We're taking it way back — all the way to college. This episode is a mini-reunion: host Brittany Luse and Ayesha Rascoe, host of NPR's Weekend Edition, are both alumnae of Howard University — they even attended during some of the same years. Howard is an HBCU: a historically Black college or university. There are around a hundred in the US, and they've had a big impact on both graduates and American culture writ large. Ayesha has edited a book of essays all about that impact, called HBCU Made: A Celebration of the Black College Experience. Brittany chats with her about the book and what makes HBCUs special — they also trade tales from their own time as students.

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This morning, the International Court of Justice shared a decision on South Africa's genocide case against Israel. The courts found sufficient evidence that it's "plausible" that Israel has committed acts of genocide in Gaza and ruled that Israel must prevent genocidal attacks. Earlier this week, host Brittany Luse sat down with South African journalist Redi Tlhabi to look at the context of this story and lay out how the histories of Israel and South Africa factor into this moment.

Then, Brittany chats with Professor Poulomi Saha about America's obsession with cults. With so many shows choose from, cult documentaries could now be seen as their own genre. But what might our fascination with cults reveal about society's shortfalls?

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Director and actor Benny Safdie is probably best known for co-directing the film Uncut Gems, but he's also acted in Oppenheimer, Licorice Pizza, and one of host Brittany Luse's personal favorites: Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret. In his latest project, Safdie co-created and acts in Showtime's The Curse. It's an intensely uncomfortable examination of the smoke and mirrors behind your favorite home improvement shows, but it's also a marriage drama – and it picks apart our desire to seem like good people, rather than being good people.

Host Brittany Luse sits down with Safdie to learn what makes home improvement shows both soothing and sinister — and the difference between do-gooders and seem-gooders. They also play a game where they're forced to distinguish reality from fiction.

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For decades, Evangelicals have propped up Republican presidents. And while church attendance has fallen across the board, Evangelicals are still making waves politically; they just helped deliver Trump a historic win in the Iowa caucus. But the political bent of Evangelicals begs for closer inspection because white Americans who align with Trump are more likely to start identifying as Evangelical, even if some of them no longer sit up in the pews. NPR Political Correspondent Sarah McCammon joins the show to dig into host Brittany Luse's question: are Evangelicals now a religious group or a political one?

Then, after calls for a ceasefire interrupted President Biden's speech at Mother Emanuel AME Church, many people denounced the protest saying that it was not the right time or place. But Brittany wonders; if not there, then where? She sits down with Dr. Anthea Butler, religious scholar and chair of the department of Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, to dive into the roots of political activism within the Black church. They also look at the complicated relationship between Democrats and the Black church.

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Anna Deavere Smith is an acclaimed actress, journalist, and playwright. She's a pioneer of what's known as 'verbatim theater,' which is performance based on conversations and interviews with real people. But after decades of becoming thousands of Americans on stage, what has she learned about our nation? Host Brittany Luse sat down with Deavere Smith in studio to hear her unique perspective about who — and what — America is.

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Fantasia Barrino-Taylor is picking up awards buzz for her portrayal of Celie in The Color Purple, and Brittany is sitting down with the former American Idol winner to look at the path she took from high school dropout to potential Oscar nominee. Brittany and Fantasia explore how her journey in life has made her come to love the character she plays, and even heal some old wounds along the way.

Then, after living through the fast churn of microtrends, social media influencers are embracing the trendiest anti-trend in fashion: "personal style." And while personal style is the it-girl, other fashion trends may be around the corner. Will 2024 be the most conservative fashion year yet? We turn to Washington Post fashion writer Rachel Tashjian to talk about personal style, why it's trending, and what to look for in 2024.

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American Fiction is a movie you can spend hours discussing. Based on Percival Everett's novel Erasure, the movie is a satire of what the publishing industry wants from Black authors. The film also belongs to a lineage of Black movies that look at selling out in the entertainment industry: from CB4 to Hollywood Shuffle. But does American Fiction say anything new? Host Brittany Luse chats with Aisha Harris, NPR culture critic and co-host of Pop Culture Happy Hour, about her essay on what American Fiction gets right — and the cultural marks it misses.

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This week, host Brittany Luse is starting with the biggest story of the year - the upcoming presidential election. The economy, foreign policy, reproduction rights have all been top of mind lately - but how will these issues play out in the voting booth? NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben and Domenico Montanaro join the show to talk about what might sway voters in November.

Next, Brittany tackles a popular New Year's tradition: Dry January. Last year, one out of every seven American adults participated in Dry January, and one in three say they want to drink less in general. Writer and journalist Ana Marie Cox joins the show to discuss the growing interest in sobriety. She shares what's contributed to this "non-alcoholic" moment, who benefits, and the lessons she's learned as a recovering alcoholic.

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Looking for joy? Then it might be worth exploring your sorrow. In his collection of essays, Inciting Joy, poet Ross Gay considers the breadth of joy, arguing that it can be found – and even strengthened – in life's hardest moments. After all, those are the times when we rely on one another. Brittany Luse sits down with the poet to discuss the complexity of joy and creating meaning in life.

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To close out the year, Brittany is sitting down with Lonnie Holley. He's a painter, sculptor, and musician who released his latest album, Oh Me Oh My, in early 2023. In it he sings of his difficult childhood growing up in Jim Crow Alabama where he was sold, beat, and effectively enslaved. But today he sings of hope. He's been on a journey to heal his pain, and the pain of the generations that came before and the ones that will follow. It's a story of gratitude.

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