Now We Know

Roe v. Wade, very likely, being overturned will affect so much more than abortion rights. From the way you simply have sex to birth control to who you have/want to marry; it's all on the line. Yes, that includes you, too; straight, white, male. This month, Donna & Jonathan relate the leaked SCOTUS opinion and its ripple effects to another way the 13th amendment has a loophole to create en...

We have heard so much, every black history month, about Rosa Parks and how she refused to give up her seat. But, did you know Claudette Colvin did it first? This episode of Now We Know released on the 67th anniversary of Colvin’s bold act, a 15 year old black girl, refusing to give up her seat to a white woman on a crowded, segregated bus. Donna and Jonathan discuss how intriguing, strong willed a...

This episode, sparked from watching Self Made on Netflix, a docuseries about Madam CJ Walker, named the first black millionaire, has left Donna & Jonathan with more side-eyes about history than we normally have. What does it really mean to be self made? How did Madame CJ walker become dubbed the first self made black millionaire when others came before her? How do we obtain that level of wealt...

Did Marcus Garvey start a cult or was it simply the most impactful organization fueling movements for decades to come? Yet another tremendously impactful historical figure we didn’t learn about in school who would have been instrumental in putting together the pieces of the rest of the civil rights movement we were taught. Controversial? Yes. Perfect leadership style? Not quite. This month Donna &...

A beautifully directed and narrated documentary, I Am Not Your Negro, based upon James Baldwin's telling of life in America. Donna & Jonathan reflect on this documentary relating so closely with Jonathan being a queer black male and persevering through the continued battle of the stigmas that both of these "categories" hold.  "But what one does realize is that when you try to stand up and...

Donna & Jonathan reflect on their first year podcasting together and look forward to what 2022 has in store! What are your plans for the new year? How do you want to continue to grow as a community? Be sure to email us at realrelatablepodcast@gmail.com to let us know what topics or people you'd like to see highlighted for 2022. Instagram: @DonnaJaneen #yearinreview #2022 #newyear #podcast

We all have so many wonderful traditions, from your grandmother’s dressing to your aunt’s pie or the turkey your uncle fried turkey but where did these black holiday favorites come from? This episode we’re diving into our own holiday traditions and bringing in a little historical context. Jonathan shares the beauty of going to harvest their food growing up and Donna looks back on her memory of try...

Don't mess with Texas? Don't mess with women's bodies. The Texas abortion ban has created a flood of opinions and everyone in everyone else's business when they have no right even to be there. This month, Donna and Jonathan dive into this highly debated topic as adoption can be a beautiful avenue but that's not the case for everyone - nor should it be the only option. Forcing people into these sit...

It's August and officially Back to School season and what better time to talk about CRT. But, what is CRT? Does it really need to be banned in k-12 schools? This month Donna and Jonathan dive into Critical Race Theory and what nuance would’ve meant for them in school growing up.  Instagram:   @RealRelatablePodcast  @DonnaJaneen  www. DonnaJaneen.com/podcast

This is an episode that gave Donna & Jonathan the feels! Together they discuss the documentary In Our Mothers' Gardens that beautifully details generation to generation the good, the bad and the ugly life experiences of black women from the diaspora living in America. The hardships overcome to shape these women and the figurative garden beds they nurtured to bring beautiful harvests for genera...

Juneteenth brings a certain amount of joy yet confusion as Jonathan and Donna work through their sentiments towards the holiday. Do they celebrate or simply acknowledge? What's enough, what's not enough? Listen along as together they have a revelation about Juneteenth and what it truly means for black culture in America.  High on the Hog - How African American Cuisine Transformed America&nbsp...

The conversation surrounding mental health and therapy needs to continue. We all have vulnerabilities to work through whether that's from life experience or simply how we're made. It's never too late to take the first step to take care of yourself mentally. Check in on yourself and those around you, you never know what someone is going through. Suggested Tune: Johnnie Frierson Have You Been Good t...

Colorism and hair are not as widely discussed as they need to be. We experience discrimination from the hue of our skin to the bounce of our hair or lack there of. Let's dive into these topics, as really they coincide, and figure out how it all started. Remember original Aunt Viv on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air or Claire on My Wife & Kids? Exactly.   Instagram:  @DonnaJaneen  @RealRe...

Hello Women’s History Month! There are so many incredible women we can highlight that have done an immense amount of work to advance women and humanity overall. This week we’re focusing on Lorraine Hansberry as a black playwright, activist and humanitarian who way the first to test the stage of Broadway.  Weekly Faith in Humanity Restored:  CHILASAROMA Candles  @CHILASAROMA www. CHI...

Did you know Black History Month started with Negro History Week? Many thanks to those before us who did the work in making sure there was room for us to learn what we know and can expand upon today. May we be radical in dismantling to learn who we truly are in the best effort push forward positively as a people. We’re also celebrating a few greats who hadn’t gotten as much recognition and thank t...

Here Donna & Jonathan unpack major topics surrounding learning, unlearning and re-learning what we should’ve been taught about our black history. As MLK Jr day approaches (re-release from January 2021), we launch the first episode of this series with focus on honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy for humanity. What didn’t we learn? What do we know now?   Instagram: ...