We've all seen the viral "Black Wife Effect" trend on social media—side-by-side photos of white men before and after marrying Black women, often showing a dramatic glow-up. While meant to entertain, this trend also reflects a deeper social shift: the number of Black women entering interracial relationships has increased. According to a national study by the Pew Research Center, 24% of Black women are now in interracial partnerships—a notable rise compared to past decades. Despite these trends, Black women in interracial relationships with white men often find themselves navigating a minefield of social complexities.

To get into the research examining these phenomena, we are talking with University of Georgia Assistant Professor of Sociology Dr. Vanessa Gonlin, a widely published expert on this topic. Her areas of expertise includes racial identity(ies), colorism, and interracial relationships- with a particular focus on Black peoples and bi/multiracials. Dr. Gonlin is an award-winning educator, and has shared her expertise with organizations including WebMD, Macmillan Learning, and the International Women’s Forum to facilitate knowledge and connection across communities.

To learn more about this episode click here.

The ways Black women navigate the intersection of music, performance, and labor, all while dealing with the emotional and relational demands placed on them is complex. Black women rappers, in particular, are often at the crossroads of artistic expression and societal expectations. These women, who have gained significant social media followings, are also navigating platforms like OnlyFans, where they create sexually explicit content for a subscription-based audience.

In this episode, Dr. Jabari Evans-, an Assistant Professor of Race and Media at the University of South Carolina, takes us through the complex ideological tensions Black women face within a genre often steeped in racial stereotypes. Author of "Drill Rap, Sex Work, and the Digital Underground: (Clout)Chasing on Chicago’s Southside", Dr. Evans' research explores strategies youth use for self-expression on social media platforms as well as other digital media tools and technologies.

For more information click here.

Wendi Williams, Barbara “B.” Smith, and Rosa Parks- these are some Black women who publicly faced their experiences with cognitive decline. This is not surprising as women- no matter race or ethnicity- are twice as likely to develop dementia than men. And Black individuals are 2 to 3 times more likely to develop dementia than white individuals. This places Black women at a critical intersection of vulnerability. This episode features Dr. Tanisha Hill-Jarrett, PhD, discussing the intersecting factors shaping Black women's cognitive decline. A neuropsychologist and an Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of California San Francisco Memory and Aging Center, her research applies intersectionality theory to understand how psychosocial stressors and structural racism and sexism impact Black women’s cognitive aging and confer risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD).

For more information click here.