Killing It Softly

In the second half of this episode, my guest Asia and I discuss his process with writing poetry, lessons he is teaching his son, lessons he was taught as a child, and elements of his Filipino culture. Asia closes out the show with one last powerful poem about his son, which brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it. Such a wonderful episode, so let's get into it!

In this episode of the show, I interview an amazingly talented Asian American poet by the name of Asia Samson. The episode begins with a live performance of a recent poem entitled, Sleeping Dragons, which he wrote in response to the hate crimes that took place earlier this year. He also takes time to share his thoughts on the history of racism in America, media's impact on society, his personal experiences, and an opinion of the Asian community on these topics. This one is super special, so let's get into it!

In this episode of the show, I interview my former colleague, Arlene, who happens to be a proud Newurican (Puerto Rican from New York) from Brooklyn, NY. She talks with me about how growing up in a diverse neighborhood and family has shaped the way that she navigates the world. Arlene also talks with me about raising her two biracial girls in these racially charged times. Arlene wraps up the episode with a powerful message where she makes some calls to action. It's certainly a conversation you won't want to miss!

In this episode of the show, I interview Patricia Newman who is the supervisor of the Adult Mental Health Case Mgmt team at the RACSB in Fredericksburg. She stops by to share details about her experiences as a White mom raising 2 Sons of Color in America. We also get into a discussion about how we can make an impact in the intersection of mental health, policing, and racial equity. Patricia and I put our heads together to come up with some great action steps for making change in the community!

Hey there, KL here! Dropping in really quickly to tell you some exciting news. The Killing Softly Podcast's 1 year anniversary is coming up on Labor Day Weekend, and I want you to come celebrate with me! I have a few surprises on the way, and some really fun ideas for new episodes. As always, nothing happened without the fans, so before I move forward I need feedback from you guys! Please email me directly at klkillingitsoftly@gmail.com if you are willing to answer a few quick questions for me. All those who participate will be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift card; winners choice. I do the show for you guys, so let me know what you need from me. Cant wait to hear from you! Love always, KL

It is under the most heartbreaking & tragic of circumstances that I must step away from the show for a while. Unfortunate events took place within my family, and I had to make some hard decisions that will forever change the course of my life. I finally realized that I would break if I kept trying to do it all. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for listening to the show, for encouraging me, for being willing to learn, and helping to create an Authentic American for all. As always the episodes yet to be released will be conversation you won't want to miss. Until then, have a fantastic summer and Ill see you soon. Love Always, KL  

In this episode of the show, I interview one of my best friends, Krystal, and her husband, Douglas. She is the new Accounting manager at her job and he is Richmond,, VA's 1st ever Poet Laureate!  Our discussion in this episode focuses on the joys and challenges of raising Children of Color in America. They encourage parents to tackle conversations about race, discrimination, colorism, and current events head on. We all agree that children need space to express their concerns, and to have adults help them navigate the complexities of American society. 

In this episode of the show, I am joined once again by the amazing and incomparable Dr. Janice Gassam Asare. We jump right into talking about Chapters 6 & 8 of her latest book, The Pink Elephant. We discuss things to avoid when trying to have productive conversations about race AND practical ways that companies can support their most marginalized employees. Dr. Janice explains how each of us as Americans can be working to uplift the most vulnerable individuals in our society. Lets' get into it!

In this episode of the show, I interview Dr. Janice Gassam Asare, owner of the award-winning DEI consultancy BWG Business Solutions. Dr. Janice is also a college professor, an author, and the host of the Dirty Diversity Podcast. She joins me to talk about her latest book called The Pink Elephant, which discusses ways that organizations can promote anti-racism in the workplace. We identify different aspects of privilege, and discuss ways that people can use their privilege to liberate, amplify, and uplift the voices of the most vulnerable and marginalized people. In my opinion, Dr. Janice's suggestions are truly remarkable, and they could revolutionize the way we do DEI. 

In this episode of the show, I am speaking with Dr. Jessica Young Brown about her book called Making Space at the Well, which addresses the intersection of faith, race, and mental health. She talks about how people need to feel safe enough to share all of what they are going through, without fear of judgement. Dr. Brown says we need to make space for and celebrate individuals who are brave enough to share their mental health burdens, and how this allows God to work in, through, and around us.

In this episode of the show, Dr. Karen joins us again to share more of America's history regarding systemic racism, this time touching on examples within the mental health field. I also welcome Dr. Jessica Young Brown to the discussion. Together, we highlight the history of mistreatment of African Americans within the field of mental health, and how this is still impacting our fellow Americans today. Our goal is to help people understand the distrust and to encourage those in communities of color who need mental health treatment to seek it out.

In this episode of the show, I speak with my former co-worker Wesley and Dr. Karen Sherry. Wesley is currently working as a registered oncology nurse in Northern Virginia. Dr. Karen is an art historian and a curator of museum collections at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture.  Our discussion focuses on historical facts presented by Karen on aspects of systemic racism in the medical field, and how those issues are still negatively impacting Americans of Color today. We also spend time brainstorming different action steps we can take to create more equity in the medical field. 

In this episode of the show, I am flying solo! I take time to thank the fans and to celebrate the success of the podcast. I'm talking briefly about some of the topics I will cover this year. I'm also discussing the connection between systemic racism in the medical field, COVID-19, communities of color, and vaccinations. My hope is that we as Americans of Color can find news ways to advocate for ourselves, and feel more confident in taking the steps necessary to get the medical and mental health care that we deserve. 

In this episode of the show, I bring back Karla, Sean, Dana, James, and John to talk in small groups about the things that they learned from and appreciated about each other's episodes. We are continuing to celebrate honesty, authenticity, humanity, and hope regarding the movement that is taking place in our country. This is the final episode for Season 1. Thank you to all of my guests and to all of the fans who have been so supportive during this journey. Season 2 is underway, and I can't wait for you to meet my new guests! Until next time, Happy New Year & I'll see you soon!

In this episode of the show, I bring back the guests from season 1 to talk in small groups about the things they learned from and appreciated about each other's episodes. We are celebrating honesty, authenticity, humanity, and hope regarding the movement that is taking place in our country. This episode is all about understanding and appreciating one another, so that we can continue doing the work that is needed to create a more equitable, authentic version of America for all. 

In this episode of the show, I interview an outstanding police officer by the name of James Carr. James has served the community as a police officer for 14 years. His career started in Northern Virginia, and he now works for the Fredericksburg Police Dept. Our discussion in this episode focuses on everything from James' background in law enforcement to his thoughts on the tragic deaths that we've witnessed this year to issues with training in law enforcement...his personal and professional experiences with racism, his racial identity, and ways that we can create a connection between police officers and communities of color. 

In this episode of the show, I interview my good friend, Dana, who I met almost 10 years ago in graduate school. Dana has two master's degrees, one in clinical psychology and one in social work. She currently works as a mental health professional at the Public Health Department in Austin Texas. I speak candidly with Dana about her racial identity as a White American and about the details of a documentary called Healing Justice. This documentary explores the causes and the consequences of the current North American justice system and its effect on marginalized communities. The film walks back through the history of trauma in our country- on a personal, interpersonal, community, and generational level. 

In this episode of the show, I interview my guest Courtney about her personal & professional insights as they pertain to race & racism. Courtney is currently a trial lawyer in Richmond Virginia. Our discussion focuses on Courtney's personal experiences with racial ambiguity and with witnessing systemic racism in the justice system. She also gives her professional opinion regarding the outcome of the Breonna Taylor case, and what could have been done to make sure justice was served. 

In this episode of the show, I interview my guest Sean about a number of difficult topics, including prejudice, systemic racism, White supremacy, and mass incarceration. The majority of the discussion focuses on details of the well-known documentary called 13th, which explains how exploitation of the 13th amendment was used to rebuild the Southern economy through convict leasing, and how that practice morphed into what we now call, mass incarceration. 

In this episode of the show, I speak with fellow mental health professionals in a panel discussion, which focuses on the effects of intergenerational trauma specifically in the African American community. My guests include Karla Lewis, NCC and LPC resident, Trey Taylor, LCSW, Antaysia Nance, LCSW, and previous guest Erika Wormeley, LPC. In our discussion, we talk about the history and insurmountable pain of the African American experience that began four hundred years ago, and still persists in our society today. We also talk about the residual effects of those complex traumas, and how they are relevant to the current state of civil unrest, injustice, and systemic racism in America.

In this episode of the show, I interview my guest Tim about the current racial climate from his perspective as a Bengali American. Tim is a father, a husband, and a professional photographer. He worked for the Virginia State police in the emergency management division, and has since transitioned into a career as an IT consultant for the VA. Our discussion in this episode focuses on how Tim's experience as a Bengali American has shaped his view of himself within America's racial hierarchy. Tim also helps me better understand my own racial identity and how it has influenced me in very unique ways. We also talk briefly about some ways that employers can work to remove systemic racism from their hiring processes.

In this episode of the show, I interview my friend Erika, whom I previously worked with for 3 years at the crisis stabilization unit. Erika is a mother, a wife, and a mental health clinician in the Fredericksburg area. Overall, she has been in the field for 12 years, and most recently passed her LPC exam for licensure in the state of Virginia. Our discussion in this episode focuses on the details of a documentary called Cracking the Codes, which was created by Shakit Butler. She is the president and founder of the World Trust Organization for social justice in Oakland, California. The full 1 hour film can be found on YouTube, Amazon Prime video, and the World Trust website. We get into some of the history regarding systemic racism, how it's impacting us today, and how we can work together to dismantle it.

In this episode of the show, I interview my good friend Ivy about her experiences as an African American woman in America. In our discussion, we provide a breakdown of some basic vocabulary to help people identify the difference between prejudice, discrimination, racial bias, and implicit bias. We also focus on unpacking stereotypes, beauty discrimination, and issues related to implicit bias in the medical field.

In the first episode of the show, I interview my previous supervisor John Butler. John is a husband, a father, and now a delegate for District 7 in Virginia. In this episode, we discuss what's going on in our country, why it's going on, and why people should care. 

Before jumping into discussions about one of the most challenging topics known to man, Kimberly provides the listeners with background information on her life and how it has influenced her desire to promote racial awareness in America. She provides encouragement and reassurance that not only can we come together to heal the divisiveness in our country, but we can also create a version of America that is inclusive for all.

Welcome to Killing It Softly, I'm your host Kimberly Lovell, licensed mental health therapist and social justice advocate. This podcast was created to promote racial awareness through honest, educational dialogue with White allies and People of Color. Episodes will alter between discussions with White allies about issues related to systemic racism and candid conversations with People of Color as they share their experiences of life in America. We are all coming together to learn how to shift toward anti-racist ways of thinking, so we can create a more honest, authentic version of America for all. Thanks for choosing to answer the call for change. Now let's get to work!