In the Blackseat

Last week, we had an all girl HBCU band. This week, the fellas talk about their HBCU experiences! There are about 1.5 million Black men in college at any given time, and a portion of them have decided to attend HBCUs.

Len (Morehouse), Kwame (Lincoln Univ., PA) and Donavan (Morris Brown) arrived at their chosen schools via VERY different paths, but each found the family and strong Black identity they were looking for.  We discussed their windy journeys to higher education, the things that surprised them about their schools, and how their experiences over 25 years ago have shaped them.

They speak with great passion about how to support HBCUs, and how all HBCU grads are a part of a larger family that is impacting this country and the world. The camaraderie was easy, and each man was enthusiastic about dispelling myths and sharing the truth about what happens on these campuses. They also share their definitions of Blackness and their Black heroes and sheroes. Let's go!

There are currently 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country, with nearly 230,000 students. HBCUs have been a force and a lifeline in the Black community, educating students since the mid-1800s. When other schools would not admit Black students (something that happened well into the 20th century), these schools were established to give Black folks the education they needed to become leaders in their communities. However, HBCUs are still not as well known as they should be, and their impact isn't fully understood.

In the Blackseat, we talk about life from a Black perspective, and so it goes without saying that the important conversation about HBCUs had to come from proud alumni. Our journey to HBCUs is a two parter - first with the ladies, and next week with the fellas. Get ready to be transported to the yard - Joy (representing Florida A&M University), Maisha (representing Morris Brown College) and JoLai (representing Tuskegee University).

We talked at length about the history of their alma maters, notable alumni, the history of their own educational journeys, why they selected their schools and what HBCUs have meant to them in their lives. Without prompting, ALL of them said - at separate points in our conversation - that attending their HBCU was the BEST decision they made in their life. I felt the spirit myself: the love, the pride and the joy is evident. If you went to an HBCU, this will be like homecoming. If you didn't, it's all good - there's room for you in the Blackseat! 

Many of those kidnapped from Africa during the Transatlantic Slave Trade were farmers. They brought with them techniques to grow and harvest multiple crops that helped build the economy of America, and the entire world. In modern times, the descendants of those farmers have faced an arduous road - their land has been stolen, they've been unable to access government subsidies and benefits that white farmers can easily take advantage of. The dramatic decrease in Black farmers is happening at the same time that Black folks in the cities are facing food inequity and food apartheid - new terms I learned from my guest and CEO of Gardeneers, Selma Sims.

This sista is an agronomist and urban farmer, and is on a mission to make everyone more aware of the food system. We had an incredible conversation that was political, agricultural and cultural - you won't look at what you eat every day, or the resources in your neighborhood the same after listening. She gives advice to those who want to start their own gardens, or start neighborhood gardens, talks about the difference between soil and dirt AND puts some respect on the name of George Washington Carver. You're going to love her as much as I did, I guarantee!

The relationship between Black folks and medicine has been full of tension and betrayal for hundreds of years. From kidnapped Africans who brought their healing touch as enslaved men and women, to midwives, to brutal experiments performed on Black bodies and issues with pervasive myths about Black people, we are constantly on the defense in medical settings.

I wanted to talk about medical racism and being Black in medicine with the best of the best, so I am excited to introduce you to Dr. Breanna Freeman-Jordan and Nurse Practitioner Frances Davies (who has since retired!) We talked about their experiences with racism as professionals, how Black people should approach getting the best health care, and what Black folks considering a career in health care need to do to succeed.

Close your eyes and picture a gun owner. Chances are, you'll envision a white man, but Second Amendment rights apply to all Americans. Javondlynn Dunagan, owner of JMD Defense, believes that wholeheartedly.  After retiring from a career in law enforcement, this sista decided to help other women become more comfortable with owning and handling a weapon. In an industry where women are anomalies, let alone Black women, I thought this was the  perfect introduction to our series focused on Black folks in unorthodox professions.

We covered SO much ground, including gun ownership in an age of societal upheaval, how men and women differ when they go to the range, the community she has built in her classes, the foundation she is starting to continue to pour into her community, and interestingly enough, how SHE was once afraid of guns (clearly she got over that!) As always, she shares her definition of Blackness, and her Black heroes/sheroes. Let's go!

We already know that Black people aren't a monolith, but how does where one lives affect the Black experience in America? I think there are a lot of assumptions based on geography (Black folks above the Mason-Dixon vs. below it, for example), but I wanted to find out for sure. 

I sat down with my friends Verdis, Maleta and Nichelle - who live and have lived all around this country, for a discussion that both surprised and saddened me. Verdis discussed a family member whose home was bombed in Illinois; Maleta spoke about her run-in with a Confederate legend at the post office; Nichelle shared her discomfort in certain parts of the very city she was born and raised in. They also shared their thoughts about feeling like an American, and the BEST places they have lived.

The one constant that emerged was the fact that Black folks have created and maintained communities to protect, provide for and grow our people. I hope you enjoy this conversation, and think about how where you have lived has contributed to your experience as a Black person in America.

Welcome back to the Blackseat! It goes without saying that these are stressful times we are living in (and have been living in if you're Black in America). How do Black folks make it through? Some say prayer, some say therapy (I say both). In this episode, Dr. Ricardo Whyte, Dr. Kimani Norrington-Sands and AJ Springer (the Black Men episode) share their personal and professional stories about the state of mental health in the Black community. 

What are the unique challenges we have faced historically that lead to mental and emotional distress? How can we select the right professionals for us? How does dismantling systemic racism benefit our mental health? Why are mental health services for our children so important? As always, my guests share their Black heroes and their definition of Blackness. 

As I say in the intro, my sincere hope is that if you are on the fence about seeking health for mental and emotional difficulties, this episode will be the gentle nudge to get the assistance that you need. There is no shame, and you are worth it!

Part II takes us back to the fateful day when Kiilu found out his sentence had finally been commuted. Ride in the Blackseat as his wife goes to pick up him from prison, and they spend their first moments of his freedom together. Find out what he is doing now, what they plan to do with their future, their Black heroes and what they would have said to their younger selves! A fitting way to end the first season, with an amazing story of survival, and love, and redemption.

Mass incarceration has disproportionately affected the Black community for generations. Men and women have been stolen from their families and neighborhoods, and thrown behind bars, their bodies used as wood to keep lots of people warm (and rich).

We must never forget that inmates are people, so in this episode - the first part of our season finale - I want you to meet Kiilu and his wife Crystal. Kiilu spent his entire adult life in various prisons in California, for crimes he committed as a teenager. Although he had a 25 to life sentence, he changed his life and fought for his freedom. He's been out for fewer than six months, and he's in the Blackseat - with his lovely wife - to tell you his story.

It is a captivating and challenging conversation, and I am proud to share it with you.