This is the last episode with Lakeria, and the final installment of the series dissecting Morgan Jerkins’ book: “This Will Be My Undoing: Living At the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist In White America.” The focus is on learning to have peace with yourself, understand everyone will not accept you, and helping black professionals as a black professional.

Discussion summary:

00:20: Essay 9: “How to Survive: A Manifesto On Paranoia and Peace,” about having peace with yourself, and taking time and space to acknowledge your humanity.

03:13: Whether or not a black woman should lower her standards for a partner.

06:26: The home ought to be a place where a girl learns to be proud of herself, but black mothers often feel they have to tear their children down to prepare them for the world.

09:51: Essay 10: “A Black Girl Like Me,” on professional networking within the black community, and helping people within your community when you’re in a minority group.

21:52: Lakeria talks about what she liked about the book overall, and how she would like Morgan Jerkins to cover black feminism in the future.

23:12: Olivia wraps up the discussion, and shares her thoughts on the book overall.

23:45: Thank you, Lakeria, for suggesting we discuss this book!

23:53: Raven acknowledges this is the last episode Lakeria will be on, and talks about Lakeria’s role in making the podcast a reality.

Social media:

Twitter @I_squaredpod,

our Facebook page,

and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.

Music credits:

Opening: Goestories - Noir Et Blanc Vie

Closing: First Class - DJ Williams

Olivia and Lakeria share their views and experiences regarding colorism, a prejudice destroying the black community.

Discussion Summary:

00:24: Today, we’re talking about colorism, the communities it affects, and colorist references.

01:56: What is colorism?

02:54: General examples of colorism, Olivia recalls instances in which she saw colorism in action, and Lakeria recounts a conversation she had with a white friend about complexion.

06:42: How colorism impacts the white community, and the ways it affects women differently from men.

10:00: Where does colorism come from? Colorism, desirability, and stereotypes of women with dark skin.

14:52: Ways colorism and colorist stereotypes are reinforced in everyday expressions. White people identifying as black when a minority of their ancestry is black, and how black people aren’t afforded this privilege.

20:36: Dark-skinned women making themselves appear to be light-skinned on social media, and black fishing, in which nonblack women change their appearance to appear black in some ways.

23:02: Colorism in the media, the Jane Elliott study, colorism being imposed upon children, women across the world lightening their skin with cosmetic products and procedures.

30:13: People feeling the need to point out others’ skin color, not taking your skin tone for granted, pretty shouldn’t depend on how dark someone’s skin is.

36:03: Admitting to weaponizing others’ skin color, and how it starts when we’re young.

37:54: Putting colorism behind us.

42:34: Lakeria is leaving the podcast. Peace!

References:

Blue Eyes and Brown Eyes: The Jane Elliott Experiment

Why dark-skinned black girls like me aren't getting married | Life and style | The Guardian

Social media: Twitter @I_squaredpod, our Facebook page, and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.

Music Credit:

The Bone Train - Slynk

This is the second to last episode on our dissection of Morgan Jerkins’ book: “This Will Be My Undoing: Living At the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist In White America.” The I-Squared crew dig into essays 7 and 8, discussing traveling abroad as a black person, confronting the question “why are there labels?”, and views on the responsibilities that come along with sharing a minority group’s story.

Discussion Summary:

00:22: Essay 7: “Human, Not Black,” on facing prejudice, racial ignorance, and the black experience traveling abroad.

09:43: The need for community when facing tragedy experienced within a marginalized group.

12:34: Adjusting your behavior to the white standard of proper, and deciding how to treat people based on their self-expression and life experience.

16:20: Embracing black identity, and why identify as black?

24:54: Essay 8: “Who Will Write Us?”, on portraying the black experience in film, and the right and wrong ways to share a minority group’s story.

Social media: Twitter @I_squaredpod, and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.

Music credits:

Opening: Goestories - Noir Et Blanc Vie

Closing: First Class - DJ Williams

The I-Squared crew collaborates with Timothy West from the podcast, My Blurred Opinion, to talk about their experiences and thoughts related to dating.

Discussion Summary:

00:25: We Brought Tj on to share a guy’s perspective on dating.

01:44: Lakeria shares common struggles she’s had with dating.

03:11: Who has it easier, guys or ladies?

05:07: Common insecurities with approaching other people, knowing if others find you attractive, prom experiences.

10:56: How do you express your feelings of attraction to others, or acknowledge someone as your significant other?

19:01: The importance of straightforward communication.

28:47: Concerns with others finding you unattractive because you’re blind.

35:42: Experiences with, and views on long distance relationships.

45:03: Dating sites. Why or why not?

55:03: The importance of gaining experience with dating.

57:36: What do we think the purpose of dating is?

1:03:10: Thanks Tj for sharing your perspective!

Check him out:

Instagram: my blurred opinion

Tj on Facebook

My Blurred Opinion site

Social media: Twitter @I_squaredpod, and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.

Music credits:

Opening: Goestories - Noir Et Blanc Vie

Closing: First Class - DJ Williams

This is a continuation of our dissection of the book: “This Will Be My Undoing: Living At the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist In White America.” The I-Squared crew unpack the sixth Essay “Black Girl Magic” with extensive discussions about therapy in the black community, what role religion plays, and personal experiences with female maturation.

Note: Unashamedly, we refer to the different parts of female genitalia.

Discussion Summary:

0:22: False beliefs related to therapy in the black community, and how this is influenced by religion.

04:17: the source of mistrust of the healthcare system in the black community.

12:30: The invisibility of women of color with disabilities, and how religion is used to invalidate experiences with disability and mental health struggles.

19:47: Journeys with pain and discomfort related to womanhood.

24:39: Demonizing the female body.

27:46: Being close to your mother when it comes to maturing and learning about your physiology, receiving misinformation or incomplete information about reproductive health from other women.

35:58: The differences between the way society judges the actions of black women and white women.

40:46: Outro.

Social media: Twitter @I_squaredpod, and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.

Music credits:

Opening: Goestories - Noir Et Blanc Vie

Closing: First Class - DJ Williams

For the last day of the series on black, disabled women, Raven talks about the history of an actress, committed to disability inclusion in theater and film. She also discusses the controversy of having able-bodied actors play characters with disabilities.

Discussion Summary:

00:36: Background on Diana Elizabeth Jordan.

03:31: Jordan’s views on casting able-bodied actors in roles as disabled characters.

06:04: Raven shares her thoughts on disability inclusion in theater, Hollywood, and in general.

17:56: Outro.

References:

Diana Elizabeth Jordan on IMDB

How disabled actress and activist Diana Elizabeth Jordan is creating change

Diana Elizabeth Jordan

Social media: Twitter @I_squaredpod, and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.

Music credits:

Thanks to purple-planet.com for the intro music.

Background music: "Hard Boiled" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Closing music: "Local Forecast - Slower" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Olivia shares the history of another role model who was a warrior for disability rights, especially for black women with disabilities.

References:

Unsung Heroes of the Disability Rights Movement

Johnnie Lacy, Social Justice Pioneer

Social media: Twitter @I_squaredpod, and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.

Music credits:

Thanks to purple-planet.com for the intro music.

Background music: "Ultralounge" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Lakeria covers Sylvia Walker, a disability rights activist that wrote legislation that contributed to the Americans with Disabilities Act.

References:

Sylvia Walker: A Champion for Disability Rights

Social media: Twitter @I_squaredpod, and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.

Music credits:

Thanks to purple-planet.com for the intro music.

Background music: "Cool Vibes" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Raven shares the history of a disability rights advocate, who uses her voice and legal background to fight for others’ access to employment, education, technology, and other opportunities.

References:

Why I work to remove access barriers for students with disabilities | Haben Girma

Deafblind Lawyer Haben Girma Advocates for Disability Rights

HABEN GIRMA (1988- )

Social media: Twitter @I_squaredpod, and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.

Music credits:

Thanks to purple-planet.com for the intro and background music.

Olivia covers a civil rights champion known for defending voting rights for the black community, and motivating others to exercise our right to vote.

References:

About Fannie Lou Hamer, from the National Women’s History Museum

Social media: Twitter @I_squaredpod, and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.

Music credits:

Thanks to purple-planet.com for the intro music.

Background music: "Cool Vibes" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)