The Bakari Sellers Podcast

Bakari is joined by former NBA star Al Harrington to talk about why he decided to get into the cannabis business after leaving the NBA (3:30); some of the challenges that he has faced along the way, as a Black entrepreneur in particular (20:09); and why professional sports have been so slow to allow cannabis use among players (32:20). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Al Harrington Producer: Kaya McMull...

Bakari is joined by 'Today' show anchor Craig Melvin to talk about how he got his start in journalism and how he found his way onto TV (3:39), being one of the few Black anchors on network television (10:17), and what he learned about his relationship with his father while writing his new book, 'Pops: Learning to Be a Son and a Father' (15:22). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Craig Melvin Producer: Ka...

Bakari is joined by Rev. Dr. Robert Turner to talk about what it was like being a minister during the COVID-19 pandemic (2:55), the Tulsa Race Massacre on its 100th anniversary and what occurred (14:04), and why it is important to not whitewash American history (22:25). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Rev. Dr. Robert Producer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/ad...

Bakari is joined by author Clint Smith to talk about what critical race theory is and why it's important to teach it in schools (3:53), the role that mythmaking plays in American politics (15:24), and why he chose to write his forthcoming book, 'How the Word Is Passed' (23:16). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Clint Smith Producer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.co...

Bakari is joined by Hayden Swank, a 19-year-old rising race car driver, to talk about racing his first cars when he was 7 (4:36), why it is difficult to build a career in race car driving compared to other sports (9:40), and what it's like being a young Black driver in an overwhelmingly white sport (14:53). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Hayden Swank Producer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad c...

Bakari is joined by Yusef Salaam, one of the Central Park 'Exonerated Five,' to talk about what it was like seeing his life portrayed in the series 'When They See Us' (3:20), how the false conviction shaped his life and later his activist work (10:13), and what inspired him to write his new book, 'Better, Not Bitter' (20:33). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Yusef Salaam Producer: Kaya McMullen Learn m...

Bakari is joined by Nigerian actress Folake Olowofoyeku to talk about growing up in Nigeria and trying to pursue a career in acting (6:34), her work on the sitcom 'Bob Hearts Abishola' (16:42), and why it's meaningful to play a romantic lead who is Nigerian (23:20). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Folake Olowofoyeku Producer: Kaya McMullen Engineer: Sasha Ashall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

Bakari is joined by Nsé Ufot, CEO of the New Georgia Project, to talk about the time and money that went into turning a state like Georgia blue in the 2020 election (2:56), some of the various voter suppression efforts her organization is currently fighting (16:58), and what will happen if the Voting Rights Act in its current form is still in effect in the 2022 midterm elections (22:11). Host: Bak...

Bakari is joined by actor and director David Oyelowo to talk about how getting his start in theater shaped his acting career (2:35), his new movie, 'The Water Man,' and why he felt drawn to telling this story (15:10), and why it shouldn't be controversial for Black British actors to portray African American icons in movies (25:10). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: David Oyelowo Producer: Kaya McMullen...

Bakari is joined by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to talk about what effects the recently passed American Rescue Plan will have on child poverty (3:29), whether or not it is still possible to cancel student debt (12:10), and his goals for the next 100 days in Congress (15:05). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Chuck Schumer Producer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastch...

In partnership with More Than a Vote, Bakari is joined by Jalen Rose and Dr. Italo M. Brown to talk about how COVID has impacted the Black community in Detroit (3:15), why Black people are getting vaccinated at a lower rate (18:32), and what we need to do to reach herd immunity (29:06). Host: Bakari Sellers Guests: Jalen Rose and Dr. Italo M. Brown Producer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about the COVI...

Bakari is joined by activist and former political candidate Gary Chambers to talk about what life is like for someone who calls themselves an activist (5:02), the difficulties of advocating for progressive police reform (14:10), and the work he is doing to change Louisiana for the better (19:05). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Gary Chambers Producer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...

Bakari is joined by Wes Moore, CEO of the poverty-fighting nonprofit Robin Hood, to talk about how the death of Freddie Gray impacted his hometown of Baltimore (2:53), how to hold police more accountable going forward (10:22), and the work that he is doing to close the racial wealth gap (26:57). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Wes Moore Producer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit p...

Bakari is joined by Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner to talk about what convinced him to run for the seat (3:12), some of the differences between a traditional district attorney and an "activist" district attorney (8:32), and what he expects to happen with the Derek Chauvin trial (18:36). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Larry Krasner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.c...

Bakari is joined by MSNBC host Joy Reid to talk about what it's like being one of the few Black hosts on a major cable news network (2:44), the Daunte Wright shooting and the Derek Chauvin trial (11:17), and some other political news from the week (22:07). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Joy Reid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bakari is joined by Molly Reynolds, a fellow at the Brookings Institute, to talk about why Congress seems to be broken (3:46), why the reconciliation process is so important in Congress right now (19:16), and what might happen if Democrats were to eliminate the filibuster (26:00). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Molly Reynolds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bakari is joined by comedian and commentator Baratunde Thurston to talk about how growing up in Washington D.C. in the '80s shaped him, why D.C. needs statehood (2:28), the ideas behind his 'How to Citizen' podcast that reimagines "citizen" as a verb (22:59), and what is needed to make a more perfect democracy (27:23). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Baratunde Thurston Learn more about your ad choices...

Bakari is joined by Lee Elder, the first Black man to play in the Masters tournament, to talk about the Black golfers that paved the way for him, the racism he experienced in the golf world, and how we can continue to make golf a more inclusive sport. Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Lee Elder Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bakari is joined by Rashawn Ray, sociology professor at the University of Maryland, to talk about the structural racism that exists within police departments  (2:20), why the "one bad apple" argument is damaging police reform movements (12:42), and what the key aspects are for successful police reform (24:07). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Rashawn Ray Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastc...

Bakari Sellers is joined by chef Kwame Onwuachi to talk about how his mother's catering business inspired him to become a professional chef (2:21), what it's like breaking into the fine dining world as a young Black man (10:04), and what he learned from opening a restaurant only to have it close shortly after (18:16). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Kwame Onwuachi Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...

Bakari is joined by the co-CEO of Ariel Investments, John Rogers, to talk about the recent GameStop saga and the rise of cryptocurrencies (3:59), the pervasiveness of the Black wealth gap and how to fix it (15:49), and the importance of having diversity within investment firms (26:52). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: John Rogers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bakari is joined by basketball legend Magic Johnson to talk about his career after basketball, owning the Los Angeles Sparks (2:50), the Showtime Lakers era (13:26), his thoughts on March Madness (22:23), and this current NBA season (27:47). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Magic Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bakari is joined by Lil Rel to talk about his experience making 'Bad Trip,' a prank movie (2:30); his comedic influences coming up in Chicago (11:21); and what he does in his role as head of comedy for kweliTV (15:14). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Lil Rel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bakari is joined by Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, the president of the Children's Defense Fund, to talk about the child tax credit that was part of the American Rescue Plan Act (2:23), how the coronavirus pandemic has uniquely impacted children and especially Black children (19:51), and the importance of Black churches (29:58). Host: Bakari Sellers Guest: Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson Learn more about your a...

Bakari is joined by Shaka King, the director of 'Judas and the Black Messiah,' and Akua Njeri, the fiancée of Fred Hampton (portrayed by Dominique Fishback in the movie), to talk about the challenges of getting this movie made (2:12), Njeri's role in advising the film (20:57), and why Ryan Coogler was essential to making this movie (26:29). Host: Bakari Sellers Guests: Shaka King and Akua Njeri Le...