Send us a text There was a moment of surprise and, yes, discomfort, when my guess Kendra attended a Black festival with her white fiancé. But why should love come with a label? My guest Kendra, an Afrocentric woman engaged to a white man, joined me, to break down the nuances and challenges of being pro-Black while in an interracial relationship. Together, we lift the veil on how love, race, and identity coexist, and how maintaining a commitment to one's racial identity isn't diminished in the fa...
Dec 14, 2023•45 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Send us a text Imagine a world where all children, no matter their background, see themselves represented positively in the books they read. That's the world our guest, Dawn-Maria France , is working tirelessly to create. From the UK, Dawn-Maria uses her talent and platform to diversify the narrative of children's literature, ensuring that children from marginalized communities find their voices in the characters they encounter. She passionately shares her journey and underlines the significance...
Dec 07, 2023•54 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Send us a text Have you ever wondered about the stories behind the most dedicated and resilient individuals in the medical profession? Meet Dr. Sylvia Morris, Dr. Angela Walker, and Dr. Diane Boykin, co-authors of "The Game Plan" and pioneers in their own right. Each with a unique tale of struggle, triumph, and an unwavering determination to succeed in the field of medicine, despite some of the odds stacked against them. Witness through their eyes the challenges they faced in their journey. Not ...
Nov 30, 2023•43 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Send us a text Imagine entering a new phase of life, one marked by hormonal change, transition, and growth, yet feeling completely unprepared to navigate the journey. This was the reality for Dana Lawson, a certified health coach, who faced her menopausal transition head-on. Dana joined us to share her personal experiences and insights, shedding light on the often misunderstood subject of menopause and its effects on women's bodies, with special emphasis on women of color. Navigating menopause n...
Nov 16, 2023•58 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Send us a text When we sat down with Bobby Huntley, a Marine Corps veteran, author, and mentor to over 600 young boys, we were truly inspired. His Gentleman's Club program is a testament to the power of mentorship, and it's a journey he shared with us with great sincerity. We traversed his experiences in the school system, his own personal challenges, and, most importantly, the heartwarming transformations he has witnessed in the lives of young boys who needed guidance. Tackling the elephant in ...
Nov 09, 2023•54 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Send us a text What happens when a non-stop, hustle-filled lifestyle starts eating into your wellness, relationships, and peace of mind? Brace yourself for an enlightening conversation with our guest, Natalie Mullin, a wellness educator, and coach, who will take us through her journey of finding balance in her life, saving her marriage, and how that has inspired her to help others do the same. We dive into the unique pressures faced by Black women and the ways societal expectations often lead to...
Nov 02, 2023•52 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Send us a text My guest, Chris Wilson, walks you down memory lane, sharing how his journey began and the transferable skills he harnessed to run a successful Pilates franchise. His story shines a light on the power of marketing, inclusivity, and creating a comfortable environment for customers. Don't miss out on an opportunity to be inspired and educated about the exciting world of franchising! About Chris Wilson: Chris has 20+ years of business experience in the Information Technology and Franc...
Oct 26, 2023•56 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Send us a text Listen in as I share my personal experiences and engage in a profound conversation with Dr. Jeannelle Perkins-Muhammad on the intricacies of Black intimacy and relationships. Together, we unravel the layers of emotional intelligence, cultural conditioning, and personal experiences that shape our interactions with our partners. Have you ever wondered how your beliefs affect your relationships? Together with Dr. Jeannelle, we probe into the deeply ingrained teachings of Christianity...
Oct 19, 2023•55 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Send us a text Ever been curious about the intricate relationship between perception, representation, and the Black experience? You're in for an enlightening ride with my guest Matthew Speamer, a curious mix of a stand-up comedian and dedicated teacher, who takes us through his personal journey. We delve into his evolution towards self-acceptance, and his incredible work in educating young Black and brown children. He gives us some profound insights into changing the negative perceptions associa...
Oct 12, 2023•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 2
Send us a text Could the roadmap to your child's future career start with an enlightening summer camp or an eye-opening internship? Unravel this and more, as Jennifer Ledwith of Scholar Ready joins us to navigate the crucial terrain of preparing our young ones for a future packed with possibilities. Get on board as we chart a course through various career pathways, emphasizing the importance of planning and exploring the often underrated value of trade school and the military. In an era where st...
Oct 05, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Send us a text On this episode I talk to three Black fathers about there experiences in fatherhood from the perspective of a Black man. We cover various aspects of fatherhood, including the meaning, role, lessons learned, experiences, desired qualities, challenges faced by Black fathers, and the change in perspective after becoming a father. Support the show Show Credits: Richard Dodds (Host/Producer): @Doddsism Show Music: @IAmTheDjBlue Podcast Website: StillTalkingBlack.com Still Talking Black...
Jun 16, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 25
Send us a text Episode Summary: In the season one finale, I talk with White parents that adopted two Black children. They open up about the things they've experienced and how their lives have been forever changed when they welcomed their children into their hearts and lives. Spotlight on Melanin: I am still looking for new submissions for Spotlight on Melanin. Spotlight on Melanin is the part of the show where I like to spotlight a creator, influencer, artist, business owner, or activist of colo...
Sep 16, 2022•1 hr 46 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Send us a text Episode Summary: As we near the end of season one, host and producer Richard Dodds sits down and discusses the whys. Why he started the podcast, why it's important, and more. Spotlight on Melanin: I am still looking for new submissions for Spotlight on Melanin. Spotlight on Melanin is the part of the show where I like to spotlight a creator, influencer, artist, business owner, or activist of color. If you or someone you know would like a chance to be featured on Spotlight on Melan...
Jul 29, 2022•13 min
Send us a text Episode Summary: You never know what someone is going through from the outside looking in. My guest Chris Blount talks about his struggles with anxiety and depression and how he used music and podcasting to help get him through it. About the Interviewee: Chris Blount is a podcaster, artist, and owner of On Purpose Recordings in Tacoma, WA. He hosts a podcast called "I Said That Sh*t On Purpose" and is a producer for various podcasts in the area. Instagram: @OnPurposeRecordings @Mo...
Jul 15, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Send us a text Episode Summary: In this episode, I am joined by the hosts and producers of the Full-Time Black Woman podcast to talk about what it means to protect our Black women and how we do it. About the Interviewee: Full-Time Black Woman is your safe space for you to be your full self. Our goal is to create an environment where Black professional women can discuss the ups and downs we experience in corporate America and entrepreneurship while balancing our many roles and responsibilities in...
Jul 01, 2022•59 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Send us a text Episode Summary: Sometimes we feel like it's much easier to shut our eyes to injustices because they may not be affecting us directly, but in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." In this episode guest, Devan Sandiford and I discuss how we found our voices through all the injustices and made room to be our full selves. About the Interviewee: Devan Sandiford was born and raised in Southern California, where spent his childho...
Jun 17, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Send us a text Episode Summary: This one was a hard one. In the wake of the shooting in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, we welcome back Mia Reid to tell us more about how the loss of her son led her to become a psychologist and an advocate that fights for better gun laws. We talk about ways to help bring awareness to gun safety and why people will be wearing orange this weekend. WearOrange.org About the Interviewee: Mia Reid is a licensed clinical mental health counselor with over 25 years...
Jun 03, 2022•43 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Send us a text Episode Summary: Diversity, equity, and inclusion are important values in the workplace because they foster a work environment that is fair and inclusive. They also benefit employees by making them feel valued and appreciated. Studies have shown that workplaces with greater diversity, equity, and inclusion have lower turnover rates, better communication among employees, and stronger morale. In recent years, as the world becomes ever more interconnected, there seems to have been an...
May 13, 2022•57 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Send us a text Episode Summary: We live in a world where some of us have been convinced that looking wealthy is more important than actually building wealth. From what I’ve seen and experienced, many of our people lack financial literacy. It is something that I noticed at a very young age, and since then worked to educate myself on how to better handle my finances. I try to pass on the financial insights I gain to the people around me, but I am by no means an expert on the subject so I brought a...
Apr 29, 2022•56 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Send us a text Episode Summary: How do we become better leaders? That is the focus of today's show, figuring out how to deal with the added pressures of being a leader as a minority and also learning how to be a better leader. I talk with Shayna Hammond Founder & CEO of Lead For Liberation and IndigoWomen, whose understanding of leadership started at a very young age when her teacher told her even though she was quiet, she still was a leader. About the Interviewee: Shayna Renee Hammond is a ...
Apr 15, 2022•53 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Send us a text Episode Summary: This episode is all about the pursuit of higher education. I talk to DR. Zakiya, a self-proclaimed former career student and author of the upcoming book, "Dump Your Degree." We talk about our experiences with higher education, the lessons we learned, and the pitfalls we faced. We also talk about our experiences with work-life after school. About the Interviewee: Dr. Zakiya Akerele is a third-generation educator with a passion for lifelong learning. She is the crea...
Apr 01, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Send us a text Episode Summary: In this episode, I talk to Christina and Eddie Sledge of Sledge House Media. They not only created a media company from the ground up, but they did it in the middle of a pandemic. Now they are sharing their fiction and non-fiction stories in book form, and one day plan to expand to other forms of media such as feature films. About the Interviewees / Spotlight on Melanin: Married couple, Edward and Christina Sledge wrote and published their memoir, The Story of Chr...
Mar 17, 2022•53 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Send us a text Episode Summary: This episode is all about soul food, but not the soul food you may be used to, today we are talking about vegan soul food with my guest Kirsten Ussery. Kristen talks with me about her journey of going vegan and later opening a vegan restaurant. I also spend a little time talking about the history of traditional soul food. Veganism has many health benefits and I am thinking about incorporating a few vegan days into my diet. About the Interviewee: Kirsten Ussery par...
Mar 04, 2022•39 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Send us a text Episode Summary: This is the final episode of the series Mother's of Black Sons. In this episode, I talked to Kristin, who is preparing her son for college. One of the things we talked about that resonated the most was her talking about how differently people see her son now that is has started to transition from a boy to a man. About the Interviewee / Spotlight on Melanin : Kristen is the mother of a 15-year-old Black son with dreams of the NBA, but she is also a very skilled ama...
Feb 18, 2022•35 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Send us a text Episode Summary: This is the fourth episode in a five-part series talking to Mothers of Black Sons. In this episode, we talk to Mallorie whose eight-year-old son has already faced discrimination from other children. She also shares the ways in which having a son has changed her and helped her to grow and mature. Support the show Show Credits: Richard Dodds (Host/Producer): @Doddsism Show Music: @IAmTheDjBlue Podcast Website: StillTalkingBlack.com Still Talking Black is a productio...
Feb 14, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Send us a text Episode Summary: This is the third episode in the 5 part series Mother’s of Black Son. Shannon talks about the obstacles she’s encountered and the worries she has raising her son. During our conversation we talk about issues with colorism, watching injustices happening around us, and much more. About the Interviewee / Spotlight on Melanin : Shannon King is a multi-talented creator and podcaster. Shannon, alongside her podcast partner Jared L. White hosts The Not Your Enemy Brand: ...
Feb 11, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Send us a text Episode Summary: This episode is the second of a five-part series that seeks to discover what it's like like raising a Black son in America. This interview is with Latisha, and she has the youngest son of the mothers that were interviewed so her perspective on lessons that's she's taught and plan to teach look slightly different from the other mothers. About the Interviewee: Latisha is the mother of a 2-year-old son. Even at that age, she has already started to prepare herself to ...
Feb 07, 2022•21 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Send us a text Episode Summary: This episode is the first in the Mothers of Black Sons series. Host Richard Dodds interviewed five mothers asking them similar questions to understand what it is like raising a Black son in America. Although each mother draws from different experiences and situations, there are many similar themes that emerged through their interviews. About the Interviewee: Kendra is the mother of a 14-year-old biracial son. She is also a fellow podcaster who I have collaborated ...
Feb 04, 2022•19 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Send us a text Episode Summary: This episode is all about colorism. I share a story about my niece dealing with colorism that really broke my heart. My guest, Kantoinette the Blogger, and I talk about it from many different angles including colorism within our own communities. Show your Support: If you like what we're doing here on Still Talking Black, the best way to show your support is by liking, rating, and sharing our content, buying merch from our store at StillTalkingBlack.com/Shop, or do...
Jan 21, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Send us a text Episode Summary: This episode is all about mental health and self-care in the Black community. How can we start to normalize taking care of one of our most important assets, our mind. We also talk about the stress we carry every day as minorities and we briefly discuss the effects of gun violence in the Black community. Show your Support: If you like what we're doing here on Still Talking Black, the best way to show your support is by liking, rating, and sharing our content, buyin...
Jan 07, 2022•47 min•Season 1Ep. 7
