Black & Brainy Podcast

In this final episode of Season 1, Dr. Myriam and Dr. Laura seek to ask whether we are using the right frameworks to tackle issues of Black empowerment and Black liberation. What do those terms mean to Black people today anyway, and do we have to agree on issues of identity and strategy in order to play our part? Resources mentioned in this episode: Kevin Cokley and Ramya Garba (2018). Speaking Truth to Power: How Black/African Psychology Changed the Discipline of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0095798418810592 Amos Wilson (1998). Blueprint for Black Power: A Moral, Political, and Economic Imperative for the Twenty-First Century. https://afrikanconsciousnessbookstore.net/product/amos-n-wilson-blueprint-for-black-power-a-moral-political-and-economic-imperative-for-the-twenty-first-century-paperback/ Thanks for joining us this season. We will be back in Fall 2022!

Black cultures are such fountains of creativity, so why does it seem like there's a serious LACK of imagination when it comes to the stories we tell ourselves about being Black in this world? Just in time for the season of rebirth and new awakenings, join Dr. Laura in this creative visualization exercise designed to help us all focus our attention on the best possible outcomes and re-imagine what it means to be Black and thriving now and into the future.  Not familiar with creative visualization as a therapeutic technique? Check this out: https://positivepsychology.com/visualization-techniques/

Amos Wilson, the Pan-African psychologist, said "cultural continuity is achieved by educating children in the ways of their culture." He also said that "the way to conquer a people is to destroy the love they have for one another." So in honor of Black History Month and Valentine's Day, Dr. Laura and Dr. Myriam discuss how we can balance our needs for mental health and the passing down of real Black history through the love of the Black FAMILY. 

Dr. Myriam and Dr. Laura continue their conversation about grief by delving into the idea of ancestor veneration, which is really not as uncommon as Americans like to pretend. Finally, some tips for rebirth and renewal in our daily lives. 

Dr. Laura and Dr. Myriam explore existential psychology, stages of grief, and an African concept that reminds us of the continuity of life.  Ideas mentioned in this episode: Existential psychology/existentialism: https://dictionary.apa.org/existential-psychology Critique of the Kubler-Ross Stages of Grief model: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-history/its-time-let-five-stages-grief-die Dikenga dia Kongo cosmogram: https://isikuro.tumblr.com/post/25587587862/the-congo-cosmogram-called-the-dikenga-or-yowa-is Dikenga dia Kongo in archaeological research: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290562014_The_Kongo_Cosmogram_in_Historical_Archaeology_and_the_Moral_Compass_of_Dave_the_Potter

A quick message from Dr. Laura as we transition from 2021 to 2022, and appreciate the wisdom of this season.  Learn more about the Dikenga Dia Kongo here: http://www.diaspora.illinois.edu/news1207/news1207-2.html

What is the difference between religion and spirituality? How have people across the African Diaspora managed to retain elements of their indigenous spirituality even while adopting other faiths? And what does it mean to "grow up" spiritually?  Dr. Myriam and Dr. Laura share a little of their own spiritual journeys as well as some of the perspectives in the field of psychology related to belief, faith, and trust in a "higher power." There are more questions than answers...but that's what makes it a good conversation! Mentioned in this episode: Mami Wata: https://face2faceafrica.com/article/mami-wata-the-most-celebrated-mermaid-like-deity-from-africa-who-crossed-over-to-the-west Yemoja/Yemaya: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yemonja Stephen Roberts: https://news.stanford.edu/2020/01/31/consequences-perceiving-god-white-man/

Dr. Myriam Kadeba and Dr. Laura Turner-Essel explore the meaning(s) of freedom, relate it to the psychological construct of self-actualization, and discuss exemplars from across the African Diaspora that have embodied the concept of freedom on both personal and collective levels.  Important freedom fighters mentioned in this episode: -Kwame Nkrumah -Thomas Sankara -Marcus Garvey -Toussaint L'ouverture -Dessalines -Abdaraya (Aunty) Toya

Part 2. Dr. Myriam Kadeba and Dr. Laura Turner-Essel explore Black joy as a strategy to combat the trauma of anti-Black oppression. Whether through music, comedy, spirituality, food, or family, people of the African Diaspora have always found ways to honor their humanity and celebrate their connections despite the war waged against Black bodies, minds, and spirits.  Myriam and Laura explore the concepts of joy, resilience, and flourishing as powerful tools to train our attention in ways that support Black well-being. 

PART 1. What is trauma and how does it relate to the African Diaspora? Although it is often defined in ways that pertain only to the individual, trauma is a regular and deeply impactful aspect of Black life under systems of racial oppression. Dr. Myriam and Dr. Laura describe the ways that trauma can manifest itself within our bodies and our communities. How do Black joy and resilience serve as forms of resistance to White supremacy? Watch out for more on Black joy during the forthcoming Part 2... Notes from Part 1: Trauma (definition from APA), Joy DeGruy (Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome), Resmaa Menakem (Racialized Trauma), Maafa (Google search results), Prentis Hemphill (Embodiment Institute), The Politics of Trauma (book by Staci Haines)

Episode 1: Identity and Belonging. What is the difference between individualist cultures and collectivist cultures? How does African-centered psychology deal with the concept of the individual? And what does it mean to 'belong' within the Black community? Psychologists Myriam Kadeba and Laura Turner-Essel explore these fundamental ideas within both mainstream and Black psychology.