
We Talk About Protecting Black Women, But What Does That Actually Mean?

If you feel insignificant, you better think again.
Black woman, black woman. You are everything, sis. And you're the focus of Happy Hour Podcast's latest episode. This week, the ladies invited Shivy Brooks to the table for a fresh, male perspective on all things Black woman, specifically in reference to current events. A high school teacher by day and a self-proclaimed activist and thought-leader by night, Shivy brought the same heat of his weekly Teacher Talk Live show, to hang with co-hosts Sheriden Chanel and Amer Woods for an epic discussion of education, race, politics, culture, and everything in between.
Be sure to subscribe and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Show Notes:
Intro:
Verzuz Takeover
- Brandy and Monica Verzuz was life (Amer was #teammoinca, Sheriden & Shivy were #teambrandy) Who won?
- Ray J is underrated and unappreciated.
- IG, it's time to have the conversation to allow monetizing of IG Live!
- A potential tour series?
- Sheriden wants to see an Omarion Verzuz. Shivy would like to see Jay-Z + Nas, and Beyonce + Mary J Blige.
Cardi, Megan, + "WAP"
- Are we allowed to live in multiplicities?
- Society (men) doesn't like women to own their sexuality.
- Video was everything, except....Kylie (ugh, yawn)
What are people doing to leverage the people around them?
- Tyler Perry, Joe Budden vs. Charlemagne: ownership
- Collaboration vs. competition
- Crabs in the barrel mentality, oppressive society
- We're not realizing we're actually fighting over crumbs
Black women need capital
- For opportunity, why do we always seem to have to compete for capital (pitch competitions, contests, etc.)?
Believe. Black. Women.
- Megan vs. Tory Lanez
- Powerful black women intimidate men
- Sheriden discusses having lots of responsibility growing up for people older than her, and shares the time she had to change clothes when around male house guests.
- Black girls are hyper-sexualized and boys are seen as a threat.
- Amer discusses intentionally not going into situations where she wouldn't be able to protect herself.
What does protecting black women look like?
- Perspective from both the men and women on why men lie.
- Women tend to cater to men to give them what they want to be together and be happy.
- Game playing is avoided from being honest, is this savage-dating?
- The normalization of online fights directly correlates to the treatment of viral mistreatment of black women.
- Black women should be protected whether you know them or not.
- Breonna Taylor
- Trans women, homophobia, and LGBTQ community.
- Black people are conservative, and they forget that they are. Whew.
- The non-reciprocation of black woman's protection of the black man.
- Shivy asks: how much protection of black women is needed, if we instead empower them?
References Mentioned in this episode:
"We Failed Megan. Point Blank And Period." by Shellie R. Warren
I May Destroy You (TV Show)
All About Love by bell hooks
People Mentioned in this episode:
Rashan Ali
Flavor Flav
Desi Banks
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Shivy Brooks hosts Teacher Talk Live every Tuesday-Thursday on his Instagram at 8pm EST. You can follow him at @callmeshivy
You can connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @xohappyhour and use the tag #xohappyhour to join the social convos.
Leave us a voice message on xohappyhour.com to share your story with us or ask a question for a chance to be featured on the show!
Featured GIF via Beyonce/"Bigger"
Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
Want more real talk from xoMAN? Catch the full audio episodes every Tuesday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the full video drops every Wednesday on YouTube. Hit follow, subscribe, and stay tapped in.
Featured image by xoNecole/YouTube
I Tried It: 3 Low-Maintenance Wigs That Will Elevate Your Look This Season
There's nothing like the feeling you get when your hair is done. It can instantly boost your confidence and put you in a great mood. I've never been a stranger to hair trends and I often experiment with the latest braided styles and colors.
But there are moments when I just don't feel like doing my hair. I'm natural and a lot of times I will braid or twist my hair up and cover it with a scarf or turban. However, when I crave a different look without the hassle of styling, I reach for a wig.
I've always had a love-hate relationship with wigs. Sometimes, I struggle to get them to lay flat and don't get me started with the bonding glue process. So when it comes to wearing wigs, I like to keep it nice and breezy around this b--- (word to Katt Williams), especially in the summertime.
That's why I jumped at the chance to try these three versatile wigs from Luvme Hair. Each one offers a unique look and is surprisingly low maintenance, which aligns perfectly with my philosophy that wearing wigs should make life easier. Let’s dive into the three styles below.
Headband Wig
Courtesy
This was the first wig I tried on, and I instantly fell in love with it. So much so that it took me weeks to even consider trying the other two. I’m partial to colored hair, especially blonds, browns, and reds, so I was skeptical about the jet black hair. However, I think the color, combined with the curl pattern, worked surprisingly well for me.
One of the things I really liked about this wig was that I didn’t have to braid my hair down first. I could simply throw it over a low ponytail, which is the epitome of a low-maintenance style. The headband has combs inside and velcro on the ends, ensuring a secure fit.
Half Wig
Courtesy
I had never worn a half wig before, so I faced some challenges. I cornrowed the bottom half of my hair where the wig would sit, but I believe this made it more difficult to use the combs. It might just be me though. I straightened the top part of my hair to blend it with the wig, which looked cute for about five minutes.
Firstly, I have a brown/blonde color mix on the ends of my hair, and the half wig is black. So, I had to hide some of the color (I didn’t have time to dye the wig). Secondly, straightening my hair myself is always a hassle because it never lasts long. Add to that the summer humidity, and you get a hot mess. Despite all this, I managed to get some cute pictures before things got out of control, and that’s all that matters, right?
Would I consider this a low-maintenance hair style? Yes and no. I think it’s unrealistic for me during the summer, especially since I enjoy summer activities. However, when the weather cools down, I’ll definitely rock it, dyed, of course.
Bob
Courtesy
Now, this is the wig I was nervous about. I never had a bob and I didn't think I would like it. But once I put bobiana on, my mind instantly changed. I finally understood why the gworls rave about the bob so much. It was giving boss. It was giving grown woman. It was giving the bob means business. Iykyk. It was the ultimate statement.
I will say when I first put it on, one side of my wig just would not lay flat. It took some trial and error, but I finally managed to get it to look good. With the bob, I highly recommend braiding your hair down first as small as you can so it can lay as flat as possible. I really liked the ash blonde color, which is perfect for summer. The length also makes it a great low-maintenance style for the season, so you don't have to worry about the hair making your neck sweaty.
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