In the summer heat of 2020, America is embroiled in a crisis. Though public protests over the fatal police shootings of un-armed Black men and women are not an unfamiliar occurrence, this time is different. Millions watch George Floyd’s murder in real time. The viral video capturing this horrific event, mobilizes the multi-racial and multi-generational masses, amplifying the cry for justice. It’s clear, these cries will not be muffled by the cacophony of a fresh news cycle. Before, during and after the Derek Chauvin trial, people talked and needed to be heard. They’re still talking, but where do we go from here? And how do African Americans cope with the daily trauma of systemic racism?
Yeah, it’s Like That is our weekly podcast. We focus on critically important solutions-based conversations about race, from a diverse group of thought leaders, influencers, educators, historians and mental health experts…with the aim of examining the psychological consequences of enduring racial trauma. The dialogue doesn’t just address the existence of systemic racism in America—it also acknowledges the painful ubiquitous experiences for African Americans and the often-debilitating long term effects on the mental and physical health of those forced to navigate them daily. The takeaway—coping tools for self-care, reconnecting mind, body and soul and reassurance that it is possible to overcome these painful stressors and their ramifications.
Yeah, it’s Like That, is a poignant examination of what divides us, what unites us, and how we can heal a broken nation. Compelling and timely, each episode takes the listener on a journey of healing and understanding, while peeling away the veneer of America’s paradoxical history, tied to slavery. Uncomfortable and necessary conversations. Wounds don’t heal, until they’re exposed. Yeah, it’s like that—but it doesn’t have to be.
Felicia Middlebrooks is a veteran journalist, trailblazer and game changer. A seven-time Edward R. Murrow Excellence in Journalism award recipient, Middlebrooks was the first woman and first African American in the nation to co-anchor Morning Drive News for CBS Radio. She is the recipient of scores of accolades for domestic and international reporting, including four Associated Press Best Reporter Awards. Middlebrooks is Principal of Saltshaker Productions, a multi-media company with offices in Chicago and Los Angeles.
After decades of award-winning storytelling, she decided to re-wire in the Spring of 2020, to run her production company full time. Her documentary film Somebody’s Child: The Redemption of Rwanda, earned the Best Documentary Short award at the New York International Film and Video Festival. The film shot on location in Rwanda, Africa chronicles the aftermath of the bloody 1994 genocide that killed a million people. Middlebrooks has received numerous awards for her humanitarian work in Rwanda and Uganda, and for her reporting in Haiti and Cuba.
Middlebrooks earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications from Purdue University. As an adjunct professor, she taught Broadcast Journalism at Purdue and DePaul Universities. She studied abroad in The Czech Republic and Germany as she worked to earn her MBA from Purdue. She also has a degree in Film from Flashpoint College in Chicago, a Campus of Columbia College Hollywood.
Chrystina Head Podcast Producer Yeah, it’s Like That
Chrystina Head brings a wealth of experience to Saltshaker Productions. She is an Emmy nominated veteran journalist who has anchored and reported television news for Fox, CBS and NBC affiliates across the country. As a reporter, Head quickly gained a reputation for being first on the scene for breaking news and for enterprising news stories. She’s won kudos for her skillful interviews, and she’s covered everything from the Masters Golf Tournament to President Obama’s presidential campaign. Head earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Valparaiso University, with a concentration in Broadcast Journalism.
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