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Episode 7

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Published on:

4th Aug 2025

Unmasked: Safe Spaces, DEI, and Being Our Authentic Selves

In Paul Laurence Dunbar's poem “We Wear the Mask,” he wrote of a smile that “grins and lies” referring to our inability to show our authentic selves and feelings. This week on Blacktivities, we talk about what it means to take off the mask—especially while moving through workplaces and the world. Shannon, Lisa, and KK talk finding safe spaces, what diversity and inclusion was supposed to look like, and how culture and food can bring people together.

We also share our own “unmasking” moments, from podcasting to showing up more authentically at work, plus a hilarious conversation about why Carnival Cruise thinks y’all are doing too much.

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Hear more episodes - Blacktivities website

About the Hosts


Blacktivities is a Black Panache original production - a podcast network with a lineup of black-hosted shows sharing black stories and tackling black issues. For more information on shows like our newest production, Fat Lies Matter, visit blackpanache.com.


Continue the Conversation on Social Media:

Instagram - @blacktivitiespod

Follow Shannon - @justshanofficial

Follow Lisa - @monalisathepoet

Follow Karen - @theekkroberts


Threads - @blacktivitiespod

Facebook - Blacktivities



Copyright 2022-2025 Black Panache, LLC

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About the Podcast

Blacktivities
Blacktivities connects the black history we never learned in school to everyday experiences and issues facing black Americans today. A blend of humor and insight, this podcast connects the past and present in an engaging and entertaining way.
Blacktivities is where Black women gather to talk about life, history, and everything in between. It’s a celebration of Black culture, Black perspectives, and the shared experiences that shape how we move through the world.
With the perfect balance of humor and depth, Blacktivities connects Black America’s past to the present through conversations that are thoughtful, relatable, and sometimes nostalgic. We talk about everyday life, current issues, and cultural moments the way they’re actually discussed off-mic.
Hosted by Shannon, Lisa, and Karen, the show centers Black women’s voices while showing that no two experiences are the same. Different viewpoints, real dialogue, and honest reactions all live here.
If you enjoy smart conversations that don’t feel preachy, cultural commentary that still knows how to laugh, and a podcast that feels like home, welcome to Blacktivities.
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About your host

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Shannon Chatmon

Shannon is a veteran educator, wife, mother of two, and host of the U Talk, I’ll Listen Podcast and Blacktivities Podcast. She started podcasting during the quarantine of 2020 at the height of arguments over racial justice, politics, and mask mandates when she decided to create her first podcast centered around listening to others’ stories, perspectives, empathy, and mental health. Check out Shannon’s SAC’s Facts segment on Blacktivities Podcast where she adds her own panache to black history.