"Sometimes, we aren't fine": Sacramento County podcast a safe space for Black youth
SACRAMENTO -- When the cameras roll and the mics are hot, a group of Sacramento County pre-teens, teens, and young adults don't hesitate to say what's on their minds.
They call the studio, equipped with microphones and state-of-the-art cameras, their "safe space." Listen or watch one episode of their podcast, Black vs. the Board of Education (BVBOE) and it's clear, this isn't a hobby, this is a commentary on the day's biggest headlines by youth for their community.
The podcast was created by the Black Youth Leadership Project, a nonprofit established in 1999 as a way to introduce Black students to the Legislative process. Now, the organization has since evolved to include other educational programs for Black youth that include leadership, academic, and media development-focused areas, to name a few.
BVBOE was created two years ago due to a lack of Black History Month events at a Sacramento area high school. In response, Melissa Sutton, one of the founding co-hosts, spoke her truth on air. The rest, as they say, is history.
"Taking charge in a safe space is something I've never done before, it was one of the best things I've ever done," said Sutton.
The group of co-hosts ranges in age from 12-year-old Samuel Hundley to 23-year-old Keila Lee. The group meets once a week, on Mondays, and records live streaming the episodes on YouTube, Facebook, and wherever podcasts can be found. The topic of the day is ripped right from the headlines, and their hearts, typically chosen in a group chat before the show.
The co-hosts prepare with the guidance of Moderator Lorreen Pryor, President and CEO of Black Youth Leadership Project, and a former radio personality with 103.5 "The Bomb." Pryor is there to guide the conversation but says she doesn't really have to anymore, as her co-hosts come prepared and ready to talk.
As the podcast has evolved, guests with a story, background, or experience to share join the conversations. From local Sacramento elected officials to experts to a local student beaten on his high school's campus by another student are given the platform to share his story. The co-hosts refer to local media reports or headlines to inform their conversations, also used as the foundation of their pre-show research.
"Being there and talking to them has been crazy to me, I would've never thought I would be talking to politicians. Asking hard questions, grilling them," said Jalen Scott, 21.
Scott and Hundley shared their thoughts after the death of Sacramento native Tyre Nichols, at the hands of five Memphis Police Officers. The video of Nichols' beating, graphic and horrific to watch, allowed the group of youth, led by Pryor, to speak vulnerably.
"Samuel, how are you feeling today?" Pryor asked at the start of the episode.
"Disturbed," Hundley said in return.
"When are we gonna stop being tired?" Scott asked later in the episode, after walking through the sheer number of police killings of unarmed black men in recent memory.
It's a therapy session and a safe space, they all agree. A place they can come to talk openly about current events, but also, make change.
"As Black students and people, sometimes, we aren't fine," said Sutton.
This podcast studio and space allows the group to talk through some of their biggest challenges, concerns, questions, and real-world events in a way they say they hope improves the lives of other Black youth, and beyond.
Black v. The Board of Education airs Mondays online. Past episodes are available, for free, online.
