The IDE Impolite Conversation Podcast

Lezli and her ON THE YARD co-hosts Zuri and Nava; Spelman College ‘21 + ‘23 close out Season 1 with the last part of a two part conversation. They get an update from Environmental Studies Major at Howard University; Danurius “Danny” Williams ‘21 who joined for Episode #2 under the theme “Climate Change + COVID-19 + Communities of Color and Divine Linus ‘23; at Morehouse College who joined for Episode #10 Nigerian Students at HBCUs. They provide updates on how being forced to live off-campus impacted them financially, the ability to get off-campus employment in current climate, and how they plan to move forward in the coming semester.

Lezli has her final deep dive of Season One with Dr. Régine Jean-Charles, associate professor of French and African and African Diaspora Studies at Boston College. During this penultimate episode of the season, the two discuss Haiti's significance as the first Black republic, the global significance of Haiti's defeat of France, as well as the Haitian sacrament that takes place around the world on January 1st.     Relevant and Recommended Reads:  The Haitian Revolution (1791-1804)  The most successful slave rebellion in history created an independent Haiti and secured the Louisiana Purchase  A Warming Soup Joumou Family Recipe From Sommelier Bianca Sanon 

Lezli and her ON THE YARD co-hosts Zuri and Nava; Spelman College ‘21 + ‘23 close out Season 1 with the first of a two part conversation. They get an update from Zuri's classmate, Chantia Murphy ‘21 who joined for Episode #4 under the theme “Climate Change + COVID-19 + Communities of Color. Chantia is an English Major with a 3.9 GPA, first generation American and college student with aspirations of working for a media outlet that focuses on telling Black stories. Earlier in the season Chantia shared the financial impact of COVID-19 on her family meant she might not be able to return to Spelman for her senior year. With first semester complete Chantia provides an update.

Lezli finishes up her two-part conversation with Dr. Charles L. Hughes, author of Country Soul: Making Music and Making Race in the American South, which was named by Rolling Stone, as one of the Best Music Books of 2015. Charles is the DIrector of the Lynne & Henry Turley Memphis Center at Rhodes College, where he is also an Assistant Professor of Urban Studies, History and Africana Studies. The two explore prominent Black R&B and Soul artists such as Ray Charles that also made Country albums, how Charley Pride navigated the homogeneity of the Country Music genre, the dynamic that created the Lil Nas X controversy, and what his hopes are for the future of Country Music.     Relevant and Recommended Reads:  Charley Pride Country Music Hall of Fame Ray Charles' “Modern Sounds in Country” Cultural Impact  Country Music is Also Mexican Music 

Lezli and her ON THE YARD co-host Zuri; Spelman College ‘21 have a conversation with two HBCU VC Fellows; Kendall Camp; Morehouse College ‘22 Host of Privileged Black Kids Podcast and Trea'jure Dahl Spelman College ‘22. The four explore the minuscule percentage of VC dollars going to Black-owned startups, how Kendall and Trea'jure became interested in VC, what makes VC internships uniquely difficult to obtain, and how students should leverage their campus community whether they're interested in VC or not.    Relevant and Recommended Reads:  Why it's so Hard for Black Entrepreneurs to Find Funding  A VC's Guide to Investing in Black Founders  Diverse Startups and Investors Matter

Lezli continues her exploration of American music with a two-part conversation with Dr. Charles L. Hughes, author of Country Soul: Making Music and Making Race in the American South, which was named by Rolling Stone, as one of the Best Music Books of 2015. Charles is the DIrector of the Lynne & Henry Turley Memphis Center at Rhodes College, where he is also an Assistant Professor of Urban Studies, History and Africana Studies. The two explore American folk traditions associated with Country Music, how people of color get written out of America's folksy roots, the impetus for the creation of the “Hillbilly Music” genre; Country Music's predecessor, why this music became central to American white identity and the fundamental differences between Country Music and Blues.      Relevant and Recommended Reads:  Square Dance Calling: The African-American Connection Ralph Peer- Country Music Hall of Fame Remembering Musician Lesley Riddle: Blue Ridge Heritage

Lezli and her ON THE YARD co-host Nava; Spelman College ‘23 finish up their two-part episode conversation with Alston Bowman; Spelman College ‘21 and Zula Oliveira; Clark Atlanta University ‘23 about what veganism elucidated for them regarding how Americans consume meat, the misconception that a vegan diet HAS to be more expensive than an omnivore diet, being policed by meat-eaters, tips for transitioning to a plant-based diet along with some of their favorite vegan brands, and vegan cooks and content to follow and subscribe to on the gram and YouTube.     Relevant and Recommended Reads:  Why Black Americans are more likely to be vegan Can I afford to go vegan? 10 Black Influencers in the Vegan Instagram World to Follow

Lezli chats with Dr. Jack Hamilton, cultural historian, Associate Professor of American Studies and Media Studies at The University of Virginia, Pop Culture Critic for Slate Magazine, and author of the award-winning book, Just around Midnight: Rock and Roll and the Racial Imagination. The two explore the intersection of Race Records and the birth of contemporary pop music, why Adele gets placed in a different genre than Jazmine Sullivan, and what the movie TROLLS WORLD TOUR was talking about; beyond appropriation.      Relevant and Recommended Reads:  How 'Race Records' Turned Black Music Into Big Business Music Industry Rethinks ‘Urban' as a Genre for Black Artists As Labels Abandon 'Urban,' They Should Also Consider Ditching 'Pop'

Lezli and her ON THE YARD co-host Nava; Spelman College ‘23 begin a two-part episode conversation with Alston Bowman; Spelman College ‘21 and Zula Oliveira; Clark Atlanta University ‘23 about why they chose veganism, the challenges of being vegan at their respective HBCUs, how they think their institutions can ensure all students; meat eaters and plant eaters can be adequately nourished, and why being vegan is both a lifestyle as well as form of activism that affirms their Blackness.    Relevant and Recommended Reads:  Why Black Americans are more likely to be vegan The complicated relationship between Blackness and veganism | Living Black Vegans Step Out, for Their Health and Other Causes 

What does the Charleston dance craze of the 1920s and Bebop Jazz have in common; they were both born in the long-gone NYC neighborhood of San Juan Hill. Lezli chats with Dr. Lance Freeman Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture and Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation and author of A Haven and a Hell: The Ghetto in Black America about the cultural displacement that occurs during gentrification, as well as gentrification's intersection with federal policy. They explore the correct approach to gentrification so the cultural landscape is preserved in the process.      Relevant and Recommended Reads:  Shifting Neighborhoods: Gentrification and Cultural Displacement in American Cities Chinatown's famed Empress of China restaurant space to be reopened by former Hakkasan chef How Lincoln Center Was Built (It Wasn't Pretty)

Lezli and her ON THE YARD co-hosts Nava; Spelman College ‘23 and Zuri; Spelman College ‘21 host a special Thanksgiving episode where they discuss some lesser-known facts about one of America's most celebrated historical figures, Sarah Josepha Hale, the Godmother of the American Thanksgiving and one of the founders of Vassar College. They also discuss Indigenous People's Day and Christopher Columbus myths.       Relevant and Recommended Reads:  How the fourth Thursday in November officially became Thanksgiving Christopher Columbus: 3 things you think he did that he didn't

It's officially the holiday season. Lezli is joined by Detroit-based Iconoclast Dinner Culinary Honoree and owner of Flowers of Vietnam, George Azar. He shares a brief update on the most recent shutdown in Michigan and how he's impacted as a restaurant owner. They also explore what it was like growing up as a Palestinian Christian in Southwest Detroit, George's feelings on how being an Arab Christian impacted how the Arab-American community received him, and how his family celebrated as well as what was on the table during the two most important holidays in his home; Easter and Christmas.     Relevant and Recommended Reads:  Christmas in the Palestinian Territories on whychristmas?com Millions of tourists visit Bethlehem every Christmas. But Palestinians who live there are struggling to survive. Religions - Christianity: Eastern Orthodox Church

Lezli and her ON THE YARD co-host Nava; Spelman College ‘23 continue the conversation around the historic Biden/Harris win “On The Yard” with Taylor Davis, Howard University ‘21, The 82nd Miss Howard University and a member of the Alpha Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. as well as Nia Page, Spelman College ‘20, Immediate Past Spelman College SGA President and National African-American Engagement and Program Coordinator for The Biden Campaign. They explore why they think there was higher civic engagement among their peers this election season, their thoughts on their peers that did not exercise their right to vote, and how the Biden/Harris win hopefully increases the cultural competence and interest around HBCUs and BGLOs. Nia also shares specifically how HBCUs and BGLOs were meaningfully engaged by the Biden campaign.     Relevant and Recommended Reads:  Kamala Harris, supported by a sea of sisters An HBCU grad galvanized voters in Georgia and another one is making history as vice president-elect

Kamala Harris the first woman to hold the second-highest office in the land is an HBCU alumna and member of a BGLO. These groups were integral to the win. Stacey Abrams, another HBCU alumna who helped turn Georgia from red to blue. Lezli explores if this means aspects of African-American culture will move from the margins to the mainstream with Howard Alumna, Dr. Nadia E. Brown associate professor and University Faculty Scholar of political science + African American studies at Purdue University.    Relevant and Recommended Reads:  Kamala Harris, supported by a sea of sisters An HBCU grad galvanized voters in Georgia and another one is making history as vice president-elect

Lezli and her ON THE YARD co-host Nava; Spelman College ‘23, chat with Tennille Mack; Spelman College ‘21, Assistant Editor of Arts & Entertainment for The Maroon Tiger  and Shasa Revell; Howard University ‘21, reporter for The Howard Hilltop. They discuss what they're watching and why, who's winning the streaming war, fundamentals of what's missing in content, and how they think Quibi missed the mark.   Relevant and Recommended Reads Quibi says it's shutting down after six months 'A Different World' still inspiring my generation of Black college students 'Living Single' and the Whiteness of Urban TV Sitcoms An Homage to Iconic '90s Black Sitcom Fashion and Influence

Lezli closes out this theme with Tina Ngata, a Ngati Porou author and researcher from the East Coast of Aotearoa/New Zealand. Her work involves advocacy for environmental, Indigenous and human rights. They explore who the god Tiki is, and why he is so sacred to the Māori, WWII, R&R culture, and Elvis movies.    Relevant and Recommended Reads:  10 Things to Know about New Zealand Māori Culture Before Studying Abroad Pictures of WWII Comics Exhibition aims to dispel negative stereotypes of Māori women

The last of three volumes of “ON THE YARD” episodes inspired by the HOMECOMING HOLIDAY. Lezli and her ON THE YARD co-host Zuri; Spelman College ‘21, chat with Kennedie Batiste; The 90th Miss Southern University A&M College and Kaylan A. Tanner; The 85th Miss Dillard University about pageant culture at deep south HBCUs. They discuss the significance of campus royalty at HBCUs, their pathways to becoming queens, and the legacy that queens leave on their HBCUs. Relevant and Recommended Reads Pageants a vital part of the culture at HBCUs Miss Hampton pageant is just one reason we have the #bestHBCUhomecoming Brown on Roberts, 'Pageants, Parlors, and Pretty Women: Race and Beauty in the Twentieth-Century South' | H-Florida

Lezli continues this five-episode theme with Dr. Panivong Norindr, author of Phantasmatic Indochina French Colonial Ideology in Architecture, Film, and Literature, as well as Samia Errazzouki, Ph.D. candidate examining early modern Northwest African history, prior to which she was Morocco-based journalist. The three explore how French Imperialism bound their countries' histories and people to each other, the 1992 Academy Award-winning film Indochine serving as a “French Gone With The Wind”, The Myth of Tangier, snake charmers, and static fictional narratives that preserve a colonialist fantasy of these regions that have endured in tourism, novels, films, and culinary culture.    Relevant and Recommended Reads:  Morocco, From Coast to Desert Does a restaurant celebrating French colonialism belong in San Francisco? France is giving citizenship to the African soldiers who fought its wars over 50 years ago Indochine Style - Luxury Vietnam Tours

The second of three volumes of “ON THE YARD” episodes inspired by the HOMECOMING HOLIDAY. Lezli and her ON THE YARD co-host Nava Levene Harvell; Spelman College ‘23, chat about the shifting of power in college athletics with Sports Editor of The Howard University Hilltop, Kira Grant; Howard University ‘21, and Sports Photojournalist for The Hampton Script, Trey Wilson, Hampton University ‘22. The four explore the civic engagement of Makur Maker, Mikey Williams and how the new generation of 15 and 16 yr-old athletes can impact the future of HBCUs and the Black community at large. Relevant and Recommended Reads Black Lives Matter Protests Spawn Push for Athletes to Attend Historically Black Colleges 'It looks a lot like slavery': Black athletes share thoughts on playing for 'white entertainment' HBCUs Need Elite Athletes

Lezli continues this five-episode theme on historical nostalgia and romanticizing colonialism with Prof. Anthony Szczesiul, author of The Southern Hospitality Myth: Ethics, Politics, Race, and American Memory. Why did Southern Living magazine make its debut at the height of the Civil Rights Movement? What does “southern hospitality” mean? Benevolence, graciousness, refinement? Mmm, it's complicated. They explore the racist origins of the phrase, the historical context of its emergence, and why this “regional virtue” has become part of the United States' cultural memory and identity. FULL VIDEO EPISODE AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE.    Relevant and Recommended Reads:  The Dark Side of Thomas Jefferson | History Civil War-Era Parallels to the Sanctuary City Movement These Brands Are Still Tapping Into Nostalgia for Slavery Why Black Americans Are Not Nostalgic for Route 66  

The first of three volumes of “ON THE YARD” episodes inspired by the HOMECOMING HOLIDAY. Lezli and her ON THE YARD co-host  Zuri Levene Harvell; Spelman College ‘21, chat cultural memory in the African-American community with Leila Sampson; Spelman College ‘21, whose family has been attending Spelman and Morehouse since the 1890s and Jada Thorne, Spelman College ‘21, who is a third-generation Oak Bluffs Family, a legacy started by her grandfather who was one of the Tuskegee Airmen. The four explore the traditions they hope remain for forthcoming generations, how Spelman and summering on Martha's Vineyard empowered them respectively, and why they feel they must continue this legacy. Relevant and Recommended Reads Memories of Homecoming at Historically Black Colleges and Universities Education Steeped in African American Culture: Historically Black Colleges and Universities The Real Story of Black Martha's Vineyard The Green Book: The Black Travelers' Guide to Jim Crow America

Melania's Hat, Plantation Weddings, and Indochic. Why do people long for a time period they've never experienced? Over the course of five episodes, IDE Impolite Conversation will explore romanticizing colonialism in popular culture. Lezli kicks off this theme with a conversation with Caitlin Faulkes, British-based psychologist specializing in nostalgia. She conducted one of the first pieces of empirical research on historical nostalgia and developed the first index to measure personality traits associated with historical nostalgia. FULL EPISODE ON YOUTUBE    Relevant and Recommended Reads:  It Was Cultural Anxiety That Drove White, Working-Class Voters to Trump When Was America Great? The Answer Depends On Your Age Lindsey Graham, references ‘the good old days of segregation' 

Lezli and her ON THE YARD co-host  Zuri Levene Harvell; Spelman College ‘21, chat with two Afro-Latina students, Maya Machado; Spelman College ‘21 and Zula Oliveira; Clark Atlanta University ‘23. They explore being held to a mestiza and European beauty esthetic, people not assuming they are not Latina because they are Black, being affirmed by Amara La Negra, the lightening and whitening of Reggaeton, and people forgetting it's Afro-Panamanian roots. FULL VIDEO EPISODE ON YOUTUBE. Relevant and Recommended Reads Inside Reggaeton's Unsung Black History Hispanics with darker skin are more likely to experience discrimination than those with lighter skin 'We exist. We're here': Afro-Mexicans make the census after long struggle for recognition

Lezli chats with Tanya Katerí Hernández, internationally recognized comparative race law expert and Archibald R. Murray Professor of Law at Fordham University School of Law. The two explore the mythology of national identity over racial identity in Latin America, anti-Black customs that make anti-Black laws unnecessary, "boa aparência/good looking” as a job qualification, and how Hurricane Maria “outed” folks with 4A, B, and C hair.     Relevant and Recommended Reads:  Racial Apartheid Persists in Latin America Race and Poverty in Latin America: Addressing the Development Needs of African Descendants Latinos Back Black Lives Matter Protests. They Want Change for Themselves, Too.

It's National Hispanic Heritage Month. Lezli and her ON THE YARD co-host Nava Levene Harvell; Spelman College ‘23, chat with two Afro-Latinx students, Leonard McReynolds; Morehouse College ‘23 and Liana Viaga; Florida A&M University ‘22. They explore the importance of people understanding the difference between ethnicity and race, that they aren't Spanish, if they feel included in Latinidad, mestizo privilege, and why the use of the word Black needs to be more inclusive. Relevant and Recommended Reads Details of Brutal First Slave Voyages Discovered When it Comes to Latinidad, Who Is Included and Who Isn't? The Dominican Republic Erased Birthright Citizenship

It's National Hispanic Heritage Month! We're kicking it off with some Impolite Conversation! Lezli chats with Dr. Katie L. Acosta, Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Georgia State University. They explore historical periods of whitening in Latin America (mejorar la raza/"improve the race"), who isn't included in Latinidad, Zoe Saldana, the policing of Blackness, and what gets lost in translation.   Relevant and Recommended Reads:  Details of Brutal First Slave Voyages Discovered When it Comes to Latinidad, Who Is Included and Who Isn't? The Dominican Republic Erased Birthright Citizenship

For this live-streamed event, Lezli and her ON THE YARD co-host Zuri Levene Harvell; Spelman College ‘21, chat with two SGA Presidents students, Alanna Gaskin; Prairie View A&M University ‘21 and Xavier McClinton; Florida A&M University ‘21, as well as Andrea Hailey CEO of Vote.org about some of the unprecedented voting-related obstacles facing college students this election season, digital voter suppression, the national poll worker shortage crisis, data from the 2020 mid-terms regarding the percentage of rejected mail-in/absentee ballots of college students, and exact solutions on how to ensure your vote is counted this election season.    Relevant and Recommended Reads The New Voter Suppression Prairie View A&M students sue Texas county, allege voter suppression of Black citizens Empty US college campuses are making it harder for students to vote Where the youth vote could matter most in 2020   CALL TO ACTION VISIT VOTE.ORG Check if you are registered to vote Request a mail in ballot Get assistance with voting by mail Volunteer to be a Poll Worker    WHAT IF I'M REGISTERED TO VOTE + I GET TO THE POLLS + TOLD I'M NOT ON THE ROLL    Do not leave Call the Election Protection Hotline 1-866-687-8683  

In the first part of this two-part episode, Lezli chats with Joanne Hyppolite, Ph.D., a Museum Curator at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). They explore how and why food and restaurants served as indispensable tools in the fight for democracy during the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements. During Part two, Lezli chats with Louisville based James Beard Award-winning Chef Edward Lee. Lee talks about the Community Kitchen he opened in Louisville during BLM's wake and named in honor of David McAtee. McAtee was a beloved chef, community pillar, and owner of YaYa's BBQ in the West End of Louisville. A member of the National Guard fatally shot him in the early hours of June 1st. Lee shares what his goals for the kitchen are and what measurable progress looks like to him.   Relevant and Recommended Reads:  7 Restaurants that Fueled the Civil Rights Movement  How the Black Panthers' Breakfast Program Both Inspired and Threatened the Government Who is David McAtee: Louisville Barbecue store owner killed by police In Memory of David McAtee And Breonna Taylor, Healing Through Cooking And Community  

Lezli and her ON THE YARD co-host Nava Levene Harvell; Spelman College ‘23, chat with two New England boarding school alumni; Zuri Levene Harvell, Spelman College ‘21, and Jimmy Stancil, Morehouse College ‘22. They talk about Amazon Prime's Selah and the Spades as well as parallels between HBCU and New England boarding school culture. Relevant and Recommended Reads ‘Selah and the Spades' Review: This Isn't Your Average Teen Drama See Inside the Unique Traditions of Spelman and Morehouse College 14 Facts About Boarding School  

Lezli closes out the topic that explores Ethnic As A Descriptive, Other Coded Language, and who gets to be American with a two-part conversation. First, she chats with Tyler Phillips, Director of Culture & Lifestyle Partnerships at Bacardi USA. The two explore coded language in marketing and how brands should move forward in a post-George Floyd/Breonna Taylor world with their storytelling. Part two of this episode, Lezli chats with emerging filmmaker Ekwa Msangi about her film Farewell Amor which was the belle of the ball at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and is an Official Selection at the 2020 Urbanworld Film Festival. Msangi's directorial debut shifts the paradigm of what an American love story looks like. Farewell Amor tells the story of an Angolan immigrant joined in the U.S. by his wife and daughter after 17 yrs of being separated due to visa challenges. Now, strangers, they discover a shared love of dance that may help them overcome their distance.   Relevant and Recommended Reads:  2020 Urbanworld Film Festival Takes Place Virtually 9/23-9/27 Get Your Passes Here Bacardi and The Long Fight for Cuba Grammy Awards to rename controversial 'urban' category What Is Kizomba   CALL TO ACTION Breonna Taylor Was Killed In Her Home on March 13, 2020 by Louisville Police Officers Sgt. Jon Mattingly, Myles Cosgrove, and Brett Hankison. The Officers Have Yet To Be Arrested. Here are some of the ways you can help.   Sign the official petition calling for justice in Breonna Taylor's case. It only takes a minute Donate directly to Breonna's Family using the GoFundMe Link Flood social media with the hashtag #JusticeforBre  Donate to the Louisville Community Bail Fund to support protestors on the ground  

Can White Lesbians Use The “D” Word and Who Can Use the “F” Word? Lezli and her ON THE YARD co-host Nava Levene Harvell; Spelman College ‘23, chat with two LGBTQ students, Janelle Edge; Florida A&M University ‘21, and Zion Gates Norris; Florida Memorial University ‘21; about reclaiming terms that were once used to harm the LGBTQ community and who can use them. Relevant and Recommended Reads A Brief History of Voguing Dear White Lesbians: You Are Not Studs How Black Queers Made 'Sis' a Gender Neutral Term of Endearment Why I'm Reclaiming the Homophobic Slur I Used to Fear  CALL TO ACTION Breonna Taylor Was Killed In Her Home on March 13, 2020 by Louisville Police Officers Sgt. Jon Mattingly, Myles Cosgrove, and Brett Hankison. The Officers Have Yet To Be Arrested. Here are some of the ways you can help. Sign the official petition calling for justice in Breonna Taylor's case. It only takes a minute Donate directly to Breonna's Family using the GoFundMe Link Flood social media with the hashtag #JusticeforBre  Donate to the Louisville Community Bail Fund to support protestors on the ground  

In the third episode exploring Ethnic As A Descriptive + Other Coded Language, Lezli is joined by Dr. Salvador Vidal-Ortiz, Associate Professor of Sociology in the Department of Critical Race, Gender and Culture Studies at American University. They discuss institutional patterns that maintain hierarchy in academia and send implicit messages to students, Disney's Bunk'd, parallels of the US racial construct, and coded behavior in the LGBTQ community and the impetus for push back on the term Latinx.      Relevant and Recommended Reads:  How to dismantle the workings of whiteness and redistribute power in academe How to fix Hollywood's race problem  Black Trans Women Seek More Space in the Movement They Helped Start This Comic Breaks Down Latinx vs. Latine for Those Who Want to Be Gender-Inclusive   CALL TO ACTION Breonna Taylor Was Killed In Her Home on March 13, 2020 by Louisville Police Officers Sgt. Jon Mattingly, Myles Cosgrove, and Brett Hankison. The Officers Have Yet To Be Arrested. Here are some of the ways you can help.   Sign the official petition calling for justice in Breonna Taylor's case. It only takes a minute Donate directly to Breonna's Family using the GoFundMe Link Flood social media with the hashtag #JusticeforBre  Donate to the Louisville Community Bail Fund to support protestors on the ground

Lezli co-hosts ON THE YARD for the first time with her daughter and Spelman College student, Nava Levene Harvell, ‘23. They chat with two Nigerian students that attend HBCUs. Amelia Ayomoh ‘23 and Divine Linus ‘23; students at Philander Smith College and Morehouse College respectively, share their experiences as international students, their rationale for tensions between continental Africans and African-Americans, and their thoughts on BLM.   Relevant and Recommended Reads AFRICA IN THE MEDIA News media offers consistently warped portrayals of black families, study finds From Wakanda to reality: Building mutual prosperity between African-Americans and Africa Why Black Undocumented Immigrants Are at Greater Risk for Deportation   CALL TO ACTION Breonna Taylor Was Killed In Her Home on March 13, 2020 by Louisville Police Officers Sgt. Jon Mattingly, Myles Cosgrove, and Brett Hankison. The Officers Have Yet To Be Arrested. Here are some of the ways you can help. Sign the official petition calling for justice in Breonna Taylor's case. It only takes a minute Donate directly to Breonna's Family using the GoFundMe Link Flood social media with the hashtag #JusticeforBre  Donate to the Louisville Community Bail Fund to support protestors on the ground  

In the second episode exploring “Ethnic As A Descriptive + Other Coded Language”, Lezli is joined by Dr. Niambi Carter, Associate Professor of Political Science at Howard University and author of American While Black: African Americans, Immigration, and the Limits of Citizenship as well as Dr. Lok Siu, a cultural anthropologist and Associate Professor of Ethnic Studies and Asian American & Asian Diaspora Studies at UC Berkeley. The three discuss the evolution of the US racial construct circa The Hart-Celler Immigration + Nationality Act of 1965 and as a counter to the Civil Rights Movement. Relevant and Recommended Reads:  American While Black: African Americans, Immigration, and the Limits of Citizenship by Niambi Carter How the Model Minority Myth of Asian Americans Hurts Us All | Time The 1965 Law That Gave the Republican Party Its Race Problem Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 (Hart-Celler Act)   CALL TO ACTION Breonna Taylor Was Killed In Her Home on March 13, 2020 by Louisville Police Officers Sgt. Jon Mattingly, Myles Cosgrove, and Brett Hankison. The Officers Have Yet To Be Arrested. Here are some of the ways you can help. Sign the official petition calling for justice in Breonna Taylor's case. It only takes a minute Donate directly to Breonna's Family using the GoFundMe Link Flood social media with the hashtag #JusticeforBre  Donate to the Louisville Community Bail Fund to support protestors on the ground  

Creator of The Iconoclast Dinner Experience (IDE), Executive Producer and host of The IDE Impolite Conversation Podcast, Lezli Levene Harvell and ON THE YARD's co-host, her eldest daughter and Spelman College student, Zuri Levene Harvell chat with two White students that attend an HBCU. ON THE YARD explores topics through the lens of HBCU students and recent grads. Lezli and Zuri chat with two White students who attend Hampton University. Dario Abou Rjeili ‘21 and Emily Workman ‘22. The four discuss some of the issues brought to the fore by  Black Lives Matter and if Dario and Emily feel they have unique insight into these issues. They also discuss their thoughts on VICE media's web episode focusing on a White student at Morehouse College. They discuss whiteness and Emily shares how her understanding of it has evolved since attending Hampton. Dario, an international student from Venice, shares the crash course he received on American race relations when he entered Hampton as a freshman.  EPISODE TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE FOR OUR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING FAMILY Dario Abou Rjeili @dariorjeili Emily Workman @em.work Hampton University @_hamptonU Spelman College @spelman_college Relevant and Recommended Reads How HBCU Enrollment Grew In The Face of Hatred Students are using Instagram to reveal racism on campus CALL TO ACTION Breonna Taylor Was Killed In Her Home on March 13, 2020 by Louisville Police Officers Sgt. Jon Mattingly, Myles Cosgrove, and Brett Hankison. The Officers Have Yet To Be Arrested. Here are some of the ways you can help. Sign the official petition calling for justice in Breonna Taylor's case. It only takes a minute Donate directly to Breonna's Family using the GoFundMe Link Flood social media with the hashtag #JusticeforBre  Donate to the Louisville Community Bail Fund to support protestors on the ground

Creator of The Iconoclast Dinner Experience (IDE), Executive Producer and host of The IDE Impolite Conversation Podcast, Lezli Levene Harvell begins a new theme exploring Hamburgers and Hot Dogs Are German...You Know That Right? Which explores Ethnic As A Descriptive, Other Coded Language, and Who Gets To Be American. Over the course of five episodes, Lezli and her guests will explore this theme through whiteness, the evolution of the US racial construct during and post the civil rights movement, who gets to be an American, the selective use of the word ethnic, parallels in the LGBTQ community, and how this plays out in marketing and in the media.  In the first episode Lezli is joined by Dr. Matthew Frye Jacobson, William Robertson Coe Professor of American Studies and History and a professor of African American Studies at Yale University. He is the author of seven books on race, politics, and culture in the United States two of which are: Whiteness of a Different Color: European Immigrants and the Alchemy of Race as well as Roots Too: White Ethnic Revival in Post–Civil Rights America. The two of them discuss hamburgers, hotdogs, pathways to Whiteness for certain European immigrant groups, the myth of Ellis Island, the iconic film Rocky, and some of the United States' earliest use of the word ethnic. Relevant and Recommended Reads:  Whiteness of A Different Color by Matthew Frye Jacobson The Anti-Racist Reading List Analysis | Sorry, but the Irish were always ‘white' (and so were Italians, Jews and so on) CALL TO ACTION Breonna Taylor Was Killed In Her Home on March 13, 2020 by Louisville Police Officers Sgt. Jon Mattingly, Myles Cosgrove, and Brett Hankison. The Officers Have Yet To Be Arrested. Here are some of the ways you can help. Sign the official petition calling for justice in Breonna Taylor's case. It only takes a minute Donate directly to Breonna's Family using the GoFundMe Link Flood social media with the hashtag #JusticeforBre  Donate to the Louisville Community Bail Fund to support protestors on the ground

For this live-streamed ON THE YARD event, Lezli Levene Harvell and her co-host Zuri Levene Harvell Spelman College ‘21, explore the emotional toll of activism with Zion Gates Norris ‘21, SGA Vice President of Florida Memorial University as well as Nupol Kiazolu, President of Black Lives Matter-Greater NY, Hampton University ‘22. They are joined by Atlanta based psychotherapist, Dr. Thomas Vance who is trained in addressing the emotional well being of those with multiple stigmatized identities. The five of them explore a non-Eurocentric lens of mental health, defining racial trauma, Black GenZ not having to code-switch in therapy, what culturally responsive mental health care should feel like, and what intentional self-care looks like. TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE FOR OUR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING FAMILY   Relevant and Recommended Reads:  The Trayvon Generation   Dr. Vance's Recommendations   Four Tips for Protecting Your Emotional Well-Being Intentional Self-Care Saying No / Creating Boundaries Staying Informed Finding A Space To Talk   Find A Black Therapist Therapy For Black Girls Therapy For Black Men Zion Gates Norris @blissfully_zion Nupol Kiazolu @nupol_justice Dr. Thomas Vance @vanceology Florida Memorial University @fmu_official Hampton University @_hamptonU Spelman College @spelman_college   CALL TO ACTION   Breonna Taylor Was Killed In Her Home on March 13, 2020 by Louisville Police Officers Sgt. Jon Mattingly, Myles Cosgrove, and Brett Hankison. The Officers Have Yet To Be Arrested. Here are some of the ways you can help.   Sign the official petition calling for justice in Breonna Taylor's case. It only takes a minute Donate directly to Breonna's Family using the GoFundMe Link Flood social media with the hashtag #JusticeforBre  Donate to the Louisville Community Bail Fund to support protestors on the ground

What was agriculture like in this country prior to Columbus? In the fifth and final episode under the theme “Climate Change + COVID-19 + Communities of Color” Lezli is joined by Leonard Diggs, the Director of Operations at Pie Ranch Farm and Dr. Michael Kotutwa Johnson, registered member of the Hopi tribe; and a Research Associate at the Native American Agriculture Fund they discuss why COVID-19 elucidated why long food supply chains are problematic and how they contribute to the climate change crisis. They discuss regenerative agriculture, a method first described by Dr. George Washington Carver, Hopi farming practices and how these heritage farming methods with a focus on supporting local and regional farmers can help combat the climate change crisis and society's ability to sustainably feed ourselves. EPISODE TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE FOR OUR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING FAMILY Native American Agriculture Fund @nativeagfund Pie Ranch Farm @pieranch Relevant and Recommended Reads From Apples to Popcorn, Climate Change Alternating the Foods  Dumped Milk, Smashed Eggs, Plowed Vegetables: Food Waste of The Pandemic New UN report on agroecology for climate, food security and human rights CALL TO ACTION Write a letter to your senators, local congressperson and those running for office asking them what their local food policy entails and how does it support local and regional farmers  Let your senators and local congresspersons know that you would like regional seed banks to be run by local and regional farmers Let your senators and local congresspersons know that cheese funded by the USDA through the WIC program should be provided by local and regional dairy farmers Breonna Taylor Was Killed In Her Home on March 13, 2020 by Louisville Police Officers Sgt. Jon Mattingly, Myles Cosgrove, and Brett Hankison. The Officers Have Yet To Be Arrested. Here are some of the ways you can help. Sign the official petition calling for justice in Breonna Taylor's case. It only takes a minute Donate directly to Breonna's Family using the GoFundMe Link Flood social media with the hashtag #JusticeforBre  Donate to the Louisville Community Bail Fund to support protestors on the ground

Creator of The Iconoclast Dinner Experience (IDE) Executive Producer and host of The IDE Impolite Conversation Podcast, Lezli Levene Harvell and ON THE YARD's co-host, her eldest daughter and Spelman College student student, Zuri Levene Harvell chat in Episode four of a five part series of conversations beginning at the height of the coronavirus, reflecting a timely perspective on the global pandemic how it shines a light on our food supply chain, its impact on culture, Black businesses and potentially the Black middle class. ON THE YARD explores topics through the lens of HBCU students and recent grads. The fourth episode under the theme “Climate Change + COVID-19 + Communities of Color Lezli and Zuri chat about how the pandemic will impact Zuri's senior year as well as Zuri's concerns about the freshman and sophomore classes and their connection to Spelman. They share information on how HBCUs have developed the Black middle class and explore how the pandemic may possibly impact the future of the Black middle class. They discuss Spelman's 40 million dollar gift from Netflix Co-Founder Reed Hastings and his Wife, Patty Quillin and the backlash from some of the alumni and current students of other HBCUs. They are later joined by Zuri's classmate, Chantia Murphy ‘21. Chantia is an English Major with a 3.9 GPA, first generation American and college student with aspirations of working for a media outlet that focuses on telling Black stories. Chantia shares the financial impact of COVID-19 on her family and why she may not be able to return to Spelman for her senior year.  EPISODE TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE FOR OUR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING FAMILY Chantia Murphy @nots0perf_ Spelman College @spelman_college Relevant and Recommended Reads Can Colleges Survive Coronavirus If They Stay Closed In The Fall? Coronavirus Surge Is Changing Colleges' Fall Reopening Plans Howard University's President on Why America Needs HBCUs CALL TO ACTION Breonna Taylor Was Killed In Her Home on March 13, 2020 by Louisville Police Officers Sgt. Jon Mattingly, Myles Cosgrove, and Brett Hankison. The Officers Have Yet To Be Arrested. Here are some of the ways you can help. Sign the official petition calling for justice in Breonna Taylor's case. It only takes a minute Donate directly to Breonna's Family using the GoFundMe Link Flood social media with the hashtag #JusticeforBre  Donate to the Louisville Community Bail Fund to support protestors on the ground

The third episode under the theme “Climate Change + COVID-19 + Communities of Color” Lezli is joined by, a Metropolitan Policy Fellow at the Brookings Institution and two business owners/restaurateurs; James Beard Award winning chef; Nina Compton and award-winning marketer turned restaurant owner Karl Franz Williams. Karl and Nina share their battles with financial hardship during the global crisis. Perry is the author of the recently published book, Know Your Price Valuing Black Lives and Property in America's Black Cities; Nina, is owner of Compère Lapin and Bywater American Bistro in New Orleans; and Karl Franz Williams is owner of 67 Orange Street, in Harlem as well as the Anchor Spa in New Haven, Connecticut. The conversation between these four tackles how the legacy of systemic racism (eg red lining, discriminatory lending practices) has made Black businesses more susceptible to failure in comparison to their White counterparts both prior to the crisis and amidst the crisis. Lezli and her guests discuss data about the uneven distribution of funding from government recovery efforts (eg CARES Act) and why the legacy of discriminatory lending practices contributes to the uneven distribution of recovery dollars. Andre shares solutions and they wrestle with the troubling question of what America's cultural landscape may look like if Black owned restaurants do not prevail. EPISODE TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE FOR OUR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING FAMILY Relevant and Recommended Reads:  Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America's Black Cities - By Andre M. Perry New Report Reveals Gaps in Access to Credit for Minority-Owned Small Businesses Harlem Bar Navigates COVID-19 Changing Rules - NPR News MBDA and CARES Act Funding  Without more help, black-owned businesses might not survive the pandemic by Eugene Cornelius Jr. for CNN Business Perspectives Nina Compton @ninacompton Karl Franz Williams @mrkarlfranz Andre M. Perry @andreperryedu CALL TO ACTION Write a letter to your senators and local congressperson to request the recovery and stimulus funds are being pushed down to the US Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency In your letter ask that businesses in zipcodes in low socio-economic communities are prioritized in funding Breonna Taylor Was Killed In Her Home on March 13, 2020 by Louisville Police Officers Sgt. Jon Mattingly, Myles Cosgrove, and Brett Hankison. The Officers Have Yet To Be Arrested. Here are some of the ways you can help. Sign the official petition calling for justice in Breonna Taylor's case. It only takes a minute Donate directly to Breonna's Family using the GoFundMe Link Flood social media with the hashtag #JusticeforBre  Donate to the Louisville Community Bail Fund to support protestors on the ground  

In the first ON THE YARD edition, Creator of The Iconoclast Dinner Experience (IDE), Executive Producer and host of The IDE Impolite Conversation Podcast, Lezli Levene Harvell begins the second episode introducing one of ON THE YARD's co-host, her eldest daughter and Spelman College student, Zuri Levene Harvell. Episode two of a five part series of conversations beginning at the height of the coronavirus, reflecting a timely perspective on the global pandemic how it shines a light on our food supply chain, its impact on culture, Black businesses and potentially the Black middle class. ON THE YARD explores topics through the lens of HBCU students and recent grads.   Lezli and Zuri are joined by two Environmental Studies Majors at Howard University; Autumn McNeill '20 and Danurius "Danny Williams '21. The conversation between the four examines some of the HBCU specific ways in which Autumn's senior year was impacted, how Autumn and Danny's family experiences with asthma and Hurricane Katrina respectively inspired them to double-major in environmental studies, how communities of color are impacted by climate change, and what their peers' call to action should be this election season. EPISODE TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE FOR OUR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING FAMILY   IG Handles Autumn McNeill @environmentalbae Danny Williams @Danurius_Leviy Howard University @howard1867 @howardenvironmental Spelman College @spelman_college   Relevant and Recommended Reads Climate Change, Health, and Environmental Justice Climate Change Threatens the World's Food Supply, United Nations Warns From Apples to Popcorn, Climate Change Is Altering the Foods America Grows   CALL TO ACTION Breonna Taylor Was Killed In Her Home on March 13, 2020 by Louisville Police Officers Sgt. Jon Mattingly, Myles Cosgrove, and Brett Hankison. The Officers Have Yet To Be Arrested. Here are some of the ways you can help. Sign the official petition calling for justice in Breonna Taylor's case. It only takes a minute Donate directly to Breonna's Family using the GoFundMe Link Flood social media with the hashtag #JusticeforBre  Donate to the Louisville Community Bail Fund to support protestors on the ground  

In the premiere episode, Creator of The Iconoclast Dinner Experience (IDE), Executive Producer and host of The IDE Impolite Conversation Podcast, Lezli Levene Harvell begins her first episode introducing the podcast and episode one of a five part series of conversations beginning at the height of the coronavirus, reflecting a timely perspective on the global pandemic how it shines a lights on our food supply chain, its impact on culture, Black businesses and potentially the Black middle class. The first episode under the theme “Climate Change + COVID-19 + Communities of Color, Lezli is joined by Jim Robbins, Montana based free-lance journalist for the New York Times, covering climate change and the environment, as well as Mary I. Williams, assistant director of community and student engagement at the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice in New Orleans, LA . The conversation between the three examines how climate change influenced an environmental shift where the coronavirus could not only survive, but thrive. Lezli also examines the cross section of environmental, economic, and social-cultural factors that contribute to how communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, and how Black and Brown communities have been historically impacted by climate change over time and unequally protected during recovery efforts. Jim Robbins @jimrobbins19 Deep South Center for Environmental Justice @dscej EPISODE TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE FOR OUR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING FAMILY Relevant and Recommended Reads:  The Ecology of Disease - By Jim Robbins  Air pollution may be ‘key contributor' to Covid-19 deaths – study   People of Color Are on the Front Lines of the Climate Crisis  CALL TO ACTION Breonna Taylor Was Killed In Her Home on March 13, 2020 by Louisville Police Officers Sgt. Jon Mattingly, Myles Cosgrove, and Brett Hankison. The Officers Have Yet To Be Arrested. Here are some of the ways you can help. Sign the official petition calling for justice in Breonna Taylor's case. It only takes a minute Donate directly to Breonna's Family using the GoFundMe Link Flood social media with the hashtag #JusticeforBre  Donate to the Louisville Community Bail Fund to support protestors on the ground

Join this twice a week podcast with Lezli Creator + Curator of The Iconoclast Dinner Experience (IDE) and her daughters, Zuri and Nava, where they explore Culture, Race, + Societal Issues through the lens of cultural critics, industry experts, writers, and HBCU students and recent grads. Season One includes Impolite Conversations on topics such as Climate Change + COVID-19 + Communities of Color, Romanticizing of Colonialization, White Students at HBCUs, the Cultural Impact of Gentrification, Can White Lesbians Use The “D” Word, and why the selective use of the word “Ethnic” as a descriptive sounds like nails on a chalkboard. MONDAYS - DEEP DIVE WITH EXPERTS FRIDAYS - ON THE YARD WITH HBCU STUDENTS TRANSCRIPTS AVAILABLE ON EPISODE PUBLISH DATE FOR OUR DEAF + HARD OF HEARING FAMILY