The Blackness Thread (formerly Still Talking Black)

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Episode Summary:
This episode is all about the pursuit of higher education. I talk to DR. Zakiya, a self-proclaimed former career student and author of the upcoming book, "Dump Your Degree." We talk about our experiences with higher education, the lessons we learned, and the pitfalls we faced. We also talk about our experiences with work-life after school.
 
About the Interviewee:
Dr. Zakiya Akerele is a third-generation educator with a passion for lifelong learning. She is the creator of the Degrees of Separation documentary film that addresses the higher rates of unemployment and underemployment experienced by Black college graduates and presents solutions such as entrepreneurship as a way to combat these issues. Dr. Akerele is a former HBCU professor and the author of Dump Your Degree: How to Repurpose Your Education, Control Your Career, and Gain Financial Freedom. She is committed to helping students and graduates create careers they enjoy on their own terms.

Pre-order her book Dump Your Degree at DumpYourDegree.com
Degrees of Separation Documentary: https://vimeo.com/385010598

Spotlight on Melanin:
This episode's Spotlight on Melanin is Rafiah Maxie. After tragically losing her son to suicide, she has worked to help others not have to feel the pain she had to go through. Through her organization Soul Survivors of Chicago, she works to raise awareness surrounding mental health, suicide prevention, and trauma prevention for youth of color. To learn more about the things she is doing, you can follow her on Instagram @SoulSurvivorsCHI or visit her website at SoulSurvivorsOfChicago.com

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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 this episode, I talk to Christina and Eddie Sledge of Sledge House Media. They not only created a media company from the ground up, but they did it in the middle of a pandemic. Now they are sharing their fiction and non-fiction stories in book form, and one day plan to expand to other forms of media such as feature films. 

About the Interviewees / Spotlight on Melanin:
Married couple, Edward and Christina Sledge wrote and published their memoir, The Story of Christina and I and Our Marriage: An Essay during the COVID-19 pandemic. The high school sweethearts met in Brooklyn, NY to start their predestined love story.  They both became first-generation high school and college graduates. They continued on to both obtain graduate degrees while also raising a family.

Edward and Christina founded their company, Sledge House Media in 2021 to publish their own books and to share the untold stories of the average person. Thus far they have published four books and one short film together with many more on the way.

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:
This episode is all about soul food, but not the soul food you may be used to, today we are talking about vegan soul food with my guest Kirsten Ussery. Kristen talks with me about her journey of going vegan and later opening a vegan restaurant. I also spend a little time talking about the history of traditional soul food. Veganism has many health benefits and I am thinking about incorporating a few vegan days into my diet.

About the Interviewee:
Kirsten Ussery partnered with Erika Boyd to co-create the Detroit Vegan Soul restaurant brand in 2012. The pair own and operate a restaurant in Detroit's historic North Rosedale neighborhood and have provided employment opportunities for many people who otherwise would not have the opportunity to work and advance in the food industry. Ussery has been a speaker on various panels about entrepreneurship including the Small Giants Conference, Net Impact Food Panel, and JPMorgan Chase’s CityLab Detroit Global Summit. She is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10K Small Business Program. With over 20 years combined experience in both communication/public relations and the food industry, Ussery is a veteran in research, management, operations, communications, and marketing.

Instagram:
@detvegansoul
@kirstenussery 

Facebook:
DetroitVeganSoul
Kirsten Ussery

References from the Episode:

1. Soul food: Scraps became cuisine celebrating African-American spirit - https://www.post-gazette.com/life/food/2006/02/23/Soul-food-Scraps-became-cuisine-celebrating-African-American-spirit/stories/200602230275#:~:text=Slaves%20were%20forced%20to%20eat,bones%2C%20hog%20jowls%20and%20gizzards.
2. 7 COMMON HEALTH CONCERNS AFRICAN AMERICANS SHOULD MONITOR - https://www.centrastate.com/blog/7-common-health-concerns-african-americans-should-monitor/
3. Veganism - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veganism
4. The Humble History of Soul Food - https://www.blackfoodie.co/the-humble-history-of-soul-food/#:~:text=Soul%20food%20takes%20its%20origins,in%20quality%20and%20nutritional%20value.

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:
This is the final episode of the series Mother's of Black Sons. In this episode, I talked to Kristin, who is preparing her son for college. One of the things we talked about that resonated the most was her talking about how differently people see her son now that is has started to transition from a boy to a man.

About the Interviewee / Spotlight on Melanin :
Kristen is the mother of a 15-year-old Black son with dreams of the NBA, but she is also a very skilled amateur photographer and digital artist. She has an amazing eye and has captured some truly unique pieces. You can see some of her artwork on Instagram @KMaria75Photography and you can purchase prints and other merchandise on Society6.com/KMariaPhotography. 

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:
This is the fourth episode in a five-part series talking to Mothers of Black Sons. In this episode, we talk to Mallorie whose eight-year-old son has already faced discrimination from other children. She also shares the ways in which having a son has changed her and helped her to grow and mature.

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:
This is the third episode in the 5 part series Mother’s of Black Son. Shannon talks about the obstacles she’s encountered and the worries she has raising her son. During our conversation we talk about issues with colorism, watching injustices happening around us, and much more. 

About the Interviewee / Spotlight on Melanin :
Shannon King is a multi-talented creator and podcaster. Shannon, alongside her podcast partner Jared L. White hosts The Not Your Enemy Brand: Speak Out Sessions, where they talk to other creators about issues facing the Black community. You can follow Shannon on Instagram @visionaryccb. You can find the podcast: not-your-enemy-speak-out-sessions.castos.com  and the episode featuring Richard here: not-your-enemy-speak-out-sessions.castos.com/episodes/speak-out-sessions-wrichard

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:
This episode is the second of a five-part series that seeks to discover what it's like like raising a Black son in America. This interview is with Latisha, and she has the youngest son of the mothers that were interviewed so her perspective on lessons that's she's taught and plan to teach look slightly different from the other mothers.

About the Interviewee:
Latisha is the mother of a 2-year-old son. Even at that age, she has already started to prepare herself to teach her son how to survive in the world and remind him that he is a king.

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:
This episode is the first in the Mothers of Black Sons series. Host Richard Dodds interviewed five mothers asking them similar questions to understand what it is like raising a Black son in America. Although each mother draws from different experiences and situations, there are many similar themes that emerged through their interviews. 

About the Interviewee:
Kendra is the mother of a 14-year-old biracial son. She is also a fellow podcaster who I have collaborated with a number of times. You can find out more about her podcast below.

Spotlight on Melanin:
This episode's Spotlight on Melanin is Kendra. Kendra is a fellow podcaster with a show aptly named Coffee with Kendra. In addition to podcasting, she also co-hosts an Instagram Live show called Grown Man Logic.  You can listen to Kendra's podcast by clicking here, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You follow her on Instagram @TheReallKendra and her show @CoffeeWithKendra.

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:
This episode is all about colorism. I share a story about my niece dealing with colorism that really broke my heart. My guest, Kantoinette the Blogger, and I talk about it from many different angles including colorism within our own communities.

Show your Support:
If you like what we're doing here on Still Talking Black, the best way to show your support is by liking, rating, and sharing our content, buying merch from our store at StillTalkingBlack.com/Shop, or donating using the link below. Every little bit helps. Thank you for your continuing support.

About the Interviewee:
Kantoinette the Blogger, as you may guess by her name is a blogger, but is most known for her podcast LBF Podcast, which stands for Let's Build Futures. Through her podcast and blog, she takes on many issues that make you not only take a different look at the world, but also yourself. She is currently working on a new business venture in creating one-of-a-kind dates.  You can follow Kantoinette on Instagram @Kantoinette_theBlogger and her podcast @Lets_Build_Futures. You can read her blogs at LetsBuildFutures.com. You can listen to her podcast on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to podcasts.

 Spotlight on Melanin:
This episode's Spotlight on Melanin is Maraj Virtuoso. Maraj is a musician that plays the violin and also sings. Her single Gray Matter puts her beautiful vocals on display. She is also an avid shoe connoisseur that you can often find selling rare kicks on her Instagram. You can listen to Gray Matter on Spotify and Apple Music, and you can see where she's performing or what shoes she's selling on her Instagram account @marajvirtuoso_. 

References from the Episode:

• https://www.dictionary.com/browse/colorism

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 episode is all about mental health and self-care in the Black community. How can we start to normalize taking care of one of our most important assets, our mind. We also talk about the stress we carry every day as minorities and we briefly discuss the effects of gun violence in the Black community.

Show your Support:
If you like what we're doing here on Still Talking Black, the best way to show your support is by liking, rating, and sharing our content, buying merch from our store at StillTalkingBlack.com/Shop, or donating using the link below. Every little bit helps. Thank you for your continuing support.

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:
This episode's Spotlight on Melanin is Andrea Designs Studio. She is the owner and designer of Paisley Paper Co, where she designs paper goods and products. She has a number of unique greeting cards with way more personality than you will find on the shelf. You can check her out @PaisleyPaperCo on Instagram and make sure you visit her shop at PaisleyPaperCo.com.

References from the Episode:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome

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.