The Equity Matters Podcast

Strength shouldn’t mean silence. Yet for too many Black men, staying quiet has become a matter of survival. The Sound of Silence (Boy’s Don’t Cry) explores what happens when care is delayed, pain is ignored, and the system treats endurance as enough. It’s time to talk about what silence is really costing us. Listen Friday. Subscribe so you don’t miss it.

Explore the origins of America's social safety net and the stark divisions of 'deserving' versus 'undeserving' poor. Discover how early welfare programs were rooted in racial bias, privileging white, middle-class mothers. Unpack the impact of the New Deal's exclusions and the harmful welfare queen narrative. Learn about the real beneficiaries of programs like WIC and SNAP, and how local action can combat myths and inequities in welfare policies. Join the call to use storytelling for change and promote social responsibility.

We were promised a nation that would “promote the general welfare.” But whose welfare did they mean? In Hunger Games (We the People), we trace how America built a safety net with holes big enough for entire communities to fall through and how myths about “deserving” and “undeserving” still shape who gets to eat, rest, and heal. This isn’t just about policy. It’s about power and the stories we’ve been told to believe. 🎧 Listen Friday. Subscribe now so you don’t miss it.

What does it mean to disappear in plain sight? In this episode of Equity Matters, we go inside Florida’s Alligator Alcatraz, a detention facility hidden deep in the Everglades and examine how isolation, bureaucracy, and profit intersect to erase human lives. We explore the systems that justify confinement, the historical patterns they echo, and the human cost of making suffering invisible. This episode asks hard questions about accountability, equity, and what it would take to put humanity before legality and profit. Listen & Subscribe to Equity Matters Podcast: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook Follow us on TikTok Check out our Free Resources on Gumroad Visit Dr. Bell’s Website

New episode of Equity Matters drops tomorrow. What does it mean to disappear in plain sight? In Ain’t No Sunshine, we go inside Florida’s Alligator Alcatraz and explore how isolation, bureaucracy, and profit erase human lives. Listen Friday to hear the full story and the questions it asks about accountability, equity, and humanity. Subscribe now so you don't miss it! 

What does it mean to live under siege in your own city? In this episode of Equity Matters, we examine the militarization of American communities and how public safety has too often meant control rather than protection. We explore the consequences of living under constant threat, from mental and physical health impacts to fractured trust in institutions, and ask what real security could look like if it were defined by care rather than force. Listen & Subscribe to Equity Matters Podcast: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook Follow us on TikTok Check out our Free Resources on Gumroad Visit Dr. Bell’s Website  

What do we lose when misinformation spreads faster than the truth? In this episode of Equity Matters, we confront the rise of misinformation, why it spreads, how it takes root, and the dangers it poses to public trust. From historical betrayals like Tuskegee and forced sterilizations to today’s viral claims linking Tylenol and autism, we trace how mistrust is both inherited and exploited. We break down the difference between correlation and causation, the limits of junk science, and why flashy headlines often distort more than they reveal. Listen & Subscribe to Equity Matters Podcast: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook Follow us on TikTok Check out our Free Resources on Gumroad Visit Dr. Bell’s Website

What does free speech really mean when power and platforms are controlled by so few and how do we speak truth to power responsibly? In this episode of Equity Matters, we explore the state of free speech in America, not as an abstract right, but as a fragile and contested space under pressure. We trace the long shadow of censorship and intimidation, from dictatorships and McCarthy-era blacklists to modern media consolidation and the silencing of critics. Along the way, we reflect on how fear, power, and self-censorship shape what we say and hear, why speaking truth to power still matters in 2025, and what it takes to act responsibly when the stakes are real both for society and in our own lives. Listen & Subscribe to Equity Matters Podcast: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook Follow us on TikTok Check out our Free Resources on Gumroad Visit Dr. Bell’s Website

The discussion dives into the chilling reality of modern lynching in America, exploring its historical roots and contemporary manifestations. It highlights the discrepancy between recorded incidents and the true scale of violence, along with the troubling trend of labeling recent hangings as suicides. With a critical eye on police complicity and cultural narratives, the talk emphasizes the importance of acknowledging this violence to combat erasure. Intergenerational trauma and the legacy of figures like Ida B. Wells are central themes, urging listeners to confront these realities head-on.

When most people hear the word lynching, they think of a distant past. But the truth is, lynching never really ended — it evolved, adapted, and still happens in America today. In this teaser for the next episode of Equity Matters, Dr. James Bell III confronts the spectacle, the silence, and the terrifying continuity of racial terror that remains in plain sight. Full episode available this Wednesday.