The Nancy Ruffin Show

There is mucho happening in the world of #popculture this week and we're talking about it:

#gate and Trump's latest "locker room banter"The Presidential DebateDid Nate Parker seal his fate before Birth of A Nation's releaseSolange got a new album that's fiyahKim K got stuck for the paper (or Jewels in this case) and social media had a field day. Is she to blame?Kid Cudi takes a break and why we are here for itNancy dishes about her experience protesting Puerto Rico's Fiscal Control Board last week

And so much more. Tune in Thursday @9:30 pm EST.

What happens when your family doesn't dig your political views and trolls your page? How do we REALLY feel about our faves doing problematic ish a'la Mary J Blige? How does one maintain their sanity (and cool) in today's political climate? Plus bkwrita is in her feelings this week. Find out why on this week's episode of "The EmpowHERment Hour.

Join Nancy Ruffin and Maria Rodriguez as they talk about what's poppin in politics and shed light on the issues that matter to you while keeping it 100!

This Thursday September 15th 9:30 pm EST, join Nancy A. Ruffin and bkwrita for an informative and open conversation centered around the plight of Puerto Rico, colonialism and what it means for Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico and in the diaspora. Joining us as our special guest will be Dorothy Bell Ferrer a student at the University of Rio Pedras and staunch advocate for Puerto Rico's independence. This is a conversation you do not want to miss.

About Dorothy: Dorothy, also known by her pen name, Chachi Yaniré, is a recent graduate from Kent State University with a B.A. in Political Science/Spanish Latin American Literature. She is currently working on becoming both a juris doctorate and medical doctorate candidate, and is an avid blogger who does much of her advocacy through writing about her experiences and sharing her narrative as an afrocaribeña.

She specializes as a writer and advocate in Afropuertorriqueñidad, the complexities of healing for black women, the Puerto Rican independence movements, cultural and racial identity, and socialism that caters to black and indigenous populations throughout Latin America, the Caribbean and the United States. Chachi Yanire has served as a staff writer for LaRespuesta Media, has been published in La Galeria magazine, has presented workshops and “conversatorios” at Depauw University in Indiana, and in Piñones, Loiza, Puerto Rico and has been interviewed by Latina Magazine.

This Thursday Nancy A. Ruffin and bkwrita keep the convo all the way trill when they discuss Alicia Key's "dare to go bare" in this week's hot topic: About Face: Why the #nomakeup Movement Ain't for Everybody.

And in other hashtag news:

? Kanye West latest Yeezy Season 4 NYFW shenanigans and why he may have trolled us all

?Teyana Taylor's bawdy goals (yes we're still talking)

?Toxic masculinity and male fragility. When no is not enough.

Get your turn-up with the EmpowHERment Hour. Where #popculture and #feminism intersect. Tune in, call in, and sound off.

In this episode of The EmpowHERment Hour, host Nancy Ruffin is joined by writer and culture critic @bkwrita to discuss the rise of some of today's most notorious and talked about women. From Kim Kardashian, to Cardi B, to Amber Rose and everyone in between this conversation centers on stigmas, shaming, reclamation, and empowerment. It is a candid discussion on how one can at any point in their life change the direction of their life and come out on the other side triumphant and powerful. It's about staying true to yourself while growing in the process.

"You can't shame the woman who has no shame and is full of confidence. That right there is revolutionary"- @bkwrita

In this episode we will discuss the recent deaths of Alton Sterling, Philando Castille, & the Dallas/Baton Rouge cop killings and take a candid look at the current state of our country.

Join me and special guests as we engage in dialogue on how to "Fight the system: A discussion on police violence, race relations, and how to fight the system to create change." Log on, dial in, join the conversation and let your voice be heard.

Q: Are human beings meant to be monogamous?

A: Biologically? Probably not. Socially and spiritually? Possibly so. 

Examining human capacity for monogamy forces examination of our most deeply rooted primal urges and, judging from the practice of monogamy across the animal kingdom, it seems the odds are stacked against humans as naturally conforming to monogamy. Leading experts in the field of evolutionary psychology often label humans as socially monogamous, meaning they pair up with a mate for life—but like to step out for flings. Men are generally considered more likely to have sexual relationships outside of the one shared with their female counterpart, due in some degree to men’s primal command to spread their seed. However, both men and women are biologically engineered to enhance their evolutionary progress by seeking out and attracting high-quality partners.

In this discussion we seek to examine the current state of fidelity. Has fidelity and exclusivity become a thing of the past?

There seems to be a new trend when it comes to relationships. Many are opting into open relationships. When opening the door to an open relationship, what are the risks involved? Are there rules set as to the do’s and don’ts between couples and if so, is it a matter of conscience or do we assume loyalty.

Join us on real talk as we dive into this week’s topic of is monogamy dead?

Daily life in New York City is colored by a blatant disregard for women.

We are affronted almost every day by men who feel they have a right to talk to us, to approach us, to go so far as to touch us without any kind of permission. Women on the street, in the subway, in bars, are constantly maneuvering around the wills of men to keep themselves safe. And despite the achievements of the women's movement over the years, misogyny remains a persistent force in  our culture. 

By the time a young girl hits puberty she is faced with having to deal with unwanted sexual attention & harassment by her peers a& older men alike. As she gets older & enters womanhood, the harassment continues. Instead of educating boys & men on how to treat women, women are taught, conditioned even to accept and "deal with" it.

Join me Sunday, February 14 @ 9pm for a candid discussion with writer & slam poet Elisabet "LeesahVee" Velasquez as we dialogue about the pervasive misogyny occurring within our communities & our attempt to identify solutions to eradicate it.

Elisabet Velasquez Bio:

Elisabet Velasquez is a Brooklyn born poet and started writing as a means to flee a world that otherwise had no escape.In 2009 she began performing under the stage name Ms. Sick Prose at the Legendary Nuyorican Poets Café and earned a spot on the coveted Nuyorican National Slam Team where she placed Fourth in the Nation.

She is a mother of two children whom she refers to as her best poems to date. She has performed on various stages and universities around the country, and is currently working on her first book of poetry.

"There is a stigma associated with being a bad bitch that delineates the type of character women want to associate themselves with. As if being goal oriented, driven and alpha is a bad thing. Here's what happens when women place societal isms on other women, we become competitive. We become unfriendly. We begin to other. We become the mean girls that tell other girls they can't sit with us. We become bitter. We become petty. We become categorized in memes. We become fetishized through a patriarchal lens on what real women should be. We become the reason "I only have guy friends."

In her most recent essay, The Cardi B Effect, Maria Rodriguez discusses the dangers of categorizing and judging women who seemingly decide to take control of their lives, their sexuality, and commit to living life on their terms by any means necessary. Tune in Sunday, January 10th @ 9 pm as we discuss the essay that has taken social media by storm. It's a candid discussion on why women love to hate on the "Bad Bitch" #thecardibeffect. 

Read the essay here and dial in tomorrow and make your voice heard 

http://bkwrita.com/2016/01/05/the-cardi-b-effect-why-women-love-to-hate-on-the-bad-bitch/