The Heart of the Matter in Black and White

05/12/2021

The podcast 2021 wrapped! 🎙

The standout moments of the year. Shout out to all the fans on Spotify.

29/07/2021

16/06/2021

Today's episode features special guests Tiara Farmer, a registered nurse, and Craig Bell, a real estate agent, sharing their experience of being black in America. We look at this topic from the different perspectives of a man and a woman and begin by asking them what they love most about black culture. Their answers are rich from food to dance to music and entertainment. We then dive into the harder things they struggle with on a regular basis, like being afraid of the police or feeling embarrassment when someone with their skin color acts out in public. Tiara and Craig share some of the experiences they've had being mistreated due to the color of their skin and how they've worked to combat racial stereotypes. Their vulnerability and openness about the pain and disappointment of inter-racial friendships is very moving. And we end on a note of hope talking about the ways to make progress towards racial healing and understanding. You can listen here: https://spoti.fi/3vyjcYz

16/06/2021

Whether you agree or disagree, this bold statement by Micah James Murray in our latest episode on Racism in Religion pulls no punches about evangelicalism's sordid history of undermining racial equality in subtle and not so subtle ways. Check out the episode here: https://spoti.fi/3vuaQBc

09/06/2021

For today's episode on Race and Religion we welcome two special guests, Rev. James Ellerbe, bringing the faith perspective, and Micah James Murray, host of the podcast the Existential Happy Hour representing the ex-evangelical viewpoint. We start by asking the question, "Why are American churches still so segregated today?" And then we explore other difficult topics like the role of black celebrity ministers as power brokers, how the term evangelical has become synonymous with white Christianity in the US, and the not-so-subtle ways that racism can show up in church. Both men open their hearts about their experiences with religion and uncover the ugly underbelly of religious hypocrisy. We talk about the role of white privilege and how it has shaped the absurd image of white, northern European Jesus, and we conclude by discussing what the role of the church should be in matters of racial equity. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1kFZauvF46gZuIXg3upfzK?si=4G22H7VgQ9-bqtggFmBH0Q&dl_branch=1

06/06/2021

Do you agree or disagree with this statement from the most recent episode on Black Conservatism? Check it out here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0WcghVsaWaW1FPbOf3VuXB?si=uOhXdrO7RZaryUQzyXv5nQ

02/06/2021

On today's episode we revisit the film Uncle Tom by welcoming as our guest one of the black conservatives featured prominently in the documentary, Chad Jackson. Despite our wildly different ideologies, Chad graciously answers our questions and discusses what caused him to switch from being a Democrat to a conservative. He shares how he got involved in the production of the film and debates the merits of the different approaches to the "negro problem" that Booker T Washington and WEB DuBois promoted. Chad maintains that the South had more racial harmony during MLK's life than our history books teach and suggests that LBJ's war on poverty has hurt the black community rather than help it. He calls out Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and LeBron James for the "racial paranoia" they peddle to the nation. We also discuss whether the Democrats or the Republicans actually have the answers to our nation's racial problems, and Chad shares his view on the murder of George Floyd. While our viewpoints are worlds apart, we are grateful for the respectful dialog and the opportunity to discuss divergent beliefs in a productive and mutually challenging way: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0WcghVsaWaW1FPbOf3VuXB?si=p4XAMD8RSgS2NelSWyhWpQ

01/06/2021

In our recent live episode honoring George Floyd on the one year anniversary of his murder, we discuss how much change has really occurred in our nation. Check out the live episode here: https://fb.watch/5Rn9YWAXdy/

25/05/2021

We are LIVE now: https://fb.watch/5J9zdMSYmo/

25/05/2021

25/05/2021

Going LIVE in 3 minutes!

25/05/2021

Join us today at
5:30 PM for a
LIVE EPISODE remembering
George Floyd

24/05/2021

The interplay of our criminal justice system with race is very messy. The more you dig and understand the history of mass incarceration, the more you see that the law doesn't serve all people groups equally. Check out Part 2 of Is the Justice System Rigged - The Judiciary: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2dP0JM3EjCklChxirhq65o?si=1FfLXEKCRSO0KScv5lxYFA

22/05/2021

We are hosting our very first LIVE EPISODE on Tuesday, May 25th at 5:30 PM ET to honor George Floyd and talk about where we are one year later. We hope you will join us!

19/05/2021

This is such a powerful, informative episode examining the judiciary and it's role in our rigged justice system. We are joined by two brilliant attorneys connected with the ACLU of New Jersey, CJ Griffin and Karen Thompson, whose insight and wisdom will get you thinking long after you're done listening to the episode.

In part 2 of "Is the Justice System Rigged" we are honored to be joined by two attorneys who have spent their careers advocating for oppressed and marginalized people, CJ Griffin and Karen Thompson. The conversation starts with an acknowledgement that, while the law theoretically belongs to everybody, every measurable data point belies that there is no equal justice under the law. From who is pulled over and arrested to who is prosecuted and who gets the best plea bargains, the justice system is, indeed, rigged against African Americans. Citing numerous statistics about the ways people of color are disproportionately impacted, CJ and Karen discuss the war on drugs, unfair sentencing disparities, and the impact mass incarceration has had on the black community. Drawing from rich historical examples, such as the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, we unpack how criminalization serves a distinct, financial purpose. Low-income communities of color are over-policed, and a small ticket that they can't afford can easily spiral into a bench warrant that traps them in an inescapable legal dragnet. While the issues discussed may seem overwhelming and hopeless, we end on a word of promise. Despite the mess that the criminal justice system is, many in our nation continue to press towards a better, fairer world.

Check out Part 2 of "Is the Justice System Rigged?": https://open.spotify.com/episode/2dP0JM3EjCklChxirhq65o?si=BG3hTeznR-a5hD4JXQGuRg

17/05/2021

Does the idea of Black Love make you uncomfortable? Or does it inspire you in your own relationship? This episode we dive deep into what black love means and why it's so important to the black community. Give us a listen: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6ZVEZMYAyJafudoCzT1FRT?si=HzldgbGVTfm9Mpo41voU8w

12/05/2021

We have a brand new episode after a week off and we are back to our roots just Becky Fletcher Holloway and Essence Revels and our mics 🎙️

Today's topic is a big one, Black Love 🖤🖤🖤 Essence begins by defining the term and framing it in the context of the centuries' long struggle in the black community to preserve the family unit. From a time when slaves were forbidden to marry at all and families were ripped apart to the modern struggle of homes headed disproportionately by single mothers, Black Love has been a constant battleground for survival. We get candid about the misconceptions of the term and how, for other races or mixed-raced couples, Black Love may sound exclusionary or even offensive. We also dive into the false narrative of the "fatherless" black family and dispel the myths about the absence of black fathers with their children using data from the CDC. This episode will challenge your unconscious bias and encourage you to dive deep into why representation matters. After all, you can't be what you can't see!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6ZVEZMYAyJafudoCzT1FRT?si=U6XoF03PQXmABkKQQEVl7w

11/05/2021

If you haven't listened to our episode on Raising Biracial Children yet, you need to! The expressions of deep empathy and understanding on this topic come from two amazing moms, Rachel Owens and Meghann Markegene Myers, who shared their experiences walking this journey.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ghLmiHgyjWyZnU6hW1GJm?si=8P5Ix-wkQ1qkGYauUQKiZg

04/05/2021

When your children face pain that you yourself have never experienced, it adds a layer of complexity to supporting them. Check out our episode on Raising Biracial Children to understand some of the many challenges that come with it https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ghLmiHgyjWyZnU6hW1GJm?si=BeuH11_wSVq-Qaf9aEyK_g

28/04/2021

Today's episode has been requested by many of you, Raising Biracial Children. We chat with two amazing women, Meghann Markegene Myers and Rachel Owens, about their experience being mothers to biracial kids. With grace and poise they both share the things they love about it and some of the challenges that they've faced. From issues of personal identity to bullying and racism, Rachel and Meghann are candid and vulnerable about how hard it is to support children who straddle two racial worlds when they themselves are white. Their willingness to learn from their children and see the world through more empathetic eyes is a beautiful picture of what motherhood is all about. We ask them some deep questions about having the "talk", the impact of the video of George Floyd's murder, and how they honor their children's cultural heritage. https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ghLmiHgyjWyZnU6hW1GJm?si=GNh7nbiLQrm1EuYdiBBh9A

25/04/2021

"Let's not forget where the very root cause of these problems came from. It was our government, the fact that our economy and country was founded on profit and slavery. If it's based off of a flawed principle, then how do you continue to grow off of something that's already poisonous?" Our guest, Nickoles Stankowski pointing out the origins of our justice system and how it has been purpose-built to keep an entire race of people subjugated. 🏛️ Check out part 1 of our episode Is the Justice System Rigged? https://open.spotify.com/episode/2t1wfkz2u6kpeTIOXvrEsk?si=4Or3LXqFTdKdx0gkzCtiwA

21/04/2021

Today's episode is Part 1 of a multi-episode series on the justice system 🏛️ one of the major systems contributing to systemic racism in America. We are joined by Nickoles Stankowski, a retired corrections officer who served at Trenton State Prison, the only maximum security facility in New Jersey. We start by asking about the socio-economic and psycho-social issues that disproportionately impact inmates, like poverty, illiteracy, and mental health struggles, and Nick talks about how once a disadvantaged person is caught up in the drag net of law enforcement without financial means for a robust defense, it's almost impossible to escape. He points out that not all laws made today are in the best interest of every person in the country. After all, slavery was once the law of the land. We debate the topic of "Blue Lives Matter" and the unspoken code that often exists among law enforcement officers 👮‍♂️👮‍♂️👮‍♂️ to not hold one another accountable for bad behavior. Nick shares that some of the real issues facing law enforcement are actually themselves and their untreated mental health problems since su***de is one of the leading killers of cops, and we cover how the war on drugs has been a thinly veiled war on people of color. There are ways to deal with the police problem 🚓 we have in this country, and we discuss the need for community policing, mental health training, and serving as a deterrent for crime rather than actively pursuing it.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2t1wfkz2u6kpeTIOXvrEsk?si=BtV4FQ3ET-qZ_WTOSgj0eA

20/04/2021

Today’s verdict is but a first step in this journey towards racial equity and healing. Our podcast was born in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, a small attempt to make sense of the chaos and hate we see all around us. There is still much work to be done, but today at least justice was served as a murderer in a badge was led away in handcuffs.

17/04/2021

"Racism in sports has kind of followed the same path and trajectory that racism in America has followed. It went from you can't even have a seat at this table or you can't even be near the table to now it's like you can kind of get a seat but the seat isn't going to be as comfortable and it's like you can have a seat but you're not going to be the head of the table." ⚽🏀🏈⚾🎾

Wise words from Pop Little in our latest episode on Racism in Sports. Check it out here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0fqW5uZkl3omAcbg5iEhW4?si=_RFm22KeRcGfVAjYk82gqQ

14/04/2021

On this week's episode we talk with Carl Revels and Pop Little of SML Sports about racism in sports. 🏀 From Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight fighter 🥊 in the US who was called the "Big Black", to the rise of the athletic (code for black) quarterback in football 🏈, American sports has a checkered history. The lack of representation by people of color at the top of professional sports leagues, whether head coaches, managers, or owners, is a stark reminder of the systemic racism that dominates this area of life as well. Carl shares a very personal experience of racism he had this past year coaching his town's midget football team when he chose to take a knee during the national anthem and the fallout of that controversy. We explore the differing responses various professional sports leagues have had in the wake of George Floyd's murder, and we unpack the complex intersectionality of what black female athletes face every day. This episode will get you thinking about sports in a whole new light, and we are eternally grateful for the time and expertise that Carl and Pop shared with us as our first ever guests on the podcast! https://open.spotify.com/episode/0fqW5uZkl3omAcbg5iEhW4?si=lXh0P1XrS5ebZdR84YpS-g

12/04/2021

"Why should I look at this instance as a patriot when we have never been valued as a citizen?" Essence talks about her emotions watching the January 6 Capitol riots in our first episode of Season 2, Today's Racial Hot Topics 🔥 https://open.spotify.com/episode/5cIn51loJMqeF7nR8gYF4o?si=6PF_3-h5RXqGNxU7CRMVQQ

07/04/2021

The Season 2 debut episode is here and it's all about today's racial hot topics. We talk about our new VP Kamala Harris, the Capitol riot, the disproportionate impact of COVID on black Americans, the recent The Bachelor controversy and its tie-in to Emmanuel Acho, cancel culture with Dr Seuss and Aunt Jemima, and Robin DiAngelo's new book Nice Racism. This episode is jam-packed with goodies! We missed you and are so happy to be back. 🖤🤎🖤https://open.spotify.com/episode/5cIn51loJMqeF7nR8gYF4o?si=pmeX3LgcRti6ZU72240ZRQ

05/04/2021

Essence has been furiously editing podcast episodes and the wait is almost over! Season 2 begins in TWO DAYS!!!

28/03/2021

We've been hard at work creating new content for Season 2! We have an air date and lots of new topics with some very special guests all of which will keep you coming back for more. Season 2 drops April 7th. 🎙

13/03/2021

The wait is almost over! Season 2 drops soon. 🖤🤎🖤

18/01/2021

History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people. MLK

09/01/2021

Learn a little bit more about the healthcare professionals who will be answering your questions on the new COVID-19 vaccine. We hope you can join us!

07/01/2021

End white supremacy!

29/10/2020

What NOT to do

28/10/2020

Instead of fighting the idea that you have , use it for good to make this world more just and equitable. Check out the final episode of season 1 here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/01eu5QkPZCXASHH1ZTSU5t

25/10/2020

One of the most common misunderstandings of is that it can't exist for those who experience poverty. Listen to our final episode of season 1 to learn why even in poverty you can benefit from white privilege: https://open.spotify.com/episode/01eu5QkPZCXASHH1ZTSU5t

21/10/2020

THE SEASON FINALE IS HERE! https://anchor.fm/heart-of-the-matter-in-bw/episodes/White-Privilege-elcmdv The topic of white privilege has been the thread that has gone through every episode of this podcast, so it seemed the perfect way to conclude the season. In our final episode, we talk about both what white privilege is and dispel many of the myths about what it is not. Talking with white people about privilege often provokes denial, anger, or total misdirection, but let us be clear. White privilege is not a judgment. It is a fact. Even for those who have grown up in extreme poverty, the advantages and protections that come with white privilege are very real. If you are white and poor, you still experience some of the benefits of white privilege. We reflect on many of the items on Peggy McIntosh's iconic list of white privilege that apply regardless of financial means. And to conclude this season, we provide practical guidance on how to use privilege for good. Thank you for listening and we look forward to next season!

20/10/2020

Schools are more segregated today than in the ‘70s and, as usual, Adam explains it so well!