The R.E.A.L. Roots & Resilience Podcast

The PAIN You Didn't Ask For Has a Purpose...Here's WHY | Rev. Dr. Odell Montgomery Cooper

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2329020/fan_mail/new] In this powerful and deeply moving episode of The R.E.A.L. Roots & Resilience Podcast, we sit down with Rev. Dr. Odell Montgomery Cooper—author, speaker, and founder of Interruptions Without Walls—for a conversation that is as heartbreaking as it is transformative. Dr. Cooper shares her personal journey through unimaginable loss following the tragic death of her son, and how that pain became the catalyst for purpose. Through her books Interruptions and Letters to My Son, she offers a raw and honest look at grief, faith, and the process of rebuilding after life-altering trauma. This episode goes beyond storytelling—it’s a call to action. We explore the importance of breaking generational cycles of trauma, creating space for honest conversations, and confronting the emotional patterns that keep us stuck. Dr. Cooper challenges us to stop avoiding the hard truths and instead lean into healing, accountability, and growth. If you’ve ever faced loss, questioned your purpose, or struggled to make sense of pain—this conversation will meet you exactly where you are. Because sometimes, the pain you didn’t ask for… becomes the purpose you were meant to walk in. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2329020/support]

What Started This Podcast Will Surprise You...

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2329020/fan_mail/new] "Say The Thing Outloud: Behind Our Why"  goes beyond the mic and into the story behind the story. 🎙️ In this exclusive behind-the-scenes episode of Our Why, we open up in a deeper, more personal way—sharing the experiences, moments, and truths that shaped each of us. This is where the mission becomes real, and the roots of R.E.A.L. Roots & Resilience come to life. If you connected with Episode 1, this is where you’ll truly understand why we do this work. #REALRootsAndResilience #OurWhy #BehindTheScenes #PodcastJourney #Storytelling #HealingThroughStory #KnowYourRoots Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2329020/support]

She Took on Harvard for Her Ancestors! Tamara Lanier

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2329020/open_sms] What happens when one woman challenges one of the most powerful universities in the world to reclaim her family’s stolen history? Tamara Lanier shares the powerful story behind her fight with Harvard to honor the humanity and legacy of her ancestors. In this powerful episode, Tamara reveals the deeply personal journey that began with a family story and led to a historic legal battle with Harvard University over the earliest known photographs of enslaved people—images of her ancestors, Renty and his daughter Delia. What started as a search for truth became a courageous stand for dignity, recognition, and justice. Tamara speaks about the emotional weight of uncovering her lineage, confronting institutions that have historically controlled and profited from Black bodies and narratives, and the determination it takes to restore humanity to those whose lives were reduced to objects of study. Her story is not just about the past—it is about reclaiming identity, protecting ancestral memory, and ensuring that the voices of our ancestors are finally heard. This episode is about truth, justice, memory, and the ongoing work of restoring dignity to the stories that history tried to erase. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2329020/support]

Did the Church Sell Slaves? Rochell Sanders Prater of Descendants United

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2329020/fan_mail/new] Rochell Sanders Prater is the Executive Director of Descendants United, formerly known as the GU272 Descendants Association. Rochell is the great-granddaughter of Jackson Hawkins, who was just three years old when he was forced aboard the Katherine Jackson, one of the ships that carried 272 enslaved people from Maryland to Louisiana in 1838. These men, women, and children were owned by the Jesuits of the Catholic Church, who sold them from the Georgetown University plantation missions to keep the institution from closing. It’s a story that’s been told in national headlines — but today, we’ll hear it from Rochell’s heart. Before learning this history, Rochell endured deep personal loss and grief — even thoughts of ending her life. But uncovering her family’s story gave her purpose, faith, and life again. Today, we hold space for her to share how remembering her ancestors became her redemption. #RochellSandersPrater, #JesuitSlaveSale, #1838JesuitSale, #GU272, #GeorgetownSlavery, #BlackHistory, #AfricanAmericanHistory, #HiddenHistory, #UntoldHistory, #ChurchAndSlavery, #FaithAndJustice, #BlackGenealogy, #KnowYourHistory, #AncestralHealing, #FamilyRoots, #PodcastInterview, #HistoryPodcast Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2329020/support]

Your Ancestors Have a Message! | Dr. Lakara Foster

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2329020/fan_mail/new] This episode explores the intersection of grief, spirituality, and ancestral connection through the lens of psychic mediumship and ministry. The R.E.A.L. Roots & Resilience podcast welcomes Dr. Lakara Foster — psychic medium, minister, and author of The Mourning After. Together, the hosts and guests examine how spiritual gifts, sacred contracts, and faith help reconstruct life after loss. Together, we destigmatize intuitive gifts in the Black community, illuminate grief as a sacred teacher, and encourage listeners to embrace surrender, self-care, and spiritual renewal. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2329020/support]