Broke-ish‪®‬ Amber Sims & Erika Brown

On this episode, Amber and Erika are joined by Lawrence Grandpre, co-author of “The Black Book” and Director of Research for Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle. Our fellow Black Power Media mate helps us to understand the basics, explaining the difference between hemp, CBD, THC, and marijuana. Next, we dive into this nation’s historically racist and unjust drug laws, which coupled with terrorized policing, has resulted in generations of Black people being criminalized and now shut out of the increasingly lucrative legalized marijuana business. Lawrence helps us unpack what “street economies” can teach us about political and economic self-determination and why legalizing marijuana could potentially be a key component to reparations and Black political autonomy. Tune in to get the scoop!

On this week’s episode, we are celebrating May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day around the world. Amber and Erika are joined by Kim Brown, journalist, veteran activist, and our fellow Black Power Media comrade to discuss the historical significance of May Day and the global fight against capitalist inequities. With a special emphasis on both the contributions of Black people in the pro-labor movement, as well as the challenges to equity and ownership that we still face, this episode reminds us that all labor has value deserving of respect and just compensation. Tune in to get the scoop on why we should all be invested in uplifting and supporting a thriving labor movement.

On this week’s episode, Amber and Erika are joined by Whitney McGuire, an attorney, fashion law expert, consultant, strategist, and co-founder of Sustainable Brooklyn. We discuss how some of our favorite fast-fashion brands are rapidly causing environmental havoc by proliferating waste, exploiting BIPOC workers, subjecting employees to hazardous conditions, and depleting natural resources. This phenomenon is part of the vicious cycle of racial capitalism that enables poverty and creates dependency on cheap items that ultimately cause long-term harm to all of us. We also explore the ways that the pushback against environmental racism and for sustainability has largely been whitewashed, erasing the pioneering contributions of Black activists and organizers. Tune in to listen and learn on this important topic!   

On this episode of Broke-ish, Amber and Erika are discussing a deeply personal, complex topic: Black hair. Specifically, we examine the pressures of respectability, professionalism, and assimilation on our relationship with our hair. Through stories of Black people being banned from graduation ceremonies, losing job opportunities, and facing harassment because of how they choose to wear their hair, this episode dives into both the economic and emotional toll of this especially vicious arm of White Supremacy. As we unpack the unhealthy pathologies and trauma that many of us carry regarding our hair, we hope to reclaim the power, beauty, and freedom to love our entire bodies - head to toe. Tune in to join the conversation!

On this episode, Amber and Erika are joined by Kalonji Changa, one of the founders of Black Power Media, national coordinator of the FTP Movement, and author of “How to Build a People’s Army”. We discuss Black resistance, survival, and holistic self-defense and why America is so antagonistic to Black people asserting agency over our ability to survive in a racist, White supremacist society invested in our destruction. Through both historical and tactical lenses, Kalonji outlines America’s intentional attempts to mischaracterize the non-violence that anchored the Civil Rights Movement, while also demonizing Black people taking up arms and practicing communal independence self-care. Tune to learn about the past and how you can be prepared in the present!

In this week’s episode, Amber and Erika are joined by a Broke-ish All-Star, Dr. Jared Ball, to discuss the ins and outs of cryptocurrency. Dr. Ball combines his expertise in media literacy with his personal interest in cryptocurrency to show us how savvy messaging creates the illusion of a crypto market that’s inoculated from the racism and inequality that plagues traditional financial markets. But a little deep-diving reveals the inescapable reality that racism, sexism, scheming, and wealth disparities exist everywhere - even in the crypto universe. Tune in to get the scoop on whether cryptocurrency is a source of wealth and financial freedom for Black people, or simply another money scheme that overpromises and under-delivers.