About Cultural Dialogues: Countering Racial Trauma One Conversation at a Time
This podcast is a safe and transformative space dedicated to decolonizing our thinking, addressing racial trauma, fostering healing, and promoting cross-cultural understanding. Through candid, solution-focused conversations, each episode explores how individuals and communities navigate the emotional, psychological, and systemic impacts of racism.
Reclaiming our Health as a Place of Liberation: The Problematization of Black Women’s Health in Society
In this episode, Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji, CEO of CRESTSprogram, LLC, has a lively conversation with Dr. Chandra Story, who wrote a chapter in the recent publication Blessed Positionality: Reimagining Intersecting Subjectivities Between Black Women and Girls as Researchers and the Researched. This book was conceived and co-edited by Drs. Dadria Lewis, Charisse Southwell, and Cirecie West-Olatunji. Dr. Chandra R. Story, Professor of Community and Public Health at Middle Tennessee State ...
29 Oct 2026
"When I See You, I See Me: an Interview With Dr. Aaminah Norris
In this episode, Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji (CEO of CRESTSprogram, LLC) speaks with Dr. Aaminah Norris, a chapter author in Blessed Positionality: Reimagining Intersecting Subjectivities Between Black Women and Girls as Researchers and the Researched. This was conceived and co-edited by Drs. Dadria Lewis, Charisse Southwell, and Cirecie West-Olatunji. Dr. Aaminah Norris is an Associate Professor in the College of Education, Academic Affairs at the California State University, Sacramento. Her r...
18 Dec 2025
Black Youth Having a Sense of Agency
Dr. Melissa Speight Vaughn joins the CEO of CRESTSprogram, Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji, for a lively discussion about how Black youth can have agency to investigate and transform their lives. Dr. Melissa Speight Vaughn is a visionary educator, researcher, and cultural exchange advocate dedicated to empowering youth, advancing Indigenous knowledge systems, and fostering global partnerships that bridge cultures and transform education. Dr. Speight Vaughn is a Research Scientist/Program Director f...
4 Dec 2025
Literacy Leads to Liberation
The CEO of CRESTSprogram, LLC, Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji, engages in a conversation with Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings about Black children's educational concerns. Gloria Ladson-Billings is Professor Emerita and former Kellner Family Distinguished Professor in Urban Education in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction and was Faculty Affiliate in the Departments of Educational Policy Studies, Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis, and Afro-American Studies at the University of Wisc...
1 Dec 2025
Research as Transformation
In this episode, the CRESTSprogram Co-Founders, Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji and Dr. Constance West, discuss emancipatory research as a transformative approach to conducting inquiry about marginalized communities. For more information about their emancipatory research credential program, visit: www.crestsprogram.com/crests-liberate. Send us Fan Mail
30 Nov 2025
Biology & Black Children’s Achievement
In this episode, Dr. Samuel Burbanks, IV engages in a conversation with CRESTSprogram CEO, Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji, about biology and Black children's achievement. Dr. Samuel Burbanks is a part-time assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati (UC). He has been an educator for approximately 30 years, having taught in the Cincinnati public schools, where he ran a Black history after-school program. Dr. Burbanks also has experience in working with youth in the UC Upward Bound program. ...
20 Nov 2025
Africentric Social Work
In this episode, Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji (CEO of CRESTSprogram) has a conversation with Mr. Larry Hayes, a mental health practitioner in the New Orleans (LA) area who practices Africentric Social Work. Mr. Hayes has been in private practice for nearly 40 years and works primarily with Black clients (adults and adolescents). Mr. Larry Hayes discusses the most pressing mental health needs within the Black community and the clinical interventions that address these needs. For more on Mr. Larry...
30 Oct 2025
Race-based Stress and Black Schoolchildren-Part 2
Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji (CEO of CRESTSprogram) introduces one of the graduate research assistants, Ms. Tyla Kennedy. Ms. Kennedy is a school counselor in one of the public charter schools in the New Orleans (LA) area and also serves as a graduate research assistant (GRA) with CRESTSprogram, LLC. Tyla discusses her experiences with Black schoolchildren and race-based stress. For more information about Tyla Kennedy, visit our website: https://www.crestsprogram.com/the-team. Send us Fan ...
23 Oct 2025
Introducing CRESTSprogram Team Member, Ms. Jonae Bond
In this episode, Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji (CEO of CRESTSprogram) introduces the CRESTSprogram graphic designer, Ms. Jonae Bond. Jonae Bond is a multi-creative with a diverse skill set encompassing brand design, product photography, videography, creative direction, and web design. Her expertise lies in the realms of branding, marketing, content creation, website development, and social media advertising. For more information about Jonae Bond and the CRESTSprogram team, visit: https://www.cres...
16 Oct 2025
Race-based Stress and Black Schoolchildren-Part 1
In this episode, Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji (CEO of CRESTSprogram) interviewed one of our graduate research assistants, Ms. Dehjah Vaughn. Ms. Vaughn is a full-time classroom teacher and also a doctoral student. Dehjah discussed her passion for teaching extensively, drawing on her understanding of history and social justice principles. To read her full bio, go to our website: https://www.crestsprogram.com/the-team. Send us Fan Mail
9 Oct 2025
The Emergence of Pediatric Counseling
In this episode, CRESTSprogram CEO, Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji, engages in a lively conversation with Dr. Jeff Wolfgang about the area known as Pediatric Counseling. Dr. Jeff Wolfgang is a clinician, researcher, supervisor, and professor of counseling. He approaches his work from a culture-centered, holistic, ecological perspective. Dr. Wolfgang has specialized in using creative approaches to counseling children and families dealing with traumatic stress and has over fourteen years of experien...
2 Oct 2025
Seeing Traditional New Orleans Jazz as Resistance
In this episode, CRESTSprogram CEO, Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji, engages in dialogue with Dr. Michael White. Dr. White is an accomplished, multifaceted New Orleans-based clarinetist, retired professor, composer, musicologist, and jazz historian widely regarded as one of the leading authorities and culture bearers of traditional New Orleans jazz music. You can learn more about Dr. Michael White by going to: www.basinstreetrecords.com. Send us Fan Mail
28 Sept 2025
Introducing CRESTSprogram Research Fellow, Dr. Ebony White
In this episode, the CEO of CRESTSprogram, Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji, introduces Dr. Ebony White, research fellow. To read more about Dr. White, visit our website: https://www.crestsprogram.com/the-team. Send us Fan Mail
25 Sept 2025
Introducing Dr. Kimberlee Bow, Dance Therapist and Trauma Specialist
Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji (CEO of CRESTSprogram, LLC) interviews one of the members of her team, Dr. Kimberlee Bow. Dr. Kimberlee Bow is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Registered Dance/Movement Therapist (R-DMT), author, speaker, advocate, consultant, and sport and performance consultant. A passionate, dedicated, and devoted professional, she has experience ranging from clinical to director-level work as well as nonprofit program and board leadership. She is also the owner and found...
12 Sept 2025
Introducing our CRESTSprogram Team Member, Dr. Constance West
In this episode, we begin our introduction to the CRESTSprogram team members, beginning with Dr. Constance West, co-founder of our firm. During this discussion, Dr. West talks about her past experiences with Black youth in educational and clinical settings. She also talks about her own experiences as a Black student, from K-12 through graduate studies. For more information about Dr. Constance West, please visit our website: www.crestsprogram.com. Send us Fan Mail
4 Sept 2025
What's Culture Got to do With It?
In this inaugural episode, we provide excerpts from the very first webinar offered by the CRESTSprogram team in November 2020. The founders of CRESTSprogram, LLC, Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji and Dr. Constance West, are interviewed by Dr. Joyce E. King, who holds the Benjamin E. Mays Endowed Chair at Georgia State University. They are also joined by Dr. Michael White, jazz clarinetist, composer, bandleader, and historian. The full version of this webinar is available on the CRESTSprogram YouTube...
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