The Blackness Thread (formerly Still Talking Black)

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On this episode I talk to three Black fathers about there experiences in fatherhood from the perspective of a Black man. We cover various aspects of fatherhood, including the meaning, role, lessons learned, experiences, desired qualities, challenges faced by Black fathers, and the change in perspective after becoming a father. 

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Show Credits:
Richard Dodds (Host/Producer): @Doddsism
Show Music: @IAmTheDjBlue
Podcast Website: StillTalkingBlack.com

Still Talking Black is a production of Crowned Culture Media LLC. All rights reserved.

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Episode Summary:
In the season one finale, I talk with White parents that adopted two Black children. They open up about the things they've experienced and how their lives have been forever changed when they welcomed their children into their hearts and lives.

Spotlight on Melanin:
I am still looking for new submissions for Spotlight on Melanin. Spotlight on Melanin is the part of the show where I like to spotlight a creator, influencer, artist, business owner, or activist of color. If you or someone you know would like a chance to be featured on Spotlight on Melanin, email us at [email protected]. Please include links to their social media and why you feel they should be spotlighted.

Cover Photo by Kindel Media: Pexels.com

Support the show

Show Credits:
Richard Dodds (Host/Producer): @Doddsism
Show Music: @IAmTheDjBlue
Podcast Website: StillTalkingBlack.com

Still Talking Black is a production of Crowned Culture Media LLC. All rights reserved.

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Episode Summary:
As we near the end of season one, host and producer Richard Dodds sits down and discusses the whys. Why he started the podcast, why it's important, and more.

Spotlight on Melanin:
I am still looking for new submissions for Spotlight on Melanin. Spotlight on Melanin is the part of the show where I like to spotlight a creator, influencer, artist, business owner, or activist of color. If you or someone you know would like a chance to be featured on Spotlight on Melanin, send us an email at [email protected]. Please include links to their social media and why you feel they should be spotlighted.

Support the show

Show Credits:
Richard Dodds (Host/Producer): @Doddsism
Show Music: @IAmTheDjBlue
Podcast Website: StillTalkingBlack.com

Still Talking Black is a production of Crowned Culture Media LLC. All rights reserved.

Send us Fan Mail

Episode Summary:
You never know what someone is going through from the outside looking in. My guest Chris Blount talks about his struggles with anxiety and depression and how he used music and podcasting to help get him through it.

About the Interviewee:
Chris Blount is a podcaster, artist, and owner of On Purpose Recordings in Tacoma, WA. He hosts a podcast called "I Said That Sh*t On Purpose" and is a producer for various podcasts in the area.

Instagram:
@OnPurposeRecordings
@MostLikelyChrisBlount

Facebook: On Purpose Recordings

Spotlight on Melanin:
I am still looking for new submissions for Spotlight on Melanin. Spotlight on Melanin is the part of the show where I like to spotlight a creator, influencer, artist, business owner, or activist of color. If you or someone you know would like a chance to be featured on Spotlight on Melanin, send us an email at [email protected]. Please include links to their social media and why you feel they should be spotlighted.

Support the show

Show Credits:
Richard Dodds (Host/Producer): @Doddsism
Show Music: @IAmTheDjBlue
Podcast Website: StillTalkingBlack.com

Still Talking Black is a production of Crowned Culture Media LLC. All rights reserved.

Send us Fan Mail

Episode Summary:
In this episode, I am joined by the hosts and producers of the Full-Time Black Woman podcast to talk about what it means to protect our Black women and how we do it.

About the Interviewee:
Full-Time Black Woman is your safe space for you to be your full self. Our goal is to create an environment where Black professional women can discuss the ups and downs we experience in corporate America and entrepreneurship while balancing our many roles and responsibilities in life.

Esha Belle
Hey friends, I’m Esha Belle.  I was born and raised in the Midwest.  Yet I studied and became an adult in the Northeast.  My corporate America experience spans a decade-plus of environments ranging from cubicles to couches.  Along with my ever-changing career, I’ve been able to dream and grow fascinating entrepreneurial ventures.  

In my free time (if that truly exists) I enjoy spending time with family and friends, traveling, and creating.

Aleese Real
Hey, y’all! I’m Aleese Real, and the other half of the dynamic duo behind Full-Time Black Woman. 

I’m a southern belle with a big-city style. After over a decade in corporate America, I’m a full-time professional who knows her stuff.

When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. You might find me at a jazz lounge, thrift shopping or perhaps trying out a new restaurant. Most often, I’m home on the couch watching Frasier or anime while looking up crafting ideas and travel destinations.

Website: FulltimeBlackWoman.com

Spotlight on Melanin:
I am still looking for new submissions for Spotlight on Melanin. Spotlight on Melanin is the part of the show where I like to spotlight a creator, influencer, artist, business owner, or activist of color. If you or someone you know would like a chance to be featured on Spotlight on Melanin, send us an email at [email protected]. Please include links to their social media and why you feel they should be spotlighted.

Support the show

Show Credits:
Richard Dodds (Host/Producer): @Doddsism
Show Music: @IAmTheDjBlue
Podcast Website: StillTalkingBlack.com

Still Talking Black is a production of Crowned Culture Media LLC. All rights reserved.

Send us Fan Mail

Episode Summary:
Sometimes we feel like it's much easier to shut our eyes to injustices because they may not be affecting us directly, but in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." In this episode guest, Devan Sandiford and I discuss how we found our voices through all the injustices and made room to be our full selves.

About the Interviewee:
Devan Sandiford was born and raised in Southern California, where spent his childhood and young adult years keeping his personal stories hidden from almost everyone. Then feeling a voice within him longing to be heard, he moved to Brooklyn with his wife and two sons, hoping to push himself out of his comfort zone and find the power in his voice. Devan is now a published writer, an award-winning storyteller, and the program manager of community engagement at The Moth. His stories have been featured in the Washington Post, The Moth Radio Hour and Podcast, NPR-affiliate KNKX, and more. Devan has also been interviewed on parenting, race, and identity in The New York Times and Washington Post. He’s currently working on his debut book—Human, Like You: Confessions of a Six-year-old Father.

Spotlight on Melanin:
I am still looking for new submissions for Spotlight on Melanin. Spotlight on Melanin is the part of the show where I like to spotlight a creator, influencer, artist, business owner, or activist of color. If you or someone you know would like a chance to be featured on Spotlight on Melanin, send us an email at [email protected]. Please include links to their social media and why you feel they should be spotlighted.

Support the show

Show Credits:
Richard Dodds (Host/Producer): @Doddsism
Show Music: @IAmTheDjBlue
Podcast Website: StillTalkingBlack.com

Still Talking Black is a production of Crowned Culture Media LLC. All rights reserved.

Send us Fan Mail

Episode Summary:
This one was a hard one. In the wake of the shooting in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, we welcome back Mia Reid to tell us more about how the loss of her son led her to become a psychologist and an advocate that fights for better gun laws. We talk about ways to help bring awareness to gun safety and why people will be wearing orange this weekend. WearOrange.org

About the Interviewee:
Mia Reid is a licensed clinical mental health counselor with over 25 years of experience working in higher education with student conflict and resolution. She is also the founder of Change Happens Today LLC and the Charles W. Reid Community Help Center which is a non-profit that works to offer resources for people that have been impacted by gun violence and poverty. You can find more information about all of the things she does by using the links below.

• Change Happens Today: https://changehappenstoday.com/ | Instagram @Change_HappensToday
• Charles W. Reid Community Help Center: https://www.facebook.com/CWRcommunityhelpcenter

Spotlight on Melanin:
I am still looking for new submissions for Spotlight on Melanin. Spotlight on Melanin is the part of the show where I like to spotlight a creator, influencer, artist, business owner, or activist of color. If you or someone you know would like a chance to be featured on Spotlight on Melanin, send us an email at [email protected]. Please include links to their social media and why you feel they should be spotlighted.

Support the show

Show Credits:
Richard Dodds (Host/Producer): @Doddsism
Show Music: @IAmTheDjBlue
Podcast Website: StillTalkingBlack.com

Still Talking Black is a production of Crowned Culture Media LLC. All rights reserved.

Send us Fan Mail

Episode Summary:
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are important values in the workplace because they foster a work environment that is fair and inclusive. They also benefit employees by making them feel valued and appreciated. Studies have shown that workplaces with greater diversity, equity, and inclusion have lower turnover rates, better communication among employees, and stronger morale. In recent years, as the world becomes ever more interconnected, there seems to have been an increased focus on DE&I. In this episode, I talk with Wema Hoover, a DE&I champion.

About the Interviewee:
Wema Hoover has dedicated her career to being a culture change agent advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion across global markets through a systems thinking approach driving organizational change and development in people, processes, and products. Her deep experience spans multinational enterprises such as Google, Pfizer, Sanofi, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and PwC, with a high degree of cultural awareness after living in Europe and working across the US, Asia, Middle East, and Latin America. As a DE&I champion and thought leader, Wema served as a member of the Coqual (Center for Talent Innovation) Hidden Brain Drain Task Force and is a sought-after speaker on culture and DE&I topics for organizations including The Conference Board, Working Mother, and Diversity Best Practices. Wema holds a Master of Science in human resource management and a master’s-level certificate in organizational change management, both from New School University. She also earned her Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Rutgers University and a certification as a global professional in human resources (GPHR).

Spotlight on Melanin:
I am still looking for new submissions for Spotlight on Melanin. Spotlight on Melanin is the part of the show where I like to spotlight a creator, influencer, artist, business owner, or activist of color. If you or someone you know would like a chance to be featured on Spotlight on Melanin, send us an email at [email protected]. Please include links to their social media and why you feel they should be spotlighted.

Support the show

Show Credits:
Richard Dodds (Host/Producer): @Doddsism
Show Music: @IAmTheDjBlue
Podcast Website: StillTalkingBlack.com

Still Talking Black is a production of Crowned Culture Media LLC. All rights reserved.

Send us Fan Mail

Episode Summary:
We live in a world where some of us have been convinced that looking wealthy is more important than actually building wealth. From what I’ve seen and experienced, many of our people lack financial literacy. It is something that I noticed at a very young age, and since then worked to educate myself on how to better handle my finances. I try to pass on the financial insights I gain to the people around me, but I am by no means an expert on the subject so I brought along someone that is, Finical Wellness Educator William Cooper.

About the Interviewee:
William Cooper is proud to be born, raised, and educated in Detroit. He holds an M.A in Communication from Wayne State University. He currently serves as Financial Wellness Educator and DE&I Advisor at Sentinel Benefits and Financial Group. William enjoys educating individuals on ways to improve financial wellness. Additionally, in his free time, he enjoys spending time with his partner and loved ones, teaching yoga, and traveling.

Spotlight on Melanin:
I am still looking for new submissions for Spotlight on Melanin. Spotlight on Melanin is the part of the show where I like to spotlight a creator, influencer, artist, business owner, or activist of color. If you or someone you know would like a chance to be featured on Spotlight on Melanin, send us an email at [email protected]. Please include links to their social media and why you feel they should be spotlighted.

Support the show

Show Credits:
Richard Dodds (Host/Producer): @Doddsism
Show Music: @IAmTheDjBlue
Podcast Website: StillTalkingBlack.com

Still Talking Black is a production of Crowned Culture Media LLC. All rights reserved.

Send us Fan Mail

Episode Summary:
How do we become better leaders? That is the focus of today's show, figuring out how to deal with the added pressures of being a leader as a minority and also learning how to be a better leader. I talk with Shayna Hammond Founder & CEO of Lead For Liberation and IndigoWomen, whose understanding of leadership started at a very young age when her teacher told her even though she was quiet, she still was a leader.

About the Interviewee:
Shayna Renee Hammond is a leadership and life coach who has developed thousands of leaders within the education and nonprofit sectors for nearly twenty years. She is the founder and CEO of Lead For Liberation and IndigoWomen, a coaching practice dedicated to creating spaces, methods, and conditions for Black women in leadership to thrive.

Shayna earned a master’s degree in the art of teaching from Johns Hopkins University and a master’s of education degree focusing on administration and supervision from National-Louis University.

Book: Becoming an IndigoWoman: How to Thrive in Leadership and Life
Website: LeadForLiberation.com

LinkedIn.com/in/theShaynaRenee
Facebook.com/LeadForLiberation
Instagram: @LeadForLiberation and @IndigoWomenCommunity

Support the show

Show Credits:
Richard Dodds (Host/Producer): @Doddsism
Show Music: @IAmTheDjBlue
Podcast Website: StillTalkingBlack.com

Still Talking Black is a production of Crowned Culture Media LLC. All rights reserved.