Rethinking Freedom

In 1862, Robert Smalls was enslaved. Thirteen years later, he was a member of the United States Congress.

Reconstruction was the closest America had ever come to a democracy for all of its people. Black men voted, wrote new state constitutions, and won office by the hundreds, building public schools that served Black and white children alike. Then, in 1874, a midterm election, a bad economy, a tired public, and organized terror at the polls began to bring it all down.

On this episode of Rethinking Freedom, attorney, author, and educator Aya Fubara Eneli argues that Reconstruction...

Data centers are coming to Texas fast, and they need massive amounts of land, water, and power. Who decides where they go? Who pays when your electric bill rises? And who will speak for your community when the deals are made?

On this Indigenous Peoples' Day episode of Rethinking Freedom, host Aya Fubara Eneli sits down with Amelia Rabroker, candidate for Texas House District 55, and Justin Early, candidate for U.S. Congress in Texas District 31, for a straight-talk conversation about their platforms, their priorities, and where they stand on one of the biggest land and resource questions...

In this episode of Rethinking Freedom, attorney Aya Fubara Eneli traces the legal history of race in America from colonial Virginia in 1662, through the 15th Amendment and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, to the Supreme Court’s 2026 voting-rights ruling, racial gerrymandering, and the fight over Black political power today.

From slave laws to voting maps, the issue has always been bigger than one election: who gets represented, who gets protected, and who gets to decide what the Constitution means?

🗳️ Texas voters:
Early voting: October 19–30
Election Day: November 3, 2026
Check your registration and sample ballot at...

Trump threatened to "annihilate" Iran from the UN podium. Lula said "Brazil does not fit into anyone's backyard." What the rest of the world said back at the 81st UN General Assembly, and why it matters to you.

Premieres Monday, September 28, 2026 at 7:00 AM Central

Aya Fubara Eneli is joined by Adesoji Iginla, host of Africa News Review on the Adesoji Speaks Knowledge YouTube channel. Together they look at the United Nations at 81: why it was built, who it left out, how Washington is pulling it apart from the inside, and how leaders from Africa, the...

Educator and biblical scholar Gilbert Richards joins young thinker Kene Eneli for an intergenerational conversation about God, Christianity, and faith. Together, they wrestle with the contradictions within Christianity and explore what it means to understand and practice faith as men of African descent.

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In one week, three moments in Black history — 68 years apart — collide on the calendar. The Civil Rights Act of 1957. The Little Rock Nine. The 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. All three come back to the same fight: who gets to vote, who enforces that right, and who has tried to violently stop it.

That fight isn't history. It's happening in the U.S. Senate right now.
In this episode of Rethinking Freedom, we trace the full arc — from Reconstruction to Shelby County v. Holder to the current fight over the SAVE Act and mid-decade redistricting — and brea...

US elections 2026: Your vote connects the fight over district maps to decisions about schools, healthcare, and your family’s future. So what’s at stake—and what can you do before November 3?

In “The Vote Is a Weapon,” Rethinking Freedom host Aya Fubara Eneli examines Texas gerrymandering, voting rights, and the policy decisions shaping everyday life. She connects the headlines, examines the records, and makes the case for using your vote.

IN THIS EPISODE:
• Texas redistricting, racial gerrymandering challenges, and the Supreme Court’s role
• Religion in public school classrooms
• ICE enforcement and racial profili...

Texas book bans, school vouchers, and the Ten Commandments in every classroom — this is the fight for the future of Texas public education, and it's happening right now in Bell County.

Vouchers. The Ten Commandments in every classroom. A Bible-infused curriculum. School chaplains replacing licensed counselors. And now, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick threatening to strip a full letter grade off any school district that won't ban the "wrong" books.

In this episode of Rethinking Freedom, host Aya Fubara Eneli traces the throughline from historic anti-literacy laws, Jim Crow's underfunded classrooms, and apartheid's Bantu Education Act to...

What does success actually look like for our children — and how do we help them get there?

In this episode of Rethinking Freedom, host Aya Fubara Eneli sits down with three powerhouse guests to dig into what it really takes to set our kids up for academic success: not just good grades, but a genuine curiosity and love of learning.

We cover: 
✅ How parents actually define "success" — and the gap between what we say we want and what the data shows we reward 
✅ Building routines that support learning, starting from infancy 
✅ Recognizing and addressin...

Who failed our kids, and what will it take to fix America’s education crisis?

In 2024, 70% of U.S. fourth graders scored below proficient in reading. For Black fourth graders, that number rose to 84%. This is bigger than test scores. It is a crisis in Black education, literacy, parent involvement, public schools, student accountability, and community responsibility.

In this episode of Rethinking Freedom, host Aya Fubara Eneli brings together three educators and community advocates for a direct conversation about one difficult question:

Who is responsible for our children’s education?

Is it t...

He spent 49 years in prison for something the state never wanted the country to fully understand. Now he's telling the whole story.

Our Black August episode hit 17,000 views in 48 hours — because this history isn't just history. It's still happening. So we went back for the conversation the moment demanded: a full sit-down with Jalil Muntaqim.

At 16, he joined the Black Panther Party. At 19, he was captured — one week after George Jackson was killed at San Quentin. What followed was 49 years as a political prisoner, 11 parole denials, and a life spent organizing from inside a cell most...

What is Black August, and why has it become one of the most significant traditions of remembrance and resistance in the Black freedom struggle?

In this special episode of Rethinking Freedom, I explore the origins of Black August, its historical roots, and why it continues to be commemorated around the world. We examine the lives and sacrifices of those whose struggles helped shape this tradition and discuss why the movement to support incarcerated activists remains as relevant today as ever.

This episode explores:

* The origins and meaning of Black August
* George Jackson...

What does it mean to get into “good trouble” in today’s America?

In this episode of Rethinking Freedom, we examine recent federal and Texas legislation and the real-world consequences these policies have for millions of Americans. From voting rights and education to healthcare, the economy, and civil liberties, we explore how laws passed by elected officials shape our daily lives and determine who benefits and who bears the burden.

This conversation is not about political parties. It is about accountability. Democracy works best when informed citizens pay attention, understand the impact of public policy, and us...

What does it mean to truly come home? In this episode of Rethinking Freedom, we sit down with Nannette Atuahene — the first in her lineage to be born and raised in the United States — who made a permanent move from California to Ghana in 2022, returning to the homeland of her parents.
As we mark this 250-year moment for African Americans, we explore freedom not just as a legal status, but as reconnection — to land, to lineage, to self. Nannette shares her journey across the ocean, what “returning” really means, and how her coaching work helps African Diasporan professionals live life...

Most of us were taught that segregation in America happened by accident - that it was simply the result of personal prejudice or private choice. It wasn't. It was the law.

In this episode of Rethinking Freedom, part of our summer series The Other Side of Freedom: USA at 250, host Aya Fubara Eneli sits down with Richard Rothstein, author of the landmark book The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America.

Rothstein pulls back the curtain on how federal, state, and local governments deliberately used zoning laws, public housing policy...

We were taught to stand for the anthem, place a hand over our heart for the pledge, and treat July 4th as the day freedom began. But who wrote these symbols — and who were they actually written for?

In this hour-long special, we read the entire Declaration of Independence out loud, start to finish, before breaking down what it actually says, what got cut from early drafts, and who it left out entirely. Then we trace the same pattern through the national anthem's forgotten third verse, the surprising commercial origin of the Pledge of Allegiance, an...

We're taught that American democracy was built on liberty and self-governance. But what if it was actually built on two erasures at once — the enslavement of African peoples and the dispossession of Indigenous nations — happening together, by design?

In this episode of Rethinking Freedom: The Other Side of Freedom, part of our USA at 250 summer series, we sit down with historian Dr. Kyle T. Mays — an Afro-Indigenous (African American and Saginaw Chippewa) scholar at UCLA — to talk about his landmark book, An Afro-Indigenous History of the United States (Beacon Press).

We dig into the arguments that mak...

In this episode of Rethinking Freedom, part of our summer series The Other Side of Freedom: USA at 250, we sit down with historian Dr. Cynthia E. Orozco, author of No Mexicans, Women, or Dogs Allowed: The Rise of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement — the first scholarly history of LULAC, the League of United Latin American Citizens.

Dr. Orozco is the National LULAC Historian and Professor Emeritus of History and Humanities at Eastern New Mexico University. She is also the author of Agent of Change: Adela Sloss-Vento, Mexican American Civil Rights Activist and Texas Feminist and Pi...

Juneteenth began in Galveston, Texas, but the story beneath June 19, 1865 is deeper than most Americans are taught.

This week on Rethinking Freedom, I sit down with Anthony Paul Griffin — attorney, writer, and author of The Water Cries — for a powerful conversation about memory, justice, and what it truly means to be free.

For over three decades, Griffin tried high-profile cases that tested the limits of constitutional principle. He has written about Black cowboys in Texas, Gulf Coast foodways, and the stories that official history leaves out. Now, in The Water Cries, he turns his gaze towa...

What if the American Revolution was not simply a struggle for liberty and independence? What if preserving slavery was one of the driving forces behind the break from Britain?

Join us on Rethinking Freedom as we continue our special summer series, The Other Side of History: America at 250, with renowned historian, author, and scholar Dr. Gerald Horne. In this thought-provoking conversation, we examine his groundbreaking book, The Counter-Revolution of 1776: Slave Resistance and the Origins of the United States of America.

Dr. Horne challenges one of the most cherished narratives in American history, arguing that many...

THE OTHER SIDE OF FREEDOM (Part 2): UNTOLD HISTORIES OF THE U.S. AT 250  | Featuring E.R. Bills 

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, whose stories are celebrated—and whose stories remain buried beneath the surface of official history?

In part 2 of our discussion, host Aya Fubara Eneli sits down with acclaimed Texas journalist and author E.R. Bills to discuss his gripping book, Tell-Tale Texas.

Together, they explore the hidden, unsettling, and often forgotten stories that shaped Texas and the nation—stories of racial violence, injustice, corruption, resistance, disappearances, massacres, and the pe...

THE OTHER SIDE OF FREEDOM: UNTOLD HISTORIES OF THE U.S. AT 250Summer Series Kickoff | Featuring E.R. Bills

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, whose stories are celebrated—and whose stories remain buried beneath the surface of official history?

In this powerful kickoff episode of Rethinking Freedom’s summer series, The Other Side of Freedom: Untold Histories of the U.S. at 250, host Aya Fubara Eneli sits down with acclaimed Texas journalist and author E.R. Bills to discuss his gripping book, Tell-Tale Texas.

Together, they explore the hidden, unsettling, and...

What happens when Black political power begins to rise in America?

History gives us the answer:
Backlash.

In this explosive episode of Rethinking Freedom, host Aya Fubara Eneli sits down with community activist Dr. Rodney Duckett to expose the long history of white resistance to Black political advancement — from Reconstruction to Jim Crow, from voter suppression to modern redistricting battles happening across the United States today.

This conversation pulls no punches.

Together, we examine how fear of Black political influence has shaped American laws, elections, media narratives, policing, education, and de...

Mother’s Day didn’t begin with flowers, cards, or brunch.

It began with war, grief, organizing, and resistance.

In this powerful episode of Rethinking Freedom, we uncover the true origins of Mother’s Day—from Ann Reeves Jarvis organizing mothers during the American Civil War, to Julia Ward Howe calling for mothers to unite against war, to Anna Jarvis fighting the commercialization of the very holiday she created.

But we don’t stop there.

This episode centers the global power of motherhood—from African traditions where Nneka means “Mother is greater”, to I...

What happens when the right to vote is no longer protected—but quietly weakened?

In this powerful episode of Rethinking Freedom, we confront the ongoing fight for Black voting rights in America—from Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Movement to today’s legal battles over redistricting and representation.

This is not just history. This is happening now.

We break down:
• The true history of the Black vote in the United States  
• How voter suppression has evolved—from Jim Crow to modern-day tactics  
• The impact of key Supreme Court decisions like Shelby County v...

What does it take to move from awareness to real change?

In Part 2 of this urgent and necessary conversation, Rethinking Freedom goes deeper—beyond naming the crisis to confronting its roots and building pathways toward healing, accountability, and transformation.

This episode brings together powerful voices committed to truth, restoration, and the protection of Black women and girls. Together, we examine not only the patterns of violence, but the cultural, psychological, and spiritual conditions that allow it to persist—and what it will take to break them.

Featured Guests:

Gilbert Richards
Born...

What are we missing when we call these tragedies “isolated incidents”?

In this powerful and necessary episode of Rethinking Freedom, Aya Fubara Eneli confronts the growing pattern of homicide-suicides involving women—particularly Black women—and places these tragedies within a broader global and systemic context.

From recent cases to the staggering reality that 51,000 women and girls were killed by intimate partners or family members in 2023, this episode challenges us to move beyond headlines and ask deeper questions about power, patriarchy, mental health, and accountability.

This is not just a conversation—it is a call to aw...

What does power really look like inside the justice system—and who does it truly serve?

In this thought-provoking episode of Rethinking Freedom, Aya Fubara Eneli sits down with Judge Darrell Jordan, former Harris County Criminal Court Judge and candidate for Harris County District Clerk, for a candid and layered conversation about the intersection of power, politics, and the judicial system.

Before we get into the race itself, we take a step back and ask the bigger questions:

🗳️ Why do local elections matter more than most people realize?
⚖️ How does the judicial system impa...

Reclaiming Your Power | Your Vote. Your Legacy. Your Responsibility.

What does it truly mean to reclaim your power?

In this compelling episode of Rethinking Freedom, Aya Fubara Eneli challenges you to take control in two of the most overlooked—but life-defining—areas:

🗳️ Your Vote
📜 Your Legacy

As local elections approach in Killeen and Harker Heights, Aya breaks down:

✔️ What’s on the ballot (city council, mayoral races, school boards)
✔️ Why local elections shape your daily life more than national politics
✔️ Key dates you need to act on (Election Day: May 2, 2...

What does it truly mean to become a woman in today’s world—and what wisdom are our daughters already carrying that we must learn to hear?

In this powerful Women’s History Month finale of Rethinking Freedom, we turn inward, centering the voices of the next generation. In “What Our Daughters Know: Their Wisdom, Struggles, and the Journey to Womanhood,” we sit down with three brilliant young women who are not only navigating their own paths—but redefining what strength, identity, and purpose look like in real time.

Join us for an honest, moving, and deeply i...

The Iran War Explained: History, Lies, and Global Consequences | Rethinking Freedom

What is really happening with the Iran war—and why should you care?

In this powerful episode of Rethinking Freedom, we go beyond the headlines to unpack the history, hidden agendas, and global consequences of the Iran conflict. From the 1953 coup to present-day escalations, this is a conversation about power, propaganda, and the real cost of war.

Joining us is Adesoji Iginla, host of African News Review and author of Africa Illuminated, bringing a sharp global perspective that challenges dominant narratives and co...

Women’s Rights Under Attack: The SAVE Act, Healthcare, and the Fight for Freedom in Texas

In this urgent and eye‑opening episode of Rethinking Freedom, we sit down with Dr. Mann, a board‑certified family practice physician, to examine the escalating crisis facing women in Texas. From reproductive healthcare restrictions to the erosion of patient autonomy, Dr. Mann breaks down what she is witnessing on the front lines of medicine—and why every Texan should be paying attention.

We discuss the real‑world impact of state policies, including the proposed SAVE Act, and how political...

This week's conversation, featuring Aya Fubara Eneli Esq. and Adesoji Iginla,  delves into the life and legacy of Shirley Chisholm.  the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress. 

The discussion highlights her candidacy for the presidency, her advocacy for women's rights and civil rights, and her critique of the American political system. 

Chisholm's emphasis on empowerment, political agency, and the need for systemic change resonates throughout the conversation, making it clear that her vision and impact continue to inspire future generations.

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Rethinking Freedom – Episode: The Epstein Files: The Patriarchy Protection Racket
Guest: Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings

This week on Rethinking Freedom, we welcome Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings—distinguished scholar, former chair of the Maryland Democratic Party, former U.S. congressional candidate, and candidate for Maryland Governor—to discuss her powerful essay on the Epstein Files.

As Dr. Rockeymoore Cummings argues, the Epstein documents are not just about one man.
They expose something deeper:
how power shields itself, how institutions protect wrongdoing, and how democracy becomes conditional when protection is unevenly distributed.

In thi...

What does it really take to raise confident, grounded, emotionally strong girls in today’s world?

In this episode of Rethinking Freedom, Aya Fubara Eneli sits down with Saquoi Dreckette, IT Girls alumna, Board Secretary, and facilitator of the Love Social, and Janaya LaRae, owner of MelaninFlow Yoga Studio and facilitator of the yoga experience featured in the Love Social for girls ages 10–18.

Together, they explore:

• Why mentorship is essential for girls’ development
• How safe, structured spaces build confidence and leadership
• The power of yoga and mindful movement for emotional regulation
• What h...

Ballots, ICE, and Student Protest in Texas: What’s at Stake?

Texas is at a crossroads.

In this episode of Rethinking Freedom, we break down two urgent issues shaping our state: the upcoming Texas primary elections and the wave of high school student walkouts protesting ICE enforcement policies.

Part I: Texas Primaries
Guest: Liz Jagodzinski, Elections & GOTV Committee Lead for Indivisible CenTex
We discuss what’s at stake in Texas and Bell County, why primary elections matter, and how civic engagement protects democratic norms.
For more information, Liz can be reac...

Are you ready to be financially free? 

In this episode of Rethinking Freedom, we’re joined by Dawn Robinson, also known as The Money PhD™, creator of the CASH Formula. Dawn helps women over 40—especially natural spenders—build real financial power by rethinking how they save, spend, and invest.

After saving $30,000 in cash and eliminating more than $140,000 in consumer debt without increasing her income, Dawn developed a smarter, more sustainable approach to wealth-building. She is the founder of the Save $10K Movement, where she teaches a powerful reframe: saving is investing, cash is an asset class, an...

Episode 67 | The Assault on the 1964 Civil Rights Act – Why It Matters to You

The 1964 Civil Rights Act is not ancient history—it is living law. And today, it is under sustained attack.

In this powerful episode of Rethinking Freedom, host Aya Fubara Eneli, Esq. is joined by historian and educator Dr. Rodney Duckett to examine how one of the most important civil rights laws in U.S. history is being weakened through court decisions, policy rollbacks, and political rhetoric.

This conversation goes beyond slogans and soundbites to ask hard questions:
•What protections does t...

Title: Anxious, Angry, and Alone: Inside the Youth Mental Health Crisis”

What does freedom mean if our children are struggling to cope?

On this episode of Rethinking Freedom, we confront the student mental health crisis and the role of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in public schools. Host Aya Fubara Eneli is joined by Shannon Lumar, Counseling Director of Mental Health and Wellness in public education, with over 27 years of experience supporting students, families, and educators.

This conversation cuts through the noise to examine trauma, resilience, and what schools, parents, and communities must do to...

On January 19, 2026 at 7:00 AM CST, Rethinking Freedom presents a powerful, unfiltered episode:

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: His Words and the Unfinished Moral Reckoning of America

In this special broadcast, we move beyond the soundbites and slogans to let Martin Luther King Jr. speak for himself. This episode centers Dr. King’s own words—extended, uncompromised passages drawn from his sermons, speeches, and writings—to examine the moral crises of his time and how they echo urgently into 2026.

We explore:

Dr. King’s origins, education, and moral formation

His critique...