B-Roll

10 great podcasts to diversify your listening lineup

March 21, 2017
 

CJR asked Berry Sykes, who runs the PodcastsinColor.com directory, for some suggestions for programs with diverse hosts that she believes deserve a broader audience. Here are 10 shows—from her directory of more than 300—that she never misses:

  1. Dreams in Drive—Features interviews with entrepreneurs of color like Necole Kane of XONecole.com, actress Yolonda Ross, and beauty entrepreneur Dawn Fitch about how they got their starts and what tips they can give aspirants.
  2. Revision Path—Host Maurice Cherry speaks with African-American professionals who design apps, art, websites, and more. Past guests have included Cleveland State University graphic design Professor Anne H. Berry, Facebook product engineer Karla Cole, and industrial designer Ben Lindo.
  1. Joblogues—Brooklyn-based friends talk about improving your job situation and preparing for better employment opportunities.
  2. My Taught You—Social-media star Myleik Teele of the hair-products website and subscription service CurlBox offers empowerment advice and talks about how creativity can improve your life. In recent months, she’s been instructing listeners on how to “curate” various aspects of their lives, from food to people, to boost efficiency and satisfaction.
  3. Mash-up Americans—A Korean-American woman (who is married to a Colombian-Mexican-American) and a Salvadoran-Jewish-American woman talk about diversity in America with a wide range of guests including journalist Soledad O’Brien, Fresh Off the Boat author Eddie Huang, and Project Runway judge Nina Garcia.
  4. The Soul Glo Project—Three women talk with up-and-coming comics of diverse backgrounds, sometimes with live audiences, about the challenges of being a person of color in the comedy industry.
  5. The BackBeat—Marcus Shepard and Kierra Singleton talk music and often recommend lesser-known artists such as rapper Kamaiyah, singer-songwriter SZA, and R&B artist Davion Farris.
  6. Drinking Partners—Pittsburgh-based comics Ed Bailey and Day Bracey talk beer and life over beer—often artisanal—with entertainers, politicians, and entrepreneurs. Most guests are Pittsburgh locals, but conversation delves deep into comedy, fine art, and craft breweries.
  7. Am I Allowed To Like Anything—Darian Symone Harvin strives to provide an unrelentingly upbeat show about things she loves. She’s talked literature with National Book Foundation Executive Director Lisa Lucas, the media with Teen Vogue Social Media Director Terron Moore, and cuisine with Food52 scribe Mayukh Sen.
  8. For Colored Nerds—Eric and Brittany hold wide-ranging discussions about popular culture and politics, tracing the path from Bessie Smith to Beyoncé with Undefeated’s Soraya Nadia McDonald, analyzing the impacts of Ida B. Wells and Michelle Obama, and dissecting campus sexual and racial controversies.

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Steve Friess is a freelance journalist based in Ann Arbor and a journalism instructor at Michigan State University. Follow him at @SteveFriess.