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…

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 marginali…

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 …

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 ofte…

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 i…

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 …

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 th…

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 wondere…

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 incredi…

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 pathway…

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…

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. Sp…

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, influe…

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…

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 d…

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…

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 wearin…

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 communic…

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 finance…

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…

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…

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 …

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 …

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 Interview…

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: Richa…

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…

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 moth…

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 intervi…

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 w…

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 li…

This episode is a reintroduction of the show host Richard Dodds, and a brief conversation about the episodes that have been published so far. Happy Holidays everyone! Support the show Show Credits: Richard Dodds (Host/Producer): @Doddsism Show Music: @IAmTheDjBlue Podcast Website: StillTalkingBlack.com Still Talking Black is a production of Crowned…

This episode is a round table on Blackness. I am joined by a few friends and we talk about a number of topics including what Blackness means to us, being "neutral" as a minority, the education system, recent school shootings, raising free thinkers, and much more. About the Interviewee: Jai is an educator raised by an educator. She has been entrench…

This episode is the second and final part of this Black professional conversation. I continue my conversation with a seasoned HR professional, where we talk about ways to survive and thrive in the workplace. About the Interviewee: An HR professional with over 8 years of experience. Spotlight on Melanin: This episode's spotlight is on Andrea Renee. …

This episode is all about the Black professionals. I talked to an HR professional about thriving and surviving in workplaces that aren't always built for minorities. About the Interviewee: An HR professional with over 8 years of experience. Spotlight on Melanin: This episode's spotlight is on Jaleesa Pope. Jaleesa helps small businesses expand thei…

Episode Summary: This episode is all about trying to understand the view of people that are biracial in America. Later in the episode, I talk to Sabrina Athena as she shares some of her perspectives on the film and modeling industry and talks about some of her experiences growing up biracial in America. Also during this episode, we play a poem from…

Episode Summary: This episode is all about Black creatives. Richard discusses how hip-hop mimics negro spirituals, and how Black people use their art as an expression of their pain and protest. Later in the episode, he talks to Shannon King of The Not Your Enemy Brand: Speak Out Sessions about what it means to be a Black Creative. About the Intervi…

Episode Summary: This episode is the very first episode of Still Talking Black. This episode is all about how STB originated and the story behind the name. Also in this episode, we hear from Mrs. Shelton, a former educator, principal, and assistant principal. We discuss a middle school exchange program that opened Richard's eyes to how different pe…

One thing we are told as children is not to judge a book by its cover. The thing we consistently do as adults is exactly the opposite. If you look at our blood-stained history you can start to understand why being great for the majority of people doesn’t work when you’re in the minority. In the land of the “free,” home of the brave, where all men a…