Please Say Black Joquina Reed

In this last episode of the Juneteenth Drop, I speak to Justice Educator, Activist, Minister, and my personal funny joke texter, Alicia Crosby Mack.  Alicia and I have a engaging conversation about Black Theology and the Black Church.  We unpack if what we think about with the term theology which includes imagination and creativity doesn't necessary fit what we have experienced growing up in the Black Church.  Those ideals seem to rest on fear and intimidation. The conversation also touches on the importance of expanding our lexicon and imagination around what we name as the black church, good religion, and bad religion. We also tackle controversial topic, how the Church has failed the Black Community.  
 
Alicia is a dynamic public speaker, podcaster, writer, and community activist.  Get to know her service and work at her website, here. 
 
 

Historian, Writer, Educator, and Cultural Activist, Lisa Betty joins me for this episode of Please Say Black.  Lisa is dedicated her work in challenging mainstream social justice movements' problematic views on various issues. Lisa and I discuss the impact of white supremacy on black communities and the importance of understanding its history and patterns to challenge it.  We also touch on the importance of authenticity and storytelling in preserving the truth and countering colonial lies.
 
 
During the episode Lisa mentions Black Reconstruction in America, 1860-1880, Brittany Cooper's book "Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower", 
 
Lisa Betty is a PhD Candidate in History at Fordham University. She teaches on themes of land, labor, migration, and diaspora in the Americas, the Caribbean and Africa. Lisa has worked in the field of nonprofit advocacy serving in organizations that advocate for children, families, immigrants, and incarcerated people.  To connect with Lisa and all the wonderful things she does click here.
 
"I speak to the Black experience, but I am always talking about the human condition--about what we can endure, dream, fail at and survive." - Maya Angelou

In this episode, I am graced with the presence of Dr. Jenaya Perdue an educator and entrepreneur living in China.  We discuss Jenaya's experiences as a Black expat and the global nature of anti-Blackness. The conversation touches on the decision to leave the United States, the concept of progress for Black people, and the challenges of accessing information in China due to government censorship. Dr. Perdue highlights the ongoing struggle for progress and equality for Black people both in the United States and globally. Plus shares tips for traveling abroad and encourages Black travelers to be intentional and mindful of the impact of their actions on local communities.
 
During this episode Jenaya mentioned Melanated Stamps on Instagram, The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, and the Momondo App
 
Dr. Jenaya Perdue is a podcaster, writer, thinker, storyteller, expat. You can find Dr. Perdue and all the wonderful things Jenaya does here.
 
“It wasn't so much a matter of choosing France — it was a matter of getting out of America …" - James Baldwin

Author, Liberation Activist, and Black Joy Advocate, Tina Strawn joins me for this episode of Please Say Black.  During this episode, Tina and I discuss decolonizing one's life and prioritizing black joy and liberation.  Together, we discuss the importance of pleasure activism, centering joy and celebration as a way to resist oppression, and the harmful narrative that rest has to be earned.  Tina is a racial and social justice advocate, author, and liberation activist. 
 
During the episode Tina mentions Black Women Surfing, Atltantra, Adrienne Maree Brown, Audre Lorde, and The Nap Ministry. 
 
Tina is the Founder of Legacy Trips, which are three-day anti-racism trips visiting the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration in Montgomery, and the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, and utilizing spiritual practices as tools to dismantle racism.
Tina is the owner of Speaking of Racism podcast, which has been downloaded almost 400,000 times. 
Tina is the author of the upcoming book, “Are We Free Yet?: The Black, Queer Guide to Divorcing America ” through Row House Publishing.
 
"Liberation is ultimately a celebration of our deepest humanity, and our fight for it must include a deeper examination of how we relate to oppressive systems while centering our joy, peace, and pleasure." - Tina Strawn
 

This episode I am speaking with Guido Melo.  Guido is an Afro-Brazilian-Latinx multilingual author and poet based in Naarm (Melbourne). We have an insightful conversation about how slavery affected the entire North and South America continents and not just the United States.  40% of the enslaved Africans that were brought to the Americas were found their way to Brazil.  Guido highlights the severe atrocities of slavery in South America and gives eye opening facts that prove that racism has been a global issue for centuries.  
 
Guido is a member of Sweatshop Literacy Movement, a columnist for Negrê and a contributor to Growing Up African in Australia (Black Inc., 2019) and Racism: Stories on Fear, Hate & Bigotry (Sweatshop, 2021).
 
His words can be found in Peril Magazine, Ascension Magazine, SBS Voices, SBS Portuguese, Cordite Poetry Review, Mantissa Poetry Review, A Voz Limpia, Alma Preta Jornalismo and Guia Negro News.

Dr. Felicia Bell joins me for the latest episode of Please Say Black. During this episode, Dr. Bell and I reflect on the significance of enslaved labor throughout the United States.  Dr. Bell’s research and testimony before the United States Congress has been significant in establishing a historical record that reveals the tremendous material offering given to this country by the formally enslaved, Together, we hold space to share our feelings about our ancestors' offering. Dr. Bell also explains the significance of reparative justice by way of Reparations as well. This episode is essential for anyone trying to navigate how the past is shaping our contemporary consciousness and society.  You can read Dr. Bell and her research here as well as see her work featured at the White House. You also connect with Dr. Bell via LinkedIn.  Learn more about stone quarries here. 
“Morality cannot be legislated, but behavior can be regulated. Judicial decrees may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.