Blackbelt Voices

Choosing Arkansas with Dr. Karama Neal shares stories of those who chose Arkansas as their home. In this episode, Dr. Neal talks to Shamim Okolloh. Shamim was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and came to the U.S. at age 19 for college. Unsure about staying or returning home, she moved to Little Rock to attend the Clinton School of Public Service. She fell in love with the state and has found a supportive community in Arkansas, balancing her...

Choosing Arkansas with Dr. Karama Neal shares stories of those who chose Arkansas as their home. In this episode, Dr. Neal talks to Jean Block, the CEO of the Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority.  

We hope these conversations inspire you to learn more about professional, educational, social and other opportunities in Arkansas, and soon, choose Arkansas for yourself! 

Send us feedback at choosingAR@gmail.com.

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Choosing Arkansas with Dr. Karama Neal shares stories of those who chose Arkansas as their home. We want to help you make the Natural State your natural choice. On today's episode, we talk to Samantha Evans about what brought her back to her home state after living away for many years. 

We hope these conversations inspire you to learn more about professional, educational, social and other opportunities in Arkansas, and soon, choose ...

Dr. Karama Neal, principal of Neal Firm, aspires to help Arkansas achieve its full potential as a place where Black people can thrive. Achieving this potential requires not only the engagement of current Black Arkansans but also the economic, social, and political involvement of Black people with ties to the state — whether it's through kinship, friendship, business, or general interest.

Facilitating this engagement and potential re...

This is part two of our dive into urban agriculture. We’re talking about how Black farmers and growers are creating solutions to the lack of healthy food options in their communities. Be sure to listen to Episode 41 with Leroi Emerson, who serves on the board for Urban Patchwork. In this episode, we’re talking to Gabriyel El-Bey, the owner and operator of Turtle Island in Little Rock, Arkansas, which is one of Urban Patchwork’s far...

This two-part episode of the Blackbelt podcast explores how Urban Patchwork, a Little Rock-based nonprofit network of farmers and backyard gardeners, aims to build a sustainable local food economy and promote interdependence among residents. In part one, we hear from LeRoi Emerson, a board member for Urban Patchwork. He joins host Adena White to talk about his passion for farming and the organization's efforts to increase access to...

We're back in the saddle! In this episode, Adena and Kara discuss the relaunch of Blackbelt Voices as a platform for authentic storytelling. After completing a Social Impact Storytelling program at Georgetown University and a fellowship with Solutions Journalism Network, Adena has come back with fresh ideas of how Blackbelt Voices can emphasize the importance of authenticity, belonging, and connection in storytelling.

Hosted b...

Adena and Kara talk to writer and self-proclaimed Wypipologist  Michael Harriot. The South Carolina native is well known for his wit, cultural commentary, and gift of mixing humor and historical context. In this episode, Michael breaks down the discipline of Wypipology, Black humor, and the story behind his coining of the phrase "invited to the cookout." (Yes, he's the one who came up with it.)

Michael is the host of the recently la...

La'Twana Scott, the owner of Sweet Mama T's in El Dorado, Arkansas, developed a reputation as a great cook at an early age. The El Dorado native enjoys cooking for people and got her start from helping her mom as a child. 

Eventually, with the help of Southern Bancorp, Scott found the perfect location for her restaurant.  Find out more about Sweet Mama T's by visiting her Facebook page. 

Season 3 of Blackbelt Voices is brought to you...

On episode 37 of Blackbelt Voices, we continue our conversation about Black food, this time focusing on barbecue. Guest Michael “Mike D” De Los Santos of North Carolina walks us through his journey of becoming an expert on the topic, which eventually led to him creating his own sauces and rubs and selling through his company, Mike D’s. 

Mike’s journey to becoming a small business owner has uplifting and heartbreaking turns, includin...

In episode 36 of Blackbelt Voices, Adena and Kara continue the conversation about Black food culture – this time from an agricultural angle. Our guest, Gerald Harris, along with his partners Derek Beasley and Gabrielle E.W. Carter (who was featured in the Netflix series High on the Hog  as well as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal)started Tall Grass Food Box, a community-supported agricultural model (CSA). 

Gerald told ...

We’re starting a new series of episodes about Black Food Culture, which is a very broad topic to tackle. It can be fun, but it is also deep. Ashante Reese, Ph.D. is a writer, teacher, and anthropologist who works at the intersection of critical food studies and Black geographies. Her latest book, “Black Food Matters: Racial Justice in the Wake of Food Justice, enters two conversations at once: one that concerns the persistent threa...

Jennifer Williams of Cleveland, Mississippi, always knew she wanted to be a teacher. When she was a girl, her favorite game was playing school.

Williams is teaching future teachers at the Cleveland Career Development and Technology Center. Once a week, her students get to serve as teacher's assistants, giving them a realistic feel of what it could be like to run a classroom. The center offers a practical learning environment designe...

On episode 33 of the Blackbelt Voices podcast, we are continuing our discussion on the Cost of Racism. This week we’re focused on building community wealth with Tim Lampkin, the CEO and founder of Higher Purpose Co., a  501(c)(3) economic justice nonprofit that supports and encourages ownership of financial, cultural, and political power in Black communities.  

Tim Lampkin, for about as long as he could remember, always had a passio...

Cheryl Hampton grew up on a farm in Marianna on the same property where her great-great-grandfather lived. He grew lots of vegetables in his garden including sweet potatoes, greens, and okra. Cheryl still lives and gardens on the property today. When her nieces and nephews come to visit she shows them everything she knows, and they’re always excited to learn.  https://blackbeltvoices.com/2021/12/28/turn-to-your-neighbor-cheryl-hamp...

Episode 31 of the Blackbelt Voices podcast begins a new series of episodes called the Cost of Racism. During the next month, we’ll dive into the ideas of economic equity and building wealth for Black communities. Today’s guest is Darrin Williams, CEO of Southern Bancorp.

Williams, who studied law and practiced as a lawyer for many years, wanted to help people understand money, climb out of poverty and bridge the racial wealth gap.

Se...

This Turn to Your Neighbor segment features Amanda Hunter, a registered nurse who lives in Central Arkansas. Amanda is very interested in exploring her family tree. She wanted to see how far she could go back into her family’s history and found  through her journey a valuable perspective she applies directly to her own life. 

Season 3 of Blackbelt Voices is brought to you by Southern Bancorp.

Southern Bancorp is one of America’s olde...

Happy Thanksgiving, Blackbelt Voices fam. In this week’s episode we’re talking about genealogy. It is part of the “Preserving our History” series. For Nicka Sewell-Smith, learning about her family history is much more than a hobby. Nicka has more than 20 years of experience as a genealogist and has learned so much about not only her own family, but also American History. We think you’ll enjoy listening to our conversation with Nick...

The Ozark Foothills African-American History Museum would not have been possible without the work of  Albessie Thompson,  the subject of this Turn to Your Neighbor segment. Born and raised in Twin Groves, Arkansas, Thompson has worked tirelessly for the past 30 years to preserve the history of her hometown. We continue the "Preserving Our History" series with a closer look at this museum in Twin Groves, Arkansas.

Find out more by vi...