Work Bae

If you went to an H.B.C.U. you might already be familiar with Alphas, Deltas, Omegas, and Sigmas and the storied history of Black fraternities and sororities but that is NOT what we're talking about this week! 🙅🏿‍♂️ Instead we're jumping into the discourse surrounding "alphas", "betas", and all the other archetypes that men have decided to divide themselves into ♂️ What effects do these rigid hierarchies have on men or the women that engage with them? From red pilling to incels and Kevin Samuels join us this week as we jump down the rabbit hole that is male socio-sexual hierarchy 😖

Cheat Sheet:

"How America Became Infatuated With a Cartoonish Idea of ‘Alpha Males’" - New York Mag

(https://tinyurl.com/2emkujnu)

"There's no such thing as an alpha male" - Business Insider

(https://tinyurl.com/7n968uje)

"The Myth of the Alpha Male" - Greater Good Magazine

(https://tinyurl.com/fy6u8ww)

“A Short History of ‘Simp’” - The New York Times

(https://tinyurl.com/56zctwej)

“How pseudo-love guru Kevin Samuels exploits the vulnerability of Black women” - The Grio

(https://tinyurl.com/nkkmscks)

Last season on Episode 40, Naana and Obie introduced the concept of the "inner child" and how our collective unresolved traumas from our formative years can affect us well into adulthood 😢 But what are the conditions at home and in society that lead to the mistreatment of children? This week, Naana and Obie delve into the concept of childism; the often misplaced belief that children are not deserving of the same respect, dignity, and rights as adults. Why has this -ism managed to fly under the radar so long? Why does it seem so prevalent in Black and brown families? What does that say about us? How do we chart a new way forward? 🤔 All this and more on this week's episode of Work Bae.

Cheat Sheet:

"Childism" Dr. Chester M Pierce & Dr. Gail B Allen, Psychiatric Annals: Vol 5, No 7

"Childism: Confronting Prejudice Against Children" by Elisabeth Young-Bruehl

“Understanding Childism: Are We Prejudiced Against Children?” - Psychology Today

“Childism: A form of prejudice that flies beneath the radar” - Medium

This week on Work Bae we share an episode we recorded a few months ago where we discussed the dumpster fire that is the United States of America 🇺🇸 🔥 From the insurrection earlier this year on January 6th to the slew of voter suppression laws enacted in the wake of the 2020 Election, Naana and Obie put on their political commentator hats and try to make sense of the current political landscape and most importantly how to process it all as a Black person living the American experience ✊🏿 Meet us here every Monday for a new episode of Work Bae!

🎶 reunited, and it feels so good, reunited 'cause we understood. there's one perfect fit and, sugar, this one is it. we both are so excited 'cause we're reunited, hey, hey ... 🎶

It's Season 4 and your favorite workbaes are finally back!! 🫂🙌🏿 Catch up with us on what this past year has been like, what we’re planning for the future, and all the things that have made us say “huh?!” recently 🤔 We’ve missed you all so much and are excited for all of the topics and conversations we'll be sharing with you this season. Make sure you tune in each and every Monday for a fresh episode!

We’ve made it to the end of Season 3 🙌🏿 We might be inching across the finish line but, "Mama we made it!!" 🤣 Nothing seems more pertinent these days than the #2020Election but as we’re getting closer to November 3rd more and more people are questioning if their vote will even count or make a difference considering the current state of our country. On the season finale, Nanaa and Obie share their differing views on the importance of voting … is it still an effective tool to influence change? While they might disagree on its role, they both arrive at the same conclusion … we ALL need to get our asses out and vote! 🗳️💯 Thank you all for listening in and joining us this season as we navigated through sometimes difficult conversations while having everything that’s happened this year as a backdrop. No matter where we are as a country later this winter we look forward to figuring it all out with you on Work Bae Season 4! As always wash your hands, wear your mask, and love on each other ✊🏿🖤✨

As we near the end of our third season we figured it was time to discuss another type of ending ... one that isn’t discussed often but can be just as, if not more, painful as losing a lover … the end of a friendship. How do you know when it's time to walk away from a friendship? How do you even broach that conversation or move on afterward? 😕 Most times we enter into friendships thinking they will last forever, but just like any other type of relationship, some are just for a reason and a season. Join us as we navigate through what can often be a tricky and emotionally charged conversation with some guidance from several therapists and psychologists about how to end things peacefully while still honoring what you shared. We learned a lot from recording this episode and we hope you do too! ✨ Tune in for a new episode of Work Bae every Monday.

Cheat Sheet

"Why Friendship Breakups Hurt So Much, According to a Couples Therapist" - Repeller (tinyurl.com/y42dwqrw)

"Why Ending a Friendship Can Be Worse Than a Breakup" - Time (tinyurl.com/y4ojloqz)

"How to Break Up With a Friend Without All the Drama" - Vice (tinyurl.com/y2zvbafh)

2020 is proving to have a very wicked sense of humor but, we’ve made it to September and for that we are grateful. After a week away your Work Baes are realizing that even in the dumpster fire we’ve been living through there are also beautiful things happening this year and one of them has been our reintroduction to rest. The main thing that tends to keep us from prioritizing our rest is CAPITALISM, aka that evil cloud hovering over our heads at all times. This week on Work Bae, we discuss all things capitalism … how it robs us of our time, energy and joy and how prioritizing rest is its own form of resistance. We hope that you find the time this week to check in with yourself and find time to relax and just be.

Cheat Sheet

"What 'Capitalism' Is and How It Affects People" - Teen Vogue (tinyurl.com/y8ckbw35)

"We Need to Talk About Sleep Deprivation in Black Communities" - Healthline (tinyurl.com/yxed45ue)

"Reparations for Black People Should Include Rest" - Vice (tinyurl.com/y2wdgb7v)

"How to Prioritize Your Rest and Relaxation" - Living Embrace (tinyurl.com/yxre9btm)

August has been a tough one for the Work Baes, with both of their anxiety on a thousand snd 2020 still not letting up 😟 This week on Work Bae, Naana and Obie tackle something that’s been plaguing our society for centuries … misogynoir. With a number of incidents that have happened over the last few weeks that directly affect Black women, we thought this was the best time to bring this conversation to the pod 🎙️ From Meg Thee Stallion having to defend herself after being shot by fellow rapper Tory Lanez, to the heinous attack on three trans women in Hollywood, and Kamala Harris’ blackness being brought into question. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of examples of misogynoir but our greater conversation is on how we can rid ourselves of this disease. If we really all we got then this needs to be something we all address 🖤👩🏿🖤

Cheat Sheet

"What Is Misogynoir?" - Blackburn Center(tinyurl.com/yxmwb6gp)

"Dear Black Men: ‘Protect Black Women’" - Journey Magazine (tinyurl.com/yyflnrbe)

"Black Women Have Consistently Been Trailblazers for Social Change. Why Are They So Often Relegated to the Margins?" - Time (tinyurl.com/y53k7gq3)

"Why Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s Empowering Anthem “WAP” Is So Important" - Complex (tinyurl.com/y3wkkybp)

It’s another week in the Black Mirror episode that is 2020 and things keep getting weirder!! 🥴 We kick off this week’s episode with a few hot takes, everything from the announcement of Kamala Harris as Biden’s VP pick, to Trump’s unabashed voter suppression and finally our collective bewilderment to why white people can’t let us have things for ourselves?!? We wrap up the episode by exploring Beyonce’s latest visual album, Black Is King, and center the conversation on context, not just of the project itself but the lens through which we viewed it as first-generation African immigrants. You might be surprised where the conversation goes! 🐝✊🏿✨ Make sure you tune in every Monday for a new episode of Work Bae with Naana and Obie.

Cheat Sheet

“Beyoncé’s new film ‘Black Is King’ is stirring up controversy” - The Africa Report (https://tinyurl.com/y3ep6mdt)

“Africans Unimpressed by Beyoncé’s "Black Is King" - Africa News (https://tinyurl.com/y2vulcgw)

“Beyoncé’s ‘Black Is King’: Let’s Discuss” - NYT (https://tinyurl.com/yyf25qdz)

This week on Work Bae, we continue with this season’s theme of discussing relationships by delving into our relationship with our inner child 👧🏿👦🏿 Things get emotional as we touch on some of our childhood traumas and how they’ve manifested in our lives as adults. Obie breaks down how your wounded inner child can sometimes C.O.N.T.A.M.I.N.A.T.E. your life and Naana shares how resolving some of the pain and hurt we experienced as children can help align ourselves for a better future. Make sure you grab your Kleenex for this one as the conversation even made Obie hit us with a thug tear or two 😭 We hope that this episode allows you to connect with parts of yourself long forgotten ✨

Cheat Sheet:

"Homecoming: Reclaiming and Championing Your Inner Child" by John Bradshaw (https://tinyurl.com/y324pby2)

“Essential Secrets of Psychotherapy : The Inner Child” - Psychology Today (https://tinyurl.com/yckz2hw6)

"5 Ways To Take Care Of Your Inner Child" - Bustle (https://tinyurl.com/yya9veno)