In this episode Terence L. Shigg and his special guest James Dallas discuss how people of color are not afforded the same opportunities as their counterparts. In order to rectify this we must start with our young people and people of color must change their mindset. The mindset of success has common denominators. One being a positive sense of self and a willingness to sacrifice to get where you want to go. The American dream can be realized by people of color but know that in order to access that dream you must know that the Ameri-Con is real. You will be set to be a part of someone else's dream if you do not determine your own dream and work to achieve it. 

It's Not ok! Our teenagers are just as important as our first responders and essential workers. Their is a shared suffering that our teenagers are trying to deal with and they should not have to do it alone. Teen suicide and depression is on the rise. Adults have learned to cope and expect teens to do the same without the tools necessary. Paul Bunch from River Rock Film Studio in Hollywood, California shares the story of his son and his latest project "Alone." Paul recounts hearing his son tell him "It's not ok" and realizing as a father and an artist he had to do something. 

Paul interviewed teenagers and what he found out will get your attention and make you realize we are neglecting our youth. Paul's project is a call to action. A wake up call to adults. We need to talk to our young men and women and let them know we are their advocates and we are suffering with them. 

In the shared experience we can produce solutions that heal. 

Invisible People are everywhere if you are listening and looking. There are whole segments of society that feel as though they are invisible. Ralph Ellison wrote the book Invisible Man in 1952. It was the story of a Black man who was born in the south and had high aspirations. He went to college and through a series of events realized he was invisible. The young man realized that he was being manipulated by others. The story he wrote resounds in the theatre of real life historical events. Recent and past events including but not limited to the riots after the murder of George Floyd and the storming of the Capital after the loss of the Presidential election by Donald Trump tell us that we must see people and find solutions that speak to the cause of the anger and pain felt by groups and not just look to punish those we judge. Dave Chappelle said the streets were talking after the demonstrations and riots following George Floyd. Is the storming of the Capital, Middle America speaking? I don't know, but I do know that in order to solve the problems we are dealing with today in America, we have to think differently. We have to do more than just "punish" those responsible. We have to speak to those that feel invisible.

Growing up in poverty is not normal. It puts a strain on your development. You are guaranteed to experience trauma in your day to day life. The temptation is to believe that the trauma of the daily life in the hood is "normal."  It's not normal and today Terence L. Shigg MFT discusses how that type of thinking can do more harm than good.

To accept trauma and to process it in a healthy way are two completely different things. Terence talks about his experience and relates them to concepts of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy.

Terence also talks about getting a therapist or a coach because it is not IF stressors will occur in your life it is just a matter of when. 

In this episode Terence discusses wealth building. No matter where you are you can improve your status and impact those close to you for generations if you start now. Wealth building is more than just the bottom line. It is about creating a financial foundation that will last beyond your existence and more importantly allows your family to start ahead of where you began. 

Terence talks about how his definition of success and "hard" work limited his ability to succeed. A paradigm shift was necessary to get the ball rolling and that may be what is needed in the community to ensure access to a mindset and the resources that can lift people out of poverty.

In this episode Terence welcomes back his brother and friend Shawn B. McCullers Esq. to discuss the idea of "Crabs in a bucket." 

They discuss how Blacks must learn to work together and not against one another in order to achieve success. Success in not a finite resource. 

They believe it is possible to disagree and learn from others. The fact that people take the time to pour out and receive information from one another is an act of love and respect and therefore should be treated as such.

People become better through experiences and we can all become better if we learn to listen to one another. 

In this episode Terence discusses the striking similarities between the dynamics in an abusive relationship and how Black Americans are treated in America. 

The battle for power and control has been a fabric of American society since its inception and Blacks have been fighting for equal standing and opportunity throughout the history of America. 

In this special edition bonus episode, Terence L. Shigg invites Shawn B. McCullers Esq. on the show to discuss policing and societies deliberate indifference to the problems facing Black people in America. Mr. Shigg and Mr. McCullers are both Black men and retired law enforcement officers with a unique perspective on policing. Mr. McCullers is a civil rights attorney and social justice advocate in Atlanta, Georgia. We discuss the 4th amendment, what to do if you are stopped by the police and the judicial system as a whole.