Blackbelt Voices

American Reckoning is a component of PBS FRONTLINE's Un(re)solved multi-platform initiative investigating unsolved murders that happened in the Civil Rights Era. 

We sat down with filmmakers Yoruba Ri…

Blackbelt Voices is coming back for our third season in mid-October. We can’t wait for you to hear from our fantastic guests. They’re telling stories from and about Black folks down South that honor …

In this episode, Adena and Kara talk to Kristy Carter, author and principal investigator of a newly released study about women of color business owners and entrepreneurs in Arkansas. The research was…

On Episode 22 of Blackbelt Voices, Adena and Kara have a conversation with Candice Barnes. Ed.D., an associate professor and distinguished equity fellow at the University of Central Arkansas College …

Three people, from three backgrounds and generations, take a road trip using The Negro Motorist Green Book as their guide. Adena and Kara have a conversation with Alvin Hall and Janée Woods Weber abo…

Happy Black History Month. February 1 marks the anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln signing a resolution that would later become the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. On this episode, Ade…

Blackbelt Voices wraps up 2020 with tips on setting goals, job hunting, and protecting your peace.  Kara and Adena talked to Leigh Oliver, a talent acquisition coordinator in Nashville who gave us a …

COVID-19 ‌has‌ ‌dominated‌ ‌headlines‌ ‌nearly‌ ‌the‌ ‌entire‌ ‌year‌ ‌–‌ ‌and‌ has ‌affected‌ ‌life‌ ‌for‌ ‌every‌ ‌single‌ ‌one‌ ‌of‌ ‌us.‌ ‌ ‌And‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌first‌ ‌images‌ ‌of‌ ‌people‌ ‌rece…

Adena and Kara talk to broadcast journalists Brittany Noble and Lisa Benson, who share their experiences with racism in the newsroom. This episode's Turn to Your Neighbor segment features newspaper r…

Adena and Kara talk about media and storytelling with Cierra Hinton, executive director of Scalawag and director of network-building and strategy at Press On Media. You will also finally hear the sto…

Adena and Kara talk to the founder of a nonprofit that works to build political power among Black voters and end voter suppression.

In 2016, Charlane Oliver and a group of friends sat in a Chili’s an…

On this episode of Blackbelt Voices, we’re exploring the facets of public policy and how it affects societal norms with Tamika Edwards. Plus, Gennie Hirschy shows real-life connections that may serve…

The election is one month away. Please make sure you're registered. If your plan is in place, send this as a reminder to your friends. Deadlines are approaching quickly.

Here are a few resources that…

Adena and Kara want to remind you to not underestimate the importance of the census. There’s a lot riding on those numbers and we don’t get another chance until 2030.

There are only four days left to …

Political organizers Tristan Wilkerson and DeJuana L. Thompson talk about what led them to start Think Rubix, a social innovation consultancy with branches across the country. They work with nonprofi…

For the past 16 days, protesters in every state and around the world are demanding change and speaking out against systemic racism and police brutality that disproportionately affects Black Americans…

As the U.S. begins to slowly reopen the economy and gain some sense of normalcy during a pandemic, we find ourselves in familiar territory – a police officer has killed a Black man, leading to protes…

In the early morning hours of May 6, 1960, Marvin Leonard Williams died in police custody at the former Faulkner County jail in Conway, Arkansas. He was arrested the night before — the same night his…

In the early morning hours of May 6, 1960, Marvin Leonard Williams died in police custody at the former Faulkner County jail in Conway, Arkansas. He was arrested the night before — the same night his…

Talent is there; they just need an opportunity. Executive director and lead maker of the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub, Chris Jones, Ph.D., talks to hosts Adena and Kara about his life experiences…