PODCAST · society
I SEE U
by Houston Public Media
I SEE U is a unique, award-winning program that gives voice to those who have often been unheard, and exploring cultural identity through the stories of people and places that have been transformed by the effects of long-standing biases. We guide fascinating conversations with newsmakers who share their personal histories, their struggles and their triumphs. In listening, we learn to empathize and hopefully experience a few ‘a-ha’ moments for ourselves.
Episodes
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120: The Quiet Storms of Luther Vandross with Filmmaker Dawn Porter
Legendary singer-songwriter Luther Vandross pioneered a golden age of silky-smooth R&B and passionate slow jams. In addition to countless hits and platinum albums, he earned eight Grammy Awards, including ‘Song of the Year’ in 2004 for “Dance With My Father” – a track that was released while he…
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119: A Resurgence of Ballet Royalty – Legendary Dancer Lauren Anderson
Ballet traces its origins to the 15th century and the Italian Renaissance. But the art form has continued to evolve, with choreographers and dancers creatively incorporating new interpretations reflective of contemporary culture. Despite its evolution, today’s ballet still lacks dancers of color,...
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118: A Life of Empathy, Family and Community – Actor & Producer, Luis Guzmán
Despite a highly successful acting career with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, Luis Guzmán never really wanted to be an actor. He was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Loísada, the name given to Manhattan’s Lower East Side by the massive working-class Puerto Rican community that migrated…
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117: Ain’t We Lucky We Got Thelma from ‘Good Times’… Actress Bern Nadette Stanis
In 1974, CBS premiered Good Times, a TV sitcom that would showcase the first Black mother and Black father on screen – two parents, trying to make ends meet, while raising three children. Set in a public housing project in the south side of Chicago, Good Times elevated stories of struggle – the...
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116: America’s Legalized Corruption with Legal Scholar Mehrsa Baradaran
Celebrated author of the award-winning book, The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap, Mehrsa Baradaran states that when the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1863, Blacks had 0.5% of the nation’s wealth. This statistic makes sense, since Blacks weren’t allowed to own…
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115: A Nation with No Name… with “LatinoLand” Author & Acclaimed Journalist Marie Arana
There are 64 million Latinos in the United States – nearly 20% of the population. By 2050, it’s projected that a third of the country’s population will be Latino. But despite being such a significant part of the country, Latinos are still often viewed as being immigrants, not fully American –…
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114: Healing The Art and Soul of America with Samora Pinderhughes
Critically acclaimed musician, Samora Pinderhughes has emerged as one of the most conscientious performers of the moment. The multidisciplinary artist has collaborated with a plethora of musicians, including Herbie Hancock, Common, Robert Glasper, Jill Scott, Sara Bareilles, Daveed Diggs and…
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113: The Legendary Keith David: “Acting Is My Ministry”
With his signature voice and charismatic presence, legendary actor Keith David has starred in almost 400 projects, including film, television, stage and interactive media. From devils to angels, David has played just about every kind of role you can think of – including voice work in Disney and...
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112: Black Country Excellence Lives in Houston, in Beyoncé & with LaChachere Music Group
Country music is often referred to as the quintessential American music – and yet the contributions and influences of Black Americans is often erased and ignored. A prime example: Members of the Carter family were among country music’s first big stars, producing some of the earliest commercial...
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111: Reyna Roberts, The Princess of Outlaw Country
Country star Reyna Roberts was born two months prematurely, at just two pounds. Her doctors feared developmental issues; so, her mother – a student at the University of Alaska – teamed up with professors to develop a unique music therapy to aid in her cognitive growth. The therapy not only…
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110: Identity Politics from the Comics to the Playground: Robb Armstrong and Tiffany Jewell
‘Peanuts’ creator Charles Schulz once shared that a news editor from the South told him, “I don’t mind you having a Black character [on your comic strip], but please don’t show them in school together.” Racial tensions were heated back then when Schultz introduced Franklin, the first Black...
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109: The Oil & GasLighting Industry of Texas with Award-winning Director Alex Stapleton
In many ways, Texas is representative of the demographic and economic dynamism of America. The Lone Star State is very diverse with Latinos as the largest ethnic group; plus, it boasts the largest African American population in the country. Despite the sweeping demographic change of the last few...
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13: The Radical Forgiveness of Anthony Graves [Encore]
Arguably, the state of Texas’ most famous death row exoneree, Anthony Charles Graves spent nearly 20 years in prison for a brutal crime that he did not commit, including 12 years on death row — all while receiving two execution dates. Since his release more than a decade ago, Graves has been...
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108: A Black Man’s Fate with BMF Superstar Eric Kofi Abrefa
Media depictions of Black men historically have been centered around not so flattering stereotypes: unintelligent, lazy, prone to violence, hypersexual — and worst of all, criminal and dangerous. When he’s out in public, acclaimed actor Eric Kofi Abrefa tells I SEE U he has to be make himself…
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107: American (Book) “Ban” Stand with Award-winning Historian Ibram X. Kendi
Ibram X. Kendi is a National Book Award-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author who has dedicated his life to educating all Americans, from grade school to adults, on the unvarnished history of the United States. His latest release, Barracoon: Adapted for Young Readers, is a middle-grade...
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106: Playing With Dolls, To End Segregation – with journalist Tim Spofford
Are concepts of race and racism so embedded in our culture, that kids as young as 3 have a racial identity? How do environment and family dynamics impact a child’s perceived sense of self? These were just some of the questions a husband-and-wife team of psychologists asked during their...
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105: Latino Sounds of Anti-Blackness with Fordham Law Professor Tanya Hernández
Racism is deeply complex and multifaceted, especially when a historically marginalized group can experience discrimination while simultaneously be discriminatory. Take for instance, the gunman who committed the 2023 mass shooting at an outlet mall some 25 miles north of Dallas; the arsonist who…
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104: How to Avert a Civil War with South African Journalist Justice Malala
When a defiant opponent of the apartheid government was assassinated during the Easter weekend in 1993, South Africans were certain that all hell would break loose. The country was slowly moving towards the dismantling of the apartheid system and transition to a true democracy. But the murder of...
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42: The Gay Black Civil Rights Financier [Encore]
His father, born into slavery, had become one of the first African American millionaires in the United States. His mother, though devoted to Black civil rights, was a renowned actress and had kept her racial background a secret. And in 1897, Alonzo and Adrienne Herndon had a son – their only…
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103: Blood in The Bricks: Moving In On The KKK with Activist Daniel Banks
Community organizer Daniel Banks describes the aura of a former Ku Klux Klan auditorium in Fort Worth, Texas as having “blood in the bricks.” Banks is involved with a project designed to confront the painful histories of this nation by stimulating dialogue and promoting human rights for all.…
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70: Seeing (Me) Is Believing with New York Times best-selling author Tami Charles [Encore]
As we honor and pay tribute to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on this national holiday weekend, many Black American parents are taking this opportunity to educate their children—and have THE TALK, an unguarded conversation about racism, discrimination and the richness of Black culture.…
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102: What Kind of American are U? Revisiting Jan 6th with acclaimed historian, Jeremi Suri
Whether U are a Republican, a Democrat, or neither, why do U think there still exists such deep divides in this country? Why do we have a never-ending fight for a democracy, that is for everybody? In 1960 at an elementary school in New Orleans, why was there so much hate from outraged protesters,...
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101: Sylvester Turner: Mayor of Heaven, Hell and Houston [Encore]
Four of the largest cities in the United States are currently run by African Americans. What do U think this says about our nation when four prominent, elected officials of color have been chosen and trusted to lead four of the biggest metropolitan regions of the country? And out of each of these...
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75: An Injustice To Remain Silent with Clean Energy Researcher Roishetta Ozane [Encore]
Clean energy researcher Roishetta Ozane is a single mother of six children and lives in a Louisiana town that scientists have called, "the heart of America's climate crisis." With her Lake Charles-area home surrounded by refineries, natural gas facilities and petrochemical plants, her family has...
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79: XENA, Palestinian Warrior Princess [Encore]
Six-time Grammy winner and electronic DJ, Sonny Moore, aka Skrillex, recently released a trove of new music after a nearly decade-long hiatus of full-length solo material. Through a mutual friend, the visionary producer was introduced to a Palestinian vocalist by the name of Nai Barghouti – an...
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40: The Fans LoveSexy Fat Tony [Encore]
Acclaimed lyricist, Fat Tony, has played a significant role in shaping Houston's rap scene with his unique style of music. Raised in the city's historic Third Ward, he has family roots in Nigeria – a part of the world where emerging singers and songwriters from the region are finding success on...
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81: A Mistranslation of Biblical Proportions with Documentarian Sharon “Rocky” Roggio [Encore]
Nearly 80 years ago, a group of Yale scholars decided amongst themselves to add the word, "homosexual," in the Bible after mistranslating Greek text. Researchers have said this mistake changed the course of modern history as we know it. The misinterpretation also caused a lesbian Christian to...
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86: Glynn Turman is The Glynn-aissance Man [Encore]
Legendary actor Glynn Turman remembers a time when hardly any Black men or women were prominently featured in television. Over six decades later, he's played hundreds of characters in film, TV and on-stage, including work as an acclaimed writer, producer and director – both in theater and...
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101: Sylvester Turner: Mayor of Heaven, Hell and Houston
Four of the largest cities in the United States are currently run by African Americans. What do you think this says about our nation when four prominent, elected officials of color have been chosen and trusted to lead four of the biggest metropolitan regions of the country? And out of each of…
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100: Victoria, Texas—A Town Like Yours
In January of 2017, a mosque in Victoria, Texas was set on fire just hours after then-President Donald Trump signed a controversial executive order restricting migration from Muslim-majority countries. Victoria law enforcement officials and conservative town administrators were quick to praise...
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29: Civil Whites Movement [Encore]
During the Civil Rights Movement, not only did African-Americans fight for equal protection under the law, but White Americans were also risking their lives in the name of social justice. Some were even murdered for participating in marches and protests aimed at ending segregation and racial...
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58: Slavery Ties That Bind Freedom [Encore]
Betty Ann Kilby and her family were terrorized when they defied their local school board and the governor of Virginia to desegregate the only high school in their county in 1959. And yet, nearly 50 years later, in 2007, she was willing to talk to a descendant of a family who had once enslaved her...
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78: Say It Loud! Woosah! [Encore]
Zee Clarke received her Harvard MBA and spent over two decades leading teams at FORTUNE 500 companies and tech startups. But after instances of being racially-profiled, experiencing microaggressions at work and even being harassed by police, she realized how breathing exercises were so critical…
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99: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner with Karen? with Authors Saira Rao and Regina Jackson
As a group of white women sit at a fancy dining room table, sip wine and pass the breadbasket ready to eat, another woman—the only Black woman at the table—asks a stunning question to the guests: “How many of you would trade places with a Black person in this society?” The silence that instantly...
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98: A Kindred Spirit in Kendrick Scott
Renowned composer and drummer Kendrick Scott is putting anecdotes of his learnings from mentor and distinguished trumpeter, Terence Blanchard, into action by leveraging his musical gifts into a visceral artform of healing and redemption. Through original music mixed with poetry and striking...
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97: A Million Ways To DEI with Esteemed Professor Kathleen McElroy
Kathleen McElroy was tapped to lead a new journalism program at her alma mater—Texas A&M, a university that boasts the largest student body in the entire country. Her experience included decades at the New York Times and a reputation for promoting diversity in the workplace. With fanfare usually...
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96: Beyoncé, Send Us a Revival with New York Times Business Reporter Jordyn Holman & Cultural Historian Harrison Guy
The Renaissance World Tour is an energetic, visual, two-and-a-half-hour musical journey, showcasing the latest album of award-winning singer-songwriter, Beyoncé. The event has broken ticket sales records worldwide with each performance stimulating regional economies along the way. Running almost...
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95: Houston’s Emancipation Street Blues with Documentarian Drew Barnett-Hamilton
Houston is home to the most successful musical talent in the world. But decades ago, the city was once the epicenter for the blues genre. Why has the city’s blues history been neglected for so long? Stay tuned as host Eddie Robinson chats unguarded with acclaimed filmmaker, Drew Barnett-Hamilton....
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69: Black Men On The Cutting Edge [Encore]
For decades, barbershops have served as special places for people of color. The barber plays a major role in not only providing hair care services, but for many Black men, in particular, this person is responsible for how their customers are viewed and seen by society. Notions of identity,...
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94: Bi Now, Play Later with NFL Veteran R.K. Russell
Former NFL player, Ryan Russell, tells I SEE U that he feels there is an imbalance in male athletics where society does not encourage, support or sustain LGTBQ+ youth in sports, much less create safe space environments early in their development. His latest memoir, “The Yards Between Us,” has...
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93: To Dream a Relatable Dream with Acclaimed Producer Mike Jackson
With a successful career in entertainment alongside his business partner, EGOT-winning musician John Legend, renowned producer Mike Jackson tells I SEE U he has a responsibility to bring multicultural content to global audiences. The Philly-native has produced countless projects with major...
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92: Here I Am with Rice University President Reginald DesRoches
Reginald DesRoches, the eighth president of one of the most prestigious universities in the country, recently completed the first year of his historical post. The Haitian-native is the first Black president, the first immigrant and the first engineer to ever lead Rice since the founding of the...
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91: What It Means To Be OTHERED with ‘The Blackening’ Actress Grace Byers
Renowned actress Grace Byers embraced her leading role in the hit summer comedy horror, The Blackening. “Allison” – an outspoken, no-nonsense character from the film – was very proud of her Black heritage; that role has served as a replicate of who she’s become as a proud Black woman of...
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90: More Than Meets The Eye with Transformers Director Steven Caple, Jr.
Award-winning film director, Steven Caple Jr., is fresh off his summer box office success with Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. Interestingly enough, he doesn’t have a massive portfolio of blockbuster films under his belt. But with this accomplishment for a major Transformers franchise comes a...
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87: The Souls of Russell Hornsby [Encore]
Whether he’s acting in a film, on-stage or involved in a television series, Russell Hornsby ends up delivering a powerful performance full of emotion with a genuine passion for the craft. In a career spanning over two decades, his extensive portfolio includes the infamous boxing promoter, Don…
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64: Pursuing A More Perfect Union with Legal Expert Jeffery Robinson [Encore]
Civil rights attorney, Jeffery Robinson, released a film in 2021 entitled, "WHO WE ARE: A CHRONICLE OF RACISM IN AMERICA." In the documentary, Robinson addresses an audience onstage as if he's inside a courtroom, arguing a case on how grappling with racism is "our shared history." He challenges...
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82: Sorry Y’all… It Wasn’t Elvis with Filmmaker Lisa Cortés [Encore]
The very complicated legacy of entertainer Little Richard is thoroughly examined in a new documentary by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, Lisa Cortés. The film showcases a bold, audacious man who's trying to navigate his life through sex, drugs, rock and roll, and the Lord – with the help of…
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68: Storytelling Elegance in God, Fear & Sex with Elegance Bratton [Encore]
Based on his own real-life experiences, Elegance Bratton's THE INSPECTION, tells the story of a young Black man who was kicked out of the house by his Christian mother for being gay. After spending years at a homeless shelter and on the streets of New York City, he decides to enlist in the U.S....
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80: Sweet Sounds of Amazing Gracie [Encore]
10-year-old Graceyn Hollingsworth has become an internet viral sensation. Her popular YouTube children's channel, "Gracie's Corner," features Black and brown animated characters reciting remixed nursery rhymes, soulful vintage poems and original songs in video form. Her father, Javoris...
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89: Hope Is Stronger Than Pride with Karine Jean-Pierre
United States Press Secretary and presidential advisor, Karine Jean-Pierre has held her current post at the White House for over a year. Despite the highs and lows of being at the press podium, the official spokesperson for the leader of our country has remained focused in her role – a role where...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
I SEE U is a unique, award-winning program that gives voice to those who have often been unheard, and exploring cultural identity through the stories of people and places that have been transformed by the effects of long-standing biases. We guide fascinating conversations with newsmakers who share their personal histories, their struggles and their triumphs. In listening, we learn to empathize and hopefully experience a few ‘a-ha’ moments for ourselves.
HOSTED BY
Houston Public Media
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does I SEE U have?
I SEE U currently has 153 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is I SEE U about?
I SEE U is a unique, award-winning program that gives voice to those who have often been unheard, and exploring cultural identity through the stories of people and places that have been transformed by the effects of long-standing biases. We guide fascinating conversations with newsmakers who share...
How often does I SEE U release new episodes?
I SEE U publishes regularly with 153 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to I SEE U?
You can listen to I SEE U on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts I SEE U?
I SEE U is created and hosted by Houston Public Media.
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