You Ain't Imagining This!

Join the Espresso Talk Today team to celebrate the fourth day of Kwanzaa! On this fourth day, we celebrate cooperative economics or Ujamaa (in the Ki-Swahili language).

• Ashanti Folktale: Ananse and the Bearded Rock 
• Musical Selection: Bambugu Blues (Album: I speak Fula) by Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba

Harambee (Let's come together) and enjoy!

See you tomorrow to continue our Kwanzaa celebration.

Join the Espresso Talk Today team to celebrate the third day of Kwanzaa! On this third day, we celebrate collective work and responsibility or Ujima (in the Kiswahili language).

• Poem: The Christmas Reunion Down at Martinsville by Augustus M. Hodges 
• Musical Selection: Keep Fighting for Peace by Cory Henry

Harambee (Let's come together) and enjoy!

See you tomorrow to continue our Kwanzaa celebration.

Join the Espresso Talk Today team to celebrate the second day of Kwanzaa! On this second day, we celebrate self-determination or Kujichagulia (in the Kiswahili language).

• Short story: "The People Could Fly" by Virginia Hamilton
• Musical Selection: "Goodbye Song" by Cynthia Erivo and Terence Blanchard

Harambee (Let's come together) and enjoy!

See you tomorrow to continue our Kwanzaa celebration.

Join the Espresso Talk Today team to celebrate the first day of Kwanzaa! On this first day, we celebrate Unity or Umoja (in the Kiswahili language).

• Short story: "One Christmas Eve" by Langston Hughes
• Musical Selection: "One Love" by Bob Marley

Harambee (Let's come together) and enjoy!

See you tomorrow to continue our Kwanzaa celebration.

Watching holiday movies is a long tradition. But have you ever watched African American holiday films? Or read Black holiday stories? Grab an "eggnog espresso" and get ready to be entertained and uplifted! Join the ETT Team as they discuss their favorite Black holiday movies. They also examine the importance of Black films and the differences between White holiday movies and African American holiday films. Yes, there are important differences!

Special gift: Two Black holiday short stories read by Mel and Marlene!  

Time for a Real Talk! Today's Real Talk show follows up on the uncommon conversation with Cardiologist Clyde Yancy. In this important show, Mel and Robin discuss the 8 Essential Steps to Heart Health that Dr. Clyde Yancy presented. These steps are simple but not always easy. Yet they can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 80 percent! Join this Real Talk and learn how you can protect your heart health and increase your longevity and well-being. 

Black people are constantly assessing their environments. We feel surveilled in stores. We feel excluded in museums. We feel ignored in restaurants. We feel watched in libraries. We feel cautious in many white public spaces. This hypervigilance is the effect of anti-Black racism and anticipated threats to our safety and success. Racial hypervigilance has helped us to stay safe. It has also damaged our health and well-being. What is racial hypervigilance? How does it affect our health? How can we avoid its damaging effects while enjoying the safety that it provides? Join us for this empowering presentation. Poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, activist Angela Davis, and numerous scholars and researchers who have participated on the Espresso Talk Today podcast show make contributions to this show. You don't want to miss it!

Habari Gani! Let's prepare to celebrate Kwanzaa! It's all about Black history, Black culture, and Black empowerment. Learn the basics about Kwanzaa from Master Storyteller Mama Edie. Why was Kwanzaa started? Who started it? How do I celebrate it?  How can I live the Kwanzaa principles? Great questions! They will all be answered in this dynamic and uplifting podcast show.  It's a wonderful celebration of culture and traditions for the whole family, friends, or just you and the Espresso Talk Today team. Grab an espresso (or tea), relax, and enjoy. Happy Kwanzaa!

Self-care is important during the holidays. Self-care is important every day. It's not easy, but it is necessary for good mental and physical health. It's necessary for happiness and well-being. Mindfulness & Life coach, Roxanne Brew, joins the Espresso Talk Today team for an uncommon discussion on simple and effective self-care techniques that can be used every day. These techniques work! Roxanne also presents her "Self-care 911" tool that should be in everyone's self-care toolkit. Join us for this empowering discussion.  You can learn additional techniques and schedule a free clarity call with Roxanne at cloudwalkcoaching.com. 

We need to know everything about heart disease and heart health! Cardiovascular disease is deadly and disabling. Dr. Clyde Yancy, cardiologist, discussed risk factors and important symptoms to know. It's time for a Real Talk! The Espresso Talk Today team will discuss how to deal with risk factors like diabetes, how to manage important symptoms like breathing difficulties, and how to talk with friends and family members about heart disease and heart health. We can help ourselves and help each other.  Join our Real Talk!