Noliwe Rooks is a widely esteemed author and chair of Africana Studies at Brown University. A passionate advocate for education equality, Dr. Rooks has focused much of her work on the challenges that poor and African American communities face, particularly within the American public education system.

In this episode, Dr. Rooks talks about her family’s experiences with education inequality, its broader cultural context and impact, and the role that family and community play in fostering success at school.

Sampha is a leading British singer-songwriter and producer within the neo-soul and alternative R&B scenes, his music a seductive blend of meditative, confessional lyrics and intricate, genre-spanning production. Active since the mid-2000s, he’s well known for his collaborations with artists like Solange Knowles, Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean, Drake, and many others; a songwriter in his own right, his debut solo album, “Process,” won England’s prestigious Mercury Prize for best album in 2017.

In this episode, Sampha discusses fatherhood, family dynamics, and the images that inspired his second album, “Lahai.” He also speaks openly about trusting his intuition in art and life.

Suzan-Lori Parks is an American playwright, screenwriter, and novelist. Parks was the first African American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in Drama with her 2002 play, “Topdog/Underdog,” and in 2023, she was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.

In this episode, Parks discusses her bold idea to write a one-act play each day for an entire year. She shares her views on storytelling, resilience, and family, and she breaks out her guitar to give a sample of one of her original songs.