Behind the Throne

Rest can feel hard to choose when you were raised to keep going, keep serving, and keep proving that you can handle it all. In this conversation, Helen Hope Kimbrough and Dr. Charlitta Hatch sit down with Ashley Varnado and Bridgette (Brie) Wright to talk about rest, recovery, renewal, and what it takes to break the cycle of exhaustion. They share health wake-up calls, lessons from motherhood, gen...

In this episode of Behind the Throne, we are joined by Sherry Waters and Dr. Staisha Hamilton to explore what a soft life truly means, especially for Black women navigating motherhood, leadership, and legacy. Together, we unpack the difference between performative self-care and embodied stillness, discuss how softness can exist in small daily increments, and challenge generational beliefs that equ...

After some time away, Helen Hope Kimbrough and Dr. Charlitta Hatch return for a heartfelt catch-up that reflects growth, faith, rest, and bold transitions. In this episode, they share what’s shifted behind the scenes, from earning a doctorate and elevating Black mothers’ voices in urban education, to launching a purpose-driven consulting firm rooted in legacy and intentional impact. This conversat...

Stories have the power to help us see ourselves, find courage, and imagine new possibilities. In this episode, we’re talking about creativity and representation in the arts with Charlotte-based playwright, actor, and author Lakeetha Blakeney, known as “Keetha B .” , whose original play Bessie Coleman: Fearless and Free , celebrates the life of aviation pioneer Bessie Coleman at the Children’s Thea...

You might think the school your child attends for grade school is signed, sealed, and delivered based on your address, but you actually have so much more choice than that. Whether you want your children to attend public school, private school, homeschool, or somewhere in between, this episode is all about what questions to ask yourself and the prospective school’s team to make that decision.  In t...

When you can feel the volume of the world from shouting headlines, calendars overflowing, emotions running high, it’s easy to forget the influence we carry. Power lives in your voice, your choices, and how you show up for your people, even on the days we’re stretched thin. In this special live recording, we gathered with past guests and community leaders to ask: With all that's going on in the...

Education is so important to us, from literacy and fostering a love of books to building math skills that support financial literacy down the road. That’s why we’re thrilled to bring you this conversation about education with Tracey Hope Haynes , an elementary school teacher (and Helen’s sister!), and Wanda Harding (Helen’s classmate at Hampton University), a NASA engineer turned educator and foun...

This week, we’re continuing our conversation on grief from our different perspectives, including Helen’s loss of her father, Dr. Winfred M. Hope, earlier this year; Dr. Monique Perry-Graves ’ sudden loss of her mother, Carolyn Perry, in 2024; and Linda Lockman-Brooks ’ loss of her daughter, Morgan Thompson, almost two years ago.  In this episode, we’re discussing the concept of identity reconstruc...

Grief is heavy, but it’s not something we have to face alone. In this episode, we wanted to share some different perspectives on loss, including Helen’s loss of her father, Dr. Winfred M. Hope, earlier this year; Dr. Monique Perry-Graves ’ sudden loss of her mother, Carolyn Perry, in 2024; and Linda Lockman-Brooks ’ loss of her daughter, Morgan Thompson, almost two years ago. While we are talking...

There are two gaps in the Black community, especially among those in their 20s and 30s: a marriage gap and a wealth gap. Our friend Arvia Few is aiming to bridge both of those gaps through matchmaking. Her company, DOTTIE, is a platform for young Black professionals to meet, build meaningful connections (both platonic and romantic), and settle down with someone who shares their goals and is ready...

AI has been the topic on everyone’s mind this year. From the rise of generative AI and ChatGPT to the increase in self-driving cars, it’s easy to get swept up in the news stories of AI gone wrong, but every generation has had at least one technological leap that made parents pause and teens rejoice; AI is no different. In this episode, Charlitta’s tech genius shines as she walks us through practic...

You’ve probably noticed that Charlitta and I haven’t been on the mic together in a minute, and this episode is about why: life has been life-ing, y’all! We’ve both had challenges this year with family health struggles, exciting life changes, and more. In this episode, we share how we’ve been coping with life without sacrificing our relationships, how therapy has helped us process grief, and so muc...

Quick question: how are you feeling? A month has passed since the election, but chances are you still might be feeling anxious, uncertain, or disappointed. We’re right there with you, and so are our guests in today’s episode: Lucretia Berry, antiracism curriculum specialist and Founder of brownicity; Kristen Stegall, podcast producer and CEO of Novice Studios; and Rachel Walt, human design expert,...

Last week, Helen assisted her parents in Athens, Georgia with casting their vote in the 2024 election. In this episode, Helen sits with her mother, Betty Hope, as she tells the story of why this election is so historic for her and her husband, and why watching him cast this vote this year was so emotional and wonderful for them. If you haven’t yet voted, it’s not too late to vote early! Below is m...

If you’ve been following our podcast, or know us personally, you know we are huge advocates for experiential learning and education. Since we’re all back into the swing of school, we invited our friend Alicia Hash, an award-winning elementary school principal in Charlotte, NC, to share her perspective as an educator of how we as parents can be active participants and supports of our children’s edu...

There is a very important election coming up in November, but not everyone feels that their vote matters. In this episode, Helen sits down with Jamila Green, Community Engagement Manager at the YWCA Central Carolinas, to discuss our earliest memories and messages around voting, why we don’t take our right to vote for granted, and all the ways you can make your voice heard through community engagem...

While we're on a break this summer, we wanted to share some of our most popular episodes for you to revisit and enjoy! This was our second episode we released and y'all loved it, so we're bringing it back this week! School’s out for the summer! Even if you have some summer camps or travel plans on the calendar to keep your kids busy, there’s a lot of time left to fill with activities....

The Behind the Throne podcast is officially one year old!! Since our first episode aired the week of Mother’s Day in 2023, we’ve released three seasons, started a YouTube channel, and welcomed amazing guests on the show. In this episode, we reflect on what we think makes the show special, our favorite episodes we’ve done, and what’s next for the show moving forward. Thank you so much for being on...

After a full season of lots of amazing guests, the OG duo is back on the mic this week! In this episode, we’re discussing the book The Power of a Positive No by William Ury, which piqued both of our interests as people pleasers who tend to say “yes” when we want to say “no.” We share what it taught us about setting boundaries, trusting your intuition, healthy relationships, and more! Resources men...

In April, we were invited to be a part of a discussion called “What I Wish My Mother Had Told Me,” which centered mental health topics around the relationship between mothers and daughters. Helen led a panel of community leaders and asked them questions about self-esteem, boundaries, worthiness, and social media, and how all of these tie in to mental health.  Panelists: Helen Hope Kimbrough, panel...

In this episode, Helen is joined by her younger son, Avery Kimbrough. Avery is a senior at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He shares his experience of growing up with his older brother Austin, deciding to join the military at a very young age, and how his mom advocated for his learning style in a public school setting. Episodes mentioned: Episode 17: The Things I Learned From My...

Since we started our podcast, we’ve gotten questions about how we started from listeners wanting to start their own shows. So in this episode, we brought on our producer, Kristen, to share how you can amplify your voice and message through podcasting, her best tips for podcasting, and how she started her business. Kristen is a Podcast Producer and the CEO of Novice Studios, a full-service video po...

We are so excited to have a very special guest on today’s episode: Mark Hatch III, Charlitta’s 7-year-old son! In this episode, Charlitta interviews Mark to see just how much he knows about her, what he’s absorbing from the lessons she’s been teaching him, and his favorite things about her. Some key takeaways from this episode include: Your kids know way more about you than you might realize! They...

Welcome to season three of Behind the Throne! We are starting off the season with a special guest, Kris Elle, a Certified Doula, Certified Lactation Consultant. Kris is the Founder of Mother of Ease , a Black maternal and family health practice that specializes in supporting Black women and their families through pregnancy and birth. In this episode, Kris shares how she empowers clients to create...

When we heard the news of Dr. Claudine Gay’s resignation from her role as the first Black female president of Harvard University, we knew we had to unpack our feelings and the wounds it opened on the podcast. In our experiences as Black women, we’ve faced microaggressions, assumptions about our qualifications, and a lack of support and allyship from our colleagues. In this bonus episode, we’re cov...