If trauma can be inherited, so can healing. In this transformative BACKtalk episode, ancestral health educator Gilbert Martina reveals how Black parents can break cycles of generational trauma using rituals of belonging, storytelling, and cultural connection. Drawing on Afro-Caribbean traditions and modern science, Gilbert shares daily practices that help families reduce stress, strengthen identity, and raise emotionally resilient children who know where they come from—and where they’re going.Gilbert Martina is an ancestral health educator and former healthcare executive from Curaçao who helps families heal generational trauma and strengthen cultural identity. His forthcoming book, Healthy Minds – Healthy Nation (supported by the Dutch Foundation for Literature), amazingly shows how reconnecting with ancestral practices can reduce stress and build resilience in kids and parents. Gilbert is the founder of The Blenchi Sanctuary and speaks internationally on parenting, belonging, and community healing.Connect with Gilbert on social media.IG: https://www.instagram.com/gilbert.martina LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilbertbmartina/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/gilbert.martina.35/
How To Keep Kids Listening (and Loving It! | Ms. Monica on Positive Parenting & Preschool Strategies
Welcome to Back Talk, the official podcast from Successful Black Parenting Magazine!
🎙️In this episode, we are joined by YouTube star and educator Ms. Monica (Monica J. Sutton) — the beloved host of the preschool show “Circle Time with Ms. Monica.”
With over 1 million subscribers and collaborations with Disney, Crayola, and Educational Insights, she has turned a simple classroom idea into a global movement for families.
🌍As an Early Childhood Educator and Child Behavior Specialist with over 21 years of experience, Ms. Monica holds a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and is certified in Special Education. Since launching her hit YouTube series in 2020, she has inspired millions of parents and children to make learning joyful again.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:✨ The Power of Routine & Structure: How daily routines can calm chaos—without being overly strict.
🎧 Getting Kids to Listen: Discover Ms. Monica’s signature “Pause to Connect” technique.
📵 Managing Screen Time: Make technology meaningful instead of a digital babysitter.💛 Discipline with Empathy: Correct your child with love and understanding.🧒 Handling Stubborn Behavior: Why consistency and clear family rules are essential.😢 Tantrum & Meltdown Management: What to do when emotions run high.🌿 Self-Care for Parents: How to stay patient, calm, and connected even when life feels overwhelming.⭐
Building Confidence & Independence: Fun classroom-inspired activities to encourage growth at home. In this heartwarming and practical conversation, Ms. Monica reveals how Black parents can bring the “Circle Time magic” into their homes — helping children listen, follow directions, respect boundaries, and build confidence, all while having fun!
📱 Connect with Ms. Monica: Follow her everywhere → @MonicaJSutton💬
Join the Conversation: Like 👍 | Comment 💬 | Share 🔗 | Subscribe
🔔Use the hashtag #BackTalk to share your thoughts and parenting journey!
As parents, we send our children to college with hopes of safety, inclusion, and opportunity—but today’s campuses are under siege. With DEI rollbacks, the end of affirmative action, and rising mental health concerns, Black students face unprecedented challenges.In this episode of BACKtalk, Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum—acclaimed psychologist, former Spelman College president, and author of the new book Peril and Promise: College Leadership in Turbulent Times—shares straight talk on what these changes mean for our children. From navigating hostile policies to finding hope in HBCUs and inclusive leadership, Dr. Tatum provides parents with the insight and tools they need to prepare their students for success in today’s turbulent higher education landscape.
What if hip-hop could be more than music? In this episode of BACKtalk, we sit down with Dave Joisil — better known as Mr. J — whose YouTube channel Hey! It’s Mr. J! has earned over 1 million views for blending fitness, hip-hop, and social-emotional learning. He shows parents how rhythm, movement, and positivity can transform everyday moments into lessons of confidence, discipline, and joy. From healthy habits to emotional regulation, discover how to use music and play to raise resilient, empowered kids while celebrating positive Black male role models in children’s media.
What if the system is stacked against your child before they ever step into a classroom? In this episode of BACKtalk, Dr. Terence Lester—once a high school dropout who faced homelessness and gangs, now a PhD, author, and founder of Love Beyond Walls—teaches Black parents how to break generational cycles of poverty, trauma, and educational inequality.From navigating schools that fail our kids, to building confidence in children born into hardship, to fighting for policies that protect opportunity—this is a raw, practical, and empowering conversation every parent needs.👉🏾 Tune in, share this with another parent, and learn how you can help your child rise—no matter the barriers.
Autism doesn’t discriminate—but Black families often face late diagnoses, stigma, and fewer resources. In this episode of BACKtalk, Alisha Simpson-Watt, LCSW, BCBA, LBA, shares real strategies every Black parent can use to advocate for their child, build support systems, and break down barriers in schools and healthcare. Learn how to recognize early signs, push past systemic roadblocks, and create a thriving environment for your child and family.
If your child could write your co-parenting rules, what would they say? Author and child-of-co-parents Kylar Denae joins BACKtalk to flip the script—sharing the simple, science-backed shifts that make kids feel safe, seen, and stable after separation. We get real about boundaries (not beef), handoffs without drama, talking to your child without weaponizing them, new partners, holidays, and breaking generational patterns so your family can actually thrive.You’ll learn: how to build a child-first parenting plan, phrases that de-escalate fast, healthy communication rhythms between homes, red flags that harm kids, and routines that help children feel rooted—even with two addresses.Watch, take notes, and send this to the co-parent who needs a win today.Kylar Denae is the author of Two Homes, One Heart: A Guide to Co-Parenting from a Child’s Perspective. Raised in a successful co-parenting family and trained in Human Development & Family Science, Kylar helps parents create child-first routines, communication, and stability through speaking, workshops, and practical tools that break negative cycles and build healthier families.co-parenting, child-first co-parenting, parallel parenting, parenting plan, blended family, transitions, handoffs, conflict resolution, Black families, separation & divorce
She’s a world-famous ballerina, a bestselling author, and a history-maker as the first Black woman Principal Dancer at American Ballet Theatre—but Misty Copeland just told me she’s… clumsy. And yet, that didn’t stop her from becoming great. Listen to this episode and come and get some of this Black girl magic!
In this episode of BACKtalk, Misty opens up about her new children’s book Bunheads, Act 2: The Dance of Courage, how she’s raising brave kids, and what it really means to shine—even when life knocks you out of the spotlight. From stage to motherhood, Misty gets real about resilience, girl power, and how to keep dreaming through disappointment.
If you’ve ever had to tell your child, “This isn't your time to shine,” this conversation will speak to your soul.
#MistyCopeland #DanceOfCourage #BlackGirlMagic #RepresentationMatters #BunheadsBook #BlackMomsRaisingLegends #ParentingThroughDisappointment #BraveGirls #BacktalkPodcast #BlackExcellence #BlackParenting #GirlPower #BalletForEveryone #ResilientKids #BooksForBlackChildren #MistyCopelandInterview #RaisingCourageousKids #BlackAuthorsMatter #BalletStories #DreamBigLittleOne
Khadijah VanBrakle is a Black Muslim woman and contemporary young adult author living in the Southwestern United States. Born and raised in Canada to American parents, she writes stories that reflect the dual marginalization of Black American Muslim teens, because for far too long, those voices have been missing from the shelves. Her 2023 debut novel, Fatima Tate Takes The Cake, and her upcoming release, My Perfect Family (out August 26, 2025), center young Muslim girls navigating adolescence while holding space for identity, faith, and family. Her work is published by Holiday House. Learn more at khadijahvanbrakle.com or follow her @khadijahvanbrakle on Instagram.
What if Black mothers didn’t have to do it all alone? In this powerful episode of BACKtalk, Trishay “Mama Yata” Young—Founder of Melanin Mothers Meet and warrior for Black maternal health—shares how to reclaim rest and activate your village after childbirth. From delegating tasks to building community rituals that protect your peace, Mama Yata drops wisdom every parent needs to hear. Tune in to learn how her home birth and breastfeeding journey led to a movement that’s redefining postpartum for Black and Brown moms everywhere.🍼 Perfect for new parents, doulas, aunties, and anyone who believes in the power of showing up for Black motherhood.#BlackMaternalHealth #PostpartumSupport #MelaninMothersMeet #BACKtalkPodcast
Black youth are under pressure—and the mental health cost is rising. From the relentless grip of social media to the weight of racial trauma and cultural stigma, many of our children are suffering in silence. In this powerful BACKtalk episode, we sit down with Dr. Cedric X. Bryant, CEO of the American Council on Exercise and a leading expert in behavior-change science, to unpack the real stressors Black children face today—and what parents can do right now to help.We talk about:How social media uniquely affects Black youthSigns your child may be silently strugglingBreaking generational cycles of mental health stigmaEasy lifestyle changes that boost emotional wellnessWhy sleep, movement, and open conversations are criticalIf you’ve ever wondered how to support your child’s mental well-being better—or just want to know what to watch for—this is the conversation every Black parent needs to hear.🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6718473823059968
https://www.SuccessfulBlackParenting.com -- Award-winning author Derrick Barnes joins BACKtalk to share the powerful story behind his newest picture book, I Got You: A Brother’s Promise. Inspired by his own four sons—aka the Mighty Barnes Brothers—this heartwarming tale celebrates brotherhood, empathy, and the ups and downs of growing up Black and brilliant.
We talked about:
- The importance of showing Black boy joy in literature
- How he fought to keep one of his books from being banned
- Raising confident sons in today’s world
- About his newest book, "I Got You"- The real-life sibling bond that inspired Rasheed & Anthony
- Why emotional honesty matters in Black families
- How illustrator Shamar Knight-Justice brings this love to life💬
Don’t miss this conversation—it’s about more than a book. It’s a celebration of Black family, fatherhood, and what it means to say “I got you.”
📚 I Got You hits shelves July 15, 2025 — preorder now!
🔗 https://amzn.to/3TDkeRA
#DerrickBarnes #BlackParenting #IGotYou #Brotherhood #BlackBoyJoy #PictureBooks #RaisingBoys #BACKtalkPodcast #SuccessfulBlackParenting
He walked in space, but hates roller coasters. 🚀 Go figure!
In this episode of BACKtalk, we sit down with Dr. Bernard A. Harris Jr., the first African American to walk in space, to talk about his surprising fears, his journey from humble beginnings to NASA astronaut, and why his biggest mission today is helping Black and Brown kids unlock their potential through STEM, education, and mentorship.
Dr. Harris shares powerful advice for parents raising children to dream without limits, how to nurture curiosity early, and what it really means to invest in the future, from the classroom to venture capital. Parents, get his book for yourself titled, Embracing Infinite Possibilities: Letting Go Of Fear To Find Your Highest Potential.
🎧 Don’t miss this inspiring conversation full of laughter, legacy, and life lessons for the whole village.
#AstronautLife #BlackExcellence #STEMEducation #SuccessfulBlackParenting #BACKtalkPodcast #RepresentationMatters #ParentingPower
What does it take to become the first Black woman puppeteer on Sesame Street—and then use that platform to change lives?
In this powerful episode of BACKtalk, we sit down with Megan Piphus, the 4x Emmy-winning performer, producer, and author who voices Gabrielle on Sesame Street and inspires millions of children worldwide.
But Megan is more than a voice behind a puppet—she’s a movement. From going viral as a ventriloquist to producing Cinderella Sweep, a music album that empowered 60+ girls of color across the country, Megan shares how she’s using puppetry, music, and storytelling to help children find their own voices.
You’ll laugh, you’ll tear up, and you’ll walk away feeling empowered.
✨ Plus: Hear the inside scoop on her upcoming children’s book Talk to the Hand (Penguin), how Keke Palmer’s nonprofit joined the mission, and why representation in children's media isn't optional—it's essential.
📢 This episode is a must-listen for parents, educators, creators, and anyone who believes in the power of purpose-driven storytelling.
👉🏾 Hit play and get inspired.
#SesameStreet #BlackGirlMagic #MeganPiphus #GabrielleSesameStreet #BACKtalkPodcast #RepresentationMatters #VentriloquistQueen #TalkToTheHand #CinderellaSweep #minister #minsitry
Are we parenting with purpose—or by default? Join host Janice Robinson-Celeste and guest Mama Bolanle Ambonisye, founder of Tapping Our Parental Power (TOPP), for a transformational conversation on how to break generational trauma and raise empowered, emotionally resilient Black children. Learn how her new parenting manual is equipping families with the tools to create nurturing homes, set healthy boundaries, and guide children through life with confidence, purpose, and cultural pride.Whether you're a parent, caregiver, or community leader, this is the parenting reset you've been waiting for.
A special Father’s Day week episode of BACKtalk: Host Janice Robinson-Celeste sits down with Javon Fraizer, founder of Maestro Media, to explore how play becomes a powerful love language in family life.
From adapting popular video games into record-breaking tabletop experiences to co-developing with fans, Javon reveals how laughter, board games, and spontaneous fun can strengthen bonds, lower stress, and boost well-being.
He also shares practical tips for busy parents on carving out play moments, maintaining a thriving business without sacrificing family time, and creating lasting memories with your children.
Kickstarter campaigns:• Clash of Clans: The Epic Raid – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/maestromedia/clash-of-clans-the-epic-raid
• All Maestro Media projects – https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/maestromedia/created
#Fatherhood #PlayIsLove #BoardGames #TabletopGaming #FamilyTime #MaestroMedia #ParentingTips #StressRelief
Actor and dad Anthony E. Williams joins Janice Robinson-Celeste on BACKtalk to talk fatherhood, film, and breaking stereotypes. From his series F.A.M. to Straw on Netflix, hear how he balances career and family—and why Black fatherhood needs new narratives.
#BlackFatherhood #FAMPilot #AnthonyEWilliams #StrawMovie #SuccessfulBlackParenting #BACKtalkPodcast
Many expectant parents aren’t offered essential prenatal testing. In this “Know More Sooner” episode, Dr. Dallas Reed breaks down the myths, facts, and real stories behind NIPS, Prequel®, Foresight®, and SneakPeek®—so you can ask better questions and feel empowered.
#PrenatalTesting #PregnancyPodcast #KnowMoreSooner #GeneticScreening #BlackMomsMatter #ExpectingParents
Phnewfula, founder of Happy Mango and mom of two, keeps it real about raising Black children with pride, setting boundaries (no pink bussdowns at 10!), and breaking stereotypes—all while running a business. From school bias to social media image battles, this episode is a must for every Black mom raising the next generation.
#BACKtalkPodcast #BlackMomVoices #ParentingUnfiltered #RealMomTalk #MomLifePodcast #ParentingDifferences #NoPinkBussdowns #ModernMotherhood #SocialMediaVsReality #SchoolBias #GentleParenting #MomBossLife #BlackWomenInBusiness #MompreneurLife #BlackOwnedBusiness #HappyMangoATL #BlackMomsRaisingBlackChildren #RaisingBlackChildren #BlackMotherhood #BlackBoyJoy #BlackGirlMagic #UnapologeticallyBlack
This literature review from the National Black Child Development Institute’s Black Infant and Maternal Health Task Force takes a hard look at Black maternal and infant health disparities through the lenses of anti-Black racism, intersectionality, and Afrofuturism.
You’ll learn how structural racism and racial trauma drive adverse birth outcomes, like low birth weight, and contribute to preventable maternal deaths. We’ll also explore an Afrofuturist Systems Design Process that centers Black experiences, knowledge, and community wisdom to forge transformative, equity-driven solutions.
Whether you’re a parent, in health care, education, or policy, join us as we outline the comprehensive policy reforms and structural changes needed to dismantle oppressive systems and ensure Black families not only survive but thrive.
🔍 Key Takeaways:
The role of structural racism in maternal and infant health
Intersectional factors that exacerbate adverse birth outcomes
An introduction to Afrofuturist Systems Design for health equity
Actionable strategies for policy, clinical practice, and community leadership
🎧 Listen, Follow & ShareHelp us reach more professionals by following BACKtalk on Spotify, leaving a ⭐ rating, and sharing this episode with your network!
#BlackMaternalHealth #InfantHealthEquity #HealthEquity #StructuralRacism #Afrofuturism #PolicyChange #EducationEquity #BlackFamiliesThrive
Disclosure: This review was generated by AI.