The Narrative

This week, we sat down with Adrastos Da Silva (he/they) for a discussion on grassroots campaigns. Through this conversation, we explore the ways in which grassroots campaign challenge our current political climate and restore power within communities.

This week, we are joined by Abaki Beck (she/her) and Jameel Spann (he/him) to discuss mutual aid's role in mitigating the effects of institutional oppression and the capacity of mutual aid to disrupt those systems.

We spent all of season 1 introducing you to the ways in which race intersects various aspects of BIPOC's lives, so what's next? To kick off season 2, co-hosts Asia and Samantha sit down to talk about transitioning from anti-racist education to social activism. We also discuss leftist critique of electoralism, system reform vs. abolition, and calls for community-based interventions.

This week, we are joined by Andrea Montecinos-Padilla (she/her), Francesca Johnson (she/her), and Kameron Mack (he/him) to discuss the experiences of BIPOC students within the education system. In highlighting our experiences at PWIs, HBCUs, and predominantly Latinx schools, our conversation explores common microaggressions we encounter, the importance of identity formation to educational and professional success, and the ways in which whiteness and money influence society's perceived merit of institutions.

**CONTENT WARNINGS: Mentions of suicide** (10:10 - 10:18 and 15:51 - 16:01) Please feel free to skip these segments of the episode, and enjoy the remainder of the episode! On this episode of The Narrative, we sit down with Sanjana Are (she/her) and Nick Massenburg-Abraham (he/him) to discuss the stigma surrounding mental health and mental health care within BIPOC communities. Through this conversation, we detail the unique set of challenges presented to BIPOC as a result of generational trauma and society's attachment of struggle to the minority experience. Additionally, we recognize cultural barriers to seeking out treatment and explore alternative therapeutic options.

This week, we are joined by Aaliyah Allen (she/her) and Brianna Chandler (she/her) to discuss misogynoir, a term coined by Dr. Moya Bailey to encapsulate the intersection of racism and misogyny experienced by Black women. Our conversation explores the ways in which we attempt to combat misogynoir through internal tone policing, the erasure of Black women within the feminist and Black Lives Matter movements, and the subsequent adoption of radical unity moving forward.

Let's Talk! This week, we're taking a brief pause from our usual conversations with guests and just catching up on everything that's been going on. On this episode, we're talking all things from taking your anti-racism education off Instagram to Senator Kamala Harris' nomination for VP and everything in between.

On this episode of The Narrative, we continue with part two of our dating series and sit down to talk about colorism, texturism and featurism. In addition to Whitney, this week, we are joined by Gagana Borra (she/her) and Ryan Waithaka (he/him) to discuss the reinforcement of Eurocentric beauty standards through media and the global preferential treatment for whiteness. Through this conversation, we share our journeys to self love and acceptance, reflect on how these factors influence dating prospects within our own communities, as well as compare beauty standards across our different cultures.

In this episode we begin part one of a two-part dating series. This week and next, we are talking about factors that influence how POC navigate dating and relationships, specifically at predominantly white institutions (PWIs). We are joined by Malik Gaye (he/him) and Whitney Omoruyi (she/her) to discuss elements of sexual racism, such as racial dating preferences, fetishes, and stereotypes. Through this conversation, we share our experiences using dating apps, navigating social circles on campus and our apprehensions towards dating non-POC.

This week, we are joined by Makayla Archer (she/her), Alexis Tinoco (he/him), Mandy Huang (she/her), and Risako Nozaki (she/her) to explore the intersection of racial justice and environmentalism. In doing so, we discuss the history of whiteness within the environmentalism movement, present-day commodification of sustainable living, and everything in between. Through this conversation, we acknowledge the ways in which institutions create and maintain environmental racism as well as its impact on minority communities.

In the wake of recent controversies surrounding Greek Life at Wash U, including reports of racism, homophobia, classism and sexual assault, we sat down with Brianna Boone (she/her), Caitlyn Johnson (she/her), and Gabi Raspall (she/her) to talk about the future of chapters on campus. Following the initial recording of this episode, Wash U held a town hall to discuss concerns that had been raised on social media. During this town hall, Mia Továr Hamernik (she/her) was vocal about the history of harm caused by Greek Life and Wash U's complacency in addressing these issues, citing sororities and fraternities' appropriation of cultural symbols and barriers to reporting instances of sexual assault. We decided to invite her and our previous guests for a follow up discussion to hear their thoughts on the University's response and Chi Omega's announcement to not deactivate.

In this episode, we sit down with Kiran Boone (she/her) and Jessie Thornton (she/her) to discuss steps white people can take towards allyship, including identifying themes of white supremacy within themselves. In doing so, we explore the ways in which society socializes individuals and its subsequent effects. We hope this episode serves as the first conversation of many. Moving forward, The Narrative will look to center voices of color and their daily experiences with race.