Typed Out: The Podcast

What if the things we suffered from manifested as a magical ability? Illustrator and first-time author, Bill Masuku, answers this question in his forthcoming novel, Misfortunism, where misery becomes real power. Bill joins the Typed Out podcast this week to chat about his literary debut, the importance of diversifying niche genre literature from page to cover, and his personal journey of discovering his own creativity.

Ever been "mansplained" or talked over because of your gender or other pre-determined factor? In this special podcast-crossover episode, I am joined by Welcome To My Vagina co-hosts Rebekah Frank and Jessy Caron to discuss the various ways in which women and non-male identifying folks become the subject of many men's tirades, just who gets access to your body (ps: no one without your consent!), and how women have been notoriously left out of the most important conversations regarding their own rights.

Being raised under the influence of two cultures can be a difficult situation to navigate. For Rebecca Imaizumi, she had trouble finding a home in her native country of Japan because of her mother's American heritage—but then she found hip-hop, and the dancer and entrepreneur has not looked back since. In this episode, Rebecca and I chat about her family's integrated history of pursuing what you love, and how following your passions can be the map that leads you home.

Is the education curriculum keeping up with the modern world? Have the history books and reading assignments expanded to include more diverse voices? Educator and high school English teacher Tiffany Danielle joins as this week's guest to discuss whether or not the classroom—from setup to syllabus—is changing quick enough, and what real challenges stand in the way of the today's young minds.

Felice Cohen was minding her own business when a stranger—claiming to be a medium—offered her a message from a lost flame. That fateful encounter spurred what is now her forthcoming memoir, Other Duties As Assigned. In this episode, Felice and I discuss the convergence of spirit and happenstance, the therapeutic powers of writing, and how boxing up your past can help you live more fully in the present.

How can we connect two seemingly-disconnected worlds to generate better resources, accessibility, and understanding? Three NYC-based entrepreneurs share stories of shaping industry and community through diverse innovation. During our first-ever LIVE podcast recording, I chat with Jyll Hubbard-Salk, Lamont Blackstone, and Nana Eyeson-Akiwowo about making space and building bridges in modern day America & Africa. Spencer Jones co-hosts.

What happens when society overlooks your heritage and only sees your race? First generation Guinean American Néné Diané joins the conversation on Black History Month and details her account growing up between Maryland in the United States and Mauritania in Africa. Together, Néné and I take a look at discovering your own identity, the desire to fit in, and the importance of standing out.

It's Hollywood's biggest night, and they are calling it the Queerest in Oscars history. But just how gay are the Academy Awards? In this special release episode, actor and writer David Robert Moore guests to talk why so many queer roles are played by straight actors, the importance of visibility, and whether or not people should publicly identify in order to land the part.

What if you were in love with your best friend, and then he was in love with somebody else? Sometimes love doesn't always work out the way we want it to, but instead the way we need it to. In this special Valentine's Day episode, Mikki Hommel guests to share how she wrote the wedding song for an unrequited love—accompanied by the man who would eventually become her husband.

Typed Out & HuffPost contributor Spencer Jones returns to continue the conversation about racism in America. Together, Spencer and I cover such topics as "reverse racism," racial preservation, and how your political views and affiliations do not give you armor when it comes to accountability—but most importantly, how time has been stolen from the Black community.