Black Women Be Knowing

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the Season 2 Finale! In this episode of BWBK, we dive into the intricate relationship between Black hair and education. We explore how hair journeys mirror personal and professional growth, discuss the resurgence of diverse Black hairstyles in media, and reflect on the cultural significance of hair in Black communities. The conversation also touches on the impact of lit...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we sit down with a powerful guest—a Black woman principal whose journey has taken her through multiple roles both inside and outside the classroom. She shares her lived experiences navigating school spaces where Black women are often underrepresented, reflecting honestly on the struggles she’s faced and the resilience required to keep going. Our guest speaks candi...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back, BWBK crew! This week's conversation explores the profound impact of loss and grief within the educational system, particularly focusing on the experiences of teachers and students. It delves into the complexities of navigating racism and capitalism in education, the complicity of educators in a flawed system, and the need for community support and advocacy for B...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we explore the charge of Black education outside of the classroom. We were lucky enough to have Dr. T. Gertrude Jenkins join us to talk about her experience providing extra-curricular education and her scholarship on the creation of Black Liberatory Educational Subversive spaces. We highlight the need for Black-centered spaces in predominantly white institutions a...

Send us Fan Mail This conversation explores the profound impact of black women on American culture, the unique challenges they face, and the importance of education in empowering future generations. We discuss the concept of 'black girl magic,' the commodification of black bodies, and the need for reclaiming intellectual property in educational spaces. We also delve into the dynamics of...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we delve into the legacy of Assata Shakur, discussing her impact on Black joy and excellence. We explore the challenges faced in education, particularly regarding ethnic studies and social justice curricula, amidst rising political scrutiny. The discussion emphasizes the importance of community advocacy and collective action in resisting educational oppression and...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we dive deep into the often overlooked — but deeply rooted — phenomenon of white rage, and how these reactions to Black progress or visibility frequently come at the direct expense of the Black community. We explore how this whitelash, even when unwarranted, shapes policies, classrooms, and everyday interactions. We examine the urgent need to integrate Black histo...

Send us Fan Mail We're back and want to welcome you home this school year! In this episode we explore the hidden labor of Black women and the lack of infrastructure we tend to deal with while still being expected to succeed. Join us as we think about how Black women will face their circumstances in world that has the privilege to not consider their needs. Literature for the Week: "Deepen...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode, we sit down to answer pressing, real-world questions from our audience. Together, we reflect on the unique challenges and deep rewards of bringing the Black experience into classrooms and work spaces that often lack racial diversity. Listeners ask: How do you approach discussions about race, culture, or equity in a setting where students might have limite...

Send us Fan Mail As we mark the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education , this episode dives deep into the legacy and unfinished promise of school desegregation. While the 1954 Supreme Court ruling was hailed as a milestone for civil rights, we explore the complex realities that followed—from the mass displacement of Black female educators to the resegregation of schools under the guise of...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we unpack the dual realities of community and capitalism in the United States. On one hand, we explore the undeniable power of collective action—how safety, support, and real change are most often found when we show up for one another in community. But what happens when allyship becomes more about optics than solidarity? We take a critical look at how relationship...

Send us Fan Mail Venture through a variety of topics with us this week as we discuss the way we as Black women are viewed vs. how we see ourselves in and how that impacts us in the workplace, the lack of understanding Black women educators experience because of the luxury others have to not know our histories and traumas, and in particular how that lack of understanding impacts us in times like th...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we unpack how we navigate everything from being hired into spaces that claim to value diversity but lack the necessary infrastructure to support Black teachers, to experiencing racial gaslighting that undermines our professional and personal experiences. We dive deep into how we confront and cope with the toxic behaviors and microaggressions that often go unchecke...

Send us Fan Mail The Jezebel and the Sapphire are caricatures of Black women that continue to cause harm today. Hang out with us as we discuss these enduring caricatures and the stereotypes they have planted in society as well as the treatment of Black women they have caused. From Megan the Stallion and Sojourner Truth to Black women educators, there is a consistent invisible weight that we carry...

Send us Fan Mail What do we bring with us as adults working in predominantly white suburban institutions, when we spent our formative adolescent years in such similar environments? In today's episode, we reflect on our own high school years and how those experiences shaped, not only our adolescence, but our ongoing work as educators. We offer a unique perspective on the challenges and triumph...

Send us Fan Mail Introducing, Black Women Be Knowing, the podcast where we talk teaching in the 'burbs. Join us as we unpack the struggles of being two of the only Black women in our school and the emotional tole they take as we endure tokenism, microaggressions, and beyond!  This week we will be discussing G.T. Reyes' (2022) article "A love letter to educational leaders of Color: “...

Send us Fan Mail Join us every other Saturday starting this Saturday, Feb 8th as we dive into the lives of Black women educators working in the suburbs! Support the show This is difficult work that we're doing, and even though we can't always be with you to bear witness, trust us, we know... Welcome home!