Shades of Strong® Podcast | From “Strong Black Woman” to Supported Black Woman

It’s been a minute, so I wanted to pop in with a quick update.

The Shades of Strong podcast is still on hiatus, but the work definitely hasn’t stopped. A lot is happening behind the scenes, and I wanted to check in, tell y’all where things stand, and talk a little about what I’m thinking about as I look ahead.

And if you miss me hearing my voice, there are more than 300 episodes waiting for you in the archive.

About Shades of Strong®

Shades of Strong® is a space for honest conversations about Black women, support, and what it means to reclaim strength without having to do everything alone.

The podcast is currently on hiatus and will return in 2027.

Let’s Stay Connected:

Shirl Hubbard is the creator of Support Languages™ and host of Shades of Strong® — a movement shifting the narrative from Strong Black Woman to Supported Black Woman™ through language, rest, and real support.

Sometimes support for Black women looks like finally deciding not to keep explaining yourself into emotional exhaustion.

In this Support Pause, Shirl explores the emotional cost of constantly going back and forth with people who are committed to misunderstanding you. From family dynamics to friendships, work conversations, and relationships, many Black women have been conditioned to overexplain themselves, defend their boundaries, and stay inside emotionally draining conversations far longer than necessary.

Using the familiar lyric “I’m living my best life… ain’t going back and forth with you”, this episode unpacks the deeper truth underneath that line: peace is a form of support too.

This conversation explores:

If you’ve ever walked away from a conversation feeling emotionally drained, anxious, unheard, or stuck replaying everything you said afterward, this Support Pause is for you.

And sis… if being strong isn’t working anymore, the Support Languages™ Assessment can help you better understand the kind of support your life may be asking for in this season. Take the assessment: shadesofstrong.com/supportlanguages

Listen to the support pause here:

About Shades of Strong®
Shades of Strong® is a space where Black women come to breathe, reflect, and reclaim strength without the struggle. Support Pauses are short, soulful reminders that you don’t have to carry it all alone. New episodes drop every weekday.

Let’s Stay Connected:

Shirl Hubbard is the creator of Support Languages™ and host of Shades of Strong® — a movement shifting the narrative from Strong Black Woman to Supported Black Woman™ through language, rest, and real support.

What would you say to your younger self today?

In this deeply personal Support Pause, Shirl reflects on sitting crisscross applesauce on the living room floor watching The Mary Tyler Moore Show and dreaming about becoming a writer long before life got loud.

This support pause explores what happens when responsibilities, caregiving, survival, and being “the dependable one” slowly push our dreams to the background. It’s a conversation about reconnecting with the parts of ourselves that still need support, creativity, softness, rest, and room to dream.

Because sometimes the dream never really leaves us.

And maybe… we really are gonna make it after all.

Listen to the support pause here:

About Shades of Strong®
Shades of Strong® is a space where Black women come to breathe, reflect, and reclaim strength without the struggle. Support Pauses are short, soulful reminders that you don’t have to carry it all alone. New episodes drop every weekday.

Let’s Stay Connected:

Shirl Hubbard is the creator of Support Languages™ and host of Shades of Strong® — a movement shifting the narrative from Strong Black Woman to Supported Black Woman™ through language, rest, and real support.

We just closed the 26 Black Women Storytelling Series, and I’m still sitting with what it revealed.

Not just the individual stories, but the thread that ran through all of them.

This episode isn’t a recap. It’s a reflection on what happens when Black women are given the space to tell the truth in real time, before everything is figured out, before the voice steadies, before the story is cleaned up.

Across this series, women from completely different lives shared what being “strong” has cost them.

Different backgrounds. Different responsibilities. Different realities.

But the feeling underneath it all was the same.

In this episode, I’m sitting with what stayed with me after holding space for those conversations, including what it means that some stories were shared publicly, and some were not.

Because that matters too.

If you listened to the series, this episode brings the thread together.

If you’re just finding your way here, this is a place to begin.

Because what these stories made clear is that this conversation is bigger than any one episode.

About Shades of Strong®
Shades of Strong® is a space where Black women come to breathe, reflect, and reclaim strength without the struggle. Support Pauses are short, soulful reminders that you don’t have to carry it all alone. New episodes drop every weekday.

Let’s Stay Connected:

Shirl Hubbard is the creator of Support Languages™ and host of Shades of Strong® — a movement shifting the narrative from Strong Black Woman to Supported Black Woman™ through language, rest, and real support.

Radiah Shabazz Harold was doing what so many women are used to doing.

Managing responsibilities.
Taking care of what needed to be done.
Showing up, even when it wasn’t easy.

From the outside, it looked like she had everything under control.

But inside, she was carrying more than most people realized.

In this episode, Radiah shares what it felt like to move through life while managing chronic illness, emotional exhaustion, and the pressure to keep going.

She talks about what it’s like to be seen as capable, dependable, and strong… while quietly struggling in ways no one is acknowledging.

There’s a moment she walks us into that makes everything clear. A situation that highlights just how invisible she felt, even while doing everything right.

Not because she wasn’t showing up…
but because no one was paying attention to what it was costing her.

Radiah opens up about what it looks like to begin shifting out of that space. Learning how to honor her body, her limits, and her needs without feeling like she has to explain or justify it.

She shares what it means to move differently now. To choose rest. To create boundaries. And to allow herself to be seen in a more honest way.

This conversation is about what happens when you keep showing up while feeling unseen… and what it takes to finally acknowledge that you deserve to be supported too.

If you’re starting to recognize what it feels like to be unseen while carrying so much, the Support Languages™ assessment can help you understand the kind of support that meets you where you are:  shadesofstrong.com/supportlanguages.

About Radiah Shabazz Harold

Radiah Shabazz Harold is someone who knows what it means to keep going, even when her body and mind are asking her to slow down.

She’s a communications professional with a background in journalism and social work, and her work is deeply rooted in racial justice, Black liberation, and telling stories that matter. But beyond her credentials, she’s also a mother, a wife, and a woman navigating life with chronic illness in real time.

Living with lupus and Sjogren’s has shaped how she moves through the world, forcing her to pay attention to her body, her limits, and what she truly needs. That lived experience sits alongside her professional work, giving her a perspective that is both grounded and deeply personal.

Radiah is also an emerging writer, drawn to storytelling as a way to explore truth, healing, and possibility. Whether she’s writing, working, or simply living her life, she is committed to creating space for something different… a life that honors both wellness and liberation.

Connect with Radiah Shabazz Harld

Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

About Shades of Strong®
Shades of Strong® is a space where Black women come to breathe, reflect, and reclaim strength without the struggle. Support Pauses are short, soulful reminders that you don’t have to carry it all alone. New episodes drop every weekday.

Let’s Stay Connected:

Shirl Hubbard is the creator of Support Languages™ and host of Shades of Strong® — a movement shifting the narrative from Strong Black Woman to Supported Black Woman™ through language, rest, and real support.

Didi Hairston is doing something many people don’t fully understand.

She’s showing up.

Not because everything is okay.
Not because she has it all figured out.
But because she’s choosing to keep going, even while navigating severe depression.

In this episode, Didi shares what it’s like to live with mental health challenges in real time. The kind that don’t just pass, and don’t always have clear answers.

She talks about the weight of carrying that while still being expected to function. To be present. To take care of responsibilities. To move through the world as if everything is fine.

But underneath that is a daily fight.

A fight to stay.
A fight to keep going.
A fight to make it through moments that most people never see.

Didi opens up about what “strong” has meant in her life and why it doesn’t always feel like a compliment. She shares the reality of living with something that requires constant effort, and what it means to keep choosing life in the middle of it.

This conversation is about a different kind of strength… the kind that isn’t loud or visible, but shows up in the decision to keep going one day at a time.

This conversation is about what it costs to live in survival mode for too long, and what it takes to create a different way forward.

If you’re navigating your own mental health journey or recognizing the need for deeper emotional support, the Support Languages™ assessment can help you understand the kind of support that meets you where you are:  shadesofstrong.com/supportlanguages.

About Didi Hairston

Didi Hairston is someone who speaks openly about what many people are still trying to hide.

Through her platform, Diva with Depression, and her podcast Breaking the Mask of Depression, she shares what it actually looks like to live with mental illness, not just the parts people are comfortable talking about, but the everyday reality of it.

She’s a speaker, a writer, and a mother who understands firsthand what it means to keep going while carrying something heavy. Her work creates space for honest conversations about depression, especially within the Black community, where those conversations don’t always feel safe or welcome.

Didi’s voice is unfiltered, real, and rooted in lived experience. She’s not speaking from the other side of it… she’s speaking from within it. And through that, she’s helping others feel less alone in their own journey.

Connect with Didi Hairston 

Website | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok

About Shades of Strong®
Shades of Strong® is a space where Black women come to breathe, reflect, and reclaim strength without the struggle. Support Pauses are short, soulful reminders that you don’t have to carry it all alone. New episodes drop every weekday.

Let’s Stay Connected:

Shirl Hubbard is the creator of Support Languages™ and host of Shades of Strong® — a movement shifting the narrative from Strong Black Woman to Supported Black Woman™ through language, rest, and real support.

Nikquan Lewis learned early how to handle things on her own.

Figuring it out wasn’t optional. It was necessary.

From a young age, she was navigating responsibilities that required her to grow up quickly. There wasn’t room to pause, and there wasn’t space to fall apart. So she did what needed to be done.

And she kept doing it.

In this episode, Nikquan shares what it looked like to move through life in survival mode for years. Showing up, building, achieving, and pushing through, even when her body and mind were telling her something wasn’t right.

From the outside, everything looked successful.

But internally, she was worn out.

She opens up about the cost of always being the one people rely on. The pressure to keep going, the expectation to have the answers, and what happens when you’ve been functioning that way for so long that you don’t know how to do anything different.

There’s a moment where everything begins to shift. Not a dramatic collapse, but a realization that she could no longer ignore how exhausted she felt.

Not because she didn’t want to keep going, but because she couldn’t keep carrying it the same way.

Nikquan talks about what it looks like to move differently now. Learning how to rest. Learning how to receive support. And unlearning the belief that she has to figure everything out on her own.

This conversation is about what it costs to live in survival mode for too long, and what it takes to create a different way forward.

If you’re starting to recognize what it feels like to always be the one people rely on, the Support Languages™ assessment can help you understand the kind of support that meets you where you are:  shadesofstrong.com/supportlanguages.

About Nikquan Lewis

Nikquan Lewis is someone who learned early how to figure things out even when she shouldn’t have had to.

Growing up in dysfunction and becoming a mother as a teenager, she had to learn how to survive, adapt, and carry more than most people ever see. That ability to keep going followed her into adulthood, shaping the way she showed up in her work, her relationships, and her life.

She went on to build a thriving career as a licensed relationship and sex therapist, stepping onto stages like TEDx and Essence Festival, and becoming a trusted voice on intimacy, trauma, and emotional safety. Her work has been featured in outlets like Essence, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, and TV One, and she is the founder of Intimate Connections, where she helps people build relationships rooted in honesty, connection, and care.

But behind all of that is a woman who understands what it costs to always be the one people depend on.

Through her work, her voice, and her lived experience, Nikquan is helping people unlearn survival patterns, release shame, and create lives that feel intentional, connected, and fully their own.

Connect with Nikquan Lewis

Website | Instagram |LinkedIn

About Shades of Strong®
Shades of Strong® is a space where Black women come to breathe, reflect, and reclaim strength without the struggle. Support Pauses are short, soulful reminders that you don’t have to carry it all alone. New episodes drop every weekday.

Let’s Stay Connected:

Shirl Hubbard is the creator of Support Languages™ and host of Shades of Strong® — a movement shifting the narrative from Strong Black Woman to Supported Black Woman™ through language, rest, and real support.

Juanita Ingram did everything she was supposed to do.

She showed up prepared.
She delivered.
She handled what needed to be handled.

From the outside, it looked like she had it all together.

But being the one who gets things done came with a cost.

In this episode, Juanita shares what it felt like to move through spaces where she was relied on, but not always truly seen. Where her ability to perform was expected, but her humanity wasn’t always considered.

She opens up about the pressure to keep going, even in moments that required care, attention, and space. Moments where something real had happened, but the expectation was still to push through like nothing changed.

There’s a point where everything begins to shift. A realization that no matter how much she gave or how well she showed up, it still didn’t protect her from being overlooked.

Not because she wasn’t capable, but because she was in environments that weren’t built to fully see her.

This conversation is about what it costs to keep proving yourself in spaces that don’t recognize your full humanity… and what it looks like to step away and choose something different.

If you’re starting to recognize what it feels like to be unheard or overlooked in spaces where you’re giving your best, the Support Languages™ assessment can help you understand the kind of support that meets you where you are:  shadesofstrong.com/supportlanguages.

About Juanita Ingram

Juanita Ingram is a woman who has built a powerful, global life… and still knows what it feels like to be unseen in the moments that matter most.

She’s an attorney, author, filmmaker, and storyteller whose work has taken her across the world, from the U.S. to London, Taiwan, and Singapore. Along the way, she’s created spaces that support and uplift women, raising millions of dollars through her work with Dress for Success and serving as a global ambassador for the organization.

Juanita is also the founder of Purpose Productions, where she brings stories to life through film and media, including The Expats International Ingrams, which has streamed on platforms like Amazon Prime, Tubi, and Roku and even landed on the Emmy nomination ballot.

Her work and impact have earned her recognition across multiple spaces, including an NAACP Award, an honorary doctorate in humanitarianism, and the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. She’s also a TEDx speaker and made history as the first Black woman to be crowned Mrs. Universe.

But beyond all of that, she’s a wife, a mother, and a woman who understands the weight of always being the one who gets it done.

Through everything she creates and every space she enters, Juanita is shifting the conversation… reminding us that Black women deserve to be seen not just for what they do, but for who they are.

Connect with Juanita Ingram

Website | Instagram | YouTube

About Shades of Strong®
Shades of Strong® is a space where Black women come to breathe, reflect, and reclaim strength without the struggle. Support Pauses are short, soulful reminders that you don’t have to carry it all alone. New episodes drop every weekday.

Let’s Stay Connected:

Shirl Hubbard is the creator of Support Languages™ and host of Shades of Strong® — a movement shifting the narrative from Strong Black Woman to Supported Black Woman™ through language, rest, and real support.

Kimberly Sumpter had been doing what so many Black women are used to doing… keeping everything going.

Showing up.
Handling responsibilities.
Making sure everyone else was taken care of.

And somewhere in the middle of all of that, she stopped paying attention to herself.

In this episode, Kimberly shares what it looked like to keep pushing through even when something felt off. The pace, the pressure, and the quiet ways she had been putting herself last without really stopping to question it.

There’s a moment she talks about where everything shifts. A serious health scare that made it clear that what she had been ignoring for so long was no longer something she could push past.

Not because she didn’t want to slow down, but because she hadn’t been giving herself permission to.

She opens up about what it felt like to realize just how much she had been carrying, physically, mentally, and emotionally. And how easy it is to keep going when that’s what you’ve always done.

This conversation is a reminder that doing too much doesn’t always feel like a breaking point in the moment. Sometimes it shows up slowly until your body makes you pay attention.

Kimberly shares what it looks like to move differently now. Choosing rest without guilt. Listening to her body. And creating space for herself in a way she hadn’t before.

If you’re starting to recognize the ways you’ve been doing too much and not giving yourself space to breathe, the Support Languages™ assessment can help you understand the kind of support that meets you where you are:  shadesofstrong.com/supportlanguages.

About Kimberly Sumpter

Kimberly Sumpter is someone who has spent years creating space for other women to be heard, even while learning how to listen to herself.

Through her platform, Sistahs Connect Radio™, she blends music, storytelling, and conversation to create a space where Black women can slow down, reflect, and feel connected. What started as a love for radio grew into something deeper — a place for healing, honesty, and community.

She’s also the voice behind Podcast to Inspire®, where she helps women use their own voices to share their stories and build something meaningful. Whether she’s teaching, creating, or holding space, her work is rooted in helping women show up fully and be heard in ways they may not have experienced before.

At the core of everything she does is connection. Creating spaces where women don’t feel like they have to carry everything alone… and reminding them that their voice, their story, and their presence matter.

Connect with Kimberly Sumpter

Website | Instagram | 

About Shades of Strong®
Shades of Strong® is a space where Black women come to breathe, reflect, and reclaim strength without the struggle. Support Pauses are short, soulful reminders that you don’t have to carry it all alone. New episodes drop every weekday.

Let’s Stay Connected:

Shirl Hubbard is the creator of Support Languages™ and host of Shades of Strong® — a movement shifting the narrative from Strong Black Woman to Supported Black Woman™ through language, rest, and real support.