Being Heard: 2 Black Women, Coffee and Conversations with Lya and Dana

Teacher, activist, and motivational speaker MeJa Pinkney shares her valuable perspective on being an educator beyond the classroom. According to MeJa, the focus often is on what kids are doing rather than why they're doing it. Join our conversation with returning guest MeJa as she shares more insights on how to inspire our students beyond the curriculum. Don't miss out! #education #motivation #perspective #2blackpodcast #blackiowanews #blackpodcast

The hosts discuss the Florida shooting at Jacksonville Dollar General. According to CNN, "It took less than an hour for the gunman to travel from the Family Dollar – where investigators believed he initially planned to carry his attack – to nearby Edward Waters University and then to the Dollar General where he killed three victims, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office."

Bobbye Wagner, writer and producer of a documentary film entitled ‘The Pink Canopy’.  This film reveals the life of an Iowa Educator and her battle with a mental illness. 

Teresa Zilk, Creator of Stories to Tell My daughter, discusses the experience behind story telling with co-host Lya

Part 2 of Andrea Smith, Survivor, List Maker, and Happiness Maker sharing her story as a survivor of domestic violence.

Andrea Smith, Survivor, List Maker and Happiness Maker shares about her experience with domestic violence as a black woman.

Black Iowa News founder Dana James makes history with the Black Iowa Newspaper.

Ep 23: Being Heard: 2 Black Women, Coffee & Conversations with LaNisha Cassell, executive director of the African American Museum of Iowa, on celebrating Juneteenth and the museum's renovation. 

Get to know the African American Museum of Iowa. 

From the Ying Yang Twins and Ginuwine concert in June to the Lost Island Themepark and Waterpark and a new grocery store, Mayor Quentin Hart says Waterloo is moving forward. 

Being Heard: 2 Black Women, Coffee & Conversations with Lya & Dana delve into Black Iowa history with Kari Bassett of the Black History Research Collective. 

Being Heard: 2 Black Women, Coffee & Conversations with Lya and Dana spoke with Audrey Kennis, diversity, equity and inclusion director for the city of West Des Moines, delves into what DEI is and how the city of West Des Moines is embedding the principles in its service to residents. #2blackpodcast #DEI #inclusion #equity

Rap group Whodini famously pondered the meaning of friends. Lya & Dana, co-hosts of Being Heard: 2 Black Women, Coffee & Conversations, discuss what it means when your friends support you, and what it means when they don't, and why it's necessary to have tiers of friendship. #2blackpodcast #blackiowanews #friends #support #tuesdaytalks 

Leo Landis, state curator of the Iowa Historical Society, sits down with Lya & Dana of Being Heard: 2 Black Women, Coffee & Conversations. Landis uncovers some of the key people and places important to Black Iowa History that you may not know about. #2blackpodcast #blackhistorymonth #blackiowa

Lya & Dana, co-hosts of Being Heard: 2 Black Women, Coffee & Conversations, ponder whether or not to watch the viral videos of Black motorists being subjected to police brutality — like in the cases of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee, and and George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. #2blackpodcast

Ultimately, this is the end goal — to have the populace be dumbed down. To have the populace not be able to connect the dots." Lya and Dana discuss the controversy surrounding school vouchers and the tenuous future of education in Iowa. #2blackpodcast #schoolvouchers #Iowa #education

Giving birth is sacred, says Clem the Doula. And, it can be difficult and deadly for Black women who must navigate Iowa's predominantly white health care systems, where Blacks are six times more likely than whites to die during or after childbirth, according to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. Doulas wrap mothers in support and education, which can help minimize complications and help save lives. Clem the Doula told Lya & Dana, co-hosts of Being Heard: 2 Black Women, Coffee & Conversations, how doulas change lives and why people shouldn't get hung up on the term. #2blackpodcast #blackiowadoula

clemthedoula.com

During the holidays and in everyday life, Black women are the glue. They prioritize taking care of their children, families and communities with too little thought to taking care of themselves. They push through work while they're tired and underpaid. Then, they overwork at home and in their communities. Often, their public personas don't align with their private pain, and the stress of it all can harm their health. Lya & Dana, co-hosts of Being Heard: 2 Black Women, Coffee & Conversations get real about the challenges of being Black women, what happens when there's an imbalance and how to add more self-care into their daily schedules. #2blackpodcast #2blkpodcast #selfcare #SAYNO #tuesdaythoughts

People ask Waverly Zhao,  Johnston High School student, why she's so interested in politics. Zhao has already run for public office and won — representing students on the Johnston School board. Next, she'll serve as Legislative Page in the Iowa Legislature. Zhao tells Lya & Dana, hosts of Being Heard: 2 Black Women, Coffee & Conversations how and why she uses her voice to push for change. #youth #futureleaders #2blkpodcast #2blackpodcast #tuesdaythoughts

Waterloo, Iowa Mayor Quentin Hart, in his fourth term, told the hosts of Being Heard: 2 Black Women, Coffee & Conversations he "made it into office" by working for people — in whatever capacity he could. Now, he's helping to spearhead citywide transformation —with an emphasis on equity — in the town of about 68,000 people, of whom 18% are Black. What will that look like? Listen to the conversation with hosts Lya & Dana.

Lya & Dana contemplate the possible fallout from another Donald Trump presidential run. Will it lead to more bigotry in the world? Grab a coffee as Being Heard: 2 Black Women, Coffee & Conversations tackle Trump. #2blkpodcast

@Lya I think that’s all you need for now.

A group of concerned Black educators and parents have developed an interest group for a Des Moines chapter of the National Black Child Development Institute. Anita Fleming-Rife, a retired educator, hopes to rally people around Black students' math and reading proficiency and implement programs and advocacy initiatives. She decried the test scores and told Being Heard: 2 Black Women, Coffee & Conversations: "We've got to get the community together to tell us what they want to do." Learn what the group is planning and how to join in the fight. #2blkpodcast #education 

Whether you use Bullet journal, RocketBook, memo record, or still use a Franklin Covey planner, Lya & Dana, the cohosts of Being Heard: 2 Black Women, Coffee & Conversations, discuss the best ways to to stay organized. #journaling #2blkpodcast #bulletjournaling #organization

Watch us on our YouTube Channel 'Being Heard: 2 Black Women, Coffee & Conversations with Lya & Dana

Americans go to the polls today, Nov. 8, 2022, to vote in the midterm elections. On Being Heard: 2 Black Women, Coffee & Conversations, hosts Lya and Dana urge Black Americans to think about those high grocery and utility bills, how they had to keep pushing during the coronavirus pandemic and run, not walk, to the polls. #2blkpodcast #midterms #elections

You can watch us on our YouTube channel 'Being Heard: 2 Black Women, Coffee & Conversations with Lya & Dana!

Corey Dion Lewis, The Healthy Project Podcast host, and creator of the My City My Health Equity Summit on Nov. 11 at Mainframe Studios in downtown Des Moines.

"It's going to be really, really Black." That's how Corey Dion Lewis describes his inaugural My City My Health Equity Summit in Des Moines, Iowa. Forget some stuffy conference. Lewis told podcast hosts Lya and Dana he wants the public to get real about the health disparities that harm and shorten the lives of Black folks. With a sprinkle of Black art and music, Lewis, founder of the Healthy Project podcast, predicts it's sure to be a vibe. #2blkpodcast

Find out more about My City My Health at https://mycity.health/.