Black Girl Blueprint Lauren Ritchie and Makeen Zachery

Season 5, Episode 1: Long time, no see! In this episode, we're returning to our cultural critic roots for a conversation around Black media, the role of art as a powerful social and political tool, and our expectations of people with platforms in Black music and film to authentically represent Blackness in their work. From Shonda Rhimes and Quinta Brunson to Rye Lane and Cowboy Carter, we're diving into Black entertainment to evaluate what misses the mark, what has value we need to return to, and the stories we'd like to see more of in the future. 

Season 4, Episode 12: The hardest conversations are typically the ones most worth having. We need to confront the hard stuff to grow, but it can be difficult to navigate how to do so productively and compassionately. In this episode, we’ll be talking about some of the hardest conversations that we’ve had to have with friends, partners, parents, and colleagues, as well as the hardest truths we’ve had to accept about ourselves and the world around us. We dive into the importance of self-awareness and open communication in our relationships and feeling empowered by honesty. 

Season 4, Episode 11: What happens when you don't want to work but you have needs and desires that cost money? In this episode, we break down how central capitalism is to our daily lives: how jobs take time away from things that bring us joy and how we internalize that productivity determines our self-worth. We dive into Gen-Z's approach to work compared to previous generations, how the pandemic shifted our priorities, and the lives we dream for ourselves beyond exchanging labor for survival. 

Season 4, Episode 10: When we’re little, it’s second nature to dream big and to be shameless about speaking your dreams aloud. But as we grow older, something shifts — a fear of embarrassment and the pressure to be realistic creep in. 

In this episode, we talk about how we imagined our futures as kids and how those dreams have shaped the way we live now. We reflect on living without regret, how we can measure and hold ourselves accountable to our desires, and encouraging ourselves to lead with hope and wonder in 2023 and beyond.

Season 4, Episode 9: Happy Thanksgiving everyone! In this week's episode, we're adding another installment to our coming into adulthood series to chat about the independence and harsh realities of moving from our parent's house out on our own.  We're getting into some roommate horror stories, what we wish we knew before buying furniture and hunting for our first big girl apartments, and how it actually feels to build a home for ourselves and live alone. 

Season 4, Episode 8: In this week's episode, we're joined by stylists, content creators, and overall fashion icons, Simi (@simimoonlight) and Uniekue (@uniekue) for a conversation about developing your personal style, shopping with intention, and building a wardrobe on a budget. We’ll be discussing our favorite (and least favorite) trends, size inclusivity and desirability politics in the fashion industry, and the role of Black femmes in shaping fashion and culture. 
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