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Am I Allowed to Like Anything?

Am I Allowed to Like Anything?

By Darian Symoné Harvin

I started ‘Am I Allowed to Like Anything’ because I wanted to create a space for people to feel good about shouting out the stuff in culture they’re into, during a time when it’s easier to riff about the things we hate. I talk to guests about their work, their lives, and how they maintain their optimism in this world. #AIATLA is a capsule podcast. There will be 100 episodes.
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Black + Gravity = BLAVITY | Ep. 002 ft. Morgan DeBaun

Am I Allowed to Like Anything?Aug 06, 2015

00:00
39:04
Wellness Realness | Ep. 069 ft. Annya Santana
Feb 18, 201942:14
Pushing Past The Internet's Expectations Of Us | Ep. 068 ft. Alex Wolf
Jan 29, 201957:26
The (Ongoing) Process Of Becoming A Better Writer | Ep. 067 ft. Jasmine Sanders
Jan 14, 201957:54
Why Beauty Gets So Deep, So Quickly | Ep. 066 ft. Brooke DeVard
Sep 26, 201831:36
Fashioned Through The Fire And The Foolishness | Ep. 065 ft. Tre'vell Anderson
Aug 27, 201842:53
Be A Force | Ep. 064 ft. Natalie James / NJinLA

Be A Force | Ep. 064 ft. Natalie James / NJinLA

Natalie James (also known as NJinLA) is a Los Angeles native who I met when I moved to the city. She’s a creative producer & music, travel and food writer. She's a radio host on NTS, DJ and is just getting started in A&R. We talk about her journey through therapy, how she got thrown into DJing, and growing up Mexican American, in a working class family in LA. +1 SEGMENT: — Amanda of @idealblackfemale on IG — Erin Christovale (@erinzulie), Assistant Curator at the Hammer Museum & Co-curator of #MadeinLA2018 — City Girls, latest album: PERIOD. — Road trips
Jul 03, 201801:10:40
The #1 Rule: Be Clear | Ep. 063 ft. Symone Sanders
Jun 19, 201844:42
Music Saved Her Life | Ep. 062 ft. Cherrie

Music Saved Her Life | Ep. 062 ft. Cherrie

When I came across Somali-Swedish R&B singer Cherrie's breakout song 163 För Evigt, I needed to find a way to have her on my podcast. We talk about being a Black girl growing up in Finland and Sweden, how she and other artists in Sweden are putting R&B and rap on their music charts, and her upcoming album, which features two songs in English. +1 SEGMENT: — The Swedish creative collective Trans94 — City High (including a "What Would You Do?" rendition... featuring Cherrie + Darian) Here's how you can contribute to the making of #AIATLA: d.rip/darian Follow Cherrie on Twitter! @Chxrrie | IG! @chvrrie Follow Darian on Twitter! @dariansymone | IG! @darian Footnotes: http://theseam.co/aiatla-cherrie/
May 07, 201839:00
#AIATLA LIVE at SXSW: The Glory Of Velour Suits | 061 ft. Sama'an Ashrawi
Mar 30, 201840:58
We Are Figuring It All Out, HBU? | Ep. 060 ft. Lakin Starling

We Are Figuring It All Out, HBU? | Ep. 060 ft. Lakin Starling

Writer Lakin Starling joins me to talk about life growing in the neo-soul capital, some of her proudest work at The FADER and the sacred space she's creating during her own interviews.

And! We talk about what we're using on our faces these days, (because #skincare) before I found out about The Ordinary founder's problematic and exhausting behavior:
bit.ly/2tqt1gu

+1 SEGMENT:
— Imani - psychic, card reader, astrologist in LA. IG: @thehoodhealer. She does tree readings at Simply Wholesome on Tuesdays!
Newsletters! Shout out to:
— Olivia Craighead from The FADER
— Elamin + BuzzFeed News Curation team with newsletter

Here's how you can contribute to the making of #AIATLA: d.rip/darian

Follow Lakin on Twitter: @lakinimani | IG: @_lakinimani
Follow Darian on Twitter @dariansymone | IG: @darian

Footnotes: theseam.co/aiatla-podcast-lakin-starling/
Mar 07, 201855:07
Bully Me Off Twitter, I'm Begging You! | Ep 059 ft. Ira Madison III

Bully Me Off Twitter, I'm Begging You! | Ep 059 ft. Ira Madison III

Culture writer Ira Madison III blesses the show. He's at the Daily Beasts and hosts his own podcast, Keep It. We talk about the soaps he grew up watching, and dig into our favorite people, television and songs of 2017. Follow Ira on IG: @kingirairaira | Twitter: @ira Follow Darian on IG: @darian | Twitter: @dariansymone Find out how you can contribute to the making of #AIATLA! d.rip/darian Sudio headphones 15% discount for all #AIATLA listeners! goo.gl/27yFch +1 SEGMENT - Former President Barack Obama - Messy Omarosa stories - Soap & Glory lip plumping gloss Sign up for the #AIATLA newsletter! bit.ly/1MR18RF Footnotes: http://theseam.co/aiatia-ira-madison-iii/
Dec 26, 201746:46
An Energy That's Difficult To Match | Ep. 058 ft. Briana Owens
Nov 27, 201754:53
#AIATLA LIVE at Well-Read Black Girl Festival ft. Bernice McFadden + Numa Perrier | Ep. 057
Oct 16, 201736:00
The Life of an Afro-Digital Immigrant | Episode 056 ft. André Singleton
Oct 03, 201701:07:43
#AIATLA LIVE: The Intersection Of Politics And Culture | Ep. 055 ft. Sopan Deb
Aug 09, 201701:07:32
The Highs and Lows of Being a Black Creative | Episode 054 ft. Melissa Kimble

The Highs and Lows of Being a Black Creative | Episode 054 ft. Melissa Kimble

Melissa Kimble is the founder of #blkcreatives, a platform known for their explosive Twitter chats that helps young, Black creatives work through their goals, insecurities and wins. I talk to Melissa about her upbringing, big moments of growth for #blkcreatives, her time at Ebony magazine and what she’s focusing on right now. +1 SEGMENT Drew of Chicago's enstru-mental.com clothing Summer BBQs Brown Girls Web Series (That HBO is now developing) Follow Melissa on Twitter & IG: @Melissa_Kimble | blkcreatives.com - Follow Darian on IG: @darian | Twitter: @dariansymone Footnotes: http://theseam.co/aiatla-melissa-kimble-blkcreatives/
Jul 06, 201750:41
2 Sagittarius's Walk Into A Bar | Ep. 053 ft. Yaya Mazurkevich Nuñez

2 Sagittarius's Walk Into A Bar | Ep. 053 ft. Yaya Mazurkevich Nuñez

This week, Yaya Mazurkevich Nuñez joins me. We talk about the drastic life changes that came with moving to the Bronx after a life in the Dominican Republic, her days in NYC’s nightlife and working the door at clubs downtown, her job now as an experiential producer at the agency Translation, how she feels about people, and why she’s taking back her hours in the salon. +1 SEGMENT - “I’ve been going through a big journey of self acceptance and taking back my time.” - Service and giving back; shout out to Beauty For Freedom and the Precious Dreams Foundation Follow Yaya on Twitter & IG: @ogyayaa Follow Darian on IG: @darian | Twitter: @dariansymone RSVP to #AIATLA's first live show on Thursday, June 29th: https://aiatlalive.splashthat.com/ Footnotes: http://theseam.co/aiatla-yaya-mazurkevich-nunez/
Jun 20, 201751:46
Having Plenty | Ep. 052 ft. Chenoa Maxwell
May 29, 201701:00:50
TFW The Internet Revives A Good Moment | Ep. 051 ft. Yohana Desta
May 17, 201725:23
Where Curiosity Will Lead You | Ep. 050 ft. Nicole Blades
May 09, 201751:00
Not The Bubbly Capitalist You Were Hoping For | Ep. 049 ft. Myles Johnson
Apr 24, 201701:07:09
A Tribute to Patron Saint Maxine Waters | Ep. 048 ft. Hunter Harris
Apr 10, 201748:58
Booked, Busy, #Blessed | Ep. 047 ft. Kéla Walker

Booked, Busy, #Blessed | Ep. 047 ft. Kéla Walker

6 x Emmy nominated TV host & producer, and style authority Kéla Walker joins me. I’ve known Kéla since I was in college, and on this episode, we talk about how we got to know each other, mentorship and what it takes for a mentor/mentee relationship to work, plus what is actually catching Kéla's attention in culture right now. Sign up for #AIATLA's newsletter and put yourself in the running to win a curated box of products either Darian or a guest has mentioned in a +1 segment: http://eepurl.com/bFmOAf +1 SEGMENT: Ratchet reality TV Netflix's 'The Chef's Table' Footnotes: http://theseam.co/aiatla-podcast-kela-walker/ IG & Twitter: @KelaWalker
Apr 04, 201701:03:12
Making Her Ancestors (And Beyoncé) Proud | Ep. 046 ft. Yvette Noel-Schure
Mar 27, 201736:13
On The Right Side of History  | Ep. 045 ft. Lisa Lucas

On The Right Side of History | Ep. 045 ft. Lisa Lucas

Executive Director of the National Book Foundation Lisa Lucas stops by the show to talk about life growing up and the sort of work she was doing that led to her current role. We also talk about the ebbs of flows of reading and how books can serve as timestamps in your life. +1 SEGMENT: - Moonlight & Barry Jenkins Footnotes: http://theseam.co/aiatla-lisa-lucas/ Follow Lisa on Twitter: @likaluca
Mar 12, 201734:03
LEMONADE Gave Us More Than Any Grammy Could | Ep. 044 ft. Jasmyn Lawson
Feb 28, 201701:06:10
Editor-in-Cool | Ep. 043 ft. Dodai Stewart

Editor-in-Cool | Ep. 043 ft. Dodai Stewart

Dodai Stewart joins me! She's the Editor-In-Chief of fusion.net and formerly of Jezebel, where she served as Deputy Editor — and was also one of the first hires at the publication. Dodai talks to me about growing up in NYC, the inclusivity of teen culture and our
Feb 10, 201753:13
Skincare Status | Ep. 042 ft. Ashley Weatherford
Jan 24, 201754:50
Who Are You Performing For? | Ep. 041 ft. Brittany Luse
Jan 16, 201747:41
If I Ruled The World (2016 Edition) |  Ep. 040 ft. Darian
Dec 29, 201638:30
Our Time, Our Values, Our World | Ep. 039 ft Gia Peppers
Nov 23, 201655:40
Tanzina Vega's New York City | Ep. 036
Nov 23, 201644:19
"I'll Tell You How Free I Am" | Ep. 037 ft Carri Twigg
Nov 23, 201644:49
Context Is King, and So Is Ms. Tina | Ep. 036 ft Jason Parham
Nov 23, 201642:13
The Insane, Motivating Life of Elise Peterson | Ft. 035
Nov 23, 201645:45
Food Over Everything | Ep. 034 ft Mayukh Sen
Nov 23, 201647:39
This is How You Invest in Yourself | Ep. 033 ft Devi Dev
Nov 23, 201650:19
Brittany Sky Is In Her Lane | Ep. 032

Brittany Sky Is In Her Lane | Ep. 032

Brittany Sky joins me! Brittany is a DJ, influencer and creative who went from wanting to be a lawyer to launching a career that lets her travel the world for a living. We talk about music, her college days and what we're using on our faces. Follow Brittany Sky on Twitter & IG : @brittanysky Footnotes: http://theseam.co/aiatla-podcast-brittany-sky/
Nov 23, 201628:39
The Life Of a Local News Reporter | Ep. 031 ft Megan Mitchell
Nov 23, 201640:07
From The Medical Field to Beyoncé's Dressing Room | Ep. 030 ft. Raquel Smith
Aug 01, 201626:37
Sold On the Vision | Ep. 029 ft. Terron Moore
Jul 13, 201640:15
The Risks Angela Flournoy Took | Ep. 028
Jun 19, 201631:22
Blac Chyna's Revenge | Ep. 027 ft. Sylvia Obell
May 31, 201601:01:08
The Cultural Tax | Ep. 026 ft. Eve Ewing
May 23, 201601:18:29
Drinking Beyoncé's Lemonade | Ep. 025 ft. Taj Rani Chrisp, Bené Viera, Clover Hope
May 02, 201647:24
We Can't Short Change People | Ep. 024 ft. Brandon "Jinx" Jenkins

We Can't Short Change People | Ep. 024 ft. Brandon "Jinx" Jenkins

On this week's episode, I have Brandon "Jinx" Jenkins of Complex News on the show with me. We take stock of self, and everything we have been loving — The FADER's artists features, Blink 182, Grime in the UK, and keeping it 100. +1 SEGMENT: - Ultimate respect for Angie Martinez - radiooooo.com You can find Jinx on Twitter & IG @jersey_jinx Footnotes: http://theseam.co/aiatla-podcast-brandon-jersey-jinx-jenkins-complex/
Apr 15, 201601:05:39
Reminder: There's Power In Vulnerability | Ep. 023 ft. Ericka Pittman

Reminder: There's Power In Vulnerability | Ep. 023 ft. Ericka Pittman

I talk to Ericka Pittman, who is currently serving as the VP of Combs Enterprises Chairman's Office. We talk about her early days working on marketing and media, money and her new book coming out, "What Mommy Never Told You". +1 SEGMENT - United Airways - Yo Gotti's latest album, "The Art of Hustle" Footnotes: http://theseam.co/aiatla-podcast-ericka-pittman/ Find Ericka on Twitter & IG: @ErickaMPittman Follow Darian on IG: @darian | Twitter: @dariansymone
Apr 04, 201630:20
Food Is The New Hip-Hop! Everyone Has An Opinion. | Ep. 022 ft. Nicole Taylor

Food Is The New Hip-Hop! Everyone Has An Opinion. | Ep. 022 ft. Nicole Taylor

Southern food and Soul food continue to evolve though the hands of Black cooks, chefs and those a part of food culture. I talk to Nicole Taylor, author of 'The Up South Cookbook'. Nicole is an amazing cook, a podcast host and food culturist. We discuss food as the new Hip-Hop, Rock and the new radio — all of us are talking about food more than ever. +1 SEGMENT: - K. Michelle’s latest - More Issues Than Vogue - The Art of Organized Noise documentary - The Sporkful podcast - The Black podcast community Footnotes: http://theseam.co/aiatla-podcast-nicole-taylor-up-south-cookbook/ Nicole's Twitter & IG: @foodculturist | Podcast: Hot Grease on Heritage Radio Network Book: The Up South Cookbook / http://amzn.com/1581573014
Mar 29, 201646:58
Rethinking New York Fashion Week | Ep. 021 ft. JJ Maxwell

Rethinking New York Fashion Week | Ep. 021 ft. JJ Maxwell

JJ Maxwell is an accomplished creative and art director who has worked on both the agency and media side of the crazy fashion world. We talk about what he's working on now, and this week, we've got high- and low-brow +1's.

+1 SEGMENT:
- Bitch Sesh podcast
- Savannah, Georgia
- @refinery29

Footnotes:

You can find JJ Maxwell on Instagram @jj2theMAXwell
Mar 22, 201641:33
Saada Ahmed Wants You To Focus On Her Heart | Ep. 020

Saada Ahmed Wants You To Focus On Her Heart | Ep. 020

For the 20th episode of #AIATLA, I talk to Saada Ahmed who is the Co-Founder of one of NYC’s biggest Everyday People. We talk about how the party has evolved over time, our travels through Kenya, Ethiopia, Bali & Bangkok, plus running; and how we came to like it. Things we like: - Namaskar Health & Wellness store in Brooklyn - Haremesque Candles | haremesque.com Footnotes: http://theseam.co/aiatla-podcast-saada-ahmed-everyday-people/ You can find Saada on Instagram @Saada__
Mar 15, 201627:51