I SEE U

Historian Dr. Lindsay Gary felt a passion to showcase the beauty and richness of multiple spots around Houston that would be historically significant within Black communities of the region.But she quickly realized over the course of her analysis that some of those sites had simply disappeared.In her research, she also discovered a vintage book published in 1915 called, “The Red Book of Houston.” This interesting artifact would depict an older Houston after the Civil War filled with prosperous and successful Blacks during a time of social and political upheaval.So what happened to those areas of African American wealth?Could the threat of Blacks faring better among Whites of southern states pose this much of an impact for these pockets of prosperity to be completely diminished—right here in the Bayou City?Stay tuned as Host Eddie Robinson chats unguarded with genealogist and professor-scholar, Dr. Lindsay Gary.The acclaimed writer of “The New Red Book,” takes us on a compelling journey of how she’s paid tribute to the original ‘Red Book’ by shining a spotlight on several little-known entities of Houston’s past as well as a number of pop cultural destinations that celebrate the vibrant spirit and heritage of those Black enterprises that remain strongholds of today and hopefully for more years to come.

Pulitzer-prize winning author, Bill Keller, argues that incarceration here in America is a shameful waste of lives and money. The former New York Times executive editor says prison rehabilitation has been neglected with only a handful of successful reentry programs for inmates. Join us as Host Eddie Robinson chats unguarded with the founding editor-in-chief of the Marshall Project, Bill Keller. The acclaimed author of “What’s Prison For?” builds a compelling case that criminal justice reform must take place now and compares American caged prisons to their foreign counterparts, where corrections officers are considered therapists and social workers. Who or what is standing in the way of much-needed reform in this country? And can educational programming and therapeutic interventions really solve the problem?

Author Falisa Ray took notice in her son’s interest and realized early his love for the arts. Instead of pressuring him to pursue law school or the medical field, she was led to embrace his passion and help him navigate through the unpredictable world of the entertainment industry – but not before coming to grips with the rough streets of Chicago’s South Side. Through the course of her own life, Ray—a fashion designer—quickly discovered the importance of how she needed to experience a sense of healing herself, from dealing with sexual assault as a teenager to facing financial hardships and evictions. Her determination and unwavering spirit carved out an inspirational path that resulted in her son earning the acclaimed role of Simba in Disney’s landmark Broadway musical, ‘The Lion King.’ Join us as Host Eddie Robinson chats unguarded with the author of the book, “Raising Simba,” Falisa Ray, along with her son, actor Aaron Nelson. Both share their remarkable journey of what it takes to understand the power of faith, the strength to endure and the ability to forgive.

For decades, barbershops have served as special places for African-Americans. The barber plays a major role in not only providing hair care services, but for many Black men, in particular, this person is responsible for how their customers are viewed and seen by society. Notions of identity, appearance and character are often assessed, evaluated, measured—even stereotyped by the way a Black man’s hair is styled or fashioned. But what happens when haircutting suites and brick-and-mortar barbershops become safe havens? These establishments bring a unique sense of energy and refuge where Black men turn to for comfort, networking, career insight, health advice and gossip – a destination where they can discuss anything, from sports to politics—and not have to worry about being discriminated against or humiliated. Join us as Host Eddie Robinson takes I SEE U away from the broadcast studio and into Ken’s Kutting Shoppe – a Black-owned barbershop and hair salon located near NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The owner, Ken Hicks, as well as one of his employees, Derrick Williams, share their stories of overcoming obstacles and a deadly pandemic all while transforming the lives of Black men (and their hair) for nearly 30 years.

For decades, members of the Black community and other communities of color have been excluded from owning media broadcast properties. Recent data released by the Federal Communications Commission shows that women and minorities are underrepresented in license ownership, particularly in FM commercial radio stations. Will the FCC ramp up policies and legislation to effectively promote diversity of media ownership? Check out this powerful episode of I SEE U, as host Eddie Robinson chats with the first and only African-American female to ever own an AM or FM radio station in all of New England – President/CEO and General Manager of Cutting Edge Broadcasting, Carol Moore Cutting. The radio pioneer discusses in unguarded detail how discrimination and racial prejudice continue to run rampant in today's broadcast ownership industry. Veteran radio programmer, Nikki Swarn, also joins the conversation. Swarn is the GM of THE DROP—a new public media, Urban-Alt station with an all-Black staff based in Denver, Colorado. This episode is an encore of the January 8, 2022 broadcast.

Members of a group of community-based organizations recently embarked upon a month-long bus caravan that stretched across several cities throughout the southern region of the country, including places like Atlanta; Birmingham; Little Rock, Arkansas; Houston and Jackson, Mississippi. The tour was designed specifically to support Black girls and young women by providing them with resources and networking tools to help build on their personal and professional career goals. Appropriately titled, "Joy Is Our Journey Dream Bus Tour," the eye-catching, hot pink vehicle carried a portable ‘Dream Village' that featured collaborative workshops, face-painting stations and other interactive activities. But why dedicate this endeavor exclusively to the South? And how come this community collective decided to partner with one of the most provocative and controversial Southern Black women in entertainment—Houston's own and three-time Grammy-award winner, Megan Thee Stallion? Join us as I SEE U Host Eddie Robinson chats unguarded with the Visionary Founder of Southern Black Girls and Women's Consortium, LaTosha Brown as well as the group's Executive Director, Malikah Berry Rogers. The pair will share their strategies and ideas behind how they've been able to transform mindsets of young teen girls and even adult women of a certain age realize their full potential while living and sometimes surviving in the Deep South.

Based on his own real-life experiences, Elegance Bratton’s THE INSPECTION, tells the story of a young Black man who was kicked out of the house by his Christian mother for being gay. After spending years at a homeless shelter and on the streets of New York City, he decides to enlist in the U.S. military to become a Marine. Ironically, this autobiographical film takes place during the era of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ – a controversial policy that shunned openly gay people from entering the armed services. Join us as I SEE U Host Eddie Robinson speaks candidly with acclaimed filmmaker, Elegance Bratton, about his feature debut and future projects on the horizon. Bratton will share intimate details of how he came to grips with the ultimate dilemma of whether he’d stay out on the streets and die young to become a mere statistic or join the military and die young to become a war hero. The New Yorker will even offer up words of encouragement for parents, when visions and dreams they had for their own children don’t quite pan out the way they expected them to.

While medical teams question whether the omicron variant marks a COVID-19 transition from a pandemic stage to an endemic phase, minorities along with a host of communities of color are seeing disproportionately higher rates of mental health problems. Moreover, disparities exist as it relates to accessibility in mental health care services. Join host Eddie Robinson for the second part of our series on I SEE U that explores the impacts of mental illness on more diverse populations. Guests include therapists, Eliza Boquin and Eboni Harris, co-founders of Melanin and Mental Health; and Manuel Zamarripa and Jessica Tlazoltiani Zamarripa, founders of XICANX PSYCHOLOGY – Institute of Chicana/o Psychology This episode is an encore of the January 21, 2022 broadcast.

Renowned instrumentalist, Branford Marsalis, has spent four decades in the international spotlight touring the globe and perfecting his skillsets as the standard-bearer of modern jazz. The Louisiana native also comes from a musical family, with brothers—Wynton, Delfeayo and Jason—becoming acclaimed jazz musicians; and his father, the patriarch Ellis Marsalis, Jr., a jazz pianist and educator himself. But how does a three-time Grammy Award-winner maintain his longevity in a recording industry submerged in a world that continues to grapple with notions of social unrest and injustice? How is he able to sustain such an artistic excellence in musicianship despite the racial tension and political polarization happening in this country? Stay tuned as I SEE U Host Eddie Robinson speaks unguarded with legendary composer and bandleader, Branford Marsalis. He talks candidly about the motivation behind his music; how his father, who died in 2020 from COVID-19 complications, helped inspire his approach to confronting racism; and what he really thinks about the future of American democracy.