DBM Ep 72: Back To School & Black Motherhood w/ Dr. Fred Smith
Release Date: 10/03/2025
DBM Ep 74: A Conversation w/ Loretta Ross: Abortion, Activism, Reproductive Justice & Black Motherhood
Dem Black Mamas Podcast
Dear Mama & Magic Makers, What if we told you there is an elder alive today who has the blueprint for this moment? Mamas & Magic Makers, if you don’t do nothing else before the end of the year, sit at the feet of an elder and LISTEN. Keyword LISTEN. Find an elder or make yourself available to one who is willing not only to share their wisdom but also to be vulnerable, sharing their mistakes, regrets, and healing journey. And this is why we're grateful for our conversation with the brilliant, brave, and vulnerable Loretta Ross, one of the architects of...
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DBM Ep 73: Sex, Shame, Black Kids & Black Motherhood
Dem Black Mamas Podcast
Dear Mamas & Magic Makers What if I told you your child was born a sexual being? What if I told you that when it comes to sex and our children, we should focus on preparation instead of prevention? What if I told you intimacy and pleasure for your child were on the other side of your fear of them making a mistake? What if I told you resting in that fear erases a part of your child’s humanity and as Black mamas we MUST provide space for our children’s full humanity to be embraced. Those were the aha moments guided me to, cause ya girl has been struggling to talk...
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DBM Ep 72: Back To School & Black Motherhood w/ Dr. Fred Smith
Dem Black Mamas Podcast
Dear Mamas & Magic Makers What if I told you the collision of declining birth rates in the U.S., the rise of anti-intellectualism, and the rollback of reproductive rights are having a profound impact on your child’s potential college experience? How do we help prepare our children for the future when the world we know is crumbling before our eyes? In this episode, we talk with one of our favorite kiki partners and Associate Vice President for Equity & Community Inclusion at San Francisco State, , about the changing landscape of higher education, the challenges, and...
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DBM Ep 71: Black Keisha, Black Mamas & Forever
Dem Black Mamas Podcast
Dear Mama, What if I told you much of the growth our children may need to show up in the ways we’re nurturing them to show up comes through falling in love? When we tell our children not to focus on love, are we parenting out of fear? What message does that send to our children about the priority to place on intimate relationships, and what generational impact does that have on our culture? How do we raise children who know how to love? In this raw and reflective episode, we take a deep dive into the using it as a powerful springboard to unpack the complexities of Black...
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DBM Ep 70: Communtity, Culture, Books & Black Motherhood w/ Alliah Agostini
Dem Black Mamas Podcast
Dear Mama, What if I told you the saying, “real gs move in silence is killing your dream? What if I told you to tell everyone and anyone you know what you want to do? What if I told you your notes app and Evernote are the keys to the manifestation of your dreams? What if I told you every time we tell our stories, we reclaim what was stolen? Every time we create, we declare: We are still here. These are our takeaways from our conversation with prolific children’s book author, , who wrote The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States...
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DBM Ep 69: Clarity, Reclaiming Space & Black Motherhood
Dem Black Mamas Podcast
Dear Mama, What if I told you your mess tells a story, and your clutter can block your clarity? What if I told you to reframe cleaning as a way to express gratitude, practice self-care, and create a sacred space where your spirit can operate effortlessly and creativity flows freely? What have you put down that you need to put away? What items are you holding onto that no longer serve you? These are the questions our guest professional organizer, of , brought to the forefront. In this episode, she gently stepped on our toes and helped us reframe our approach to...
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DBM Ep 68: All About Annie, Sinners & Black Motherhood
Dem Black Mamas Podcast
Dear Mamas & Magic Makers, Lissen yall Sinners was all about Annie for us! We ain’t gon hold you with our normal intro. In this episode we dive into: Annie, power, and Black motherhood Loss, longing, and sex Black humanity, spirituality, and grief in Ryan Coogler’s films Black migration & the resurgence of Southern Roots PLUS - we have social proof that a Black mama would have made a COMPLETELY different decision than Grace. And we’re excited to have some listeners on The Muthaship, live inside the Black Mama Magic room for this episode. We welcome: , doula and...
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DBM Ep 67: Noncustodial Parenting & Black Motherhood with Erica M. Freeman
Dem Black Mamas Podcast
Dear Mama, What if I told you Black mamas aren’t superheroes, that the cape is choking us, and our backs are brittle? What if I told you motherhood ain’t killing us, though, but the narratives we buy into hook, line, and sinker are? What if you had the option not to be the primary custodial parent? Would you decline out of obligation to the belief that a good Black mama would never choose to leave their children in the care of others, even the other parent? How does a Black mother respond when what’s best for her or her destiny clashes with cultural norms? ...
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DBM Ep 66: The 92%, Boundaries & Black Motherhood
Dem Black Mamas Podcast
Dear Mama, How do we resist the urge to rescue when we’ve been taught our whole lives to be saviors? How do we set boundaries when the world is burning? What do we do when we’ve been deemed the backbone of the community, but our backbones are brittle and breaking? Since the election, these are the questions and conversations black women have been having online and, especially, in group chats. So, we decided to explore what this line in the sand means for Black mothers in the midst of state-sanctioned brutality. In this episode, Thea and I explore the parallels...
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DBM Ep 65: Marriage, Hot Topics & Black Motherhood
Dem Black Mamas Podcast
Dear Mama, What do Telvin Osborne, Black marriage, generational wealth, Altadena, data as currency, the TV show Paradise, and white women in Idaho have in common? We cover them all in this episode. Yup, it’s hot topics, and we got hot takes well, not hot takes. We got Black Mama takes on all the above. In this episode, we talk: ✨How Telvin Osborne is relevant to Black women resting ✨The real problem when it comes to marriage & Black folx ✨Why Paradise gets kudos & white women in Idaho don’t PLUS - we talk all things Black Maternal Health, ...
info_outlineDear Mamas & Magic Makers
What if I told you the collision of declining birth rates in the U.S., the rise of anti-intellectualism, and the rollback of reproductive rights are having a profound impact on your child’s potential college experience? How do we help prepare our children for the future when the world we know is crumbling before our eyes? In this episode, we talk with one of our favorite kiki partners and Associate Vice President for Equity & Community Inclusion at San Francisco State, Dr. Frederick Smith, about the changing landscape of higher education, the challenges, and strategies for Black families navigating the college experience for their teens. We discuss the importance of support systems, financial literacy, overcoming barriers like making friends and advocating for oneself, and we explore how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted students' social skills.
AND MAMAS what you should be thinking about if you’re considering returning to college.
We dive into:
- Parental transitions & creating critical thinking opportunities for our children
- Importance of the college experience beyond the classroom
- Anti-intellectualism, mental health & the impact on higher ed
- The number one challenge new college students face
PLUS - Our LISTENER LOVE EPISODE RECORDING, where we invite our listeners to come on to the podcast, will take place on November 13th. In our Black Mama Say segment for this episode, where we put our twist on sayings from Black mamas, and the saying we're twisting this episode is “I Ain’t Forgot.”
ABOUT DR. FREDERICK SMITH
Dr. Frederick Smith's research and professional interests focus on higher education and include: co-curricular learning experiences; the role of ethnic studies and cultural centers in student identity development and confidence building; campus climate experiences of historically marginalized and minoritized communities; retention and graduation of students of color in higher education; and collaborations between student affairs and academic affairs units for student success. Smith has served twice as president of the California Council of Cultural Centers in Higher Education (CaCCCHE) and he is active with the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education (NCORE).
Outside of higher education, Fred enjoys reading and writing fiction. He’s written and published several novels – In Case You Forgot (2019), Play It Forward (2015), Right Side of the Wrong Bed (2009), and Down For Whatever (2005) – that focus on queer people of color characters.
He earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership for Social Justice at Loyola Marymount University.
Connect with Fred Smith: Instagram | Website
IMPORTANT CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Listener Love Episode Recording: Thursday, November 13th, 1pmET If you'd like to join us complete this form: https://bit.ly/dbmbeourguest
💗Black Mama Magic Card Deck: Card #22 “My motherhood is rooted in creativity” 💗
EPISODES MENTIONS/RELEVANT TO THIS EPISODE:
🎙️DBM Episode 26 In Case You Forgot with Chad Lamar & Frederick Smth
🎙️DBM Ep 61: Joy & Black Motherhood
🔗 Connect with Dem Black Mamas:
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🗣️Engage: This is a conversation. Speak back to us! Please share your thoughts about the episode using the hashtag #DemBlackMamas, DM us, or email us at magic@demblackmamas.com.
To expand knowledge and combat misinformation and disinformation, we create a syllabus (s/o to Melissa Harris Perry), a list of references/sources for our listeners to dive into. This list includes any books, videos, podcasts, etc. that we've mentioned in the episode or that will help you gain a well-informed perspective. For our complete syllabus, check out our website: demblackmamas.com