podcasts of the moment

Over the past couple of years, I’ve really come to appreciate a profound, lengthy, and wholesome podcast. For me, the act of actively listening in to one voice- and tuning out everything else around me- is deeply relaxing. I find that podcasts offer me a way to enter into conversations I’ve never had before, to reflect on myself and my life, to learn something new, or simply to have a laugh.

the album cover for the The Receipts podcast

• The Receipts: this has to be my absolute favorite podcast of all time. Not only are the three hosts, Milena, Tolani, and Audrey hilarious, but their openness and perceptiveness makes for incredibly profound, empowering, and reflective conversations that make me think deeply about my own life and journey.
• Invisibilia: I recommend this podcast if you are interested in the social sciences, or enjoy hearing stories about how social norms and structures affect our lives.
• TED Radio Hour: this is a great podcast to listen to if you enjoy hearing from a number of different perspectives on an even more diverse range of topics. The episodes cover everything from fashion, to outer space, to education.
• This American Life: this podcast features a wonderful set of stories- some sad, some funny, and all full of meaning and incredibly thought-provoking.
• The New Yorker Fiction: i love listening to this series at night as I’m getting ready for bed, or trying to fall asleep. It makes me feel like I’m being read a bedtime story (which is a lovely way to end a day).
• Rough Translation: this such an interesting podcast because it features stories from around the world, but with universal themes that resonate with human beings from all walks of life.
• Hidden Brain: I recommend this one if you enjoy the social sciences, as this podcast explores sociological, anthropological, economic, and psychological concepts to understand how they affect and impact our individual lives.
• Nutrition Matters: I love this podcast. The episodes are long, and the conversation is always so engaging. This is a great podcast to listen to if you are interested in nutrition, and/or wellness as it relates to food and the body. I feel that Paige Smathers (the host) has a pretty inclusive approach to her practice, and embraces perspectives that recognize body diversity as opposed to upholding one idealized standard of health.
• Code Switch: I like listening to this podcast because it gives me in-depth analysis of race and culture in the American context (both past and present), while also keeping me up to date on pop culture.
• RFI: for my fellow French or Spanish speakers out there, RFI has some great news podcasts! I listen to a couple of RFI’s French podcasts to get my news, and I also greatly enjoy “Le Débat Africain” which features discussions and debates about pressing issues on the African continent. RFI has tons of other podcasts as well (mostly in French), that span a variety of topics of interest like health, culture, and media.
• Serial: If you like learning about inequality in the American criminal justice system, I highly recommend this podcast. The stories, while incredibly troubling, are very engaging, and give folks on both sides a chance to speak from their perspective.
• White Lies: Although this podcast series has ended, I really loved listening to it. This contemporary investigation into the murder of Reverend James Reeb in the 1965 kept me on the edge of my seat with every episode, and it was also interesting to look into the history of race relations in the United States.
• The Loving Project: this series has also ended, but as a mixed/multicultural kid, I really loved listening to stories about interracial relationships. This podcast features interracial couples of varying ages, cultural backgrounds, and sexual orientations talking openly about both the challenges and the triumphs of their relationships.

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originally posted: october 28, 2019.

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