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Broke-ish®

Arts & Culture Podcasts

In the Broke-ish space, we talk about being broke—broke and Black in America. We talk about all the unbelievable *ish that America has done to black people to keep us in this Broke-ish state. We've been bamboozled in ways that personal finance tips and traditional financial literacy can't fix. Our co-hosts, Amber and Erika, are grown @ss women sharing candidly about money, wealth-building and the financial urban legends that need to die. You'll hear them draw from research, statistics and personal insights to create an engaging podcast whose mission is to be a part of changing the narrative around money. Broke-ish is for those who still persevere, in spite of all the things that America, capitalism & white supremacy, have done to Black people. We're Broke-ish. Let's talk about it.

Location:

United States

Description:

In the Broke-ish space, we talk about being broke—broke and Black in America. We talk about all the unbelievable *ish that America has done to black people to keep us in this Broke-ish state. We've been bamboozled in ways that personal finance tips and traditional financial literacy can't fix. Our co-hosts, Amber and Erika, are grown @ss women sharing candidly about money, wealth-building and the financial urban legends that need to die. You'll hear them draw from research, statistics and personal insights to create an engaging podcast whose mission is to be a part of changing the narrative around money. Broke-ish is for those who still persevere, in spite of all the things that America, capitalism & white supremacy, have done to Black people. We're Broke-ish. Let's talk about it.

Language:

English


Episodes

Sista to Brotha: A Community Conversation on Black Male Employment

3/15/2023
On this week’s episode, Amber and Erika are joined by Broke-ish all-star, Dr. Algernon Austin, the Director of Race and Economic Justice at the Center for Economic and Policy Research. We discuss Dr. Austin’s latest article, “Black Women’s Views on Black Men’s High Rate of Joblessness.” Dr. Austin helps us unpack some of the systemic reasons why the Black population is the only demographic where there are fewer employed men than women. From both the relational perspective and the communal...

Duration:01:10:04

To Be Us: Working While Black

3/1/2023
On this episode of Broke-ish, Amber, and Erika are joined by Tosca Davis and Dr. Cedrick Smith, the co-founders of To Be Us Productions, to discuss their groundbreaking film, “To Be Us: To Work.” The documentary film, which won “Best of Film” at the International Black Film Festival, chronicles a cross-section of working Black people sharing their experiences with racism, micro-aggressions, and the accompanying insidious hostility in their respective industries and workplaces. These...

Duration:01:17:09

Cops and Corporations as Agents of White Supremacy: Wolves in Sheep's Clothing

2/15/2023
On this episode, Erika is joined by Fernanda Meier to talk about the similarities between agents of white supremacy in corporations and within police forces. Are they two sides of the same, racist coin? We also discuss the global impacts of colonialism that have so many within our community in a chokehold. We ponder lots of questions in this show: is it possible to join the police force and change it from the inside, how do we hold those who harm us accountable for their misdeeds, are we...

Duration:01:11:52

Gentle Parenting in a Rough and Racist World: The Black Parents’ Burden

2/1/2023
This payday, Amber and Erika are joined by Adrienne Fikes, the Soul Power Coach and Founder of the Parent Leadership Training Institute of Alexandria, Virginia. Adrienne helps us unpack the often insidious ways that racism seeps into the pathology of Black people, impacting our family dynamics and parenting choices. It is undeniable that living in a society that denies our full humanity shapes our norms, values, and sense of self - all things that affect how we parent. We examine the...

Duration:01:20:44

We Ain’t in Good Hands After All: Racism and the Insurance Industry

1/15/2023
On this week’s episode, Amber and Erika are joined by Michael DeLong, Research and Advocacy Associate from the Consumer Research Federation of America, to discuss how racism insidiously and nefariously impacts the American insurance industry. Michael walks us through the factors that are used to calculate the cost of insurance for most people - credit, education, zip code, and job titles, just to name a few. As expected, the racial disparities inherent in those factors naturally spill out...

Duration:00:59:40

Black to Life, Black to Reality: Creating Community and Connection on Social Media

1/1/2023
On this week’s episode, Amber and Erika are joined by Fernanda Meier, a photographer, educator, activist, and digital nomad to discuss the unique, subversive ways that Black people - particularly Black women and femmes - have utilized social media to build community and advocate for equity and justice. Fernanda walks us through the value of community in digital spaces and how social media has been a space of togetherness, sharing, and connection. But just like everything built against the...

Duration:01:18:10

We Can’t Give Up Now: A Look Back at 2022 and What It’s Taught Us

12/15/2022
On this episode - the last of 2022 - Amber and Erika are looking back at one of the most eventful years in recent history. From Amir Locke’s untimely death by police at the top of the year, to Brittney Griner’s release near the end, we look back over the notable events of 2022. But most importantly, we’re discussing lessons that we can all learn about the broken “ish” that forms the backdrop of our lives. Although there is much to despair, we’ve come too far to give up in our fight for...

Duration:01:07:19

Been Around the World and Still Broke: Why the Great Migration Didn’t Work

12/1/2022
On this episode, Amber and Erika are joined by Broke-ish all-star, Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, to discuss the economic impact of the Great Migration on Black Americans. Post-Reconstruction and against the backdrop of Jim Crow, many Black people fled the South for the North and Midwest in hopes of less oppression and more economic opportunity. But new research on the long-term success of the Great Migration actually casts doubt on whether Black families proved to fare better as a result of the...

Duration:00:56:15

We Just Wanna Be Free: An Abolitionist Framework for Ending Mass Incarceration

11/15/2022
This episode, Amber and Erika are joined by Michelle Williams of Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. Michelle, an activist, and abolitionist, shares with us the story of Kevin Johnson, a Black man sentenced to death for taking the life of a police officer at 19 years old after witnessing the sudden death of his younger brother. Michelle details the trauma, neglect, and abuse that filled Kevin’s life prior to his conviction. Next, we discuss how the consistent disregard for...

Duration:01:10:03

(Do Not) Hear Ye’, Hear Ye’: On Kanye West and How Black People Help to Uphold White Supremacy

10/31/2022
On this episode of Broke-ish, Amber and Erika are jumping head first into current events by discussing Kanye West’s disastrous interview on the Drink Champs Podcast. We start by breaking down the anti-semitism, misogyny/misogynoir, pro-capitalist delusions, and racist tropes that pervaded the interview. Next, we outline what Kanye’s vapid comments teach us about the ways that Black people can be invested in upholding White Supremacy and oppressive capitalism. Kanye’s statements about Jews...

Duration:01:05:45

What About the Children? - CPS, Black Lives, and Community Care

10/15/2022
On this episode, Amber and Erika discuss Child Protective Services (CPS) and its often overlooked role as a powerful ally and agent of law enforcement. Along with our guest, Amanda Wallace of Stop CPS, a former CPS investigator in North Carolina with over a decade of experience, we are diving into how CPS is often biased against Black families and disproportionately exercises its power to the detriment of Black children. Amanda walks us through the history of CPS, revealing its racially...

Duration:00:58:55

Say It Loud: Black, Disabled, and Proud!

10/1/2022
On this week’s episode, Amber and Erika are joined by activist and artist, Leroy Moore, to discuss the often ignored world of Black disabled people. Leroy is a Grammy award-winning poet, speaker, and the founder of Krip Hop Nation, a collective of disabled artists and musicians. Through his own personal experiences combined with his advocacy and activism, Leroy sheds light on how ableism joins with racism to especially impact disabled Black people. He also opens up about the sad reality that...

Duration:00:42:43

Broke-ish University: Civics 101 (They Don’t Really Care About Us)

9/15/2022
Welcome to Civics 101! Amber and Erika are taking the Brokers back to school with this episode. So many of us have been propagandized in school and through media to believe that our nation is a democracy founded by the people for the people, and that voting and political participation were intended to keep government directly accountable to the people. However, through detailing the circumstances under which our nation was founded and the great distrust that many Founders harbored towards...

Duration:00:52:32

Here We Go Again!

9/1/2022
Here we go again, Brokers! Amber and Erika are back for the Season 6 opening episode. Not only do we catch up, but we discuss all the new things coming this season. From audio and visual episodes (we fancy now!) to our new membership in the Black Power Media Network and our expanded platform - we are giving you the scoop on everything you can expect in the upcoming episodes. We can’t wait for y’all to join us in our new adventures as we try to expand our reach and dive deeper into the broken...

Duration:00:46:39

Run it Back!! - The Season 6 Recap

6/15/2022
Can you believe another season of Broke-ish has come to an end?! In this episode, Amber and Erika are running back all the season’s episodes and guests, discussing the highlights of Season 6. Through recapping the takeaways from each episode, we remind the Brokers why we took a broadened approach to discussing the broken ish in America beyond finances and money. Racism is entrenched into every aspect of American life, corrupting all of its systems and institutions. Our goal this season was...

Duration:01:05:40

Back to the Future: What an End to Roe v. Wade Means to Black America

6/1/2022
This episode Amber and Erika are discussing the leak of Dobbs, et. al. v. Jackson, et. al., the Supreme Court case which allegedly overturns the landmark ruling in Roe v. Wade protecting the right to access abortion as healthcare. First, we outline the history of Roe and then discuss the potential significance of its holding in other areas of life, including marriage, sexual freedom, and access to contraceptives. Through an intersectional analysis, we also highlight why the debate over...

Duration:01:03:23

A Blunt Conversation on the Racial Implications of Legalizing Marijuana

5/15/2022
On this episode, Amber and Erika are joined by Lawrence Grandpre, co-author of “The Black Book” and Director of Research for Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle. Our fellow Black Power Media mate helps us to understand the basics, explaining the difference between hemp, CBD, THC, and marijuana. Next, we dive into this nation’s historically racist and unjust drug laws, which coupled with terrorized policing, has resulted in generations of Black people being criminalized and now shut out of the...

Duration:01:07:16

Work, Work, Work: A Celebration of International Workers’ Day

5/1/2022
On this week’s episode, we are celebrating May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day around the world. Amber and Erika are joined by Kim Brown, journalist, veteran activist, and our fellow Black Power Media comrade to discuss the historical significance of May Day and the global fight against capitalist inequities. With a special emphasis on both the contributions of Black people in the pro-labor movement, as well as the challenges to equity and ownership that we still face, this...

Duration:01:04:26

Behind the Garments: Why Fast Fashion Fuels Environmental and Economic Racism

4/15/2022
On this week’s episode, Amber and Erika are joined by Whitney McGuire, an attorney, fashion law expert, consultant, strategist, and co-founder of Sustainable Brooklyn. We discuss how some of our favorite fast-fashion brands are rapidly causing environmental havoc by proliferating waste, exploiting BIPOC workers, subjecting employees to hazardous conditions, and depleting natural resources. This phenomenon is part of the vicious cycle of racial capitalism that enables poverty and creates...

Duration:01:04:16

Our Hair-itage: Black Hair in America

4/1/2022
On this episode of Broke-ish, Amber and Erika are discussing a deeply personal, complex topic: Black hair. Specifically, we examine the pressures of respectability, professionalism, and assimilation on our relationship with our hair. Through stories of Black people being banned from graduation ceremonies, losing job opportunities, and facing harassment because of how they choose to wear their hair, this episode dives into both the economic and emotional toll of this especially vicious arm of...

Duration:01:09:02