If you’re anything like me then you LOVE a good podcast. It’s the perfect distraction during my morning workout, commute, or even when I’m cooking dinner for my family. Here is a list of my favorite podcasts in 2019 and which ones I’ll be listening to in 2020.

Favorite Podcasts of 2019:

The Daily:

The Daily is a podcast created by the New York Times and is hosted by NYT journalist Michael Barbaro. I often find myself torn between wanting to know what’s going on in the world and avoiding major depression from listening to the news and political pundits on TV. The Daily does a great job of delivering small nuggets of news while avoiding the toxic banter and back-and-forth that we often see on CNN, Fox News, and the like. What I like the most about The Daily is that they feature stories that I would otherwise not know about because it’s not a part of the political news cycle and may not be featured on my local news. If you’re looking for cool stories or just want to stay abreast of what’s going on in our country and around the world definitely check out The Daily podcast.

1619:

1619 is also a podcast created by the New York Times and it highlights stories of racism and other atrocities that Black Americans have had to endure since arriving in North America & the United States 400 years ago in 1619. For those of you who do not know me, I am very pro-black. Please understand that does not mean that I’m anti-white…it’s just I will always root for everybody Black. I love being Black, I find so much power and beauty in Black people (especially Black women) and I try to exude this love and appreciation for my people in everything that I do. That being said, I loved this podcast. I learned so much about our history, developed a deeper understanding of common stereotypes about black people and also was heartbroken to learn of modern examples of racism that should not be happening in 2019. I think everyone should listen to this podcast whether you are Black, White, Latinx, Asian, whatever. If you find yourself struggling with talking to people who do not believe in white privilege or have difficulty understanding what life is like as a Black person in America, I would absolutely suggest that you refer them to this podcast.

Behind The Brilliance:

I have been a fan of Behind the Brilliance for many years now, probably three years or so, and I think that Lisa Nicole Bell does such a great job of finding interesting, creative, and forward-thinking entrepreneurs to interview. She asks great questions and does a great job of diving deep into their background and the different decisions that they made to reach certain points of success in their careers. I always leave these episodes feeling encouraged, excited, and motivated to chase my dreams. So, if you’d love a podcast where it’s like self-development meets comedy meets tech/entrepreneurship/creativity, then I think that you would love this podcast.

Foodie Pharmacology:

OK, this podcast is likely one of my favorite podcasts that I discovered in 2019. Dr. Cassandra Quave is a researcher and ethnobotanist who works at Emory University. She teaches students and other researchers about the importance of plants, their medicinal properties, medicinal actions, and ways that they can be applied to science and medicine today. I have had the pleasure of listening to Dr. Quave's lecture while I was in graduate school so as soon as she launched this show I knew it would be wonderful. Dr. Quave is a magical storyteller. She has the power to draw you in with her words as she explains complex scientific pathways and mechanisms so simplistically. The way she describes the plants and flavors and sensations it’s like you’re right there trying to different plants and teas and bitters right alongside her. If you are a foodie and a science geek and love all things botanical please check out this podcast right now. You won’t be disappointed.

MyTaughtYou by Myleik Teele:

I mean, Myleik is the G.O.A.T. She just is…POINT.BLANK. PERIOD. She is an entrepreneur and the founder of CurlBox, a subscription box dedicated to women of color and women with kinky, curly, textured hair where they can sample hair care products. Myleik is very blunt and straightforward but she gives great advice & shares her experiences as an entrepreneur, mom, and woman. She is very unapologetic about the priorities in her life and not feeling the pressure to conform to what society deems as a proper way to do things. If you are looking for a podcast that will get you motivated and give you the courage to live life exactly how you want, then you should absolutely check out the MyTaughtYou podcast.

Million Dollar Badass:

You’re probably noticing a theme by now, but I love anything involving entrepreneurship and I also love listening to black women talk about their journeys as a successful entrepreneur. Rachel Rodgers is so spunky, full of life, and she has a potty mouth (much like myself). What I love the most about her is that she is 100% apologetic about who she is and what she offers the world. She is a lawyer turned entrepreneur who has turned her law practice into an empire. I find that she gives sound advice & she challenges you to get out of your comfort zone. She also shares her accomplishments, setbacks, and biggest lessons as she navigates motherhood, entrepreneurship, and life.

The Secret Lives of Black Women:

I found this podcast towards the end of 2019 and immediately fell in love with it. It’s like sitting down with your girlfriends and chatting about personal struggles, accomplishments struggles, etc. I find that just hearing about the experiences of other black women can help you not feel so alone in whatever journey or experience that you’re going through right now. These ladies are hilarious and so fun to listen to.

Woman Evolve:

While lately, I’ve been evolving in my spirituality, my spiritual foundation is Christianity. That being said, I am a fan of Bishop T.D. Jakes but I am an even bigger fan of his daughter Sarah Jakes Roberts. Sarah is much like myself, I think she is funny, sassy, and a beautiful mix of righteous and ratchet. I love the premise of her show. This show challenges us to extend grace to people in the media and in pop-culture who have made mistakes and are getting roasted on the Internet for it. Sometimes I can extend that branch of grace and sometimes it’s gonna be a no from me, dog.

Sarah‘s show has three parts: first is “Rescue Eve”, second is “Hail Mary”, and lastly she leaves us with a “spiritual snack” and gives advice to people who DM her with questions. Rescue Eve is my favorite because she finds people in news and culture who are getting roasted and challenges us to rescue them or at least be able to see things from their perspective. Hail Mary honors people in culture who have been doing great things & have been supporting the community. This podcast is hilarious without being overly churchy. So, if you like a mix of righteous and ratchet please listen to Woman Evolve and when you do, DM me or comment below so we can laugh and kiki about it together.

Podcasts I’m listening to in 2020

LifeKit:

As you guys can tell I am really big on self-development and finding different ways to improve my life so when I heard about LifeKit by NPR I knew I had to check it out. I’ve listened to a few episodes and they’ve managed to pique my interest. The hosts do a great job of giving small bits of information that are very impactful. For example, they talked about the different ways to have a good weekend, which if you’re looking at the title you might think it’s kinda stupid but the more of an adult you become, the easier it is for you to get bogged down in errands and chores that you don’t prioritize self-care and or time with your family. So, I think these episodes are perfect little tools and reminders on how to just live life better.

H.E.R Space:

Black women are dope so it’s only right that I add another podcast written by and created by black women. H.E.R. space is hosted by two awesome black women, one of whom is a psychologist and the other host is a tech entrepreneur and motivational speaker. I am looking forward to sitting in on these girlfriend chats and getting inspired in 2020.

And there you have it! These are my favorite podcasts for 2019 and I’m looking forward to checking out these other podcast in 2020. If you have any podcast recommendations that you think I would love or that I should give a listen to, leave them in the comments below.

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