The Stoop

Black women have lower success rates when it comes to IVF (in-vitro fertilization) But why? We hear from Charissa Jackson who shares her journey about going through IVF. We also look into some of the reasons why Black women tend to have higher infertility rates, something that's explained by Dr. Michael Thomas, a reproductive endocrinologist who says one of the reasons why this is happening, is a reason many of us have heard before. 

As reparations for African Americans come closer to being a reality, the conversation has led to a question - who should get paid? We’ll explore that question of eligibility and hear different perspectives from people pondering it, and people who have clear ideas of what the answer should be. Plus- Hana, Leila and producer Natalie have an honest chat about what this all means for them.

It’s back! Sounds of Blackness. What is a sound that embodies Blackness to you? We’ve been asking high and low and the answers have us reflecting, laughing, tearing up and feeling absolute joy. Today we take a sonic dip into sounds that embody Blackness. We also sit down with poet Nikki Giovanni, and hear from many more about the sounds that move them.

There’s a renaissance of Black Horror- many love it, but some of us still have our eyes closed. With more Black horror films being made, we explore what actually defines Black Horror? We talk with scholar and filmmaker Tananarive Due, and writer Carvell Wallace, to discuss the comeback of Horror Noire and the use of Black trauma in horror films.

We get personal about our relationship with our booties. Not all of us were brought up in an era where there was so much booty appreciation. We stoop it out with hosts Josh Gwynn and Tracy Clayton from Back Issue Podcast, we talk about the booty blues, what’s wrapped up in calling a young Black girl “fast” and we meet Professor Kamille Gentles-Peart who has been studying sociology around Black women’s bodies.

Loving multiply. Polyamory. We already do it - you love your family, your friends, your pets- but what does it look like when it comes to romance?

In this episode, we meet a polyamorous triad- Ambi, Ex and Intro. We also hear from Kevin Patterson, author of Love’s Not Colorblind: Race and Representation in Polyamorous and Other Alternative Communities. And, we meet Crystal Byrd Farmer, who practices solo polyamory and argues, it’s part of our Black heritage.

Getting a whooping. Whether it’s a belt or switch, the homes we grow up in may normalize corporal punishment for kids- but do we understand the aftermath? You may not leave a visible scar, but there’s always an invisible one. We hear the story of Angela, we talk to a leading pediatrician, and we hear about immigrant parents struggling with those 3 dreaded numbers- 911.

The Buffalo Soldiers- strong men from Black history. But a big part of their story has us conflicted about the role they played. In this episode, we hear their story, hear about a soldier who defected, and meet a man who ponders his own time in the military.

Season SIX is almost here y’all! Here’s a little taste of what you can expect this season from Hana and Leila. New episodes drop starting August 19th!

We hear from dads, people talking about their daddies, and we hear about the joys, and challenges, of Black fatherhood. We see you, Black dads. Featuring dads Chris Stewart, Rob Fields, and Sam Adewumi.