Shakesha and the White Boy is a weekly podcast hosted by Shakesha Williams and Ryan Dinger. Politics and pop culture collide on this upbeat podcast about two people from different walks of life. Shakesha, a filmmaker and founder of Harlem Fusion Studios, was born and raised in Harlem, New York. Ryan is a millennial who grew up in White suburban New Jersey. Despite the differences in their backgrounds, the two are kindred spirits. They both believe that open and honest conversation is the best way to bring people together.
“Ryan and I understood when we started the podcast that having conversations about politics and race would sometimes be uncomfortable for us and for the listeners,” says Shakesha. “But we’re not going to shy away from topics because we can’t move forward without disrupting the status quo.”
And Ryan is hopeful about the reception of the podcast and its long-term impact. “I hope this will be something that gets people talking. In a lot of ways, society needs to move toward conversations outside of echo chambers," he says. "People need to start opening up and listening to people who are different from them. We want our podcast to be the inspiration for these conversations.”
Coming to listeners from New York City, Shakesha and Ryan use their show to share perspective on discrimination, vent about modern politics, examine stories often ignored by mainstream American media, and explore what it means to be a human doing in the 21st century. With so many touchy subjects to cover, it’s certain things are going to get a little uncomfortable.
Check out the latest episode of Shakesha and the White Boy here: https://anchor.fm/satwb
