Her Take by Laila Jean Yu Says

Every day Black women walk into professional spaces and pay a tax that nobody talks about. The grace tax. The invisible emotional labor of filtering your words, softening your truth, and performing composure in spaces that were never designed to protect you.In this episode Laila gets honest about what it actually feels like to clock in and clock out of your authentic self daily. She breaks down the aggression label, the double standard that gives everyone else permission to be fully human while Black women are expected to be endlessly gracious, and why she created Her Take as a space to finally say the true thing without apology.This one is for every Black woman who has ever swallowed something she needed to say. Your voice matters. Your exhaustion is valid. And you do not owe the world your silence.Her Take. Unbothered. Unfiltered. Unapologetic.

In this episode, Laila unpacks the blurred lines between admiration and obsession in reality TV fandoms. Using Love Island as the lens, she explores parasocial relationships, toxic fandom culture, and the racial bias behind “editing wars.” Tune in for real talk, reflection, and questions that make you rethink how deeply we connect to people we don’t actually know.Audios used in the podcast: https://www.tiktok.com/@wickdconfections/video/7525618201271553310https://www.tiktok.com/@nothisisntnique/video/7524120122596805901

In this episode of Her Take Laila Jean Yu gets honest about the moment she stopped chasing and started becoming.After a toxic relationship in 2018 she had to face some uncomfortable truths about herself. What she was chasing. Why she kept running toward people and validation that were never meant for her. And what it actually took to do the deep inner work and become a woman she would genuinely choose.This episode covers the father wound driving unhealthy dating patterns, what shadow work really looks like beyond the aesthetic journaling, how law of assumption became a game changer, and the powerful question every Black woman needs to ask herself right now.This one is for every woman who has ever popped her own balloon before anyone else got the chance.Would you date yourself right now?Her Take with Laila Jean Yu Says. New episodes dropping regularly. Subscribe so you never miss one.

For years, the media framed Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks as rivals.But was there ever real beef — or was it projection?In this episode of Her Take, we unpack the modeling industry politics of the 90s, the emotional labor expectations placed on Black women, and the difference between feeling unsupported and actually being harmed.We also explore how narratives are created, amplified, and sometimes weaponized — especially when two powerful Black women occupy the same space.Was it competition?Was it misalignment?Or was it emotional projection shaped by a system that thrives on scarcity?This conversation goes deeper than fashion.It’s about power, perception, and the roles we assign people without ever asking them to agree.

At the 2026 BAFTA Awards, Tourette’s activist John Davidson involuntarily shouted the N-word while Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan were presenting. The two Black men pushed through professionally. Nobody from BAFTA checked on them afterwards. And the host’s response? “If you feel offended, we apologize.” In this episode of Her Take, Leila breaks down why that response is not good enough, asks the question nobody in mainstream media is asking — why is that word in your vocabulary at all — and addresses the double standard that allows anti-blackness to be dismissed while every other form of prejudice is treated as an emergency. This is not a comfortable episode. It’s not supposed to be. Her Take. Unbothered, unfiltered, unapologetic.Audio clip used:⁠https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSuthLKMe/

When people talk about racism, they usually point to America.But what about Britain?There’s a global narrative that the UK is more polite. More progressive. Less aggressive. But politeness has never dismantled a system.In this episode, I sit down with a Black woman born and raised in Manchester, who has also lived in London, to unpack what anti-Blackness actually looks like in Britain — in schools, in corporate spaces, in media, and in everyday life.We discuss:• Growing up Black in the UK• Race vs. class in British society• Workplace “politeness” and subtle exclusion• Media invisibility• Colonial history and denial• Anti-Blackness beyond white spaces• What empowerment looks like nowAnti-Blackness doesn’t always shout.Sometimes it whispers.Sometimes it smiles.This isn’t about comparison.It’s about clarity.This is Her Take — and we’re saying the quiet part out loud.

Say Her Name wasn’t created for white women. It was created to center Black women — women whose lives have been historically ignored, erased, and devalued. In this episode, I break down the recent media reaction to Renee Good’s death, explore why movements like ‘Say Her Name’ get co-opted, and call out the systemic hypocrisy that decides whose lives are mourned and whose are overlooked.This episode is bold, unapologetic, and reflective. I challenge you to examine your own awareness, confront uncomfortable truths, and ask yourself: whose names are you really saying — and why? If you care about justice, history, and accountability, this conversation is for you.”Clips featured in this episode:⁠https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSmxhskDV/⁠⁠https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSmxhgKyc/⁠

Black History Month is not about comfort, guilt management, or performative kindness.In this episode, Laila unpacks how Black History Month often becomes a space where white people expect softness, reassurance, and emotional labor from Black people—while avoiding real accountability. From performative allyship to historical erasure, this conversation challenges the demand for palatable Black narratives and calls out the systems actively trying to sanitize and erase Black American history.This episode is not designed to soothe fragility.It’s designed to tell the truth.

Hollywood loves Black culture—the music, the slang, the aesthetics—but when it comes to truly celebrating Black wins, the support gets real quiet. In this episode, I break down how Hollywood continues to tokenize Black actors and directors while refusing to see us as fully human. From limiting roles that box us into slaves, drug dealers, and hyper sexualized stereotypes, to the unspoken demand for white validation, this industry thrives on our creativity but resists our elevation. I also highlight disruptors like Ryan Coogler, who are changing the game by refusing to conform to Hollywood’s racist frameworks and instead centering Black stories with power, depth, and dignity. This is a conversation about systemic racism, representation, and why our wins are still treated as threats.Audios used in the podcast:https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSabd8mMU/

Canada likes to call itself kind, polite, and inclusive — but for Black women growing up here, the story is more complicated. In this episode, I sit down with Mindful and Nana, two incredible Black women, to unpack the truths that often go unspoken.We talk about:Micro-aggressions and the emotional labor of navigating everyday lifeWorkplace realities, code-switching, and setting boundariesThe myths that Canada “isn’t that bad” compared to other countriesHow silence and denial perpetuate anti-BlacknessSurvival, healing, and reclaiming our voicesThis conversation is raw, honest, and unapologetic — a space to name the challenges, reflect on personal experiences, and demand accountability.Listener reflection questions throughout the episode encourage you to:Examine how you’ve responded to anti-BlacknessRecognize the impact of micro-aggressionsReflect on boundaries and self-worthIf you’re ready to confront the uncomfortable truths and honor Black voices in Canada, this episode is for you.Tune in, reflect, and reclaim the conversation.