Episodes

Colorism, it's one of the most sensitive and complex subjects in the black community. The narrative has been a duality of light skin and dark skin for so long, but as we continue to open up that conversation, we see how nuanced it truly is! Modern media is the biggest culprit for how these stereotypes and prejudices are furthered and mirrored in everyday life! As we begin to see more representation, particularly dark skin women as leading ladies in media, we discuss where the culture is headed i...

The ladies are here for a Blackety Black college experience. But the HBCU vs. PWI conversation isn't so black and white. Resources: Howard University's Decision To Cut Classics Department Prompts An Outcry There’s No Classics ‘Catastrophe’ at Howard University A Different World Tell Them We Are Rising History of HBCUs Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's a "poo putt"? Hint: You might want them around for a good time, but you certainly don't want them in your life for a long time. The ladies set the criteria for poo-puttness in this episode and end the show with a What's On Your Heart? with Grammy-winning musician and mental health advocate Macy Gray. Call 866-HEY-JILL and leave us a message with your comments on this episode! Resources: My Good My Good + Twins for Peace Ray Stop Hustling Black Death Learn more about your ad-choices at...

Some women want a husband, but every woman needs a wife. Call 866-HEY-JILL and leave us a message with your comments on this episode! Resources: You and Me Will Never Part: A Study of Black Women's Best Friendships by Tamica Shambly According to Science, Your Girl Squad Can Help You Release More Oxytocin The Communication of Solidarity in Friendships Among African American Women Playing With Dialectics: Black Female Friendship Groups as a Homeplace Female Friends Are More Important Than You R...

Black children deserve better than the lies and partial truths that are often taught in U.S. schools. So what do we teach them, and how do we teach them? Dr. Joshua M. Myers, an associate professor of Africana Studies at Howard University and author of the forthcoming book "Cedric Robinson: The Time of the Black Radical Tradition," joins the ladies for What's On Your Heart? in this episode on education. Resources: Coded Bias Black Study in a Time of Trouble "The Eloquence of the Scribes" by Ay...

The ladies flip the script and ask THE Jemele Hill more than a few uncomfortable questions in this very special episode of J.ill! Call 866-HEY-JILL and leave us a message with your comments on this episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Loving, messy, joyful — our relationships with our fathers can be complicated. We take some of their advice, and we leave some of it behind. But chile do they teach us some things. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SPECIAL EPISODE ALERT! Emcee Phonte is in the building, joining the ladies for real talk on parenting and playing the hands we're dealt. Twitter & Instagram: @phontigallo Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

God knows, real-life trauma is enough. Has Hollywood veered into trauma porn territory with all the Black historical horrors and thrillers? How much is too much? The ladies get into it. Resources: Antebellum Get Out Them 12 Years a Slave Django Unchained Us The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Misha Green Barry Jenkins Katori Hall Black Lightning Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey A Black Lady Sketch Show In Our Mothers’ Gardens Octavia Butler’s work Bisa Butler Hashtag...

Well chile ... you know a person's public persona may be at odds with who they are behind closed doors. In this episode, the ladies knock down some high and mighty pedestals and discuss what we do when we KNOW the real deal. Resources: The Long and Tortured History of Cancel Culture The Second Wave of "Cancel Culture" Americans and ‘Cancel Culture’: Where Some See Calls for Accountability, Others See Censorship, Punishment Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.c...

Raw. Raw. Raw. Raw. Raw. Raw. Raw. Raw. Raw. Raw. Resources: More on Dr. Kameelah Rashad Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S*** ain't always sweet in the music industry. Fortunately, we can count on Laiya, Aja, and Jill to give budding artists game. So you and/or your kids wanna be in the business? Pause and listen to this episode. Resources: "The Music Business Toolbox: Actionable Business Guidance for Musicians from Recording to Royalties," by Bryan Calhoun with Kristin Thomson "Everything You’d Better Know About the Record Industry for Artists, Songwriters, Producers, Musicians, and Music Entrepreneurs" by Kashi...

According to Aja's mother, there's petting, and then there's heavy petting. Don't know the difference? Find out in this episode, where the ladies share what their mamas taught them about sex and relationships. Shanicia Boswell, an author and the creator of Black Moms Blog, continues the conversation in a "What's On Your Heart?" about motherhood, womanhood, and making space to accept love. Resources: "Our Bodies, Ourselves" "The Joy of Sex" by Dr. Alex Comfort "Vanessa del Rio: Fifty Years of...

Sometimes, boxes are comfortable and safe. But other times, boxes are suffocating. And being confined to stereotypes and assumptions is for the birds. We all contain multitudes. Today on the show, the ladies do some unboxing. Resources: Paul Laurence Dunbar's "We Wear the Mask" Paul Laurence Dunbar bio Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not everything passed down through generations should stay in the family. You can name curses, and you can break them. This week on the show, the ladies talk about knowing and growing from the problems that plague us. Resource: Bogleheads' Guides Call 866-HEY-JILL and leave us a message with your comments on this episode! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Medicine is a practice. But be careful practicing on Black women, because "fire burn." This week on J.ill, a sensitive conversation about what Black women face when dealing with many medical professionals. In "What's on Your Heart?" actor, comedian, and author Michelle Buteau joins the ladies for a candid conversation about her experience in coloring outside the medical lines. Resources: Black Mamas Matter Alliance Sister Girl Foundation The Broken Brown Egg Black Women's Health Imperative Sis...

Sex is supposed to be pleasurable, but a lot of times, it's purely transactional. On J.ill this week, one of your sista friends is completely intrigued. Light on the judgment – chile, who has the time? – but heavy on the yummy curiosity. Resources: Vanessa del Rio: Fifty Years of Slightly Slutty Behavior Urban Justice Center's Sex Worker Project Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jill, Laiya, and Aja have talked about a lot on the show so far – from cultural appropriation, to the relationships between Black women and Black men, to loneliness. There's a lot to unpack, and we know we can't fit it all in the show. But we know that y'all have a lot to add to these discussions, so we want to hear what you have to say. Ever listened to an episode and ended up in a debate with your friends, had a change of heart about a subject, or had a million comments that you kept to yourse...

"Black does not crack, but it sure does crease." Laiya, Aja, and Jill reminisce about the shows they grew up on and the wellness practices their parents and grandparents followed. They also reveal some of more embarrassing signs of aging, the lifestyle choices they've made to stay healthy as they get older, and the things they've learned from the millennials. On What’s On Your Heart, media coach, activist, and music advocate Dyana Williams joins the ladies for a heartfelt and necessary conversa...

The past year of isolation and social distancing has changed the way we relate to solitude. The absence of touch, separation from loved ones, and lack of fellowship and intimacy have presented many challenges. We can be lonely when we're alone, but we can also be lonely when we're surrounded by people or in intimate relationships. On the other hand, we can crave more alone time. Aja, Jill, and Laiya consider the role that loneliness has played in their lives, how important it is to do self-work,...

The media often portrays the relationships between Black women as adversarial and difficult. If you believe the stereotypes and the propaganda, you might think that Black women don't like each other and don't get along. Of course, that's fallacy and harmful generalization – some Black women are incompatible, just like some people of any other race or gender may be incompatible. If you actually know Black women, you know that their friendships are multifaceted. And as Aja points out, Black women...

The relationships children have with their mothers are so diverse and dynamic. But many of us expect our mothers to be our provider, our teacher, our savior, and our source of comfort. When we are naive, growing children, it's hard to recognize our mothers as whole human beings who have lives beyond those roles. But as we get older and gain more distance and perspective, we realize that our mothers were trying to navigate this challenging world, just like we are. And we can start to give our mot...

What's wrong with 'em? It's a simple question that's hard to answer. Jill, Laiya, and Aja try to get to the bottom of some of the questionable things people do, like being unable to have conversations with nuance or wear a mask properly. On the subject of white people with locs: Jill presents pros, and Aja comes back with some strong cons. Of course, these are all observations, not judgments. The question is also: What’s wrong with us? Resource mentioned in this episode: More on Sara Baartman ...

That Louisiana drawl. The way "you straight?" can mean a dozen different things depending on the tone and situation. The Black mama classic: adding the word "the" in front of everything. And even the Head Nod. Black language is full of beauty and music. Laiya, Aja, and Jill celebrate Black speech and all its nuance, variation, and ingenuity. Resources: Twitter thread about Black units of measurement Facebook post by Ade Efunbukola on similarities between African languages and AAVE Learn more...