Ladies of Sosa

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Ladies of SOSA, hosts Sahra Benjamin and Christine sit down with Monica Deng to discuss one of the most debated topics in South Sudanese culture: polygamy. Monica shares her firsthand experience of discovering that her husband had taken another wife without her knowledge. She opens up about the emotional impact, feelings of betrayal, the role of fami...

Welcome back to Crimes of Nubia — brought to you by Ladies of Sosa. In this episode, we discuss the heartbreaking and mysterious death of Ashley Jenae Robinson, a young Black woman whose story sparked conversations across social media about online cruelty, cyberbullying, exploitation, and the way virality can dehumanize real people. As details surrounding Ashley’s death circulated online, so did s...

Why do so many development projects across Africa start strong — but don’t last? We’ve all seen it.  A newly paved road that crumbles in a few years.  A well built by an NGO that stops working and is never repaired.  A hospital building that looks impressive — but lacks staff, supplies, or electricity. In this episode, Sahra Benjamin and Christine unpack the deeper systems behind infrastructure st...

In this special episode of Ladies of Sosa, we’re unpacking the rising tensions and xenophobic violence currently unfolding in South Africa. With a live caller joining us from Pretoria, South Africa and another voice calling in as a Nigerian American, we’re holding space for honest, layered conversation. This isn’t about headlines. It’s about history, hurt, survival, and solidarity. We break down:...

Dating in the diaspora isn’t simple — especially when you’re Sudanese or South Sudanese. In this powerful roundtable, Sahra and Christine sit down with Randa from Sudanese Finest, Bunduke, and additional community voices to unpack the real conversations around love, religion, and family expectations. We talk about:  Dating across Christian and Muslim faiths   Marrying outside the culture   Growing...

What happens when representation meets action? In this episode of Ladies of Sosa, we sit down with Randa Abdelhameed, founder of Sudanese Finest, an organization making real impact in Jacksonville, Florida. From back-to-school giveaways and clothing drives to feeding the homeless downtown, Randa has turned vision into service. Sudanese Finest has represented Sudanese culture at World of Nations, b...

hat happens when we stop whispering about tribalism and start saying the quiet parts out loud? In this powerful live show, the Ladies of Sosa unpack one of the most sensitive and complex issues in our community: tribalism. Is it simply division? Or did it begin as a form of protection and survival? And more importantly—why are we still carrying it? Through raw audience stories, bold hot takes, and...

🎙️ Episode Description: Crimes of Nubia In this chilling episode of Crimes of Nubia , we uncover the disturbing case of a Russian man accused of sexually exploiting African women across Ghana and Kenya —not through force alone, but through deception, manipulation, and violation of trust. Posing as a tourist and self-proclaimed “pick-up artist,” he allegedly approached women in public spaces, built...

What does it really take to start something from nothing? In this episode of Ladies of Sosa , we sit down with Houda, founder of Dallas Street Feeders, to talk about the real journey of self-starting — no money, no perfect plan, just vision, consistency, and heart. From launching a community initiative that feeds the homeless every month, to navigating challenges, building partnerships, and stayin...

What does it really mean to be South Sudanese? And who gets to define what our culture looks like? In this episode of Ladies of Sosa, hosts Sahra and Christine sit down with Dr. Akuot for an in-depth conversation about South Sudanese culture, marriage traditions, and identity. The discussion was sparked by a comment claiming that South Sudanese people shouldn’t have henna nights or Sudanese-style...

 About Crimes of Nubia Crimes of Nubia is a true-crime series from Ladies of Sosa highlighting stories affecting African and African diaspora communities that are often overlooked in mainstream media. Hosted by Sahra and Elesa, the podcast explores crime, justice, culture, and social issues through a deeper lens. In 2021, the world of athletics was shaken when record-breaking Kenyan runner Agnes T...

In this episode of Ladies of Sosa , we respond directly to podcaster Myron Gaines after he reacted to a clip from our show. What followed was not dialogue or critique—but the use of racist language and a familiar claim of “calling out the Black community.” We take a step back to unpack what’s really happening in moments like these. Together, we break down the red pill manosphere, its contradiction...

In this episode of Ladies of Sosa , we sit down with a panel to unpack the powerful film Goodbye Julia and the uncomfortable truths it brings to the surface. Through honest conversation, we explore the deeply rooted racism, colorism, and discrimination portrayed in the film, especially between North and South Sudanese communities, and how silence often allows harm to continue unchecked. Our panel...

Why does it feel like Black men and Black women are constantly at odds online? And why do those loud internet battles rarely reflect real life? In this episode of Ladies of Sosa , we unpack how misinformation and disinformation are intentionally fueling gender wars across the Black diaspora. From viral relationship takes and cherry-picked statistics to rage-bait podcasts and social media algorithm...

In this episode of Ladies of Sosa, we unpack Netflix’s documentary The Reckoning, which takes a hard look at decades of allegations surrounding music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. We break down the claims featured in the documentary — including allegations of sexual assault, coercion, intimidation, career sabotage, and the use of power to silence survivors — while clearly separating accusations from p...

In this LIVE recap, we break down what it really means to build one national identity and why unity matters now more than ever. We take a closer look at the challenges communities are facing today—social, political, and cultural—and how these issues shape our sense of belonging. From everyday struggles to big-picture questions, this conversation explores how people can come together, bridge differ...

In this episode, we break down two major conversations hitting our community at once. First, we look at the fallout from the recent immigration changes and the cancellation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and how these shifts are shaking the stability of South Sudanese families across the U.S. We explain what’s happening in simple terms and talk through what it means for people who suddenly f...

In this powerful episode, the Ladies of SOSA tackle one of the most personal and rarely discussed topics in our communities — fertility struggles. From PCOS and male infertility to cultural pressures, shame, and the painful silence many women face, our panel unpacks it all. We explore how tradition, stigma, and lack of awareness shape how infertility is seen in South Sudanese and African diaspora...

Artificial Intelligence is moving faster than ever — from ChatGPT writing essays to AI diagnosing diseases. But what does this mean for us, the Black and African diaspora? In this episode of Ladies of SOSA, Sahra and Christine sit down with a panel to unpack the pros, cons, and dangers of AI — how it’s reshaping jobs, education, and culture, and whether it’s moving too fast for us to keep up. We e...

In this powerful episode, we address the heartbreaking knife killings of two young South Sudanese boys in Melbourne—another devastating reminder of the violence tearing through our youth. We’re joined by Maker Mayek, a Melbourne-based lawyer and the CEO of the South Sudanese Australian National Basketball Association, who shares a first-hand account of what’s happening on the ground. Together, we...

In this episode of Ladies of SOSA , we sit down with a small panel to ask the uncomfortable but necessary question:   Is Pan-Africanism actually realistic… or should we focus on solving our own internal issues first? We look at the original vision of Pan-Africanism — unity, global Black solidarity, collective liberation — and compare it to the realities we face today: civil conflict, regional divi...

In this special Ladies of SOSA episode — premiering on co-host Sahra’s birthday — Christine and Sahra sit down with a dynamic panel of South Sudanese voices to explore how feminism is understood in our culture today, and how it shapes women’s choices in marriage, career, and community life. From the historical role of women as culture-keepers to navigating modern expectations, we unpack how tradit...

In this panel episode of Ladies of SOSA, we each take a moment to honor the African leaders who’ve inspired us the most. From freedom fighters to presidents, visionary women to revolutionary thinkers, we share our personal favorites — not to debate or rank, but to celebrate their legacies and spark conversation. Whether you agree, learn something new, or want to add your own to the list, this epis...

Essence Fest 2025 sparked major backlash—and reignited diaspora tensions online. In this episode, the panel unpacks the outrage, the receipts, and the deep-rooted tensions between African Americans and Africans that resurfaced when Essence Fest featured more African performers and voices than ever before. From critiques by legendary artists to viral TikToks and fiery Twitter threads, we’re breakin...