Desire Dialogues with Dr. Donna

Dr. Donna along with artist, comedian, actress, and host, Jessie Woo, are back for Part 2, and this time, it’s about the accountability we dodge. From protecting people who’ve harmed us to avoiding the hard truths we owe ourselves, this conversation doesn’t let up. Jessie shares how ignoring her intuition cost her peace, and Dr. Donna breaks down how ego, trauma, and survival modes show up in love...

Dr. Donna Oriowo is joined by artist, comedian, actress, and host, Jessie Woo for a candid conversation about the mess and magic of dating while healing. They get into the tension between power and partnership, why many of us are performing relationships instead of building them, and how trauma, ego, and survival mode show up when love is on the line. From gender roles and submission to pleasure,...

In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Donovan and Dr. Donna unpack what it really means to be “woke” and why the word was weaponized against Black communities. From the difference between freedom and liberation to the cultural cost of handing over Black art and identity for survival, they trace the long fight to reclaim consciousness in a world that profits from Blackness while policing it. Thi...

Donovan and Dr. Donna get into it—what is Blackness, who gets to claim it, and why it still divides us. From diaspora beef to cultural theft, they break down how whiteness, colonization, and survival have shaped our understanding of Black identity—and how chasing “freedom” might be costing us real liberation. Join Dr. Donna and creator, producer, and entrepreneur Donovan Thompson for a very specia...

This time, Dr. Donna’s on the other side of the mic. Dr. Shamyra Howard sits down with her to unpack the heart behind Drink Water and Mind Your Business— Dr. Donna's new book that calls out the lies, shame, and silence Black women are taught to carry. They talk self-esteem without sugarcoating, the cost of people-pleasing, and what it really means to stop performing for love you already deserve. N...

Dr. Donna Oriowo is joined by author, organizer, and activist Hope Giselle to call out the fear-mongering and lies behind the so-called trans agenda. They break down how religion, media, and respectability politics are weaponized to silence and erase trans people, especially Black trans women. This is not a debate. It’s a truth-telling session about harm, survival, and the right to exist without a...

Dr. Donna is back with Dr. Tracie Gilbert for Part 2 of their conversation on what’s really fueling the infighting across the Black diaspora. They get into the role of capitalism, trauma, and ego in shaping how we show up for each other, and how we don’t. From checking "Black cards" to chasing proximity, this episode looks at the cost of trying to belong in systems never built for us. If you’ve ev...

What happens when cultural wounds meet the comment section? In this thought-provoking episode of Desire Dialogues , Dr. Donna Oriowo sits down with Dr. Tracie Gilbert to untangle the roots of Diaspora Wars, and it’s deeper than you think. From historical traumas and cultural gatekeeping to the ways the algorithm rewards outrage, this conversation gets into the mess of how ego, identity, and surviv...

Dr. Donna Oriowo is back with part two of her conversation with therapist and speaker Stevon Lewis , and they’re getting into the hard stuff: how ego, imposter syndrome, and respectability show up when we hurt people and how we deflect, justify, or perform instead of taking true responsibility. This episode breaks down why “I didn’t mean to” isn’t enough, and what real growth actually looks like....

Intentions don’t erase impact — especially when the harm lands. In this episode of Desire Dialogues , Dr. Donna Oriowo sits down with therapist and speaker Stevon Lewis for a sharp, honest conversation about accountability, growth, and the stories we tell ourselves to dodge both. They unpack how imposter syndrome, respectability, and unchecked ego creep into our relationships and why “I didn’t mea...

Oh, you’re about to hear a story. Dr. Donna takes us back to a moment in her childhood that flipped everything on its head—a time when she slapped her aunt (yes, really) and didn’t just survive to tell the tale, but walked away with a powerful lesson in self-worth. From a single bed in her parents’ house to a first-gen Nigerian-American experience, Dr. Donna opens up about how the pressure to be t...

In the second part of Dr. Donna Oriowo’s conversation with Nikki Valentine, the discussion goes deeper into the work of breaking free from generational patterns. Nikki talks about how the journey to healing starts with accountability , and why so many of us get stuck in cycles of blame without ever recognizing our own role in breaking the pattern. They touch on how emotional awareness and accounta...

Dr. Donna Oriowo sits down with Nikki Valentine to unpack the complicated dance between living for your parents and living for yourself. They talk about the emotional cost of trying to meet expectations that don’t align with who you truly are. Nikki opens up about her journey of breaking free from the path her parents envisioned for her and finding her own way. In this conversation, you’ll hear ho...

Dr. Donna Oriowo returns with Kristian A. Smith for a bold conversation about desire, self-love, and the Black church’s historical grip on sexuality. Kristian, a disruptor and advocate for spiritual freedom, unpacks how the church’s pathologization of desire has stunted true sexual liberation within the Black community. From the shame surrounding sexuality to the impact of oppressive theology, the...

Dr. Donna Oriowo is back with Kristian A. Smith for part 1 of an eye-opening discussion that challenges the intersection of religion, sexuality, and shame in the Black church. Kristian, a disruptor in his own right, shares his journey from a fifth-generation preacher to questioning the restrictive theology of sin and shame that still plagues so many. Together, they explore how fundamentalist teach...

Dr. Donna Oriowo is back with Dr. Joy for a powerful conversation on setting boundaries in the age of social media. They dive into the mental health impact of endless scrolling, the importance of translating online connections into real-life interactions, and the necessity of engaging in activities that truly bring joy. From playfulness to the complexities of power dynamics in therapy, this episod...

In this episode of Desire Dialogues with Dr. Donna , we dive into the complicated intersection of social media, beauty standards, and mental health. Joining Dr. Donna is Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, who will discuss how constant exposure to curated lives and idealized beauty standards on social media impacts our self-worth and mental well-being. Dr. Donna and Dr. Joy explore the psychological strain c...