We had the honor of interviewing the fabulous Taz & MaRah from the amazing true crime podcast Sistas Who Kill. We learned about their production process, the show's amazing impact on the true crime genre and their journey into becoming podcasters. Enjoy!
In this captivating podcast episode, Zainat and Sierra, students of the Black Podclass, engage in an enlightening conversation with one of the hosts of the “Black Girl Charmed” podcast. Hosted by Peggy ‘Max’ Olson, a Trinidadian American, alongside her best friend Jonelle, the podcast delves into the nostalgic allure of the early 2000s hit "Charmed." Join the discussion as Zainat and Sierra uncover Peggy's initial fascination with "Charmed" and how the series resonated with her as a young black girl growing up. Peggy reflects on the evolution of her relationship with the show over the years, transitioning from a fan of its magic and sisterhood to a deeper appreciation of its thematic depth and representation. Sit back and enjoy as Peggy shares insights into the podcasters and influencers who have influenced her approach to podcasting, highlighting their unique styles and storytelling techniques. As a bonus, she offers her perspective on the reboot of "Charmed," analyzing its strengths and weaknesses compared to the original series.
In this episode, we explore the unique perspectives and insights offered by two remarkable hosts: Sadhana Jackson and Joseph Vivens of "First Off" and Joseph Vivens of "Wizarding Black Lit." Hosted by Inayat Jain, this podcast interview aims to highlight the significance of Black
representation in media and entertainment through the lens of podcasting.
Sadhana Jackson and Joseph Vivens, hosts of "First Off," brings her experiences as a parent navigating
the complexities of raising children in contemporary society to the forefront of her podcast. With
a keen eye for insightful conversations, they explore the challenges and triumphs of parenthood,
offering a refreshing take on familial dynamics.
Joseph Vivens, the creative mind behind "Wizarding Black Lit," combines his passion for literature and Black culture to craft a podcast that celebrates Black voices in the realm of
magical storytelling. Through captivating discussions, Joseph invites listeners to explore the rich tapestry of Black narratives within the fantasy genre.
The Black Podclass is joined by hosts Shay Payne and Briea Parks! In this episode, Shay and Briea, both accomplished black women in the nursing profession, share their insights and experiences working in the high-stakes environment of the Labor and Delivery Unit. Shay Payne brings her expertise as a seasoned labor and delivery nurse, with a passion for maternal health and patient advocacy. Briea Parks, equally dedicated to her profession, offers a unique perspective shaped by her years of experience in the field. Together, they navigate through the joys, challenges, and heartfelt moments encountered in their daily work, shedding light on the realities of labor and delivery nursing. Tune in as they share stories, provide valuable tips, and advocate for the well-being of both mothers and babies in "The Laborhood" podcast.
A little bit more on their background, Shay is a certified Midwife from Greensboro, NC. In 2016, she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Winston-Salem State University. As a nurse, she gained labor and delivery experience in high-risk obstetrics, hydrotherapy and aromatherapy. For the next 2 years, she became captivated by holistic, low-intervention births. In 2019, she transitioned into a management role and excelled at a new Birthing Center in Winston-Salem, NC. It was there where she became a Certified Nurse in Inpatient Obstetrics and started her climb to Clinical Midwifery. Shay also has a Masters Degree in the Science of Nursing from Frontier Nursing University.
Briea also is an alumnae from Winston-Salem State University, she obtained her Bachelors of Science in Nursing and a minor in psychology in 2015. After obtaining her degree, she began working as a cardiac telemetry nurse. In 2016, she became a labor and delivery nurse. In 2019, Briea transitioned to a leadership position where she became a charge nurse at a birthing center. In 2020, she received a Masters of Science in Nursing Leadership from Western Governors University. In 2021, she received a national certification in inpatient obstetric nursing. Now, she continues to work as a labor and delivery staff nurse and is a travel nurse.
On this episode of the Black PodClass, Lily, Eric, and Andrew interviewed Corey Gumbs. Gumbs is an entrepreneur and podcast development strategist. He is the founder of the Black Podcasters Association, and owns Black Label Media.
Episode Summary:
This podcast episode covered plenty of topics relating to the struggles of podcasting and how to make the small changes to see big results. The episode’s special guest, Corey Gumbs provides all the insight you need to become a successful entrepreneur and podcaster in the newly formed, yet to be figured out, podcast industry. The key to it all is learning how to manage, maintain, and learn from the audience while providing the content that you want to produce. Finding your target audience and breaking down with yourself or your team on how you can be useful to that audience and find a way to value and monetize your content.
Podcaster Bio:
Dr. Reighan Gillam is a professor, podcaster, and author. Gillam holds a BA in Anthropology and Afro-American and African Studies from the University of Virginia, and a PhD from Cornell University. She has previously taught as an assistant professor of Anthropology at the University of Southern California and now at Dartmouth College. Her work delves into the intersection of racial ideologies, anti-racism, and protest, particularly focusing on Afro-Brazilian
media production and its portrayal of Black experiences. Her newest book, "Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media," explores these themes. The professor's next project, "Diasporic Agency: Transnational Racial Leverage and Challenges to Exceptionalism," examines Afro-Brazilian engagement with African American culture and politics. Dr. Gillam was elected to the Executive Committee of the Brazilian Studies Association and has received prestigious fellowships from institutions such as the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Mellon Foundation. In her role as host of the New Books Network
podcast, she showcases academic works and contributes to public understanding of Black Studies, Media Studies, Latin American Studies, and Anthropology. She is dedicated to
assisting students in their academic and career endeavors by providing courses on Black culture, visual culture, social movements, and the African Diaspora.
Episode Summary:
In this podcast interview, Lizzie and Anouchka discuss Dr. Gillam's academic background and what led her to the fields of Anthropology and Black studies. We also talked about how her background in Afro-Brazilian Media influences her current work as a professor and podcaster. Additionally, Dr.
Gillam shares her journey from studying anthropology to becoming a podcaster and how she balances her various interests. Finally, this episode concludes with a discussion of Dr. Gillam's future endeavors and advice for aspiring scholars/podcasters interested in exploring topics related to anthropology, black culture, and media studies.
Have you ever wondered or told your best friend “We should start a podcast”? In this week’s episode, long-time best friends Franchesca Ramsey and De’Lon Grant of the “Lemme
Fix It” podcast spill the secret to hosting a podcast with your best friend—without it resulting in a falling out—while still juggling a personal life, self-care, multiple hobbies and jobs, and mental health. Ramsey and Grant are both multi-hyphenates in the entertainment industry with credits ranging from staff writer on the now (unjustly) canceled iCarly reboot to ensemble cast member in Tony Award-nominated Broadway musicals to supporting actor in various Hollywood TV and film productions, and much more. Inspired by conversations they’ve had during their frequent
hours-long phone calls, each episode of“Lemme Fix It” centers around Ramsey and Grant taking TV shows, events, celebrities, movies, music, etc. from the early zeitgeist and rebranding, or “fixing” them for today’s world. Over 6 months and 32 episodes later, Ramsey and Grant’s
friendship—and podcast—is still thriving. Maybe it is possible to mix business with pleasure!
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Keep up with “Lemme Fix It” on Instagram: @fixitpod
Franchesca Ramsey: @chescaleigh
De’Lon Grant: @thedelondotcom
In today’s episode, we have the honor of interviewing Nikesha Williams, host of Black & Published Podcast. Her podcast is one that delves into the journey of writers, poets and storytellers as they reflect on their writings and give insight into what the process looks like under the literature umbrella. Her platform is a source to amplify narrators who she feels are underrepresented, and she shines light on their accomplishments.
During this interview podcast, we talk a lot about her journey into podcasting, her recent publications with insight into what’s next, and her overall process into how her podcast is run. She has a very unique style as to how she operates her guest choosing process, she talks about that as well.
M. Foss, better known as the TV Doctor, joins us to tell us all about herself and her podcast, The TV Doctor. TV critic by nature and nurture, works to “prescribe” us the very best show or episode to help us when we’re in need. With episodes ranging from prescribing tv treatments to healing homesickness, PTSD, and even iron deficiency. We asked many questions to M. Foss about her journey to becoming a podcaster, lessons she has learned in her production, show recommendations for her audience, and even her favorite show.
On this episode, David and Dylan interviewed Leslie and Lynne Streeter. Leslie and Lynn are co-hosts of the “Fine Beats and Cheeses'' podcast. They are sisters from Baltimore, Maryland with a passion and fascination for pop culture. Leslie is a University of Maryland graduate who now
works as a columnist for the Baltimore Banner. Leslie is also the author of “Black Widow”, a story about her losing her husband with a spin of her own unique humor and storytelling on the topics of grief and loss. Lynne works as a playwright, actor, teaching artist, singer, director, and
the founder and artistic director of Building Better People Productions.
In this episode we got Leslie and Lynn’s take on what a black podcast is and where they fall in the category. We also covered their background and influences that they use when making their own podcast. We even found out about some of their favorite pop culture moments and the impact they have on them today. You can listen to more of Lynne and Leslie’s pop culture conversations on their podcast “Fine Beats and Cheeses”.
Join the class discussion with this week’s episode of the Black Podclass with Candace Boyd Simmons of the “Black Girls Eating” podcast and Odochi Ibe and Maurice Licorish of “Black & Snerdy” podcast! Candace Boyd Simmons is a journalist, editor, host, digital consultant and co-host of the Black Girls Eating podcast. The podcast’s focus is to talk, educate, and advocate for justice, Black Girl Magic, and well-seasoned food. Odochi Ibe is a writer and expert in social justice, health and wellness, and documenting the human experience. Maurice Licorish is a stand up comic and writer. The two co-host the Black & Snerdy podcast where they discuss pop culture, nerdy and political topics.
This episode discussed the benefits of owning a Patreon as a podcast host, defining what is a “Blerd” (Black nerd), and turning your “nerdy” topics and obsessions into your podcast. You can find these creators at: @blackgirlseating @tanorriastable @foodlovetog on Instagram and X. Additionally, @thatsod.e @licorishislegit on Instagram and X.
This episode is produced by Joulisa Francis.
Tune in to this week’s episode of the Black Podclass with our featured guests: Malliron Hodge Host of Baddies with Business podcast and Krystal Hill, an audio producer and editor. Hodge is an entrepreneur and liberatory design thinking coach. She has a passion for collaborating and supporting Black women and listening to their stories. Hill advocates for helping historically underrepresented communities tell their stories. She is currently the Director of Business Development of EditAudio, a full service podcast production company that is on a mission to make the audio industry more representative of what the world actually looks like.
Our guests gave more insight on what is considered a “Black Podcast,” what it is like creating their own podcast business, the importance of showcasing Black voices and much more! Our guests can be found at @krystalsplaysradio on Instagram and @Baddieswithbusiness on Instagram and Facebook.
Produced by: Joulisa Francis
In this episode, we had the pleasure of interviewing Deena McKay, founder and host of the Black Tech Unplugged podcast. This podcast highlights Black individuals who innovate and work in the tech industry. Deena started the podcast to provide representation for Black people in the tech industry, as well as to share tips and advice for those who are interested in getting into the industry. During our conversation with Deena, we delved deeper into her experience with podcasting, including her production process and the topics she covers on her show.
To find out more about Deena and her work, you can follow her on Twitter at @BlkTechUnplged and on Instagram at @blacktechunplugged.
This episode was produced by Madeline Seck.
Show notes:
Our first guest is Bethany Hawkins. CEO & Founder of "Crackers In Soup, LLC" Bethany Hawkins (she/her), a seasoned professional with over 18 years of corporate experience, serves as the CEO and Founder of Crackers In Soup, LLC. As a Black woman who understands the challenges of not being heard, Bethany's mission is to amplify historically underrepresented voices through podcasting. Under her leadership, Crackers In Soup has produced an extensive portfolio of podcast episodes, including the award-winning "Chatting Over Chowder" and "Sis, Please." Crackers In Soup has recently won the "Big Budget Sound Award" from Sonic Bloom presented by Libsyn at ShePodcast. Instagram @bcrackersinsoup
Our Next guest is Alexandra Rago. She is the CEO of "Ambitious Minds Inc." Alexandra began her career working in Urban Marketing and radio promotions for major labels like G-unit, Koch Records, and Columbia Records/Sony Music. She has worked with artists like 50 Cent, | Cole, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Brandy, Ray I, Maxwell, and Jim Jones. Since founding Ambitious Minds in 2011, the agency has developed from being solely a talent management organization to producing podcasts, events, content, e-commerce brand development shipping, and fulfillment. The company now mainly focuses on managing and producing podcasts such as Kid Fury & Crissle of The Read, Whoreible Decisions, and Sistas Who Kill. You can find her on Instagram @ambminds
In this episode, we had a lovely chat with Bethany and Alex. We discussed topics such as the assumptions and stereotypes of creating podcasts, how they each got started in the podcast industry, how it feels to be a part of a new industry, and how to find your niche.
This episode was produced by Madeline Seck.
The Black Podcast is joined by Kelechi Okafor, Sequoia Holmes, and Dr. Rianna Walcott. In this episode, The Black Podcast discussed Black language. We played a word association game to compare Black British vs. African American slang particularly used in California, the DMV, and Baltimore. We looked at similarities and contrasted different ways we use slang in different regions. Then we talk about how each of them got into podcasting as a way to break barriers to Black conversation.
Kelechi Okafor is from Britain, has Nigerian heritage, actress, director, astrology lover, and The creator of the “Say Your Mind” podcast that ended on January 29, 2024. This podcast looked at current affairs and popular culture through a Black British lens. Now she is the host of the new podcast “Meet Me at The Alter” published in March of this year. You can find her Instagram, @kelechnekoff.
Sequoia Holmes is from California, loves astrology, and has been podcasting since 2016. She is currently on her 4th podcast. She is the host of the podcast “Black People Love Paramore.” Funny enough, *not* a Paramore podcast. This podcast explores the common & uncommon interests of Black people. You can find her on Instagram: @bplppod
Dr. Rianna Walcott is from the UK and is a communication professor at the University of Maryland. She Works in the Black Communication and Technology at the Communications department.
Her PhD research focuses on Black British identity presentation in social media spaces. By taking a mixed-methods approach to investigating Black British social media usage. You can connect with her on LinkedIn: Rianna Walcott
This episode was produced by Madeline Seck.
Tune in to this Black Podclass episode with Scarlet Estelle! Scarlet Estelle Hernandez is a
passionate Fall Out Boy enthusiast and respected figure in the music industry. With extensive
experience working with global production companies, Scarlet brings a wealth of knowledge and
a deep understanding of the industry to her role as host of "Sugar We're Going In." The podcast
explores the evolution of Scarlet’s favorite band: Fall Out Boy. Each episode weaves together
the genres of pop-punk and hip-hop as she discusses the dynamics between these themes
within Fall Out Boy’s musical history.
Our guest stated her podcast was "a love letter to the black community." She discussed how
she was able to turn her love and obsession for Fall Out Boy into a podcast and gave the
students tips on how to promote your podcast, gaining attention through social media, creating
unique episodes, and much more. She can be found at @scarletestelle and @sugarweregoinin
on X and Instagram.
Produced by: Joulisa Francis
The Black Podclass is joined by the influential hosts Rodney Carmichael and Sidney Madden! The two host the remarkable NPR podcast, “Louder Than A Riot,” which discusses Black culture through the lenses of the hip hop genre. Louder Than A Riot has made important strives for the podcast industry by being NPR's first narrative podcast series. Carmichael is a music journalist who currently covers hip-hop from a national perspective at NPR. His stories involve reporting and criticism to focus on black cultural production and all its sociopolitical implications. Sidney Madden is a reporter for NPR Music. Since 2020, she has served as co-host and co-creator of Louder Than A Riot, along with guest hosting All Songs Considered and producing Tiny Desk Concerts.
The two hosts discussed the evolution of their podcast, the current state of the shifting podcasting industry, and working as Black reporters in the journalism industry, despite the obstacles they face. Students also got the chance to ask the two hosts about the production of their podcast episodes. Be sure to tune into their second season that particularly examines who hip-hop
marginalizes, and issues of misogynoir within Black culture. Also, check out their Twitter and Instagram accounts: @sid_madden and @rodneyology.
This episode was produced by Joulisa Francis.
Join the Black PodClass as we explore Anuli Akanegbu’s BLK IRL Podcast! The BLK IRL podcast is an audio docuseries that explores the complexities of Black creative work and Black contemporary life through research and conversational interviews with Black artists, content creators, scholars, entrepreneurs, activists, marketing experts, and cultural critics. Anuli is a qualitative researcher, independent podcast producer and marketing consultant that focuses on the Black contemporary life and complexities of Black creative work.
Throughout the episode, this episode explores how Anuli started her podcast after being an avid podcaster listener since 2008. She expresses how determines her stories by if the context can be understood by multiple generations through her usage of explementary commas. Also, the process of utilizing different editing features, such as music during the episodes, and importance of reference lists. To hear more about Anuli's work, she can be found at @blkirl on Instagram and Twitter.
This episode was produced by Joulisa Francis
In this Episode on The Black Podclass we had guest speaker, Arionne Nettles. She is a lecturer and director of audio journalism programming at Northwestern University's Medill School. She is a culture reporter who has contributed to outlets such as the New York Times Opinion, Chicago PBS station WTTW, and NPR affiliate WBEZ. She is also the host of the HBCU history podcast Bragging Rights and Is That True? A Kids Podcast About Facts. She is a Ph.D. student at DePaul University, studying educational leadership in higher education, and her book, We Are the Culture: Black Chicago’s Influence on Everything, will be published with Chicago Review Press in 2024.
This episode was produced by Madeline Seck.
Welcome back to season 2 of the Black PodClass! Our first guest speakers include: Dr. Monica Cox (host of “Stop Playing Diversity” podcast), Dr. Monica Wisdom (host of “Black Women
Amplified” podcast) and L’Oreal Thompson Payton (host of “LT in the City” podcast). These wonderful women spoke about their experiences navigating the world of podcasting as Black women and the importance of Black culture with our society. Students engaged with our guests by asking questions about how their podcasts have affected their personal lives and how to appropriately interview guests.
The podcasters wrapped up this episode by the guests giving our students advice about starting their journey into the podcasting field. Stay tuned for Dr. Cox’s book “Stop Playing Diversity: Nine Unexpected Lessons from the Workplace Frontlines,” set to release on March 23rd and Mrs. Payton’s book, “Stop Waiting for Perfect,” out now! Additionally, you can find these guests at @Blackwomenamplified @ltinthecity and @drmonicacox on Instagram.
This episode was produced by Joulisa Francis.
