Thanksgiving stories, Wicked Part Two, and why The Wizard of Oz still hits in 2025 — we’re covering it all on this episode of Raised By Her. 💚🦃✨ This week, Ro Nita and Donnica open with a cozy (and hilarious) look at Black family Thanksgiving traditions: fried vs. smoked turkey, mac & cheese rules (Velveeta is banned 😅), how grandmothers cooked everyone’s favorite dish, and the emotional weight of hosting. They also talk honestly about navigating holidays after loss and preparing for “that one relative” who brings chaos every year. Then we dive into a rich, emotional breakdown of Wicked Part Two, The Wizard of Oz, friendship, identity, and “otherness.” Ro Nita shares memories of watching The Wizard of Oz as a child on a black-and-white TV, while Donnica explores why the Wicked universe still resonates: the politics of Oz, how fear is used for control, and what it means to stand in your truth when misunderstood. We also unpack: Why Thanksgiving can be beautiful and hard when you’re grievingHow to set boundaries and protect your peaceWhat Oz represents (the “perfect place” vs. joy in the journey)How adulthood can still make room for play and creativityWhy so many women see themselves in Elphaba and GlindaIf you’ve ever felt like the “different one,” navigated shifting friendships, or tried to hold both gratitude and grief this season, this episode is for you. 💛 ⏱ Timestamps: 0:00 – Welcome back & Thanksgiving hosting check-in 0:35 – Our favorite Thanksgiving dishes (and mac & cheese crimes 😂) 3:10 – The wildest Thanksgiving recipes we’ve heard 4:20 – Grandma’s stuffing, oyster dressing & big family traditions 5:00 – Kentucky trips, hunting season & childhood memories 6:30 – Hosting out of love vs obligation 7:10 – Beautiful dishes, no dishwasher & Black women making holidays happen 8:10 – Holidays, grief & handling stress 8:40 – How to deal with that relative at Thanksgiving 9:15 – A hilarious text strategy to avoid being asked for money 10:40 – Happy Thanksgiving & well wishes 10:47 – Our Wicked Part Two movie date: first reactions 11:20 – Why we still love the original Wizard of Oz 12:00 – Why this story keeps getting retold (Oz, The Wiz, Wicked) 13:30 – Professors, Oz, and what keeps this story timeless 16:00 – Wicked, friendship & how relationships evolve 17:30 – “Otherness,” confidence & accepting who you are 20:10 – Villain narratives, public perception & truth 22:20 – Fear, activism & why some people can’t “stay and fight” 24:10 – Real-life story: betrayal, apology & taking the higher road 27:20 – Vibrating higher vs staying stuck in hurt 28:01 – Why Wicked makes grown women cry in the theater 29:05 – Is there really a “place of happiness”… or is it the journey? 30:15 – Lion, Scarecrow, Tin Man or Dorothy – who are you right now? 31:00 – Using Oz as a metaphor for college, goals & adulthood 33:00 – Why this story still works in classrooms & culture 35:02 – Movie theaters, streaming life & “no place like home” 35:45 – The Wiz, soundtracks, and holiday music in the house 36:33 – What Oz represents to us now 37:06 – Reimagining adulthood so play still exists 38:16 – Are you still playing as an adult? 39:18 – Full-circle mother–daughter moment & closing reflections 🎤 New episodes every week. Honest conversations between mother and daughter on family, womanhood, and navigating life across generations. 👍 Like, 💬 comment, and 🔔 subscribe to be part of the conversation. 📱 Instagram: / raisedbyherpodcast 📘 Facebook: / raisedbyherpodcast 𝕏 X/Twitter: https://x.com/RaisedByHerPod 📲 Follow us on TikTok: @RaisedByHerPodcast Send us a text