Black and CULTivated

Season 2 of Black and CULTivated is in the works! And right now we're looking for a few more guests to round out the season.  If you (or someone you know) are Black or Brown and have left a cult or high-control group and are ready to talk about it, hit me up! Cannot wait to bring you more amazing stories of badass humans.  LaNisa blackandcultivated@gmail.com @blackandcultivated 

As we wrap Season 1 of Black and CULTivated, I sit down with two of my childhood friends Jen and Genise — whom I grew up with in the Worldwide Church of God. 👀✨ In this episode, you’ll hear a little more about my story and how the three of us slowly realized… yeah, we were 1000% raised in a cult. 😅 It’s a straight up kiki — full of laughs and those “wait, did that really happen?!” moments. This...

We’re making up for lost time and blessing your feed with TWO episodes today! 🎉 In this one, I sit down with Hersal Pickett — a former member of my old church (but not my congregation) — who opens up about his time in the doomsday cult, the Worldwide Church of God. Like Pam in the last episode, Hersal caught on early that something wasn’t adding up. Hersal is a UNC Chapel Hill basketball superfan...

Only 3 more episodes left in Season 1 of Black and CULTivated. And the final eps are diving headfirst into my own cult, The Worldwide Church of God. ⛪️🚩 First up, Ms. Pam Redd, a brilliant educator and musician who attended WWCG from age 5 to adulthood. And chile, the stories she drops… 😳🔥 From meeting the church's leader Herbert W Armstrong and listening first hand to his racist ass serm...

Hey fam, Just a heads up we are skipping a week so there will be no new episode on 5/11/25. There's only a few more episodes left in Season 1 of Black and CULTivated; we want to take the week to make sure all is good as the next episodes are about my cult!! So take the time to catch up, relisten to episodes, share, watch on YouTube and we'll be back on 5/ 19/25. I appreciate you all.  Se...

WTF is #culthopping ?!  Well, find out as we talk to our girl, Certified Trauma Recovery Coach, and cult expert Nikki G.  After having been in several cults herself, Nikki took a step back, did the work, and wanted to be a voice as a Black woman in the often white dominated cult recovery community. So she is now making waves helping survivors recover and thrive after Narcissistic Abuse, Religious...

This week, I'm talking to the QUEEN of taking down cults herself, our sis from across the pond: Rachael Reign. Rachael was in the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (aka UCKG) for 7 years,  recruited at just age 13. After breaking free, sis made it her mission to speak out against the injustices of this shady cult that goes by many names, by establishing Surviving Universal UK.  https://w...

Dr. Kamasi Hill is Black but NOT CULTivated.  Dr. Hill was never part of a cult BUT he is a dope ass historian, theologian with a focus on African American religious history and award winning teacher. Plus, he is an amazing filmmaker (https://drkamasihill.com).  In this episode, we give some context and discussion around how we define cult, especially from a Black folk/ Black church perspective. ...

This week, Black and CULTivated welcomes another bad ass, my lovely Filipina sister Giovannie Espiritu. Giovannie is an actor, activist, writer, and director who shares her experience of being in a biblical doomsday cult that was part of the “Home Church Movement.”  Through her story and her work as an artist, she aims to "break hearts wide open and create more moments of joy," showcasin...

In Part 1, we met badass Katurah Topps, a civil rights attorney, resilient fighter, and cult survivor.  In Part 2 we will follow her escape from the House of Yahweh, her reintroduction to the world, and the obstacles faced post-cult.  Send us a text Thank you for listening. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@blackandcultivated If you or someone you know has been affected by cu...

In the debut episode of Black and CULTivated,  meet the multi-talented Yvette Lovstad. Yvette joined and survived on just one but two cults - Scientology and One Taste. Yvette is a stand-up comedian, actor, and karaoke star. From her days as a guest VJ at MTV to her performances at renowned comedy clubs like Flappers, NY Comedy Club, Broadway Comedy Club, and The Comedy Store, Yvette Lovstad'...

Katurah Topps is a resilient fighter and survivor. As a civil rights attorney from St. Louis, Missouri, now based in New York, Katurah is a true badass who fights against racially discriminatory systems at all levels.  You may also know her from Survivor 45 where she was strategic and relentless #AF  In part one of her story we'll learn about her journey in the dangerous cult House of Yahweh...

Introducing Black and CULTivated : The Groundbreaking Comedy Podcast Exploring the Stories of Black Cult Survivors premieres March 31, 2025 .  This limited-series weekly show delves into the experiences of Black and Brown individuals who have been part of or raised in cults, providing a platform for their stories to be heard and challenging stereotypes surrounding cult involvement within the Black...