The “good girl/bad girl” sexual scripts Black women are expected to navigate create impossible double binds. From respectability politics and purity myths to hypersexual stereotypes and desirability, these scripts shape how Black women are seen, judged, and treated in intimate relationships and public life. Public figures like Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B make this tension especially visible—their images are often flattened into “hot girl” or “explicit” personas that don’t necessarily reflect the full reality of their lives or identities.

Research shows that awareness of stigmatizing race-based sexual scripts influence sexual decision-making, sometimes reducing feelings of empowerment around safer sex practices and intimate relationship choices.

This episode features Dr. Nikki Coleman, an award-winning licensed psychologist, sexologist, and founder of Dr. Nikki Knows, PLLC. A former tenured professor turned entrepreneur, her work blends cultural expertise and psychological depth.

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Eating disorders have long been portrayed as issues affecting mostly young, White women, but research shows that Black women are also impacted—often in different ways and with less recognition. Studies reveal that while anorexia and bulimia are less common, binge eating disorder (BED) is a significant concern. For example, one national survey found BED to be the most common eating disorder among Black adults and adolescents, while anorexia was much rarer.

Despite these realities, Black women are less likely to receive treatment or even a diagnosis. In community samples, Black women report binge eating and other weight-control behaviors at rates comparable to or higher than White women, yet they face cultural stereotypes, stigma, and limited access to culturally competent care.

This episode will explore the prevalence of eating disorders among Black women, the cultural and structural factors that shape their experiences, and the urgent need for more inclusive approaches to treatment and recovery. We are talking with Dr. Rachel W. Goode, the Wallace Kuralt Distinguished Early Career Scholar Associate Professor at the School of Social Work and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Center for Eating Disorder Excellence, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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We’ve all had one at work. That person.

The one who hypes you up in meetings… but “forgets” to cc you on the important email. The one who congratulates you on your promotion — with just a little too much emphasis on “Wow, that’s surprising.” The one who says, “I’m just being honest,” right before they absolutely are not.

Your workplace frenemy.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Wendi Williams, co-author of Frenemies in the Academy: Relational Aggression among African American Women Academicians, to unpack what happens when friendship and rivalry collide at work. The current President of the American Psychological Association, Dr. Williams bridges the worlds of psychology, education, and leadership with clarity, compassion, and transformative insight. With more than two decades of experience spanning higher education and the nonprofit sector, she has dedicated her career to advancing the well-being, leadership, and liberation of Black women and girls—and, by extension, all who seek to lead with purpose in uncertain times.

For more information about this episode, click here.