Friends Like Us

Healing Your Financial Mindset:  Financial expert Kara Stevens, founder of The Frugal Feminista, joins Marina Franklin and Leighann Lord  to share invaluable insights on managing personal finances, healing your mindset, and building wealth. Kara talks about her own journey from financial dysfunction to becoming a money mentor, emphasizing the importance of understanding your relationship with money and making informed financial decisions. Tune in for practical advice on student loans, credit card management, and how to align your financial habits with your values. A must -listen for anyone looking to take control of their financial future with compassion and clarity. Kara Stevens is a powerhouse in the world of financial wellness, blending her expertise in economics, education, and social justice to empower women of color to heal their relationship with money and build lasting wealth. As the founder of The Frugal Feminista, Kara has touched thousands of lives through her transformative programs, bestselling book Heal Your Relationship with Money, and partnerships with global brands like American Express, Spotify, and Verizon.  With over 20 years of leadership experience and degrees from Oberlin College and Columbia University, Kara brings a unique blend of compassion, strategy, and cultural awareness to her mission of helping women navigate systemic barriers and achieve financial abundance.  Her work is a testament to her belief that healing and wealth go hand in hand, making her a sought-after speaker, mentor, and advocate for equity and empowerment. Leighann Lord is a seasoned standup comedian who has appeared on HBO's Def Comedy All Star Jam, Comedy Central, The View, Netflix, and Showtime’s Even More Funny Women of a Certain Age. She has performed for the troops and her Dry Bar Comedy special has had over one million views. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.      

In this podcast episode, Marina Franklin hosts Nilanjana 'Buju' Dasgupta and Nonye Brown-West for a discussion around cultural and social change. Nilanjana discusses her new book, 'Change the Wallpaper,' which advocates for a science-driven approach to achieving social change by focusing on local, situational changes rather than solely relying on diversity trainings and symbolic acts. This episode delves into diverse topics such as the impact of early social interactions, classism, the importance of representation, local collective action, and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives.  Nilanjana Dasgupta is pro vost professor of psychology and inaugural director of the Institute of Diversity Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is the author of many articles; the winner of the Hidden Bias Research Prize from the Kapor Foundation; and the recipient of multiple U.S. government research grants. Her work has been featured in the New York Times and other major outlets. She lives in Northampton, MA. Her book Change the Wallpaper: Transforming Cultural Patterns to Build More Just Communities (Yale University Press) will be published on January 7, 2025. Nonye Brown-West is a New York-based Nigerian-American comedian and writer. She has been featured in the Boston Globe's Rise column as a Comic to Watch. She has also appeared on Amazon, NPR, PBS, ABC, Sway In The Morning on Sirius XM, and the New York Comedy Festival. Check her schedule on nonyecomedy.com or Instagram to see when she's coming to a city near you. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.  

This week on Friends Like Us, host Marina Franklin is joined by comedians Zainab Johnson and Subhah Agarwal to discuss hope amid the LA wildfires and how you can help. In tough times, community matters  Subhah Agarwal has brought an honesty to her comedy that will leave you saying "I didn't need to know that." Subhah has written for Netflix’s “Arsenio Hall” limited series, the "Plan B" movie on Hulu," and The Jim Jefferies Show"on Comedy Central, amongst others. You can also catch her jokes live at stand up comedy clubs across the country. If you don't want to leave your couch, you can see her late night debut on NBC's "A Little Late With Lilly Singh." She's also appeared on season three of HBO's "Westworld", "General Hospital," TruTv's sketch comedy "Friends of the People", and as herself on MTV2, Comedy Central, and Gotham Comedy Live. Zainab Johnson is a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer quickly being propelled as one of the most unique and engaging performers on stage and screen.  Zainab is currently a series regular on the Amazon Original hit series titled "Upload" from Greg Daniels and stars in her very first One Hour Comedy Special "Hijabs Off" premiering worldwide October 24th only on Amazon Prime video. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.

This "Friends Like Us", host Marina Franklin chats with Brandon Collins and Hollie Harper about Brandon's new "Drunk Black History" tour, the legacy of Jimmy Carter, and how artistry meets activism.  Hollie Harper is a comedy nerd from South Jersey. She is currently the creator and co-exec producer of Hella Late! with Hollie Harper on BRIC TV and a co-host of the nationally trending Twitter Storytelling Chat “BlerdDating.” Hella Late! with Hollie Harper was recently in the 2021 NYC Web Fest where she was nominated as Best Actress. Hollie was a semi-finalist in the 2019 NBC Standup Competition and has been featured on NY1, and in Black Enterprise Magazine, Thrive Global, Confessional Magazine and Black San Diego Magazine. Her popular sketch comedy show AMERICAN CANDY has played the Comic Strip, Gotham Comedy Club, BAM Café as well as the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival. Time Out Chicago named them one of the five groups to watch. Hollie is a regular host for West Side Comedy Club in NYC and works with Gold Comedy and Stand Up Girls, two programs that empower young women by teaching them standup comedy. She was recently the talent coordinator and casting for “Blood Lassi” on Spotify, written by Pratima Mani, and moderated the panel for the Emmy Award winning, WOC editing team of Black Lady Sketch Show for The Black TV and Film Collective. She is also the Creative Consultant for the very successful Black Women in Comedy Laff Fest. Brandon Collins is a versatile screenwriter, comedian and podcaster who has performed at the SXSW and New York Comedy Festival, and has had appearances in various MTV, VH1, and Max productions. He recently participated in the 2022-2023 Universal Writer’s Lab (beating out over a thousand applicants) and is the host of the critically acclaimed show, "Drunk Black History" Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.  

In this New Year’s episode, host Marina Franklin introduces new friend Bob Bordone and comedian Nonye Brown-West. The group dives deep into the complexities of having difficult political conversations, especially in the post-election and current societal climate. Bob Bordone, a Harvard Law School expert in negotiation and conflict resolution, discusses his upcoming book co-authored with Dr. Joel Salinas, blending conflict management and brain science. They explore the generational divide in addressing disagreements and the rising cost of speaking up. Strategies for effective communication and the importance of conflict resilience in maintaining relationships amidst differing viewpoints are key takeaways from the discussion. Bob Bordone is an internationally-recognized expert in negotiation, mediation, consensus-building, and facilitation. A Senior Fellow at Harvard Law School, Bob founded and directed the Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program during his two decades as the Thaddeus R. Beal Clinical Professor of Law. He has trained thousands of executives, government leaders, and diplomats through Harvard’s Program on Negotiation and the Harvard Negotiation Institute. Beyond Harvard, Bob serves on several boards and advisory groups focused on civil discourse and conflict resolution, bringing his expertise to organizations like Seeds of Peace and the National Institute for Civil Discourse. Author of upcoming HarperCollins book Conflict Resilience: Negotiating Disagreement Without Giving Up or Giving In Nonye Brown-West is a New York-based Nigerian-American comedian and writer. She has been featured in the Boston Globe's Rise column as a Comic to Watch. She has also appeared on Amazon, NPR, PBS, ABC, Sway In The Morning on Sirius XM, and the New York Comedy Festival. Check her schedule on nonyecomedy.com or Instagram to see when she's coming to a city near you. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.

This is our Favorite Episode for 2024! Friends Like Us with host Marina Franklin features guests Dr. Donna J Nickel and Nonye Brown-West.  Dr. Donna J. Nickel, an academic from California, discussing her latest book on Claudia Hampton's contributions to affirmative action and black education. The discussion extends to contemporary issues, including the repercussions of ending affirmative action, historical context of race-based discrimination, and the attack on DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives. The episode aims to shed light on the broader history of race and conservative philanthropy while examining current racial and educational policies. Dr. Donna J. Nicol is the Associate Dean of Personnel and Curriculum in the College of Liberal Arts and a professor of history at California State University Long Beach. She is the immediate past department chair and professor of Africana Studies at CSU Dominguez Hills, a post she held from 2017-2023. She earned her doctorate degree in Educational Studies (with a specialization in History and Philosophy of Higher Education and a graduate minor in African American and African Studies) from The Ohio State University in 2007.  Dr. Nicol’s research focuses race, conservative philanthropy, and U.S. higher education, and the history of African American women’s educational activism. Her work has been published in Race, Ethnicity and Education, The Feminist Teacher (twice), History of Philanthropy, Palimpsest: A Journal of Women, Gender and the Black International, The Encyclopedia of American Women’s History, Encyclopedia of Multiracial America, and Habitus of the Hood. In February 2021, Dr. Nicol was a featured guest expert for the Al Jazeera English documentary, The Big Picture: A Race for America. Dr. Nicol has also published opinion columns on racism in philanthropy for Al Jazeera Digital and has appeared on the Insufferable Academics podcast, the Fresh Off the Vote podcast, and the Peace and Justice Radio Show. Prior to becoming an academic, Dr. Nicol spent three years teaching secondary language arts and social studies for Los Angeles Unified School District and seven years in various academic administrative roles at Mt. St. Mary's College and The Ohio State University. She serves on the board of directors for the Historical Society of Southern California, co-principal investigator for the State of Black Los Angeles County Report (2023) and is active in a number of professional academic and social service organizations. Black Woman on Board: Claudia Hampton, the California State University, and the Fight to Save Affirmative Action examines the leadership strategies that Black women educators have employed as influential power brokers in predominantly white colleges and universities in the United States. Author Donna J. Nicol tells the extraordinary story of Dr. Claudia H. Hampton, the California State University (CSU) system's first Black woman trustee, who later became the board's first woman chair, and her twenty-year fight (1974–94) to increase access within the CSU for historically marginalized and underrepresented groups. Nonye Brown-West is a New York-based Nigerian-American comedian and writer. She has been featured in the Boston Globe's Rise column as a Comic to Watch. She has also appeared on Amazon, NPR, PBS, ABC, Sway In The Morning on Sirius XM, and the New York Comedy Festival. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.  

In this engaging episode, host Marina Franklin is joined by comedians Calise Hawkins and Jackie Fabulous for a lively discussion. They share their experiences of performing stand-up comedy in front of diverse audiences, talk about the unique challenges and laughter involved, and delve into personal and societal topics such as menopause and its impact on their lives and careers. Additionally, they address pertinent issues like the influence of AI on creativity, the effect of outdoor dining sheds in New York, the wild world of cryptocurrency art, and social media regulations for minors. Check it out! Calise Hawkins is a stand-up comedian and writer. She has performed her standup on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon , Nick Mom’s Night Out and she was a cast member of Oxygen’s Funny Girls. She has written for Comedy Central’s @midnight , Hood Adjacent with James Davis, HBO's That Damn Michael Che, and  Hulu's Everything's Trash. Jackie Fabulous is a stand-up comedian rated one if Variety’s 10 Comics to Watch for 2024, actress and writer who's been featured three times on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, America’s Got Talent: All Stars, Showtime’s Flatbush Misdemeanors, The Arsenio Hall Show,, That Damn Michael Che and much more. In addition to her television appearances Jackie's hilarious and affable stand-up can be seen across the country as she tours America's top comedy clubs. Her hour special “Menoplause” is available now.  Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.  

Serene Cotter, and Violet Gray Join host Marina Franklin in a thought-provoking episode. They delve into critical topics including post-election sentiments, the challenges of modern feminism, especially white feminism, and the intersectionality in feminist movements. Violet shares her experiences in comedy, the importance of wit in roast battles, and her journey with Dungeons & Dragons. Make sure to check out Serene's insightful book 'Faux Feminism: Why We Fall for White Feminism and How We Can Stop It.'  Serene Khader is a political philosopher and holds the Jay Newman Chair in the Philosophy of Culture at the City University of New York. She is the author, most recently, of Faux Feminism: Why We Fall for White Feminism and How We Can Stop.  Violet Gray is a stand-up comic, podcaster, and proud Dungeons & Dragons player based in Baltimore, MD. She has won the Pearl Next Superstar Comedian contest and was featured on Night Train w/ Wyatt Cenac. Her comedy is best characterized as observations about everything from race, gender and politics, to sci-fi, fantasy, and tabletop roleplaying games. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.    

In this Friends Like Us, host Marina Franklin welcomes Lonnie B. Supreme, a talented jazz musician and composer, and comedian Nonyé Brown-West. Lonnie shares his journey pursuing his doctorate in Miami, and discusses the significance of his family's historical legacy in jazz. He emphasizes the importance of education, resources, and perseverance in music, while reflecting on his latest album, 'The Future is Bright.' The conversation also touches on the value of embracing one's heritage, the impact of influential musicians like Quincy Jones, and the challenges and rewards of pursuing a career in the arts. With insightful discussions on history, personal growth, and the current socio-political climate, this episode aims to uplift and inspire listeners. L  A N I  B.  S U P R E M E (b. 1989; New Orleans, USA) is an internationally-performing American musician, sound artist, and educator who plays with the practice and concept of lineage as a portal into past and future. Transmuting the tension between tradition and improvisation that is the philosophical foundation of Black American music, he creates sound installations, original compositions, and film and podcast scores that propel his audience into a bright future made possible by merging honor for and transgression of tradition.L A N I  B.  S U P R E M E has performed and presented at venues, festivals, and museums in Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America, including the Boston Museum of Fine Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the Domaine Forget Jazz Festival in Quebec, the Detroit International Jazz Festival, Jazz a la Calle in Uruguay, the Jazz Standard in New York City, Lincoln Center, Madison Square Garden, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and St. Regis Hotel in Doha, Qatar. He has also worked performed with Rihanna, Ravi Coltrane, Ellis Marsalis, Rickey Minor the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Billy Porter, and many others. Nonye Brown-West is a New York-based Nigerian-American comedian and writer. She has been featured in the Boston Globe's Rise column as a Comic to Watch. She has also appeared on Amazon, NPR, PBS, ABC, Sway In The Morning on Sirius XM, and the New York Comedy Festival. Check her schedule on nonyecomedy.com or Instagram to see when she's coming to a city near you. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.  

This Friends Like Us, host Marina Franklin talk with Holly Harper and breathwork expert Jasmine Marie. Friends discuss the significance of mental health, particularly for Black women. They delve into Jasmine’s book, 'Black Girls Breathing,' which focuses on healing from trauma, combating chronic stress, and finding freedom. Jasmine shares her personal journey and the establishment of Black Girls Breathing, which provides accessible breathwork resources for Black women. The conversation addresses the systemic issues surrounding Black women's health, the therapeutic benefits of breathwork, and the impact of chronic stress. Jasmine also highlights the importance of community and creating spaces for Black women to rest and heal. The discussion is interspersed with personal anecdotes, practical breathing techniques, and reflections on the socio-political climate, especially following recent elections. The episode concludes with a promotion for Jasmine’s book and information on how to join the Black Girls Breathing community. Jasmine Marie is a speaker, breathwork practitioner, and founder of black girls breathing®, a wellness platform that provides Black women with tools to heal trauma in the body and reduce chronic stress and anxiety. An alum of NYU Stern School of Business, Jasmine Marie’s work has been featured in Good Morning America, VOGUE, Forbes, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, Glamour, Nylon Mag, Black Enterprise, Oprah Magazine, Well + Good, Wall Street Journal, Bust Magazine, Goop, MindBodyGreen, Refinery29, Pix11 NY, The Cut, FoxSoul, Cosmopolitan, and PopSugar Fitness, among others.  A Special promotions available for friends in black owned books stores.  OFFER : Discount code  for platform to read the book with us for 50% off for 3 months FRIENDS50 discount is for  sunday balm® and the special promotion for a bookmark and nameplate/signed copy is linked here:https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/articles/black-girls-breathing-pre-order-bonus/ Hollie Harper is a comedy nerd from South Jersey. She is currently the creator and co-exec producer of Hella Late! with Hollie Harper on BRIC TV and a co-host of the nationally trending Twitter Storytelling Chat “BlerdDating.” Hella Late! with Hollie Harper was recently in the 2021 NYC Web Fest where she was nominated as Best Actress. Hollie was a semi-finalist in the 2019 NBC Standup Competition and has been featured on NY1, and in Black Enterprise Magazine, Thrive Global, Confessional Magazine and Black San Diego Magazine. Her popular sketch comedy show AMERICAN CANDY has played the Comic Strip, Gotham Comedy Club, BAM Café as well as the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival. Time Out Chicago named them one of the five groups to watch. Hollie is a regular host for West Side Comedy Club in NYC and works with Gold Comedy and Stand Up Girls, two programs that empower young women by teaching them standup comedy. She was recently the talent coordinator and casting for “Blood Lassi” on Spotify, written by Pratima Mani, and moderated the panel for the Emmy Award winning, WOC editing team of Black Lady Sketch Show for The Black TV and Film Collective. She is also the Creative Consultant for the very successful Black Women in Comedy Laff Fest. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.