This week The Bees are joined by Frank Oben to continue our conversation on queer experiences in the Cameroonian community and beyond. Frank shares his story of struggling with feeling different from an early age, and how the weight of tradition and cultural expectations impacted his mental and physical health. He recounts his experience coming out to friends and family, and the journey of finding self compassion while navigating the world as a Black gay man and an immigrant.

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The Bees discuss our June book of the month, "These Letters End In Tears" by Cameroonian author Musih Tedji Xaviere. We examine how the characters in this queer love story navigate a homophobic society where love can cost you your life. We share our thoughts on how class, gender expression, and other factors may shape how queer people are perceived and treated in the world. That and much more in this episode!

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The Bees are joined by Dr. Sirry Alang, a health services researcher and medical sociologist, to talk about attitudes towards LGBTQ people in the Cameroonian community and beyond. Sirry shares her personal journey from growing up in Bamenda to becoming a prominent academic in the U.S. She shares her experience coming out as gay to her family and friends, and gives examples of what it means to be truly accepting and affirming. We discuss the way forward in having difficult conversations about homophobia, and how to create safe spaces for queer people in our communities.

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The Bees chat with Dr. Tema Fodge about growing up as a Cameroonian-American 'third culture kid'. She shares her experience navigating two different cultures, and some of the pressures placed on TCK by their immigrant parents. We discuss the nuances of cultural identity, code switching, and fitting in.

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The Bees talk with Ijeoma Azubuko, founder and CEO of the Ruby Ball Foundation, an organization that advocates for sickle cell awareness, research, and support for people living with the disease. Ijeoma shares her personal experience living with sickle cell, and cultural taboos around the disease. She also discusses recent developments and progress in treatments, and encourages people living with the disease and their caregivers to have an empowered mindset.

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In honor of Juneteenth, the Bees welcome two guests from the birthplace of Juneteenth. Creshonda Collins and Angela Taylor share with us some of their childhood memories of celebrations on the island, and historical context that is often left out of discussions about Juneteenth in popular media. We discuss the lack of awareness about the holiday and why it took so long for this day to be formally recognized by the U.S. government. We encourage our audience to honor and celebrate this holiday by taking some time to learn more about June 19, 1863 and Galveston, TX.

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We're replaying an oldie but goodie! In anticipation of Juneteenth and our upcoming episode honoring this special holiday, we thought we'd rerun this conversation about bridging gaps and dispelling negative stereotypes amongst the Black Diaspora.

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It's part two of our most popular episode to date! This time we're talking about the history of the Catholic church, women finding community in the church including Bee Lola's return to church, and Christian influence in politics and social media. Be sure to check out the part one which aired on January 22, 2024.

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