Sounding Black

Ava Duvernay teamed up with Netflix to produce a miniseries chronicling the lives of a group of black and brown boys known to the public by the moniker, Central Park Five. The series titled, When They See Us, takes us on the journey of each of these boys as they went through the legal process and were ultimately wrongfully convicted of crimes they didn't commit. Til & Will discuss the miniseries and the treatment of black and brown bodies by the legal system.   

Law is one of those things that is ever-changing. Whether it is a law centered around the identity of a person or the many bills that are being proposed and passed about abortion, we're living in a time where people simply don't agree on much of anything. In this episode, Til & Will discuss the many layers of blackness (and a little bit of blackness) that exists today and the pro-life agenda we're seeing spread rapidly in the legislative branch of our government. 

In this episode, Til & Will invite a special guest on the podcast to examine the impact colorism has when it comes to dating, in the workplace and ultimately the scale on which the attractiveness of black women is viewed.

Colorism is a topic that impacts the black community on many levels. From the treatment of black women to the message we send our children and everything in between, the damage caused by colorism cannot be dismissed. There is a history behind this. On this episode, Til & Will dig a little deeper into each of these layers. 

Do artists owe it to the world to be bigger than the art? Specifically, is it fair to set the expectation that every public figure operate outside of their area of talent to become social justice leaders, teachers and invest in the community? Nipsey Hussle set the bar high. Will others follow suit?

In an effort to honor Nipsey Hussle's legacy, there are steps we can take to continue his work. Til & Will discuss the life of Nipsey and the responsibility our community has moving forward. 

Oftentimes working together for a common cause can seem easier than it looks. When the common cause impacts one group in a way it doesn't impact another, the cause seems not so common. Take affirmative action for example. As great as its intentions were, the group(s) seeking to create better lives from the implementation aren't the main beneficiaries. Exploring this idea and discussing intersectionality puts us at a crossroads. What's next? Til & Will take the discussion head on in this episode.

The agenda to emasculate black men has been a hot topic for quite some time. More recently, the Oscars outfit of Billy Porter caused quite an eruption on social media and led many to express their unfavorable opinion in regards to what he wore. But was Billy Porter's fashion statement another step in the agenda to emasculate black men? 

If recent events have taught us anything, it's that we can't take anything at surface level. With the details of Jussie Smollett's encounter seemingly changing daily and Tristan Thompson's inability to keep his hands to himself, we never know how stories will unfold. In this episode, Til and Will discuss if it's ever worth it to take a cheater back and the duty those in close proximity to cheaters have to share the truth with the companions of their friends or family. 

In 2016, Colin Kaepernick along with a host of other NFL athletes began to protest police brutality. The protests occurred during the national anthem and under the advisement of a military veteran, they elected to kneel instead of remaining seated. As many of us know, everybody didn’t receive the message the same and Kap was essentially blackballed by the NFL for his leading role in the protests. 2 years later we find ourselves discussing the collusion to keep Colin out of the NFL and the settlement that has been reached as a result of it.

Continuing the conversation about black history and their personal experiences with issues regarding race, Til and Will dive a little deeper into their stories and interview Author, Philanthropist, Politician and Professor, Christian D. Green.  

Black History Month is usually a time of the year to reflect on the many contributions black leaders have made to our society. Are we fully invested in learning and preserving this history? Til & Will discuss Black History, some personal encounters with prejudice, and the impact it has on our every day lives. 

Valentine's Day is often used as a litmus test to determine the level of commitment and love that exists in a relationship. In this episode, Til & Will had the opportunity to connect with a host of women and men to discuss their expectations on the Day of Love.

Discussions centered around sexual assault have stirred up more conversations about the sexualization of young women, the cognitive dissonance of the public surrounding the transgressions and how frequent this happens within our community. Til and Will tackle this topic by discussing why the truth has been swept under the rug for so long and what we can possibly do moving forward.