Episodes

  • Unbought and Unbossed: Joy-Ann Reid on Independent Black Media

    Unbought and Unbossed: Joy-Ann Reid on Independent Black Media
    Nov 18 2025
    In a moment when major media companies are bending to power and silencing truth-tellers, Joy-Ann Reid is building something different. Fresh from her historic run as cable's first Black woman to host a primetime news program, Joy joins the class to talk about getting fired on her day off, launching The Joy Ann Reid Show the very next day, and what it really means to refuse fear in the face of autocracy.

    This conversation goes deep—from the behind-the-scenes call that ended The ReidOut, to standing firm when Trump targets you by name, to why your voice is the one thing they can never take. Joy breaks down the business of building independent Black media, the freedom that comes from owning your platform, and why resistance starts with refusing to be silent.

    If you've ever wondered what courage looks like in practice, or how to keep fighting when institutions fail us, this is your episode.

    Show Notes:
    • Follow Joy Ann Reid: The Joy Ann Reid Show | Substack: joyannreid.com
    • Read Joy's books including Medgar and Myrlie: Medgar Evers and the Love Story That Awakened America
    • Support independent Black journalism and subscribe to Joy's platforms
    This episode of Teach the Babies features candid conversation about serious topics. The discussion includes:
    • Strong language (we believe in authentic conversation)
    • Detailed accounts of sudden job loss and workplace trauma
    • Discussion of threats and intimidation from political figures, including threats of arrest and imprisonment
    • References to police violence against Black people
    • Discussion of the ongoing genocide in Gaza and violence against Palestinians
    • Frank talk about media censorship and institutional failures
    Why We're Not Sanitizing This Conversation:
    At Teach the Babies, we believe our community—especially our young people—deserves to hear truth-telling in its full complexity. Joy Ann Reid's story and voice represent the courage and clarity we need now. We trust you to engage with this content in ways that serve your own well-being while honoring the importance of what's being said.

    Take care of yourself: If you need to pause, step away, or return to this episode when you're ready, that's completely valid. Your well-being matters.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/teach-the-babies-w-dr-david-j-johns--6173854/support.
    Show More Show Less
    45 mins
  • Governing Under Occupation w. Councilwoman Christina Henderson

    Governing Under Occupation w. Councilwoman Christina Henderson
    Nov 11 2025
    Councilwoman Christina Henderson breaks down what's really happening with federal occupation of DC, why National Guard troops on American streets should alarm everyone, and the pattern of attacks on Black women's leadership.

    As an independent councilmember raising two Black daughters in DC, she speaks truth about local power, why your council member matters more than you think, and what she's teaching her children about resistance.

    Three actions you can take: Ask your congressperson about DC statehood. Call your governor to bring troops home. Interrogate what you consume.

    Required listening for anyone who cares about democracy and the future our babies deserve.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/teach-the-babies-w-dr-david-j-johns--6173854/support.
    Show More Show Less
    59 mins
  • Preserving Legacy and the Power of Mutual Aid with Deesha Dyer

    Preserving Legacy and the Power of Mutual Aid with Deesha Dyer
    Nov 4 2025
    In this deeply personal and politically urgent conversation, Dr. David Johns welcomes his White House family—Deesha Dyer, former Social Secretary to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama—for a raw discussion about what we lose when power demolishes history, and what endures when community builds with intention.

    Deesha takes us inside the moment she saw excavators tearing down the East Wing of the White House in October 2025—the space where she orchestrated state dinners, opened doors for people who never thought they'd walk through them, and made the People's House truly belong to the people.

    This conversation moves from the rubble of demolished institutions to the unshakeable foundation of community organizing. Deesha shares lessons learned from Michelle Obama about grace under pressure, why she wrote Undiplomatic for Black girls who "risk it all," and what defending democracy actually looks like in practice: investing in local organizations, letting leaders lead in their expertise, documenting our work, and showing up for each other with intention.

    Deesha's story is a masterclass in refusing to let imposter syndrome—or anyone else—define your worth. As she reminds us: buildings can be demolished in 72 hours, but they can't demolish the memories, the legacy, or the collective power we build together.

    This is required listening for anyone who believes that mutual aid isn't charity—it's how we survive, build, and love each other into liberation.

    Website: DeeshaDyer.com
    Instagram: @deedyer267
    Email: deesha@deeshadyer.com (She answers every email!)
    Book: Undiplomatic: How My Attitude Created the Best Kind of Trouble
    (Available at libraries and independent bookstores)

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/teach-the-babies-w-dr-david-j-johns--6173854/support.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 1 min
  • Honoring Michael K. Williams and Fighting for Black Mental Health

    Honoring Michael K. Williams and Fighting for Black Mental Health
    Oct 28 2025
    Four years after we lost Michael Kenneth Williams to an accidental overdose, his legacy continues to light the way forward. In this powerful Mental Health Awareness special, Dr. David J. Johns sits down with Dominic Dupont—Michael K's nephew and advocate carrying his uncle's torch—and Jonnel C. Doris, CEO of Startcare, the nation's oldest and largest Black-founded behavioral healthcare organization.

    This isn't just a memorial. It's a call to action

    Together, we explore how to break the silence, expand access to culturally responsive care, and create spaces where Black men feel safe asking for help. They celebrate Michael K's radical honesty, iconic portrayal of Omar Little, and commitment to criminal justice reform. Most importantly, they remind us that joy was Michael's catalyst—and it can be ours too

    This conversation could save a life—maybe yours

    Resources mentioned:
    • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
    • SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
    • Startcare: startny.org
    • Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
    • NBJC (National Black Justice Collective): nbjc.or
    • We Build The Block https://webuildtheblock.org/


    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/teach-the-babies-w-dr-david-j-johns--6173854/support.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 1 min
  • Building Radical Brotherhood- Rev. Mark Thompson on the Million Man March at 30

    Building Radical Brotherhood- Rev. Mark Thompson on the Million Man March at 30
    Oct 14 2025
    Today, sitting with us in the class of someone who's been in the thick of every significant social justice movement for the past 40 years, Reverend Mark Thompson.A political, civil rights and human rights activist who's organized everything from the 1993 DC Statehood civil disobedience campaign, where he spent 20 days in jail to the upcoming 30th anniversary of The Million Man March. He's also the host of Make It Plain, a brilliant podcast, breaking Down Politics and Human Rights, and he recently authored the lead paper on DC Statehood for the State of the People Black Paper Project.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/teach-the-babies-w-dr-david-j-johns--6173854/support.
    Show More Show Less
    54 mins
  • Remember Who We Are with Karen Finney

    Remember Who We Are with Karen Finney
    Oct 7 2025
    Political strategist, journalist, and co-anchor of The Signal LIVE Karen Finney joins the class fresh from co-anchoring the launch of State of the People TV with Dr. David J. Johns. Karen reveals the origin story that drives her work—carrying incarcerated teenage girls who couldn't envision a future into every room of power—and why this moment required something different: a movement disguised as media, where the answers are within our community

    This conversation explores what it means to be impeccable with your word, why the fourth estate matters for democracy, and what makes this moment different. Karen breaks down journalism versus propaganda, shares lessons from crisis communications and surviving brain surgery, and offers a message: your voice matters, we need you—but take a breath first.The answers are within our community. Be impeccable with your word. Remember who we are.

    Watch The Signal LIVE every Thursday at 9pm ET/8pm CT at stateoftheppl.com/tv

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/teach-the-babies-w-dr-david-j-johns--6173854/support.
    Show More Show Less
    49 mins
  • Politics Determines Everything- A Zillennial's Guide to Activism

    Politics Determines Everything- A Zillennial's Guide to Activism
    Sep 30 2025
    Host, Dr. David J. Johns sits down with Jada Capri Ward—social justice advocate, performer, and co-host of the Relentless Love Podcast—to explore what activism looks and feels like for millennials and Gen Z. This is a conversation about being a "Zillennial" straddling two worlds, living with chronic illness while doing the work, and why our generation's digital organizing connects back to ancestral ways of resistance. Jada opens up about the fear, the fatigue, and why sometimes the most radical thing we can do is be still. Plus, she shares why leaders like Angela Rye, Brittany Packnett Cunningham, and Tamika Mallory are the "Angela Davis and Malcolm X" of this generation. Jada brings raw honesty about the gaps between policy and people's needs.

    @jadaacapri on Instagram

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/teach-the-babies-w-dr-david-j-johns--6173854/support.
    Show More Show Less
    42 mins
  • Truth, Power & The Black Press” with Gerren Gaynor

    Truth, Power & The Black Press” with Gerren Gaynor
    Sep 23 2025
    In this essential episode of Teach The Babies, Dr. David Johns sits down with theGrio's White House Correspondent and Managing Editor Gerren Keith Gaynor for a masterclass in journalism, media literacy, and democracy protection. From becoming the first Black-owned digital news correspondent in the White House briefing room to breaking down the critical difference between journalists and influencers, Gerren shares invaluable insights on navigating our current "infodemic." This conversation explores how disinformation campaigns target Black communities, the vital role of Black-owned media in countering false narratives, and practical media literacy skills every person needs in 2025. A must-listen for educators, advocates, and anyone committed to informed civic engagement.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/teach-the-babies-w-dr-david-j-johns--6173854/support.
    Show More Show Less
    43 mins