You Ain't Imagining This!

Black Americans face a disproportionate risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions. This affects the quality of our lives and longevity. The medical community has been reluctant to dig deep to find the causes of this health crisis. But the Espresso Talk Today team is finding answers. Today we are joined by renowned epidemiologist Dr. Sherman James who has developed the John Henryism hypothesis.  This hypothesis focuses on the stress effect of structural racism and its impact on Black health. Join us for this uncommon and health-saving conversation.  Read (4 minutes) or Listen to (7 minutes) the Legend of John Henry.

Real Talk Show!  Summer is here and people are traveling again! Here is an idea: Visit Black history sites! Many of these places are unknown. Others are ignored. Terrible shame! These sites are informative, exciting, and affordable. The Espresso Talk Today team is joined by educator Kirk Wadi for another Real Talk show. We discuss great historical sites such as the Buffalo History Museum in Houston, the Stax Museum of Soul Music in Memphis, and the Mammoth Mountains in Kentucky. We also discuss other ways to learn history such as talking with the Elders.  Join us for some Real Talk today!

Harambee! The Espresso Talk Today team is celebrating Juneteenth! We present an original, based-on-fact story read by Marlene Slaughter. In the second part, Elder Mel reads a narrative by her great-grandaunt, Miss Rosina Hoard who had been enslaved in Texas. We also discuss the meaning of Juneteenth, the commercialization of this cherished holiday, and what the United States needs to do to ensure equality, justice, and freedom for all! Get comfortable and join our celebration. Enjoy Nina Simone singing "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free."

Every Black person has experienced a racial (or racist) encounter.  In today's show, the ETT team members discuss actual racial encounters that we have experienced and how we handled them. Professor William Smith returns to analyse them from a psychological and Black-centered perspective. Don't miss this show!

Self-care takes courage. Self-love takes courage. Courage is needed to put your needs first, live with joy and peace, practice forgiveness (self and others), and show unconditional love (self and others). This show will introduce the concept of courage--we return to the Stoics--and the steps that will help you to live courageously. The show concludes with a folktale that teaches courage and the benefits of this most valued and important quality.  

Racially stressful moments are common. Micro-aggressions, stereotyping, and racist encounters in schools, stores, workplaces, and social settings happen regularly to Black people (and other people of color).  These moments cause stress responses that can damage one's mental and physical health. However, there are methods to minimize these unhealthy responses.  In this episode, Dr. Howard Stevenson, Executive Director of the Racial Empowerment Collaborative discusses identifying, quantifying, and managing racially stressful moments. His powerful approach focuses on racial literacy skills to confront racist attitudes and shield victims from its effects. Grab an espresso and join the convo!

"Know Thyself" is the fundamental basis of growth and learning. This axiom from the sages of ancient Egypt (Kemet) has been denied to African Americans.  Instead of learning the truth of their great culture and history, Black Americans have been "miseducated" to believe in the inferiority of Blackness and the superiority of Whiteness. In this second Real Talk episode, the ETT team discusses the experience and invidious effects of this miseducation. In this uniquely uncommon conversation, the team also refers to two mind-expanding books: The Miseducation of the Negro (1933) by Carter G. Woodson, Ph.D. and Know Thyself (1998) by Na'im Akbar, Ph.D. Join us and join in!