Language has always been about more than words.
For Black people, the way we speak is often used as a shortcut for judging our intelligence, professionalism, credibility, and even our worth before we've had the chance to say anything meaningful at all.
In this episode of Three Black Women and Their White Coach, we're unpacking Ebonics, also known as African American Vernacular English (AAVE), and challenging the idea that there is only one "correct" way to communicate.
Because AAVE isn't broken English. It isn't laziness. And it isn't a lack of education.
It's a legitimate dialect with its own rules, history, and cultural significance.
Together, we explore how language bias shows up in coaching spaces, professional environments, classrooms, and everyday interactions, while examining the assumptions we make about people based solely on how they speak.
What Ebonics (AAVE) actually is and why linguists recognize it as a legitimate dialect
The historical roots of AAVE and how it developed through generations of Black culture and resilience
The Oakland Ebonics Resolution and why it sparked national controversy
How language becomes tied to perceptions of intelligence, professionalism, and credibility
The difference between dialect, slang, and "broken English"
Common examples of AAVE and the grammatical rules behind them
Why listening for understanding matters more than listening for correction
How language policing creates barriers in coaching and professional spaces
The connection between authenticity, code switching, and belonging
Why respecting cultural language is part of creating truly inclusive environments
For Everyone:
What assumptions have you made about someone's intelligence based on how they speak?
When do you feel the need to adjust how you speak to be taken seriously?
Have you ever corrected someone's language without understanding its cultural context?
Where have you equated "professional" with sounding a certain way?
What beliefs about language are worth examining more closely?
00:01 Why We're Talking About Ebonics and Language Bias
01:27 What AAVE Actually Is (And What It Isn't)
03:27 Historical Roots of Ebonics and the Oakland Resolution
05:16 How Language Shapes Professional Perception
07:02 Who Decides What's "Correct" English?
09:44 The Problem with Equating Language and Intelligence
11:11 Listening to Understand Instead of Listening to Correct
14:11 Understanding the Habitual "Be"
16:06 Cultural Context, Meaning, and Misinterpretation
19:09 Why Coaches Need to Pause Before Making Assumptions
20:58 Double Negatives and Emphasis in AAVE
22:18 The Meaning Behind "Been"
24:03 Black Sayings, Boundaries, and Cultural Communication
26:29 Creating More Inclusive Coaching Spaces
27:07 Reclaiming Language as Part of Black Identity
28:39 Authenticity, Marketing, and Showing Up As Yourself
30:09 Why Different Doesn't Mean Wrong
31:11 Heart Check + Final Reflections
What assumptions have you been taught to make about language?
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