Nurah Speaks

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a poignant example of a man standing on faith and principles, regardless of the risks, discomfort and persecution. In his work of pressing the United States government for civil rights of the nation’s ex-slaves and in his anti-war stance on Vietnam, he made an enemy of the FBI and the U.S. President and his companions in the Civil Rights Movement deserted him.  He wa...

How possibly does one measure and repair the harm that has been done to a people enslaved and destroyed physically, spiritually, morally?  Our ancestors had their religion stripped, language stripped, cultural customs stripped, pride, ambitions, self love and self worth stripped through the most heinous brutality. We, their descendants, continue carry the burden of this devastation and it is appar...

Here I continue the mention of fathers and the significance of fathers in the lives of children.  The Center for Disease Control reports that 90% of all homeless and runaway youth, 71% of high school drop outs and 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes.   In part, this episode discusses the way fathers impact the development of identity in boys and the mental health and self esteem in gir...

Moderns laws and culture undermine the value of fathers even though research and data demonstrates how invaluable involved fathers are.   The Center for Disease Control reports that 90% of all homeless and runaway youth, 71% of high school drop outs and 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes.   Additionally, research shows that the presence of fathers improves childrens’ communication ski...

There is no biblical commandment directing us to SPEND-SPEND-SPEND to honor the birth of sweet baby Jesus. However, year after year, the season has become less religious and more commercial. Clever advertisers know the perfect strategies to persuade us to buy.  So then what should we do in this season of spending?  This episode I share tips that will benefit your wallet and your community. If you...

We are celebrating the Sixth Year Anniversary of the podcast and there has been so much shared and so much learned in this journey.   I am grateful to all who has joined me on this journey, the incredible guests, the faithful listeners and the loyal supporters.   This podcast was borne from a suggestion by a dear Brother who has since passed away but whose legacy continues to inspire, Brother Muni...

Social Media is a recurrent topic on Nurah Speaks because of the frequent misuse of the medium and the opportunity it provides us to publicize our most private moments or thoughts, regardless if appropriate for public consumption. We see the pictures folks post of themselves in their beds and bedrooms and even their hospital beds.  Folks post information compromising of themselves, their relations...

Overcoming negative messages that we are not ‘enough’ is a very necessary thing for our women.  We have long been inundated with messages that challenge our worthiness and esteem as Black Women. However, once we have accepted that we are indeed valuable and worthy, we should also know that we are still accountable to growth, learning, correction and guidance.  Being ‘enough’ is just not enough.  I...

I do not believe women should dim their light.  I believe women should know how to use their light.   We are in a time wherein the light of our men has been all but snuffed out totally.  This is evidenced in the current state of the Black Community and our men specifically.  The natural leadership, creativity, character and dependability of our men is not present.  They are yet to show us and them...

A parent striving to ingrain character, family values, morality and justice in children have a hard job in modern America as cultural norms ebb and flow.  In media, legislation and even education, the parental role is being minimized, challenged and threatened.   Active parenting is needed more now than ever.  That would include having our children in a community with likeminded individuals.  That...

Not having a healthy self awareness can frustrate us and others and lead to unproductive interactions and prohibiting our success.   We may have all met someone who has a problem or negative run in in nearly every environment they enter.  We may have experienced being in a board room where that one person or leader blurts something that is offensive to the group, something off topic or of no real...

“Independent Black Woman” I believe this is a phrase, perhaps not coined by us, but one repeated by us as a salve to ease the distress of being unloved, unprotected and unprovided for. Let’s define our term: Independent -not needing another, not reliant on another How is this a healthy means to live?  More to the point, is it even possible to exist without relying on others?  I should say it is no...

Some identify slavery as the destruction of the black family.  During this atrocity in American history, were not permitted formal marriages and the sacredness of our ties (and our bodies) were broken anytime the slave master wanted to have his way with the woman, girl or even our boys.  Yet we still tried…though how difficult it must have been to be a man and endure the abuse of his woman and gir...

A wise teacher once said that we, black descendants of American slavery, have been made ‘ a degree below nothing .’  Harsh as it is to say and hear this, the truth yet resonates in the statement and relevant to us in our community and especially to us, Black women. As a modern collective of women, we find ourselves loudly and proudly celebrating our savage behavior including parading nearly nude i...

It is natural to seek acceptance from one’s peers and social group.  This is a normal part of life that even very independent people need.  Interpersonal activities and relationships were the means of achieving external validation before the advent of social media.  Now, in this social media/virtual world, the pursuit for external validation has hit overdrive.  But do clicks, follows and likes fro...

I had the recent privilege to participate in a mental health forum facilitated by young community leaders.  I wanted to continue that conversation here because it is simply impossible to say everything in a limited timeframe when sharing the stage with other fascinating speakers. I find that most discussions on mental health focus on how to improve mental health, ways to heal, ways to cope and man...

Nurah Speaks is a podcast in service to the Black Community.  The aim of the show is to remind and inform our folks of the value that we have to ourselves and the world. However without this knowledge of self, knowledge of our capability and knowledge of our responsibility, we surrender our obligations to others to serve our needs and repair the damage done to our people. Nurah Speaks is in servic...

Child predators wear many faces.  They are not only the creepy neighbor or leering street vulture.  They are also the respected leader, esteemed clergy, youth group leader and praised honors student.  So - since we cannot rule anyone out, we must employ appropriate safeguards, limit others access with them and be especially communicative with our young folk.  This means telling them about appropri...

The experience of Black descendants of American slavery is far more American History than African American History.  Though Black Americans have impacted and been impacted by this nation, we have never set the course of this country.  That has always been the responsibility and right solely of White Americans.   It is in fact American History, rather than African American History, that our fore-pa...

Modern urban music is peppered with hate speech but not the hate speech you think I’m referring to. “Kill kill kill, pill, pill, pill, money for sex, sex for money, money over love, money over love!”   Music for urban listeners can be summed as explicit content containing harmful language promoting violence, drug use, and the objectification of individuals.  Industry experts understand that music...

Nurah Speaks is BACK from an extended hiatus and it is so great to be back in action.  Accept my sincere gratitude to the loyal listeners who patiently waited for the show’s return. Your support means the world. During the break, I reflected on what changes were necessary for the show’s ongoing success and how this new chapter can benefit the show’s listeners.  In this episode, which is the 200th...

‘Pink In Da Hood’ is the passion project of Evita Ali, breast cancer surviver and thriver. In this great conversation, Evita opens up about her own experiences with the diagnosis, the ensuing conversations and the subsequent decisions that all patients must confront. She discusses medical self advocacy as the patient and as a caregiver, the importance of knowing our family medical history and the...

Many of us have experienced the feeling of 'being stuck' - and this can relate to so many things in our lives including: Writing an Paper Starting a Book Getting Out of Debt Organizing Our Homes Getting Fit We may have the goal in mind but there is a wide gap between the idea and the outcome and that gap can be filled with positivity such as: strategic effort, activity, study, confidence, optimism...

Real ‘Juvenile Justice’ is having a culture that promotes stability and wellness for our most vulnerable population, our children. The injustice is that the modern norms of our culture promote dysfunction that we expect social workers, clinicians, judges and juvenile justice staff to repair. Studies show that most children within the juvenile justice systems have experienced adversity in their chi...

In an era popular with youth task forces and social programs serving ‘at risk’ youth, we must ask what we can do to head off delinquent behaviors in our young people. In this episode, I suggest that ‘Family Is The Best Social Program’ and I have research that I share to support this assertion. The research indicates that, “Children born to unmarried mothers generally receive lower human capital in...