From Griots to Spoken Word: The Black Storytelling Tradition

From Griots to Spoken Word: The Black Storytelling Tradition

Stories have always been more than entertainment in the African diaspora—they have been tools of survival, resistance, healing, and cultural preservation. From the griots of West Africa to modern poetry, theater, and spoken word, storytelling has carried the wisdom, struggles, triumphs, and identities of Black people across generations. In this episode of Sankofa Sessions with Kofi and Kofi, we explore the enduring power of storytelling and why it remains vital to our communities today. Joining us are Charlene Riley, Chairwoman of the Blk Virginia Theatre Alliance, arts advocate, playwright, and community activist, and Khalil Houston, writer and spoken word artist whose work challenges, inspires, and amplifies the human experience. Together, we discuss how stories preserve history, shape identity, fuel social movements, and connect generations across the diaspora. We also examine the role of artists, poets, and theater makers in ensuring that our narratives are told authentically and passed on to future generations. Whether through the stage, the page, or the spoken word, our stories continue to remind us where we've been—and help guide us toward where we're going. Join us for a powerful conversation about memory, culture, creativity, and the stories that continue to carry us forward. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2556949/support]  Every conversation is a step toward collective liberation.

Food Is Power: Health, Land & Liberation in Black America

In this episode of Sankofa Sessions with Kofi and Kofi, we sit down with urban agriculture advocate and food justice leader Duron Chavis for a powerful conversation about food, health, and survival in the Black community. From food deserts and chronic illness to urban farming and cultural healing, Duron breaks down how access to healthy food is tied to economics, race, history, and power. We also explore how communities can reclaim control through local food systems, education, and ownership. This is more than a conversation about diet—it’s a conversation about liberation. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2556949/support]  Every conversation is a step toward collective liberation.

Food is a Memory

Food is more than something you eat—it’s history, identity, and connection. In this episode of Sankofa Sessions, guest moderator Katina Moss sits down with Duron Chevis and Chef Tye Hall for Food is a Memory, a rich conversation about how cuisine carries the stories of the African diaspora across generations and borders. From ancestral roots to modern kitchens, they explore how flavors, ingredients, and traditions preserve culture, spark nostalgia, and keep heritage alive. This episode goes beyond the plate, digging into the emotional and cultural power of food—how it connects us to where we come from and shapes where we’re going. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2556949/support]  Every conversation is a step toward collective liberation.

Unlearning the Divide

In this episode of Sankofa Sessions, Kofi Annan leads a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Yawende Austin, Professor Bobby, SegeBami, and Bill McGee in Unlearning the Divide. Together, they take a hard look at the systems, stories, and lived experiences that have shaped division across communities in the African diaspora and beyond. This isn’t surface-level talk—it's an honest, necessary dialogue about how separation is learned, internalized, and reinforced over time. Each panelist brings a unique perspective, challenging assumptions and offering insight into what it really takes to move toward unity, understanding, and collective progress. This conversation pushes viewers to rethink what they’ve been taught and consider how we actively unlearn division in our own lives and communities. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2556949/support]  Every conversation is a step toward collective liberation.

Shades of Us: Confronting Colorism in the Black Community

This episode takes a hard look at colorism—one of the most persistent and uncomfortable issues within the Black community. Joined by DEI specialist Shareem Annan, who brings over 20 years of experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion work, the conversation digs into how skin tone has shaped identity, access, and perception both historically and today. From beauty standards and media representation to workplace dynamics and personal relationships, we unpack the subtle—and not so subtle—ways colorism continues to show up in our lives. Shareem offers both professional insight and real-world perspective on how these biases are formed, reinforced, and, more importantly, how they can be challenged. It’s an honest, necessary conversation about what it will take to confront colorism within our own community—and move toward something more unified, aware, and intentional. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2556949/support]  Every conversation is a step toward collective liberation.