Episode 1: Divorce (Jennifer)

40-50% of couples in the US get divorced. Jennifer takes us through her experiences with infidelity, separation, divorce, and dating in her quest for healing and figuring out who she really is apart from her marriage. Her perspective is unique, as she knows what it’s like to be the wife and the side chick to a cheating husband.

Episode 2: Interracial Marriage (Taren & Harrison)

Until the Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court case in 1967, interracial marriage was illegal in many places in the U.S. Since then, there has been a steady increase in the number of interracial marriages. Harrison, a white male raised in the majority white suburbs of Minnesota, and Taren, a black female who was raised in a majority white suburb in Georgia, have been married for three years. They discuss their experiences as an interracial couple raising a biracial daughter and how their cultural differences have actually broadened their perspectives.

Episode 3: Childhood Trauma (Bigg A)

With influences from artists like Nas, DMX, Scarface, and 8-Ball & MJG, Bigg A’s music reflects his experiences growing up poor with an abusive father and having to become the primary breadwinner to help make a better life for his siblings. To provide for himself and his family, the Nashville native turned to a life in the streets, but discovered that the potential outcome of the lifestyle was not worth the risk. He tells this story in his first single, “Elbows.” As he began to understand the trauma he endured, he vowed to be a better father to his own children and break the generational curse. Hear his reflection on how his childhood trauma and struggles with depression affect his life today on Season 1, Episode 3.

Episode 4: SPECIAL EDITION: Native American Heritage (Dawn)

U Talk celebrates Native American Heritage Month by highlighting a Native American voice. Dawn, a direct descendant of Sacagawea, phones in to share information about her heritage, what she has learned about her culture and traditions, her experiences with discrimination, and her hopes for the future of the Native American community. 

Resources on the History of Thanksgiving and Native American Boarding Schools: 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/thanksgiving-myth-and-what-we-should-be-teaching-kids-180973655/

https://www.businessinsider.com/history-of-thanksgiving-2017-11

https://www.history.com/news/how-boarding-schools-tried-to-kill-the-indian-through-assimilation

Episode 5: Pro Athlete to Entrepreneur (Abdul)

According to a statistic from a 2018 CNBC News article, 60% of NBA players go broke within 5 years of leaving the NBA. With hard work and a humble attitude, Abdul, who played professional basketball for the Bulls and overseas, escaped becoming a part of that statistic. He discusses his experiences playing with Michael Jordan, living overseas, learning about the fitness business, and his partnerships with Orange Theory and Redline Athletics.

Episode 6: Being Adopted (Josh)

Josh’s adoption story is unique in that there was no agency involved. He recounts his experience growing up in a rural town, feeling different, meeting his biological family, and his quest for answers to some tough questions connecting to his personal identity.

Episode 7: Surviving Breast Cancer (Linde)

Linde, a breast cancer survivor and runner who is under 40 and lives a healthy lifestyle, discusses feeling betrayed by her body. She details her emotional journey and the process from discovery of a lump to beating cancer and the aftereffects.

Episode 8: After Suicide (Lyndsay)

Lyndsay recounts the day she found out her friend Danielle had committed suicide around six weeks after giving birth and how she helped to pick up the pieces in the days following. She talks about what helped her deal with the emotions she felt and why suicide is not the answer.

If you or someone you know is dealing with depression and/or having suicidal thoughts, please use one of the resources below:

National Hopeline Network: 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)

https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org

Episode 9: Alcoholism to Sobriety (Aniera)

Aniera gives her account of the double life she said she was living while trying to suppress her feelings by drinking and blacking out. She describes the effects that alcohol has had on her life, her depression, suicide attempts, and low self-esteem. Now a Christian, she credits God for her life and 14 years of sobriety. 

For help with an alcohol addiction, click the link below to learn more about treatment options:  

https://alcoholtreatment.niaaa.nih.gov/