Let's Talk: Conversations on Race

Dancer and choreographer Nicolette Ferguson joins us to discuss why the arts have been so crucial in the Black community.

Why were HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) formed?  Why do we still have them and why are so many Black parents sending their kids there?  Here I speak with Dr. Julia Stevenson about her college years at Hampton University, an HBCU in VA, why she went there and why those years were so important to her life and career as a surgeon.

How can we raise Black daughters who are strong and confident and who know who they are despite colorism, hypersexualization and false notions that they are less beautiful than white women?  Pastor Jenn Bibb shares poignant wisdom in this compelling interview. 

Pastor Timothy Bibb joins Let's Talk discussing the joys and challenges of raising Black sons in America.

Pastor Melvin Cross joins us to discuss two crucial topics: violence in the inner-city, and the power and importance of the Black church.  What are some of the causes and solutions of inner-city violence and how does the Black church fit with the racial reconciliation movement?

In this first episode of Season 5, financial manager, Michelle Sinclair Doyley, tells us that though Black people were often barred from past opportunities to accumulate wealth, we can begin now.   We can take steps to turn the tide for our children and our children's children - even if we don't have a lot of money to save or invest.  Join us for this riveting conversation!

In this SPECIAL BLACK HISTORY MONTH EDITION, we provide a cameo of the brave aviators who helped to secure our victory in WWII.  My very special guest tells us some of the courageous exploits of these honorable men and how they turned the tide of history in more ways than one.

Why is suicidal behavior on the rise among Black youth?  In this episode, I interview psychologist, Dr. Ellen-ge Denton about her suicide research in Guyana, South America.  How might this research make sense of some troubling data here in America?   

Is it cultural appropriation when Black musicians play Classical music?  What about when white musicians sing jazz or gospel?  When is it appropriation and when is it appreciation?  To help us make sense of all of this, I interview award winning author Dr. Jeffrey McCune, Director of the Frederick Douglass Institute at the University of Rochester.

In this episode I interview Kimberly Brown, advisor to a Black Student Union at a mostly white suburban high school.  What do Black students who attend majority white schools experience?  What can be done to help mitigate some of the negative impact?  

In this episode I interview friend Jeff Bickford who grew up with racist family and racist ideas, but rejected those ideas in his youth and adulthood.  We don't always have to be the product of our surroundings.

Over the past several months, many school board meetings across the country have turned into near fist fights, always over the same things: masking and Anti Racist Curricula.  In this episode, I interview Shane Wiegand and Kesha James, co-leads of the Pathstone Anti Racist Curriculum Project.  What is it and why is it so controversial?

In this episode I interview attorney John Bradley who speaks about the tactics being used to limit the vote.  Why is this happening and why is it dangerous?

This is a sneak peak into a book I'm writing about being biracial - and the sometimes difficult journey of finding racial identity.  

Black people die from Covid at a higher rate than anyone else, and yet, Black people are the most hesitant to receive the vaccine.  Why is that and what can be done about it?  Join me as I interview infectious disease expert, Dr. Angela Branche.  This is a great episode for anyone who is hesitant, even if you aren't Black!

When we gladly left 2020 behind, who would have thought that 2021 would start with an attempted coup d'état?  The January 6th insurrection was offensive and troubling on many levels.  We can't afford to forget it and do what it takes to ensure that it never happens again.  During this last episode of Season 3, I provide some thoughts and reflections on that terrible day.

Do doctors treat White and Black patients differently?  Why is the mortality rate higher among Black women and babies, and why have so many people of color died from Covid-19?  Join us for an incredible interview with Dr. Jessica Long.

In this episode, I interview Dr. Louisa Olushoga, a psychiatrist who serves poor communities in Chicago.  We discuss trauma, collective trauma and addiction.  And then she shares her thoughts on Daniel Prude, a mental health patient who was killed by police in Rochester NY in 2020.

The Myth of the "Exceptional Negro" goes something like this: "Most Black people are subpar, but every once in a while, one rises up and does something great."  This is of course a myth.  Black excellence has always been there, and it will flourish more, as more opportunity opens up.

The notion that former slaves and descendants of slaves should be given reparations has been kicked around since the close of the Civil War.  We've been talking about it for 150 years and have never actually provided them.  Why not, and is it too late now?

Forty percent of US adoptions are transracial.  This shows progress in our culture: no longer do couples only want to adopt children who look like them.  But what are some of the challenges the children who grow up in these homes face?  Melissa Luckey joins us and tells her transracial adoption story.  What are some of the things she and her husband are doing to help their boys grow up with a heal...

Why are there so many children in foster care and why are so many of them Black?  In this episode, I have a conversation with Dr. Ashley Cross, an expert in the foster care field.  We discuss the leading causes of child neglect and abuse and why a disproportional number of children who are removed from their homes are Black.

Season 3 begins with a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King's Jr,   How extraordinary it was that King insisted that the movement he lead be nonviolent.  He witnessed gross injustice, but he never encouraged retaliation.  His March on Washington was the linchpin which finally moved JFK off the fence and motivated him to write the Civil Rights Act.  Where would we be if King hadn't lead this historic...

In this final episode of Season 2, I interview my husband, Dr. Marvin Doyley.  He talks about the benefit of growing up in Jamaica, where he never even thought about race.  This provided a strong foundation which helped him to navigate the racism he experienced in England and later, in America. 

I have been a vigorous defender of Black History Month, but I've changed my mind.