Elephant in the Room-Unboxed

In this episode, Suzette Chang and Dr. Robin Miles sit down with Carlos Moreno, who shares how listening to elders in Tulsa’s Greenwood District shaped his understanding of history beyond the 1921 Tulsa Massacre, and why stories of Black and Latino innovation (from internet pioneers to his own grandmother) deserve to be told. He reflects on the Terence Crutcher case, the criminal justice system’s ...

What if your local library isn’t just a quiet place for books, but a living cultural lab? In this episode, hosts Suzette Chang and Dr. Robin Miles sit down with Dr. Larry White — former CEO of the Metropolitan Library System in Oklahoma City, storyteller, and veteran library leader — to explore how public libraries preserve identity, build trust, and help communities adapt. From serving Afghan ref...

In this episode of  Elephant in the Room Unboxed , hosts Suzette Chang and Dr. Robin Miles welcome Dr. AJ, an applied anthropologist and president of the Society for Applied Anthropology (SFAA). Dr. AJ shares his unique journey from a young musician hitchhiking across the country to becoming a servant leader in academia. The conversation dives deep into the future of anthropology, the attack on hi...

We are so happy to bring back new episodes for the “Elephant in the Room - Unboxed” podcast! In this episode, co-hosts Suzette Chang and Dr. Robin Miles sit down with practicing anthropologist Kamela Heyward-Rotimi, Ph. D., Executive Director, The Knowledge Exchange Research Group (KERG), for a powerful conversation about the intersection of anthropology, activism, and leadership. Dr. Heyward shar...

In honor of Women’s History Month, we are thrilled to bring back a powerful conversation between two Black women anthropologists who are reshaping the way we think about education, identity, and community. In this episode of Elephant in the Room Unboxed, host Suzette Chang sits down with the Dr. Brendane Tynes as they talk about the crisis in the American education system, the deliberate attack on...

What does it take to not just live side by side, but to truly understand, appreciate, and respect one another? Revisit foundational episode of "Elephant in the Room-Unboxed" on the partnership behind the podcast with Suzette Chang, CEO and Founder of Thick Descriptions, and Noel Jacobs, Executive Director of the Respect for Diversity Foundation. Suzette and Noel get radically personal, s...

Join Suzette Chang of Thick Descriptions for a compelling conversation with educator and activist Dr. Judith Coker. From witnessing "white flight" and teacher strikes in 1970s Oklahoma to analyzing today’s political climate in education, Dr. C shares firsthand historical insight and urgent concerns about the state of Oklahoma’s schools. They delve into community trust, the power of local...

In this episode, host Dr. Noel Jacobs sits down with Reverend Sheri Dickerson, a pillar of the Oklahoma City community and executive director of Black Lives Matter OKC. They dive into an essential and often uncomfortable conversation about what it truly means to create and sustain space for Black communities. Moving beyond abstract ideas, they discuss the historical erasure of Black success in Okl...

In this episode titled "White Supremacy and White Privilege” Jill Nagle talks about White Supremacy Mythology and the importance of understanding how history produces our mindsets and learning to move beyond them to enjoy greater clarity, sovereignty, and effectiveness at stopping harm and transforming injustice. A longtime student and teacher of transformation and evolution, Jill Nagle's...

In this episode, Bailey Perkins Wright defines why history matters to understanding the present and shaping the future, highlights significant moments in Oklahoma’s history and laws that feed into modern disparities, and unpacks recent legislation that has consequences to progress (specifically HB1775). Listen now to learn what we can do collectively and systemically to move us to progress.   The...

In this month's episode, we revisit the conversation about cultural anthropology and the power of projecting a "clear and confident voice" with vocal authority and teacher, Rena Cook. Graduate student and budding anthropologist, Veda Pai, gets in depth and personal with Rena about language, projection and techniques. Explore how clear and confident projection enhances interpersonal relationships a...

Did you know that over 70% of United States college freshmen require remedial reading? How does this fact prepare college students to complete and compete in higher academia and careers? Suzette Chang sits down with DesJean Jones, Executive Director of Opportunities Industrialization Center of Oklahoma County, Inc. to talk about these facts and how adults can level up! Listen to a direct and upfro...

"Elephant in the Room - Unboxed"  with host  Suzette Chang  and guest  Dr. Jennifer Caldwell  dives into the importance of  genetic testing, health equity, and community-centered research —especially for  melanated communities  often overlooked in medical studies. Dr. Caldwell, a  public health geneticist , shares her journey from aspiring doctor to advocating for  culturally tailored he...

How can anthropology become a tool for Black liberation and radical education? In this powerful episode of Elephant in the Room – Unboxed, host Suzette Chang sits down with Dr. Brendane Tynes — anthropologist, queer Black feminist scholar, storyteller, and healer—to unpack: Decolonizing Anthropology – How Dr. Tynes reclaims the field to center Black and Indigenous liberation, despite its oppressiv...

The latest episode of "Elephant in the Room - Unboxed" podcast hosted by Suzette Chang, features a thought-provoking conversation with guest Kendra Wesson, a former member of the Oklahoma State Board of Education. In this episode, they delve into the challenges and complexities of modern education, from systemic inefficiencies to the importance of literacy and community involvement. Kend...

In this episode, Suzette is joined by guest Kyle Lawson, a passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and healthcare access. They delve into topics such as the challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community in rural Oklahoma, the importance of comprehensive education, and the need for strategy, empathy and understanding in addressing systemic issues. Kyle shares his experiences working with organizations lik...

In this episode, host Suzette Chang sits down with Erika Hall Johnson, an educator and advocate for liberatory education, to explore the transformative power of learning beyond traditional models. Tune in as they discuss: The meaning of liberatory education and its role in shaping communities How education, art, and agriculture intersect in fostering growth The importance of creating spaces that h...

Join host Suzette Chang in a thought-provoking conversation with Michael Korenblit, co-creator of the Respect Diversity Foundation and best-selling author of Until We Meet Again , a true story of love and survival during the Holocaust. In this powerful episode, Michael shares his lifelong dedication to teaching how the Holocaust connects to today’s issues and why respect for human life remains cru...

Join Suzette Chang, CEO of Thick Descriptions, in conversation with Angela Z. Monson, trailblazing Oklahoma politician and the first African American woman assistant majority floor leader. Angela shares her experiences in legislation, insights on addressing systemic issues like voter suppression and education inequity, and the importance of trust and community building. Listen now for a powerful d...

Many experiences within Oklahoma's educational system such as dilapidated school buildings and limited school resources are not new. Although this is our history, there is also a time when a collective understanding to instill trust, time and expectations in youth was the staple. Join Suzette Chang as she talks with Dr. Judith Coker, aka Dr. C, as we discuss and reflect upon a time when specif...

Born and raised in Eastside Oklahoma City, Jabee Williams knew resilience comes from being adaptable, and it provides hope for the long haul.  As an award-winning national hip-hop artist, community investor, and promoter of cultural engagement in the local arts scene, Jabee ses the language of poetry, song lyrics, and public art and disrupts the historical legacy and lack of opportunity in his cit...

Too often humans suspend history as a space in time so long ago yet history is from the beginning of time to one second ago :). Nerd out with us as we talk about overlooked histories, culture and storytelling with Jorge and Veda. Learn how public history/archeology and anthropology intersect. Special thanks to our partners, Respect Diversity and the Golden Group.

Listen to this powerful conversation between Sarah Adams, co-creator of Matriarch, an organization that serves indigenous women in central and Northeastern Oklahoma. Learn how Sarah, a powerful human being, is making change in Oklahoma and unpacks a meaning of two spirits.

Listen to this conversation between Founder/CEO of Thick Descriptions, Suzette Chang, and Executive Director of Respect Diversity Foundation, Dr. Noel Jacobs, as they flesh-out why these two organizations do this work meaning discussing, understanding and offering solutions for what it means to be a human being, to have human experiences and how humans can have quality lives in Oklahoma and around...

The natural beauty of New Zealand and the rich cultural traditions of its more than 300 Maori communities can sometimes cause one to forget or overlook the history of colonization and harm to those communities, similar to many Native American tribes in the United States.  Providing listeners unique perspectives and points of view, Maori business and nonprofit leader Breviss Wolfgramm describes mod...