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Naked Conversations: Race, Culture, & Beyond

Self Development

This show is a collection of real, honest, and sometimes messy conversations between two friends. We’ll explore racism, antiracism, interracial friendship, activism, books, films, and more through our different lived experiences. We’ll offer questions and actions to help you go deeper into your exploration of race & culture, find your own inner disruptor, and be a part of the solution. Occasionally, we’ll bring you interviews with others who are experts in this work so we can learn together and do better.

Location:

United States

Description:

This show is a collection of real, honest, and sometimes messy conversations between two friends. We’ll explore racism, antiracism, interracial friendship, activism, books, films, and more through our different lived experiences. We’ll offer questions and actions to help you go deeper into your exploration of race & culture, find your own inner disruptor, and be a part of the solution. Occasionally, we’ll bring you interviews with others who are experts in this work so we can learn together and do better.

Twitter:

@sagebhobbs

Language:

English


Episodes
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S8E8: This is Goodbye (ish) & Thank You!

10/25/2023
8 seasons, 51 raw, awkward & brave conversations later, we've arrived at our finale. This is definitely not the end of us using our voices to speak up against injustice & work for radical change, just the end of our podcast. We are so grateful for all of you being with us in this work; listening, learning and acting. Be brave & keep it up ya’ll. Listen to hear us talk about Resources mentioned ---------- Connect with us and learn more about our work: Sage: Speaking, leadership development & coaching, team building, and group facilitation www.sagebhobbs.com On LinkedIn Erica: Executive coaching and organizational strategy at Flying Colors LLC Help support antiracism work and community dialogue by SHARING to the show with your friends and family! Click the “share” button on whichever platform you listen and send it to folks who would find it helpful Good old “spread the word,” and talk about it with your people

Duration:00:28:48

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S8E7: Healing Generational Trauma & Breaking from "Stable Misery" with Dr. Lynyetta Willis

10/18/2023
“Neither you nor your family are broken, you just have habits that need to be.” Today we are joined by Dr. Lynyetta Willis; psychologist, family empowerment coach, speaker, and award-winning author, who helps frustrated families break free from Stable Misery® and unhelpful parenting and partnership patterns. We’re asking; what are the unhelpful stories we tell ourselves, and are these stories different for marginalized communities? Dr. Willis brings so much hope and optimism to her work, we hope you feel as empowered from this conversation as we do. Listen to hear us talk about: THESE 5 main habits to work on to transform your life Questioning the stories we tell ourselves Chronic stress and survival mode Marginalized community experiences Analysing the experience of disempowerment Advice for principals/teachers wanting to help families through difficult patterns Resources mentioned: https://drlwillis.com/ www.Healingstablemisery.com www.Mytriggerscore.com The Body Keeps the Score Alissa Campbell - SEED Certification Dr Ross Green “children do well if they can” ---------- Connect with us and learn more about our work: Sage: Speaking, leadership development & coaching, team building, and group facilitation www.sagebhobbs.com On LinkedIn Erica: Executive coaching and organizational strategy at Flying Colors LLC Help support antiracism work and community dialogue by SHARING to the show with your friends and family! Click the “share” button on whichever platform you listen and send it to folks who would find it helpful Good old “spread the word,” and talk about it with your people

Duration:00:57:48

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S8E6: Book Bans in Schools: The What and The Why

10/11/2023
Book bans are increasing at a rapid pace in school districts around the United States. What’s really going on here? Today we are unpacking the motivations for book banning, which books are being banned, and what this means for our communities moving forward. We dive into the challenges of navigating content ‘appropriateness’ as a parent, and the role that fear can play in our decision making. Our homework for you is to research which books are banned in your own state. You might be surprized what you find! Listen to hear us talking about: What content would scare me as a parent, for my kids to have access to? Factoring in age appropriateness Why we need to hear marginalized voices in literature The power of a concerned parent Why do we read? What do we get from books? Resources mentioned: And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardsonn and Peter Parnell true story, my sister, books reflecting the realities of the world All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely The Color Purple by Alice Walker (read at 13) The Bluest Eye. Pecola Breedlove by Toni Morrison (read in early 20’s) "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison* "Native Son" by Richard Wright* ---------- Connect with us and learn more about our work: Sage: Speaking, leadership development & coaching, team building, and group facilitation www.sagebhobbs.com On LinkedIn Erica: Executive coaching and organizational strategy at Flying Colors LLC Help support antiracism work and community dialogue by SHARING to the show with your friends and family!

Duration:00:45:24

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S8E5: Building Trust in Organizations

10/4/2023
“Fear and trust are the core challenges of our time” - Sage It’s time we talked about trust. Today we explore why Erica & I first decided to trust each other, and how these same principles can be applied to building trust in organisations. This is such an important topic, when we don’t feel safe it’s extremely hard to move forward and create meaningful change. Listen to hear us talk about: When was the first moment that you trusted someone? Different types of trust Steps to building trust Restoring broken trust The role of vulnerability & risk in building trust Strategies for building trust in organisations How does trust (or lack of) impact DEI work? ---------- Connect with us and learn more about our work: Sage: Speaking, leadership development & coaching, team building, and group facilitation www.sagebhobbs.com On LinkedIn Erica: Executive coaching and organizational strategy at Flying Colors LLC Help support antiracism work and community dialogue by SHARING to the show with your friends and family! Click the “share” button on whichever platform you listen and send it to folks who would find it helpful Good old “spread the word,” and talk about it with your people Love the show? Please rate it and review it on Apple Podcasts. Just a few short words really helps folks to find the show. Thank you :)

Duration:00:42:00

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S8E4: Systematic Racism

9/27/2023
“You cannot heal what you have not diagnosed. You cannot repair what you do not see.” - Isabel Wilkerson Today we’re bringing it back to basics. What do we mean when we refer to “systematic racism”, and how is this different than racism on the individual level? Join us today as we unpack the realities of ‘racism by design’, and what are we really going to do about it in this lifetime. Listen to hear us talk about: Defining systematic, structural and institutionalised racism Examples of structural racism in the public system Broadway shows that are challenging cultural norms Resistance to ‘believing in’ systematic racism Important questions about racism we need to keep asking ourselves Resources mentioned: Phantom of the Opera" on BroadwaySix"Caste: Origins of our Discontents - Isabel WilkersonOn the Rooftop - Margaret Wilkerson Sexton ---------- Connect with us and learn more about our work: Sage: Speaking, leadership development & coaching, team building, and group facilitation www.sagebhobbs.com On LinkedIn Erica: Executive coaching and organizational strategy at Flying Colors LLC Help support antiracism work and community dialogue by SHARING to the show with your friends and family! Click the “share” button on whichever platform you listen and send it to folks who would find it helpful Good old “spread the word,” and talk about it with your people Love the show? Please rate it and review it on Apple Podcasts. Just a few short words really helps folks to find the show. Thank you :)

Duration:00:32:06

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S8E3: Using Somatics to Reclaim Our Agency. With Maria-Victoria Albina.

9/20/2023
Today we are joined by the outstanding María-Victoria Albina; Master Certified Somatic Life Coach, UCSF-trained Family Nurse Practitioner and Breathwork Meditation Guide. In this lively conversation, we dive into the nature of the oppressive systems we live in, how they require us to disconnect us from our bodies and why it is such a radical act to reconnect to a feeling of safety within ourselves. Listen to hear us talk about: Our current systems demand/require us to be disconnected from our bodies Somatic practice as an inherently radical act Increasing awareness of choices and agency Embodied safety & nervous system flexibility Marginalized bodies and nervous system regulation THIS simple somatic practice (secret weapon for regulating) Resources Mentioned: victoria@victoriaalbina.com You can find Maria-Victoria on Instagram here, and you can reference a past interview here. Victoria Albina - a Functional Medicine Nurse Practitioner, a nervous system expert, and the host of Feminist Wellness. The Inner Work of Racial Justice: Healing Ourselves and Transforming Our Communities through Mindfulness https://www.rhondavmagee.com/print/ FREE gift of meditation resources: HERE Books Mentioned Life on The Hyphen: The Cuban-American Way Louise Hays ---------- Connect with us and learn more about our work: Sage: Speaking, leadership development & coaching, team building, and group facilitation www.sagebhobbs.com On LinkedIn Erica: Executive coaching and organizational strategy at Flying Colors LLC Help support antiracism work and community dialogue by SHARING to the show with your friends and family! Click the “share” button on whichever platform you listen and send it to folks who would find it helpful Good old “spread the word,” and talk about it with your people Love the show? Please rate it and review it on Apple Podcasts. Just a few short words really helps folks to find the show. Thank you :)

Duration:00:50:52

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S8E2: Hope Against All Odds

9/13/2023
Are you finding it hard to stay optimistic lately? Our positivity has been having a beatdown too. In this episode, Sage reaches out to Erica for support and guidance through a difficult time, and we discuss strategies for restoring a sense of hope and agency amidst times that can feel quite disempowering. Listen to hear us talk about What does it take to keep having hope? Strategies for regaining a sense of agency Allowing and accepting emotions Acknowledging the difficulty of living in this moment in history Complex PTSD, survival mode & trauma ---- Connect with us and learn more about our work: Sage: Speaking, leadership development & coaching, team building, and group facilitation www.sagebhobbs.com On LinkedIn Erica: Executive coaching and organisational strategy at Flying Colors LLC Help support antiracism work and community dialogue by SHARING to the show with your friends and family! Click the “share” button on whichever platform you listen and send it to folks who would find it helpful Good old “spread the word,” and talk about it with your people Love the show? Please rate it and review it on Apple Podcasts. Just a few short words really helps folks to find the show. Thank you :)

Duration:00:33:07

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S8E1: Black Hair and Black History Month

9/6/2023
Welcome back to Race, Culture & Beyond. Get ready for a whole new season of awkward, fun and courageous conversations. Today we’re sharing what we’ve been noticing and thinking about in our break from the show, and setting the scene for some of the incredible guests we’ll have on the show this season. Listen to hear us talk about Hair and race Being aware of spaces and places where racism operates Radical rest: rest as resistance, activism Performative allyship Black representation in spaces of consumption (Black Santa) ---- Connect with us and learn more about our work: Sage: Speaking, leadership development & coaching, team building, and group facilitation www.sagebhobbs.com On LinkedIn Erica: Executive coaching and organizational strategy at Flying Colors LLC Help support antiracism work and community dialogue by SHARING to the show with your friends and family! Click the “share” button on whichever platform you listen and send it to folks who would find it helpful Good old “spread the word,” and talk about it with your people Love the show? Please rate it and review it on Apple Podcasts. Just a few short words really helps folks to find the show. Thank you :)

Duration:00:28:24

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S7E7: Friendship Across Race with the Humanize Podcast Hosts

10/11/2022
And this brings Season 7 to a close! For our final episode, we are joined by Humanize Podcast hosts Courthney Russell Jr. and Emily Braucher. These two use their podcast as a platform for social justice, engaging in honest conversations about race, and not shying away from uncomfortable, vulnerable, messy terrain. What an absolute pleasure to have this pair on our show, make sure you check out their podcast! Listen to hear us talk about - How Courthney & Emily began working together - How nerve wracking it is to get to know each other publicly on the podcast. - Conversational podcasts can teach listeners that it is normal to have challenging conversations, and how to navigate them. Raising consciousness through modeling. - Is it delusional to have hope in these times? - How healing it can be to be honest with ourselves: acknowledging our conditioning and shame. - What is the role of white people in racial justice work? About our guests: Courthney Russell Jr. grew up on KY and lived in the Virgin Islands. By the time he graduated from high school, Courthney's tendency toward stereotypical behavior had him on a collision course with incarceration or death. In a last-ditch effort, he applied to medical school and was surprised to be accepted. After experiencing homelessness and graduated in 2011 with a medical degree and a new mission: leverage his knowledge in a non-traditional way to become an authentic, determined, humble leader. Today, this looks like (a) co-founding a non-profit focused on serving the homeless and vulnerable (b) co-founding WeUp CBO, a company dedicated to addressing poverty through education, healthcare, and employment © He also is the co-host of The Humanize Podcast and is board president of a Co-Op organization in Denver, Colorado. Emily Braucher is a keynote speaker and trainer who is singularly focused on helping people create trusting relationships across differences. She does this by teaching clients the tools to overcome the three challenges that inevitably get in the way of trust: ego, culture and power. For the last decade, Emily has worked with corporate, non-profit, academic, and government clients on strengthening the inclusive brain, fostering the “trust mindset,” creating psychological safety and practicing stress management techniques, always pointing people towards the best version of themselves. In addition to running ReFresh Communication, Emily is also co-host of the podcast, Humanize: Stories from the Heart about Social Justice. What Courthney & Emily are hooked on right now: - Reading: Medical Apartheid by Harriet A. Washington, The 1619 Project, & The Camino - Watching: Breaking Bad, Seinfeld, The Sopranos Links and Resources Mentioned: https://www.thehumanizepodcast.com/ Connect with us and learn more about our work: Sage: Speaking, leadership development & coaching, team building, and group facilitation www.sagebhobbs.com On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sagebhobbs/ Erica: Executive coaching and organizational strategy at Flying Colors LLC: https://www.flyingcolorsllc.com/flying-colors-about-us- Help support antiracism work and community dialogue by SHARING to the show with your friends and family! - Take a screenshot of an episode you love and tag @racecultureandbeyondpodcast on Instagram - Click the “share” button on whichever platform you listen and send it to folks who would find it helpful - Good old “spread the word,” and talk about it with your people Love the show? Please rate it and review it on Apple Podcasts. Just a few short words really helps folks to find the show. Thank you :) - See you next season! Until then - stay engaged, keep diving in, and support your community. <3

Duration:01:10:00

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S7E6: Race & Roe Overturned

10/4/2022
We are vacillating between resignation and rage in the wake of the Roe v. Wade decision. We recorded this episode on June 28. This is a heavy and raw conversation. You will hear us dive into uncomfortable terrain and uncover the nuances in our own belief systems. This is a harrowing time. Don’t forget to reach out and lean on your support networks, find healthy outlets for your emotions, and be an advocate and ally for those most experiencing the gravity of these decisions. Resources and more reading linked below. Listen to hear us talk about - Support networks: finding outlets for rage, reclaiming agency, and what to do when the people you love don’t share your values. - Embracing nuance in a culture of extremism - Who actually experiences the lived burden of this decision? (Not men) - The immense undertaking of being a parent. - Further consequences of this decision: people who are already under-resourced will be disproportionately affected. What we’re watching: - Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) - On Netflix Resources Abortion Laws by State: https://reproductiverights.org/maps/what-if-roe-fell/ Connect with us and learn more about our work: Sage: Speaking, leadership development & coaching, team building, and group facilitation www.sagebhobbs.com On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sagebhobbs/ Erica: Executive coaching and organizational strategy at Flying Colors LLC: https://www.flyingcolorsllc.com/flying-colors-about-us- Help support antiracism work and community dialogue by SHARING to the show with your friends and family! - Take a screenshot of an episode you love and tag @racecultureandbeyondpodcast on Instagram - Click the “share” button on whichever platform you listen and send it to folks who would find it helpful - Good old “spread the word,” and talk about it with your people Love the show? Please rate it and review it on Apple Podcasts. Just a few short words really helps folks to find the show. Thank you :)

Duration:00:41:58

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S7E5: The What and Why of Truth and Reconciliation

9/27/2022
"Own the history, tell the truth, sit with the discomfort”. Since our chat with Amy Hunter last week, we haven’t been able to stop thinking about Truth and Reconciliation. In this episode we take a deep dive into its history, and applications, and what it would mean for the U.S to adopt its own T&R process. Listen to hear us talk about: - Truth and reconciliation: what does it really mean? - Does the U.S. need a T&R commission? - Feeling personally attacked: this isn’t about you, and you don’t need to get your feelings hurt. - Being representative of your race: black folks are constantly equated to their race, white people can own their whiteness too. - Imagining truth & reconciliation: what would it look like? Who would be in the room? - You don’t have to agree, but you can listen. - Apologies: do they mean anything? What if there was a system to walk us through this? - Sage’s ABCDE framework for cross-cultural communication Resources mentioned 1. Marianne's letter of apology: https://marianne.com/atonement/ 2. 1619 Project: https://1619education.org/?gclid=CjwKCAjwzeqVBhAoEiwAOrEmzTwYg5f2D6l-sA4IvQJ-oyEW73P4EvKmfOeBbi31fpDQLHOgz0TT1RoC9ngQAvD_BwE 3. Sage’s ABCDE approach to cross-cultural communication - Approach with respect - Be curious (with discretion) - Communication for connection (clean, clear, compassionate, couragmneous) - Dialogue (encourage discussion, don’t shut it down) - Educate yourself (diversify sources, you’re never done learning) Connect with us and learn more about our work: Sage: Speaking, leadership development & coaching, team building, and group facilitation www.sagebhobbs.com On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sagebhobbs/ Erica: Executive coaching and organizational strategy at Flying Colors LLC: https://www.flyingcolorsllc.com/flying-colors-about-us- Help support antiracism work and community dialogue by SHARING to the show with your friends and family! - Take a screenshot of an episode you love and tag @racecultureandbeyondpodcast on Instagram - Click the “share” button on whichever platform you listen and send it to folks who would find it helpful - Good old “spread the word,” and talk about it with your people Love the show? Please rate it and review it on Apple Podcasts. Just a few short words really helps folks to find the show. Thank you :)

Duration:00:13:10

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S7E4: Amy Hunter on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Work

9/20/2022
“Not everything I’ve tried has worked, I just have forgotten about the things that didn’t work.” - Amy Hunter This woman will blow your mind. We are so blessed to have had this conversation with Amy Hunter, it went completely off-script in the best possible way. Amy is ‘Miss Optimism’, a relentless trier. She speaks in possibility. She motivates us to do better, to reach higher, to dream bigger. Thank you Amy. We hope you are all as inspired by this conversation as we are. Listen to hear us talk about: - What inspired Amy into activism at age 14 - HBCU’s (historically black colleges and universities) and “being white” - The need for white women to step up and support their black sisters. No longer saying yes to violence and injustice. - What does truth and reconciliation look like in practice, between women, across racial lines? - Apologies: who needs to apologise, and for what? - How “not being good enough” and “not belonging to a community” are socialisations of whiteness - Optimism: failing & trying again. How Amy looks to her successes to sustain her activist work - Your sphere of influence: what can you do to make a tangible difference, right now? More about Amy Hunter: Amy A. Hunter is the Vice President of Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the publicly traded footwear company, Caleres. She recently joined the Caleres team after serving as the Senior Global Equity Diversity and Inclusion leader at Boeing. At Caleres she leads the global initiatives for diversity equity and inclusion. She has enjoyed a career in diversity working within the healthcare, agricultural, educational, and financial services industries. Hunter has more than 20 years of experience in human resources, organizational development, project management and leadership within the corporate and nonprofit arenas. Her responsibilities have included creating and implementing return on investment strategies for recruitment, curriculums for training and development and measurable retention strategies. Her community engagements have included serving on several boards for local organizations. She has spoken and presented diversity training, keynotes, seminars, and strategy sessions around the world. She is well respected globally and has received numerous awards for her achievements as a diversity resource. Her popular speech “The Talk” was incorporated into a TEDx presentation called “Lucky Zip Codes.” Hunter has an earned undergraduate degree and is currently pursuing a doctorate from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Links and Resources Mentioned: - Cornel West - Racism Literature - Amy’s company ‘Caleres’: https://www.caleres.com/ - Amy’s TED talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g36ijwr3wc8 - Witnessing Whiteness (YMCA program): https://www.ywcastl.org/what-were-doing/racial-justice/witnessing-whiteness Books: - Tarana Burke & Brene Brown: You Are Your Best Thing - Brene Brown: Atlas of The Heart, - Ijeoma Oluo: So You Want to Talk About Race - Isabel Wilkerson: Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents - Gary John Bishop: Unfu*k Yourself: Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Life Connect with Amy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-hunter-491767b Connect with us and learn more about our work: Sage: Speaking, leadership development & coaching, team building, and group facilitation www.sagebhobbs.com On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sagebhobbs/ Erica: Executive coaching and organizational strategy at Flying Colors LLC: https://www.flyingcolorsllc.com/flying-colors-about-us- Help support antiracism work and community dialogue by SHARING to the show with your friends and family! - Take a screenshot of an episode you love and tag @racecultureandbeyondpodcast on Instagram - Click the “share” button on whichever platform you listen and send it to folks who would find it helpful - Good old “spread the word,” and talk about it with your people Love the show? Please rate it...

Duration:00:59:00

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S7E3: Dr. Andrea Kane on Racism, Education, and Hope

9/13/2022
We are joined today by none other than THE Dr. Andrea M Kane, one of the most courageous & bold women we know, working tirelessly to transform the public education system. Wow, you are in for a treat. Listen to hear us talk about: - What is educational equity? - Savior complex in teaching environments is a disservice: the fine line between coddling and supporting. - Why teachers must unpack their own biases if they want to truly support their students - Sustainability in activist work: how to stay grounded and motivated, how to support other people to stay in the game - Why the public education system is an aspirational endeavor - Dr Kane’s own experience of backlash & negativity in response to speaking out against racial injustice About Dr. Andrea M. Kane: Dr. Kane is a Professor of Practice in Educational Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. She took on this role after serving as the the first African American Superintendent for Queen Anne’s County Public Schools, where she set professional and personal goals focused on implementing equitable practices across all areas of the organization including improving black, brown, and poor students’ access to advanced learning opportunities, offering the first African American Studies course in district history, building a diverse workforce, promoting student voice, and providing cultural proficiency/educational equity professional development to all employees. Dr. Kane’s visionary leadership proved to be effective in large suburban, urban, and small rural districts with the following as some of her achievements: - recognition for the first fully virtual learning program for public elementary and middle school students in Maryland, - achieving Green School certification in 100% of schools in Queen Anne's County Public Schools (QACPS) in 2020 and 2021, - first National Blue Ribbon School in QACPS history (2020-21) - a grant award for one million dollars for an innovative outdoor environmental education and STEAM summer program in 2021, - and induction into the prestigious Baltimore City College High School Hall of Fame (2018) What Dr. Andrea Kane is currently hooked on: Ozark & the new Jurassic Park movie Links and Resources Mentioned: New York Times article: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/10/us/politics/maryland-superintendent-racism-black-lives-matter.html Dr Andrea Kane’s Co-Authored Book: Coaching Champions: How to Understand the Players Before Giving the Plays - A Guide to Improvement and Success (May 2019). Connect with us and learn more about our work: Sage: Speaking, leadership development & coaching, team building, and group facilitation www.sagebhobbs.com On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sagebhobbs/ Erica: Executive coaching and organizational strategy at Flying Colors LLC: https://www.flyingcolorsllc.com/flying-colors-about-us- Help support antiracism work and community dialogue by SHARING to the show with your friends and family! - Take a screenshot of an episode you love and tag @racecultureandbeyondpodcast on Instagram - Click the “share” button on whichever platform you listen and send it to folks who would find it helpful - Good old “spread the word,” and talk about it with your people Love the show? Please rate it and review it on Apple Podcasts. Just a few short words really helps folks to find the show. Thank you :)

Duration:00:58:53

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S7E2: Rita Brent: On Being a Black, Queer, Musician and Comedian from Mississippi

9/6/2022
Season 7 continues to bring phenomenal guests and conversations. We have an incredible guest on this episode, whom we “met” at a live comedy show in Austin, TX. She is bold and honest, unafraid to speak to injustices and is just damn funny. We are such big fans of Rita Brent and we are beyond excited that she is joining us today. Listen to hear us talk about: - How the places we live can cultivate (or hinder) our talents. - Using curse words: when are they necessary, and when do they detract from the value of the message? - Cancel culture: who gives who the power to cancel? Who is the author of this cancellation? - Being strategic in the internet age: everything we say can be used against us - Disarming through humor - using comedy to shake opinions and resonate deeply - Greater popularity means greater responsibility. How should we use our platforms? - Why it is important to acknowledge and accept our fears, and not leave this earth with regrets. More about the hilarious and brilliant Rita Brent” Rita Brent is a comedian, musician, and military veteran from Jackson, Mississippi. She discovered her love for music as a young girl performing in talent shows and southern Baptist churches as a drummer alongside her mother and singer-pianist, Angela. She credits her mother as the one who helped cultivate and support her talents. At age 18, she joined the 41st Army National Guard Band where she served for nine years and ended her time in service as a sergeant. Rita graduated from her beloved HBCU, Jackson State University, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass and Speech Communication, and pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. After graduating from JSU she landed at Mississippi Public Broadcasting where she served as a Radio Host and Producer. In March 2013, Rita made a sharp turn and plunged into a career as a stand-up comedian. Since then, she’s been featured on Kevin Hart’s Hart of the City, TruTV’s Laff Mobb’s Laff Tracks, and Epix TV's Unprotected Sets. Rita has released three singles, “Kamala,” “Raised in the Sipp,” and “I Deserve to Be Alive”. She currently tours as a feature act with her mentors, Rickey Smiley and Cedric the Entertainer. Rita wrote for the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards, the Academy of Country Music Awards, MusiCares Person of the Year, and Netflix’s “Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration”. Rita is currently on The Born Funny Tour, her first as a headlining act. Links and Resources Mentioned: What Rita is currently hooked on: Reading: Viola Davis’s “Finding Me”, Christine Plant’s “Afrominimalist”. Watching: Stranger Things, First Ladies, The Lincoln Lawyer Website: www.ritabrent.com Social Media: @ritabrentcomedy YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RitaBEntertainment Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/rita-brent/1476684820 Connect with us and learn more about our work: Sage: Speaking, leadership development & coaching, team building, and group facilitation www.sagebhobbs.com On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sagebhobbs/ Erica: Executive coaching and organizational strategy at Flying Colors LLC: https://www.flyingcolorsllc.com/flying-colors-about-us- Help support antiracism work and community dialogue by SHARING to the show with your friends and family! - Take a screenshot of an episode you love and tag @racecultureandbeyondpodcast on Instagram - Click the “share” button on whichever platform you listen and send it to folks who would find it helpful - Good old “spread the word,” and talk about it with your people Love the show? Please rate it and review it on Apple Podcasts. Just a few short words really helps folks to find the show. Thank you :)

Duration:00:47:37

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S7E1: Bridgerton, The Oscar’s Slap, THE Kentanji Brown Jackson, and Disrupting the Construction Industry

5/11/2022
WELCOME to Season 7! We’re so excited to be back with all of you. There’s so much happening in the world that we want to discuss and share with you, it’s hard to know where to begin. In this episode, we’re talking about the return of Bridgerton, the Supreme Court nominee hearings for Kentanji Brown Jackson, and the Oscars slap that’s got lots of folks talking. Listen to hear us talk about: The amazing Shonda Rhimes and Bridgerton’s drama and disruptionSage’s experience presenting at the 2022 Construction Diversity Summit at the University of Colorado Boulder and the many questions that attendees brought with themHow we’re feeling (and there are LOTS of feelings) about Jackson’s Supreme Court nomination hearingsJada, Will, Chris, the Oscars, the big slap, and how the Williams sisters got lost in all of it Links and Resources Mentioned: Colorado’s 2022 Construction Diversity Summit Episode on Comedy, Cancel Culture, and Dave Chappelle Episode on Equity and Education:Can Schools Fix Racism? Shonda Rhimes book Year of Yes Connect with us and learn more about our work: Sage: Speaking, inclusive leadership coaching, team building, and facilitation www.sagebhobbs.com On LinkedIn Erica: Executive coaching and organizational strategy at Flying Colors LLC Help support antiracism work and community dialogue by SHARING to the show with your friends and family! Take a screenshot of an episode you love and tag @racecultureandbeyondpodcast on InstagramClick the “share” button on whichever platform you listen and send it to folks who would find it helpfulGood old “spread the word,” and talk about it with your people Love the show? Please rate it and review it on Apple Podcasts. Just a few short words really helps folks to find the show. Thank you :)

Duration:00:47:38

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S6E12: Duality and Paradox: A Season In Review

2/2/2022
Welcome to the final episode in Season 6 of Race, Culture & Beyond: A Naked Conversation Podcast. Today we are closing out the season and reflecting on our learnings in addition to celebrating our guests. We are highlighting powerful moments from each episode and our takeaways. We will be taking a break to rest and plan out the next season but we will be back! Until then: Follow on Instagram and ask us a question!!Keep learning!Keep reflecting! Stay curious and compassionate.If you like, please share! We want to extend a very special Thank you to this season’s guests: Trent Norman, Dr. Shenelle Dubose, and Nadia Ali, and as always, thank you for listening to the show. It is such an honor to have these conversations with you. They are necessary and needed and we are here to do the work. For access to ALL the resources mentioned, sign up for the “resource roundup” at sagebhobbs.com/nc-podcast. The (short & awesome) newsletter will also keep you in the loop on the latest episodes, and other opportunities. Let’s connect: Like what you hear? Please subscribe to Naked Conversations on Apple Podcasts. Or Stitcher. Or Google Play. Or any of the following – Overcast, Blubbry, TuneIn Radio, Player.fm. For (much appreciated) gold stars: Leave a rating + review! Just a few short words will help more folks find the show and be a part of this conversation. Thank you! Also, please send a DM on Instagram to @racecultureandbeyondpodcast to let us know what you love about the show, what topics you’d like to hear covered, or your dream interviewee.

Duration:00:50:03

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S6E11: New Year's Reflections on Paradoxical Emotions and Black Girl Hair

1/26/2022
Welcome to Season 6 Episode 11 of Race, Culture & Beyond: A Naked Conversation Podcast. Today we are reflecting on the year and exploring the paradigms we have found ourselves in. We are sharing about the dueling experiences we have found ourselves in and the emotions and lessons surrounding them. We also encourage you to ask and answer the same questions for yourself: Where are your dualities and paradoxes in your life?Where are you resisting?Where can you give yourself permission to experience the “both and” in your life? So what do we/you do with all of this? Keep learning!Keep reflecting! Stay curious and compassionate. Thank you thank you for listening to the show. It is such an honor to have these conversations with you. They are necessary and needed and we are here to do the work. For access to ALL the resources mentioned, sign up for the “resource roundup” at sagebhobbs.com/nc-podcast. The (short & awesome) newsletter will also keep you in the loop on the latest episodes, and other opportunities. Let’s connect: Like what you hear? Please subscribe to Naked Conversations on Apple Podcasts. Or Stitcher. Or Google Play. Or any of the following – Overcast, Blubbry, TuneIn Radio, Player.fm. For (much appreciated) gold stars: Leave a rating + review! Just a few short words will help more folks find the show and be a part of this conversation. Thank you! Also, please send a DM on Instagram to @racecultureandbeyondpodcast to let us know what you love about the show, what topics you’d like to hear covered, or your dream interviewee.

Duration:00:39:32

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S6E10: Lived Experiences and Bi-Cultural Identity with Nadia Ali

1/12/2022
Today’s guest is a close friend and colleague who leads with purpose and compassion. Nadia Ali is a change-maker who isn’t afraid to call you in while exuding kindness and intention. Nadia brings her full cultural self into all of her interactions and is dedicated to inclusivity and equity as a thread throughout her life and work. Some favorite quotes: “That's my passion, how do we, how do we create spaces for our kiddos across our communities to feel confident in their identities and feel supported in those identities in the ways that they want to express themselves.” “I just really hope that all of our future generations can confidently step into their own identities with less barriers.” “When we are empathic and compassionate, it leads to connection and vulnerability, more collaboration, which leads to more productivity, which leads to stronger teams and communication.” Highlights and key talking points in today’s conversation: Identity and the role it plays in one’s awareness of their power and uniquenessShowing up in the world as a visibly Muslim woman with a bi-cultural identitySafe vs. Brave spacesWork/life balance within your work in the DEI/JEDI space More about Nadia Ali and her work: Nadia is Founder and CEO of Idea Labs, a mission-driven consulting firm advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and across communities through training, leadership coaching and organizational strategy. She has over 20 years of experience spanning program management, coalition building, leadership development, community outreach, and health and racial equity. In her spare time, Nadia loves spending time with friends and family, traveling, cooking and baking, being outdoors with her husband and two children, and building community. Connect with Nadia Ali Website: www.idealabsinaction.com Instagram: @idealabsinaction, @grocerytogarnish Thank you thank you for listening to the show. It is such an honor to have these conversations with you and a special thank you to Nadia Ali for sharing her expertise and experience. For access to ALL the resources mentioned, sign up for the “resource roundup” at sagebhobbs.com/nc-podcast. The (short & awesome) newsletter will also keep you in the loop on the latest episodes, and other opportunities. Let’s connect: Like what you hear? Please subscribe to Naked Conversations on Apple Podcasts. Or Stitcher. Or Google Play. Or any of the following – Overcast, Blubbry, TuneIn Radio, Player.fm. For (much appreciated) gold stars: Leave a rating + review! Just a few short words will help more folks find the show and be a part of this conversation. Thank you! Also, please send a DM on Instagram to @sagebhobbs or @ericayhoward to let us know what you love about the show, what topics you’d like to hear covered, or your dream interviewee.

Duration:00:48:02

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S6E9: How to Have Hard Conversations and the Paradox of Relationships

12/23/2021
Welcome to Season 6 Episode 9 of Race, Culture & Beyond: A Naked Conversation Podcast. Today we are delving into how to have hard conversations around the holiday table, whether it be with close friends, family, or anyone in between. Tune in as we break down the 5 C’s for having Connected Conversations. CleanClearCourageousCompassionateConnected So what do we/you do with all of this? Keep learning!Keep reflecting! Stay curious and compassionate. Thank you thank you for listening to the show. It is such an honor to have these conversations with you. They are necessary and needed and we are here to do the work. For access to ALL the resources mentioned, sign up for the “resource roundup” at sagebhobbs.com/nc-podcast. The (short & awesome) newsletter will also keep you in the loop on the latest episodes, and other opportunities. Let’s connect: Like what you hear? Please subscribe to Naked Conversations on Apple Podcasts. Or Stitcher. Or Google Play. Or any of the following – Overcast, Blubbry, TuneIn Radio, Player.fm. For (much appreciated) gold stars: Leave a rating + review! Just a few short words will help more folks find the show and be a part of this conversation. Thank you! Also, please send a DM on Instagram to @racecultureandbeyondpodcast to let us know what you love about the show, what topics you’d like to hear covered, or your dream interviewee.

Duration:00:37:54

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S6E8: Celebrating The Holidays: Culture within Culture

12/15/2021
Welcome to Season 6 Episode 8 of Race, Culture & Beyond: A Naked Conversation Podcast. Today is all about the holidays and in this episode we are talking about the role culture plays within the holiday season. Tune in as we discuss: Our personal holiday traditions both growing up and nowMaking space and having difficult conversations during the holidaysFood as a representation of cultureand more So what do we/you do with all of this? Keep learning!Keep reflecting! Stay curious and compassionate. Thank you thank you for listening to the show. It is such an honor to have these conversations with you. They are necessary and needed and we are here to do the work. For access to ALL the resources mentioned, sign up for the “resource roundup” at sagebhobbs.com/nc-podcast. The (short & awesome) newsletter will also keep you in the loop on the latest episodes, and other opportunities. Let’s connect: Like what you hear? Please subscribe to Naked Conversations on Apple Podcasts. Or Stitcher. Or Google Play. Or any of the following – Overcast, Blubbry, TuneIn Radio, Player.fm. For (much appreciated) gold stars: Leave a rating + review! Just a few short words will help more folks find the show and be a part of this conversation. Thank you! Also, please send a DM on Instagram to @racecultureandbeyondpodcast to let us know what you love about the show, what topics you’d like to hear covered, or your dream interviewee.

Duration:00:41:28