Shades of Strong
The Podcast
Real conversations for the “strong”
Black woman who’s tired of pretending.
THE PODCAST
Conversations about what support looks like in real life.
The Shades of Strong Podcast is where we talk about the expectations Black women live with, the things we don’t always say out loud, and what support can look like in our actual lives.
Some episodes go deeper into strength, relationships, family, work, boundaries, and the gap between being surrounded by people and actually feeling supported.
Monday through Friday, Support Pauses offer shorter conversations for the middle of the day, when you need a few minutes to hear something that speaks to what you’re dealing with right then.
MEET YOUR HOST
The woman behind the mic.
I’m Shirl. I’m based in Mississippi, and yes, I’m a writer, podcast host, and the creator of Support Languages™. But if we were sitting somewhere talking in real life, that’s probably not how I’d introduce myself.
I would probably tell you I’m a super curious Sagittarius born on the 5th day of December at exactly 5:00 a.m. I ask a lot of questions because I’ve always been a firm believer in above all things, get an understanding. I want to know why people think the way they think, why we do the things we do, and what’s really underneath the thing we’re talking about.
I’m also somebody who loves being with my children and grandchildren. They’re my favorite people in the world. Give me a slow morning before anybody starts talking, a really good conversation that goes way longer than we planned, or a bingeable series I should’ve turned off three episodes ago, and I’m good.
That’s pretty much how I show up behind the mic too. I’ll ask the extra question. I’ll follow the part of the conversation that made me curious. And if you say something that makes me go, “Wait a minute, say more about that,” we’re probably staying there for a while.
So when you listen to this podcast, you’re not getting somebody sitting behind a microphone pretending to have all the answers. You’re getting me. A woman who asks a lot of questions, pays attention to what people say and what they don’t, and really wants to understand what’s going on underneath the obvious answer.
LISTEN + SUBSCRIBE
Find the Show wherever You Listen.
FROM LISTENERS
What it Feels Like on the Other Side of the Mic.
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 love how you discuss topics that may bring disagreement, 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 creating a safe space for us.
MylesReese
LATEST EPISODES
Listen to the Latest Conversations.
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...
The Moment You Realize You Can’t Keep Doing This with Sadija A. Smiley
Sadija Smiley had been holding everything together for a long time. Showing up.Taking care of what needed to be handled.Making sure nothing around her fell apart. From the outside, it looked like she had it all under control. But underneath that was a different...
When Doing Everything Right Still Isn’t Enough with Juanita Ingram
Juanita Ingram did everything she was supposed to do. She showed up prepared.She delivered.She handled what needed to be handled. From the outside, it looked like she had it all together. But being the one who gets things done came with a cost. In this episode,...
The Moment You Realize You’ve Been Doing Too Much with Kimberly Sumpter
Kimberly Sumpter had been doing what so many Black women are used to doing… keeping everything going. Showing up.Handling responsibilities.Making sure everyone else was taken care of. And somewhere in the middle of all of that, she stopped paying attention to...
Losing Yourself Trying to Be Strong with Chernika L Corbett
Chernika Corbett spent years being who she thought she needed to be just to get through. Being strong meant pushing through, holding everything together, and not allowing herself the space to feel what was actually happening in her life. There wasn’t room to fall...
What It Feels Like to Be Strong and Unheard with Emely Rumble
Emely Rumble learned early what it meant to keep going. After losing her grandmother at 14 and entering foster care, she had to grow up quickly. There wasn’t space to slow down or process what she had lost. Life kept moving, and she learned how to move with it....
