Why We Stigmatize Others and Ourselves Without Realizing It

Why We Stigmatize Others and Ourselves Without Realizing It

What if the way we talk about people is reinforcing the very stigma we're trying to dismantle? In this conversation, Trabian Shorters introduces the concept of asset framing—a powerful approach that challenges us to define people by their aspirations and contributions before their struggles. He explains how leading with deficits shapes the brain, creates stigma, and even influences how Black communities see themselves. Teri Williams reflects on how she internalized those messages, making this a deeply personal conversation about identity, shame, and telling the whole story. Trabian Shorters  Website: trabianshorters.com [https://trabianshorters.com/] Explore more from OneUnited Bank: 🏦 Learn more: oneunited.com [https://www.oneunited.com/] 💡 Build smarter with WiseOne: oneunited.com/wiseone [https://www.oneunited.com/wiseone/] 💳 Get the Card: oneunited.com/apply [https://www.oneunited.com/apply/] Who's Your Ma' Honey?  is produced by EPYC Media Network (visit at epyc.co [https://www.epyc.co/])

10: How Asset Framing Can Transform the Way We See Black Communities | Trabian Shorters

In this episode of Who’s Your Ma Honey?, Teri Williams and Suzan McDowell welcome Trabian Shorters, who breaks down the concept of Asset Framing and why the stories we tell about ourselves shape everything. This conversation goes beyond mindset. It’s about identity, narrative, and the hidden ways we’ve been conditioned to define ourselves by struggle instead of strength. Trabian explains how stigma is created, how it impacts how we see ourselves and each other, and how shifting your internal narrative can unlock an entirely different life. KEY POINTS:  * What “asset framing” really means * How stigma is created * Why do we define ourselves by struggle * The danger of leading with deficits * How narrative shapes identity * The connection between belonging and ownership * Rewriting your internal story * Why your story determines your future QUOTES: “The stories you tell will create the life that you live.” – Trabian Shorters “You can make progress or excuses, but you can only do one at a time.” – Trabian Shorters “It’s not what people call you, it’s what you answer to.” – Trabian Shorters Trabian Shorters  Website: trabianshorters.com [https://trabianshorters.com/] Explore more from OneUnited Bank: 🏦 Learn more: oneunited.com [https://www.oneunited.com/] 💡 Build smarter with WiseOne: oneunited.com/wiseone [https://www.oneunited.com/wiseone/] 💳 Get the Card: oneunited.com/apply [https://www.oneunited.com/apply/] Who's Your Ma' Honey?  is produced by EPYC Media Network (visit at epyc.co [https://www.epyc.co/])

The $87.26 Arrest That Led to 18 Million Second Chances | Sheena Meade

After a bounced check for $87.26, Sheena Meade found herself arrested, booked, and carrying a record that would follow her for years. What began as a single mistake became a barrier to housing, employment, education, and even volunteering at her son’s school. In this conversation, Sheena shares the story behind the arrest, the moment she revisited the case while preparing for a TED Talk, and how that experience ultimately fueled her work to help clear records for nearly 18 million people across the United States. This is a conversation about second chances, systemic barriers, and what happens when one person's pain becomes a movement for millions. Sheena Meade  Website: www.sheenameade.com [https://www.sheenameade.com/] Explore more from OneUnited Bank: 🏦 Learn more: oneunited.com [https://www.oneunited.com/] 💡 Build smarter with WiseOne: oneunited.com/wiseone [https://www.oneunited.com/wiseone/] 💳 Get the Card: oneunited.com/apply [https://www.oneunited.com/apply/] Who's Your Ma' Honey?  is produced by EPYC Media Network (visit at epyc.co [https://www.epyc.co/])

9: Sheena Meade on America’s Criminal Record Crisis and the Fight for Second Chances

Today, Sheena Meade (CEO of The Clean Slate Initiative) joins Who’s Your Ma Honey? to share her story that changed everything, from being arrested over an $87 check to how that single moment exposed a system designed to keep people stuck. It highlights the millions of people living with records, stigma, and barriers that have nothing to do with who they are today. With this, Sheena’s conversation with Teri Williams and Suzan McDowell breaks down “undeserved shame” – how it is created, how it shows up in systems, and how she turned her pain into policy. This episode will shift how you think about justice, identity, and second chances. Because sometimes, the question isn’t what you did… It’s who you’re allowed to become after. KEY POINTS:  00:00 – The moment that changed everything: arrested for $87.26 05:40 – Sheena’s “My Honey”: motherhood, survival, and stigma 08:39 – Public shame vs internal truth 11:37 – Breaking generational cycles through intentional parenting 12:09 – Pain to purpose: the foundation of her life’s work 16:41 – The full arrest story: survival criminalized 21:21 – The real sentence begins after jail 23:44 – The system is built to trap, not release 28:05 – Changing the narrative around “criminals” 36:28 – Clean Slate: removing shame at scale 40:55 – The real impact: dignity restored, confidence returned QUOTES: “People don’t know the weight of having to wait.” – Sheena Meade “One out of three Americans has an arrest or conviction.” – Sheena Meade Sheena Meade  Website: www.sheenameade.com [https://www.sheenameade.com/] Explore more from OneUnited Bank: 🏦 Learn more: oneunited.com [https://www.oneunited.com/] 💡 Build smarter with WiseOne: oneunited.com/wiseone [https://www.oneunited.com/wiseone/] 💳 Get the Card: oneunited.com/apply [https://www.oneunited.com/apply/] Who's Your Ma' Honey?  is produced by EPYC Media Network (visit at epyc.co [https://www.epyc.co/])

If You Think You Have Imposter Syndrome, Guess What? You Do.

In this conversation, CEO of Black Ambition Prize Felecia Hatcher shares why high achievers often struggle to internalize their success, how shame causes us to shrink in the moments we're meant to lead, and why confidence has less to do with certainty and more to do with trust. Felecia offers a powerful reframe that may completely change the way you think about imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and the opportunities already in front of you. Felecia Hatcher  Website: feleciahatcher.com [https://www.feleciahatcher.com/] Instagram: @feleciahatcher [https://www.instagram.com/feleciahatcher/] Explore more from OneUnited Bank: 🏦 Learn more: oneunited.com [https://www.oneunited.com/] 💡 Build smarter with WiseOne: oneunited.com/wiseone [https://www.oneunited.com/wiseone/] 💳 Get the Card: oneunited.com/apply [https://www.oneunited.com/apply/] Who's Your Ma' Honey?  is produced by EPYC Media Network (visit at epyc.co [https://www.epyc.co/])