In the Blackseat

This episode is a first in the Blackseat - non-Black people have been invited to participate in the discussion. This episode is launching on the day we celebrate the birthday of civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Laws prohibiting interracial relationships were deemed unconstitutional in June 1967, just nine months before Dr. King’s assassination. Nearly six decades later, while these relationships are more accepted, racism in this country means that there can still be trou...

One of the best contemporary storytellers is in the Blackseat for this episode. I got a chance to sit down with THE Michael Harriot!He is everything you think he would be - funny, sharp, self-deprecating, intelligent, all of the good adjectives. We talked about his path to where he is now, whether Black folks should share certain parts of our culture, his views on integration and his stint as an organized crime boss. Oh, and he bought a plantation. Whaaaaaaaaaaa???? Buckle up - let'...

Dr. Jeanne Aston-Baynes is a professor of Africana Studies at Eastern Washington University, near Spokane, Washington. During our initial conversation, when she mentioned where she worked, it sparked something: isn't that where Rachel Dolezal taught?"Yes, I shared an office with her." Yep, she shared an office with the infamous professor who made news as a white woman who had been pretending to be Black (referring to herself as transracial).That's when I knew I HAD to have her in the Blacksea...

Modern day policing traces all the way back to slave patrols, and presents communities - especially Black ones - with issues to this day. I have wrestled with unlearning and learning about law enforcement, and have been intent on sitting down with a Black LEO. I couldn't have imagined the first person who fit that bill would also be running for Sheriff of Los Angeles County! Meet Cecil Rhambo, who has thrown his hat in the ring for this very prominent and controversial position (as of th...

I can’t wait for you to meet Dr. Ricky L. Jones, chair of the Pan African Studies department at the University of Louisville, Kentucky - one of the oldest in the country, nearing fifty years in existence. In a time where anything related to Black history is being attacked as CRT, you gotta know this is an especially tough time for him and his department. Like my discussion with Elizabeth Leiba, our conversation took twists and turns as we discussed everything from why his current state o...

Most everyone is familiar with the story of Ruby Bridges, a little Black girl who integrated her school in Louisiana at just six years old (her first day was immortalized in a Norman Rockwell painting, underscoring just how tiny she was.) But we also know that there were hundreds of segregated schools in America, which means there are dozens more Ruby Bridges who were little warriors, just like her. I am excited for you to meet Ms. Shondolyn Small, one of the first Black students to atte...

What does it mean to talk Black? To talk while being Black? In a world where whiteness is the default, and proximity to whiteness is the standard of what is "good" and "acceptable", my guest Elizabeth Leiba is having NONE of that. We had an energetic and passionate conversation about everything from code switching as a survival mechanism (which can be traumatic), the stereotypes and tropes that Black folks get assigned, what "talking Black" is and isn't, and her harrowing tale of being arrest...

It's been a while since I have done a Quick Ride, but this topic has been on my mind!If you are a Black person who has been attacked by white supremacy - whether individually or systemically - is it a compliment to say "you are so strong" or "you are so composed"? You've seen the scenario - Black person gets harassed and holds their peace in the face of unrelenting aggression. Black person gets praised for composure, strength (and sometimes even patriotism, grrrrrrrrrr!)I don't think it'...

I got incredible feedback from the season premiere focused on mental health. As I am writing this overview, it is the top episode of this season and the fifth most downloaded episode of them all!There is such a hunger for information about honest conversations about mental health and practical ways to engage in self care, and Dr. Ricardo Whyte, Dr. Kimani Norrington-Sands and AJ Springer are BACK (literally by popular demand).We covered even more ground (honestly, this could be its own series...

Drug addiction has been a plague on America for generations, and we all know when America sneezes, Black folks get the flu. When I heard my guests' story about dealing with and overcoming addiction, I couldn't wait to get them in the Blackseat to share. I believe Gary and Myrna's love story, through years of hell as he used crack cocaine, will inspire those who are also struggling or love someone who is. We spoke at length about how he became an addict, their tumultuous relationship duri...