PODCASTS TO ENJOY ON YOUR JOURNEY OF WAKING UP

In lieu of everything that has gone in the past year, it is imperative that we continue to educate ourselves on issues of race, culture, intersectionality, and respect (especially if you are White.) Although the journey of education can seem overwhelming, there are many resources that can help lift the voices of the oppressed and help us learn how to be better advocates. 

1.Do the Work

This is a podcast hosted by Brandon Kyle Goodman, who facilitates intimate conversations between two people about race. Goodman is able to create a safe, controlled environment where two people, whether friends, family, or coworkers, are able to ask each other open questions and address any issues. For example, there was one episode that involved two coworkers. Jason had many questions about his white privilege, so he decided to post on Facebook and address his questions there. He tagged many of his friends who are people of color, including his coworker Lori, who is Black. Leading up to this first episode, the two coworkers had never discussed Jason’s post, as well as the implication of him tagging his POC coworkers. Goodman is able to act as a mediator so both parties can hear what the other has to say. I won’t spoil the episode regarding Jason and Lori, but it is worth a listen because the issue of white privilege is worth learning about. I love this podcast and wrote about this one first because a lot of the conversations that are fostered on the podcast are similar to conversations and questions that I have had in my own life. 

2. Latinos Who Lunch

This podcast was created to bring up several different issues regarding the intersectionality between queer, Latinx, and Spanglish voices. The podcast is hosted by two friends, Favy Fav and Babelito, two Hispanic men who have a goal of raising awareness about multiculturalism, politics, but also music, art, and food. One of the best aspects of the podcast is that the episodes are usually created while sharing a meal, so it adds a level of friendliness and familiarity to the podcast. 

3. The Diversity Gap

This is a podcast hosted by Bethaney Wilkinson, whose whole purpose in creating this podcast is to focus on the gap between one’s intentions and then the impact that those intentions can create. She explains this concept through a story involving her boss, who had good intentions but was treating Wilkinson differently than the rest of her coworkers. The impact her boss’s actions had was negative, despite the fact that he thought he was helpful and inclusive. The Diversity Gap is a great podcast to refer to if one is looking to increase inclusion in their workplace; Wilkinson has two seasons of episodes filled with guest speakers, tactics, and resources to lessen the gap between our intentions and our impact. 

4. Culture Stew

Maria Morukian hosts Culture Stew, a podcast dedicated to recognizing and celebrating all of the different “ingredients” that make up our culture, or the “stew.” In each episode, Morukian highlights a new guest speaker who ranges from BIPOC authors, professors, philanthropists, and business owners who discuss current events and topics like antiracism, micro-aggressions, and strategies to implement inclusion in the workplace and our daily lives. 

5. Code Switch

Code Switch is a podcast hosted by journalists of color who want to create conversation about race and how virtually everything in our society is touched by race. The journalists dive into everything that race leaks into, including things like politics, pop culture, sports, and history (just to name a few things.) Code Switch is a great podcast for someone who is interesting in hearing multiple different perspectives on current events, and I think Code Switch’s relevancy is what makes it so appealing and applicable for listeners. The other podcasts have centered more so on diversity in the workplace specifically, whereas Code Switch covers diversity in all environments