Highly Melanated Podcast

Highly Melanated Podcast

Hosted by PJ, Blair & Red A safe space for you to enjoy every bit of your melanin no matter how "melanated" you are in skin tone, we are ALL Highly Melanated.Come enjoy funny and dynamic conversations that people of color face on a day to day basis with various topics such as loving ourselves, knowing who we are as a people and uplifting each other with a mix of class and rachetness (CLATCHETNESS)

  1. May 29

    Grassroots Against The Machine w. Kyle Little

    They told him he couldn’t even stand on the debate stage without raising $250,000 and he still made the ballot by grinding for signatures and showing up in the community. That’s where this conversation starts: what a grassroots congressional campaign actually looks like when you don’t have party insiders, big donors, or a political machine clearing the path for you.  We’re joined by Kyle Little, a small business owner, fitness professional, and adjunct professor running for Congress in New Jersey’s 12th congressional district. We talk honestly about being ignored by establishment players, how fundraising rules can silence first-time candidates, and why he believes the system rewards money more than ideas. Kyle also lays out the policies he’s running on, including a $20 minimum wage, universal health care, free childcare, student loan debt forgiveness, and a $25,000 grant for first-time homebuyers, all through the lens of what working people feel every month when rent, debt, and costs keep climbing.  We also get into the hardest questions he faces on the trail, especially the war in Gaza, how quickly “truth to power” turns into labels, and what it means to represent a diverse district while staying principled. And as an openly gay Black man, Kyle explains why representation matters while still keeping the focus on serving everyone and being accountable every two years.  If you care about voting rights, primary elections, affordability, and breaking the pay-to-play model in American politics, press play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a reason to vote, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Follow US IG:  https://www.instagram.com/highlymelanatedpodcast Twitter:  https://www.twitter.com/H_MelanatedPod YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb2VbyoW6KaMxQo5onYluXA IF YOU WANT TO BE A GUEST OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE A GREAT CHOICE, HIT US UP!!! FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US @highlymelanatedpodcast@gmail.com

    1h 15m

  2. May 14

    The Mental Health Check-In We Can't Avoid

    We start with hilarious travel talk and end up doing the kind of honest mental health check-in many of us keep putting off. We name what’s heavy, what helps us cope, and what we’re proud of surviving right now without pretending everything is fine.  • Spirit Airlines shutdown reactions and what budget travel stress looks like  • Frontier flight horror stories and why “cheap” can feel expensive  • big family moments and the pressure of showing up  • guilty pleasures as real coping tools, from comfort rewatches to ambient videos  • why predictability calms anxiety and how we each self-soothe  • a mental health check-in sparked by a real conversation about needing community  • loneliness, burnout, and balancing work with creative goals  • depression framed as a signal and a prompt to ask what is missing  • boundaries that protect energy, like leaving work on time  • rating day-to-day happiness and naming what’s sitting heavy  • what it means to say “I’m good” while you’re struggling  • one thing we’re proud of making it through right now  Follow US IG:  https://www.instagram.com/highlymelanatedpodcast Twitter:  https://www.twitter.com/H_MelanatedPod YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb2VbyoW6KaMxQo5onYluXA IF YOU WANT TO BE A GUEST OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE A GREAT CHOICE, HIT US UP!!! FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US @highlymelanatedpodcast@gmail.com

    1h 34m

  3. Apr 30

    Leading With Love Should Not Start A Fight

    We talk about how people get boxed into labels and why social media makes judgment feel like a public hobby. We unpack the KevOnStage backlash, church culture, and what it looks like to share honest opinions without acting like we’re better than anyone.  • getting tagged as “the Greek person” or “the campus org person” based on visibility  • why formative years lock people into a box  • updates on our shows, sold-out runs, and behind-the-scenes moments  • choosing to be outside more and what loneliness sounds like out loud  • the KevOnStage discourse and why “leading with love” triggers outrage  • church, LGBTQ people, and the pressure to condemn instead of care  • how comment sections reward chaos and kill nuance  • the difference between judging a person and critiquing an action  • “unapologetically me” versus learning better delivery  • why some people renounce BGLO ties publicly and what they might be chasing  Check it out on all platforms where podcasts are available. Follow US IG:  https://www.instagram.com/highlymelanatedpodcast Twitter:  https://www.twitter.com/H_MelanatedPod YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb2VbyoW6KaMxQo5onYluXA IF YOU WANT TO BE A GUEST OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE A GREAT CHOICE, HIT US UP!!! FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US @highlymelanatedpodcast@gmail.com

    53 min

  4. Mar 12

    Highly Melanated Jeopardy

    The world feels loud right now, and sometimes it’s hard to remember there’s still good happening every day. We start where a lot of us are living: irritated by endless spam calls and texts, side-eyeing how our data gets used, and asking why peace is always behind a paywall. From there, we get real about politics and the specific way Black women get treated when they’re the most qualified person in the room, including a viral clip that puts the country’s sexism and racism on full display. Then we shift the energy on purpose. We check in about life, travel chaos, and the behind-the-scenes reality of trying to stay consistent as creators while life keeps happening. And we bring back a grounding prompt: tell us one feel-good moment you’ve seen lately. That opens the door to stories that actually restore you, from innovative “smart city” solutions like Sweden training crows to clean up trash, to the joy of watching Black kids create art, perform, and speak truth about their own communities. Finally, we turn the studio into a full-on trivia arena with Highly Melanated Jeopardy: Black music lyrics, meme knowledge, Black household rules, Black TV and movies, and acronyms that will either humble you or make you feel seen. The rules are chaotic, the laughter is constant, and the takeaway is simple: fun is not frivolous, it’s survival. If you laughed, learned, or felt a little lighter, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review. What question would you have gotten right, and which one would’ve taken you out? Follow US IG:  https://www.instagram.com/highlymelanatedpodcast Twitter:  https://www.twitter.com/H_MelanatedPod YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb2VbyoW6KaMxQo5onYluXA IF YOU WANT TO BE A GUEST OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE A GREAT CHOICE, HIT US UP!!! FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US @highlymelanatedpodcast@gmail.com

    1h 22m

  5. Feb 19

    Money, Love & Melanin

    We weigh the viral $300K dating rule against real-life alignment, then celebrate Black representation that turns “not our lane” into everyday excellence. From Cool Runnings to indie projects, we connect money talk, standards, and the power of visibility. • unpacking the $300k dating myth and lifestyle matching • financial insecurity, boundaries and who pays when • long-distance costs and sustainable expectations • standards versus self-inventory and alignment • Cool Runnings and Black excellence in unlikely spaces • Dominique Dawes, Black rock bands and genre freedom • radio voices, media seats and women leading • community, invitations and what we build next Follow US IG:  https://www.instagram.com/highlymelanatedpodcast Twitter:  https://www.twitter.com/H_MelanatedPod YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb2VbyoW6KaMxQo5onYluXA IF YOU WANT TO BE A GUEST OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE A GREAT CHOICE, HIT US UP!!! FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US @highlymelanatedpodcast@gmail.com

    56 min

  6. Feb 4

    New Year: Still Melanated!

    We hold space for grief, name the compassion gap, and still choose joy. Music, health, routine, and community become tools to slow down, show up, and build a life that feels like ours. • naming the weight of public violence and empathy burnout • finding joy again through concerts and daily music rituals • health wake-up calls, meds, food, sleep, gentle routines • comfort zones, control, and letting others help • procrastination as fear; early starts and tiny rewards • saying no, planning better, and protecting energy • repairing bonds, hearing other truths, choosing closure • honoring community connectors and everyday impact • presence over pace; time as precious Follow US IG:  https://www.instagram.com/highlymelanatedpodcast Twitter:  https://www.twitter.com/H_MelanatedPod YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb2VbyoW6KaMxQo5onYluXA IF YOU WANT TO BE A GUEST OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE A GREAT CHOICE, HIT US UP!!! FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US @highlymelanatedpodcast@gmail.com

    1h 11m

  7. 11/27/2025

    Guess Who's Coming To Dinner - Highly Melanated Edition

    Happy Thanksgiving To Everyone!! in this episode we comprise our own list on who is coming to dinner and what are they bringing.   Would you come to eat at the manor? Who would be your guest? Follow US IG:  https://www.instagram.com/highlymelanatedpodcast Twitter:  https://www.twitter.com/H_MelanatedPod YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb2VbyoW6KaMxQo5onYluXA IF YOU WANT TO BE A GUEST OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE A GREAT CHOICE, HIT US UP!!! FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US @highlymelanatedpodcast@gmail.com

    1h 8m

  8. 11/16/2025

    Be Prepared & Start Planning w. Shawnette

    As a licensed Funeral Director and Pre-planning expert, Shawnette Mitchell comes to the Melanin Manor to talk about the ins and outs of planning for the inevitable. This is a real conversation about what no one wants to ever really talk about.  Planning for a funeral is a hard time in someone's life but it's a necessity of life.   Follow US IG:  https://www.instagram.com/highlymelanatedpodcast Twitter:  https://www.twitter.com/H_MelanatedPod YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb2VbyoW6KaMxQo5onYluXA IF YOU WANT TO BE A GUEST OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE A GREAT CHOICE, HIT US UP!!! FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US @highlymelanatedpodcast@gmail.com

    1h 34m
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Trailer

5
out of 5
101 Ratings

About

Hosted by PJ, Blair & Red A safe space for you to enjoy every bit of your melanin no matter how "melanated" you are in skin tone, we are ALL Highly Melanated.Come enjoy funny and dynamic conversations that people of color face on a day to day basis with various topics such as loving ourselves, knowing who we are as a people and uplifting each other with a mix of class and rachetness (CLATCHETNESS)

Information

  • Creator
    Highly Melanated Podcast
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    179
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Highly Melanated Podcast
  • Show Website
    Highly Melanated Podcast