Let's Talk: Conversations on Race

REPLAY! This was such a fantastic conversation with Melody Wollgren, who is biracial Korean. She speaks of growing up trying NOT to be Korean and the emotional dissonance that created.

This interview with Dr. Jenn Noble is FIRE! She is Sri Lankan and African American and she talks about parents helping their mixed-race kids know who they are so that they can claim a seat at MULTIPLE tables. Mixed kids can be secure in who they are, no matter how others perceive them. (This discussion is also hugely informative for transracial adoptive parents.)

Here I speak with Christin Harley, who grew up in a small white town and then married Charlton Harley, who grew up in Rochester's inner city. They came from wildly different worlds but fell in love anyway. Together they built a strong, happy marriage with six children.

This was SUCH a great conversation with Monique and Tom Franz. When Monique, who is African American and grew up in the inner city, and Tom, who is white and grew up in rural Maryland, first got married, they did indeed have a clash of cultures. Now, 33 years later, they enjoy a happy marriage where they appreciate what they each bring to the table. They've formed their own Monique and Tom culture that is happy, respectful and rich.

In this rich interview, Dr. Lucretia Berry talks about the age when kids begin to show racial bias, what parents can do to help their kids to be inclusive and not fearful of those who are "different," and how she has taught her own biracial daughters to be culturally competent.

In this warm conversation, I speak with Rod Green, who grew up in a mostly white suburb and is now raising his kids in the same mostly white suburb. He tells us why he decided to stay and how he and his wife work to ground their kids in their identity.

This is a deep, rich conversation with Lara Provencal Capuano, mother of white biological and Black adopted children. She shares her reasons for adopting her sons and the things that she and her husband have learned along the way to help all of their children thrive.

This was a riveting, incredibly informative conversation with Anastasia, who is biracial (Black and white) and Jay, who is ethnically Chinese and culturally French and Chinese! Hear how they navigated some of their cultural differences to build a happy, strong marriage.

SEASON FINALE: In this last episode of Season 7, I talk to Ally Henny, vice president of The Witness: a Black Christian Collective, and author of I Won't Shut Up: Finding Your Voice When the World Tries to Silence You. We talk about her upbringing in rural Missouri, and her journey finding her voice in the wake of Michael Brown's murder.

Here Jenny Thomas tells her fascinating story of being biracial and transracially adopted. She talks about the racism she experienced from her birth mom, and the racial identity instilled in her by her adoptive mom. Hers is a story strength, overcoming and faith.

Here I speak with Dr. LaShunda Leslie-Smith, CEO of Connected Communities, about a better way to lift impoverished communities. Toxic charity is... toxic!

On this episode, I speak with Author Tasha Jun about her recently released book, "Tell Me the Dream Again: reflections on family, ethnicity and the sacred work of belonging. " She talks about growing up rejecting her Korean heritage, learning to fully embrace it and now raising kids to know who they are. It was a rich, electrifying conversation!

In this episode I talk with author and playwright Monique Franz about the joys and challenges of interracial marriage and the common response of biracial people towards racial injustice.

In this episode we look at the troubling issue of book banning. School districts all over the country are banning books about important Black figures and racial justice. Is it ever ok to ban a book? Joining me is educational leader and therapist Kesha James.

Dr. Jemar Tisby joins us as we discuss his book, "How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Towards Racial Justice." Why does pursuing racial justice take courage? We also discuss the exodus of many Black Christians from the Evangelical church. Is racial integration in the church still a viable goal?

Listen in on this incredible with Maya Crane, founder and CEO of Maya Crane Solutions. She talks with us about the work organizations have to do to not only attract but retain people of color. This is the last episode of Season 6! Enjoy and we'll see you in the spring!

In this SPECIAL EPISODE created in honor of Marvin Luther King Jr. Day, we look at King's trip to Ghana, Africa, and discuss one of his less known speeches, as well as some poignant facts about his life. Joining me is one of my favorite interviewees, my son Ben!

In this episode, I interview Pastor Dönnivon Dödd, youth pastor and youth counselor in the Rochester City School District. Pastor Don is daily surrounded by teenagers and sees the highs and lows of Generation Z. He brings us tremendous insight into their world. If you have a teenager in your life, listen to this poignant episode!

What is gentrification and is it a good way to revitalize communities? Join me as I interview Pastor Melvin Cross. It is a fantastic, rich conversation!

Here I interview Davné McCleary, social worker in one of Rochester's suburban school districts. We discuss CRE and SEL: why are they necessary and why is there so much controversy over them?

Listen in on this engaging conversation between Stacey Green, Jobina Jones-McDonnell and me about the joys and complexities of being biracial.

It was phenomenal speaking with CEO Deb Hanmer. In this episode we talk about her work helping parents advocate for their children and then we discuss the question of whether America truly is a meritocracy.

In this first episode of Season 6 I interview journalist and author Justin Murphy. We talk about why schools across the nation are still heavily segregated - some more than others. Why does segregation persist and what can be done about it?

Race Replacement Theory says that white people are slowly being replaced in the US by non-white people. Those who subscribe to this theory don't like that idea - at all. They think that America is a white nation, that it should always be a white nation and that Black people, and other POC, do not belong here. Black people have been told this for so long that many suffer from Imposter Syndrome, a perpetual sense of not truly belonging. In this last episode of Season 5, I discuss the roots of this syndrome and disclose it for the lie that it is.

Marriage is on the decline throughout the Western world. Why is that? Why is marriage important, and if you are married, how can you safeguard your marriage? What unique marriage challenges do Black people have? Listen in on this riveting interview with LaShunda Leslie Smith who, with her husband, has been working to strengthen marriages for many years.

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 health racial identity?

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 movement?

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.