Brown Mama Bear

Are you spending more time correcting your teenager than connecting with them?

As parents, we want our children to make good decisions, develop confidence, and know they can always come to us. But sometimes, in our efforts to guide and protect them, our voices become a constant source of correction instead of connection.

In this episode of the Brown Mama Bear Podcast, host Shanera Williamson sits down with Dr. Russell Ledet, a physician trained in pediatrics, adult psychiatry, and child and adolescent psychiatry, to explore how parents can build stronger, more meaningful relationships with their teenagers.

Dr. Ledet shares insights into the different seasons of adolescence, the importance of being emotionally present, and how the words we speak to our children can shape their confidence, resilience, and sense of belonging.

They also discuss the unique challenges of raising Black children, including how positive affirmations from loving, trusted adults can help prepare young people to navigate racism and discrimination outside the home.

In this conversation, you'll discover:

• Why connection is just as important as correction when parenting teenagers

• How to communicate with teens in ways that build trust and confidence

• Why being present matters more than having all the right answers

• How parents can nurture resilience and positive racial identity in Black children

• Why the relationship you build with your teenager today matters long after they become adults

Whether you're raising a teenager now or preparing for the adolescent years, this conversation offers encouragement and practical wisdom for parenting with intention.

Listen, share with another parent, and join the conversation about raising confident, connected children.

Everything costs more these days! Between groceries, gas, household expenses, and the holidays right around the corner, many parents are wondering how to make their money stretch without sacrificing the experiences that make family life special.

But financial wellness isn't just about making a budget and sticking to it. It's also about understanding our relationship with money, navigating real economic challenges, and teaching our children healthy financial habits.

In this episode of the Brown Mama Bear Podcast, host Shanera Williamson welcomes financial coach Ebony Lovely for an encouraging conversation about managing family finances during expensive times.

Together, they discuss:

• Practical ways to manage household expenses when everyday necessities keep getting more expensive

• How to enjoy the holidays without creating unnecessary debt

• The money habits our children learn simply by watching us

• Teaching kids about saving, spending, and delayed gratification

• How to talk to children about money without creating fear or anxiety

• Small steps families can take toward greater financial confidence

For Black families, conversations about money also exist within a larger reality of historical inequities and the racial wealth gap. Building financial security isn't always as simple as spending less.

Whether you're trying to get through the holidays on a budget or thinking about the financial lessons you want to pass on to your children, this conversation is for you.

Because raising financially confident children starts with the lessons we model today.

Subscribe to Brown Mama Bear for thoughtful conversations about raising confident, connected, and thriving children.

Ebony Lovely's Website: https://ebonylovely.com

Brown Mama Bear's Website: brownmamabear.com

What does it cost a Black girl to be accepted in spaces where she feels she must constantly prove that she belongs?

For actress and playwright Zakiya Young, growing up as a "suburban Black girl" meant learning how to navigate predominantly white spaces through code-switching, assimilation, and becoming what she describes as the "non-threatening" Black girl.

But what happens when fitting in requires you to stay silent about racism, suppress your feelings, or make yourself smaller to preserve relationships?

In this episode of The Brown Mama Bear Podcast, host Shanera Williamson talks with Zakiya about the experiences that inspired her one-woman play, Suburban Black Girl, and the complicated relationship between identity, acceptance, and authenticity.

Their conversation raises important questions for parents raising Black children: Are we preparing our children to navigate the world while also teaching them that their voices matter? How do we help them recognize when fitting in comes at too high a price?

Through her work, Zakiya hopes to spark honest conversations rather than offer easy answers, creating opportunities for people to recognize themselves in her story.

It's a conversation about finding your voice, embracing your identity, and understanding that belonging should never require abandoning who you are.

Learn more about Suburban Black Girl at https://www.suburbanblackgirlplay.com/.

What if the greatest advantage of attending an HBCU has nothing to do with Homecoming?

Every October, HBCU culture takes center stage. The bands, the step shows, the reunions, and the unmistakable energy of Homecoming remind us why Historically Black Colleges and Universities hold such a special place in Black culture. And with renewed attention on A Different World, there's even more excitement surrounding the Black college experience.

But what happens inside the classrooms—and within the campus community—are even more important than what happens on the Yard.

In this solo episode of Brown Mama Bear, host Shanera Williamson shares her Top 3 Advantages of an HBCU Education, drawing on her experiences as a Howard University graduate, a mother who has raised an HBCU alumna, and a parent coach who encourages families to explore all their educational options.

After spending her childhood attending predominantly white suburban schools, Shanera arrived at Howard University and discovered an educational environment that challenged her academically, surrounded her with extraordinary students, and placed Black history, culture, and achievement at the center of the learning experience.

That experience shaped far more than her college years. It influenced her confidence, her worldview, her lifelong relationships, and eventually the way she approached educational decisions for her own daughters.

In this episode, Shanera explores three advantages that make HBCUs worthy of serious consideration: the quality of the education, the caliber of the students, and the transformative experience of learning in an environment where Black identity and culture are celebrated.

She also challenges parents to question assumptions about HBCU academic rigor—especially when those assumptions come from people who have never set foot on an HBCU campus.

This isn't an argument that every Black student must attend an HBCU. It's an invitation to look beyond stereotypes and social media narratives to consider what kind of college environment will help your child thrive.

Whether you're raising a future college student, considering an HBCU for yourself, or reflecting on your own Black college experience, this conversation will give you a new perspective on what an HBCU education can offer.

• The real HBCU advantage isn't just what makes graduates excited to return for Homecoming. It's what happens during those college years that makes them want to come home for a lifetime.

• 🎧 Listen, share, and join the Brown Mama Bear conversation about raising confident, capable Black children and helping them find educational environments where they can flourish.

Book cited: We Are Worth Fighting For: A History of the Howard University Student Protest of 1989 by Howard Professor Joshua M. Myers

What if helping our children succeed in school starts with making sure they believe they belong there?

In this episode of Brown Mama Bear, host Shanera Williamson sits down with Steph Jones, better known as The Scholarship Bestie, to talk about what Black children need to thrive in school—and how families can find the financial resources to help them pursue their college dreams.

With more than 20 years of experience as an educator, Steph brings a unique perspective to the conversation. She's not just helping students find scholarships. She's thinking deeply about how schools shape children's confidence, how discipline can affect their sense of belonging, and why encouragement matters.

We discuss the reality that Black students often face harsher discipline than their peers and how the fear of punishment can influence the way children see themselves as learners.

Steph also shares her experience pursuing graduate studies in education policy through an HBCU and how her passion for education led her to become The Scholarship Bestie, helping families discover scholarships and navigate the cost of college.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why encouragement and belonging are essential to Black children's academic success

• How school discipline can influence students' confidence and identity

• What parents should understand about creating supportive learning environments

• The importance of HBCUs and education policy

• How families can find scholarships and make college more affordable

• Why preparing our children for college involves more than grades and test scores

Whether you're raising a young child or preparing a teenager for college, this conversation will help you think differently about educational success and the opportunities available to your family.

Connect with Steph Jones, The Scholarship Bestie: the_scholarship_bestie

Apple/Spotify:

What happens when Black children begin to see school as a place where they're more likely to be disciplined than encouraged? And how can parents help them build the confidence and access the opportunities they deserve?

In this episode of Brown Mama Bear, Shanera Williamson welcomes Steph Jones, known online as The Scholarship Bestie. A veteran educator with more than 20 years of experience, Steph has made it her mission to help students and families navigate scholarships, financial aid, and the journey to college.

But her work is about more than finding money for school.

Shanera and Steph discuss the ways educational environments shape Black children's sense of belonging and academic identity. They explore how disproportionate discipline can affect students' confidence, why encouragement matters, and what it means to create learning environments where Black children can flourish.

Steph also shares her experience pursuing graduate studies in education policy at an HBCU and how she turned her passion for helping students into a platform that connects families with scholarship opportunities.

This conversation is a reminder that preparing our children for success means nurturing both their belief in themselves and their access to opportunity.

Connect with The Scholarship Bestie: https://linktr.ee/sjwriteslit

Episode 200!

Two hundred episodes of The Brown Mama Bear Podcast. Y'all, this one feels BIG.

In this milestone episode, I'm celebrating a little—and then I'm getting into a conversation I couldn't keep to myself.

When Nikole Hannah-Jones published her widely discussed essay, "In Fighting for Every Black Child, Did I Betray My Own," it sparked a larger conversation about school choice, educational opportunity, and what it means for Black parents to give our children the "best" education possible.

My first thought was: I need to talk to Kayla.

My oldest daughter, Kayla Williamson, is a former U.S. history teacher. Recently, Kayla earned her master's degree in education policy from the University of Pennsylvania and has begun doing research around the academic performance of Black students, teacher retention, and student outcomes.

So when we sat down to talk about the Hannah-Jones article, Kayla brought a different set of questions to the conversation. This conversation took me places I wasn't expecting—and I think you'll find yourself asking some new questions too.

And before we get started: thank you. Thank you for listening, sharing, engaging, and helping me get all the way to episode 200.

Here's to keeping the conversations going.

🎧 Listen in and let me know what questions this conversation raises for you.

What happens when we intentionally give our children a connection to Black history, culture, music, and community?

Host Shanera Williamson sits down with educator, author, and founder Claudia Walker for a conversation about the many ways we can help Black children know who they are and understand the richness of where they come from.

Claudia first joined the Brown Mama Bear Podcast to talk about her book The ABCs of HBCUs. Now, she's back—and a lot has changed. She's the mother of an HBCU student, the author of The ABCs of R&B, and the founder of the rapidly growing Black Parent Group Chat.

Shanera and Claudia talk about why Black music is so much more than entertainment—and how R&B can become a bridge between generations. They talk about Claudia's work with HBCU Prep School, what it means to send your own child to an HBCU, and why Black parents should intentionally introduce their children to the full range of HBCU possibilities.

They also talk about the Black Parent Group Chat, what Claudia has learned from connecting with thousands of Black parents, and the common threads that connect families raising Black children in very different communities and educational environments.

This is a conversation about culture, education, motherhood, HBCUs, and the responsibility—and privilege—we have to pass something meaningful on to the next generation.

Come sit with us. Can We Talk?

Join Shanera on The Black Parent Group Chat (virtual meet-up) on Thur., Oct. 22. Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/oK2_aqoZSIqPPye6Biil7g

Visit HBCU PrepSchool for more information on Claudia's books, including The ABCs of R&B https://hbcuprepschool.com/?srsltid=AU7gw4U8N_YDQhhXkU6eGINka6-Giva2tG7BGCmdDu36vFuQ6KzHJgQ1

Or Black Parent Group Chat https://blackparentgroupchat.com/

Have you ever looked at something and thought, "Am I the only one seeing this?"

If you're a Black parent, you may have had that reaction to some of the viral advertising and products we've seen recently—from Converse and Target to American Eagle.

What happens when our children encounter images and messages rooted in a history they may not yet understand.

Host Shanera Williamson talks about why Black parents need to teach our children history, how we can help them recognize anti-Blackness without internalizing it, and why an apology from a company is only the beginning of accountability.

Most importantly, this is a reminder for Black mothers: you're not crazy, and you're not alone.

We may not be able to control everything our children see—but we can help them understand it, talk about it, and know that harmful messages about Black people are never a reflection of their worth.

This week on The Brown Mama Bear Podcast, Host Shanera Williamson talks with Dr. Vincent Windrow about his powerful and deeply personal book, Some Days Aren't So Sunny: Jot-Downs From My Mental Health Journey.

Dr. Windrow is a leader, pastor, educator, husband, father, and someone who has spent decades pouring into other people. But behind all of those roles was a man navigating grief, mental health struggles, and a moment when he had to make the courageous decision to ask for help. He helps us all consider what happens when the responsible one (like moms) need someone to count on too.

His book is available for sale and proceeds go to help the preservation of Cemetery Schools (one room buildings that educated black students during segregation).

http://store.bookbaby.com/book/some-days-arent-so-sunny

Host Shanera Williamson helps parents start a new school year with some wisdom from her own life. Years ago, when her 20-something daughter was in middle school, a classroom discussion went from the subject of math to the teacher's thoughts on a current event. It was the first time her daughter remembers navigating a teacher's bias. Hear the story and the 3 lessons learned about the "extra load" many black children face in predominately white schools.