Award-winning journalist and filmmaker Imaeyen Ibanga (AJ+) joins Esther Dillard to discuss her acclaimed documentary series Zip Codes, which explores the Haitian immigration crisis and the realities Black immigrants face in America.

We talk about:

• The human impact of ICE raids and deportations
• How U.S. history and policy shape Haiti’s struggles today
• Why Haitian voices must be centered in immigration conversations

This is a timely and powerful interview that connects history, policy, and humanity.

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🔔 Subscribe to the podcast for more enlightening talks and join us in exploring how historical narratives shape our future. You can also watch it on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@thecolorbetweenthelines

In this episode of The Color Between the Lines, host Esther Dillard speaks with Contessa Gayles, the Emmy-nominated director and producer behind the acclaimed documentary The Debutantes.

Through powerful storytelling and intimate visuals, The Debutantes reimagines the legacy of Black debutante culture—exploring how young women of color use these traditions to assert their identity, build community, and challenge stereotypes.

Gayles discusses the inspiration for the film, the historical context of Black debutante balls, and the deeply personal stories that emerged during production. She also reflects on the importance of centering Black women’s voices in media and what it means to create art that celebrates cultural pride while sparking conversation.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The history and evolution of Black debutante balls
• How The Debutantes reframes a tradition often overlooked in mainstream media
• Why representation and cultural ownership matter in storytelling
• Behind-the-scenes insights from an Emmy-nominated filmmaker
• The power of art to preserve history and inspire the next generation

Whether you love documentaries, Black history, or stories of women reclaiming tradition, this conversation will move and inspire you.

🔔 Subscribe to the podcast for more enlightening talks and join us in exploring how historical narratives shape our future. You can also watch it on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@thecolorbetweenthelines

In this inspiring episode of The Color Between the Lines, host Esther Dillard speaks with award-winning journalist and author A’Lelia Bundles, the great-great-granddaughter of the legendary entrepreneur Madam C.J. Walker.

A’Lelia shares her journey of preserving and telling her family’s history, the untold stories behind Madam C.J. Walker’s rise as America’s first self-made female millionaire, and why Black women’s narratives remain essential to understanding American history.

📚 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Madam C.J. Walker built her beauty empire and influenced generations of Black entrepreneurs
• The role of family archives and historical research in keeping legacies alive
• Why telling authentic stories matters now more than ever
• A’Lelia Bundles’ personal reflections on identity, heritage, and cultural preservation
• Advice for writers and historians committed to telling underrepresented stories

Whether you’re passionate about Black history, women’s entrepreneurship, or the power of storytelling, this conversation will leave you inspired to preserve your own family’s legacy.

🔔 Subscribe to the podcast for more enlightening talks and join us in exploring how historical narratives shape our future. You can also watch it on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@thecolorbetweenthelines

What happens when Black love is rooted in softness, caregiving, and legacy?

In this episode, award-winning author Kennedy Ryan sits down with journalist Esther Dillard to talk about her newest novel Can’t Get Enough—a story that centers a Black male caregiver, an evolving romance, and the quiet strength found in caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s.

We explore:

• Why writing tenderness in Black love stories matters
• The challenges and beauty of caregiving
• How Kennedy weaves activism into fiction
• The importance of bodily autonomy in romantic relationships
• What “legacy” really means—especially in Black communities

If you’ve ever cared for someone, loved someone through pain, or searched for stories that feel like home… this episode is for you.

📚 Can’t Get Enough is available now.
🎧 Subscribe to The Color Between the Lines for more interviews with powerful Black and Brown storytellers.

🔔 Subscribe to the podcast for more enlightening talks and join us in exploring how historical narratives shape our future. You can also watch it on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@thecolorbetweenthelines

📄 Buzzsprout Podcast Description:

In this powerful episode of The Color Between the Lines, host Esther Dillard speaks with Lola Greene, founder of Urban Indigo and the first Special Education PTSA in Georgia. As a passionate advocate for children with disabilities and their families, Lola shares personal insight into what’s at stake as budget cuts and federal policy changes threaten vital services like Medicaid, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and transitional support.

Lola doesn’t just highlight the problems—she brings solutions. From launching parent advocacy fellowships to partnering with foster care experts and urban leadership programs, she’s equipping families to protect their rights and raise their voices in halls of power.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How proposed federal and state budget cuts may impact IEPs, 504 plans, and special education programs
• What families can do right now to prepare and advocate for their children
• Why community, housing insecurity, and disability are deeply interconnected
• How Urban Indigo is empowering parents and future grassroots leaders
• Recommended books like Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy and Black Disability Politics by Sami Schalk

This isn’t just policy—it’s personal. And Lola Greene reminds us that no one is coming to save us—we must save ourselves.

📣 Whether you're a parent, educator, policymaker, or concerned ally, this conversation will move you to act.

🔔 Subscribe to the podcast for more enlightening talks and join us in exploring how historical narratives shape our future. You can also watch it on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@thecolorbetweenthelines

In this deeply moving episode of The Color Between the Lines, host Esther Dillard sits down with award-winning author Sharon G. Flake, best known for her iconic book The Skin I’m In, to discuss her powerful new release, The Family I’m In—a heartfelt sequel exploring father-son dynamics, masculinity, and the emotional lives of Black boys.

Sharon shares what inspired her to revisit the characters of Malika and John-John, shedding light on:

• The pressure young Black boys face to “man up”
• The complicated relationships between fathers and sons
• The often-overlooked vulnerability, humor, and emotional depth of teenage boys
• Why she believes Black boys deserve space to feel, question, and grow

This episode speaks directly to educators, parents, book clubs, and youth advocates searching for stories that honor the complexity of Black identity and family life. You’ll also hear how Flake has reached over 300,000 young people through school visits—and how you can invite her to speak at your organization.

📚 Whether you’re a longtime fan of The Skin I’m In or discovering Sharon Flake for the first time, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone raising, teaching, or loving young Black boys.

👉 Like this episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a teacher, parent, or teen in your life.
🎧 Visit SharonGFlake.com to learn more or book her for a school visit.

🔔 Subscribe to the podcast for more enlightening talks and join us in exploring how historical narratives shape our future. You can also watch it on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@thecolorbetweenthelines

In this powerful episode of The Color Between the Lines, host Esther Dillard sits down with Grazell Howard, Board Chair of the Black AIDS Institute, for a compelling conversation that pulls back the curtain on HIV and AIDS in Black communities.

Howard, a passionate advocate and strategist, shares sobering facts and uplifting solutions about how HIV disproportionately affects not only Black gay men—but also heterosexual Black women, who now make up nearly 50% of new HIV diagnoses among women in the U.S. She breaks down persistent myths, explains what the "Black community" truly encompasses, and outlines what tools exist today to prevent and fight the disease.

Whether you're part of the diaspora or a concerned ally, this episode is a must-listen wake-up call packed with truth, strategy, and hope.

🎧 Highlights include:

• Why HIV is not “just a gay disease”
• How the epidemic is hitting heterosexual Black women hardest
• What the Black AIDS Institute is doing to educate and equip our communities
• The importance of reframing how we define "Black" in healthcare advocacy

👉 Tune in and share this episode—it could save a life.

🔔 Subscribe to the podcast for more enlightening talks and join us in exploring how historical narratives shape our future. You can also watch it on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@thecolorbetweenthelines

In this powerful episode of The Color Between the Lines, host Esther Dillard speaks with Nika Sewell-Smith, Senior Story Producer and Genealogist at Ancestry.com, about a revolutionary new research tool: the Articles of Enslavement Collection.

This collection uses AI to surface hundreds of thousands of historical newspaper clippings that mention enslaved individuals—freedom seekers, auction listings, and more—helping Black families trace their roots through a dark but vital chapter in American history.

Nika breaks down:

• What the Articles of Enslavement project is
• How artificial intelligence was used to identify and index these historical records
• Why this resource could be a game changer for Black genealogical research
• The emotional impact of finding specific names, heights, weights, and hometowns of enslaved ancestors

Whether you're new to genealogy or continuing the work of a loved one, this episode will move you and provide a valuable roadmap for discovering family history once thought lost.

👉 Listen in to discover how our ancestors' stories are being reclaimed, one article at a time.

🔔 Subscribe to the podcast for more enlightening talks and join us in exploring how historical narratives shape our future. You can also watch it on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@thecolorbetweenthelines