[Un]phased Unedited Podcast

In this week's episode, the Drs. tackle grief and egalitarian relationships -- especially when they collide with gender. Then they move onto new political realities including NEW Mayor Mamdani, the ideal of Bernie Sanders, and the reality of U.S. involvement in Venezuela. Announcement: GENERATION OVERLAP! Dr. Shaunna shared the origin story of her new podcast, co-hosted with her son Trai. Sub...

Season 5 begins by (hopefully) blowing your minds. Have you imagined what you're wearing to special occasion? Have you imagined what you're eating for dinner? Have you imagined what a just world could look like? Join the Drs in the New Year as they move from resistance to imagination. We work through AI slop, revisit freedom dreaming in a new way, and discuss the new U.S. visa restrictions prohibi...

In the closing episode of 2025,  [un]phased unedited  holds up the mirror to a year of reckoning. The doctors unpack cultural flashpoints—from executive orders galore, through trans (kids) rights and immigration policy to Jan 6 pardons—that forced us to confront our values around equity and justice. We trace how language shifted: “belonging,” “resilience,” and even “DEI” itself took on n...

As usual...it's not as simple as you think! This week, we pull back the layered concept of transparency in organizations. Leaders navigate the tension between disclosure and discretion, knowing that transparency is never as simple as a binary choice. We also revisit the ongoing assault of transgender people’s rights – the federal pressure continues to erase their existence. Word of the Week [1:18]...

This week's conversation maps three currents: a new organizational model that favors distributed intelligence, recent U.S. visa guidance that expands restrictions to common health considerations, and a cultural critique of individualism. Word of the Week [1:32]: Octopus Organization: We can't figure out if we should use "octopuses" or "octopi" but either way, two HBR authors coin the phrase in the...

This episode spots the sludge -- every day fictions that block help and information. Recent reports of U.S. strikes on alleged drug boats require us to questions the legal, ethical, and political justifications. The pressure points around Thanksgiving travel, retail spin, and who pays the price during holiday logistics cannot be ignored this week, either. Word of the Week [2:29]: Sludge: Ever get...

In this episode, we explore the concept of Surplus Powerlessness -- the internalized belief that we are more powerless than we truly are. Drawing from Michael Lerner's 1991 book of the same name, we focus on how narratives, society, and personal trauma convince people they lack agency. Phase 1 – No ICE, Please: The Drs discuss the ongoing court cases against !CE and National Guard deployment follo...

This week, despite the hosts’ denial that summer is over, they dive into a discussion of safe parking programs in California to provide overnight housing options to unhoused students, which is especially important in winter. And, it couldn’t be avoided, they also unpack the effects of the (now longest in U.S. history) government shutdown. The Haves don’t seem to care all that much for the Have Not...

This week, The Drs discuss the growing use of AI to produce distorted and offensive depictions of important historical figures. It raises ethical questions of who is responsible for managing representations of person’s likeness and what can be done when those representations cross a line. The hosts also ponder how federalizing the National Guard for pretextual reasons such as managing crime is put...

This week, the Drs discuss [ridiculous] reactions to the NFL’s announcement that Bad Bunny will be performing at its 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show and recap a few cases recently argued in front of SCOTUS. The cases at issue could have profound effects for LGBTQIA minors and the voting rights of racial minority groups in the U.S.  Word of the Week [02:25] Anocracy: The inbetween space governme...

In this episode, the Drs trace the legacy of Black education from secret learning spaces during enslavement to the bold vision of Freedmen's schools during Reconstruction. They explore how paragons of education like Hampton Institute and Fisk University emerged as beacon of self-determination -- and how today's literacy crisis echoes in modern day gaps. Word of the Week [3:30]: Freedmen's School -...

In this week’s single phase, the hosts take on the recent health recommendations coming out of the Department of Health and Human Services. They discuss the recent announcement of a (non-)connection between acetaminophen usage while pregnant and autism, the damage such misinformation can do to people’s trust of healthcare, and other concerning issues that will likely harm not help Americans. Word...

Over 400 celebrities signed an ACLU letter in support of Jimmy Kimmel's return to the air after being silenced by cronies of the current presidential administration. While public opposition to threats to free speech grew, we simultaneously had to navigate being presented with unwanted videos of recent public violence in the social media public square.  Word of the Week [1:46]: Otrovert:...

Everyone from kiddos to adults should be back in school by now, so in this episode we explore two angles of education: relevant skill development and the future of tuition and student loans. Word of the Week [0:52]: Evidential Currency: Credentialing and assessment of skills in real time is a moment by moment lived experience for marginalized folks whose skills are doubted by default. Ph...

First, we look at Harvard Business School research on why leading companies are endorsing purpose as a strategic driver of performance and profit, yet they aren't employing it. Then we look at the Supreme Court's 6 -3 decision that lifts restrictions on roving ICE patrols in Los Angeles, allowing factors like race, accent, and language to inform stops, sparking yet another debate over constitution...

Although paint and public history may not have an obvious connection, they DO. Listen in to this week's podcast where the Drs illuminate public history from various angles: two examples of wh*te male public historians who are making an impact and a venue for such work -- the Smithsonian Institute and all her holdings. Word of the Week [5:50]: Public Historian: The halls of academia are often inacc...

In this week's packed episode, the Drs provide even more than what you asked for! From gerrymandering to empty churches, to deploying state National Guards to DC to ending Housing First funding -- there are more than enough test balloons flying over the U.S. to see what Americans allow to stay afloat. Words of the Week [1:25]: Gerrymandering and Test Balloons: Gerrymandering is only the latest tes...

On the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, we revisit the storm that devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast—killing over 1,392 people, displacing thousands, and exposing the catastrophic failure of infrastructure, governance, and media accountability. Dr. Lisa and Dr. Shaunna discuss: - The flawed engineering behind the levee breaches at 17th Street, London Avenue, and Inner Harbor canals. -...

So, what's wrong with naming a "Man of the House"? A LOT. During this week's episode, the hosts specifically call out instances of men minimizing women, the erasure of human rights violations against women, and the small but effective efforts to interrupt them. Word of the Week [0:45]: Credibility Discounting: If you're paying attention, the Drs are sure that you've witnessed a time when a woman's...

During this week's episode, there is a curious meeting of the minds, both new and old. If you have never heard of Black August, well, don't fret. It's new to us, too. We'll share notes about the month-long commemoration...and then we dig up the old. Stephen Colbert made a statement in 2006 that sounds like he said it yesterday. Listen in. Word of the Week [1:48]: Ideology: Unfortunately, this word...

On this week's episode, the Drs delve into two unrelated but curious topics. Given the recent passing of the gentleman who played our childhood "big brother" Theo, we felt it was crucial to name our grief and his impact. Then we make a sharp turn to think about AI use in education during this back-to-school season.  Word of the Week [1:30]: Algorithmic Bias: It makes sense that if AI is built...

This week, Dr. Shaunna and Dr. Lisa discuss an important online forum where Black men can shine, debunking negative stereotypes, particularly about Black fathers. Additionally, there’s a new attack on LGBTQIA rights coming out of Colorado, which seems destined for resolution at SCOTUS…and we all know how that will go… Word of the Week: Groyper [1:10]: Dr. Lisa leads a discussion about yet another...

In this episode, Dr. Shaunna and Dr. Lisa dive into two timely conversations starting with a critique of celebrity opulence against the backdrop of widespread hardship. Then they tackle the evolution and utility of the term “African American” in our current social landscape. Expect sharp observations, spirited debate, and actionable insights. Word of the Week [0:36]: Feather-bedded: Deriving from...

Whose history gets told? In this episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Shaunna unpack the unsettling intersections of memory, commodification, and state-sanctioned narratives. From the newly opened Jonestown site in Guyana to the controversial signage reshaping U.S. historical landmarks through QR codes, we ask: What happens when sites of trauma become tourist attractions—or propaganda tools? Word of the Week...

In this special 200th-episode edition, we step back from our usual deep-dive format to reflect on the evolution of  [un]phased unedited , celebrate what it means to hit this milestone, share lessons learned along the way, and peer into the trends shaping our next chapters. Fewer than 10% of podcasts ever reach 100 episodes -- and far fewer make it to 200. We've avoided the "podfade cliff"...s...