Ayana Explains It All

Lies, lies, and more lies. When you believe everything your uncle shares on WhatsApp it can have disastrous consequences. In this episode, Ayana dives into the omnipresence of misinformation and disinformation, using her experiences and readings from the book 'The Defectors' by Paola Ramos as a backdrop. She humorously critiques people's tendencies to believe unverified stories and conspiracy theories found on platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. Ayana also underscores the importance of fact-checking and criticalthinking to avoid being manipulated by false narratives. Finally, she discusses the societal impact of misinformation, particularly how it exacerbates racism, sexism, and political instability.Sources used in the making of this episode:"The Defectors" by Paola Ramoshttps://www.britannica.com/topic/misinformation-and-disinformationhttps://www.britannica.com/procon/Study-Finds-ADHD-Content-on-TikTok-Is-Less-Than-50-Percent-Accurate

In this candid and eye-opening episode (where she may cuss a lil) of 'Ayana Explains It All,' join Ayana Fakhir as she navigates through the labyrinth of the backlash against the federal government's bureaucracy. From her firsthand experience as a federal employee to her personal musings on the current sociopolitical climate, Ayana dives deep into the challenges, misconceptions, and harsh realities faced by federal employees, alongside highlights about her life, and the ongoing struggle for equity and recognition in public service. Tune in for an engaging show that bridges the gap between current events and human behavior, all while Ayana attempts her first video podcast in the comfort of her personal workspace.

I said what I said...with love.

Spilling the tea on navigating life as a civil servant, particularly when your boss doesn't like you. Someone shook the federal government's snow globe, and now there's a blizzard. Let's get into it!

Ayana dives into the dumpster fire that is social media, waxing poetic about our life-long love-hate relationship with it. She shares how the TikTok ban has her scrambling to find dopamine on another app, and guess what? She's landed on China's version of Instagram, and it's a joy fest! Ayana hilariously contrasts America's doom-scrolling addicts with China's peppy social media users who make even their cats look happier. She takes comedic jabs at the U.S. government's obsession with TikTok and how they think we're all brainless bots. With rants ranging from American exceptionalism to her personal life as a Black Muslim woman, Ayana proves that, yes, you can be a serious thinker while laughing your head off. The episode is a delightful rollercoaster that reminds you - community and joy might just be the real keys to happiness.

Listen now at our website or wherever you get your podcasts. www.ayanaexplainsitall.com

Resilience--it's the gift that keeps on giving. And, you don't have to drill for it, baby. Sources used in the making of this episode: https://www.teneo.com/insights/articles/why-2024-is-the-year-for-resilience/ "The Gifts of Imperfection" by Brene Brown --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

Host Ayana Fakhir drags her friend by the ear to the hot seat to discuss what the general elections means for the everyday citizen and what we can going forward to ensure we have a country that represents all of us, not just some of us. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

In this episode of 'Ayana Explains It All,' host Ayana Fakhir delves into the metaphor of empathy as democracy's oxygen and critiques the current state of the United States post-2024 election. Ayana talks about the broader implications of Vice President Kamala Harris's election loss, touching on issues like political polarization, economic instability, and the importance of public service. She highlights the setbacks and misguided optimism of voters while advocating for empathy, ongoing struggle, and hope for a more inclusive future. Ayana calls for unity and continued activism, urging people to understand the complex tides of democracy and to fight for the rights and well-being of all Americans. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

It's nearing the time to pack away our political signs, wagging fingers, and presidential rally sneakers, and move on to turkey, fixings, and pie. In this episode, Ayana tackles those numb above the neck on the functions of government, and covers the middle-class squeeze, and the myth of scarce resources. She exposes power dynamics and criticizes blind political loyalty while dissecting the 'bandwidth tax' of poverty-induced stress and questions why economic equality feels like a fantasy. From overpriced groceries to student loan woes, she challenges listeners to see the truth, make smarter decisions, and shift focus from irrelevant scapegoats to the real culprits: manipulative corporations and politicians. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

Focusing on the recent execution death of Marcellus Williams in Missouri, despite strong evidence suggesting his innocence, Ayana delves into the systemic issues that lead to wrongful convictions, including mistaken eyewitness identification, false confessions, prosecutorial misconduct, and ineffective defense. She emphasizes the severe consequences of such errors, not only for the wrongfully convicted individuals but also for society as a whole. The episode also explores the role of innocence organizations and conviction integrity units in helping exonerate the wrongfully convicted, urging listeners to support these initiatives and stressing the importance of voting for officials who will work towards a fair and just legal system. Sources used in the making of this episode: https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/about.aspx https://innocenceproject.org/ Innocence Project. (2023). Causes of Wrongful Convictions. Retrieved from innocenceproject.org Garrett, B. (2011). Convicting the Innocent: Where Criminal Prosecutions Go Wrong. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. National Academy of Sciences. (2009). Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Documents/2023%20Annual%20Report.pdf https://open.mitchellhamline.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1071&context=policypractice#:~:text=Alford%20pleas%20are%20accepted%20by,in%20wrongfully%20convicting%20innocent%20people. https://www.albanylawreview.org/article/69791-a-nearly-perfect-system-for-convicting-the-innocent https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/missouri-supreme-court-blocks-marcellus-williams-from-entering-plea-to-avoid-execution-after-state-reveals-mishandled-evidence --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

Ayana discusses comedian Lil Duval's viral tweet questioning the lack of political pandering to black men in the presidential election, and the broader issue of Black male voter apathy. Highlighting the varied responses to Lil Duval's query, she underscores the importance of civic engagement, the systemic challenges faced by Black Men (such as incarceration and disenfranchisement), and the misalignment of priorities like child support over critical issues like health and voting rights. Ayana passionately emphasizes the need for Black Men to participate in local and state elections and to understand how policy impacts daily life. She critiques the lack of understanding of political structures and stresses the importance of fighting back through voting, lobbying, and other civic actions.Sources used in the making of this episode:​https://newblackmasculinities.wordpress.com/2020/09/24/the-black-male-political-agenda-by-t-hasan-johnson-ph-d/​https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr73/nvsr73-04.pdf​https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/voting-and-voter-registration-as-a-share-of-the-voter-population-by-raceethnicity/?currentTimeframe=0&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D​https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voting-laws-roundup-may-2024 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

Standing against criticism, unraveling harmful myths, living my truth--it must be a day that ends in "y." *explicit content cause I cuss a lil bit --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

An "in your face" discussion of the subtle influences that shape our political landscapes and cloud our decision-making as voters. Turn your thinking cap from back to front and XYB--examine your biases. Sources used in the making of this episode: https://niemanreports.org/articles/how-implicit-bias-works-in-journalism/#:~:text=Journalism%20has%20not%20been%20immune,they%20treat%20every%20group%20fairly. https://outsmartingimplicitbias.org/#:~:text= https://outsmartingimplicitbias.org/guided-learning/what-is-implicit-bias/ https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/video/implicit-bias https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2021/05/disrupting-the-impacts-of-implicit-bias#:~:text=URL%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nationalacademies.org%2Fnews%2F2021%2F05%2Fdisrupting,100 Follow the host on Twitter/X @lawgurrl --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

It's that time again! Time to dissect another of the US Supreme Court's strict constitutionalist rants, aka a court opinion, Grant's Pass, Oregon v Johnson, a decision that allows municipalities to criminalize homelessness. Or does it? What are the implications for the US homeless population? What are the solutions? And what shoes will your mayor wear to kick people off the streets? As the song goes, "this is ourselves under pressure." Sources used in the making of this episode: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-175_19m2.pdf https://developmentalpolitics.org/platform-of-policy-recommendations/homelessness-in-the-u-s/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwkJm0BhBxEiwAwT1AXHF4TrYg0J8XwOwRutykfSyv0M2ndGwBz8eUs7N7vIo3ZNL0OFMwexoC5KUQAvD_BwE https://abcnews.go.com/US/minneapolis-hennepin-county-ending-chronic-homelessness/story?id=108307472 https://www.shakerheightsoh.gov/DocumentCenter/View/656/New-Garage-PDF#:~:text=Two%20parking%20spaces%20are%20required,a%20parking%20pad%20are%20required. https://signalcleveland.org/cleveland-to-scrap-parking-requirements-near-frequent-public-transit-stops/ https://www.neoch.org/cleveland-homeless-blog/2024/5/24/taking-urgent-action-to-support-ohio-housing-trust-fund-budget-cuts-in-sb-94 https://www.clevelandohio.gov/sites/clevelandohio/files/rfp/2024/rehousing/A%20Home%20for%20Every%20Neighbor%20RFP_FINAL.pdf https://avivomn.org/avivovillage/avivo-village-faq/ https://www.myavista.com/connect/articles/2022/04/housing-the-homeless-in-grants-pass-oregon https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/columbus/news/2024/02/23/cleveland-homeless-initiative-bibb --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

In this riveting episode, we delve into the resurgence of racial injustices in the U.S. through legal channels, opinions and public policy, critiquing the belief in a post-racial society and emphasizing White Supremacy's lingering influence. We highlight significant legal and historical contexts, and also address recent lawsuits targeting programs designed to support racial minorities, arguing against the so-called colorblind policies and advocating for race-conscious measures to achieve true equality. Sources used in the making of this episode: "The New Jim Crow." Michelle Alexander. "Stamped From The Beginning." Ibram X. Kendi. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/13/magazine/civil-rights-affirmative-action-colorblind.html https://19thnews.org/2023/11/affirmative-action-backlash-maternal-health-program-black-women/ https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/06/affirmative-action-killer-ed-blum-supreme-court-strategy.html https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/society-equity/conservative-activist-uses-civil-war-era-law-challenge-us-corporate-diversity-2023-09-25/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/08/29/john-hopkins-legacy-racial-diversity/ https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/american-medical-association-body-mass-index-racially-biased/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

ADHD is like holding a galaxy in your mind where every star is a thought fighting for attention.

The big man on campus is a group of good trouble making students who shall not be moved. The kids are alright. Sources: "Freedom is a Constant Struggle" by Angela Y. Davis. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/students/free-speech/2024/04/15/punishments-rise-student-protests-escalate https://www.insidehighered.com/news/students/diversity/2024/03/08/report-most-jewish-muslim-students-fearful-amid-conflict https://www.thefire.org/research-learn/limits-free-speech https://www.thecity.nyc/2024/04/18/columbia-students-arrests-palestine-israel-encampment-nypd/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

Ramadan is the month Muslims burn away our sins and I've been known to keep some of that fire for the unwashed and "rent payment is late" opinions on the animal farm that is social media. It's the Holy Month, not the "Holier than Thou month," see you at sundown. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

Or, how conservative Whites are are having a "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day" and want us all to suffer because of it. But when it comes to the US, they don't know her. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

Black Excellence is a sign on a t-shirt and I'm buying two of them but not before I school you on why excellence is a double-edged sword in the Black community. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

Until dating apps come with a coupon for a free therapy session, you'll settle for this podcast episode that'll help you find the greatest love of your life--YOU! Works used in the making of this episode: just one! "The Gifts of Imperfection" by Brené Brown. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

We all know Dr. King had a dream, but he had fears, fears that in the years since his death have been realized and embody the ugly parts of ourselves, infecting our communities and all facets of our society; injustices that he and thousands of others labored hard during the US Civil Rights Era to eradicate. These ghosts of the past haunt our present and make me question if we understand Dr. King at all. Get on the train, people, we're going to fight the good fight! Works used in the making of this episode: Freedom Is A Constant Struggle. By Angela Y. Davis. Stamped from The Beginning. By Ibram X. Kendi. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/11/martin-luther-king-jr-mlk-israel-palestine-1967-video/ https://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/50-voices-for-50-years/posts/reclaiming-king2 https://www.wbur.org/news/2022/01/16/ibram-kendi-race-relations-martin-luther-king --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

Muslims in the United States are burning our voter registration forms for warmth and revolution! But...woah...not so fast. We need some resolutions to go with our revolution. Works Cited: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-resolution/888 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

Just left Pound Town, turns out it's a place where you get beat with a sock full of coins by your unfulfilled hopes and dreams for a better tomorrow. *Sigh* --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

And it's their Diamond Anniversary! What do you give the couple that's been together for 75 years? Taxpayer-funded genocide, apparently. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

It's been a year, with inflation, no Women's World Cup title and the fact that I'm still not a millionaire, I'm ready to put on the no vacancy sign and sleep for some months. Now there's a war, another war, a big one, and people are being obtuse or cruel about it and Google is right there. What has Palestine done to deserve what's happening? Sometimes, simply existing is enough. What's tea? Are YOU for self-determination or not? Let's dive in. Works used in the making of this episode: https://balloon-juice.com/2023/10/08/the-israel-hamas-war-of-october-2023-update/ https://speakola.com/political/richard-boyd-barrett-israel-palestine-irish-parliament-2022?rq=israel https://www.un.org/unispal/about-the-nakba/#:~:text=The%20Nakba%2C%20which%20means%20%E2%80%9Ccatastrophe,ethnic%20and%20multi%2Dcultural%20society. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Atag74u01AM https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/10/12/questions-and-answers-israels-use-white-phosphorus-gaza-and-lebanon https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/open-letter-born-again/ https://www.thenation.com/article/world/jews-gaza-response/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

A Bonus Episode! The one where I read Congress and the US down to the ashy white paint on The Lincoln's Memorial's knuckles. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

You'll have to do it yourselves, misters. Take responsibility, take stock, take a chance, take a drive to your dad's house and slap him in the face for not raising you right. Works used in the making of this episode: https://loneconservative.com/2023/08/05/the-barbie-movies-lesson-on-masculinity/ https://www.happiness.com/magazine/health-body/male-loneliness-time-bomb-killing-men/ https://www.thecollector.com/idealized-man-male-beauty-standards-through-history/ https://medium.com/illumination/jordan-peterson-king-of-incels-quite-the-opposite-371a6bc965eb https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2919794/#:~:text=The%20term%20folie%20%C3%A0%20deux,share%20the%20same%20delusional%20ideas. https://www.orri-uk.com/archetypes-and-toxic-masculinity/ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-avoid-apophenia-bias https://medium.com/illumination/toxic-masculinity-d14ffafb5d30 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Id%C3%A9e_fixe_(psychology) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

No, but seriously, the US prison system needs some upgrades, like your dad's hair plugs and your mom's veneers. From Georgia to Ohio, to New York and points west of the Mississippi, I'll expose the flaws and suggest ways to improve it, in time for Trump's arrival. Sources used in the making of this episode: https://www.justice.gov/crt/civil-rights-institutionalized-persons https://www.ideastream.org/government-politics/2023-06-20/activists-fill-cuyahoga-county-council-meeting-to-oppose-new-site-for-jail https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-investigation-conditions-fulton-county-georgia-jail https://theappeal.org/georgia-prisons-crisis-doj-federal-investigation/ https://www.clevescene.com/news/at-community-meeting-local-officials-sell-the-garfield-heights-county-jail-plan-to-wary-residents-42598190 https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/fulton-county-lashawn-thompson-bedbug-settlement --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

We are all gravitationally blessed, unfortunately, the floor wants to know why it can't catch a break from us walking to the kitchen for snacks. *I'm not a doctor, I'm a lawyer, that's not close enough to substitute anything in this episode for genuine medical advice. Consult a doctor for any and all things health-related. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

Vote NO on Issue 1, Ohioans. That's it. Sources used in the making of this episode: https://www.commoncause.org/ohio/democracy-wire/background-on-issue-1/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gop-megadonor-pours-millions-into-effort-to-hinder-ohio-abortion-amendment/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ohio-abortion-republican-ballot-measure-amend-state-constitution/ https://www.cleveland.com/news/2022/07/ohio-state-representative-says-she-would-consider-banning-birth-control-following-abortion-outlaw.html https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-redistricting-ohio-gerrymandering-d387206765a522da89515de812d6aada https://www.commoncause.org/ohio/democracy-wire/the-battle-over-how-to-amend-ohios-constitution-issue-1-on-the-ballot-in-august/# https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/issue-1-is-100-about-blocking-abortion-measure-frank-larose-says/ https://ballotpedia.org/Article_XVI,_Ohio_Constitution#Section_1 https://ballotpedia.org/Article_II,_Ohio_Constitution#Section_1e https://ballotpedia.org/Article_II,_Ohio_Constitution#Section_1b https://odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/vital-statistics/resources/vs-abortionreport2021 https://odh.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/22f585e9-1090-473e-8fde-a0f8af08a224/Induced+Abortions+in+Ohio+2021.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_M1HGGIK0N0JO00QO9DDDDM3000-22f585e9-1090-473e-8fde-a0f8af08a224-oefXxla https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/25/politics/ohio-abortion-rights-amendment/index.html https://journalrecord.com/2023/07/03/ex-house-speaker-sentenced-to-20-years-in-firstenergy-scandal/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

Is that time again! That time of year when children are out of school, beaches are full and Black Women have to defend our choices. Works used in the making of this episode: "Beyoncé and the End of Respectability Politics." By Myles E. Johnson. The New York Times. April 16, 2018. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/16/opinion/beyonce-coachella-blackness.html. "Respectability Politics Won't Save Black Americans." By Zach Stafford. The Guardian. October 12, 2015. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/oct/12/respectability-politics-wont-save-black-americans. "Keke Palmer Is The Internet's Sweetheart, but the Multi-Hyphenate is More Than Just the Queen of Meme." By Danya Issawi. The Cut. July 10, 2023. Available at: https://www.thecut.com/2023/07/cut-cover-keke-palmer-internet-meme-discourse.html. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

This one is heavy, like the weight of all the Black Women society subjugates. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

US Olympic Gold Medalist Tori Bowie died during childbirth but what is not talked about is the epidemic that consumed her and her fetus--the epidemic of Black maternal mortality and morbidity in the United States. What killed her is killing more Black pregnant women than any other women in this country. It is a complex problem that requires all hands on deck to solve. Sources used in the making of this episode: "Olympian Tori Bowie's Death Reflects The Black Maternal Mortality Crisis." Sareen Habeshian, Axios.com. June 15, 2023. Available at: https://www.axios.com/2023/06/15/black-maternal-mortality-death-tori-bowie. Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2021. Available at: Maternal Mortality Rates in the United States, 2021 (cdc.gov) "Allyson Felix: Tori Bowie Can't Die in Vain." By Allyson Felix, for Time Magazine. June 15, 2023. Available at: https://time.com/6287392/tori-bowie-allyson-felix-black-maternal-health/. "Health Equity Among Black Women in the United States." By Juanita J. Chinn, PhD, Iman K. Martin, PhD, MPH, MSc, and Nicole Redmond, MD, PhD, MPH, FACP. Published at J Womens Health (Larchmt). February 2021; 30(2): 212–219. Published online 2021 Feb 2. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8020496/. "Closing The Coverage Gap Would Improve Black Maternal Health." By Judith Solomon, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. July 26, 2021. Available at: https://www.cbpp.org/research/health/closing-the-coverage-gap-would-improve-black-maternal-health. "Booker, Underwood, Adams Reintroduce the Bicameral Momnibus Act to End America's Maternal Health Crisis." May 15, 2023. Available at: https://www.booker.senate.gov/news/press/booker-underwood-adams-reintroduce-the-bicameral-momnibus-act-to-end-americas-maternal-health-crisis#:~:text=The%20Momnibus%20is%20made%20up,housing%2C%20transportation%2C%20and%20nutrition. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

On this very special episode of Ayana Explains It All, we hear from my favorite former high school freshman, my daughter. She regales us with stories of life in the 9th grade spot, feeling sometimes confident, and other times freshie. The transformative years of high school are not wasted on this one. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

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. The sources used in this episode: "NAACP Issues Travel Advisory for Florida." May 20, 2023. Available at: https://naacp.org/articles/naacp-issues-travel-advisory-florida. Wikipedia entries on Sundown Towns, The Green Book, Rosewood Massacre, and Ocoee Massacre. "Driving Scared: Is your town a Sundown Town?" By Sheila Lettsome, The Center for Community Solutions. July 25, 2022. Available at: https://www.communitysolutions.com/driving-scared-is-your-town-a-sundown-town/. Historical Database of Sundown Towns by James W. Loewen available at https://justice.tougaloo.edu/sundown-towns/using-the-sundown-towns-database/state-map/. "Southern Pinellas 'Sundown Towns.'" By James Schnur, The Gabber. March 23, 2023. Available at: https://thegabber.com/southern-pinellas-sundown-towns/. Soul of Athens. "Sundown Towns: East Jackson." Nate Smallwood, story producer. Available at: https://2016.soulofathens.com/sundowntowns.html. "They Look White but Say They're Black: A Tiny Town in Ohio Wrestles with Race." By Khushbuh Shah, The Guardian.com. July 25, 2019. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jul/25/race-east-jackson-ohio-appalachia-white-black. "Were There Sundown Towns in Central Ohio?" By Michael De Bonis, WOSU, NPR News. April 3, 2023. Available at: https://news.wosu.org/2023-04-03/were-there-sundown-towns-in-central-ohio. "Sundown Towns: A Look at South Florida's Legacy of Segregation." By Phil Prazan, NBCMiami.com. February 18, 2021. Available at: https://www.nbcmiami.com/investigations/sundown-towns-a-look-at-south-floridas-legacy-of-segregation/2386799/. "Racial Tensions in America's Sundown Towns." By Tim Sullivan and Noreen Nasir, Associated Press. October 14, 2020. Available at: https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/state/2020/10/14/racial-tensions-americas-sundown-towns/3656681001/. "Sundown Town." By Adam Poulisse, et. al., WFTV.com. Available at: https://www.wftv.com/ocoee/sundown-town/. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers sang "everybody's had to fight to be free, you see. You don't have to live like a refugee," that is, unless, you landed at the Southern US border and you had to use an smartphone/computer app to apply for asylum, and unless you schedule an appointment provided you found some free WiFi, then you don't even get to be a refugee. Sources used in this episode: "US unveils rule that rights groups say stifles access to asylum." Al Jazeera. May 10, 2023. Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/10/us-unveils-rule-rights-groups-say-stifles-right-to-seek-asylum. "Asylum Seekers Told to Use a Mobile App to Enter US as Title 42 Expires. Here's How the CBP App Works." Gerardo Pons, NBCMiami.com. May 10, 2023. Available at: https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/national-international/asylum-seekers-told-to-use-a-mobile-app-to-enter-us-as-title-42-expires-heres-how-the-cbp-app-works/3032118/#:~:text=What%20is%20CBP%20One%20App,available%20in%20English%20and%20Spanish. "Migrant Crossing Surges Aren't New. Why Is the Border Overwhelmed?" Eileen Sullivan, The New York Times. May 10, 2023. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/10/us/politics/title-42-border-history-immigration.html. "Hoover on Immigration." Spencer Howard. August 14, 2016. Available at: https://hoover.blogs.archives.gov/2016/08/04/hoover-on-immigration/. "Covid-Era Border Policy Expires." Miriam Jordan, Eileen Sullivan, Michael D. Shear and Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, The New York Times. May 11, 2023. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/05/11/us/title-42-immigration. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

It's that time of year, the kids are back from college and looking at the world through an adult lens, but their cerebral prefrontal cortex is still forming so maybe they're kids after all. Join me as I query my own son about being a college freshman, the challenges and rewards, and what it means to be a student athlete going from the "big man on campus" in high school, to a "little fish in a big pond" in college. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

Happy Hollandaise! It's Minority Health Month, that special time of year again when families gather round the fireplace, embrace, sing songs, and compare A1C numbers. Sugar, we are not well. Health inequities in the United States work hard to keep racial minorities from achieving wellness, harder than we do at losing those stubborn 100 pounds. Can we fix the problem before this country runs out of people who look like me? Anything is possible. Sources used in this episode: “How Insurers Can Advance Health Equity Under the Affordable Care Act,” Katie Keith, To the Point (blog), The Commonwealth Fund.  August 10, 2021. Available at: https://doi.org/10.26099/818t-pz60.  Also available at: https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2021/how-insurers-can-advance-health-equity-under-affordable-care-act. “Hospitals, Insurers Invest Big Dollars to Tackle Patients' Social Needs.”  Phil Galewitz, KFF Health News.  June 22, 2021.  Available at:  www.kffhealthnews.org/news/article/social-determinants-health-care-vulnerable-populations-hospitals-insurers-patient-assistance/.  “Strengthening Marketplace Network Rules for Essential Community Providers Is a Matter of Health Equity.” Sara Rosenbaum, Caitlin Murphy, and Rebecca Morris.  To the Point (blog), The Commonwealth Fund.  January 25, 2023. Available at: https://doi.org/10.26099/rgsv-4523.  Also available at: www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2023/strengthening-marketplace-network-rules-community-providers-health-equity.  “How the Affordable Care Act Narrowed Racial Ethnic Disparities.” Jesse C. Baumgartner, Sara R. Collins, David C. Radley, Susan L. Hayes. The Commonwealth Fund. January 16, 2020.  Available at: https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/2020/jan/how-ACA-narrowed-racial-ethnic-disparities-access#:~:text=Research%20also%20indicates%20that%20the,%2C%20Hispanic%2C%20and%20white%20adults. “The Affordable Care Act 13th Anniversary Marks Advancement in Health Equity.”  Irv Randolph, The Philadelphia Tribune.  March 16, 2023.  Available at: www.phillytrib.com/commentary/editorial-the-affordable-care-act-13th-anniversary-marks-advancement-in-health-equity/article_e3af65b4cd7a-53d8-b7bc-29e9850dc592.html. “Health Disparities Stem from Racism in Medicaid and Society: Color of Health Panel Discusses Inequities in Healthcare.”  Julie Washington, Cleveland.com.  Originally published on February 25, 2021; updated March 7, 2023.  Available at: www.cleveland.com/coronavirus/2021/02/health-disparities-stem-from-racism-in-medicine-and-society-color-of-health-panel-discusses-inequities-in-health-care.html. “What is Health Equity?”  CDC.gov. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/whatis/index.html#:~:text=Across%20the%20country%2C%20people%20in,compared%20to%20their%20White%20counterparts. “Health in the Segregated City.” Mariana C. Arcaya and Alina Schnake-Mahl. October 2017. NYU Furman Center.  Available at: https://furmancenter.org/research/iri/essay/health-in-the-segregated-city.  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

East Cleveland, Ohio is a city of a bygone era. The stretch of city along Euclid Avenue reveals dilapidated 19th Century mansions, hallmarks of a town with a storied past, but now desperate and dreary future from decades of fiscal mismanagement and feckless law enforcement. Teeming with civic corruption and a police force that can't make roll call, what once was will never be. The following sources were used in the making of this episode: 1.   “Some attorneys refuse to sue cash-strapped city because it can't pay damages to victims: East Cleveland police chases.” John Caniglia, Cleveland.com.  March 7, 2023.  Available at: https://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/2021/09/cut-to-the-chase-some-attorneys-refuse-to-sue-cash-strapped-east-cleveland-because-it-cant-pay-out-damages.html. 2.   NAACP Criminal Justice Fact Sheet.  Available at: https://naacp.org/resources/criminal-justice-fact-sheet 3.   “11 E.C. police officers indicted on civil rights violations after video captures shocking brutality.” John H. Tucker, Cleveland.com.  March 10, 2023.  Available at: https://www.cleveland.com/crime/2023/03/11-east-cleveland-police-officers-indicted-on-civil-rights-violations-after-video-captures-shocking-brutality.html. 4.  “In E.C., history of police officer wrongdoing raises questions about the department's culture, experts say.” Cory Shaffer, Cleveland.com.  09/26/2022.  Available at: https://www.cleveland.com/crime/2022/09/in-east-cleveland-history-of-police-officer-wrongdoing-raises-questions-about-the-departments-culture-experts-say.html&subscribed=google-oauth2%7C104906410223504022205. 5.   “Six Cleveland officers sacked after 137 shots killed two unarmed black people.”  The Guardian.com.  January 26, 2016.  Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/27/cleveland-fatal-shooting-timothy-russell-malissa-williams-officers-fired. 6.  Quick Facts East Cleveland, Ohio.  US Census. Available at: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/eastclevelandcityohio 7.   “East Cleveland, Ohio” entry on Wikipedia. 8.  “Tamia Chappman Law sought to limit police pursuits. Instead, it did nothing: East Cleveland police chases.”  John Caniglia, Cleveland.com.  October 1, 2021.  Available at: https://www.cleveland.com/news/2021/10/tamia-chappman-law-sought-to-limit-police-chases-through-east-cleveland-instead-it-did-nothing-east-cleveland-police-chases.html. 9.  “Former East Cleveland police officer sentenced to nearly four years in prison.” Press Release, US Attorney's Office, Northern District of Ohio.  04/12/2016.  Available at: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndoh/pr/former-east-cleveland-police-officer-sentenced-nearly-four-years-prison.  10. “Former East Cleveland detective sentenced to nearly six years in prison, last of three corrupt officers sent to prison.”  Press Release, US Attorney's Office, Northern District of Ohio.  04/19/2016.  Available at: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndoh/pr/former-east-cleveland-detective-sentenced-nearly-six-years-prison-last-three-corrupt. 11. “Three Former E.C. Police Officers Charged with Fabricating Evidence, Stealing Cash.” Press Release, US Attorney's Office, Northern District of Ohio.  10/8/2015.  Available at: https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/cleveland/news/press-releases/three-former-east-cleveland-police-officers-charged-with-fabricating-evidence-stealing-cash. 12. “Former E.C. police sergeant sentenced to nine years in prison.”  Press Release, US Attorney's Office, Northern District of Ohio.  04/5/2016.  Available at: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndoh/pr/former-east-cleveland-police-sergeant-sentenced-nine-years-prison. 13. “11 E.C. police officers indicted on civil rights violations after video captures shocking brutality.”  John H. Tucker, Cleveland.com.  March 10, 2023.  Available at: https://www.cleveland.com/crime/2023/03/11-east-cleveland-police-officers-indicted-on-civil-rights-violations-after-video-captures-shocking-brutality.html. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

Ramadan Mubarak! Sit back, stand up, run, walk to this re-examined, re-explained, reuploaded episode from Season 1 all about Ramadan. It is the holiest month of the Islamic calendar, and when the new moon drops on the 9th month, every bodily desire and distraction decreases but the spiritual duties increase. Don't mind the audio, this episode pre-dated my fine tuned era. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

This one is for the social justice warriors and their foes, for the abelists/racists/sexist/bigots and their antagonists--the marginalized groups. We, the lesser people, rub the chinless Fox News hosts, the Archie Bunkers and Al Bundys of the world the wrong way and they don't like it, but for our good health and preservation we must persist. Sources used in the making of this podcast: "Here's Where Woke Comes From." Arkansas Democrat Gazette. 01/08/2023. Available at: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jan/08/heres-where-woke-comes-from/. "School Daze Ending Explained: What is the meaning of Dap's Last Dialogue. Know More." RepublicWorld.com. Shruti Mukherjee. 09/21/2020. Available at: https://www.republicworld.com/entertainment-news/hollywood-news/school-daze-ending-explained-who-were-the-gamma-rays-in-school-daze.html. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ayana-fakhir6/support

It never left. We have never been without an exploitative child labor class, those cute round eyes and rosy cheeks are hard to resist. Well, turns out, that rosy hue is from chemical burns. Sources used in the making of this episode: "Arkansas Governor Sanders signs measure rolling back child labor protections." NBCNews.com. Rose Horowitch. 03/8/2023. Hannah Dreier, Twitter. "Alone and Exploited, Migrant Children Work Brutal Jobs Across the U.S." NYTimes.com. Hannah Dreier. 02/25/2023. "Feds Expand Probe Into Migrant Child Labor In Slaughterhouses." NBCNews.com. Julia Ainsley and Laura Strickler. 03/01/2023. "Child Labor Making a Comeback." TimesFreePress.com, Deborah Levine. 02/23/2023. "Over 100 Children Illegally Employed by US Slaughterhouse Cleaning Firm." Guardian.com, Maya Yang. 02/17/2023. "Child Workers Found Throughout Hyundai-Kia Supply Chain in Alabama." Reuters.com. Mica Rosenberg, Kristina Cooke and Joshua Schneyer. 12/16/2022. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ayana-fakhir6/support

TRAINGER-DANGER! Trains are longer, heavier, slower, and dumber.  Like your dad on his 60th birthday.   The following sources were used in the making of this episode: 1. “How often do train wrecks spill hazardous chemicals into neighborhoods? Here's what data shows.” By Jayme Fraser and Tami Abdollah. USA Today. 02/09/2023. Available at: usatoday.com 2. “The Largest and Most Profitable Railroads in the US.” 04/28/2019. Available at: soundingmaps.com. 3. “6 key things to know after the toxic train derailment in Ohio.” By Ella Nilsen, CNN. 02/15/2023. Available at: CNN.com. 4. “East Palestine train wasn't considered a ‘high hazard.' could stricter rules make hazardous material transport safer?” By Reid Frazier, Allegheny Front. 02/17/2023. Available at: AlleghenyFront.org. 5. “New Oil Train Rules are Hit from All Sides.” By Jad Mouwad, New York Times. 05/01/2015. Available at: NYTimes.com. 6. “In the after math of the Ohio train derailment, what is NS safety record?” By Kelli Weir, Canton Repository. 02/21/2023. Available at: CantonRep.com. 7. “Profit motive behind fiery, toxic train wreck in Ohi0.” By Otis Grotewohl, Workers World. 02/13/2013. Available at: Workers.0rg. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ayana-fakhir6/support

Gather round for this here read of US public education, from the States to the governors to the Speaker of the House. The governmental bodies are gutting public education with no condom and leaving narrow views for children to peer out of--I'm looking at you Sarah Huckabee DeSantis. Works Cited: "Sarah Huckabee Sanders says the dividing line in America is between normal and crazy. Full text of Republican response to Biden's State of the Union." Marketwatch.com. 02/08/2023. Available at: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/sarah-huckabee-sanders-gives-republican-response-to-biden-full-text-11675829909. "Kevin McCarthy's Troubling Focus On Our Public Schools." Raymond Pierce, Forbes Magazine. 01/23/2023. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/raymondpierce/2023/01/31/kevin-mccarthys-troubling-focus-on-our-public-schools/?sh=4f5923755b53. "DeSantis' attack on AP, SAT and College Board creates an uncertain future for FL high schoolers. Civil rights activists, religious leaders, students, parents to rally Wednesday over AP African American studies course." Danielle Brown, Florida Phoenix. 02/14/2023. Available at: https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/02/14/desantis-attack-on-ap-sat-and-college-board-creates-an-uncertain-future-for-fl-high-schoolers/. "George M. Johnson: America Banned My Book, But I Refuse to Stay Silent." George M. Johnson, Refinery29.com. 02/01/2023. Available at: https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2023/02/11253589/george-m-johnson-all-boys-arent-blue-banned. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ayana-fakhir6/support

We all lie, but, we don't all lie as well as a character in a Matt Damon movie.   Works Cited:  "The Talented Mr. Ripley." Wikipedia entry available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Talented_Mr._Ripley "George Santos Reportedly Claimed to Be a Broadway Musical Producer: Here's Everything The Embattled Congressman Has Lied About." Sara Dorn. Forbes Magazine.com. 02/03/2023. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2023/02/03/george-santos-reportedly-claimed-to-be-a-broadway-musical-producer-heres-everything-the-embattled-congressman-has-lied-about/?sh=392ff4831be2 --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ayana-fakhir6/support

It's time we clear the air about the racial bias in crime reporting and the media's hyper focus on police violence in the Black American Community. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ayana-fakhir6/support

Shed a thug tear for ya girl, things just got real...bad.

Kids are not tiny adults, they're cute little tax deductions with so much to learn.

This episode is for quitters and quitters only and I expect that to be everyone. Who among us hasn't had more stops and starts than an old Buick?