Teach the Babies w/ Dr. David J. Johns

In a moment when major media companies are bending to power and silencing truth-tellers, Joy-Ann Reid is building something different. Fresh from her historic run as cable's first Black woman to host a primetime news program, Joy joins the class to talk about getting fired on her day off, launching The Joy Ann Reid Show the very next day, and what it really means to refuse fear in the face of autocracy.

This conversation goes deep—from the behind-the-scenes call that ended The ReidOut, to standing firm when Trump targets you by name, to why your voice is th...

Councilwoman Christina Henderson breaks down what's really happening with federal occupation of DC, why National Guard troops on American streets should alarm everyone, and the pattern of attacks on Black women's leadership.

As an independent councilmember raising two Black daughters in DC, she speaks truth about local power, why your council member matters more than you think, and what she's teaching her children about resistance.

Three actions you can take: Ask your congressperson about DC statehood. Call your governor to bring troops home. Interrogate what you consume.

Required listening for anyone who cares about...

In this deeply personal and politically urgent conversation, Dr. David Johns welcomes his White House family—Deesha Dyer, former Social Secretary to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama—for a raw discussion about what we lose when power demolishes history, and what endures when community builds with intention.

Deesha takes us inside the moment she saw excavators tearing down the East Wing of the White House in October 2025—the space where she orchestrated state dinners, opened doors for people who never thought they'd walk through them, and made the People's House truly belong to the people.
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Four years after we lost Michael Kenneth Williams to an accidental overdose, his legacy continues to light the way forward. In this powerful Mental Health Awareness special, Dr. David J. Johns sits down with Dominic Dupont—Michael K's nephew and advocate carrying his uncle's torch—and Jonnel C. Doris, CEO of Startcare, the nation's oldest and largest Black-founded behavioral healthcare organization.

This isn't just a memorial. It's a call to action

Together, we explore how to break the silence, expand access to culturally responsive care, and create spaces where Black men feel safe asking for help. They...

This is a special episode of Teach the Babies.

On October 16, 2025, we celebrated 30 years since the Million Man March. To honor that anniversary, I sat down with three brothers for a conversation about what the March got right, what it got wrong, and what repair requires of us now.

You're about to hear Rev. Mark Thompson (who emceed the original 1995 March), Pastor Jamal Bryant (who's leading one of the nation's largest Black churches), and Sean Ebony Coleman (who's keeping Black trans youth alive in the Bronx) get honest about:
Where we were in 1995 and why...

Today, sitting with us in the class of someone who's been in the thick of every significant social justice movement for the past 40 years, Reverend Mark Thompson.A political, civil rights and human rights activist who's organized everything from the 1993 DC Statehood civil disobedience campaign, where he spent 20 days in jail to the upcoming 30th anniversary of The Million Man March. He's also the host of Make It Plain, a brilliant podcast, breaking Down Politics and Human Rights, and he recently authored the lead paper on DC Statehood for the State of the People Black Paper Project.

Become...

Political strategist, journalist, and co-anchor of The Signal LIVE Karen Finney joins the class fresh from co-anchoring the launch of State of the People TV with Dr. David J. Johns. Karen reveals the origin story that drives her work—carrying incarcerated teenage girls who couldn't envision a future into every room of power—and why this moment required something different: a movement disguised as media, where the answers are within our community

This conversation explores what it means to be impeccable with your word, why the fourth estate matters for democracy, and what makes this moment different. Karen brea...

Host, Dr. David J. Johns sits down with Jada Capri Ward—social justice advocate, performer, and co-host of the Relentless Love Podcast—to explore what activism looks and feels like for millennials and Gen Z. This is a conversation about being a "Zillennial" straddling two worlds, living with chronic illness while doing the work, and why our generation's digital organizing connects back to ancestral ways of resistance. Jada opens up about the fear, the fatigue, and why sometimes the most radical thing we can do is be still. Plus, she shares why leaders like Angela Rye, Brittany Packnett Cunningham, and Tami...

In this essential episode of Teach The Babies, Dr. David Johns sits down with theGrio's White House Correspondent and Managing Editor Gerren Keith Gaynor for a masterclass in journalism, media literacy, and democracy protection. From becoming the first Black-owned digital news correspondent in the White House briefing room to breaking down the critical difference between journalists and influencers, Gerren shares invaluable insights on navigating our current "infodemic." This conversation explores how disinformation campaigns target Black communities, the vital role of Black-owned media in countering false narratives, and practical media literacy skills every person needs in 2025. A must-listen for educators, advocates...

In this powerful follow-up conversation, education equity consultant Nancy Hanks returns to discuss how educators, parents, and allies can navigate the dramatically shifted educational landscape under current federal policies.

Nancy provides unflinching analysis of the psychosocial toll on educators of color while offering concrete strategies for micro-recovery and sustained resistance. She shares specific questions parents should ask schools to maintain equity pressure using plain language, challenges white educators to step up as agitators, and reminds us all why ancestral wisdom is essential for this moment.

From practical advice about red flags in school environments to the...

While politicians push federal funding to arm teachers, Chris Chatmon and Kingmakers of Oakland (KOO) are arming Black children with something far more powerful: creativity, culture, and community. In this deeply moving conversation, Chris returns to discuss how creative expression becomes resistance, why drumming circles counter deficit narratives, and how his organization builds what children need while others tear systems down. From table drums made to deepen intersectional connections to animation studios producing counter-narratives, this is education as liberation—and it's happening right now in Oakland.

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Dr. Karida Brown drops receipts on the 150-year battle for Black educational freedom in America. From the original "diss track" between W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington to today's attacks on the Department of Education, she connects the dots between Jim Crow schools and modern-day educational warfare.

Learn why your parents' generation had to desegregate schools as children, how billionaire philanthropists shaped Black education in boardrooms, and why "small acts fall big trees" when it comes to resistance. Dr. Brown's book "Battle for the Black Mind" isn't just history—it's a playbook for fighting educational in...

Welcome back to class! In this powerful episode of Teach the Babies, Dr. David J. Johns teaches a transformative lesson about Black August—a month of revolutionary love, principled resistance, and the long arc of our freedom struggle.

From the prison walls where George Jackson was politicized and assassinated in 1971, to the contemporary attacks on Black mayors like Muriel Bowser and Karen Bass in 2025, Dr. Johns connects the dots between historical resistance and today's freedom fights. This isn't just Black history - it's Black present.

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What does it mean to stand on business when it comes to our babies' education? Drin Kelly and Stevie Elem-Rogers, co-founders of BE NOLA (Black Education for New Orleans), join Dr. David J. Johns for a powerful conversation about building Black educational excellence in the Crescent City and beyond.From Hurricane Katrina's aftermath to creating "hush harbors" for Black educators, these truth-tellers share why "race-neutral solutions will not transform race-based inequities." Stevie opens up about her "Black Women Are for Grown Ups" platform, while Drin reminds us to "make the community the curriculum."This episode is packed with gems about...

Today we're diving deep into a conversation that has been decades in the making. You know, sometimes the universe brings people together at precisely the right moment, and today feels like one of those moments. I'm here with Tourmaline. An Artivist, an activist, a filmmaker, and now the author of what I can only describe as a groundbreaking biography, Marsha, the Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson.

Tourmaline reminds us that Marsha P. Johnson didn't wait for permission to exist—and neither should we. If you've ever wondered what real Pride looks like beyond corporate rainbow flags—star...

Political strategist DeJuana Thompson has engaged 2+ million Black voters through her revolutionary organizing approach. From leading the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute to founding Woke Vote and spearheading the State of the People movement, she shares how centering marginalized communities changes everything.DeJuana explains why she focuses on "zero propensity" voters others ignore, her philosophy of meeting people's immediate needs first, and the difference between resistance and existence. She reveals lessons from preserving civil rights history while building modern movements, plus her work responding to current legislative threats.A powerful conversation about grassroots organizing, radical collaboration, and why "the people on...

Today we're diving deep into something that touches every single one of our lives, but that many of us don't always take the time to understand fully... the US census, and we're exploring it through the lens of someone who embodies the intersections of data democracy and artistic expression.

Today's classroom guest is Larry Carter II, a former project manager at the US Census Bureau, who built partnerships to ensure historically under-counted communities are both seen and heard. But Larry isn't just about numbers. He's also a recording artist whose R&B work was considered for a Grammy...

State Senator Shevrin Jones and Representative Michele Rayner take us inside "Alligator Alcatraz," Florida's controversial immigration detention center, sharing firsthand accounts of what they witnessed. From the Supreme Court's dismantling of the Department of Education to the political takeover of HBCUs, these two trailblazing Black queer legislators reveal how Florida has become a testing ground for authoritarian policies spreading nationwide. With raw honesty, they discuss leading while broken, the power of walking in your convictions, and why "the Constitution does not coronate kings." A urgent conversation about resistance, democracy, what it means to sacrifice in service of the people and...

Dr. David J. Johns sits down with activist, educator, and UNDISTRACTED host Brittany Packnett Cunningham—not just as colleagues, but as family. Fresh from her address to 20,000 members of Delta Sigma Theta and her leadership of the multi-day "State of the People" telethon, Brittany breaks down how we're navigating this political moment where children are detained in facilities nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz" and climate disasters meet federal abandonment.From the intersection of immigration and Black liberation to teaching the next generation about democracy defense, this is an urgent conversation about connection, community care, and what it takes to build the world ou...

We are so excited to have our sister Caya Lewis Atkins, stopping by the class today. Caya is the founding principal of global DC Strategies and her resume reads like a masterclass of health equity Advocacy. Her early days at NAACP Health Division to literally being in the room where the Affordable Care Act was drafted and implemented to her more recent work as Chief Advisor for Policy and Strategy at Health and Human Services, office of Global Affairs. At the Global Fund fighting hiv, aids, tuberculosis, and malaria and zombie, and other places throughout the world, this sister has...

Dr. David J. Johns examines what July 4th truly means for Black Americans in 2025. Drawing from Frederick Douglass's historic speech, Dr. Johns exposes how we're living under a "tyranny of the minority" where democratic institutions suppress the people's will. From the erasure of 2020's racial reckoning to nationwide Juneteenth cancellations, this episode reveals how performative allyship crumbles when real commitment is required. Dr. Johns calls for collective liberation rooted in African ways of community building, emphasizing that our freedom has always come from organized power, not appeals to oppressors.

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Join Dr. David Johns for a powerful conversation with Kenya Hutton, President and CEO of the Center for Black Equity, as they explore the intersections of Black pride, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and community building. From the origins of Black Pride in Washington, DC, to the life-saving power of ballroom culture, Kenya shares his journey from bartender to movement leader, revealing how safe spaces and chosen family can transform lives.

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Today I'm in conversation with the brilliant Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw—legal scholar, civil rights advocate, chief architect of Critical Race Theory. 

From her parents' kitchen table discussions that shaped her critical consciousness, to her groundbreaking work challenging legal institutions, to founding the African American Policy Forum, Professor Crenshaw has spent decades translating academic theory into tools for resistance. 

In this powerful conversation, we explore what it means to be "a born back talker," why pivoting away from our truth won't save us, and how we can resist critically—and in community—during these challenging times. Enjoy!

"The time for studies that lead to inaction is over. The time for reparative justice is now." Those aren't just words—they're a battle cry from our movement. In this episode, we dive deep into reparations with two of the movement's most powerful voices: Dr. Marcus Anthony Hunter, author of "Radical Reparations" and NBJC board member, and Dreisen Heath, founder of the Why We Can't Wait National Reparations Coalition. We're talking about Maryland's vetoed reparations bill, federal momentum, Equity Week, and how we currently organize for justice in the movement. This conversation is timely and important because, when they come fo...

Today, we're traveling to Tulsa, Oklahoma - not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually - to commemorate one of the most devastating acts of domestic terrorism in American history: the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. #WordsMatter.  I want to be clear about the language we use - this wasn't a "race riot." This was a massacre. This was domestic terrorism. This was a coordinated attack on Black wealth, Black success, and Black lives.

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In this heartfelt episode of "Teach the Babies," host Dr. David Johns welcomes friends, activists, and thought leaders Brittany Packnett Cunningham and Jovian Zayne Peters for an intimate conversation about Black motherhood, community building, and raising children with purpose.

The conversation delves into Black mothers' challenges in healthcare systems, the importance of partners who show up fully, and the wisdom passed down through generations. Both women offer powerful insights on raising children who are compassionate, confident, and deeply connected to their cultural heritage.

This episode stands as a testament to the strength of Black motherhood and...

In this rich conversation, Eboni takes us on her journey from a young girl who was "playing president, not playing with baby dolls," to a woman who discovered that motherhood could be her unexpected mojo pouch – that sacred vessel of African protection and power. She shares how choosing motherhood on her own terms has expanded rather than limited her options, and why she refuses to do anything "by committee" – whether it's integrating the cast of Real Housewives of New York or raising our daughter Liberty Alexandria.

We explore how Eboni draws and respects her boundaries in spaces where she...

In this soul-nourishing episode of "Teach the Babies," host Dr. David Johns sits down with doula, author, and maternal health advocate Latham Thomas, founder of Mama Glow. Together, they explore the revolutionary act of reclaiming birth as a sacred, communal experience deeply rooted in ancestral wisdom.

Latham shares her journey to becoming a doula after her own transformative birth experience, which led her to create Mama Glow, an organization that has trained over 3,000 doulas nationwide. In a healthcare system where Black women face dramatically higher maternal mortality rates, Latham's work stands as both resistance and restoration.

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In this profoundly personal season opener, host David Johns sits down with his first teacher—his mother, Edith Johns—to explore the foundations of advocacy, resilience, and love. Mama Johns shares her journey from experiencing childhood trauma to becoming a fierce advocate for her children, fighting educational injustice with lawyers in tow when necessary. With remarkable candor, she discusses her path to acceptance, the challenges of single motherhood, and her recent discovery of peace at age 68.

This conversation starts our season 'Rooted Resistance: Ancestral Wisdom for Revolutionary Times,' centered on lessons from mothers and maternal figures who've shap...

In this season finale of Teach The Babies, Dr. David J. Johns welcomes power couple Michelle Molitor and Caroline Hill for a profound conversation about the revolutionary potential of community. These visionary educators and equity champions share their journey from meeting in a principal training program to becoming partners in both purpose and love. Together, they explore how to "flatten hierarchies without flattening people" and remind us that in times of political uncertainty, our collective power remains undiminished.

This capstone conversation weaves together the season's central themes: the courage to dream in Afrofuturistic colors, the necessity of equitable...

I bet cash, US dollars, that you’ve heard “Don’t Say Gay,” but have you met the leader behind the truth-anchored reframing of a Florida bill (HB 1577) designed to prevent us from honoring that people be gay (in my Quinta Brunson voice). Civil Rights activist Nadine Smith stops by class to talk about how much we’ve gained in the fights for racial equity and LGBTQ+ equality, why she founded Equality Florida, a statewide advocacy organization she continues to lead, in 1997, and she drops gems to help us all get closer to freedom including the importance of returning home to lead an...

Leave it to the babies to stop by class to teach us the importance of staying woke. Hobbes Chukumba is a STEAM-loving scholar who helped organize the national trans prom when he was sixteen. Hobbes and his father, Stephen, provide a master class on the importance of sacrificing to do our part so that the opposition does not win and the importance of appreciating one another’s humanity. They want us to remember that when we come together, there’s nothing we can’t do and provide tangible strategies to get closer to freedom and center joy in the process.
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Daniel Trujillo is a seventeen-year-old Chicano high school student from Tucson, Arizona, who is most known for being one of the creators and four organizers of Trans Prom. He’s been advocating for trans rights for most of his young life. Daniel and his rockstar momadvocate stop by the class to talk about the toll that forced political interruptions take on a family, the importance of supporting trans joy in action, and what it's like to be required to teach your peers while trying to be educated at school.

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What do you know about trans joy? On this podcast episode, we’re joined by Vanessa Ford, an award-winning educator, author, and parent and Rebecca Kling, an educator, organizer, storyteller, and advocate for social change. The two talk about their collaboration to publish “The Advocate Educator’s Handbook: Creating Schools Where Transgender and Non-Binary Students Thrive” and the lessons they’ve learned working with educators, parents, and adults to encourage expansive resistance, remembering the importance of community and the politics of passing. 

Trump Is Rolling Back Protections for Transgender Students. What Educators Can Do https://www.edweek.org/leadership...

Rainbow In Black is a non-profit organization that provides unwavering support, resources, and advocacy for Black families of transgender and gender-diverse youth. Sonia Murphy and Keisha Bell, two of the organization's three founders and operators, join the class to discuss the importance of creating community, advocating and showing up for all the babies, and addressing church hurt and hypocrisy.  They remind us that acceptance does not require understanding, break down what “gender diverse” means, and talk about organizations like Gender Cool that work alongside Rainbow In Black and NBJC to ensure that YOU have everything you need so we all get f...

If you’re still thinking about the significance of home or getting a DNA test to know where your people are from, this episode is for YOU. Dr. Gina Paige, co-founder of African Ancestry Inc., joined the class to discuss the company's pioneering efforts to ensure African descendants throughout the diaspora are empowered with information about the communities we come from and can contribute to, what distinguishes them from other companies that profit from selling our genetic information while also lacking the range to provide us with meaningful information in the exchange, and the power we can draw from having me...

Are you at the point where you’re ready to flip tables? If not, what will it take for you to grow there? Our sister, Alencia Johnson, the self-proclaimed accidental entrepreneur, stops by the class to talk to us about the lessons learned from producing her debut novel, “Flip The Tables, a guide for everyday disruptors to find the courage, disrupt the status quo and create a better world, right where they are.” We discuss what she learned working on four presidential election campaigns, creating the “Stand With Black Women” branding and framework at Planned Parenthood, how the personal is political...

Andre 3000 told us the South has something to say, and Dr. Christina Greer wants us to heed the lessons that Black women political leaders from the South are teaching us. Dr. Greer stops by the class to talk about her latest publication, “How to Build a Democracy. From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams,” and what it means to grow beyond fear, to build upon foundations established by our ancestors, being prepared to thrive at Historically White Colleges and Universities, the importance of political tithing and not waiting for America to grow up fully–she may never.