline — Free, Confidential, 24/7 https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
    5. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or Text 988 https://988lifeline.org

    Copyright 2022-2026 Black Panache, LLC

    1 hr 5 min
  • Breaking Down Black Stereotypes: History, Truth, and Misconceptions

    You've probably heard all the stereotypes, but where do they come from and is there some truth to any of them?

    In this episode of Blacktivities, Shannon, Lisa, and KK discuss common stereotypes about Black people and ask a simple question: are they BIG Facts, BIG Lies, or more complicated than we think?

    From tipping culture and timeliness to swimming, food, and social habits, the conversation blends humor with historical context to unpack where these stereotypes come from and why they persist today.

    Key Topics:
    • The origins of tipping culture in America
    • Cultural vs. systemic explanations behind stereotypes
    • Access, history, and generational impact
    • How stereotypes are formed and reinforced
    • Why Black identity is not one-size-fits-all

    Bring Blacktivities to your inbox - stay posted on what's happening with the pod... more black culture, black history, black perspectives, and black panache!

    Other Ways to Join in the Blacktivities:
    1. Share this episode with a friend. Word of mouth is the best tool for growth.
    2. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
    3. Follow us on social media.
    4. Donate to the cause and help amplify more black voices.

    Hear more episodes - Blacktivities website

    About the Hosts

    Blacktivities is a Black Panache original production - a podcast network with a lineup of black-hosted shows sharing black stories and tackling black issues. For more information on shows like our newest production, Fat Lies Matter, visit blackpanache.com.

    Continue the Conversation on Social Media:

    Instagram - @blacktivitiespod

    Follow Shannon - @justshanofficial

    Follow Lisa - @monalisathepoet

    Follow Karen - @theekkroberts

    Threads - @blacktivitiespod

    Facebook - Blacktivities

    References & Further Reading

    1. Tipping History — Shriver Center on Poverty Law The Racist History Behind America's Tipping Culture

    2. Tipping History — NPR Throughline The Land of the Fee — The Anti-Tipping Movement

    3. Hot Sauce & West African Culinary Tradition — Oxford Symposium on Food & Cookery The Diasporic Roots of Hot Sauce in Black American Culture

    4. Swimming & Segregation — National Geographic Public Swimming Pools Are Still Haunted by Segregation's Legacy

    5. Swimming & Segregation — NPR Racial History of American Swimming Pools (interview with historian Jeff Wiltse)

    6. Fried Chicken & Watermelon — The Boston Globe Fried Chicken, Watermelon, and the Origins of Racist Food Stereotypes

    7. Camping & Sundown Towns — New American History The Negro Motorist Green Book

    8. Black People & Dogs — Chicago Crusader Black People's Complicated History with Dogs

    9. Black People & Dogs — Pacific Standard The People Who Are Scared of Dogs (cites research by psychologist Dr. L. Kevin Chapman)

    Want to go even deeper? Check out these books:

    • "Forked: A New Standard for American Dining" — Saru Jayaraman (tipping history)
    • "Contested Waters: A Social History of Swimming Pools in America" — Jeff Wiltse
    • "Sundown Towns" — James W. Loewen
    • "Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine" — Adrian Miller

    Copyright 2022-2026 Black Panache, LLC

    52 min
  • What the Black Family Survived — And Why It Still Stands

    The conversation about the Black family always starts in the middle. On this episode of Blacktivities, Shannon, KK, and Mona Lisa go all the way back to the beginning — and what they find rewrites everything.

    The Black family's structure wasn't random. It was shaped by centuries of slavery, post-emancipation terror, discriminatory policy, mass incarceration, and a welfare system designed to penalize two-parent households. Shannon delivers the Big Facts, the hosts unpack the history, and then they talk about where we go from here.

    📚 BIG FACTS This Episode:

    1. Enslaved marriages had no legal recognition — children could be sold from their parents at any time with no recourse
    2. After emancipation, freed Black people immediately began placing newspaper ads to find children who had been sold away — family always mattered
    3. The 1965 Moynihan Report labeled Black family structure 'pathological,' shifting public narrative away from systemic causes and onto the community itself
    4. War on Drugs mandatory minimums systematically removed Black men from households
    5. Some welfare policies penalized the presence of adult men in the home, deepening economic instability
    6. Extended kin networks, fictive family, multi-generational households, and the Black church all became survival structures — not dysfunction
    7. The nuclear suburban family ideal was post-WWII — and it was never universally accessible or the only valid family structure

    💬 The Conversation Goes Deep:

    1. Did forced breeding during slavery leave an epigenetic mark on how Black men show up in families today?
    2. Why does the 'broken family' label stick to us when every culture has family challenges?
    3. Diaspora wars, gender wars, and the strategy of keeping us divided
    4. The village is gone — and what we lose when communal accountability disappears
    5. Vetting partners with intention and building legacy on purpose
    6. Healing your own baggage before building something new


    Bring Blacktivities to your inbox - stay posted on what's happening with the pod... more black culture, black history, black perspectives, and black panache!


    Other Ways to Join in the Blacktivities:
    1. Share this episode with a friend. Word of mouth is the best tool for growth.
    2. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
    3. Follow us on social media.
    4. Donate to the cause and help amplify more black voices.


    Hear more episodes - Blacktivities website

    About the Hosts


    Blacktivities is a Black Panache original production - a podcast network with a lineup of black-hosted shows sharing black stories and tackling black issues. For more information on shows like our newest production, Fat Lies Matter, visit blackpanache.com.


    Continue the Conversation on Social Media:

    Instagram - @blacktivitiespod

    Follow Shannon - @justshanofficial

    Follow Lisa - @monalisathepoet

    Follow Karen - @theekkroberts


    Threads - @blacktivitiespod

    Facebook - Blacktivities


    Resources:

    Slavery & Family Separation

    1. Equal Justice Initiative — Black Families Severed by Slavery https://eji.org/news/history-racial-injustice-black-families-severed-by-slavery/
    2. Smithsonian / NMAAHC — The Historical Legacy of Black Family Reunions https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/historical-legacy-black-family-reunions
    3. Pew Research Center — For Many Black Americans, Family Extends Beyond Birth and Legal Ties (2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2026/02/25/for-many-black-americans-family-extends-beyond-birth-and-legal-ties/

    Sharecropping & Economic Exclusion

    1. PBS American Experience — Sharecropping: Slavery Rerouted https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/harvest-sharecropping-slavery-rerouted/

    The Great Migration

    1. National Archives — The Great Migration (1910–1970) https://www.archives.gov/research/african-americans/migrations/great-migration
    2. HISTORY.com — The Great Migration https://www.history.com/articles/great-migration

    The Moynihan Report (1965)

    1. BlackPast.org — The Moynihan Report: The Negro Family, the Case for National Action https://blackpast.org/african-american-history/moynihan-report-1965/
    2. Open Society Foundations — The Moynihan Report Revisited https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/publications/moynihan-report-revisited
    3. PBS American Masters — Explaining the Moynihan Report https://www.pbs.org/video/explaining-the-moynihan-report-43oqki/

    The War on Drugs & Mass Incarceration

    1. Brennan Center for Justice — Race, Mass Incarceration, and the Disastrous War on Drugs https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/race-mass-incarceration-and-disastrous-war-drugs
    2. PBS NewsHour — 50-Year War on Drugs Imprisoned Millions of Black Americans https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/50-year-war-on-drugs-imprisoned-millions-of-black-americans
    3. The Sentencing Project — Mass Incarceration Trends https://www.sentencingproject.org/reports/mass-incarceration-trends/



    Copyright 2022-2026 Black Panache, LLC

    47 min
  • Black Books & Literature: Identity, Access, and Book Bans

    There was a time in the U.S. when Black people could be punished for learning to read. Today, books by Black authors are among the most challenged in schools. In this episode, we talk about Black literature, how it shapes identity, and why access to our stories has always mattered.

    In this episode we discuss:

    1. Anti-literacy laws during slavery and why literacy was seen as “dangerous”
    2. Frederick Douglass (1845) and Harriet Jacobs (1861) as examples of early Black narrative documentation
    3. The Harlem Renaissance (Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston)
    4. Why representation in books matters for identity development
    5. Modern book bans and what it means when access to stories is restricted
    6. Keisha’s recommendations across genres, plus why “listening is still reading”

    Listener question: What’s the first Black book that made you feel seen?

    Guest: Keisha Green

    Instagram: @plantedbookedrooted

    📚 Keisha’s Recommendations:

    - Fast by Millie Belizaire https://a.co/d/032SKqAK

    - Gravity by AshleyNicole https://a.co/d/00tISPDN

    - Dominion by Addie E Citchens https://a.co/d/02W15LfX

    - Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward https://a.co/d/0h2K27c8

    - Last Stop From Innocence by Takerra Allen https://a.co/d/05MYnhi9

    - Secret World of Maggie Grey by Granger https://a.co/d/0d1tjGKG

    - Losin' Control by Ladii Nesha https://a.co/d/0b6w8vlP

    - Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby https://a.co/d/084XkbG4

    - Savvy Summers by Sandra Jackson-Opaoku https://a.co/d/0iXHNezx

    Banned Book List: https://pen.org/book-bans/



    Bring Blacktivities to your inbox - stay posted on what's happening with the pod... more black culture, black history, black perspectives, and black panache!


    Other Ways to Join in the Blacktivities:
    1. Share this episode with a friend. Word of mouth is the best tool for growth.
    2. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
    3. Follow us on social media.
    4. Donate to the cause and help amplify more black voices.


    Hear more episodes - Blacktivities website

    About the Hosts


    Blacktivities is a Black Panache original production - a podcast network with a lineup of black-hosted shows sharing black stories and tackling black issues. For more information on shows like our newest production, Fat Lies Matter, visit blackpanache.com.


    Continue the Conversation on Social Media:

    Instagram - @blacktivitiespod

    Follow Shannon - @justshanofficial

    Follow Lisa - @monalisathepoet

    Follow Karen - @theekkroberts


    Threads - @blacktivitiespod

    Facebook - Blacktivities


    Sources mentioned in this episode:
    1. Zinn Education Project – “April 7, 1831: Virginia Literacy Ban Enacted” (on Virginia’s anti‑literacy law for enslaved and free Black people after Nat Turner’s rebellion, and why white lawmakers feared Black literacy).​

    https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/virginia-literacy-ban-enacted/


    1. National Humanities Center – “Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs: American Slave Narrators” (overview of slave narratives written by Douglass and Jacobs, and how first‑person accounts by enslaved people documented slavery from the inside).​

    https://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/education-material/frederick-douglass-and-harriet-jacobs-american-slave-narrators/

    1. Margo Anderson & Robert A. Margo – “Race and Schooling in the South: A Review of the Evidence” (National Bureau of Economic Research; documents rapid gains in Black literacy after emancipation and majority literacy by around 1900).​

    https://www.nber.org/system/files/chapters/c8792/c8792.pdf

    1. Encyclopaedia‑style overview of the Harlem Renaissance and Black literature (for context on Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Beloved, and Morrison’s 1993 Nobel Prize in Literature as the first Black woman laureate).​

    https://www.britannica.com/summary/Harlem-Renaissance-Causes-and-Effects

    1. PEN America – “The 10 Most Banned Books of the 2021–2022 School Year” (on thousands of school book bans since 2021 and frequently banned titles including The Bluest Eye and The Hate U Give).​

    https://pen.org/banned-books-list-2022/

    1. Smith College – “The Role of Fictional Narratives in Adolescent Identity Formation” (research on how stories and representation in books shape identity, belonging, and self‑concept in young readers).​

    https://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses/653/



    Copyright 2022-2026 Black Panache, LLC

    52 min
  • Black Joy Is Resistance

    When Black stories get told, the spotlight usually lands on struggle, trauma, and survival. This week on Blacktivities, Shannon and Mona Lisa (with KK joining mid-episode) center what often gets left out: Black joy. The cookout laughter. The line dancing. The group chat jokes. The deep exhale that reminds us we are still here.

    In “Big Facts,” Shannon traces Black joy from slavery to the Jim Crow era and beyond, showing how music, movement, community, and recreation weren’t “extras.” They were survival. Then the hosts unpack why Black joy can make people uncomfortable, the difference between happiness and joy, and how protecting your joy is part of protecting your humanity.In This Episode

    Join the Conversation

    How do you define Black joy?

    What are your favorite Black joy memories (funny ones included)?

    Drop a comment. We read them and respond, and we may feature your responses in a future bonus episode.

    Support the Show

    If you enjoyed this episode, follow/subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next.

    Share this episode with a friend who needs a reminder to breathe and laugh.]

    Bring Blacktivities to your inbox - stay posted on what's happening with the pod... more black culture, black history, black perspectives, and black panache!

    Other Ways to Join in the Blacktivities:
    1. Share this episode with a friend. Word of mouth is the best tool for growth.
    2. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
    3. Follow us on social media.
    4. Donate to the cause and help amplify more black voices.

    Hear more episodes - Blacktivities website

    About the Hosts


    Blacktivities is a Black Panache original production - a podcast network with a lineup of black-hosted shows sharing black stories and tackling black issues. For more information on shows like our newest production, Fat Lies Matter, visit blackpanache.com.


    Continue the Conversation on Social Media:

    Instagram - @blacktivitiespod

    Follow Shannon - @justshanofficial

    Follow Lisa - @monalisathepoet

    Follow Karen - @theekkroberts


    Threads - @blacktivitiespod

    Facebook - Blacktivities


    • A Short History of Black Happiness
    • A Paradox of Pleasure: Black Joy during “the Nadir,” 1875‒1905 | The Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era | Cambridge Core
    • Black Joy: Resistance, Resilience and Reclamation | National Museum of African American History and Culture
    • What ‘Black Joy’ Means and How It Grew – The SASH Lab


    Copyright 2022-2026 Black Panache, LLC

    45 min
  • What Was the Education System Really Built For? | Black Kids, Big Facts, & Hard Truths

    Right now in this country, black students are more likely to be suspended, mislabeled, and denied access to advanced opportunities. But the question isn’t whether black kids can learn. The real question is what the education system was actually designed to do.

    In the season eight premiere of Blacktivities, we break down the history and present-day realities of American education and how its original design still impacts black students today. From slavery-era laws banning literacy, to segregation, to modern book bans, the end of affirmative action, and the rise of school vouchers, we connect the dots between past and present.

    This episode’s Big Facts unpack how public education was built to train workers, maintain social order, and protect power, not to develop everyone equally. We also discuss discipline gaps, special education labeling, curriculum control, and why “choice” policies often leave black kids behind.

    Then we get into the real conversation:

    1. Is school failing black kids, or are we expecting it to do something it was never built to do?
    2. What responsibility do parents and communities have outside the classroom?
    3. Should traditional schooling still be the primary path to success?
    4. What are the alternatives, and how do we prepare our kids for a system that wasn’t designed for them?

    If you care about black children, education, and telling the truth without sugarcoating it, this conversation is for you.

    🎧 Listen, share, and join the conversation.

    📣 Drop a comment and tell us: What’s something school never taught you that you had to learn later?

    Bring Blacktivities to your inbox - stay posted on what's happening with the pod... more black culture, black history, black perspectives, and black panache!


    Other Ways to Join in the Blacktivities:
    1. Share this episode with a friend. Word of mouth is the best tool for growth.
    2. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
    3. Follow us on social media.
    4. Donate to the cause and help amplify more black voices.


    Hear more episodes - Blacktivities website

    About the Hosts


    Blacktivities is a Black Panache original production - a podcast network with a lineup of black-hosted shows sharing black stories and tackling black issues. For more information on shows like our newest production, Fat Lies Matter, visit blackpanache.com.


    Continue the Conversation on Social Media:

    Instagram - @blacktivitiespod

    Follow Shannon - @justshanofficial

    Follow Lisa - @monalisathepoet

    Follow Karen - @theekkroberts


    Threads - @blacktivitiespod

    Facebook - Blacktivities


    • Black students are punished more often - UC Berkeley researcher surfaces widespread disparities
    • K-12 Education: Nationally, Black Girls Receive More Frequent and More Severe Discipline in School Than Other Girls | U.S. GAO
    • Educate to Indoctrinate: Education Systems Were First Designed to Suppress Dissent
    • PEN America – “Banned in the USA” - Tracks book bans and state-level censorship in schools
    • U.S. Department of Education – Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) - Primary federal source for discipline disparities, access, and achievement gaps


    Copyright 2022-2026 Black Panache, LLC

    1 hr 4 min
  • Meet Lisa & Shannon

    Join us on Zoom - November 25, 2025 at 8:00 pm EST for a meet & greet with Lisa & Shannon of Blacktivities! If you can't be there, help us make Blacktivities better by completing a listener survey. Thank you to everyone who listens and supports Blacktivities on the regular! Hope to see you soon!

    Bring Blacktivities to your inbox - stay posted on what's happening with the pod... more black culture, black history, black perspectives, and black panache!


    Other Ways to Join in the Blacktivities:
    1. Share this episode with a friend. Word of mouth is the best tool for growth.
    2. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
    3. Follow us on social media.
    4. Donate to the cause and help amplify more black voices.


    Hear more episodes - Blacktivities website

    About the Hosts


    Blacktivities is a Black Panache original production - a podcast network with a lineup of black-hosted shows sharing black stories and tackling black issues. For more information on shows like our newest production, Fat Lies Matter, visit blackpanache.com.


    Continue the Conversation on Social Media:

    Instagram - @blacktivitiespod

    Follow Shannon - @justshanofficial

    Follow Lisa - @monalisathepoet

    Follow Karen - @theekkroberts


    Threads - @blacktivitiespod

    Facebook - Blacktivities



    Copyright 2022-2025 Black Panache, LLC

    2 min
  • Unmasked: Safe Spaces, DEI, and Being Our Authentic Selves

    In Paul Laurence Dunbar's poem “We Wear the Mask,” he wrote of a smile that “grins and lies” referring to our inability to show our authentic selves and feelings. This week on Blacktivities, we talk about what it means to take off the mask—especially while moving through workplaces and the world. Shannon, Lisa, and KK talk finding safe spaces, what diversity and inclusion was supposed to look like, and how culture and food can bring people together.

    We also share our own “unmasking” moments, from podcasting to showing up more authentically at work, plus a hilarious conversation about why Carnival Cruise thinks y’all are doing too much.

    Bring Blacktivities to your inbox - stay posted on what's happening with the pod... more black culture, black history, black perspectives, and black panache!

    Other Ways to Join in the Blacktivities:
    1. Share this episode with a friend. Word of mouth is the best tool for growth.
    2. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.
    3. Follow us on social media.
    4. Donate to the cause and help amplify more black voices.

    Hear more episodes - Blacktivities website

    About the Hosts


    Blacktivities is a Black Panache original production - a podcast network with a lineup of black-hosted shows sharing black stories and tackling black issues. For more information on shows like our newest production, Fat Lies Matter, visit blackpanache.com.


    Continue the Conversation on Social Media:

    Instagram - @blacktivitiespod

    Follow Shannon - @justshanofficial

    Follow Lisa - @monalisathepoet

    Follow Karen - @theekkroberts


    Threads - @blacktivitiespod

    Facebook - Blacktivities



    Copyright 2022-2026 Black Panache, LLC

    44 min

About Blacktivities

From the publisher's feed

Blacktivities is where Black women gather to talk about life, history, and everything in between. It’s a celebration of Black culture, Black perspectives, and the shared experiences that shape how we move through the world.

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