Nurah Speaks

Black History Month 2025 comes at a time in this nation wherein we need love amongst ourselves more now than ever.  But we must advance the notion of Black Love beyond affection and recognize that love is a verb.  Love is doing good and bringing no harm.  Love is elevating each other, teaching and encouraging and even correcting each other.  Black Love is more than a slogan or rhetoric on tees and hoodies.  It is more than hashtags and raised fists.  It is the activity we do in service of our people that promotes a future with promise.If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions or topic suggestions to info@NurahSpeaks.com.  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website:  NurahSpeaks.com.Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.To bring Nurah as a speaker at your next event, email info@NurahSpeaks.com.Remember, don’t just Join the Movement, Be the Movement!

This episode revisits a discussion about neutrality and our tendency to be noncommittal despite real challenges impacting our communities. We cannot be on the fence forever being neither this nor that, never having made a commitment or obligating ourselves to one direction or another.  Indecisiveness is obstructive to our personal development.  It is time now to be accountable and this comes with settling down to a good choice and solidifying ourselves with other like minded individuals engaged in the good work of creating change.If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions to info@NurahSpeaks.com.  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website:  NurahSpeaks.com or reading her blog by clicking this link.Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.To bring Nurah as a speaker at your next event, email info@NurahSpeaks.comRemember, don’t just Join the Movement, Be the Movement!

After the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States, it seems that every liberal leaning media outlet is sounding an alarm of fear and terror with what has occurred and what is to come in the current presidential administration. However I propose that the panic, fear and terror for what is to come for us is long overdue.  We have already been existing with certain vulnerabilities in ways that other groups have not.   And what this podcast and other media sources like CROE TV and Muhammad Speaks Radio has been doing for years is helping us understand what these vulnerabilities are that the black community face and what we can and should be doing about them. It is not necessary that we wait for the government to secure a future for us-because as we see, depending upon whose ideology is in power, we are simply in an insecure, unstable and frankly unsure condition. And while our eyes and ears are summoned to the White House, we can overlook what is in front of our faces locally, whether that is publ

At various points in our lives we are confronted with the decision to choose the exhausting path for truth and justice or the easy path of agreement and compromise.  It is at those times we should reflect on what our choices will declare about our character.   In revisiting Dr. King’s ‘But If Not’ sermon featured in the last episode, I am encouraged on my own path for truth and justice, no matter the inconvenience or costs.  We should all be willing to stand for truth because, as in the example King cited, we have the biblical illustration of the three thrown into the fiery furnace and what came from holding true to their convictions.   Because they - in the face of their own tormenting death - remained unwavering, not only were they unharmed but enjoyed in such time the presence of the Lord.  This account serves as a caution and guide to each of us in such times of decision. Truth is not alway convenient and compromise is not always righteous.  Yet our principles must be incorruptible, believing that the

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a poignant example of a man standing on faith and principles, regardless of the risks, discomfort and persecution. In his work of pressing the United States government for civil rights of the nation’s ex-slaves and in his anti-war stance on Vietnam, he made an enemy of the FBI and the U.S. President. Even his companions in the Civil Rights Movement deserted him.  He was a man standing on principle, refusing to sit in spite of threats and public disgrace because he believed he had truth and justice on his side.  Questions that his example compel us to ask ourselves: What will we stand for? Will we remain standing in the face of criticism and threat?  What is the cost to our souls, consciousness and freedom if we do not? The excerpts in this episode is from Dr. King’s speech at Ebenezer Baptist Church November 5, 1967 titled, ‘But If Not’. If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions or topic suggestions to ⁠info@NurahSpeaks.com⁠.  List

We must be knowledgeable about the threat to our wellbeing from the Ultra Processed Big Food industry. In Episode 253 I share five key takeaways important for listeners in summation of the series about food, food products and our health.  Additionally I provide resources to help us make better decisions to safeguard our health, the health of our families and communities. You can find those below. Resources How To Eat To Live Book One -Honorable Elijah Muhammad How To Eat To Live Book Two -Honorable Elijah Muhammad Hooked: Free Will and how the food giants exploit our addictions ⁠- Michael Moss                ⁠Vegucation Over Medication: The Myths, Lies, And Truths About Modern Foods And Medicines ⁠-Dr. Bobby Price Also, follow Dr. Bobby Price on YouTube and social media. ⁠Can Fasting Save Your Life⁠-Toshia Myers and Dr. Alan Goldhammer- Also, watch Dr. Goldhammer’s interviews on YouTube. What the Health (Documentary) Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead (Documentary) If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks

There is a public health crises in this nation and our people are experiencing the brunt of it.  Grocery stores are stocked with 73% of ultra processed food and this could be around 95-99% of stores in urban communities.   The standard American diet is now 60-90% of ultra processed food which is now being more widely recognized as contributing to chronic disease.  Learning to make different choices can improve the health of our communities.  Below is a list of what we should consume more to begin the change: 1. Water -Drinking water and avoiding sweetened beverages (liquid sugars) will not only keep our organs and cells appropriately hydrated but also limit the harm to our bodies from the sugars, sugar substitutes, dyes, flavorings and chemicals in industrialized, ultra processed drinks. 2. Fresh Fruits - Not only are fruits hydrating but they have healthy fiber to help prevent constipation.  Fruit also supports blood sugar and prevents colorectal cancer.  Fruit is a natural energy booster. 3. Fresh Vegeta

Improving the health of Black Americans can start with what we put on our forks.  In Episode 251 I share five foods that we should eat less. 1. PORK-a homotoxin (human poison) that should not be eaten by any of us at any time EVER!   2. SUGAR-naturally occurring sugar in our fruit and plants are healthy however the ‘added granulated, processed sugar’ and high fructose corn syrup contribute to spikes in our blood sugar and cardiovascular disease 3. MEAT-our digestive system’s design, from our teeth to our intestines, suggest we are not inherently meat eaters 4. DAIRY-a common allergen linked to *ear infections, *respiratory issues, *eczema, (*often occurring in children) and digestive issues. 5. ULTRA PROCESSED FOOD PRODUCTS-least nutritious, most caloric, usually with a high fat, sugar or salt content and contribute to Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease, Dementia, Alzheimers, Depression, Anxiety and many of other conditions. Eating less of these foods can have surprising benefits to our appearance

There are a multitude of ingredients that are added to our food that we should avoid without question.   In Episode 250 I share five of those food additives, how they are used and the deleterious effects they have on our bodies and health. 1. Red Food Dye:   Red 40, Alura Red, Red 40 Lake-food coloring containing a cancer causing substance and contributes to behavioral issues in children 2. Yellow Food Dye: Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6-studied for association of learning and behavioral difficulties in school aged children 3. MSG: Monosodium Glutamate: industrial flavor enhancer that contributes to hypertension, obesity and brain damage 4. High Fructose Corn Syrup: industrialized sweetener contributing to fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, obesity and diabetes 5. Sodium Nitrate: stabilizing, coloring and flavoring food agent linked to numerous cancers including breast, bladder and colorectal cancer to name just a few Bonus-White Flour If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submi

Ultra Processed foods are linked to increased risk for: Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular and Heart Disease, Dementia, Alzheimers, Depression, Anxiety and a host of other conditions. These ‘food products’ pose serious health risks and have long-term health implications for consumers. But do we know the difference between real food and food products when we browse the store aisles?  Real Food (Whole Foods) are foods that come from nature, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds, are considered real.  These foods have no artificial additives: such as preservatives, colorings, or flavor enhancers that alter its quality or nutritional value. Food Products are non-real food including items that have various degrees of processing.  They contain artificial ingredients considered “not real” and contain artificial ingredients, additives, or substitutes created to imitate the flavor, and texture of natural foods. They lack the nutritional density and have undergone extensive processing. Knowing the differen

There is no biblical commandment directing us to SPEND-SPEND-SPEND to honor the birth of sweet baby Jesus. However, year after year, the season has become less religious and more commercial. Clever advertisers know the perfect strategies to persuade us to buy.  So then what should we do in this season of spending?  This episode I share tips that will benefit your wallet and your community. If you enjoy Nurah Speaks, please share the podcast with friends, family, and colleagues. Every time you share, you help the show’s growth. If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions or topic suggestions to info@NurahSpeaks.com.  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website:  NurahSpeaks.com. Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To bring Nurah as a speaker at your next event, email info@NurahSpeaks.com. Remember, don’t just Join the Movement, Be the Movement!

Did you know that more hair care products containing toxic ingredients are sold to Black women and in low income communities? Did you know that 50 percent of products advertised to Black women contain chemicals health hazards compared to only 7 percent of products advertised to white women? Did you know that Black women develop the most aggressive breast cancers and have the highest breast cancer death rates? Did you know that parabens, phthalates and formaldehyde contained in these ‘beauty products’ are not only linked to cancers but other chronic health conditions such as diabetes, infertility, preeclampsia, cardiovascular disease and obesity? What changes will you make, now that you know? To learn more: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/dangerous-hair-products-more-commonly-sold-in-black-low-income-neighborhoods/ https://www.safecosmetics.org/chemicals/ https://www.cancer.org/research/acs-research-news/breast-cancer-death-rates-are-highest-for-black-women-again.html If you would like to e

When we are out of touch with nature or misunderstanding the inherent qualities of what makes us who we are, our decisions and behaviors will be misguided.  Black women have been trained to perceive reality through a lens that falsely colors truth and gives us permission to act based on what we ‘want’ truth to be, rather than what truth actually is. This has been the cause of many errors and miscalculations that we simply cannot afford to make. If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions or topic suggestions to info@NurahSpeaks.com.  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website:  NurahSpeaks.com. Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To bring Nurah as a speaker at your next event, email info@NurahSpeaks.com. Remember, don’t just Join the Movement, Be the Movement!

This election showed what others are prioritizing as their interests…it is time that Black Women do the same as we are long overdue.  Let us re-center our attention and energy on self, which includes our men and our communities.  Truly it is a shame that it comes on the heels of a political disappointment but perhaps this is the wakeup that we have been needing. We must: 1. Reassess our collective needs 2. Establish our agenda  3. Work collectively  4. Stay unified If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions or topic suggestions to info@NurahSpeaks.com.  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website:  NurahSpeaks.com. Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To bring Nurah as a speaker at your next event, email info@NurahSpeaks.com. Remember, don’t just Join the Movement, Be the Movement!

My belief demands that I think five times before speaking.  This principle is a marvelous tool when under a barrage of hateful written and verbal attacks.  It commands one to pause and perform an assessment of the worthiness of one’s antagonist and the substance of the attack. It also serves as a prompt for one to be critical and self aware of one’s own language, behavior and reactions.  And ultimately one must determine what, if any, retort is advised under such circumstances. Often, in the critical analysis, one finds responding in kind levels the playing field and puts one on par with characters and personalities that may be quite unlike your own.  It is better to be discerning, disciplined and say nothing than to impinge one’s own character by responding in kind to individuals whose only gain is in spoiling one’s reputation.   There is discipline in silence.  It is a skill that is practiced by the wise. If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions or topic sug

I am pleased to welcome Councilwoman Cindy McCoy to Nurah Speaks.  Councilwoman McCoy is on a noble mission to end hunger in her community and she is working on that via her non profit ‘McCoys Stop the Hunger Food and Mobile Pantry’. McCoy's Stop the Hunger is a 501(c)(3) organization functioning as a food and mobile pantry that works with the community to address food insecurity and provide nutritious options to residents in need.  Councilwoman McCoy will be hosting her first Walk/Run-a-thon November 9, 2024 to not only bring the community together but also fundraise to continue the work. On episode 244 of the podcast, Councilwoman McCoy shares how she first began working in service to her community and her upcoming event. To learn more about McCoys Stop the Hunger Food and Mobile Pantry and to register for the Walk/Run-a-thon see the links below: Walk/Run-a-thon: Donate:https://go.dojiggy.io/stop-the-hunger/Campaign/Details Location: Cooper River Park, Intersection North Park & Airport Drive, Pennsau

In the absence of unity, we have no control or ability to establish a direction for our community.  Rather than directing ourselves, we are directed by those who do employ unity to materialize their goals and agendas.  And they return to us every few years using our persistent challenges as their platform to petition for our votes and endorsements.  But since we are not self determining in any substantial sense, we remain in the vulnerable position of need and dependency.   We are so much more empowered by the power of our unity and actualizing our needs.  With unity, we can set our own agendas rather than be a mere agenda item for those who really practice unity. If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions or topic suggestions to info@NurahSpeaks.com.  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website:  NurahSpeaks.com. Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To bring Nurah as a speaker at your next event, email

This 2024 election season, one thing is guaranteed and that is the flood of propaganda penetrating via television ads, punditry and social media.  Not unlike that which occurred during the 2016 and 2020 campaigns, the information reaching us will be, in large part, manufactured deception to sway our ideas and leanings.  In this time, it is important for us to stay anchored to what we know is the truth via our own experiences so we are not riding a wave of propaganda ourselves.  We must be intellectually curious, rational and very discriminating from who and where we take in information. If the revelations about Cambridge Analytica has taught us anything, it is that things may not be truly as they seem.  Visit this link to learn more:  (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/04/us/politics/cambridge-analytica-scandal-fallout.html) If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions or topic suggestions to info@NurahSpeaks.com.  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiti

This is the concluding episode in the series: Unity, Faith & Leadership.  I have heard more than now than ever, conversations by our people, rejecting the need for leadership.  As social beings co-existing in the world, not only must we work cooperatively, but we should also recognize there is a natural requirement for leadership. The observation of nature demonstrates just how ordinary it is that there is leadership amongst bodies or group.  The sun leads the planets, the silverback leads the troop and the bee hive is centralized around the queen. Our dismissal of leadership is a miscalculation we cannot afford to make.  Our needs are too great and the change we need is too massive that we dismiss the ordinary convention of leadership. If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions or topic suggestions to info@NurahSpeaks.com.  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website:  NurahSpeaks.com. Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Faceboo

Of our greatest handicaps are our lack of unity and faith in ourselves that we can effectively tackle the most significant needs of our people.  Confidence and the fervent belief that we can change the conditions of our people for the better is a must if we are going to take a serious look at improving the lived experiences of our families and communities.   Without faith in ourselves, we are hopeless to do better.  It is an essential quality for establishing a promising future and achieving any goals we set for ourselves.   If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions or topic suggestions to info@NurahSpeaks.com.  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website:  NurahSpeaks.com. Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To bring Nurah as a speaker at your next event, email info@NurahSpeaks.com. Remember, don’t just Join the Movement, Be the Movement!