In this episode, we step away from the noise and into stillness-  to pause, reboot, and remind ourselves that rest is power. 

We haven’t taken a pause from production in nine years but its’s time to refocus, reimagine, and explore what it means to slow down without stepping away from who we are or the work we love.

This is a moment to recharge.

This is an episode for the kids who never saw their names on those keychains at the giftstore- like our guest, Nigerian American bestselling author, speaker and fellow podcaster-  Luvvie Ajayi Jones.
Many of us grew up with names that were made fun of, and Luvvie's new children's book 'Little Troublemaker Defends her Name' is all about being proud of our names as kids.
We have a conversation with Luvvie-  plus Hana shares a story from her kids podcast Folktales from Sudan about a goat who just won't listen..

For Pride Month, we are throwing back to our award winning episode, PolyFree

Loving multiply or polyamory. 
We already do it (we love our families, we love our friends, we love our pets), but it’s different when it comes to our romantic relationships.

 In this episode, we meet Ambi, Ex and Intro, a triad on the verge of change, as well as Kevin Patterson, author of Love’s Not Colorblind: Race and Representation in Polyamorous and Other Alternative Communities. Crystal Byrd Farmer, who is a solo polyamorist, says that being polyamorous is a part of our Black heritage.  

A father's day favorite. 
We hear from dads, people talking about their daddies, and we hear about the joys, and challenges, of Black fatherhood. We see you, Black dads. Featuring dads Chris Stewart, Rob Fields, and Sam Adewumi.

The Queen is here! Today we’re Stoopin' it with award-winning Nigerian author and ground-breaking cultural icon, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie!
Hana has SO many questions for her favorite author- from how African stereotypical narratives are changing, to being a Nigerian mama in 2025 America, to book bans, and returning to writing fiction after 12 years since her groundbreaking novel Americanah. 
We’re chillin’ with Chimamanda!

Do you ever feel like you may be carrying patterns that aren’t yours? Do you notice the way you deal with stress, love, parenting, or hustling feels inherited?

In this episode, Leila asks herself these questions as she recalls a story from her childhood, and we dig into epigenetics—the science that says the trauma of our ancestors can leave marks on our DNA that echo through generations.

We discuss the toll of push-through culture (hey, John Henry!), and why some bodies feel like they’ve been weathered by storms they never experienced firsthand. 
It’s science, personal, and a conversation about breaking cycles—before they break us.

You know it is Black History Month all year long on this podcast!

And we know that this Black History month has a lot of us feeling heavy, fixated on the news- from DEI being dismantled, to government agencies being shut down...

It's alot. The changes are daily, and drastic and… exhausting. 

So, we wanted to step back, reflect and highlight what we know will keep us going- our stories, our voices.

Today, we're sharing an episode that is one of our favorites to celebrate Black History Month: The Sounds of Blackness, where we ask people to share a sound that embodies Blackness to them. 

Plus we sit down with the late and great, Nikki Giovanni, who was a Stoop fan. 

So get that cup of tea, relax, and enjoy the episode! 

When Hana was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2011, she went on a research quest to find a donor that could save her life. Through this process, she discovered that another Black donor who shared her ethnicity would be the best fit. But studies show there aren’t enough Black donors to fill the need for Black folks who need transplants. Why?
In this episode, we explore Black organ donation through the story of Arlinda Timmons-Love, a mom who lost her 15 year old son, and navigated the complex feelings related to organ donation.

CPT, African Time—yeah, we’ve all heard of it, but are we really running late, or are we just moving to our own beat, on our own terms, in our own rhythm?

In this episode, we hear from some folks who dig deep into theories, and ancestral philosophies and practices, related to time.

Do we need to rethink how we define time? 

One thing’s for sure—we know what time it is. Time to press play on this episode.

When you meet Greg Eskridge, you’ll notice his smile, how easy it is to talk to him, and you’ll lean in when he tells you his story. After being incarcerated for 30 Christmases, he's making this one special. Today, award-winning journalist and storyteller Greg Eskridge reflects on love, family, and what this season means to him.

'Have a seat in my chair..'
Today we're at the braiding salon with Ghanaian American playwright Jocelyn Bioh, creator of the Tony Award-winning Broadway play,  Jaja's African Hair Braiding.
We chat with her about braiding salon culture, and the different kinds of people she portrays in the play. We explore the African American-African immigrant dynamics that can happen at braiding salons, we talk immigrant life,  audiences that maybe don't get it, and the practice of Black playwrights holding "Black out" nights at the theatre.