Ray Bridging Humans Podcast

How we do you humanize Pastors? So many times, so many of them live in isolation because of scrutiny they receive from just simply being human. I sit down with my friend Bishop Darrel Petties to navigate this topic. We discuss his personal faith, intimacy, grief, leadership, and so much more. Come on the journey with me as I do the work of closing the gap between what people get and what's really behind the Man of God.

Whats your outlook on privacy? If you're from the Bible Belt, how do you specifically apply it to your world? This will be my first installment of the series "surviving the bible belt". I break down privacy and what it looks like if you live in or are raised in south. I break down the difference between privacy, discretion, hiding, and being loud. Come unpack this with me as we all move, own, and continue to live our stories!

Black. gay. father. That almost sounds like an oxymoron! It's a real lived experience for my guest today. We navigate growing up in the Bible Belt, as well as being raised in Memphis TN. We sit for a thought provoking conversation on fatherhood and navigating queer life. Marcus Banks is a native Memphis. and now is a resident of Houston TX. Come join this conversation with us!

Do you feel a college degree is needed to be successful in this world today? Is your ability to succeed based around a co9llege education? In this episode I unpack the case for the degree and the case against the degree. Where do I land? What do I deem important? Come join this conversation with me!

I sit down with one of the most talented musicians in this city. Timothy Mason is an incredible musician and all around person. We discuss being a husband, father, minister of music, and musician. We also discuss his faith in God and personal battles he's had to overcome. Come join this thoughtful conversation with us.

Have you ever found yourself giving way to the pressures of social media? We all are apart of an algorithm. A lot of people allow this very thing to dominate and control their lives. Learn how to be able to zoom out from this make believe world and take back control of your life. I do this one alone and i'm excited to dialog with the bridges.

Fathers, father figures, mentors, uncles, coaches, and big homies we need you. There are so many reasons why black men do and also don't show up in community. I sit down with two of my brothers to unpack this. Dr. Moss works in education as well as lead the Non-Profit Gentleman's League. Paul Claxton works in education as well as one of the most talented musicians in this city. Collectively all three of us share a common love for mentoring black youth. Come unpack this conversation with us.

How do you navigate anger as a Black Man? Specifically as Q plus black man. I sit down with two queer men as they navigate their lives with managing anger. Come hear stories specifically from two Q+ brothers as they give first hand accounts on how they deal with and handle anger. How do you manage anger?How do you process or bury years of hurt and pain. Let's unpack this on this episode.

As a black man, do you know when to insert your leadership and when to insert your dominance? In this episode, we break down what It looks like to differentiate between the two. There's a fine line between the two and me and my brothers spend this session unpacking what these two things look like. Come unpack the conversation with us,

So many see Black men as angry and dangerous. Often times people see anger on us before they see what hurt us. On this episode I have a conversation about anger with two of my bros. We navigate anger, self awareness, relationships, and some of the earliest traits we learned about anger. Come join the conversation with us!

In this powerful episode of the Ray Bridging Humans Podcast, Coach RaymondBrian sorts down with DP Lawrence and DJ Woods for one of the most honest and self aware conversations about Black male ego this podcast has ever had. Come dialog with us!

I sit with therapist Timothy Terry to navigate this topic. He breaks down how domestic abuse could come out as more than physical abuse. we even navigate how we self abuse as Black men. There's definitely some pivotal information for all men on this episode.

In the Bible Belt South queer men and women are not expected to pay much attention to intimate relationships. On this episode, we explore what relationship looks like for us intimately, platonically, relationship with self, and family. Come explore what these relationships look like for us.

Do you or someone you know struggle with homophobia? I sat down with four of my heterosexual brothers and one of my queer brothers to unpack this one. We laugh, we get deep, and we don't agree on it all but I can assure you that we move forward with this conversation. You don't want to miss this breakdown of manhood, brotherhood, respect, and love. Come join the convo.

A few friends and I went to Montgomery Alabama to the voting rights march. We all came back with some depth and we wanted to share our experience. Doing this episode was so fun and also very informative. We break down the disconnect in community where civics is concerned and the larger temperature in the city of Memphis.

Have you ever stopped to realize how many years you gave trying to please people in religious spaces? Semaj, Jenson, and CaDarius tall about how they took their lives back.,This group of men sit for a conversation dialoging about the years they gave away. To ministry, to people, and ultimately to have a strong sense of belonging. Come journey and navigate with us as we break down people pleasing, church edition.

Do you struggle with people pleasing? On this episode, I give 5 tools to get through people pleasing. I also walk through my journey of battling with it in my life. Yeah I pull out of my coaching bag on this one! Come sit with me and check your bag to see if people pleasing is apart of it.

I sit down for an exclusive interview with Pastor Jarvis Jones. We talk about his indictment and federal charges and how he's navigating the process of public exposure, faith, and redemption. Pastor Jones takes us through the journey of transparency and truth as he deal with the realities of being a convicted felon and Pastor.

This episode is a journey through manhood and being able to grow through a space of humility. My guest and I discuss ways we effectively deflate our egos so we can operate from healthy spaces. We discuss everything from relationships to leadership to the power of staying curious. Come joint the conversation Bridger! Im joined by my friend and brother Samone Bradford.

Have you ever wondered what the thought process is for a young black church boy growing up in the Bible Belt South? Adding on singing in the choir, understanding identity, and fighting your way thru nay-sayers and people who question your manhood frequently, this is the episode. I sit down with a local Memphis Artist Trevor Keys. he dive into the intricacies of his story, Amazing conversation!

BIG BOY JOY! This episode explores the world of plays sized black men. We look at it from a straight and gay perspective. We look into what confidence and self esteem look like for them. Two of my good friends came to have this conversation with me. Come listen to both these men break their worlds down from a thoughtful and hilarious perspective.

Where has Ray been!?!?!? On this episode I catch up with the Bridgers. Then I break down the plights and standards we're held to just to be respected as men. I reveal harmful things that has caused us to spiral out and lose focus on what we should be focused on. From emotional mask, to hyper-sexuality, to what the church got wrong, and then I go into the rebuilding of real manhood. Come check out ya boy's opening episode for Season 3.

I follow up the last episode with another one with the beautiful women. They express their hearts from a deep place on this one. These women walk us thru their journeys of growing up singing in the church choir. They discuss the double standards, the biases where women are concerned, and so much more. Come listen to and experience healing in a real way thru our conversation. Listen and enjoy.

Bridgers im so excited to add women to the space!! On this episode I speak to two generations of women who had to navigate what it looked like to learn to be a good girl. I sit down with Leslie Hooker, Sylvia Carter, and Khristen Aytchan for a thought provoking conversation. They all share their lived experiences around their faith, love for God, and learning to process real life. Were you a good girl? tune in and enjoy!

I sit down for a boy talk with Pastor Rodney Frison Jr. on this episode. We discuss him growing up and how growing up a pastors grandson shaped his life. He speak about his vulnerabilities and his fight to find his own identity through the years. Rodney is a progressive North Mississippi Pastor that's destined to leave a mark in this earth. He has navigated living in his older brother's shadow and overcoming self doubt and esteem issues. Come listen to me and lil bruh truly navigate how he found his manhood.

Is soft and gay the same? For men sometimes both of those are thrown into the same basket. A lot of times those narratives are driven by our beautiful women.lol! I bring in my good sister Ken Michelle to have this conversation. Learn on this episode how those two things are NOT equal! We also discuss how far men are allowed to go into their emotions before they are labeled gay. Regardless of what side you sit on with this issue, you dont want to miss this hilarious episode with us two. listen and enjoy!

We all have a lived experience. There's not one person that see life the way you individually do. I started boy talk back in May with my personal story. From there I want to carry this further in a real way. Im starting a series of interviews with men and women navigating the younger versions of them inside. I sit down on this episode with CaDarius Buckingham. He navigate growing up and discovering that he's Queer. We also discuss family dynamics and ultimately becoming Him in front of Them. Listen and enjoy!

Back in for another powerful episode. I co-host this one with my brother Samuel Upshaw. We break down and navigate the complexities of the weight men carry. We also host may other brother Lavorsker Frison Sr. He share his powerful story of attempting to go through with suicide. You dont want to miss this powerful story and how he overcame. If you or someone you know are considering or thinking about suicide, please get the help you need. 988 Suicide or chat 988lifeline.org.

BOY this was a tough one, but it's a social construct a lot of men sit in. We sit in so many toxic masculine constructs that we don't know which way to turn sometimes. Im thankful to have my brother Rich on this one with me to help navigate this conversation. We discuss the importance of not defining our manhoods based on sexuality, but on the content of our character. Listen and enjoy!

Brothers how do you navigate your friendships? Cultivating our brotherhoods and what it looks like is extremely important in our lives. I sit down with my brother Paul Claxton on this episode as we discuss our brotherhood as well as us being kindred soul brothers. Listen to hear our story and how vulnerability and honesty allowed us to see one another beyond surface level. We invite you in!

On this episode I sit down with two of my mentees for a very personal conversation. I appreciate them for the bravery they displayed in sharing their queer experiences. On this episode they share their experience with growing up with an affirming family behind them on their journeys. Come and explore the courage and also challenges in their lives.

What does your version of success look like? I sit down with Brian Wilks and discuss the complexities of navigating your life when everything dont go as planned. Come hear a discussion on redemption, grace, and a strong willingness to succeed.

Come join me and THE Coach Mike as we navigate the reasons why. black men dont volunteer in the community. We go heavy into out lived experiences and you do NOT not want to miss this episode! Coach Mike has nonprofit as well so he can speak to the topic pretty well.

On this episode you'll get to be up close and personal with Coach! He answers questions you never get to hear him answer. He's interviewed by the one and only Katerina Upshaw. You dont wanna mss this hilarious epidote with these two together. Listen and enjoy!

We complete this amazing conversation with amazing perspective. The one thing that stood out the most was that everybody were willing t0 hear the other man out. We discuss things like rights of passage and deeper levels of transparency.. Thanks again to all the great men that took the time to come to my podcast. Listen and enjoy!

I brought together 5 powerful men for this episode. I wanted to show that we as black men are not a monolith. We are a multifaceted group that will not be bound to different aspects of our identities. I brought a guest co-host on for this one. Big bruh Ivan Upshaw really helped to navigate this conversation. The guests for this one is podcast host Dee Smith, small business owner Terez Wilson, Pastor Fred Smith, Barber Micheal Hunt, and entrepreneur Tony George. listen and enjoy!

Come back for the second half of may most popular episode yet! I have been blown away by the response I've got on this episode. It goes to show that love and genuine authenticity truly connects to the hearts of people. Come listen as these two mothers tackle religious beliefs, advocacy, and loving out loud.

I sit down with two incredible mothers to discuss this very important topic. There are so many Queer young men and women who struggle to navigate the complexities of being queer and coming out to their parents. Katerina and Kenyatta have a candid conversation around love, acceptance, and advocacy. If you are a man or woman who really want to hear in-depth convo on the topic, you are in the right place.

this truly was a therapeutic conversation that I didn't know I needed to have. I sit down again with my brothers as we navigate growing up being a black male singing in the choir. You dont want to miss this second half where we dig deeper into our stories. Listen and enjoy!

Welcome back family! This series is dedicated to all the men who grew up singing in the church choir. All of the men who had to navigate growing in his faith and figuring out his identity through singing in the church choir. On this episode I invited a few friends to sit down to discuss their lived experiences around growing up being a black man learning faith and sexuality all at the same time. Shout out to my brothers Kenny Johnson, Sherman Hamilton, Larry Bernard, and Dennis Clayton for having this conversation with me. Come listen and heal with us.

I wanted t0 round the Podcast out for the first season in a special way. I sit down again with THE Kelli Harris. Her remarkable perspective on the topic is really groundbreaking and life changing. I employ you to watch this episode if you really want to begin doing self awareness and life work. Kelli walk us thru talking accountability and owning our parts own the matter with grace. Watch and enjoy.

I wanted to get a clinical perspective of the topic of church hurt. I invited Therapist Kelli Harris on for a deeper perspective of the conversation. We delve into it from a therapeutic lens and see the internal effects of dealing with this over a period of time. Future Dr. Harris breaks it down in a real way. Listen and enjoy!

This episode will definitely shake some tables. Im so excited to be able to do this one with a trusted friend of mine. We navigate the tough waters of understanding and doing life outside of church. On this episode we tackle the differences in views and lived experiences when it comes to church hurt. I guarantee you will laugh thru this and at the same time learn a lot from listening to this one. Tune in and enjoy.

I sit down for our second installment of When Faith Hurts. This episode I have a conversation with my brother Pastor Courtney Franklin. We take a deep dive into church culture and how to navigate the space from a 2024 view. We are very candid and intentional about meeting the conversation with transparency and authenticity. Tune in and enjoy!

Have you ever felt like you were experiencing church hurt? Dr. Kenya Gray and I explore this very topic. Come sit down with us to take a deep dive look into church hurt and what it looks like. You dont want to miss this conversation. Healing and clarity will definitely be had after you listen to the one.

Do you have safety? Are you seen? Do you feel accepted? I go solo on this episode as I journey down the path of safety, seen, and accepted. Come go with me on a journey to discover the importance of this topic. I get into acknowledgment, validation, and so much more. Listen and enjoy!

On this episode we attack a huge topic that affect us all. Asking for help. My guy Melvin and I navigate thru the complexities of why we struggle to ask for help. Come hear how this goes all the way back to childhood and we discover how we have to break barriers of silence in order to overcome. Brothers you dont want to miss this episode.

Navigating wellness and health in our community has always been challenging. On this episode my friend and brother Monie Bradford goes on to share his journey of Wellness. We discuss food, accountability, body imaging from a black male perspective, and so much more.. Brothers! we gotta go to the doctor. Come Chile with us on this comical but informative episode.

Brothers how do you manage spending time with your family versus providing a lifestyle for them? I have a sit down conversation with a husband, a father, and a man that grinds to the max. Listen to this episode to navigate this very thing. Hear stories of fatherhood, male vulnerability, and emotions that will show you that you are not alone. Xavier Woods has been the essence of what it means to navigate all of this. Listen and enjoy!

Are you self confident? Today's episode will challenge you to strengthen your self confidence. I sit down for a coaching session that will guarantee to help build your confidence! I also give 4 tools in cultivating your Self Confidence. Listen and enjoy!