The Preamble

In today’s episode, Jeena Wilder joins Sharon to hear about the history of Puerto Rico. Sharon walks listeners through how the U.S. acquired Puerto Rico through the Treaty of Paris, and how the island’s people are split on the issue of statehood. While many would like to see Puerto Rico become the 51st state of the U.S., others are hoping to see the island become its own independent nation. Sharon and Jeena also talk about Puerto Rico’s blue cobblestone streets, the many iguana species, and the brain-tingling fact that coconuts are not indigenous to the Caribbean island. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today’s episode, Sharon talks with 7-time Emmy Award winning news anchor, Emma Jade, about the evolution of journalism and news in the age of social media. After working hard for a successful career in traditional television journalism, Emma realized that she wanted better balance between her work and family, which led her to explore new ways to communicate the news to others, specifically mothers. She created her own daily newscast from her home, Momcast, and now curates news on her independent social media platforms. Sharon and Emma ponder the future of independent journalism, and what having freedom from corporate rules and interests might mean for how news is shared–the pros and the cons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today’s episode, Sharon speaks with Alexis Devine, human to Bunny, the sheepadoodle whose viral videos showing off her FluentPet communication skills delight viewers all over the world. Outside of memorizing over 100 English language words, Bunny often uses her word buttons to create conversation, putting thoughts together in surprising, delightful, and incredibly intelligent ways. Sharon asks Alexis about her process of working with Bunny (and her new puppy, Otter) to account for different language processing speeds, to create an effective communication vocabulary, and to make new discoveries together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today’s episode, Sharon tells the story of Guam’s history as a U.S. Territory to Adrienne Rolon, the owner of Hearts Content Events & Design. Adrienne’s six year old son, James, is a big fan of history, facts, and Sharon. Learn along with Adrienne and James as Sharon relays the significant history of Guam’s involvement in both the Spanish-American War and World War II. Sharon also shares plenty of brain-tingling facts about Guam’s long and varied history and the indigenous Chamorro people (who really love SPAM). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today’s episode, Sharon speaks with Lisa Sharon Harper, whose book, Fortune: How Race Broke My Family and the World–and How to Repair It All, is the result of thirty years of family history research. Lisa believes that there is a power in knowing your story and the story of your ancestors. Many African Americans face the challenge of gaps in their family history, origins obscured by enslavement histories. It’s when we know our stories and our truths that we can start to heal and release. Seeking and telling the truth can be like wading into troubled waters, but it’s the only way to find freedom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Sharon talks with social activist Ashley Spivey about how American Samoa became a U.S. territory. While we all grew up learning facts about states in our history and government classes, U.S. territories are often left out of the conversation. Sharon talks about how American Samoa became of interest to the U.S., and how the South Pacific Ocean archipelago is represented in government. Of course, no Sharon Says So episode would be complete without a few fun facts, and Sharon has plenty to share about this tropical territory! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today’s episode, Sharon chats with author and scholar Anna Makaika Tubbs about the mothers of three well-known Civil Rights activists, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin. Anna, influenced by the Black women in Hidden Figures, began researching Black mothers, a demographic that often goes unnoticed or even erased. Through their own stories, and through their love for their sons, the mothers of these three men significantly impacted their lives. Sharon and Anna discuss the art of research, and how intricate the work is, especially when writing narrative non-fiction, and how the writer ultimately has a responsibility to relay the truth through the craft of the story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today’s solo episode, Sharon dives into a topic the American public has long been interested in: the illnesses of past presidents. Sharon gives details about the secretive ways three of our former presidents–Grover Cleveland, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin D. Roosevelt–kept the people in the dark about their surgeries and sicknesses. She talks about how presidential health was often tied to the nation’s health and success, and how that ultimately shifted during the Eisenhower Administration as transparency and medical technology evolved. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today’s episode, Sharon speaks with psychologist, Dr. Todd Kashdan, about the ways in which insubordination can be an effective and valuable way to make the change you want to see in the world. Effective dissent looks like encouragement and collaboration for the good of many. Change does not always happen as an immediate result from going against the status quo, but it does open up others to the idea that there is more than one way to do something. It is healthy to welcome dissent into our lives and into our homes because it makes us realize that our perspectives are not the only approach to finding effective solutions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Sharon hears from Jason Flom, a successful record label executive who followed his passion into working for criminal justice reform. After reading about a young man’s conviction where the crime did not fit the punishment, Flom rolled up his sleeves and began working to help overturn wrongful convictions and change criminal justice policies and practices through the Innocence Project. He is a founding board member and deeply committed to the mission of the project. Jason addresses what we can do to address the issue of how the general public can help keep innocent people out of jail, and his answers may surprise you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices