Smart Enuff

In our season finale, Dani and I talk about the role and function of hope and tie it into some of the other lessons we've learned over the course of the podcast.

Vandy and Dani tread some tricky waters as they discuss the times they've offended other people, the times they've been offended, and what can be learned from those experiences.

In what we'll call our season finale, Vandy and Dani rope in AJ for a discussion about why we get mad when people are not like us! Why do people come to different conclusions than we do? Why do people insist on thinking differently than us?

The hilarious Stephanie Ritter from the podcast "Dogs We Saw This Week" joins us for a discussion on boundaries. What are your boundaries? Are you comfortable enforcing your boundaries? How do you keep from using either "yes" or "no" as a default answer? Follow Stephanie on Instagram and Twitter: @stephanieritter Check out Dogs We Saw This Week: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/dogs-we-saw-this-week-a-podcast/id1119987235?mt=2

There's no guest this week! The dynamic duo rope in AJ to discuss why trolls make headlines. What kind of people and ideas does our media promote? How do we promote more caring and compassionate messages? By talking about things that upset us, are we bringing awareness and creating solutions or fanning the flames and giving those things a greater platform?

We sit down with Nkechi Michele, who is about to transition from working at APLA to Planned Parenthood, to discuss public services and how to get people to care about issues that don't directly affect them.

Jeff Masters, the host of LGBTQ&A, joins us for a discussion about how minority groups are often forced to compete for resources and representation and end up getting fighting amongst each other instead of for each other. We discuss ways to support other members of our minority group instead of knocking each other down to get ahead. We also discuss the recent article circulating about gay men and loneliness along with a couple of the responses: http://highline.huffingtonpost.com/articles/en/gay-loneliness/ http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2017/03/06/gay_loneliness_is_real_but_toxic_gay_cultures_isn_t_the_problem.html Check out Jeff @jeffmasters1 on Instagram and Twitter and his podcast LGBTQ&A on iTunes!

Grammy Award Winner Jaime Woods joins our discussion about how artists should navigate the tricky waters of politics, particularly when giving acceptance speeches. Is it a time to just say thank you or is it a time to speak up? www.jaimewoodsmusic.com Instagram/Twitter: @jaimewoodsmusic

In this episode we dive in deep, talking about our representation in the media and whether or not it reflects our reality. Is it the responsibility of the media to reflect our reality or to inform our reality? Brian Jordan Alvarez, the writer, creator, and star of the hit show "The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo," weighs in on the importance of diversity in media. For more of Brian Jordan Alvarez, check him out at: https://www.youtube.com/user/bjalvo Instagram: @brianjordanalvarez @calebgalloofficial For Jade Chynoweth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-i4a5u4tc8

We think we're talking about education but are we actually talking about capitalism? Nourbese Flint from Black Women for Wellness weighs in on how to stay woke when the system is working to keep us asleep. How do we empower ourselves through education when our education system is part of the problem? Check out Black Women for Wellness: http://www.bwwla.org/ https://www.facebook.com/BlackWomenForWellness/ Instagram: bwwla Twitter: @bw4wla Article regarding entrepreneurs and safety nets: https://qz.com/455109/entrepreneurs-dont-have-a-special-gene-for-risk-they-come-from-families-with-money/

"Your grandma vs your goldfish." The pain of comparing pain.

We talk about how to stay sane while engaging with people who disagree with you.

With special guest Ian Gary, we discuss the best way to engage with people who disagree with you.

A podcast for deep critical thinkers to laugh a little bit. Join us as we discuss topics that are way over our heads. While we may not be smart enough to know everything, we're smart enough to grow through conversation.