It’s been 26 years since Melonee was last in San Francisco, but this time she talks about the full circle experience of being a fellow with The Peace Studio and beginning her training as a creative peacebuilder. How do you go from unhoused teen to hosting a podcast with a friend you met in college? There are people you meet along the way that can change your life for the better.

OTPW Friends welcomes thee Vrita Delaine who was the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs at The University of Southern Mississippi (TO THE TOP!). Guess who cried first? What does it mean to give someone their flowers? Can leadership be ordained? Could you hold down your career while living apart from your husband for 16 years? This is a discussion on the accidental mentors of our life who can change our trajectory in a heartbeat. We still have plenty of questions for Mrs. Vrita because her daddy also spoke 3 languages!! She’s just a little Black girl from Choctaw County, Alabama who grew up to be a graceful and respected African American lady who is in “her bag” literally.

Leave us voicemail cuz we’d love to hear what you think of the show OR if you have a question that you’d like for us to discuss on that show, that would be dope too. But for real tho, whatchu bout to do?

Here’s a good read: Mentoring While Black & FemaleThe Gendered Literacy Phenomenon of Black Women Mentors by Juanita Johnson-Bailey (The University of Georgia), Tennille Lasker-Scott Thei (University of Georgia), and Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz (Teachers College)

Episode 5: For the Black Girls Who Were Called White When Their Black Card Wasn’t Enough, Part 2.

On episode 5, we continue our discussion with Allanda Small Campbell, Natalie’s first cousin, classically trained opera diva, African-American Caribbean queen, big sister-friend. Listen as Allanda answers our lightning round “Gimme 5” black ass questions. In the second half, Melonee and Natalie continue their conversation about the politics of being a young Black girl transitioning into womanhood.

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On episode 4, we introduce you to Allanda Small Campbell, Natalie’s first cousin, classically trained opera diva, African-American Caribbean queen, big sister-friend. We discuss what it means to be a “proper” Black girl both up North and down South, just who holds the Black Card awarding power. and how friendship really is the family you get to choose.

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On Episode 3, we bring you Part 2 of our interview with the powerful, passionate, and creative Chandra Kamaria Harkins, aka Melonee’s shortest, artistic, Black rage friend. Don’t think you’re going to look down on her though, because Chandra is mighty and when she walks into a room, you better believe her presence is felt! Natalie and Chandra share their first impressions of each other and their common bond friendship via Melonee. Chandra shares her love for Tarot and gives a reading for the Black women collective. Liner Notes: We love your Patti for giving us the song "You Are My Friend" - the perfect friendship song. Chandra is a dope playwright and you can learn more about her theatre company Harkins House and learn more about some of the dope educational outreach opportunities she wants to do. She is really for the culture and you can follow her on Twitter. She is a part of a growing movement of Black women embracing ancient African and global spiritual practices.

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On episode 2, the show opens with Melonee shouting out her mother’s home village that has mysteriously disappeared from existence but wtf are their reparations?! Speaking of which, why did Joe think $20K was enough and Black women are disproportionately impacted by student debt. Chile please! Natalie finds herself haphazardly a contestant on Thee Miss Black Ass America Pageant. What did she say that lead to her triumphant win?

OTPW/Friends welcomes Chandra Kamaria Harkins, Melonee’s artistic Black rage big sister-little sister kind of friend who loves to talk about love. How do we learn about love and our capacity for love with and through our friends? Have Black women been conditioned by our families and society to only see love as an act of service? This episode is jam-packed with gems so we had to split it into two.

Music Credits:

Courtesy of Epidemic Sound

Atlantis provided by Purple Planet Music

On the FIRST episode of On The Phone With Friends, meet Melonee and Natalie, two friends who met over 20 years ago and think they do this friendship thing pretty good. We’re not perfect but the conversations we have had over the years have helped them evolve and lean on each other when the patriarch is just too much. Through laughter and a good amount of spirituality and philosophy, get to know their them through their friendship bio, the news they read as the world goes down the tubes, and clips of their biggest gift: their friends!

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What happens when two friends get on the phone to talk with a podcaster who also podcasts about friendship? That's a mouthful! We are featured on What's A Podcast Between Friends with Mary Liston and the episode drops Friday July 8! Get a sneak peek into our friendship origin story and hear our responses to questions about how we handle conflict, who does the better Oprah and Gayle impression, and why friendship has been important to our growth as grown ass women.

You don't want to miss this! You can listen to our episode starting July 8th and learn more about What's A Podcast Between Friends here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1943936

We are Melonee and Natalie and we've been friends for over 20 years: two besties, one phone, and three hunnid dreams to bring you the premiere podcast for Black women's friendships. Some would say we're funny but we'd like to think we are the two baddest b*tches that have the best conversations on the phone. 

We'd like to bring some of these convos and introduce you to our friends and other Black women we'd love to be friends with. On The Phone With Friends premieres in August 2022!

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