In this second part of their holiday themed episode, Jenn and Daren talk about the importance of chosen family, and not just for queer communities. With Jenn’s partner Jamelle as a guest, they share how they celebrated the holiday season together as a poly family.

In survey after survey, it shows that people, especially younger generations, are increasingly dreading going to family events. And some of the prime reasons for this are ideological differences and offensive lines of questioning. If the point of family holiday gatherings is togetherness, why do over half of Gen-Zers report having a heated argument at them? The trio share the circumstances of them having to “release people” and how fulfilling alternative celebrations have been in their lives. Moving away from traditional family and traditional structures can be difficult, but they stress how much better it was to center their own joy and happiness. It also creates an opportunity to honor the traditions that are meaningful and to build new ones.

They close things out by looking ahead and choosing a word that describes how they are moving forward into 2024.

Reference Material:
PREORDER Black Women Taught Us: An Intimate History of Black Feminism by Jenn M. Jackson PhD - https://amzn.to/3N5m4Yg
Set Boundaries, Find Peace, The Set Boundaries Workbook 2 Books Collection Set By Nedra Glover Tawwab - https://amzn.to/47Frf9U
What ‘Chosen Family’ Means — and How to Build Your Own - https://www.healthline.com/health/relationships/chosen-family
More than 1 in 3 Gen Zers are choosing friends over family this holiday season - https://fortune.com/well/2023/12/13/1-in-3-gen-z-friends-family-holiday-season-avoid-drama-key/amp/
Survey: Nearly 85% of Americans avoid family over the holidays - https://www.usatoday.com/money/blueprint/travel-insurance/holiday-traditions/
5 Unexpected Insights About People Who Celebrate Friendsgiving - https://civicscience.com/5-Unexpected-Insights-About-People-Who-Celebrate-Friendsgiving

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Email: ThatBLKCouple@gmail.com

Podcast Summary:
This is an accidentally funny podcast about the realities of Blackness and adult life. We do “adult” differently. We are That Black Couple.
Our goal is to create a space for Black millennials to discuss and embody adult life on their own terms. We aren’t beholden to “traditional” gender or parenting roles, queerness is fluid and present in the ways we show up in our relationships and in the world, and we want to build community with other 30-something Black folx who are trying to figure this ish out.

S5E10 - Poly For The Holidays Part 2: Letting People Go

In the second part of the season 8 opener, Jenn and Daren dive deep into the complexities of their relationship journey, revealing the pivotal moments that shaped their love story. They reflect on the early days of their romance, starting from their college years. The conversation takes a candid turn as they discuss the challenges they faced from family disapproval, particularly from Daren's father, who went to great lengths to deter their union.

The couple reflects on their scrappy beginnings in Chicago, where they learned to rely on each other and build a future despite the odds. As they recount their experiences, Jenn and Daren emphasize the importance of choosing oneself and the power of true partnership. They share how their journey led them to create a life plan filled with dreams and aspirations, from starting a family to navigating career changes. They also share the struggles of parenthood, career shifts, and the societal expectations placed on them as a couple.

Through it all, Jenn and Daren highlight how their commitment to each other's growth has been a cornerstone of their relationship, allowing them to thrive together in a world that often tries to pull them apart.

S8E2 - Our Journey from Cali to the East Coast

In the first segment, Jenn and Daren talk about Janelle Monae coming out as queer and what the resurgence of queerness means for this generation.

In the second segment, Jenn and Daren discuss queerness as a set of gender politics and a set of sexual politics.

In the third segment, Daren reflects on being a heterosexual Black man coupled with a queer Black woman and Jenn reflects on identifying as bisexual, then pansexual, and now queer.

Articles for reference:
* Why, As A Queer Black Woman, It’s Important That I Write About Culture
http://watercoolerconvos.com/2017/02/14/why-as-a-queer-black-woman-its-important-that-i-write-about-culture/
* To be a Black, Queer, Unrespectable Christian in an Era of Unrest
http://watercoolerconvos.com/2015/09/01/to-be-a-black-queer-unrespectable-christian-in-an-era-of-unrest/
* I was most comfortable with my identity when I was anti-Black
http://watercoolerconvos.com/2017/08/04/comfortable-identity-anti-black/
* Watch: Janelle Monáe - Dirty Computer [Emotion Picture] 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdH2Sy-BlNE

www.ThatBlackCouple.com
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Email: ThatBLKCouple@gmail.com

Podcast Summary:
This is an accidentally funny podcast about the realities of Blackness and adult life. We do “adult” differently. We are That Black Couple.
Our goal is to create a space for Black millennials to discuss and embody adult life on their own terms. We aren’t beholden to “traditional” gender or parenting roles, queerness is fluid and present in the ways we show up in our relationships and in the world, and we want to build community with other 30-something Black folx who are trying to figure this ish out.

S2E17 - Janelle Monae-osexual

This is an accidentally funny podcast about the realities of Blackness and adult life. 

Our goal is to create a space for Black millennials to discuss and embody adult life on their own terms. We aren’t beholden to “traditional” gender or parenting roles, queerness is fluid and present in the ways we show up in our relationships and in the world, and we want to build community with other 30-something Black folx who are trying to figure this ish out.

We do “adult” differently. 


-About Daren and Jenn-

Jenn is a queer, Black feminist from Oakland. Daren is an introverted nerd and novelist from Anaheim.

They are boo’ed up and have been since 2002 when they bonded over a mutual love of Brian McKnight’s “Never Felt This Way”, their favorite Brandy lyrics, and nineties TV like Family Matters, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and Living Single. It was a shared obsession with Black cultural icons, histories, and artistry that drew Jenn and Daren to one another even though they are actually completely different personality-wise.

Jenn and Daren have always said to themselves, “Wouldn’t it be cool if we had a show?” Well, no major networks have reached out yet. So, until that happens, you can find the them here, sharing their views on race and culture and everything in between.

They are young thirty-somethings who have been married since for over a decade. Jenn and Daren have three beautiful, brilliant, radical, snarky kids who play no games.

S8E2 - Our Journey from Cali to the East Coast

That Black Couple

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