Shades of Strong: A Podcast for the Black Woman Ready to Be Supported
Real conversations. Deep healing. No more carrying it all alone.
The Shades of Strong Podcast is a soft space for “Strong” Black Women who are ready to unlearn the struggle and finally feel supported.
Hosted by writer and Support Languages creator Shirl , these episodes go beneath the surface — exploring what strength has cost us and what support looks like when it finally fits.
Whether you’re trying to breathe again, be heard, or simply stop holding it all together for everyone else, there’s something here for you.
Monday through Friday, you’ll find Support Pauses , short, grounding episodes that meet you in real time. The kind you can come back to when the day feels heavy, when you don’t have the words, or when you’re tired of carrying it all by yourself.
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Praise from Listeners
Meet Your Host
Shirl
Based in Mississippi, I’m a writer, the creator of the Support Languages™ framework, and host of Shades of Strong® — a podcast and platform helping Black women unlearn struggle-based strength and redefine what it means to be supported.
With a Master’s degree in Human Services (concentration in Counseling), and decades of experience supporting Black girls and women, my work centers emotional wellness, storytelling, and community care. Whether I’m behind the mic, typing away at the keyboard, or guiding Support Sessions, my mission is simple: to help us stop carrying it all alone. Everything I create, from this podcast to the Support Languages framework, is rooted in that truth.
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Real. Needed. Healing. I don’t usually leave reviews, but this podcast is different. It feels like sitting with your favorite auntie who just gets it. Shirl talks about strength and softness in a way that makes you rethink how you’ve been carrying everything. She doesn’t just talk at you, she talks to you and you can tell it’s coming from a real place. I found this podcast during a season where I didn’t even know how much I needed support… and now I don’t feel as alone navigating that,
Jayci Mil
“Until next time, take care of you.” Very outspoken, Shirl says the things people may be scared to say, or even won’t allow themselves to be vulnerable about. Touching on every subject and the problems of our community! This podcast is a breath of fresh air and reassures me know that even when I feel like I’m alone , I’m not alone.
Ladaishia
I’m back. I listened to another podcast about protecting your peace and how we should be mindful on whether we’re doing it to hurt or genuinely give ourselves a moment. I love how you discuss topics that seem as if a lot of disagreements may come from it, but you explain everything so thoroughly you make me want to put the things I’ve learned from these episodes into my life. I appreciate the work you’re doing for our community while simultaneously creating a safe space for us.
MylesReese
EXPLORE LATEST EPISODES
NEW EPISODES AIR DAILY MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY
I Said What I Said. Ain’t Going Back and Forth With You
Sometimes support for Black women looks like finally deciding not to keep explaining yourself into emotional exhaustion. In this Support Pause, Shirl explores the emotional cost of constantly going back and forth with people who are committed to misunderstanding...
You’re Going to Make It After All
What would you say to your younger self today? In this deeply personal Support Pause, Shirl reflects on sitting crisscross applesauce on the living room floor watching The Mary Tyler Moore Show and dreaming about becoming a writer long before life got loud. This...
26 Black Women Storytelling Series: The Story the Stories Told
We just closed the 26 Black Women Storytelling Series, and I’m still sitting with what it revealed. Not just the individual stories, but the thread that ran through all of them. This episode isn’t a recap. It’s a reflection on what happens when Black women are...
When You’re Doing Everything Right and Still Feel Invisible with Radiah Shabazz Harold
Radiah Shabazz Harold was doing what so many women are used to doing. Managing responsibilities.Taking care of what needed to be done.Showing up, even when it wasn’t easy. From the outside, it looked like she had everything under control. But inside, she was...
When You’re Fighting for Your Life and Still Showing Up with Didi Hairston
Didi Hairston is doing something many people don’t fully understand. She’s showing up. Not because everything is okay.Not because she has it all figured out.But because she’s choosing to keep going, even while navigating severe depression. In this episode, Didi...
The Cost of Always Being the One Who Figures It Out with Nikquan Lewis
Nikquan Lewis learned early how to handle things on her own. Figuring it out wasn’t optional. It was necessary. From a young age, she was navigating responsibilities that required her to grow up quickly. There wasn’t room to pause, and there wasn’t space to fall...
