If you’re currently investigating the number of Black voices, perspectives, and artists you follow—that’s great. Maybe you’re looking to expand by adding these Black podcasts to your Spotify queue—that’s also great. But before we dive in, take a minute to check-in with yourself: How else are you engaging with Black culture on the daily? How can you support those efforts—whether monetarily or through sharing with friends and family? At the end of the day, be sure to take real account of the ways you listen to Black people far beyond these podcasts.
That can look like having difficult conversations at work, shifting to support Black business brands, or showing up for politics and movements that support Black Lives Matter. And for Black readers, it also means listening to yourself: Listen to your body when it grows tired, listen to your mind when it needs a break, and honor that.
Some of the podcasts below should everyone—from allies to members of the Black community—reach those goals. Keep on reading for five podcasts by Black hosts to listen to, learn and heal from today.
“Therapy for Black Girls”
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford is a Licensed Psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia who runs “Therapy for Black Girls,” a podcast by the same name as her incredibly resourceful website for connecting Black women with Black mental health professionals. With so many barriers to access—be it social, cultural, financial, or geographic—this free podcast is the perfect way for Black women to bridge the gap.
“Growing up with gal-dem”
Editor-in-Chief of the UK’s gal-dem magazine, Liv Little, and her fellow head of editorial, Charlie Brinkhurst Cuff, tackle questions and curiosities from their younger selves in this enlightening podcast. They invite notable non-binary individuals and womxn of color to weigh in on the conversations—making for a refreshingly inclusive perspective on the lessons we all could’ve used while growing up. But as “Growing Up With gal-dem” proves, it’s never too late to have that dialogue.
“Still Processing”
If you aren’t following Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris’s voices on the page already, then you’re missing out—but maybe reading isn’t your thing. The good news is that you can get a version of these New York Times’ writers’ perspectives on their weekly podcast, “Still Processing,” which weighs in on all things pop culture and trending news. Also, their voices? They’re the smoothest thing you’ll ever hear.
“The Read”
Sometimes you just need to be read to filth. And if you don’t *really* know what that means, you definitely need to listen in on Kid Fury and Crissle West’s over-hour-long takes on the absolute foolery going on in pop culture from an unabashedly Black perspective. The “The Read” is honestly a sonic encapsulation of #BlackJoy.
“Yo, Is This Racist?”
You might be asking yourself this question as you learn more and more about race, and let’s just say that the answer is, uh, usually yes to some degree. But Andrew Ti and co-host Tawny Newsome are here to help anonymous callers understand why their subject is racist. The result is usually funny and entertaining as hell, while also managing to be educational to those looking for answers.