Shows
Black Women Be KnowingThis Black Woman and These Black BooksSend us a textIn this powerful episode, we sit down to answer pressing, real-world questions from our audience. Together, we reflect on the unique challenges and deep rewards of bringing the Black experience into classrooms and work spaces that often lack racial diversity.Listeners ask: How do you approach discussions about race, culture, or equity in a setting where students might have limited exposure to Black folks? And have you found solidarity with other women of color or do you still feel like no one else gets it?With honesty, heart, and...2025-05-1741 minBlack Women Be KnowingRigor Equals Stiffness and DeathSend us a textAs we mark the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, this episode dives deep into the legacy and unfinished promise of school desegregation. While the 1954 Supreme Court ruling was hailed as a milestone for civil rights, we explore the complex realities that followed—from the mass displacement of Black female educators to the resegregation of schools under the guise of "color-blind" policies often championed by conservative agendas.We discuss how research continues to affirm the academic benefits of students having Black women as teachers, and we highlight how project-based an...2025-05-0341 minBlack Women Be KnowingThis Indefinite Transactional SocietySend us a textIn this episode, we unpack the dual realities of community and capitalism in the United States. On one hand, we explore the undeniable power of collective action—how safety, support, and real change are most often found when we show up for one another in community. But what happens when allyship becomes more about optics than solidarity?We take a critical look at how relationships in the U.S. are often shaped by a transactional mindset—fueled by a capitalist framework that values productivity over people. From performative allyship to fleeting supp...2025-04-1947 minBlack Women Be KnowingDeep SighSend us a textVenture through a variety of topics with us this week as we discuss the way we as Black women are viewed vs. how we see ourselves in and how that impacts us in the workplace, the lack of understanding Black women educators experience because of the luxury others have to not know our histories and traumas, and in particular how that lack of understanding impacts us in times like the current political climate. We cover a lot of ground this episode, but hope to spark some much needed conversation as we reflect on...2025-04-0542 minBlack Women Be KnowingIt's the Performance For MeSend us a textIn this episode, we unpack how we navigate everything from being hired into spaces that claim to value diversity but lack the necessary infrastructure to support Black teachers, to experiencing racial gaslighting that undermines our professional and personal experiences. We dive deep into how we confront and cope with the toxic behaviors and microaggressions that often go unchecked in these spaces. How do we maintain our sense of self and continue to show up for our students, while also protecting our well-being in environments that were not built with us in mind?2025-03-2236 minBlack Women Be KnowingThe Weight That We CarrySend us a textThe Jezebel and the Sapphire are caricatures of Black women that continue to cause harm today. Hang out with us as we discuss these enduring caricatures and the stereotypes they have planted in society as well as the treatment of Black women they have caused. From Megan the Stallion and Sojourner Truth to Black women educators, there is a consistent invisible weight that we carry as we try to navigate a world stacked against us. Find the scholarship we discuss here:Sharena Stevenson's "Black Female Educator: Underappreciated, Overworked, and t...2025-03-0838 minBlack Women Be KnowingOf Course...Send us a textWhat do we bring with us as adults working in predominantly white suburban institutions, when we spent our formative adolescent years in such similar environments? In today's episode, we reflect on our own high school years and how those experiences shaped, not only our adolescence, but our ongoing work as educators. We offer a unique perspective on the challenges and triumphs of educating the next generation in spaces where we once felt isolated. From navigating microaggressions and cultural dissonance to developing resilience and self-advocacy, we share personal stories and insights on how our...2025-02-2234 min
Black Women Be KnowingNo One Else Gets ItSend us a textIntroducing, Black Women Be Knowing, the podcast where we talk teaching in the 'burbs. Join us as we unpack the struggles of being two of the only Black women in our school and the emotional tole they take as we endure tokenism, microaggressions, and beyond! This week we will be discussing G.T. Reyes' (2022) article "A love letter to educational leaders of Color: “CREWing UP” with critical whiteness studies" and how having kin in a treacherous work environment is crucial to our survival. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09518398.2022.2061073...2025-02-0840 minBlack Women Be KnowingSeason 1 TrailerSend us a textJoin us every other Saturday starting this Saturday, Feb 8th as we dive into the lives of Black women educators working in the suburbs!This is difficult work that we're doing, and even though we can't always be with you to bear witness, trust us, we know... Welcome home!2025-02-0701 min