In the past few years pole dancing has become more visible than ever in movies, on social media, and at concerts for artists like Summer Walker and Lizzo. Charla and Lauren may have never tried pole dancing before, but they’re eager to learn why it’s become such a key vehicle for Black women’s joy and wellness today. In this episode, pole dancing instructor Dalijah Franklin sheds some light on the meaning of the phenomenon as she explains how her organization, Black Girls Pole, created an international community. 



You can find more about The SLBW at https://www.instagram.com/theslbw/  
Follow SLBW on Twitter and Instagram @theslbw
Follow Dalijah Franklin @DalijahAmelia and Black Girls Pole @Blackgirlspole on Instagram

27. Pole Dancing with Dalijah Franklin

Join close friends Charla Lauriston and Lauren Domino on their hunt for the ‘secrets’ that have helped black women flourish through the bullsh*t. They connect with guests over shared experiences by wading through everything from sex and self-care to rage and anxiety. Each conversation centers on creating a space for joy with some newfound besties while asking: how do the black women we admire stay incredibly phenomenal?

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

In this very special season finale episode we’ve got some personal news for you all that we’ve been getting ready to share for some time. Let’s get into it.

36. We Interview: Each other!

Charla and Lauren get a lot of questions from listeners about how to sell a podcast. They might not have all the answers, but in this episode Stitcher Senior Producer Stephanie Kariuki comes on to share her words of wisdom for getting a project off the ground. She also throws in tips on finding work life balance and finessing all aspects of life with a self-starter attitude. 

 

You can find more about The SLBW at https://www.instagram.com/theslbw/

Follow SLBW on Twitter and Instagram @theslbw

Follow Stephanie Kariuki on Twitter @StephKariuki or Instagram @steph.kariuki

35. Making Your Own Podcast With Stephanie Kariuki

We may recognize the political symbolism of an afro or a “future is female” shirt, but cultural historian Tanisha Ford sees a political meaning in nearly everything Black women wear--whether they’re trying to make a statement or not.  In this episode, she takes a step back to explain the origin stories of some of the most popular fashion items for Black women and girls. And she breaks down the little-known ways that “high fashion” gatekeepers have been apropriating Black aesthetics from slavery to today. You’re not going to want to miss this. 

 

You can find more about The SLBW at https://www.instagram.com/theslbw/

Follow SLBW on Twitter and Instagram @theslbw

Follow Tanisha Ford on Twitter @SoulistaPhD and buy her book 'Dressed In Dreams: A Black Girl’s Love Letter to the Power of Fashion.'

34. Learning The Real Meaning of Our Clothes With Tanisha Ford

Growing up in Agusta County Georgia, Raquel Willis didn’t find the language for what was so different about her gender experience until young adulthood. But in just a few years since her gender transition, she’s become a leading thinker on gender politics and feminism with her journalism and non-profit work. In this episode, Raquel fills us in on how she became a key player in the movement for LGBTQ rights, where she thinks it’s going, and why she thinks Black womanhood is inherently gender non-conforming. 

 

You can find more about The SLBW at https://www.instagram.com/theslbw/

Follow SLBW on Twitter and Instagram @theslbw

Follow Raquel Willis on Twitter @RaquelWillis_

33. Rethinking Gender With Raquel Willis

Charla and Lauren are tired of environmentalism constantly being associated with white activists. This week 18-year-old climate justice organizer Elsa Mengistu (our future president) fills us in on what it’s been like to fight for the environment at Howard University and bring her race-conscious approach to the national stage. Her insights show there are big divides between the youth movement and adult organizers. But like a true future president, she outlines a way for each of us to fight climate justice like the function of white supremacy that it is. 

 

You can find more about The SLBW at https://www.instagram.com/theslbw/

Follow SLBW on Twitter and Instagram @theslbw

Follow Elsa Mengistu on Twitter @elsamengistu and Instagram @elsamengistu

27. Pole Dancing with Dalijah Franklin

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