A recent study examined three Black men who earned doctoral degrees despite growing up during the crack epidemic. Despite meaningful cultural differences—two African American, one Caribbean diaspora—all three demonstrated remarkably similar patterns of development across three dimensions

1. Awareness:
2. Navigation
3. Duty

Let's talk about it.

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Today we're talking about the Quarter Zip movement - young Black men trading in their Nike Techs for business casual, their coffee for matcha, their "YN" identity for something they're calling "Young Gentlemen." But to understand why this matters, we need to talk about what a "YN" actually is. These teenagers are calling themselves "Young Niggas," and I have complicated feelings about how adults are responding to this. Let's talk about it.

Thank you for listening to Color Commentary. We'd love to hear from you, so drop us an email at colorcommentarypod@gmail.com

This week, we're talking about Dr. Howard Fuller. I was just at the Black Male Educator Convening in Philadelphia last week, and I posted a clip of Dr. Fuller speaking. It went viral on TikTok—a new generation discovering an 83-year-old revolutionary who refuses to rest.

Watching young educators discover him moved me in ways I wasn't prepared for. Dr. Fuller is one of my most faithful advisors, and today I want to introduce him to those who don't know his story. Not as a historical figure, but as a living blueprint for how to fight for Black children's liberation. Let me explain.

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We’d love to hear from you! Email Charles at colorcommentarypod@gmail.com

And be sure to check out...

• "Howard's University" - my 10-episode series with Dr. Fuller:
• Agentic merchandise at charlescoleiii.com

This week, we're talking about Eddie Murphy. Netflix just dropped a documentary called "Being Eddie," and while I knew most of what was in there—what can I say about myself knowing that?—it got me thinking about something bigger. Eddie Murphy isn't just arguably the greatest comedian of all time. He's the kind of architect I respect—the quiet kind. The one who changes the landscape without needing a title or a speech. Let me explain.

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We’d love to hear from you! Email Charles at colorcommentarypod@gmail.com

Today we're talking about something that will reshape Black futures for the next generation—new federal student loan rules that just cleared a major hurdle at the U.S. Department of Education.

We’d love to hear from you! Email Charles at colorcommentarypod@gmail.com

Today we're talking about something that's been bothering me for a while: these so-called "culture" pages on social media. You know the ones—millions of followers, claiming they're amplifying Black voices, but really just posting our worst moments on repeat and making money off it.

Joining me today is Chris Stewart—Citizen Stewart. He runs Brightbeam, he's co-creator of 8 Black Hands with me, and he's spent years fighting for educational justice. He knows firsthand how these narratives shape what people expect from our kids.

Thank you for listening to Color Commentary. We'd love to hear from you, so drop us an email at colorcommentarypod@gmail.com.

This week on Color Commentary, Dr. Charles Cole breaks down the massive FBI investigation that led to the arrests of Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, and former player Damon Jones.

But this isn't just a sports scandal—it's a Mafia story. Dr. Cole explains why he's been warning about this for years, how players get pulled into these schemes, and why the toothpaste is never going back in the tube. This is about corruption, class, and a system that invited organized crime into the game.

We'd love to hear from you! Email Charles at colorcommentarypod@gmail.com

This week on Color Commentary, Dr. Charles Cole is joined by digital storyteller and journalist Torraine Walker to break down the viral beef between The Joe Budden Podcast and The Native Land Pod—and what it really says about class, authenticity, and Black discourse. From the performance of intellectualism to the question of what credentials actually mean, Dr. Cole and Torraine keep it real about being stuck between worlds and why Joe's platform resonates with millions while others just perform.

Torraine Walker is a digital storyteller, journalist, and brand strategist specializing in authentic messaging and content creation. His work has appeared in Teen Vogue, Huffington Post, Splinter News, and more. He's partnered with organizations like Community Movement Builders and Energy Convertors to help find and amplify authentic voices in Black media. Learn more at torrainewalker.com.

We'd love to hear from you! Email Charles at colorcommentarypod@gmail.com