Truth's Table

In this episode of Truth’s Table, Morgan takes a seat at the table with Christina and Ekemini. Morgan Harper Nichols is a writer, artist, and musician who makes her work around people and their stories. In 2017, Morgan started a project where she invites people to submit their stories to her website. From there, she creates art inspired by what they send her, and then, sends them the art, for free. As an artist, Morgan has collaborated with publications and brands including Coach, Darling Magazine, Esquire Singapore, Jungalow, and more. Originally from Atlanta, Ga. and she and her husband Patrick currently reside just a little south of Los Angeles in Orange County, California. Pull up a chair and have a seat at the table with us. Follow Morgan Harper Nichols on Social Media: Instagram: instagram.com/morganharpernichols Twitter: twitter.com/morganhnichols Pinterest: pinterest.com/morganharpernichols Website: morganharpernichols.com

In this episode, You Okay, Sis?: Misogynoir & Mental Health with Jeremiah Hopes. Ekemini and Christina are joined by Jeremiah Hopes M.S., LPC, LCAS, CAADC is a solution-focused thinker, professional counselor, speaker, and author. Jeremiah holds a Master of Science degree in Counseling and he is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist. In 2005 he founded, The Center of Hopes,™ a counseling, speaking, and training organization. In 2015 he co-authored Facing Our Future: Building Strong Black Men in the 21st Century. Jeremiah provides counseling services to individuals and families and provides professional training to groups and organizations. Jeremiah is a powerful speaker and an engaging storyteller and his trainings are both interactive and informative. Jeremiah has consulted with the award-winning GAP program and has provided services to a variety of groups and organizations including: the School Nurse Association of North Carolina, the Virginia Department of Alc

Trigger Warning: Due to sensitive and upsetting information shared in this episode. In this episode, You Okay, Sis?: Black Midwives & Mamas Matter with Cessilye R. Smith, Christina and Ekemini are joined by Cessilye R. Smith. Cessilye is a racial and maternal justice activist committed to tearing down walls of oppression and division to build bridges that lead to solution-based practices. Her journey began with her struggle with infertility and lack of awareness of her own body and then the eventual healthy, safe and beautiful births of her own children. Over the years she has witnessed time and time again the devastating impact systemic failures in healthcare, housing and economics have had on the human condition. Constantly bearing witness to the impact of structural racism and the violence of our collective inaction, while also being active in activism and faith circles has given her the ability to see the overlap in these structures and the drive to pursue justice in an unconventional way. She is

In this episode, You Okay, Sis?: Infertility & Infant Loss with Erica M. McAfee, Ekemini and Michelle are seated at the table with Erica M. McAfee. Erica M. McAfee is the founder of Sisters in Loss, LLC, a Faith based Grief and Pregnancy Loss coaching company that helps black women turn their pain into their purpose after loss. Sisters in Loss provides birth and bereavement doula services, infertility and grief coaching services to help women step beyond anxiety and fear and into trust and peace after loss. Sisters in Loss goal through courses, retreats, and conferences is to help women Minimize regrets, Maximize memories, and Manage their path forward after loss. It’s self titled podcast spotlights faith filled black women who share miscarriage, infant loss, and infertility stories and testimonies to heal, gain clarity and peace, find hope, and an empowering path forward after loss. Launched in August 2017 the podcast has a community of 10,000+ sisters in loss.

In this episode, Natasha joins Ekemini and Christina at the table. Natasha Sistrunk Robinson is an international speaker, leadership consultant, diversity and mentoring coach with nearly 20 years of leadership experience in the military, federal government, church, seminary, and nonprofit sectors. She is the author of A Sojourner’s Truth: Choosing Freedom and Courage in a Divided World, Mentor for Life and its accompanying leader’s training manual, and the Hope for Us: Knowing God through the Nicene Creed Bible study. She is the Visionary Founder and Chairperson of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Leadership LINKS, Inc. Natasha is a doctoral student at North Park Theological Seminary, and a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Charlotte (cum laude, M.A. Christian Leadership) and the U.S. Naval Academy. She has served as a Marine Corps officer and employee at the Department of Homeland Security. Natasha is also the host of A Sojourner’s Truth: Conversations for a Changing Culture podcast. Pull up a chair, g

In this episode, You Okay, Sis?: Medical Apartheid, Ekemini and Christina are seated at the table with Harriet A. Washington. Harriet A. Washington wrote Infectious Madness: The Surprising Science of How We "Catch" Mental Illness while the 2015-2016 Miriam Shearing Fellow at the University of Nevada's Black Mountain Institute. She is a science writer, editor and ethicist who has been a Research Fellow in Medical Ethics at Harvard Medical School, Visiting Fellow at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, a visiting scholar at DePaul University College of Law and a senior research scholar at the National Center for Bioethics at Tuskegee University. She has also held fellowships at Stanford University, holds a degree in English from the University of Rochester, an MA in journalism from Columbia University and in 2016 was elected a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine. She is a lecturer in bioethics at Columbia University. Ms. Washington has written widely for popular and science public

Ekemini, Michelle, and Christina are back with Truth’s Table Season 3! The women are kicking off this season with a series entitled, “You Okay, Sis?” In this series, they will explore the holistic health of Black women. Since this is the first episode of the You Okay, Sis? Series, the women of Truth’s Table assess their own spiritual, mental, and physical health. Pull up a chair and have a seat at the table. Don’t forget your teacups! Hosts: Michelle Higgins (twitter.com/AfroRising) Christina Edmondson (twitter.com/DrCEdmondson) Ekemini Uwan (twitter.com/sista_theology) Producer: Joshua Heath (twitter.com/J_DotMusic4) Executive Producer: Beau York (twitter.com/TheRealBeauYork) Special Thanks To: The Witness: A Black Christian Collective - www.TheWitnessBCC.com (twitter.com/TheWitnessBCC) Podastery - www.podastery.com (twitter.com/Podastery)

In the final episode of Truth’s Table Season Two, Ekemini and Christina reflect on Truth’s Table Season Two. The women discuss their favorite episodes and they invite you to listen in on how you can support Truth’s Table financially. The Truth’s Table ladies have great plans for 2019, but they need your help to make this a reality. Pull up a chair and listen in as the women of Truth’s Table reflect on season two. You can watch this special video podcast at their YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLx9c5JFZF8_E4HM20QLitw/videos?view_as=subscriber How to support Truth’s Table via PayPal or Patreon PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/truthstable Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TruthsTable Hosts: Michelle Higgins (twitter.com/AfroRising) Christina Edmondson (twitter.com/DrCEdmondson) Ekemini Uwan (twitter.com/sista_theology) Producer: Joshua Heath (twitter.com/J_DotMusic4) Executive Producer: Beau York (twitter.com/TheRealBeauYork) Special Thanks To: The Witness: A Black Christian Collective - www.The

SPOILER ALERT: Do not listen to this episode if you haven’t seen BlacKkKlansman yet. In this episode, Ekemini, Michelle, and Christina discuss their thoughts on Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman. This movie is based on a true story set in the 70s about an African-American police officer played by John David Washington who went undercover in the 70s to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan in Colorado Springs by joining it over the phone. Pull up a chair and have a seat at the table with us! Stay tuned until the end for a special message from Michelle. Reference: Boots Riley's Critique of Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman Hosts: Michelle Higgins (twitter.com/AfroRising) Christina Edmondson (twitter.com/DrCEdmondson) Ekemini Uwan (twitter.com/sista_theology) Producer: Joshua Heath (twitter.com/J_DotMusic4) Executive Producer: Beau York (twitter.com/TheRealBeauYork) Special Thanks To: The Witness: A Black Christian Collective - www.TheWitnessBCC.com (twitter.com/TheWitnessBCC) Podastery - www.podastery.com (twitter.c

In this episode, Christina and Ekemini are joined by Jackie Hill-Perry to talk about her new book, Gay Girl, Good God. The hosts attempt to engage Jackie’s book and her life story with an open ear and critically discerning questions. Jackie Hill Perry is a writer, poet, and artist whose work has been featured on the Washington Times, The 700 Club, Desiring God, The Gospel Coalition, and other publications. Since becoming a Christian in 2008, she has been compelled to use her speaking and teaching gifts to share the light of the gospel of God as authentically as she can. At home she is a wife to Preston and Mommy to Eden and Autumn. Pull up a chair and have a seat at the table. Hosts: Michelle Higgins (twitter.com/AfroRising) Christina Edmondson (twitter.com/DrCEdmondson) Ekemini Uwan (twitter.com/sista_theology) Producer: Joshua Heath (twitter.com/J_DotMusic4) Executive Producer: Beau York (twitter.com/TheRealBeauYork) Special Thanks To: The Witness: A Black Christian Collective - www.TheWitnessBCC.com (tw

In this episode, Ekemini explains what social media is, the good, the bad, and the ugly. She challenges us to examine the ways that we have gossiped and slandered others online. Additionally, she conducts a mini-Twitter autopsy on her own Twitter profile. Truth’s Table is going LIVE in Grand Rapids, MI on August 16, 2018! They will be joined by musical guests Shuree and Sharon Irving. Tickets are only $15 through August 1st. Buy early and save! Buy your tickets here: https://grcmc.org/theatre/node/34171/truth-s-table-live-pop-up-podcast-show This episode of Truth’s Table is brought to you by InterVarsity Press, whose vision is to catalyze redemption, restoration, and revival in our divided and broken world. Follow IVP on Twitter @ivpress and visit IVP’s website at www.ivpress.com. Purchase Natasha Robinson’s book, A Sojourner’s Truth and use the code TRUTH18 to save 30% plus free shipping. This discount is available until January 1, 2019!

This episode is sponsored by InterVarsity Press This episode of Truth’s Table is brought to you by InterVarsity Press, whose vision is to catalyze redemption, restoration, and revival in our divided and broken world. Follow IVP on Twitter @ivpress and visit IVP’s website at www.ivpress.com. Purchase Natasha Robinson’s book, A Sojourner’s Truth and use the code TRUTH18 to save 30% plus free shipping. This discount is available until January 1, 2019! Join Ekemini, Michelle, and Christina as they answers listeners’ questions. Hot tea is served and cackles galore as they answer some controversial questions. Pull up a chair and have a seat at the table with us! Truth’s Table is going LIVE in Grand Rapids, MI on August 16, 2018! They will be joined by musical guests Shuree and Sharon Irving. Tickets are only $15 through August 1st. Buy early and save! Buy your tickets here: https://grcmc.org/theatre/node/34171/truth-s-table-live-pop-up-podcast-show Hosts: Michelle Higgins (twitter.com/AfroRising) Christin

Benjamina Ebuehi is a London based baker and food stylist. She featured on the seventh series of the BBC's Great British Bake Off in which she finished as a quarter finalist and impressed the judges with her modern style and flavour combinations. She runs the food blog Carrot & Crumb where she regularly shares recipes and baking tips. She is also an ambassador for Luminary Bakery - a social enterprise working to empower and support disadvantaged women. Benjamina recently co-founded The Sister Table - a series of monthly brunch clubs and events for women, creating space for them to be part of a community and enjoy one another around the table over good food. Pull up a chair and have a seat at the table with us! Truth’s Table is going LIVE in Grand Rapids, MI on August 16, 2018! They will be joined by musical guests Shuree and Sharon Irving. Tickets are only $15 through August 1st. Buy early and save! Buy your tickets here: https://grcmc.org/theatre/node/34171/truth-s-table-live-pop-up-podcast-s

In this episode, Ekemini, Michelle, and Christina talk about Therese Patricia Okoumou’s courageous act of political resistance on behalf of the thousands of immigrant children who are locked in cages and separated from their children. There has been a lot of talk about Black women as “superheroes” and the women of Truth’s Table debunk that myth and show how harmful and deadly that narrative is for all Black women. Pull up a chair and have a seat at the table! Article: 'Are they going to shoot me?': Statue of Liberty ​climber on her anti-Trump protest https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jul/07/statue-of-liberty-protester-patricia-okoumou-interview Truth’s Table is going LIVE in Grand Rapids, MI on August 16, 2018! They will be joined by musical guests Shuree and Sharon Irving. Tickets are only $15 through August 1st. Buy early and save! Buy your tickets here: https://grcmc.org/theatre/node/34171/truth-s-table-live-pop-up-podcast-show Hosts: Michelle Higgins (twitter.com/AfroRising) Christina

In this episode, Ekemini, Michelle and Christina talk about Trump’s zero tolerance immigration policy that caused the separation of over 2,000 immigrant children from their parents and locked in cages. Pull up a chair, grab your teacup because the tea they are serving is scalding hot. Truth’s Table is going LIVE in Grand Rapids, MI on August 16, 2018! They will be joined by musical guests Shuree and Sharon Irving. Tickets are only $15 through August 1st. Buy early and save! Buy your tickets here: https://grcmc.org/theatre/node/34171/truth-s-table-live-pop-up-podcast-show Hosts: Michelle Higgins (twitter.com/AfroRising) Christina Edmondson (twitter.com/DrCEdmondson) Ekemini Uwan (twitter.com/sista_theology) Producer: Joshua Heath (twitter.com/J_DotMusic4) Executive Producer: Beau York (twitter.com/TheRealBeauYork) Special Thanks To: The Witness: A Black Christian Collective - www.TheWitnessBCC.com (twitter.com/TheWitnessBCC) Podastery - www.podastery.com (twitter.com/Podastery)

In light of the #metoo and #churchtoo movement, Lisa Sharon Harper joins Christina and Ekemini at the table to discuss #SilenceIsNotSpiritual. From Ferguson to New York to Germany and South Africa Ms. Harper leads trainings and helps mobilize clergy and community leaders around shared values for the common good. A prolific speaker, writer and activist, Ms. Harper is the founder and president of FreedomRoad.us, a consulting group dedicated to shrinking the narrative gap in our nation by convening forums and experiences that bring common understanding, common commitment, and common action toward a just world. Ms. Harper is the author of several books, including: Evangelical Does Not Equal Republican...or Democrat (The New Press, 2008), Left Right and Christ: Evangelical Faith in Politics (Elevate, 2011), Forgive Us: Confessions of a Compromised Faith (Zondervan, 2014), and the critically acclaimed, The Very Good Gospel: How Everything Wrong can be Made Right (Waterbrook, a division of Penguin Random House, 2

From Philadelphia, singer/songwriter/musician Leah Smith bends R&B, gospel, and pop to create her smooth, signature sound. Her long awaited debut LP, Tenderheaded, soars with wit, potency, and Smith's lilting soprano that effortlessly imbues each lyric. Smith's start in professional music began in 2007. After attending the prestigious Creative and Performing Arts High School in Philadelphia, Smith toured extensively with GRAMMY award winning gospel group, Israel and New Breed. After a decision to leave the group and move back home, Smith won the 2008 Philly Rising Open Mic competition at one of Philly's premiere music venues, World Cafe Live. As part of the winner's package, Smith earned free studio time with which she recorded her revelatory debut EP, Beautifully Made. Visibility from this genre-bending project positioned Smith to be a sought after featured artist on many Christian Hip Hop records, most notably Trip Lee's hit "Sweet Victory." After an extensive break fr

In this episode, Ruth Naomi Floyd takes a seat at the table with Ekemini. Ruth has been at the forefront of creating vocal jazz settings that express Christian theology for over 20 years. A vocalist and composer on the international music scene, Ruth has dedicated a discography of five compact discs explicitly dedicated to a sacred jazz expression. Blessed with a soaring mezzo-soprano voice, critics have praised Ruth’s discography for its distinctive sound of progressive ensemble jazz that is seamlessly blended with explicit Biblical messages of unwavering faith in God. Ruth leads her own multi-faceted ensemble and her music consists primarily of original compositions. A committed music educator, Ruth is Director of Jazz Studies at Cairn University, Langhorne, Pennsylvania. Ruth conducts several vocal clinics as well as lectures on the history and celebration of African American Spirituals, the Blues, Jazz and African American Gospel Music. Ruth is also an award winning fine art photographer specializing in b

In this episode, Seaux Chill takes a seat at the table with Ekemini and Michelle to discuss his musical background and his approach to music. Nabil Ince, stage name Seaux Chill, is an artist originally from Columbia, MD who has been in the Chattanooga area for the past few years. Piano is his first love, playing since he was 6 years old. However, Seaux Chill also loves writing, composing, and producing music largely influenced by pillars of black music. In 2018, he graduated from Covenant College with a bachelors of arts in jazz piano. He currently functions as the Program Director for a children’s music ed non-profit called East Lake Expression Engine and continues to build towards his own music career. His music can be found on all streaming platforms and more about Seaux Chill’s work can be found at www.seauxchill.com. He is the man responsible for Truth’s Table’s magnetic theme song. Take a seat at the table with us and you might hear a live rendition of our the Truth’s Table theme song. Pull up a chair,

It’s June, which means that it’s Black Music Month! The women of Truth’s Table are kicking off their Black Music Month Series and Xavier Omär joined them at the table. How does Xavier Omär want to be remembered? As a risk taker, a classic voice, an artist who blurs musical lines and fearless dreamer. And, with these big goals, the fearless dreamer. And, with these big goals, the singer-songwriter isn't wasting any time. His debut studio album, Bonfire, released on 09/02/14, was followed by his EP with Sango (Soulection) titled Hours Spent Loving You, and singles Blind Man & Hesitate. Xavier Omär takes pride in his songwriting ability and is most excited by the reward of evoking specific feelings in his listeners with his music. He draws inspiration from artists of all genres, including James Blake, Arcade Fire, Kanye West, Mumford & Sons, John Legend, Frank Ocean, The Beatles, and Sam Smith. Xavier Omär grew up as a military brat, moving across the country and as far as japan, but he claims Ge