Tripp After Dark

There have been plenty of stories told and written about us. Some of those stories have cast us into darkness, while others have carried us to freedom. Stories have the power to shape perception. The perception others have of us and the perception we have of ourselves. What does it mean to control the narrative? In this episode of Tripp After Dark, authors Tyiesha Radford Shorts stop by to discuss the power of writing and owning your own narrative.

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Surveys have reported the number of men with more than six close friends has halved. We are taught from childhood that competition and rugged individualism are the makings of a man. What happens when that individualism goes too far? On this episode we examine male friendships, loneliness, and how we ended up alone to begin with. 

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Cousin Tripp had the opportunity to travel to Accra and Cape Coast, Ghana. As you’ll see during the episode, I’m still overwhelmed. There’s so much to unpack and still so much to learn. I experienced the history, the culture, and the people. It all felt like coming to the reunion of a family I just found out I’m related to. In this episode, I do my best to describe my time there and how it changed me forever.

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Anti-intellectualism is not a new problem. We've seen this weapon effectively wielded throughout American History. Today, in the era of mass misinformation and content monetization, everyone has become enabled to act as an expert on everything. We've seen entire platforms built on unfounded opinions and loud voices. We've seen right and wrong become a matter of who has more followers. Worse yet, we've seen real experts and intellectuals silenced by popular opinion. On this episode, Scott Woods and Dr. Melissa Crum discuss the damage anti-intellectualism poses to the Black community and how we can mitigate it.

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It ain't trickin' if you got it. The problem is, not too many people have it. In a time where the cost of living is exponentially higher than the minimum wage, what does it mean to hustle and be hustled? Cousin Janese Boston swings by to talk about the golden age of the game and why things are so different now.

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From writing birthdays in the back of her Bible to cooking for the family on Sundays: Big Mama has always been a record keeper and space maker. It was in her living room, backyard, and kitchen that we learned what we come from, who we are, and everywhere we could go. Tonight, we sit with Ms. Suzan Bradford Kounta to discuss matriarchy and Black women’s history in leadership.

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How much privacy do we give up on a daily basis? With the social media encouraging us to share out every move, are we giving away too much information? Tonight, we sit with our local cyber security expert, Cousin Kenny. We discuss the events that led to privacy becoming optional and what you can do to protect yourself. Believe us, it will take a little more than a private page. 

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Historically, Black people’s whereabouts have always been a concern in the US. Where we are, how we are, and who we are have been subjects of debates in courthouses and churches. The one thing that held true was that we created and held space for ourselves even when the world didn’t. But what happens when our homes away from home shut their doors? Tonight, we explore the significance of Black thirds spaces and what the cost could be if we don’t continue to create them.

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From writing birthdays in the back of her Bible to cooking for the family on Sundays: Big Mama has always been a record keeper and space maker. It was in her living room, backyard, and kitchen that we learned what we come from, who we are, and everywhere we could go. Tonight, we sit with Ms. Suzan Bradford Kounta to discuss matriarchy and Black women’s history in leadership.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are we overlooking one of our ancestors’ wildest dreams? When we consider the brutality forced upon Black bodies, wellness looks a lot less like a luxury and more like progress. How many of our ancestors just wanted to be okay? How many of them just wanted to go a day without waking up in pain? Tonight on Tripp After Dark, we sit with Sal Reedus and Cortland Mullins to discuss what it means to be well.

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