Between the accommodation of the Bachelor’s Degree In Happy Hour podcast, MTV Ghost: The Love Disappearedand many guest hosting gigs for ExtraTV, ESPN, and SportsCenter (to name a few), The Bachelorette‘s Rachel Lindsay has a new project under its belt: the Higher Education podcast.
As the first Black leader of the franchise, Lindsay is known for educating the audience about the racism within the Undergraduate sample, and in this podcast, is completely in his element when speaking of the problems that she and her co-host Van Lathan really matter. Of the Black culture and news, politics, sports, the duo seems to cover all the trending topic of the Black perspective in an entertaining way, often with the opposition of views that lead to the refreshing and interesting discussions.
While Higher Education this is not a Bachelor’s podcast, Lindsay and Lathan does not shy away from the topic, if it is relevant. In fact, Higher Education it is especially good for the fans that only listen to the Bachelor Nation podcasts as Outside of the Vine With Kaitlyn Bristowe or Ben and Ashley I. Almost Famous Podcast; take advantage of this opportunity to listen to the Black perspective. Lindsay occasionally bring his experience as a The Bachelorette with more insight and honesty than it ever has done before.
In the recent “Jada Pinkett and Will Smith Strange Red Table Talk” episode, Rachel revealed that she was “politely” told to change her hairstyle and remove her braids to make of the press as The Bachelorette — something that I had never heard of before. She made the transition to the discussion of the narrative of the “angry Black woman”, explaining that she hopes is starting to change as people are exposed to the problems that we face each day.
“We can now, without releasing it,” Lindsay said. “They’re not going to call us angry black women, they will say ‘I understand why you are upset and she should be angry.'”
I don’t hear this often, and it is so important to all the Black women know — angry or not — that they are allowed and justified to feel all the emotions openly. Further, not Black people give them safe spaces to do so is of vital importance. These are important conversations that everyone needs to be part of, and what makes this podcast great for people of all walks of life.
In another episode, Lindsay and Lathan determine exactly why Biden’s comments about Blacks were problematic and illustrate the importance of the Black Lives Matter protests while showing the transparent support for it. This is something I have yet to hear discussed in the mainstream news and politics podcasts. You need to listen to the culture of the podcasts like this to hear my thoughts on the news story articulated in the public eye, and for others with opposing points of view to be able to sit in on the conversation and learn more from a new perspective.
“Black on Black crime is a myth” Lathan, said in a recent episode. “It is not a real thing. It is just a crime”. They are going to explain this in rebuttal to the people who use that argument against the Black of the Life of Matter and motion defunding the police. If you are not around people with different points of view, you could easily miss these important conversations unless you are making an effort to be a part of them in other ways.
If you want to start to listen, but do not know where to begin (two new episodes a week, can add up), I suggest that you start from the beginning. When Higher Education the first was released on May 28, Lindsay and Lathan began with the most important topics of discussion that are still very relevant today. The first two episodes, “George Floyd, Doja Cat Apology, and Joe Biden’s Comments” and “The Importance of the Protests around the country On George Floyd’s Death” are essential listening.
Be part of the conversation and listen Higher Education now.
