Community Episodes

In this episode of 'Ayana Explains It All,' host Ayana Fakhir delves into the concept of caste in the United States, drawing from Isabel Wilkerson's book 'Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.' Ayana discusses how caste, unlike race and gender, forms a hidden hierarchy that influences American society, politics, economics, and public policies. She examines the implications of caste on education, healthcare, criminal justice, and political ideologies, while also addressing the urgent need to ack...

The podcast episode discusses a viral tweet by comedian Lil Duval concerning the lack of political outreach to black men in the presidential election. Ayana delves into the varied reactions to the tweet and addresses the broader issue of low voter turnout among black men. The episode highlights systemic barriers such as voter suppression and mass incarceration that hinder black men's participation in elections. Ayana also criticizes the lack of understanding of policy impact among black voters and emphasizes the importance of local and state elections. She urges black men to actively engage in the political process to address issues like child support, healthcare, and systemic racism. The episode concludes with a call to action for increased civic participation and awareness of how laws and policies directly affect daily life.

In this crucial episode, Ayana tells the story of Carlisha Hood as a segue into a discussion on the urgent need to protect and uplift Black women. Black Women have long been at the forefront of social change and resilience despite facing unique and intersecting challenges. Join Ayana examines the historical context and explores misogynoir as she discusses the importance of centering intersectional justice, dismantling stereotypes, and amplifying the voices of Black women to create a more inclusive and equitable society.

Summertime, summertime, sum-sum-sum of the time you should skip traveling to places where your race is an indignity to the state. I'm talking about Florida, a usual suspect in the denial of basic human rights, but the entire United States is guilty of denying that there's a "race problem" in the country of Washington and Lincoln, and then with a stubborn attitude, refusing to ameliorate the societal ills created by our "race problem." If there's one thing we're gonna do, it's get in our own way....