This is an ode to Black men's voices.  Celebrating some of the voices that soothe, excite, or give us a sense of feeling grounded. Over the years, Black men’s voices have symbolized comfort, affection, and authority in pop culture. From the baritone of Barry White to the reliable tone of James Earl Jones, we're celebrating voice. We also meet voice actor and writer Kingsley Okafor of the group that became a viral sensation: Bearded Black Men Reading. Kingsley Okafor: @rukuslive ..read more

“When can we allow somebody to cry and be transparent?” WNBA player Chamique Holdsclaw asked at the height of her career as a pro basketball player. Chamique’s willingness to address her mental health changed her life. In this episode, Chamique talks about the Black pride that can get in the way of healing, what she’d like for people to consider when they have loved ones struggling, and she shares her story of survival and choosing to love herself ..read more

Many children dream of being wildlife experts after watching hours of nature shows, but as grown-ups, it’s rare to meet a Black nature ecologist. Today we hear some unbelievable nature stories with carnivore expert Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant. She shares the most fascinating challenges in her career from facing the racialized history of conservation work to the time she had to solve the mysterious death of a Black bear ..read more

Get your popcorn! It’s movie night on The Stoop. Whether during filmmaking booms or busts, Black entertainers and filmmakers found a way to show Black love on screen. We explore the history of love in Black movies with film scholar Dr. Artel Great. From the first Black kiss filmed in the 1800s, to the 90's romance renaissance and beyond, we go down Black film memory lane to dissect some iconic moments of Black love on the silver screen ..read more

This season we're leaning into love in all its forms — starting with the city of love, Paris. Leila meets with Sutanya Dacres, an American in France, who transformed her life after heartbreak through the joy of cooking. She also lets us in on the secret ingredient that makes French life feel so romantic ..read more

Sometimes it’s easier to hold back than be completely honest, especially when talking about some of the themes that are brought up on The Stoop. Today Hana and Leila share some moments that made them uncomfortable but also made them realize the importance of sharing the discomfort.  As we approach our 100th episode, let’s be 100% real.  ..read more

Hana spends a day in Nairobi with Kenyan Instagram comedian, Hope Hajir. Hope made it to the U.S. and was living her life when a tragic event gave her pause. While many people who reach the U.S. find ways to stay, Hope decided to return to Nairobi and talks about the experience of not wanting to live the American Dream ..read more

This summer, The Moth and The Stoop are getting cozy and sharing stories. Today, we invite special guest, Suzanne Rust, the host of The Moth storytelling series, to share a tale she loves. This story is by Ivan McClellan, a photographer who lives in Portland, Oregon. Ivan found something very unexpected in his hometown of Kansas City, Kansas when he learns about the black rodeo. We also stoop it out with Suzanne about The Stoop’s episode, episode 75, “Black don’t crack?” and how we really feel about aging ..read more

What’s it like when everyone at home speaks a language you don’t understand? That’s the story of Claudia, a Ghanaian American who grew up not speaking her home language —her ‘Mother Tongue’. But everybody else did, including her own siblings. The effects were real: disconnect, frustration, shame, and at some point a full on identity crisis. We also ask other diasporans if they speak their home languages, and Hana contends with her own kids’ lack of fluency, and what it means ..read more

Leila travels back to Cuba —and her 20s  —in this special episode about Havana, dance, hair, proud negras, and finding your voice. This story is told in collaboration with Meditative Story, hosted by Rohan Gunatillake ..read more