The Stoop
by Hana Baba and Leila Day
The Stoop podcast digs into stories that are not always shared out in the open. Hosts Leila Day and Hana Baba start conversations and provide professionally-reported stories about what it means to be Black and how we talk about blackness. Come hang out on The Stoop as we dialog about the diaspora.
Episodes
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Take a Breath
In this episode, we step away from the noise and into stillness- to pause, reboot, and remind ourselves that rest is power. We haven’t taken a pause from production in nine years but its’s time to refocus, reimagine, and explore what it means to slow down without stepping away from who we are or...
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Name on a Keychain
This is an episode for the kids who never saw their names on those keychains at the giftstore- like our guest, Nigerian American bestselling author, speaker and fellow podcaster- Luvvie Ajayi Jones. Many of us grew up with names that were made fun of, and Luvvie's new children's book 'Little...
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PolyFree
For Pride Month, we are throwing back to our award winning episode, PolyFree Loving multiply or polyamory. We already do it (we love our families, we love our friends, we love our pets), but it’s different when it comes to our romantic relationships. In this episode, we meet Ambi, Ex and Intro, a...
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Yes, we see you Dads
A father's day favorite. We hear from dads, people talking about their daddies, and we hear about the joys, and challenges, of Black fatherhood. We see you, Black dads. Featuring dads Chris Stewart, Rob Fields, and Sam Adewumi. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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Chillin' with Chimamanda
The Queen is here! Today we’re Stoopin' it with award-winning Nigerian author and ground-breaking cultural icon, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie! Hana has SO many questions for her favorite author- from how African stereotypical narratives are changing, to being a Nigerian mama in 2025 America, to book...
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I get it from my Mama?
Do you ever feel like you may be carrying patterns that aren’t yours? Do you notice the way you deal with stress, love, parenting, or hustling feels inherited? In this episode, Leila asks herself these questions as she recalls a story from her childhood, and we dig into epigenetics—the science…
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Finding Joy in the Sounds of Blackness
You know it is Black History Month all year long on this podcast! And we know that this Black History month has a lot of us feeling heavy, fixated on the news- from DEI being dismantled, to government agencies being shut down... It's alot. The changes are daily, and drastic and… exhausting. So…
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Bury Me Whole
When Hana was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2011, she went on a research quest to find a donor that could save her life. Through this process, she discovered that another Black donor who shared her ethnicity would be the best fit. But studies show there aren’t enough Black donors to fill the need…
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I'm on CP Time
CPT, African Time—yeah, we’ve all heard of it, but are we really running late, or are we just moving to our own beat, on our own terms, in our own rhythm? In this episode, we hear from some folks who dig deep into theories, and ancestral philosophies and practices, related to time. Do we need to...
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This Christmas Will Be
When you meet Greg Eskridge, you’ll notice his smile, how easy it is to talk to him, and you’ll lean in when he tells you his story. After being incarcerated for 30 Christmases, he's making this one special. Today, award-winning journalist and storyteller Greg Eskridge reflects on love, family…
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Braids on Stage
'Have a seat in my chair..' Today we're at the braiding salon with Ghanaian American playwright Jocelyn Bioh, creator of the Tony Award-winning Broadway play, Jaja's African Hair Braiding. We chat with her about braiding salon culture, and the different kinds of people she portrays in the play.…
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This ain't Texas, it's Africa
As Black country music is having its moment, Hana has always wondered why her Sudanese mom loved Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton. You can hear country music playing in cafes in African capitals. There is a love of American country music among our African elders, many say they grew up...
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Black Women are Something Else (again)
Let’s take a moment. It was a tense few months leading up to the election. Today we want to pause, and share an ode to the Black women who continue to show up. Featuring an essay by writer Stacia Brown. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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The Subtle Roast
We don't hear alot of personal stories about what it is to be a big man in Black spaces. Today we go there with Ronald Young Jr., award-winning podcaster and creator of the hit show “Weight for It.” We stoop it out as he takes us back in time to when he was roasted at church, and unpacks what it...
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Just Following Up
Ring Ring! Is anyone there? After George Floyd’s death in 2020, companies across the US were called upon to acknowledge the ways they were discriminatory and inequitable towards Black people. In response, they vowed to create space for Black voices, support Black content, and put Black people in...
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Who all gon' be there?
What if we told you there's an entire book dedicated to the things Black folk say? Historically Black Phrases by jarett hill and Tre'vell Anderson introduces and explains sayings like "I AIN'T ONE OF YOUR LIL' FRIENDS" to "WHO ALL GON' BE THERE?". The book is a blend of the many things you grew…
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PRIDE: Black, Queer, and Free
We should all be free to be, free to love, and be celebrated in that process - if not by others, then definitely by ourselves. In this episode, Hana and Leila explore three stories that center queerness and spirituality, Black drag culture, and shifting relationship structures through polyamory....
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The 100th Episode!
It's our 100th episode! We're celebrating by going back to some special episode moments over 10 seasons of the show. Some made us laugh, others made us cry, some moments made us question whether we should really go there, and others made us even question ourselves. It's a look back, behind the...
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It's a Mother's Day Special
Welcome to our Mother's Day special! There are many unexpected ways that people step into parenting. In this special from The Stoop, we hear stories about redefining family on your own terms. We explore the term ‘Auntie’ and how some women find it problematic, we hear about the challenges of IVF...
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Eau de problème
Hana loves perfume, and there’s a long heritage of traditional perfume making in Sudan. But sometimes, sweet smells come with some controversy. As she explores the history of racism and colonialism in the global perfume industry with perfume enthusiast and historian Razan Idris, she discovers an...
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Talk That Talk
This is an ode to Black men's voices. Celebrating some of the voices that soothe, excite, or give us a sense of feeling grounded. Over the years, Black men’s voices have symbolized comfort, affection, and authority in pop culture. From the baritone of Barry White to the reliable tone of James…
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Self Love and Basketball
“When can we allow somebody to cry and be transparent?” WNBA player Chamique Holdsclaw asked at the height of her career as a pro basketball player. Chamique's willingness to address her mental health changed her life. In this episode, Chamique talks about the Black pride that can get in the way…
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Love Song for Sudan
Hana is trying to enjoy the Sudanese music she loves, but something isn’t feeling right. The war in Sudan continues, and has destroyed with it a lot of the country’s cultural landscape, including places where the country’s music once lived. She’s wondering - what will happen to Sudan’s musical...
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Wildin' Out(side)
Many children dream of being wildlife experts after watching hours of nature shows, but as grown-ups, it’s rare to meet a Black nature ecologist. Today we hear some unbelievable nature stories with carnivore expert Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant. She shares the most fascinating challenges in her career from...
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S10 E2 Lights...camera...LOVE!
Get your popcorn! It’s movie night on The Stoop. Whether during filmmaking booms or busts, Black entertainers and filmmakers found a way to show Black love on screen. We explore the history of love in Black movies with film scholar Dr. Artel Great. From the first Black kiss filmed in the 1800s…
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S10 E1 Croissants in the Sky
This season we're leaning into love in all its forms — starting with the city of love, Paris. Leila meets with Sutanya Dacres, an American in France, who transformed her life after heartbreak through the joy of cooking. She also lets us in on the secret ingredient that makes French life feel so...
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The Stoop Season 10 Trailer
The Stoop is back with season 10! This season, Leila and Hana are exploring love in its many forms. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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To Be Honest
Sometimes it’s easier to hold back than be completely honest, especially when talking about some of the themes that are brought up on The Stoop. Today Hana and Leila share some moments that made them uncomfortable but also made them realize the importance of sharing the discomfort. As we approach...
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Hope in Nairobi
Hana spends a day in Nairobi with Kenyan Instagram comedian, Hope Hajir. Hope made it to the U.S. and was living her life when a tragic event gave her pause. While many people who reach the U.S. find ways to stay, Hope decided to return to Nairobi and talks about the experience of not wanting to...
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The Moth on The Stoop
This summer, The Moth and The Stoop are getting cozy and sharing stories. Today, we invite special guest, Suzanne Rust, the host of The Moth storytelling series, to share a tale she loves. This story is by Ivan McClellan, a photographer who lives in Portland, Oregon. Ivan found something very...
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Mother Tongue
What’s it like when everyone at home speaks a language you don’t understand? That’s the story of Claudia, a Ghanaian American who grew up not speaking her home language —her ‘Mother Tongue’. But everybody else did, including her own siblings. The effects were real: disconnect, frustration, shame,...
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Cuba Libre: A Meditative Story
Leila travels back to Cuba —and to her 20s —in this special episode about Havana, dance, hair, proud negras, and finding your voice. This story is told in collaboration with Meditative Story, hosted by Rohan Gunatillake. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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Don't Call Me Auntie
It’s a term of endearment but not everybody wants to be your “Auntie.” Today, Leila and Hana unravel some of the emotions and stereotypes tied to being an “Auntie.” They did into the deeper connections to ageism, the evolving meaning of the term, and discuss the weight of “respectability handles”...
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You Trippin'?
Interest in psychedelics is ramping up. People are even claiming that psychedelics can help heal racial trauma. But should we believe the hype? Can psychedelics bring us pleasure and joy? Or is the new psychedelic gold rush perpetuating the same old harm? Producer Natalie, takes hosts, Leila and...
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Pausing for Sudan
Today, The Stoop has a special episode. The war in Hana’s home country, Sudan, continues. Hana has been feeling the conflict here at home in the States. Today we pause and take a moment to reflect on the music that has been holding people together, and we highlight the voices of Sudanese…
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A Diaspora Dilemma
Hana has a dilemma. As a diasporan, is she basically a diluted African? This question arises when Hana and Leila travel to conduct workshops at a conference in Kenya. Hana finds that she’s questioning her place —she’s African, but she’s a diaspora African —and she wonders how she’s seen, and what...
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Legacies
How do you talk about death without talking about death? Discussions about succession planning, and what the future looks like when your loved one is gone, are tough. Leila explores legacy through a conversation with her mom, Vicki, who is planning to have her work as a gallerist live on for the...
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Stoop Special: Black Enough
Whether it's the way we talk, the music we hear, or the clothes we wear- many Black people at some point were made to feel 'not Black enough’, including Leila and Hana. In this special episode, Leila explores with broadcast journalist Joshua Johnson what it means to be told she ‘talks white’…
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Once Upon a Problem
Hana’s writing a book of Sudanese folktales that have been handed down through generations in her family, but some questions have been haunting her. Should they be translated? Does she even own the right to retell these stories? And the biggest question of them all- a secret within the stories…
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I Belong to Me
One of the hardest practices is self-love, especially when it feels like the world is against you. Today we hear the story of Regina Louise, an author and personal growth coach, who learned how to define love on her own terms after growing up in and out of foster care. Regina finds her voice in a...
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His Saturn Return
Did someone say, Afro-futuristic audio space drama? We got you. What is the problem with Duran Durag? Find out in this intergalactic Blackity-Blacktic space comedy, His Saturn Return. From Pineapple Street Studios’ production The 11th, creator, writer, and performer Sai Sion stars in a cosmic…
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Infertility: A Black Man’s Journey
We don’t often hear stories about Black men struggling with infertility. Today, we meet Jared Wright and his wife Erica, who share their story about their road to parenthood. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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Inside These Walls
Today, it’s personal. Leila takes a walk through a town close to her heart- Charleston, South Carolina- to discover the Black presence in the architecture, and buildings that hold countless stories and secrets from history about Blackness. As she learns about the hands that built Charleston, she...
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Home is where the hustle is
When we have feet in two worlds, how do we choose to live in one place, and not the other? Today we’re handing over the mic to our friends at NPR’s Rough Translation, hosted by Gregory Warner. In this episode, ‘Home is where the hustle is’, Nigerian author Chibundu Onuzo is thinking about moving...
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Black Don't Crack?
‘Black don’t crack’ is said like it’s a badge of honor, but is this phrase making us more insecure about aging? Hana and Leila explore the phrase with writer Patia Braithwaite who writes, ‘Black don’t crack is stressing me out.’ We also Stoop it with Dr. Michelle Henry, a dermatologist and…
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Reclaiming Black in Australia
We’re Stoopin it in Australia and meet Indigenous journalist Rhianna Patrick as she navigates this question- why do I call myself ‘Black’? Rhianna takes us along as she unpacks what Blackness means Down Under. It’s complicated, and we meet people along the way who help her navigate this question....
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Pious & Pleasured
Angelica Lindsey-Ali is known to tens of thousands of Muslims worldwide as The Village Auntie. She’s a Black American Muslim therapist, wellness educator, public health professional and- sexpert. Through her platforms, she advises Muslim women on how to tap in to their femininity. She teaches…
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Watermelon
Why do some of us feel shame about the foods we eat? We ask people how they feel about eating foods that are used to stereotype Black people, and unpack the history behind some of this food shaming. From choosing what to drink on a flight, to a watermelon eating contest- we’re trying to get to…
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It Was All a Dream
Hana and Leila have been doing some dreaming. What do their dreams mean? In this season finale, they talk to someone who can help - Dr. Loma Flowers, a psychiatrist and dream interviewer. Plus, they dig into the world of dreaming and the significance of dreams in Black cultures. Learn about your…
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Sashay, Queen!
It’s June- and with summer, comes Pride! RuPaul’s Drag Race veterans Bob the Drag Queen, Shangela, and BeBe Zahara Benet join Leila and Hana to talk about appropriation, forgiveness, drag names, and culture. Y’all better sashay on over here! Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
About this show
The Stoop podcast digs into stories that are not always shared out in the open. Hosts Leila Day and Hana Baba start conversations and provide professionally-reported stories about what it means to be Black and how we talk about blackness. Come hang out on The Stoop as we dialog about the diaspora.
Hosted by
Hana Baba and Leila Day