Welcome to the Espresso Talk Today Podcast!
Where we go on an enriching journey through the heart of Black history, culture, and health. Our mission is to not just discuss but to connect, inspire, and illuminate.
Episode 25: Gratitude Meditations for Juneteenth and Beyond
The Covid-19 pandemic. Police Violence. White supremacy and terror. Dehumanizing events. Micro-aggressions. Systemic racism. Everywhere. Every day. We, as African Americans and other people of color, face constant threats not only to our physical safety but also to our mental health and security. You might then ask: "What do I have to be grateful for?" Answer: A lot! And this is not to diminish the real threats and actions that we are hearing about and seeing every day. But gratitude is not about them. It's about you.
Episode 24: Separate and NOT Equal: COVID in Europe and America
COVID-19 has been called the "Great Equalizer." This statement has certainly been proven untrue between individuals and among the different economic, racial, and ethnic segments of society. But it is also untrue on a global scale. Different countries have approached and handled the coronavirus in different ways, with very differing results. In this dynamic episode, the Espresso Talk Today team compares the development of the coronavirus in European countries and the United States.
Episode 23: Meditation to Fight Race-based Stress and Anxiety
The Covid-19 pandemic. Police Violence. White supremacy and terror. Dehumanizing behavior. Systemic racism. Everywhere. Every day. African Americans and other people of color face constant threats not only to their physical safety but also to their mental health. This leads to high levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses that also make African Americans vulnerable to chronic disorders like heart disease, obesity, asthma, and diabetes. And it reduces the life expectancy and quality of life for many African Americans. Add poverty, lack of health care, inadequate housing, and reduced access to good nutrition and clean water to this deadly cocktail and there is another "pandemic" rooted in racism.
Episode 22: Promoting Good Mental Health in the Black Community
May is Mental Health Awareness Month--and the timing is perfect. Stress levels are running very high as the nation deals with the Covid-19 lockdown as well as the easing of lockdown restrictions. But other factors also contribute to high stress and anxiety levels in the African American community. Structural racism, dehumanizing events, police violence, economic uncertainty, poverty, and bias in health care, education, and housing are factors that affect African Americans on the mental, physical, and even spiritual levels.
Episode 21: A Sideways View of Life: The Transformative Power of Poetry
Pulitzer Prize winner, Bob Dylan once said, "The world is never the same once a good poem has been added to it." The same can apply to people after reading a good poem; they are forever changed. In this unique episode, Robin and Ben read and discuss two of their favorite poems.
Episode 20: Folktales: The Forgotten Literature
People read different kinds of modern or classic fiction. Others read modern or historical nonfiction, essays, or articles. However, there is one type of fiction that is often overlooked yet has been on the literary scene for more than a thousand years: Folktales. Often relegated to simple children's stories, folktales are an ancient form of entertainment. Most folktales are written with human characters. Others are part of the oral tradition with animals taking the lead as human protagonists.
Episode 19: Do You Have the Right to Vote?
Does the U.S. Constitution guarantee the right to vote? Most Americans answer a proud and resounding "Yes!" Unfortunately, this answer is wrong. The Constitution does not guarantee the right to vote--and this has led to many problems. From onerous registration requirements to blatant acts of voter suppression, this "missing" right has disenfranchised millions of potential voters and undermined the integrity of the American electoral system.
Episode 18: COVID-19: The Great Revealer of Inequality, Injustice, and Insensitivity
Is COVID-19 the "Great Equalizer"? A more accurate description is that COVID-19 is the "Great Revealer." This lethal virus is revealing inequality and injustice at every level of American society. African Americans are hugely and disproportionately affected by the coronavirus, causing more illness and more death than in any other community.
Episode 17: COVID-19: The Dangers of Being Black, Poor, and Medically Needy
COVID-19 has been called "the Great Equalizer" because of its lethal attacks on people of all races, genders, and economic backgrounds. Yet African Americans are disproportionately affected by the coronavirus, causing more illness and more death. This "great equalizer" characterization is not only inaccurate but is, in fact, increasing the danger to African Americans. Doug and Robin discuss an article, "What the COVID-19 Pandemic Means for Black Americans," by Dr. Uche Blackstock.
Episode 16: The Untold History of African American Presidential Candidates
Do you know how many African Americans have run for President of the United States? The history books are filled with the names and stories of White men (and a few White women) who have run for the world's most powerful political office. Forgotten are the African Americans--both men and women--who have run for President of the United States. From the great orator and abolitionist, Frederick Douglass, to the fiery and bold activist, Cynthia McKinney, and beyond, African Americans have taken the courageous (and dangerous) step to be the leader of the free world. Some ran as candidates of the major political parties.
Episode 15: Suppressing the Vote: An American Tale II
The right to vote is deeply entrenched in the United States. But, today, many people rightly question this belief. President Barack Obama shockingly stated that the United States is the only liberal democracy that makes it more difficult for people to vote. The United States does indeed have a long and terrible history of denying the vote to African Americans and the poor.
Episode 14: Suppressing the Vote: An American Tale I
The right to vote is deeply entrenched in the United States. Or is it? President Barack Obama shockingly stated that the United States is the only liberal democracy that makes it more difficult for people to vote. The United States does indeed have a long and terrible history of denying the vote to African Americans and other people of color, women, and the poor.
Episode 13: The Hidden Truth about Race, Veganism, Health Care and More
Do environmental issues have unique consequences for African American and Indigenous communities? What special issues do Black vegans encounter? Will universal health care solve the racial bias problems in medical treatment? There are many issues that appear as race-neutral but that actually present special challenges for African Americans as well as Native and Indigenous communities.
Episode 12: How White People Can Fight for Racial Justice
How can White people fight for racial justice and equality for African Americans and other people of color? Co-hosts Doug and Robin discuss this controversial issue, presented in the groundbreaking article, “64 Things White People can do for Racial Justice.”
Episode 11: The Surprising Life of Harriet Tubman
What do you know about Harriet Tubman? Yes, she was a courageous conductor on the Underground Railroad, helping hundreds of enslaved Africans to escape to freedom. But her courage, skills, and talent extended far beyond those night-time "trips" through swamps and darkness following the North Star.
Episode 10: Why the Sun Never Sets on Black History
Yes, Black History Month comes only once per year. From the special museum and library exhibits to the musical and cultural festivals, Black History Month is a vibrant time of remembrance, learning, and celebration. But there is no need to sing the end-of-Black-History-Month blues!
Episode 9: A Most Shocking and Inhumane Form of Discrimination
The health care system in the United States is marked by racial discrimination and bias. From the Reconstruction Era until the present, African Americans have experienced racial discrimination in access to and treatment under the health care system. Many are aware of the Tuskegee experiments but other lesser-known situations have also occurred such as the case of Henrietta Lacks, a Black woman who died of cancer in 1951 whose cells were "stolen" and used to make cancer drugs.
Episode 8: Universal Health Care 2: The Walking Uninsured
The United States is the only high-income country that does not provide health care to its citizens and residents as a human right. As a result, more than 30 million people remain uninsured. Of course, this has tragic consequences for individuals and families. Recent attempts to correct this problem have been less than successful and more than disappointing.
Episode 7: How the Motion Picture Academy Overlooks Black Talent
The Academy Award is one of the most prestigious awards in the motion picture industry. Yet African Americans--with our growing representation in the industry--have not been fairly or adequately represented as the recipients of these prestigious awards.
Episode 6: Universal Health Care in the United States
In this first episode about universal health care, Doug and Robin introduce the problems of health care in the United States. What are some of the major problems that Americans face regarding their health care? Is universal health care a real solution?
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