Dr. Vaneesa Enoch comes to the table for a provocative conversation that challenges conventional narratives about power, politics, and who gets to shape the future of American democracy. Long before they were elected to public office, Black women were organizing communities, building institutions, mentoring future leaders, and creating the political infrastructure that has sustained movements for justice and equality. Yet their leadership has too often been overlooked, undervalued, or deliberately marginalized.

This episode examines the undeniable influence of Black women as pioneers of political organizing, civic engagement, and transformational leadership. We explore why Black women consistently demonstrate extraordinary campaign effectiveness and voter mobilization while continuing to confront systemic barriers, including fundraising inequities, racialized and gendered stereotypes, media scrutiny, and institutional gatekeeping.

Dr. Enoch also shares the personal convictions that inspired her congressional candidacy, offering insight into the challenges, responsibilities, and opportunities of seeking public office in an era marked by deep political division and heightened attacks on representative democracy.

At its core, this candid conversation asks a bold question: What would American democracy look like if the leadership, vision, and political labor of Black women were no longer treated as exceptional, but recognized as essential? Through history, experience, and an unwavering commitment to public service, this episode invites listeners to reconsider who has truthfully been doing the work of strengthening our democracy and who will help shape its future.

For more information: https://enochforcongress.com/

September is International Underground Railroad Month. And if you're looking for the blueprint on civil disobedience converged with social justice, look no further than the UGRR itself, a movement the Black church led.

In this candid conversation, Rev. Dr. Richard Hughes shares his poignant perspective on the social justice identity of the Black Church. We ask the question too many congregations are avoiding: what happened to the church that used to hide freedom seekers in its basement and now can't say the word "injustice" from the pulpit?

Somewhere between then and now, too many of our churches have adopted capitalistic mindset. Prosperity gospel replacing liberation gospel. Comfort replacing conviction. The same institution that once provided refuge for Freedom Seekers now hesitates to name injustices.

It's ABOUT TIME we call it what it is!

For generations, Black filmmakers have challenged the stories America reveals about itself, reclaiming narratives too often erased, distorted, or ignored. Every frame has the power to preserve memory, spark dialogue, and inspire movements that transcend the screen.

In this episode of GOT TIME with Christopher John, we talk with Donna Dabbs, founder and executive director of the Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival (GCUFF), to explore how one of the nation's premier Black film festivals has become far more than a showcase for independent cinema. It has become a cultural institution where history, identity, creativity, and community converge.

Celebrating its fifteenth year, GCUFF continues to elevate filmmakers from across the African Diaspora, creating opportunities for emerging artists while connecting audiences to stories that educate, challenge, and transform. Together, we examine why authentic representation matters, how Black film functions as both historical record and cultural resistance, and why independent storytellers remain essential to preserving the richness and complexity of the Black experience.

Our conversation explores the responsibility of cultural institutions to invest in Black creative voices, the evolution of independent filmmaking, the importance of creating spaces where underrepresented stories can flourish, and the enduring relationship between cinema, social justice, and collective memory.

From documentaries that uncover forgotten histories to narrative films that imagine new futures, this episode reminds us that Black cinema is not simply entertainment. It is preservation, protest, and possibilities.

Link: Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival