Shades of Strong® is the podcast for Black women ready to trade the weight of “Strong Black Woman” for something better: real, lasting support. Through honest conversation, storytelling, and the Support Languages™ framework, host Shirl explores what strength has cost Black women, what support actually looks like in real life, and how we can stop carrying everything alone. Each episode offers language for what many of us have been feeling, tools for asking for the support we deserve, and space to finally exhale. You have been strong long enough. This is your place to reclaim strength without struggle.
Shades of Strong® | Supporting Black Women in Redefining Strength, Rewriting Narratives & Celebrating Authenticity
Claim This Podcastby Shirl Hubbard | Shades of Strong
5.0(8 reviews)
289 episodes
Updated Daily
Accepts GuestsHas SponsorsLocation 🇺🇸
Podcast Overview
Shades of Strong® is the podcast for Black women ready to trade the weight of “Strong Black Woman” for something better: real, lasting support. Through honest conversation, storytelling, and the Support Languages™ framework, host Shirl explores what strength has cost Black women, what support actually looks like in real life, and how we can stop carrying everything alone. Each episode offers language for what many of us have been feeling, tools for asking for the support we deserve, and space to finally exhale. You have been strong long enough. This is your place to reclaim strength without struggle.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
5/21/2018
2 verified contact emails on file for Shades of Strong® | Supporting Black Women in Redefining Strength, Rewriting Narratives & Celebrating Authenticity
Pitch yourself as a guest, propose sponsorships, or reach out directly to the host.
Recent Episodes
May 19, 2026
I Said What I Said. Ain’t Going Back and Forth With You
Host Shirl Hubbard explores the emotional cost of constant explanations and the power of protecting peace for Black women in this solo episode.
May 18, 2026
You're Going to Make It After All
Host Shirl Hubbard explores reconnecting with personal dreams and needs when life's responsibilities overshadow aspirations, offering a path to supported self-discovery.
May 7, 2026
26 Black Women | The Story the Stories Told
<p><iframe src="https://player.blubrry.com/id/153862021?cache=1778163043#mode-Light&border-000000&progress-000000" title="Blubrry Podcast Player" scrolling="no" width="100%" height="165px" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <p data-start="957" data-end="1056"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">We just closed the 26 Black Women Storytelling Series, and I’m still sitting with what it revealed.</span></p> <p data-start="1058" data-end="1135"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">Not just the individual stories, but the thread that ran through all of them.</span></p> <p data-start="1137" data-end="1360"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">This episode isn’t a recap. It’s a reflection on what happens when Black women are given the space to tell the truth in real time, before everything is figured out, before the voice steadies, before the story is cleaned up.</span></p> <p data-start="1421" data-end="1520"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">Across this series, women from completely different lives shared what being “strong” has cost them.</span></p> <p data-start="1522" data-end="1593"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">Different backgrounds. Different responsibilities. Different realities.</span></p> <p data-start="1595" data-end="1642"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">But the feeling underneath it all was the same.</span></p> <p data-start="1644" data-end="1825"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">In this episode, I’m sitting with what stayed with me after holding space for those conversations, including what it means that some stories were shared publicly, and some were not.</span></p> <p data-start="1827" data-end="1852"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">Because that matters too.</span></p> <h3 data-section-id="l37n05" data-start="1859" data-end="1907"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;" role="text"><strong data-start="1863" data-end="1907">Key Takeaways </strong></span></h3> <ul data-start="1909" data-end="2159"> <li data-section-id="tbfhpt" data-start="1909" data-end="1970"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">What happens when Black women tell the truth in real time</span></li> <li data-section-id="1vxo6ew" data-start="1971" data-end="2037"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">Why strength shows up the same, no matter what life looks like</span></li> <li data-section-id="afhb3u" data-start="2038" data-end="2113"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">The difference between sharing a story and being ready to be seen in it</span></li> <li data-section-id="9asz36" data-start="2114" data-end="2159"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">What these stories revealed about support</span></li> </ul> <p data-start="2235" data-end="2306"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">If you listened to the series, this episode brings the thread together.</span></p> <p data-start="2308" data-end="2371"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">If you’re just finding your way here, this is a place to begin.</span></p> <p data-start="2373" data-end="2468"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">Because what these stories made clear is that this conversation is bigger than any one episode.</span></p> <hr /> <p><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;"><strong data-start="2044" data-end="2071">About Shades of Strong®</strong></span><br data-start="2071" data-end="2074" /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">Shades of Strong® is a space where Black women come to breathe, reflect, and reclaim strength without the struggle. Support Pauses are short, soulful reminders that you don’t have to carry it all alone. New episodes drop every weekday.</span></p> <hr /> <h3><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Resources to Support You:</strong></span></h3> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;"><span style="color: #ff7300;"><a style="color: #ff7300;" href="https://shadesofstrong.com/supportlanguages/" rel="noopener"><strong>Take the Support Language™ Assessment</strong> </a></span><span style="color: #000000;">and learn how you actually receive support best.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;"><a href="https://shadesofstrong.com/support-sessions/"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong><span style="color: #ff7300;">Schedule a 1:1 Support Session</span></strong></span></a></span></li> <li><span style="color: #ff7300; font-family: Georgia, Palatino;"><span style="color: #ff7300;"><strong><a style="color: #ff7300;" href="https://shadesofstrong.myflodesk.com/supportlanguageguide">Get the Guide: “You Know Your Support Language™—Now What?”</a></strong></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a style="color: #ff7300;" href="https://shadesofstrong.myflodesk.com/theporch">Get Support Right in Your Inbox</a>: </span></strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Gentle words, real-life reflection, and soft reminders </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">every week </span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #ff7300;"><a style="color: #ff7300;" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sistahs-connect-radio/id6758016687">Download Sistah’s Connect Radio in the Apple Store</a></span></strong></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><span style="color: #ff7300;"><a style="color: #ff7300;" href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.live365.sistahsconnectradio&hl=en_US">Download Sistah’s Connect Radion in Google Play</a></span></strong></span></li> </ul> <hr /> <p><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Let’s Stay Connected:</span></strong></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">Subscribe to Shades of Strong on Apple Podcasts or your favorite platform</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;"> Share this episode with a sista who’s tired of being the strong one</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">Leave a review if the episode spoke to your spirit — it helps more Black women find this space</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">Submit your questions to hi@shadesofstrong.com</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">Follow Shades of Strong on <strong><span style="color: #ff7300;"><a style="color: #ff7300;" href="https://www.instagram.com/shadesofstrong/">Instagram</a> </span></strong>and <span style="color: #ff7300;"><a style="color: #ff7300;" href="https://www.threads.com/@shadesofstrong"><strong>Threads </strong></a></span>for daily reflections on what it means to be suppoted</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">Be a Guest on the Show:<strong><span style="color: #ff7300;"><a style="color: #ff7300;" href="https://shadesofstrong.com/beourguest"> shadesofstrong.com/beourguest</a></span></strong></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;"><strong><span style="color: #ff7300;"><a style="color: #ff7300;" href="https://shadesofstrong.com/">www.shadesofstrong.com</a></span></strong></span></li> </ul> <div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a"> <div dir="auto"> <hr /> <p><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino;">Shirl Hubbard is the creator of Support Languages™ and host of Shades of Strong® — a movement shifting the narrative from Strong Black Woman to Supported Black Woman™ through language, rest, and real support.</span></p> <hr /> </div> </div>
289 total episodes available with 28 transcripts
Deep-dive analytics for Shades of Strong® | Supporting Black Women in Redefining Strength, Rewriting Narratives & Celebrating Authenticity
Frequently asked questions
Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
- What is Shades of Strong® | Supporting Black Women in Redefining Strength, Rewriting Narratives & Celebrating Authenticity?
- How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 10 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
No, this podcast does not typically feature guests.
Legal Disclaimer
Pod Engine is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected with any of the podcasts displayed on this platform. We operate independently as a podcast discovery and analytics service.
All podcast artwork, thumbnails, and content displayed on this page are the property of their respective owners and are protected by applicable copyright laws. This includes, but is not limited to, podcast cover art, episode artwork, show descriptions, episode titles, transcripts, audio snippets, and any other content originating from the podcast creators or their licensors.
We display this content under fair use principles and/or implied license for the purpose of podcast discovery, information, and commentary. We make no claim of ownership over any podcast content, artwork, or related materials shown on this platform. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
While we strive to ensure all content usage is properly authorized, if you are a rights holder and believe your content is being used inappropriately or without proper authorization, please contact us immediately at hey@podengine.ai for prompt review and appropriate action, which may include content removal or proper attribution.
By accessing and using this platform, you acknowledge and agree to respect all applicable copyright laws and intellectual property rights of content owners. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or commercial use of the content displayed on this platform is strictly prohibited.