We Thought You Been Knew Podcast We Thought You Been Knew

If your hair’s nappy, white people ain’t happy; if your hair’s straight, everything’s great; and if you want a promotion, you better use some hair lotion. Get that kitchen ready, because we’re closing out our first season by dissecting Black hair. We get to the root of why Black people are protective of our hairstyles as part of our culture, and and the difference between appropriation and appreciation (Kim Kardashian, we’re lookin’ at you). Then we talk to the creators of the award-winning d...

It’s Gen Z trying to claim Black terminology as internet slang for me. This month, we discuss AAVE, better known as ebonics, and we trace back the roots of why Black Americans have a certain way of communicating with each other that has evolved over time. And when non-Black folks, from Kombucha Girl to Awkafina, continuously try it by attempting to co-opt our culture and language, we offer them a gift to help them understand the error of their ways: these hands. Then we wrap by discussing dis...

If you wanna be somebody, if you wanna go somewhere... you better wake up and pay attention! In this month’s episode, we’re breaking down Black education—from a teacher and student perspective. First, we discuss our experiences as Black students and how we were taught Black history (if we were taught it at all). Later, we speak with academic scholar Laz Letcher on the intersectional challenges of teaching curriculum that doesn’t center whiteness or heteronormativity. Then we wrap things up by...

If you’ve ever heard the phrase “Pretty for a dark-skinned girl,” before, then you know this is our colorism episode. We start off by getting into when we first learned about colorism and how it has consistently shown up in media—*ahem* In the Lights Heights. Then, we wrap up by discussing the music video for "Brown Skin Girl" by Beyoncé, Wizkid, SAINt JHN and Blue Ivy Carter, and ask who that song and video was truly meant to represent.Notes:Why black people discriminate among ourselves: the...

Mental health in the Black community has become less taboo than ever before, but we still have a long way to go. In this month’s episode, we discuss the personal—our individual experiences with therapy and mental health—along with the public—the visibility of mental health struggles in public figures like Simone Biles. Later, mental health therapist Dr. Lawrence Jackson joins us to discuss the wide range of topics and emotions that show up in therapy for Black people. Finally, we wrap things ...

With the way that Black people are treated at work, it's no wonder Tommy never had a job. In this month's episode, we discuss the challenges that come along with being Black in the workplace. From questioning how our haircuts and speech patterns are perceived while interviewing, to being one of a few or the only Black person in a predominantly white working environment, there's a lot to unpack. Later, we watch Boots Riley's 2018 movie "Sorry to Bother You," and examine the concept of code swi...