Helen Hope Kimbrough & Charlitta Hatch

Shows

Live with THRIVEThe Shift: Motherhood & Who We’re BecomingWhat happens when three women from different seasons of motherhood sit down for a real conversation about identity, marriage, and the messy, beautiful truth of being a mom?In this special collaborative episode of Live with THRIVE × Behind the Throne, Dr. Alison Harris Welcher is joined by Helen Hope Kimbrough and Charlitta Hatch for a deep and honest dialogue that goes far beyond the highlight reel.Together, they explore:💬 How motherhood reshapes our identity💬 The strain (and growth) it brings to our marriages💬 What social media hides about the reality of being a mom💬 How to build community and stop doing it...2025-06-111h 10

Behind the Throne32. Parenting in the Age of AI | Embracing Technology While Setting Boundaries and Teaching Responsible UseAI has been the topic on everyone’s mind this year. From the rise of generative AI and ChatGPT to the increase in self-driving cars, it’s easy to get swept up in the news stories of AI gone wrong, but every generation has had at least one technological leap that made parents pause and teens rejoice; AI is no different. In this episode, Charlitta’s tech genius shines as she walks us through practical AI uses, how to teach your child to use it responsibly, and why embracing it will serve you and your kids better in the long r...2024-12-1945 min

Behind the Throne31. Life Is Life-ing | How We’re Handling a Very Challenging YearYou’ve probably noticed that Charlitta and I haven’t been on the mic together in a minute, and this episode is about why: life has been life-ing, y’all! We’ve both had challenges this year with family health struggles, exciting life changes, and more. In this episode, we share how we’ve been coping with life without sacrificing our relationships, how therapy has helped us process grief, and so much more. Some key takeaways from this episode include: You get to decide what you share or don’t share about what you’re going through...2024-12-1256 min

Behind the Throne30. Processing the 2024 Election Results | Demographics in Exit Polls, Leaning on Community, and MoreQuick question: how are you feeling? A month has passed since the election, but chances are you still might be feeling anxious, uncertain, or disappointed. We’re right there with you, and so are our guests in today’s episode: Lucretia Berry, antiracism curriculum specialist and Founder of brownicity; Kristen Stegall, podcast producer and CEO of Novice Studios; and Rachel Walt, human design expert, reiki healer, and Founder of Craftingood. In this episode, these women join Helen to discuss how we’re feeling about the election results, how we’re claiming our power, and the importance of community in these ne...2024-12-051h 19

Behind the Throne30. Evaluating the Others | The Generational Influence of Black Mothers on Their ChildrenIn this special bonus episode of Behind the Throne, Charlitta interviews William P. Miller, Owner of William P. Miller Special Events and Event Producer for Jack & Jill of America. William offers his unique experience being raised by a Black mother, working with Black mothers through his role with Jack & Jill of America, and his advice to Black mothers raising the next generation. This episode was recorded as a part of Charlitta’s graduate studies for her doctorate degree in Urban Education. Her research interests include Black mothers and how they navigate the education system for their Black sons. R...2024-11-0712 min

Behind the Throne29. Helen’s Mother, Betty Hope, on What It Means to Vote and Leave a LegacyLast week, Helen assisted her parents in Athens, Georgia with casting their vote in the 2024 election. In this episode, Helen sits with her mother, Betty Hope, as she tells the story of why this election is so historic for her and her husband, and why watching him cast this vote this year was so emotional and wonderful for them. If you haven’t yet voted, it’s not too late to vote early! Below is more info on early voting: North Carolina Early Voting Georgia Early Voting South Carolina Early Voting ...2024-10-3109 min

Behind the Throne28. Parent-Teacher Collaboration | Encouraging Learning, Mental Health Signals, and More with Alicia HashIf you’ve been following our podcast, or know us personally, you know we are huge advocates for experiential learning and education. Since we’re all back into the swing of school, we invited our friend Alicia Hash, an award-winning elementary school principal in Charlotte, NC, to share her perspective as an educator of how we as parents can be active participants and supports of our children’s education. Some key takeaways from this episode include: Parents are their child’s first teacher because children begin learning as soon as they’re born. However, from an educato...2024-10-2431 min

Behind the Throne27. Your Vote Matters | Voting Rights, Civic Engagement, and Making Your Voice Heard with Jamila GreenThere is a very important election coming up in November, but not everyone feels that their vote matters. In this episode, Helen sits down with Jamila Green, Community Engagement Manager at the YWCA Central Carolinas, to discuss our earliest memories and messages around voting, why we don’t take our right to vote for granted, and all the ways you can make your voice heard through community engagement. Early voting begins today in North Carolina, so make sure you get out and make your voice heard! Resources mentioned: YWCA Central Carolinas So...2024-10-1733 min

Behind the ThroneSummer Sun, Learning Fun, and Travel Hacks for Everyone! | ReplayWhile we're on a break this summer, we wanted to share some of our most popular episodes for you to revisit and enjoy! This was our second episode we released and y'all loved it, so we're bringing it back this week! School’s out for the summer! Even if you have some summer camps or travel plans on the calendar to keep your kids busy, there’s a lot of time left to fill with activities. In this episode, we’re sharing our best tips for keeping fun at the forefront while helping your kids l...2024-06-2719 min

Behind the Throne26. One Year of Behind the Throne | Our Favorite Episodes, What We’ve Learned, and What’s Next for UsThe Behind the Throne podcast is officially one year old!! Since our first episode aired the week of Mother’s Day in 2023, we’ve released three seasons, started a YouTube channel, and welcomed amazing guests on the show. In this episode, we reflect on what we think makes the show special, our favorite episodes we’ve done, and what’s next for the show moving forward. Thank you so much for being on this journey with us as a listener and supporter! Episodes mentioned: Ep. 24 - What I Wish My Mother Had Told Me Ep. 1...2024-05-2323 min

Behind the Throne25. The Power of a Positive No | Book Discussion on Setting Boundaries, People Pleasing, and MoreAfter a full season of lots of amazing guests, the OG duo is back on the mic this week! In this episode, we’re discussing the book The Power of a Positive No by William Ury, which piqued both of our interests as people pleasers who tend to say “yes” when we want to say “no.” We share what it taught us about setting boundaries, trusting your intuition, healthy relationships, and more! Resources mentioned: The Power of a Positive No by William Ury Mamas, don’t forget these key takeaways!: Think about when y...2024-05-1625 min

Behind the Throne24. What I Wish My Mother Had Told Me | Live Panel Discussion on Mental Health Within Mother-Daughter RelationshipsIn April, we were invited to be a part of a discussion called “What I Wish My Mother Had Told Me,” which centered mental health topics around the relationship between mothers and daughters. Helen led a panel of community leaders and asked them questions about self-esteem, boundaries, worthiness, and social media, and how all of these tie in to mental health. Panelists: Helen Hope Kimbrough, panel moderator Jade Dawkins Dr. Daisy Walker Lynn Conner, MSW, LCSW - Be & Belong Therapy, PLLC Resources: The Academy of Goal A...2024-05-0234 min

Behind the Throne23. Deciding to Join the Military, Experiential Learning, and Being a Younger Brother with Avery KimbroughIn this episode, Helen is joined by her younger son, Avery Kimbrough. Avery is a senior at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He shares his experience of growing up with his older brother Austin, deciding to join the military at a very young age, and how his mom advocated for his learning style in a public school setting. Episodes mentioned: Episode 17: The Things I Learned From My Mom with Austin Kimbrough Some key takeaways from this episode include: Helen’s sons couldn’t be more different, but they have...2024-04-1817 min

Behind the Throne22. Amplify Your Voice By Starting a Podcast feat. Our Producer Kristen StegallSince we started our podcast, we’ve gotten questions about how we started from listeners wanting to start their own shows. So in this episode, we brought on our producer, Kristen, to share how you can amplify your voice and message through podcasting, her best tips for podcasting, and how she started her business. Kristen is a Podcast Producer and the CEO of Novice Studios, a full-service video podcast production company based in Charlotte, NC. You can learn more about Novice Studios at https://novicestudiosclt.com/, or connect with Kristen on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/no...2024-04-1120 min

Behind the Throne21. Charlitta Gets a Mommy Report Card From Her 7-Year-Old Son, MarkWe are so excited to have a very special guest on today’s episode: Mark Hatch III, Charlitta’s 7-year-old son! In this episode, Charlitta interviews Mark to see just how much he knows about her, what he’s absorbing from the lessons she’s been teaching him, and his favorite things about her. Some key takeaways from this episode include: Your kids know way more about you than you might realize! They are observing your interests, your patterns, and your likes and dislikes at all times. If you’re helping yo...2024-04-0408 min

Behind the Throne20. Preparing Black Mothers for Birth & Postpartum | Working with a Doula, Setting Boundaries, & More with Kris ElleWelcome to season three of Behind the Throne! We are starting off the season with a special guest, Kris Elle, a Certified Doula, Certified Lactation Consultant. Kris is the Founder of Mother of Ease, a Black maternal and family health practice that specializes in supporting Black women and their families through pregnancy and birth. In this episode, Kris shares how she empowers clients to create their vision for their birth and postpartum journeys, setting boundaries with providers and family members, and learning to ask for help when we need it. Resources mentioned: Oh Sis, You’re...2024-03-2838 min

Behind the Throne19. Dr. Claudine Gay’s Resignation, Microaggressions, and the Burden of Being the First Black Woman in a RoleWhen we heard the news of Dr. Claudine Gay’s resignation from her role as the first Black female president of Harvard University, we knew we had to unpack our feelings and the wounds it opened on the podcast. In our experiences as Black women, we’ve faced microaggressions, assumptions about our qualifications, and a lack of support and allyship from our colleagues. In this bonus episode, we’re covering all of that and so much more. Some key takeaways from this episode include: So many Black women know what it means to be the only d...2024-01-1157 min

Behind the Throne18. Our Top 5 Episodes, Reflecting on 2023, and our Goals for 2024Season two and 2023 are coming to a close, so in this episode, we’re counting down our top five most viewed episodes of the year! Plus, we each share our reflections from the past year and our personal and professional goals for 2024. See you in season three! Our Top 5 Episodes: #5 - Ep. 3: Mom Hacks | Habits That Will Make Your Life Easier #4 - Ep. 14: Navigating Career Changes & Identity Shifts in Motherhood #3 - Ep. 12: The Affirmative Action Ruling #2 - Ep. 6: The Challenges, Joys, and Misconceptions of Fatherhood feat. Marcus Kimbrough & Mark Ha...2023-12-2216 min

Behind the Throne17. The Things I Learned From My Mom | Helen Interviews Her Son, Austin KimbroughThis week, we have a very special guest on the podcast. Helen’s son, Austin Kimbrough is on the mic! Austin is living and working in Houston, Texas, so while he was home for Thanksgiving, he joined Helen in the studio to share the lessons he learned from his mom, what stuck into adulthood, and what he had to learn on his own. Some key takeaways from this episode include: It was important to Helen that Austin take school seriously and put a lot of effort into it, but Austin's goal was to do the ba...2023-12-1423 min

Behind the Throne16. An OB/GYN’s Perspective on Black Maternal Health With Dr. Mala Freeman-KwakuIn the last episode, we shared our personal birth stories and how Black maternal health issues hit so close to home for us. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Mala Freeman-Kwaku of Arboretum Gynecology in Charlotte, NC to share her perspective on the challenges Black women are facing in the healthcare system, what’s causing the disparities, and how we can make informed decisions about our care moving forward. Dr. Mala Freeman-Kwaku is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist with twenty years of experience in obstetrics. She is a mother of four and believes in considering th...2023-12-0749 min

Behind the Throne15. Sharing Our Birth Stories + What We Learned From Them | Black Maternal HealthYou know we love to keep it light and fun on this show, but this episode is definitely a heavier topic. We are talking about Black maternal health in the U.S., as well as sharing our birth stories with each of our two children. Both of us had difficult and traumatic births, but we learned so much from these experiences that we want to pass on to our listeners. Even if you’re done having kids, there may be some parts of our stories that resonate with you and make you feel less alone. Some key ta...2023-11-0227 min

Behind the Throne14. Navigating Career Changes & Identity Shifts in Motherhood + Work-Life IntegrationMotherhood inspires so many identity shifts within us, and how we approach our careers and work is certainly one of them! In this episode, Charlitta shares how she talks to her kids about her career and contributions to the family, and Helen shares her decision to stay at home when her son was sick, and what it was like to return to the workforce later on. We also discuss the concept of “work-like integration” versus “work-life balance.” Resources mentioned: Become the CEO of You, Inc. by Susan Bulkeley Butler Some key takeaways from this epi...2023-10-2622 min

Behind the Throne13. Raising Multiple Children | Balancing Needs, Interests, and Quality Time with Multiple KidsRaising multiple children is a huge gift, but it also comes with some unique challenges! In this episode, we’re sharing some parenting breakthroughs we’ve had about accommodating our childrens’ different needs, recognizing their different interests, and prioritizing quality time with each child. Some key takeaways from this episode include: It’s not only important to spend one-on-one quality time with each of your children, but also for both parents to spend time with one child as a party of three. This lets all the attention and connection be on one child for a bit so t...2023-10-1922 min

Behind the Throne12. The Affirmative Action Ruling & Back-to-School RoutinesAt the beginning of the summer, we shared some initial thoughts on the SCOTUS ruling on affirmative action and promised to share more later. In this episode, we are diving into the ruling, how it’s harmful to our children and future job placement opportunities, and what it means for HBCUs. Plus, Charlitta shares how her littles are adjusting to school schedules and Helen talks about how she prepares her college-aged children for school as well. Some key takeaways from this episode include: Back to school time can be a big adjustment fo...2023-10-1222 min

Behind the Throne11. Two Fish and Five Loaves of Bread | Getting Your Kids to Eat Healthy FoodsGetting your kids to eat healthy foods can be difficult, but we have some tried and true tips for raising healthy eaters that love eating fruits and veggies… even if we have to sneak them into dishes without them knowing! We hope these tips are helpful, and would love to hear your own tips in the comments on our YouTube channel! Resources mentioned: Yummy Healthy Tasties In My Tummy by Helen Hope Kimbrough & Cynthia Jackson Some key takeaways from this episode include: If you have littles that refuse to eat fruits an...2023-10-0518 min

Behind the Throne10. Season Two Kick-Off | Recapping Our Summer AdventuresWe are back and better than ever!! In our kick-off to season two of Behind the Throne, we are sharing our summer adventures, from Charlitta seeing Beyoncé perform in Paris to Helen crossing more U.S. states off her bucket list. Grab a cup of coffee and join us for our catch-up session! Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss any of season two!! Some key takeaways from this episode include: You need to take time to do the things you love! Go on the girls trip, buy the concert tickets, and leave...2023-09-2820 min

Behind the Throne9. If Only I Knew… | Our Advice to Our Younger SelvesIn our final episode of the season, we are sharing the advice we would give to our younger selves. From body image to friendships to faith, we touch on a lot of universal truths that we feel will resonate with everyone, no matter how old you are now! P.S. That’s a wrap on season one, so make sure you subscribe to our show so you don’t miss the kick-off of season two this fall! Some key takeaways from this episode include: Embrace your body just as it is. We get caug...2023-07-0615 min

Behind the Throne8. How Do You Talk to Your Child About Race?Some of the most difficult conversations we can have end up being the most impactful, and in this episode, we’re unpacking a conversation that many parents are unsure how to address with their children: race. This week, we’re sharing our own experiences of the people and events that shaped our own perceptions of race, and how you can approach the topic with your kids, no matter their age. Some key takeaways from this episode include: Reflect on your views of your own race and when you started noticing race. How old were you? Who...2023-06-2920 min

Behind the Throne7. Staying Connected to Yourself and Your PartnerStaying connected to your partner through your parenthood journey is so important, but staying connected to yourself should be your priority too! In this episode, we’re sharing our tips for getting back in touch with yourself as you go through life transitions, and how to keep that spark and connection alive with your partner through it all. Some key takeaways from this conversation include: We tend to put ourselves last, but we need to put our own oxygen masks on first. Finding your identity and what makes you you is crucial for staying connected to...2023-06-2220 min

Behind the Throne6. The Challenges, Joys, and Misconceptions of Fatherhood feat. Marcus Kimbrough & Mark HatchThis is such a special episode because we are joined by our husbands - Marcus Kimbrough and Mark Hatch! Father’s Day is just around the corner, so we are talking about our relationships with our own fathers, the challenges and great joys of fatherhood, and what we wish the media knew about Black fathers. Resources mentioned: Episode 1: The Mothers That Shaped Our Own Motherhood Journeys Some of the key takeaways from this episode include: Fathers who instill confidence in their children (especially daughters!) and validate their feelings and strengths, raise ch...2023-06-1528 min

Behind the Throne5. Why Race and Culture Matter to StorytellingThere have been so many conversations about representation over the last few years, but sometimes we miss talking about the significance of representation in children’s books. In this episode, we’re sharing our journey to becoming authors and publishers of multicultural children’s books to help our children expand their views of the world and become strong, excited readers. Resources mentioned: Helen’s Publishing Company - AK Classics, LLC Charlitta’s Me3 Project & Black Boy Joy Book Series Some key takeaways from this episode include: Both of us felt calle...2023-06-0819 min

Behind the Throne4. Networking 101 | Building Strong Connections and RelationshipsWe’ve all heard the phrase, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” This phrase rings true in all areas of life, including motherhood. Networking allows us to build strong interpersonal relationships that lead to friendships, professional connections, and trusted partners to look out for our kids when we can’t be with them. In this episode, we’re sharing our top networking tips and our personal philosophy on sharing the gift of connection. Resources: OWN Spotlight: “Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome” Some key takeaways from this episode include: Networking is all...2023-06-0118 min

Behind the Throne3. Mom Hacks | Habits That Will Make Your Life EasierAs busy moms, we are always looking for ways to make our lives easier and take some things off our plates. In this episode, we’re sharing the mom hacks that have helped us stress less and spend more time on the things that matter to us and to our families. Just a few habits in your daily, weekly, or monthly routine can do wonders. Let us know what your mom hacks are in the comments on our YouTube channel! A few of the hacks we share in this episode include: Outsource what you can. Ha...2023-05-2520 min

Behind the Throne2. Summer Sun, Learning Fun, and Travel Hacks for Everyone!School’s almost out for the summer! Even if you have some summer camps or travel plans on the calendar to keep your kids busy, there’s a lot of time left to fill with activities. In this episode, we’re sharing our best tips for keeping fun at the forefront while helping your kids learn new things and practice skills over the summer. Plus, some tried and true travel tips to keep your summer trips fun, educational, and hassle-free. A few of the tips we share for making summer fun and educational include: 2023-05-1819 min

Behind the Throne1. The Mothers That Shaped Our Own Motherhood JourneysTo kick off our podcast and Mother’s Day weekend, we are honoring the mothers and mother figures in our lives who have shaped our motherhood journeys. From the generational influences of grandmothers to the support of sisters and aunties, we’re celebrating the women who have impacted us, our children, and everyone around them. Some key takeaways of this episode include: How is your family modeling what it means to celebrate mothers and treat them like queens all year round. Your kids are looking to the adults around them to set the example of what...2023-05-1117 min

Behind the ThroneWelcome to the Behind the Throne Podcast!Mothers are the queens of the castle, but let’s be real: it’s not all ball gowns and glass slippers. On this podcast, we’re giving you a peek Behind the Throne at the privilege and responsibility of wearing the crown. Hosted by Helen Hope Kimbrough - a proud wife and mom of two adult sons - and Charlitta Hatch, a proud wife, married to her high school sweetheart, and a proud mom of two little ones. Get ready as we share jewels with each other and you around all things connected to motherhood! Connect with Us...2023-05-0909 min