Not Restoring a Building. Returning a Soul. | Saving the Forest Theater

Not Restoring a Building. Returning a Soul. | Saving the Forest Theater

For years, the Forest Theater stood empty. A historic landmark. A cultural icon. A reminder of what once was. Many people accepted that story. Elizabeth Wattley did not. In this Season II premiere of Making Black History Today, the President and CEO of Forest Forward joins us to discuss the effort to bring one of South Dallas' most important landmarks back to life and why the work is about much more than a building. It's about history. It's about community. It's about who gets remembered and who gets left behind. From the future of the Forest Theater to the future of South Dallas, Elizabeth shares the vision, challenges, and leadership lessons behind one of the city's most significant revitalization efforts. If you've ever wondered what it takes to preserve history while creating opportunity for the next generation, this conversation is for you. Topics include community development, historic preservation, leadership, economic opportunity, South Dallas, the Forest Theater, and the power of investing in people. Follow Making Black History Today for conversations with everyday people making an extraordinary impact.

Naomi Green: Discrimination Inside a Doctor’s Office—What No One Talks About

Naomi Green shares a firsthand experience of discrimination inside a doctor’s office and what it revealed about how bias can show up in everyday healthcare interactions. What happens when the place designed to care for you becomes the place where you feel dismissed? In this conversation on Making Black History Today, Naomi opens up about her experience and the broader questions it raises about visibility, treatment, and how different communities are heard and believed in medical spaces and beyond. We explore: * A real experience of discrimination in a healthcare setting * How bias can shape everyday interactions in medical environments * The impact of being unheard in systems designed for care * Why these conversations matter for equity, trust, and access This episode is part of an ongoing series highlighting lived experiences that often go unspoken but deeply shape how people move through the world. New episodes bi-weekly. Follow Making Black History Today for conversations with changemakers, leaders, and voices shaping culture, history, and impact.

The Truth About Being Ali's Daughter | Maryum Ali

In this special "BONUS" episode of Making Black History Today, we sit down with Maryum “May May” Ali, author, advocate, playwright, and the eldest daughter of Muhammad Ali. Maryum shares what it was really like growing up with one of the most iconic athletes in history, the lessons her father taught her about service and humanity, and why her new one-woman play, FLOAT, premiering in Dallas May 27–June 7, is deeply personal. This conversation explores legacy, Black history, storytelling, purpose, and creating positive impact beyond a famous last name. If you love powerful interviews, cultural conversations, and inspiring stories, this episode is for you. Follow Making Black History Today on Spotify, save this episode, and share it with someone who believes legacy is built through purpose, impact, and storytelling.

Only 2% of Educators Are Black Men — The Education Crisis We Ignore

In this episode of Making Black History Today, Dallas ISD Trustee Ed Turner and educator Nakia Douglas discuss what that means for students, schools, mentorship, discipline, leadership, and the future of public education. Why are so few Black men entering education? What happens when students never see themselves reflected in positions of authority and mentorship? And are we paying enough attention to the growing challenges facing students today? This conversation explores: • Economics impact on education • Representation in schools • The realities facing today’s students • Public education in Dallas • Mentorship, accountability, and leadership Hosted by Liz & Porter, Making Black History Today highlights the voices shaping culture, community, and legacy in real time. Follow, rate, and share the podcast to help amplify these conversations. #BlackMenInEducation #EducationCrisis #PublicEducation #DallasISD #MakingBlackHistoryToday#BlackLeadership

Met Gala Energy in Dallas: Black Creatives Building Fashion & Legacy

The Met Gala just declared "Fashion is Art," but in Dallas, three entrepreneurs have been living that truth long before the red carpet rolled out. This week on Making Black History Today, hosts Liz & Porter sit down with Cubby the Creator, a custom fashion designer and owner of Untamed Heart and Watch for Smiling Faces and Jasmine & Devon Carter of Balacia, whose custom fine jewelry has graced the Golden Globe Awards and the NAACP Awards. These aren't just entrepreneurs. They are artists whose work has already made it to some of the biggest stages in the world and they're just getting started. This conversation goes beyond business. It's about identity, culture, creativity, and what it actually takes to build a legacy while you're still writing the story. In this episode: • How Cubby the Creator built a custom fashion brand rooted in culture and storytelling • The story behind Untamed Heart and Watch for Smiling Faces • How Balacia's custom fine jewelry made it to the Golden Globes and NAACP Awards red carpets • What it takes to build a luxury brand from Dallas to the world stage • Navigating business, creative partnership, and personal relationships • What legacy looks like when you're still in the middle of building it Whether you're a fashion lover, a jewelry enthusiast, an entrepreneur, a creative, or someone who believes the most powerful things being built today aren't on a runway, this episode is for you. 🔔 If this episode moved you, inspired you, or made you think differently, follow Making Black History Today on Spotify so you never miss a moment of history being made. Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. Leave a rating and review, it helps more people find stories like this one. Making Black History Today documents history as it happens. New episodes every other week. Hosted by Liz & Porter | Recorded in Dallas, Texas