Brown Mama Bear

Host Shanera Williamson shares her passion for the latest film from director Ryan Coogler, "Sinners".  This month, the movie just moved to several streaming platforms and Shanera is using this opportunity to share three of the lessons she got from the film.  WARNING: this film has become somewhat of an obsession for the host.  Also, it's rated R and not intended for young children under 18.   Ment...

Host Shanera Williamson spends some time with Dr. G.Preston Wilson, the current director of The Fisk Jubilee Singers in Nashville, TN.  The Jubilee Singers are the subject of a brand new exhibit at the National Museum of African American Music.  In 2026, the exhibit will travel to several cities across the U.S.   Mentioned:  National Museum of African American Music Fisk Jubilee Singers website  ...

Host Shanera Williamson profiles the three music industry icons who created Black Music Month over forty-five years ago.  She also gives tips on how to use this celebration as a tool to share history and culture with the next generation.   Mentioned:  Gamble and Huff National Museum of African American Music   Connect with Shanera and Brown Mama Bear: Facebook , Instagram , Website   Make sure you...

Host Shanera Williamson talks with educator and former NFL player Kevin Dyson about the life lessons he uses in his role as principal of a high school outside of Nashville, TN.  Dyson is known for the years he played for the Tennessee Titans but he sees investing in the next generation as one of his greatest legacies.   Mentioned:  Music City Miracle Super Bowl 34 Kevin's book, Qualified, So I Am...

Host Shanera Williamson talks with mental health professional Baylie Sheffield about the work she does with kids and teens.  GenZ has been called "The Anxious Generation."  Today, Sheffield gives parents practical tips on how to help kids take care of their mental health through each stage of childhood.   Mentioned:  New Counseling, newcounselingpllc.com   Link to sign up for the Brown Mama Bear P...

Host Shanera Williamson talks about the importance of finding community in the midst of the busyness of raising a family.  Today, Shanera looks at 3 common barriers to connecting with others and offers a solution in the online group coaching programs with Brown Mama Bear.   Link to sign up for the Brown Mama Bear Parenting Webinar: https://brownmamabear.hbportal.co/public/6807e24b6d05fd0021f3b180/...

Host Shanera Williamson shares her love of the Cherry Blossoms that are in bloom in Washington, DC.  She describes it as her "happy place."  Tune in to find out lessons learned from the Cherry Blossoms that relate to motherhood, self-care and being fully present for your life.   Mentioned: Cherry Blossoms   Connect with Shanera and Brown Mama Bear: Facebook , Instagram , Website   Make sure you sh...

Host Shanera Williamson talks with media and marketing expert Orlana Darkins Drewery about the glamorous, highly produced red-carpet event she created for young people.  The Shyne Awards is a way to pour positive encouragement into teens and motivate them toward success.   Connect with Orlana Darkins Drewery: Website , LinkedIn , Instagram , X   Connect with The Shyne Awards: Website , Facebook ,...

Host Shanera Williamson looks back at the lessons learned from the global pandemic that shut down countries all over the world 5 years ago.  We all faced fear about our lives, our livelihoods, and the unknowns of the Covid-19 virus.  In hindsight, there are things to remember from our legitimate fear in 2020 that can inform our parenting today.   Mentioned: Covid-19 pandemic   Connect with Shanera...

Host Shanera Williamson gives an educational reflection on the landmark protest from 1965 that was later described as Bloody Sunday.  This year is the 60th anniversary of the voting rights march.  Six decades later, voting rights for all is still a struggle.  Learning lessons from the lives of Congressman John Lewis and others gives insight to what we should do today to make sure voting rights are...

Host Shanera Williamson talks with Tina Cartwright, the woman behind the new platform called Rebranding Motherhood.  Cartwright's mission is to provide maternal mental health support, maternal health care resources and unfiltered education on how the female body works.  Listen to the entire conversation and be inspired that we don't have to be hostage to outdated messages and images of motherhood....

Host Shanera Williamson gives her Top 3 suggestions for how to advocate effectively for kids when dealing with racial issues in school.  She provides practical tips and keeps in mind the different developmental stages of kids in elementary, middle and high school.   Connect with Shanera and Brown Mama Bear: Facebook , Instagram , Website   Make sure you share Brown Mama Bear with at least 3 friend...

Host Shanera Williamson looks at how Black History Month came to be a celebration in our country.  The origin story gives us background information and a word of caution from the founder of Black History Month, Carter G. Woodson.  Listen for ways you can make the study of Black History meaningful and relevant to your kids today.   Mentioned: Carter G. Woodson   Podcast Episode 148 - The Spirit of...

Host Shanera Williamson tells the story of the massacre of hundreds of black residents in Wilmington, NC over a century ago that changed the face of that city and affected the course of history.  Listen to the entire episode to hear a fascinating story you may not know.  Also, Brown Mama Bear gives lessons from this tragedy that are applicable to our world in 2025 more than ever.   Mentioned: Wilm...

Host Shanera Williamson encourages moms to take responsibility for wellness as a way of life.  It's easy to want to drop pounds after the holidays, but being concerned about our health is a lifelong pursuit.  In this episode, Shanera re-visits a previous conversation with wellness expert Dr. Kim Walker, one of the co-founders of the Nashville Black Wellness Collective.   Mentioned: Episode 118 - N...

Host Shanera Williamson talks with the founder and CEO of PsychoHairapy, Dr. Afiya Mbilishaka.  As a clinical psychologist and natural hairstylist, Dr. Afiya provides mental health support through the art of hairstyling and barbering.   Connect with Dr. Afiya and PsychoHairapy: Website , Instagram , LinkedIn   Connect with Shanera and Brown Mama Bear: Facebook , Instagram , Website   Make sure you...

Host Shanera Williamson encourages parents to make MLK Day a time of intentional celebration of Black History in our homes.  Putting the words of Dr. King in context will help our kids identify the theme of racial justice and how to pursue it in each generation.   MLK I Have A Dream Full Speech  MLK Letter from Birmingham Jail   Connect with Shanera and Brown Mama Bear: Facebook , Instagram , Webs...

Host Shanera Williamson talks with Julian Frederick and his mom, Toria Frederick, about the business they created that helps kids learn to cook.  The Step Stool Chef is a meal kit company and an online platform with cooking classes inspired by kids.   Connect with Step Stool Chef: Website , Facebook , Instagram   Connect with Shanera and Brown Mama Bear: Facebook , Instagram , Website   Make sure...

Thank you for listening to Brown Mama Bear hosted by Shanera Williamson.  Today on the show, Shanera talks with empowerment speaker, high performance life coach and author Sheri Riley on practical ways to get the most out of life.   Sheri Riley's book,  Exponential Living: Stop Spending 100% of Your Time on 10% of Who You Are   Connect with Sheri Riley: Website , Facebook , Instagram   Connect wit...

Thank you for listening to Brown Mama Bear hosted by Shanera Williamson.  Today on the show, Shanera shares some of her lessons learned from 2024.  Additionally, she also talks with Nashville-based singer/songwriter Stephanie Jacques about the ways music helped her find her voice.   Shanera's TEDxNashville Talk   Connect with Stephanie Jacques: Website , Facebook , Instagram   Connect with Shanera...

Thank you for listening to Brown Mama Bear hosted by Shanera Williamson.  Today on the show, Shanera talks with the creator of Black Avenue, Courtney Timmons.  Black Avenue is a new online platform that helps parents raise the next generation of confident and compassionate kids. blk-avenue.com has resources to lighten the load of black parents.   BLK-Avenue.com Facebook Instagram   Connect with Sh...

Thank you for listening to Brown Mama Bear hosted by Shanera Williamson.  Today on the show, Shanera talks with Tee Wilson, one of the co-founders of a new school in Nashville, TN.  BE Academy is a culturally responsive all-girls middle school that is a safe space for black girls to grow and thrive.   BE Academy for Girls website   Connect with Tee Wilson and BE Academy: Facebook , LinkedIn   Conn...

Thank you for listening to Brown Mama Bear hosted by Shanera Williamson.  Today on the show, Shanera talks with NYTimes Best-Selling Author, Dr. Jemar Tisby, about his latest book "The Spirit of Justice."  In it, Dr. Tisby looks at over 50 different historical figures and shows how their faith was the foundation for social activism.   Dr. Tisby's new book, The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Ra...

Thank you for listening to Brown Mama Bear hosted by Shanera Williamson.  Today on the show, Shanera kicks off the holiday season by talking about a few of her favorite family traditions and connecting them to the family's DNA.    Connect with Shanera and Brown Mama Bear: Facebook , Instagram , Website   Make sure you share Brown Mama Bear with at least 3 friends so you have someone to talk with a...

Thank you for listening to Brown Mama Bear hosted by Shanera Williamson.  Today on the show, Shanera talks with Nashville-based aesthetician Maria Hite about the best ways to care for melanated skin.  Turns out, skin care at her popular studio incorporates much needed self-care for women too.   SkynNashville.com   Connect with Maria Hite and SKYN: Instagram   Connect with Shanera and Brown Mama Be...