Tag: #BlackJoy

Posted in #30DaysofBlackJoy Series, Celebration, Feature Spotlight

#30DaysofBlackJoy…Day 13-Highlighting Black Podcasts!!

Posted on by drblackfuturefeminist

At one time they were called “audioblogs” now they are simply just podcasts. Think of the radio with a ton of channels. These digital episodic programs can take you into many spaces, whether you need a laugh, some motivation, to catch up on the news, learn about different cultures, or try to solve a true-crime mystery. Podcasts have definitely become a part of my regular routine. I find myself listening to podcasts in a variety of situations whether it is on a road trip, passing time on the treadmill, sitting out on the beach, or lounging in my apartment. They entertain, inform, and bring joy! When you factor in Blackness, podcasts have become a unique media space for Black folks to feel represented.

With popular media outlets struggling to diversify their content, Black creators are using podcasts to tell and share their own stories. Many of these creators are adding to the Black experience, while redefining what representation means for the listeners who tune in. As noted by Nancy Marshall in a January 2023 Forbes article, the key to success with podcasting is to “figure out your “superpower”—whatever it may be—and share your expertise with your listeners.” Black creators are definitely tapping into their superpower to manifest and distribute some amazing content.

Thus, today’s #BlackJoy Moment is about spotlighting a few Black podcasts that are hitting the mark in a major way!!

Photo by Jean Balzan on Pexels.com

Check them out below:

  • The Stoop: The Stoop podcast digs into stories that are not always shared out in the open. Hosts Leila Day and Hana Baba start conversations and provide professionally-reported stories about what it means to be Black and how we talk about blackness.
  • Truth’s Table: “Midwives of culture for grace and truth.” Welcome to Truth’s Table with Christina Edmondson, and Ekemini Uwan. We are Black Christian women who love truth and seek it out wherever it leads us. We will share our perspectives on race, politics, gender, current events, and pop culture that are filtered through our Christian faith. So pull up a chair and have a seat at the table with us. 
  • The Read: Join bloggers Kid Fury and Crissle for their weekly podcast covering hip-hop and pop culture’s most trying stars. Throwing shade and spilling tea with a flippant and humorous attitude, no star is safe from Fury and Crissle unless their name is Beyoncé. (Or Blue Ivy.) As transplants to New York City (Kid Fury from Miami and Crissle from Oklahoma City), The Read also serves as an on-air therapy session for two friends trying to adjust to life (and rats) in the big city.
  • The Right Time with Bomani Jones: Bomani Jones weighs in on sports, pop culture, social topics and more, with your comments on Mondays, friends of the show on Wednesdays and Domonique Foxworth on Fridays.
  • Decoding 40: Decoding 40 is a hilarious podcast series by three unapologetic Black men who delve into and decipher the intricate thoughts and issues of today’s mature men. Join Vincent, Alaric, and Leon for an inside look into the unfiltered minds of men, with a drink in hand, of course! This podcast is not for the easily offended but is sure to have you laughing until it hurts. Consider this your TRIGGER warning. If you’re looking for a Black men’s podcast that fearlessly explores complex topics, Decoding 40 is the one for you.
  • Truth Be Told: We’re the friend you call after a long day. The one who gets it. Through soul-nourishing conversations, host Tonya Mosley explores Black liberation with some of the greatest thinkers of our time. 
  • Wine & Hip Hop: CRU LUV Wine’s founder Jermaine Stone talks to hip-hop personalities and wine professionals to find the perfect match between music and wine in an informative, entertaining, and organic way. On each episode guests choose a song or bottle of wine, Jermaine selects a pairing, and they discuss their choices on the show.
  • We Talk Back: Hosted by two unapologetically black women with an opinion who talk back, TamBam and AJ are helping women maneuver through the Sea of Men! “We Talk Back” podcast is here to guide femininity to its ultimate greatness. We Talk Back podcast is giving their listeners the raw and unfiltered comedic gift of repartee. With thought-provoking conversations about sex, relationships, and money with a dash of danger and glitter. TamBam & AJ will also help listeners seeking non-professional guidance, as these ladies deliver advice and their personal thoughts on topics.
  • Jemele Hill is Unbothered: Emmy Award-winning journalist and Webby Award winner Jemele Hill shares her unbothered, nuanced opinions on news, pop culture, politics, and sports. She also conducts intimate interviews with some of the biggest names and most thought-provoking contributors to culture, music, and entertainment.
  • Still Processing: Wesley Morris and J Wortham are working it out in this weekly show about culture in the broadest sense. That means television, film, books, music — but also the culture of work, dating, the internet and how those all fit together.
Photo by Anna Tarazevich on Pexels.com

You can find any of these podcasts on Spotify, YouTube, Soundcloud, Apple podcast, or wherever you tune in!

See you all tomorrow!!

Posted in #30DaysofBlackJoy Series, Celebration, On the Desk..., On The Radar

#30DaysofBlackJoy…Day 9-Black Music Appreciation-Hip Hop Edition

Posted on by drblackfuturefeminist

We are back for another week!! And as we continue to celebrate Black Music Appreciation Month, today’s #BlackJoy curated playlist is an ode to Hip Hop!!

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop, a musical genre that has become a global and cultural phenomenon. Hip Hop as an art form has touched every corner of our world and evolved into one of the most significant cultural forces today. In addition to being a form of entertainment, hip hop has played (and continues to do so) a role in being a voice for marginalized youth to speak about their frustrations, need for change, and times of joy!! As noted by communications/hip-hop scholar professor Aisha Durham, “some of the most innovative hip hop formations that you see today still come from those communities that may feel alienated, disaffected, or in some ways vulnerable — economically, socially, or politically.” Through it all hip hop has changed the game of life!!

In the great words of the late Notorious B.I.G., “you never thought that hip-hop would take it this far.”

See this week’s #BlackJoy playlist below:

As an extra bonus, check out the recent NPR Music #TinyDesk with Charlie Wilson!!

One last nugget check out this upcoming event “Hip Hop 50 Live” set to take place in the Bronx, NY!!

Don’t forget if there’s a track or two that you think should make the list, make sure to drop it in the comments section!!

See you tomorrow!!

Posted in Celebration, Resources

#30DaysofBlackJoy…Day 7-“Joyful Black Spaces”…Black Spaces That Bring Me Joy!! – HBCUs

Posted on by drblackfuturefeminist

Wednesdays will be dedicated to “Joyful Black Spaces” and will be highlighted by guest blogger Lauren N. Jackson. Lauren serves as the Director of First and Second Year Experiences at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), and is the founder of three initiatives to support Black women and girls; “Black Girls Study,” “Leadership Development for Women of Color,” and the “LeadHERs Mentoring Program.” Lauren is also currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Education with a concentration in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Justice from VCU. 

What are Black spaces? Black spaces are intentional spaces and environments designed to uplift and empower the Black community. These spaces bring JOY because they allow Blacks to rid themselves of the daily microaggressions, racism, and prejudices often experienced in society, and allows them to fully embrace their Blackness; their uniqueness, dialect, identity, and culture. Black spaces include spaces like: higher education institutions, restaurants, churches, museums and the like.

Today’s #BlackJoy moment we will focus on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, also known as, HBCUs. In 1838, the first HBCU, Cheyney University was established. At a time where Black education was limited at predominantly white institutions and when racial segregation and discrimination were prevalent in American society, Cheyney, like other HBCUs were founded to address this inequality and provide educational opportunities for Black students.

Since then, HBCUs have played a vital role in shaping the educational landscape for African Americans in the United States. They continue to produce scholars who make significant contributions around the world in various fields like STEM, literature, politics, sports, and arts. Prominent figures such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Morehouse College), Booker T. Washington (Hampton University), Thurgood Marshall (Howard University), Toni Morrison (Howard University), Oprah Winfrey (Tennessee State University), Terrance J (NC A&T), and Kamala Harris (Howard University) are among the distinguished graduates of HBCUs. HBCUs serve as beacons of hope where students feel a sense of pride, identity, belonging, community, and most importantly, JOY!  

If you are interested in learning more about the 107 HBCUs, check out the following links: BlackPast, History of HBCUs-Thurgood Marshall College Fund , and HBCU First Timeline .

For all my RVA peeps a special shout-out to two of our local HBCUs – Virginia State University (Etrrick/Petersburg, VA) and Virginia Union University (Richmond, VA). I would also like to shout-out the visionary of #BlackFutureFeminist and the #30DaysofBlackJoy series, Dr. Grace D. Gipson who is a proud alumna of Clark Atlanta University (Atlanta, GA)!

Want to get more insight about HBCUs through the lens of the media? Grab some friends, a few Black-owned snacks, and watch these movies, TV shows, and documentaries. 

  • A Different World (1987)
  • School Daze (1988)
  • Drumline (2002) 
  • BET’s College Hill (2004)
  • Stomp the Yard (2007) 
  • The Great Debaters (2007)
  • Tell Them We Are Rising (2018)

See you all tomorrow!!

Posted in Celebration, On The Radar, Resources

#30DaysofBlackJoy…Day 6-Finding #BlackJoy in Nature!

Posted on by drblackfuturefeminist

Yes, Black People like nature!!

We go camping…We go biking…We like to hike and walk trails… We go scuba diving…And we go fishing!! Nature has always been a place of healing and joy for Black communities. This healing has been disrupted with incidents like the killing of jogger Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia and the racial targeting of Christian Cooper in Central Park, both of which occured in 2020. However, Black people have made distinctive contributions in the outdoors, while also finding joy. Nature is supposed to be a “great equalizer” whose services are free, universal, and accessible to all humans without discrimination.

Today’s #BlackJoy moment is all about finding Black joy in the great outdoors!! If you are looking for some inspiration or want to find some fellow nature lovers, check out these books and Black nature influencers:

  • Nature Swagger: Stories and Visions of Black Joy in the Outdoors ~Rue Mapp
  • Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors ~Carolyn Finney
  • Rooted in the Earth: Reclaiming the African American Environmental Heritage ~Dianne D. Glave
  • Black Nature: Four Centuries of African American Nature Poetry ~Camille T. Dungy
  • Undercurrents of Power : Aquatic Culture in the African diaspora ~Kevin Dawson
  • Outdoor Afro
  • GirlTrek
  • Black Girls Hike RVA
  • The Black Outdoors
  • All Mountain Brothers
  • Black Outdoor Adventures
  • Black Powder Crew
  • Outdoorsy Diva

See you outside and See you tomorrow!!

Photo by ArtHouse Studio on Pexels.com
Posted in Celebration, Feature Spotlight, On the Desk...

#30DaysofBlackJoy…Day 2-Black Music Appreciation Month

Posted on by drblackfuturefeminist

Not only am I celebrating 30 Days of Black Joy this June, but it is also Black Music Appreciation Month!!

Created by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, this month celebrates the Black/African American musical influences that comprise an essential part of our nation’s treasured cultural heritage. In a 2019 official proclamation from the White House they note,

“Throughout American history, African American music has reflected our Nation’s challenges and triumphs and has always enriched our Nation’s culture.  During African American Music Appreciation Month, we pay tribute to the talented and inspiring African American artists who have given sound and voice to the full range of human emotions through the blues, jazz, gospel, rock and roll, rap, hip hop, and other genres. This month, we celebrate the countless contributions of African American singers, composers, and musicians, who have influenced and shaped every genre and style of music.  They have turned universally shared emotions and experiences of suffering, joy, passion, pain, faith, injustice, and love into art that speaks to the heart and spirit of any American.  African American music has the power to encourage, inspire, and affect social change.  It transcends time, compelling generation after generation to sing, dance, think, and feel, and it endures in our culture, our history, our spirit, and our collective national soul.”

For me, music has multiple uses. It’s relaxing…it’s therapeutic…I’m always tuned into something to get me through my day!! In the words of President Biden, “We celebrate Black artists who have used their songs to stand up to injustice, fight for equality, and reflect a mirror on society — reminding us all of our enduring obligation to deliver the promise of America for all Americans.” In many ways this is definitely also a reflection of my thoughts!!

Myself enjoying some soul-soothing sounds at the Roots Picnic in Philly…Reppin’ A Tribe Called Quest!!

Today’s #BlackJoy moment, and for each Friday in June, I will share a curated playlist celebrating some of my favorite Black songs and artists! Check out this week’s playlist below:

What are some of your favorite songs and artists?! Feel free to share some of your favorite Black songs and artists, in the comments, and maybe one of your faves might make the list :-)!!

See you tomorrow!!