What Say U?: Recent Episodes
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Note: Sister Melannie is on the mic solo in this episode. Sister Audrey is on a wellness break.
The story continues — and what you are witnessing is relentless coverage of one of the most consequential accountability conversations happening in Washington State right now. Sit down and get comfortable, because today on What Say U?, we are going deeper.
We are back on the reparations study matter. Details are still unfolding, questions are still being asked, and we are not letting up. This is a real inquiry. Real analysis. Real social commentary on what is happening to sacred work in real time — and we will stay on it until we get real answers.
Today, Sister Melannie connects with Will Townsend and Deborah Oneal of the American Renewal 1870 Project. These are not people who arrived late to this fight. They were in Olympia. They testified. They pushed. And when Washington State made history by funding a reparations study, their fingerprints were on that win. Credit where credit is due — and today, we give it all around – and take some away from those that have been perpetratin’.
And, this episode doesn’t stop at the celebration. Because we have been doing our homework. We have been asking hard questions about who was selected to lead this sacred study, how they passed through the procurement process, and whether their qualifications meet the law’s requirements. The answers are not adding up. Folks are playin’ in our face. And we deserve better than that. The milk still ain’t clean.
Why This Matters“If the process that produced this study can be challenged at every step — the procurement, the scoring, the debrief rights — then the outcome of that study can be challenged too. All the way to the Supreme Court. This is not a drill. Sacred work requires a sacred process. And we are not going to let either one be stolen.” ~Peace Queen
Stay with us through the whole episode. A surprise voice joins the conversation before it’s over — and what they bring to the table changes the picture entirely.
ResourcesAmerican Renewal 1870 Project
Procurement Integrity Analysis (.pdf)
ESSB5167_Legislator_Briefing_Document (.pdf)
THE STUDY — TRUTH, POWER, AND ACCOUNTABILITYAI-VOICE-BETTER_FINAL – Frame.io
Channel 253 membership
You can put new curtains on the windows, light a candle, and set the table real nice — but if the milk ain’t clean, everything you pour it into is spoiled.
Washington State made history when it funded the Charles Mitchell and George Washington Bush Reparations Study — only the fourth statewide reparations study in the nation. Our communities organized. WENA — the Washington Equity Now Alliance — raised nearly half a million dollars in supplemental funding from Pierce County, King County, and beyond. Close to a million dollars in total support. That’s not government writing a check. That’s everyday people putting their faith, their money, and their ancestors’ names on the line.
So when the Department of Commerce ran the procurement process to select who would do this sacred work — the community expected excellence. Transparency. Integrity.
What they got was something else.
In this episode, sisters Melannie and Audrey connect with Dr. Marcus Anthony Hunter — one of the nation’s leading reparations scholars and one of the unsuccessful bidders for the study. Dr. Hunter is the Scott Waugh Endowed Chair at UCLA, author of Radical Reparations: Healing the Soul of a Nation (HarperCollins/Amistad), the visionary who coined #BlackLivesMatter, inaugural Chair of UCLA’s African American Studies Department, two-term President of the Association of Black Sociologists, and the scholar who drafted Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s historic Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Commission bill. His work has been featured on C-SPAN’s BookTV, MSNBC, BBC, NPR, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the LA Times.
He submitted a proposal for Washington’s study. And then the system showed its hand.
His proposal was quarantined in the state’s email system as “malware” for 22 days while other bidders were being evaluated. When he was finally told he wasn’t selected, the state denied him the debriefing that Washington law guarantees every unsuccessful bidder. Denied him twice. He had to retain an attorney just to access a process the law says is his right.
Meanwhile, the winning bidder — a DEI consulting firm — was awarded the contract to do work that requires expertise in reparations research, historical accounting, intergenerational economic harm, genealogy, and public policy analysis. The community asked questions. Filed public records requests. And invited the winning firm on this very show. Their general counsel said they’d love to come. That was six weeks ago. Silence ever since.
The milk ain’t clean.
This episode is not about who won or lost a contract. Dr. Hunter is not here as a sore loser — he’s here as a witness. This is first-source, insider testimony about how the state administered a process that the community invested in, that the legislature authorized, and that our ancestors are owed.
In this conversation you’ll hear:
- Why one of the most qualified reparations scholars in the country answered Washington’s call
- What happened to his proposal inside the Department of Commerce’s system — documented, timestamped, on the record
- The legal fight for a debriefing the state tried to deny him — twice
- Why DEI consulting is not reparations research — and why that distinction matters for every person this study is supposed to serve
- What this process tells us about whether the state is truly ready for the work of repair
- What we demand from our government — and what we owe our ancestors
Reparations are policy, process, and praxis. If the process ain’t right, the outcome can’t be trusted. And trust, once broken, has to be earned back in public.
This one is for the record. For the archive. For Charles Mitchell and George Washington Bush. For Mother Viola Fletcher. For every descendant who is counting on this study to tell the truth.
To Truclusion – the successful bidder: the invitation is still open. Come tell your story. Show yourself. This IS community. And community is waiting…please.
What Say U?
LINKS & REFERENCES
Previous Episode-Listen for Context
“When the System Shows Its Hand: Sacred Work, Shady Process”
https://whatsayupodcast.com/when-the-system-shows-its-hand-sacred-work-shady-process/
About Our Guest
Dr. Marcus Anthony Hunter — marcusanthonyhunter.com
Radical Reparations: Healing the Soul of a Nation — HarperCollins/Amistad (2024)
UCLA Department of Sociology — soc.ucla.edu
Dr. Hunter’s Op-Ed in the AFRO: “When Equity is Performed, Not Practiced”
When equity is performed, not practiced
Washington Equity NOW Alliance
https://waequitynow.org/
Washington State Reparations Study
WA Dept. of Commerce — Reparative Study for Washington Descendants — https://www.commerce.wa.gov/community-initiatives/reparations-study/
Community Action
Petition: Stand for Integrity & Justice in Washington’s Reparations Process — https://www.thefactsnewspaper.com/post/stand-for-integrity-justice-in-washington-s-reparations-process-sign-the-petition
More Context & Receipts
Department of Commerce: https://www.commerce.wa.gov/community-initiatives/reparations-study/
Department of Commerce: https://www.commerce.wa.gov/reparations-study-update-january-2026/
Seattle Medium: “Community Questions Firm Named As Apparent Successful Bidder”
https://seattlemedium.com/truclusion-consulting-firm-controversy/
Community Debate of the selection of Truclusion as apparent successful bidder: https://seattlemedium.com/reparations-legislation-community-concerns/
South Seattle Emerald: “Washington Will Spend $300K to Study Reparations” https://southseattleemerald.org/news/2025/06/07/washington-will-spend-300k-to-study-reparations-multiracial-solidarity-made-it-possible
Attachment
Department Commerce email naming Reparation Study scorers (.pdf)
This episode of What Say U? is a whole experience — rich, spirited, and full of that unmistakable energy that happens when three Black women sit down together with purpose. The Sisters welcome Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland for a conversation that is equal parts truth‑telling, celebration, and community care. It is a reminder that Black history is not just something we study — it’s something we live, honor, and pass forward.
Congresswoman Strickland introduces Melannie and Audrey to the Black History Month Essay Contest, an invitation for students in Washington State’s 10th Congressional District to lift up the stories of Black Washingtonians — the veterans, educators, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders whose contributions shaped the region long before many people and systems were willing to acknowledge them.
Throughout the episode, you’ll hear:
- Why Congresswoman Strickland launched this contest at this moment
- How local Black history grounds students in pride, identity, and belonging
- Why storytelling is a tool of liberation
- How young people can use research, writing, and civic engagement to claim their voice
- What it means to protect our history when others are trying to erase it
LinksInformation about the contest
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In this episode, the Sisters talk with Ria J Johnson-Covington of the Lakewood African American Police Accountability Committee (LAAPAC) about community safety, accountability, and building stronger relationships between Lakewood’s African American community and the Lakewood Police Department.
LAAPAC Meetings
2nd Wednesday • 3:00 PM
Lakewood Police Station
9401 Lakewood Dr SW, Lakewood, WA 98499
Connect With LAAPAC
Facebook: LAAPAC – Lakewood African American Police Advisory Committee
A community-led group working to unify Lakewood residents and the police department.
Related City Committees
Public Safety Advisory Committee – Provides community input to the Lakewood City Council on public safety policies.
Civil Service Commission – Oversees the hiring, promotion, and demotion of police officers under state law.
Channel 253
Channel 253 membership
Okay family, pull up a chair because we need to talk. Washington State recently became the third state in America to fund a reparations study for African Americans, and it should be a moment to celebrate. The Legislature allocated $300,000 in seed funding, and the Washington Equity Now Alliance — a community-based organization doing the real work — raised another $450,000 to ensure this sacred study is done right. Governor Ferguson signed the law that spells out who’s qualified to lead the study: a PhD focused on reparations, peer-reviewed publications, expertise in calculating uncompensated slave labor, and lived experience. So far, so good, right?
But here’s where it gets messy. The Department of Commerce is creating its own procurement rules, and its decisions are now preventing the community from securing qualified consultants for this work. Somehow, an “apparent successful bidder” has been named – a company called Truclusion that doesn’t appear to meet ANY of the legal requirements got through the procurement process — while the nation’s leading reparations scholar, an UCLA endowed chair and Howard University department head who literally wrote a BOOK on Reparations, was denied due process on a technicality when he asked for his legal right to a debriefing. How is the state this incompetent with something this important?
Sisters Audrey and Melannie sit down with Attorney Jesse Wineberry Sr. — former five-term state legislator, first Black House Majority Whip in Washington’s history, and Chair of WENA — to break it down, shed light on the matter, and invite the community to take action. Somethin’ ought to be said. What say YOU?
LinksWashington Equity NOW Alliance
Reparative Study for Washington Descendants – Washington State Department of Commerce
Truclusion Website (Apparent Successful Bidder)
Dr. Marcus Anthony Hunter
- Dr. Marcus Anthony Hunter – Achievements
- Marcus Anthony Hunter – UCLA Sociology
Review of City-Level Reparations across the United States (.PDF)
Dept. of Commerce WENA Community Partner Designation (REPARATIONS STUDY) (.PDF)
WASHINGTON REPARATIONS STUDY BUDGET (.PDF)
Calls to ActionSupport Dr. Marcus Anthony HunterThe Department of Commerce has denied Dr. Marcus Anthony Hunter his legal right to a debrief in accordance with Washington State Law RCW 39.26.170(2). He now must incur legal costs to challenge this injustice. It’s not about the “contract” anymore – it’s about the “principle” of the matter and the blatant disrespect of “Black Excellence.”
Please support Dr. Hunter in this fight. This work is SACRED and COLLECTIVE.
Donate here
File a public records requestDepartment of Commerce – Public Records Request
Office of the Governor – Public Records Request
CUT & PASTE THIS TEXT INTO YOUR EMAIL
PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST
Pursuant to RCW 42.56, I request all records in any format—including emails, texts, memos, notes, meeting minutes, and other documents—related to COMMERCE RFP 26-33740-001 (Charles Mitchell and George Washington Bush Reparations Study), managed by Michelle Griffin, Department of Commerce:
1. Bidder Evaluation and Selection
- All proposals submitted in response to the RFP
- Individual and composite scores for all bidders
- Identities of all scorers/selection committee members
- Evaluation criteria and scoring rubrics
- Deliberations and comparative analyses
- All records supporting the selection of Truclusion as the apparent successful bidder
- All communication transmitting Dr. Hunter’s proposal to the scoring committee
2. Deadline Extension
- All communications and justifications regarding the November 10, 2025 decision to extend the contractor announcement deadline from November 5-10 to November 18, 2025, including the stated need for “additional time for scoring”
3. Delegation of Authority
- Any documents authorizing the Department of Commerce to delegate review and selection duties for this RFP to the Commission on African American Affairs
4. Conflict of Interest Documentation
- All signed conflict of interest disclosure forms and/or waivers executed by selection committee members
CONTACT:
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
commercewa@govqa.us
Natasha Langer
Public Disclosure Specialist
Operations Division Office Services
360-725-3156
THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE
publicdisclosure@gov.wa.gov
Tricia Smith
Director of Public Information & Records
564-200-2106
Are you retired, laid off, or simply in transition? This episode is for YOU. The sisters dive into a dynamic and heartfelt conversation about creating a fulfilling life after work—on your terms.
Discover how to embrace this new chapter with purpose, passion, and joy. From volunteering to lifelong learning, we explore ways to stay engaged, connected, and inspired.
Highlights in this episode:
- How to redefine your identity beyond your career
- Practical ideas for seniors to stay active and purposeful
- Volunteering stories that show the power of giving back
- Lifelong learning and personal growth opportunities
Opportunities for Seniors to Explore:
Volunteering with animals: Sister Audrey shares her experience at the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County.
Food justice & community support: Melannie volunteers with Northwest Harvest, helping fight hunger across Washington.
Lifelong learning: Melannie is completing her PhD at Fielding Graduate University, proving it’s never too late to chase your academic dreams.
Suggestions for things to try:
- Join local senior centers for fitness, arts, and social clubs
- Mentor younger generations through schools or community programs
- Explore creative hobbies like painting, writing, or gardening
- Travel locally—day trips to parks, museums, or cultural events
- Take online courses in areas like history, technology, or languages
Links* Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County * Fielding Graduate University * Northwest Harvest * Channel 253 membership
Guest: Marguerite Martin, Entrepreneur, Social Influencer, and alumna of the American Leadership Forum Tacoma/Pierce County Senior Fellows Program with Melannie
In this honest and brave conversation, Melannie, Audrey, and Marguerite explore a moment from a leadership workshop where Marguerite unintentionally made racially hurtful comments toward Black men in the group—and Melannie checked her. Together they unpack:
- How the incident unfolded, from multiple perspectives.
- What it reveals about unintentional racism, power, identity, and belonging.
- Why the path to anti-racism is often messy, unpredictable, and requires resilience.
- How relationships, reflection, and accountability create openings for growth, healing, and deeper connection.
This episode is less about blame and more about seeing, learning, and staying the course.
Links* American Leadership Forum Pierce County * Intercultural Development Inventory * Cycle of Socialization * Channel 253 membership
After some time away from the mic, sisters Audrey and Melannie return with a powerful episode that’s part personal journey, part revolutionary challenge.
Episode HighlightsPersonal Updates & Testimony The sisters catch up on their life journeys since the last recording one year ago, with Audrey sharing a moving testimony about her sobriety journey.
The Linguistic ReframeThe sisters explore how words carry power and trigger automatic emotional responses. They propose flipping the script on the word TRUMP – a word that dominates our cultural conversation – by returning to its original meaning – to surpass or overcome – what if every time you heard the word “TRUMP,” instead of triggering political division or anxiety, it became your cue to choose kindness? The concept: Let kindness trump hate. Let compassion trump cruelty.
Have a problem with alcohol? There is a solution. | Alcoholics AnonymousThe sisters draw from their own comeback journeys to demonstrate that kindness isn’t weakness – it’s revolutionary.
Support the podcastChannel 253 membership
This is a very special episode as sisters Audrey and Melannie celebrate their mother Alean’s 85th solar return. In the heartwarming and insightful conversation, Mom Alean joins her daughters in the studio to discuss her favorite topic: politics among many things. The discussion is candid, fun and touches on various aspects of life, as Mom Alean shares the wisdom she’s gathered over the years and her hopes for the future.
Sisters Audrey and Melannie reunite on the mic after being away for some time. They catch up on current events, specifically digging deep into the polarizing vibe around the national elections and impact on the minds of the people. They welcome special guest Carol Coleman Mitchell, founder and CEO of the Institute for Black Justice. The conversation elevates further when they speak on the murder of Sonya Massey by police in her home, the imperative for every citizen to vote and offer shout-outs to local candidates running for political office. The discussion is unfiltered, insightful, and real.
Notes
- Everything we know about the Sonya Massey shooting | The Independent
- 2024 Primary Election Voters’ Pamphlet by Pierce County – Issuu
- Kamala Harris whole name: Kamala Devi Harris
- ‘Win With Black Women’ organizes tens of thousands in surge of support for Kamala Harris (msnbc.com)
- Win With Black Men Fundraises $1.3 Million For Kamala Harris (blackenterprise.com)
- White women raised millions for Kamala Harris. And broke Zoom. – The 19th (19thnews.org)
- Voto Latino pledges $44M to support Kamala Harris for president (thehill.com)
- Asian Americans move quickly to endorse Kamala Harris – AsAmNews
- ‘White Dudes for Harris’ hold mass online meeting to support Kamala (msn.com)
Sister Melannie, also known as Peace Queen, is solo on the mic as Sister Audrey continues her radical healing journey! Please send your prayers and good vibes!
In this episode, Peace Queen delves into what it truly means to lead, advocate, and thrive as a Black woman in political leadership. She engages in “truth-tellin'” dialogue with two distinguished members of the Washington State House of Representatives: the Honorable Melanie Morgan of District 29 and the Honorable Kristine Reeves of District 30, who is also chair of the Legislative Black Caucus.
Listen in as Peace Queen and the Sister Queens in the House candidly share their stories about the uniqueness of navigating leadership as Black women and confronting the pervasive impact of systemic racism. This discussion offers a rare glimpse into their journeys, challenges, and triumphs in the realm of public service and advocacy.
Resources:
Tema Okun. 1999. White supremacy culture. Dismantling Racism: A Workbook for Social Change Groups, Durham, NC: Change Work.
https://www.whitesupremacyculture.info/about.html
https://www.dismantlingracism.org/
Washington State Primary Election – August 6, 2024 – Cast Your Ballot!
https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/elections-calendar/dates-and-deadlines
https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary/?BillNumber=2243&Year=2024&Initiative=false
(https://www.commerce.wa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/CRP_Factsheet_FullVersion_final-10-17-23.pdf)
https://lcb.wa.gov/se/social-equity-plan
Production Note: Sister Melannie is on the mic solo. Sister Audrey continues her healing journey.
Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr., who is widely known as “Dr. Diversity” joins Melannie to unveil their exciting new collaboration at Pacific Lutheran University within the Continuing Education Department. Melannie is at the helm of creating a groundbreaking program called Anti-Racist Leadership Education, and Dr. Moore has officially committed to this initiative by signing a memorandum of understanding. Together, they delve into the program’s specifics and the potential it holds.
After the break, Melannie and Dr. Moore are joined by the remarkable Dr. Yusef Salaam. Dr. Salaam is renowned for his involvement as one of the “Central Park Five,” a group of young men wrongly accused and imprisoned for the alleged rape of a white woman in Central Park, New York. Subsequently, they were exonerated and are now celebrated as the “Exonerated Five.”
Dr. Salaam shares his plans to visit Tacoma on December 14-15, where he will engage with the community and provide valuable insights on a range of critical topics, including Prison Reform, Black Male Achievement, Juvenile Justice, Voting, Community Engagement, and more.
Resources and Links
Dr. Moore
Dr. Salaam:
Netflix – When They See Us
Channel 253 membership
In a thought-provoking conversation, Melannie discusses the critical issue of Anti-Black racism and Anti-Blackness with author and truth-teller Dante King, alongside Rev. Brandy Renée McMurry from the Spiritual Care team at the University of California...
Dr. Karen Johnson, the first-ever Director of the Washington State Office of Equity, was abruptly terminated by Governor Jay Inslee on May 17, 2023. This decision caused a significant fallout, leaving huge numbers of individuals...
Sisters Audrey and Melannie joyfully return to the microphone after an extended absence. During their time away, significant events have unfolded in the world, as well as in their personal lives. This episode serves as...
In this episode, the sisters talk about Tyre Nichols and the sadly familiar circumstances of his murder.
Links
Channel 253 membership
Guest host Bishop Gwendolyn Phillips Coates joins Sister Melannie in conversation with Dr. Eddie Moore Jr. Dr. Moore is the founder of the White Privilege Conference and the White Privilege Institute. He joins the conversation...
Inspired by the 1972 song The World Is a Ghetto” recorded by the band War, Melannie and Audrey cover a variety of topics in their “keepin’ it real” fashion relevant to their personal development and...
Sisters Audrey and Melannie unite on the microphone after several weeks away. They catch listeners up on what’s been happening with them which leads to their emotional discussion about the “toll” Black people pay existing...
What will it take for America to unite on banning assault weapon purchases by individual citizens? The sisters share their perspectives; as always, keeping it real! Links Channel 253 membership
The Sisters chat with Christine Harrison, Melannie’s White Woman friend who recently completed her doctoral research on White Women Teaching in majority-Black and Brown Classrooms. Christie shares the concept of her study and findings. In...
As more and more “everyday people” choose to opt-out of the racist system this country was built upon, the die-hard racists are showing their desperate ways. Join the sisters as they discuss examples of what...
The Sisters breakdown a broader term to describe the behavioral actions of whiteness – examples are explored. Links “Karen” Meltdown in Victoria’s Secret updates about Breonna Taylor Channel 253 membership
Listen in as Melannie shares her experience from attending the 2022 National White Privilege Conference. The sisters discuss the various revelations that resulted. Links Channel 253 membership
This encore episode discusses the concept of Caucasity: the audacity of white people. Meaning, the willingness to take bold risks only white people feel safe doing. Join the Sisters as they provide recent examples of...
In this episode of What say U? the sisters talk “firsts” with Ben Kweku-ldun, owner of the Elmina Bay Resort in Ghana, West Africa; Melanie on location in Ghana and sister Audrey from her home...
This episode, the Sisters are joined by former Seattle Chief of Police Carmen Best to discuss her recent book “Black in Blue,” leadership as a woman of color, and policing. Links Black in Blue Channel...
In this special “encore,” we revisit Episode 4, Living While Black, where the sisters discuss situations where white people call the police on black people and offer recommendations on how the situation can be avoided....
Join the sisters in a refreshing conversation with Christine Schwyn Harrison, a white woman who is on an intentional journey living as an anti-racist. Links Channel 253 membership
Critical Race Theory (CRT) – what exactly does that mean? The sisters welcome Dr. Amy Young, Professor of Communication & Chair of the Department of Communication at Pacific Lutheran University, as she deconstructs what CRT...
The sister reflect on how soon we forget significant events such as police-related homicides and more. (Recorded right before the twentieth anniversary of September 11.) Links Channel 253 membership
Sisters Audrey and Melannie unpack the characteristics of White Supremacy Culture and how it shows up in daily life. They share examples of recent experiences engaging with it and urban wisdom on how to navigate...
The sisters discuss how exercising one’s “right” to not wear a mask or get the COVID vaccine directly correlates to the loss of privilege (and lives). Links Channel 253 membership
The sisters tackle the question of “good white people” and how white can do right. Links Channel 253 membership
Sakara Remmu, Chief Strategist for the Washington Black Lives Matter Alliance, brings background, knowledge, intel and receipts on the Manuel Ellis murder conviction update AND Pierce County Sherrif, Ed Troyer’s journey to accountability for his...
Sisters Melannie and Audrey are joined by 14-year-old Jalean, their granddaughter and great niece (respectively)! Girlfriend is spilling generation Z “tea” about what your teens may be thinking. Don’t miss out on this truth-tellin’ episode…...
In their unique style, listen in on the Sisters’ journey with the COVID vaccine, C-suite commitment to anti-racism, police accountability and reform (nationally and locally) and their “living while black” perspective on other recent events....
Caucasity is the audacity of white people. Meaning, the willingness to take bold risks only white people feel safe doing. Join the Sisters as they provide recent examples of their lived experiences with caucasity in the workplace...
Black and brown people continue to be murdered by police across America. George Floyd is on trial for killing himself rather than Derrick Chauvin (the Minneapolis police officer who actually murdered him). The Sisters discuss...
Pierce County Sheriff, Ed Troyer is facing extreme pressure to resign after he claimed a Black newspaper delivery driver threatened his life. He later changed his story. The “receipts,” evidenced by the 911 recording and...
The sisters go deep to understand why racism is what it is and how it continues to disease our communities. They examine their concerns through the academic lens of cycles of socialization and liberation then translate...
What are you willing to sacrifice to save Human Lives? The sisters discuss individual choices people make during the pandemic that may contribute to the spread of COVID-19. Are these personal choices contributing to life…...
Sisters Audrey and Melannie discuss strategies for people to have crucial conversations with family members, co-workers or anyone that is different from them, centered in love, for the purpose of accelerating the anti-racist movement. Links...
Join the Sisters as they discuss the depth of “caucasity” that led to the INSURRECTION (the egregious attack on American democracy) at the nation’s capitol building. Links South Sound Anti-Racist Project Caucasity Urban Dictionary Definition...
Sisters Audrey and Melannie welcome the New Year with an inspirational discussion about the power of leading with LOVE as the way forward in 2021. Links Channel 253 membership
The sisters share the mic with their mother, Alean Cunningham. This inspirational discussion is centered in generational experiences, knowledge and the wisdom she passed on that is the foundation of shaping them into the women...
Sisters Audrey and Melannie are joined by the Honorable G. Helen Whitener, recently elected Justice to the Washington State Supreme Court. Justice Whitener shares details of her journey to the bench. She also gives listeners...
Audrey and Melannie connect for the first time since the 2020 U.S. election results were revealed. The sisters analyze national and local races in their “keepin’ it real” style and offer a WORD of inspiration...
Heightened racial tensions, toxic rhetoric, political tactics, protests, riots – whew! With all this sh_t going on in America right now, the Sisters satirically explore the metaphor of an internal flushing cleanse as the way...
Carol Mitchell, the Black woman who worked in the Pierce County Executive Office C-suite and was fired chats it up with Melannie and Audrey about everything that led up to her termination and the latest...
The Cunningham sisters broadly explore topics of systemic racism, oppression and other active efforts aimed at silencing and continued marginalization of Black people in America. They speak on ideas of empowerment and liberation. Links White...
Larry Seaquist, the challenger to the incumbent in the Pierce County Executive 2020 election race answers Melannie and Audrey’s question – “Are you anti-racist?” As of the time of this taping, incumbent Bruce Dammeier and...
So much has happened in America over the past few months that show a clear shift in what we knew as “America” as recently as the beginning of the year. The Cunningham sisters talk about...
Sisters Melannie and Audrey talk about the first step in changing the narrative of combating systemic racism. Everyone can participate…..or not. Links People’s Gathering Channel 253 membership
Listen as the sisters return from Racial Battle Fatigue to discuss their perspectives on the current racial climate and the rest, remainder and residue that goes with it. Links Southwest of Salem Channel 253 membership
This episode the sisters speak with former Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland about her journey in politics and her current campaign seeking a seat in the United States Congress. Recorded May 23, 2020
The Pierce County Medical Examiner released a report this week that Manuel Ellis (a Black man) died on March 3 of respiratory arrest due to hypoxia caused by physical restraint. The persons causing the death...
The Cunningham Sisters draw the line in the sand with white people. You’re either anti-racist or you’re not. There is no middle ground. What Say U white people? This episode centers on the police brutality...
Inspired by the 1999 film starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford titled: What Lies Beneath, the Cunningham Sisters engage in real talk over “what people show you as self is not always truth.” Links Channel...
The sisters dig into some real talk about what it’s like to date when you’re over 50. Links Channel 253 membership
The sisters talk about what all of us are talking about—the coronavirus and its effects on our community and our lives. Links Channel 253 membership
Melannie discusses with Audrey her upcoming trip to the African continent and what the experience is like living while Black outside of America. www.africabound2020.com Channel 253 membership
Melannie and Audrey unpack Gail King’s interview with Lisa Leslie about Kobe Bryant and the outrage that ensued plus other instances of human pollution. Lisa Leslie on Kobe Bryant Channel 253 membership
The sisters dig into an essential question: where is the love? Links Channel 253 membership
Last month, the sisters were joined by the filmmakers behind the Peace Queen documentary for a special showing of the half-hour film at the Grand Cinema. This podcast is the recorded discussion after the film...
The sisters discuss how everyday human interactions can contribute to the positive or negative condition of humanity.
The sisters chat with Jalean Peek, Melannie’s granddaughter and Audrey’s great niece who is 12 years old. They discuss a variety of topics on how a tween navigates the world. Links Southern Anti-Racist Project Channel...
The sisters dive into a bunch of topics, including the Peace Queen Documentary to be broadcast on KTBC, the black beauty shop experience, potluck etiquette, Kwanza/Christmas, and Census 2020. Links 253 Peace Queen Channel 253...
The sisters talk about the Tacoma Peace Prize and the Nobel Peace Prize. Links Tacoma Peace Queen goes to the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony Channel 253 membership
The sisters discuss situations where white people call the police on black people and offer recommendations on how the situation can be avoided. Links Channel 253 membership
Audrey and Melannie Denise Cunningham give some real talk on dealing with toxic co-workers. Real sisters, real talk. Part of the Channel 253 podcast network.
Audrey and Melannie Cunningham reflect on the Netflix Mini Series “When They See Us.” Real sisters, real talk. Part of the Channel 253 podcast network.
Check out the new podcast from Melannie Denise Cunningham and Audrey Cunningham. Real sisters, real talk. Part of the Channel 253 podcast network.
Check out the new podcast from Melannie Denise Cunningham and Audrey Cunningham. Real sisters, real talk. Part of the Channel 253 podcast network.