Nurah Speaks

There is no biblical commandment directing us to SPEND-SPEND-SPEND to honor the birth of sweet baby Jesus. However, year after year, the season has become less religious and more commercial. Clever advertisers know the perfect strategies to persuade us to buy.  So then what should we do in this season of spending?  This episode I share tips that will benefit your wallet and your community. If you enjoy Nurah Speaks, please share the podcast with friends, family, and colleagues. Every time you share, you help the show’s growth. If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions or topic suggestions to info@NurahSpeaks.com.  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website:  NurahSpeaks.com. Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To bring Nurah as a speaker at your next event, email info@NurahSpeaks.com. Remember, don’t just Join the Movement, Be the Movement!

We are celebrating the Sixth Year Anniversary of the podcast and there has been so much shared and so much learned in this journey.   I am grateful to all who has joined me on this journey, the incredible guests, the faithful listeners and the loyal supporters.   This podcast was borne from a suggestion by a dear Brother who has since passed away but whose legacy continues to inspire, Brother Munir Muhammad.  I received additional encouragement by my own minister, Brother Minister Wasim Muhammad who co-signed the suggestion and established a foundation locally for intelligent and thoughtful conversation.   However, the greatest support I have had is from my own husband who gives me the freedom to be myself and fulfill my own purpose of service. I am forever grateful for the kindness and dedication to all who champion the podcast. If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions or topic suggestions to info@NurahSpeaks.com.  Listeners can also learn more about Nura

Social Media is a recurrent topic on Nurah Speaks because of the frequent misuse of the medium and the opportunity it provides us to publicize our most private moments or thoughts, regardless if appropriate for public consumption. We see the pictures folks post of themselves in their beds and bedrooms and even their hospital beds.  Folks post information compromising of themselves, their relationships and even their safety.   We post indiscriminately when we should exercise discernment with what we share on these platforms.  We should be encouraging our friends, family, children and anyone we care about to do the same.   Unfortunately, social media became a mechanism that allows us to disclose our low self esteem, attention seeking behavior or worst thoughts and behaviors. It can absolutely be an amazing tool, but it can be a weapon of sure disgrace and degradation in the hands of a fool. If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions or topic suggestions to in

Overcoming negative messages that we are not ‘enough’ is a very necessary thing for our women.  We have long been inundated with messages that challenge our worthiness and esteem as Black Women. However, once we have accepted that we are indeed valuable and worthy, we should also know that we are still accountable to growth, learning, correction and guidance.  Being ‘enough’ is just not enough.  It does not absolve us from receiving correction and critique in areas that we fall short. We are still responsible to be well learned, well trained, well cultured and strong in character and devotion.  Being enough is not ‘enough’.   If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions or topic suggestions to info@NurahSpeaks.com.  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website:  NurahSpeaks.com. Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To bring Nurah as a speaker at your next event, email info@NurahSpeaks.com. Remember

I do not believe women should dim their light.  I believe women should know how to use their light.   We are in a time wherein the light of our men has been all but snuffed out totally.  This is evidenced in the current state of the Black Community and our men specifically.  The natural leadership, creativity, character and dependability of our men is not present.  They are yet to show us and themselves their potential and many are frustrated. And we are frustrated.  The scriptural representation of ‘kill the male, spare the female’ is manifest today and without understanding the implications, we misunderstand the dynamics at play. But Sister, you do not need to dumb it down.  Just understand their condition and act accordingly.  Use your intelligence, your knowledge to be a help, not hinderance to our Brothers and our society.   Do not dim your light, USE your light.  But first, we must understand. If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions or topic suggesti

A parent striving to ingrain character, family values, morality and justice in children have a hard job in modern America as cultural norms ebb and flow.  In media, legislation and even education, the parental role is being minimized, challenged and threatened.   Active parenting is needed more now than ever.  That would include having our children in a community with likeminded individuals.  That could be a church or religious community, a friend community, an ethnic or cultural association, etc wherein your children are exposed to others who share your values.  We should also be constantly talking and listening to our children.  Explain what is happening in the world around them, how it impacts them and what your opinions are.  Ask them questions and listen to their perspectives, challenge them, encourage them to be critically aware.  Lastly, gain their trust by showing how much we value their insights and how important they are to the family and community and demonstrate this to them.  If you enjoy Nurah S

Not having a healthy self awareness can frustrate us and others and lead to unproductive interactions and prohibiting our success.   We may have all met someone who has a problem or negative run in in nearly every environment they enter.  We may have experienced being in a board room where that one person or leader blurts something that is offensive to the group, something off topic or of no real value to the issue at hand.   And we can tell that the person in question has no idea how they are being perceived or how their comments impact others.  This is often a result of low EQ (emotional intelligence) and self awareness. To help us increase self awareness it is helpful to try two things.   When we find ourselves missing the mark in communication, getting results or inspiring our team, ask can ourselves ‘what' questions.  The default is often to ask ‘why’ however 'why' questions tend to lead to negative thinking or landing on answers that may feel right but not be right.   'What' question

“Independent Black Woman” I believe this is a phrase, perhaps not coined by us, but one repeated by us as a salve to ease the distress of being unloved, unprotected and unprovided for. Let’s define our term: Independent -not needing another, not reliant on another How is this a healthy means to live?  More to the point, is it even possible to exist without relying on others?  I should say it is not. We take WIC (Women Infants and Children) a federal program giving us food for our babies. We use our state’s Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to obtain healthcare. We use food banks and take advantage of school nutrition programs. We take federal student loans to get educated. We take bank loans for cars and homes. We take subsidized housing to offset rental costs. Where all the independence that we are so proud of? If we are honest, we will admit that we use the term independent pretty much in relation to black men and and relationships.  Because it is too painful to say, “I am lonely” o

Some identify slavery as the destruction of the black family.  During this atrocity in American history, were not permitted formal marriages and the sacredness of our ties (and our bodies) were broken anytime the slave master wanted to have his way with the woman, girl or even our boys.  Yet we still tried…though how difficult it must have been to be a man and endure the abuse of his woman and girls.  How difficult it must have been to be a woman or a girl and live without the safety of a father’s, brothers husbands protection.  Besides this, the selling and buying of black children during slavery further broke the bonds of familial ties. Some suggest that feminism played a role in increasing single mother led households by suggesting that marriage or the nuclear family was male domination or patriarchy. We have witnessed the intrusive policies of social welfare systems  that promoted the  single woman led homes.  Additionally, poverty by way of jobs moving away from black dominated communities contributed to

A wise teacher once said that we, black descendants of American slavery, have been made ‘a degree below nothing.’  Harsh as it is to say and hear this, the truth yet resonates in the statement and relevant to us in our community and especially to us, Black women. As a modern collective of women, we find ourselves loudly and proudly celebrating our savage behavior including parading nearly nude in public, using foul and vulgar language, costuming ourselves in wigs, weaves and makeup and not to mention the free and liberal way in which we engage in sexual relations. And not only do we heap generous praise on our sisters in doing so, but we also viciously attack any who dare encourage us to be virtuous.   We think being humble is weak, being modest is repressive and we misidentify our value in sex or 'hustle.' We have been made to be a degree below nothing because we do not know ourselves so we misappropriate behaviors, thoughts and attitudes that do not align with the great intrinsic value of a blac

It is natural to seek acceptance from one’s peers and social group.  This is a normal part of life that even very independent people need.  Interpersonal activities and relationships were the means of achieving external validation before the advent of social media.  Now, in this social media/virtual world, the pursuit for external validation has hit overdrive.  But do clicks, follows and likes from individuals actually alien to us have any real meaning?  Have we abandoned interpersonal for the virtual? If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions to info@NurahSpeaks.com.  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website:  NurahSpeaks.com. Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To bring Nurah as a speaker at your next event, email info@NurahSpeaks.com. Remember, don’t just Join the Movement, Be the Movement!

I had the recent privilege to participate in a mental health forum facilitated by young community leaders.  I wanted to continue that conversation here because it is simply impossible to say everything in a limited timeframe when sharing the stage with other fascinating speakers. I find that most discussions on mental health focus on how to improve mental health, ways to heal, ways to cope and manage.  However what I see often ignored is what contributes to the erosion of our mental health.  And frankly, I observe normalized aspects of our own culture degrading the mental wellness of our people. If we take a careful inspection of our media, our families and our education, we find aspects of each that create anxiety, grief, fear, alienation and insecurity.  Couple this with the availability of degenerate food, drugs, alcohol and toxicity in our air and water, we must accept that there is more than a person’s singular traumatic experience that impact the mental welfare of our communities.   The saying goes,

Nurah Speaks is a podcast in service to the Black Community.  The aim of the show is to remind and inform our folks of the value that we have to ourselves and the world. However without this knowledge of self, knowledge of our capability and knowledge of our responsibility, we surrender our obligations to others to serve our needs and repair the damage done to our people. Nurah Speaks is in service to the Black Community and if one listens you will find a message here unlike that which mainstream broadcasters convey to their listeners.  There is no apology offered for the message nor for the show’s objective, to resurrect the consciousness of our people.  For we, the descendants of American slavery, are a very special people, with specific needs and warranting a specific message. Nurah Speaks podcast will continue in service to and addressing these distinct needs.   If you would like to watch a video of the podcast, visit my Youtube page. If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit yo

Child predators wear many faces.  They are not only the creepy neighbor or leering street vulture.  They are also the respected leader, esteemed clergy, youth group leader and praised honors student.  So - since we cannot rule anyone out, we must employ appropriate safeguards, limit others access with them and be especially communicative with our young folk.  This means telling them about appropriate and non-appropriate conversations, behaviors, touching and proximity. It involves, letting them know that they have permission to disobey in circumstances they feel are uncomfortable. It also includes teaching them not just about 'stranger danger' but also of the potential for hazardous acquaintances and being offered foods or beverages that can be laced. And just as important, we must assure them that we love them and accept them and that they can tell us anything, even the things that are hard to hear and even harder to say. It may also prove beneficial to advise them, that even if they are afraid to

The experience of Black descendants of American slavery is far more American History than African American History.  Though Black Americans have impacted and been impacted by this nation, we have never set the course of this country.  That has always been the responsibility and right solely of White Americans.   It is in fact American History, rather than African American History, that our fore-parents were purchased, traded and used like merchandise.  This is as much African American history as it is the mule’s history when it was rigged up to plow the farmer’s field.  Both our fore-parents and the mule were mere objects used for the desires of the master in the development of this great nation.  In other words, the achievement of the slave is truly the achievement of his master. Therefore, what proponents of African American History or AAAP (African American Advanced Placement) curriculum want established in schools is simply American History.    The lessons about the resilience and determination of Afric

Modern urban music is peppered with hate speech but not the hate speech you think I’m referring to. “Kill kill kill, pill, pill, pill, money for sex, sex for money, money over love, money over love!”   Music for urban listeners can be summed as explicit content containing harmful language promoting violence, drug use, and the objectification of individuals.  Industry experts understand that music has the ability to influence attitudes and behaviors. One should question why lyrical content expousing drug and alcohol abuse, self hatred and violence is produced en masse for the urban listener.  If you enjoy Nurah Speaks, please share it with friends, family, and colleagues who could benefit from our content. Every time you share, you help the show’s growth. If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions to info@NurahSpeaks.com.  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website:  NurahSpeaks.com or reading her blog by clicking this link. Follow Nura

Nurah Speaks is BACK from an extended hiatus and it is so great to be back in action.  Accept my sincere gratitude to the loyal listeners who patiently waited for the show’s return. Your support means the world. During the break, I reflected on what changes were necessary for the show’s ongoing success and how this new chapter can benefit the show’s listeners.  In this episode, which is the 200th episode of the show (WOW) I share what listeners can expect from the podcast moving forward.  Your input matter to this show. If you have specific topics or questions you'd like addressed, please reach out on social media or send me an email.   If you enjoy Nurah Speaks, please share it with friends, family, and colleagues who could benefit from our content. Every time you share, you help the show’s growth. If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions to info@NurahSpeaks.com.  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website:  NurahSpeaks.com or re

‘Pink In Da Hood’ is the passion project of Evita Ali, breast cancer surviver and thriver. In this great conversation, Evita opens up about her own experiences with the diagnosis, the ensuing conversations and the subsequent decisions that all patients must confront. She discusses medical self advocacy as the patient and as a caregiver, the importance of knowing our family medical history and the cultural habits that interfere with this. We also discuss the challenges family and friends have in relating to cancer patients and conversations that most patients simply do not want to have. Evita is transparent, charismatic and assertive and one could presume that these traits aided her recovery. She was fortunate to have great support throughout her diagnosis and recovery and she founded ‘Pink In Da Hood’ to support other women who are experiencing the same.  This October 1st she is hosting the 3rd Annual Pink In Da Hood Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness.  On Facebook visit @PinkInDaHood or email Evita

Many of us have experienced the feeling of 'being stuck' - and this can relate to so many things in our lives including: Writing an Paper Starting a Book Getting Out of Debt Organizing Our Homes Getting Fit We may have the goal in mind but there is a wide gap between the idea and the outcome and that gap can be filled with positivity such as: strategic effort, activity, study, confidence, optimism.  Or that gap can be filled with negativity: worry, procrastination, doubt, anxiety and distractions. So what do we do when we get stuck? In this episode I share several strategies to get unstuck and get productive! ____________ “I think America is doing a lot of good for you and I and then I think doing a lot of harm. They take and give to you soup if you do not have work; they give to you bread if they don’t have work for you. They know you are lazy. They know you don’t think for yourself. They know you depend on them to think for you. So since you are so in love with them and trust and have so much confid

Real ‘Juvenile Justice’ is having a culture that promotes stability and wellness for our most vulnerable population, our children. The injustice is that the modern norms of our culture promote dysfunction that we expect social workers, clinicians, judges and juvenile justice staff to repair. Studies show that most children within the juvenile justice systems have experienced adversity in their childhood as evidenced by ACEs (Adverse Childhood experiences) surveys. Adverse Childhood experiences are preventable. But unless we promote stability and safety to the families in our communities we will keep relinquishing our children to the care of the state to fix what could have been prevented by advocating for strong families. If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions to info@NurahSpeaks.com.  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website: NurahSpeaks.com or reading her blog by clicking this link. Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodca