Black Boomer Besties from Brooklyn
This is what the world needs now: two free-thinking “seasoned” Black women speaking their truth and inspiring others to do the same. Shaped by 45 years of friendship that began at the prestigious Brooklyn Technical High School through the Ivy League, medical school, marriages, divorces, triumphs, parenting queer children, life-threatening illness and many many amazing adventures. Each week, besties Leslie Osei-Tutu and Angella Fraser will push against boundaries in love, culture, careers, faith, politics and out-dated assumptions about women of a certain age. Remember, you’re never too old to change your mind…or your hair! (but more on that later :-)All views are our own and do not reflect the views of our institution/company. Information provided is not intended to serve as medical advice.
Episodes
198 episodes
Ep198 In the Midst of Deep Grief
Death is the one certainty many of us spend a lifetime dodging and when it arrives, it can leave families overwhelmed, unprepared and emotionally broken.This week we’re recording in the middle of real grief after Angella loses ...
Ep197 Good Intentions That Miss The Mark
We start this week’s episode with shoutouts to listener comments and a real-life look at some of the logistical considerations behind Angella’s recent move to Panama. Then we get more serious with a deeper talk about how “good in...
Ep196 Don’t change your dreams, change your circle
A missed flight, the need for an extra suitcase, and a room full of Black women celebrating each other at this year’s Exodus Summit International Meetup in Panama is where our conversation starts, but it quickly turns into something deeper.&...
Ep195 How I’m Living in Panama City
We’re together in Panama! It’s the first time Les is seeing Angi’s new apartment in real life and you get to see it too! Panama City is perfect for a “soft landing”, full of sky scrapers and the conveniences of the US but it’s only one part ...
Ep194 A Black Naval Officer Tells The Truth About War And Gratitude
We bring Angi’s older brother, Mark, on the mic for family stories that quickly turn into an unfiltered look at life as the only Black officer on a naval ship and what war at sea does to your mind and your priorities. We laugh about Brooklyn...
Ep193 What your fear is not telling you about joy
We discuss why joy doesn’t always come naturally and why we still choose it on purpose, especially after decades of being trained to strive, endure, and stay resilient. We share what it looks like to tell the truth about hard seasons, define...
Ep192 Watch out: Your talents can become joy stealers
The things that have brought us success can become our biggest source of burnout, and it often happens so quietly that we don’t even notice until our bodies, our partners, or our coworkers say it out loud. In this episode we dig into a patte...
HBCU Dress Code: Your favorite besties take opposite sides
Fight! Fight! This week, we debate HBCU dress code bans on bonnets and do-rags, and we end up in bigger questions about freedom, culture, and who gets to define “professional.” We sit on opposite sides, but we keep it honest as we discuss re...
Why I Keep My Jealous Bestie
A few days of missing daily checkins with Ang leaves Leslie feeling some kinda way: yeah, she’s a jealous bestie. So join us as Ang gives all the juicy updates of her adventures in Panamá and gives Leslie a few surprises t...
Ep189 Four Supermarkets With A Bag Of Raw Chicken
She was in her fourth supermarket on a 105-degree day, carrying raw chicken store to store like it’s totally normal, all for the right dried peppers to make adobo. Turns out both of us Besties have obsessions. Listen to he...
Ep188 Summer Podcast Club: Learning to Face History Without Looking Away
We close out our summer deep dive on Tara Roberts’ Into the Depths podcast by sitting with the final two chapters, “Healing” and “Rooting,” and the question of how we tell the truth without surrendering our joy. From the Sao Jose shipwreck f...
Ep187 Summer Podcast Club: What is ours and where is our home?
This week, we continue with Tara Roberts’ National Geographic podcast Into the Depths, episodes 3 & 4. Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica is where she meets Afro-Costa Rican teen divers bringing up piece...
Ep186 Summer Podcast Club: Tara pursues the humanity of 1.8 million lost souls
12.5 million Africans were brought to the Americas between the 1500s and 1800s. 1.8 million died along the way. More than 40 countries are involved in the commerce of human beings.So, did you do this week's homework assignment?...
Ep185 Summer Podcast Club Kickoff
The Besties kick off a summer “podcast book club” and explain why they’re committed to intentional joy that includes facing fear instead of pretending it doesn’t exist. Leslie and Angella also share a hilarious listening mistake before annou...
Ep184 This Writing Thing Ain’t No Joke
Moving countries is one kind of reset. Writing about your life is another. Angella and Leslie catch up on life in Panama City then talk about what it takes for them to contribute chapters to an upcoming anthology with their friend and ...
Ep183 Eight Suitcases And A Prayer At The Airport
This episode is a quick check in from The Besties while Les is still sweaty after her daily walk and Ang is close to departure in the airport lounge. Despite some unexpected baggage fees, she survived and is excited for what lies ahead.<...
Ep182 She Flip Flopped Again?
Changing your mind can feel like a character flaw, especially when you’ve already said “I’m not doing one more thing.” Then life changes the facts, your schedule shifts, the pressure drops, and suddenly the decision that once felt right need...
Ep181 The One More Thing Trap
Your calendar is full, your body is tired, and then a shiny new opportunity shows up and whispers, just add one more thing. Besties Angella and Leslie know that voice well, and they’re putting it on the table with zero filter. <...
Ep180 Shipping A Life To Panama
What does it feel like to watch your entire life drive away on pallets headed to Panama? Leslie admits she’s in her feelings, and we laugh through the petty moments while still naming the truth: transitions can sting even when they’re good.&...
E179 No, not everyone thinks like you!
Are you the kind of person who is automatically suspicious of people’s intentions? Besties Angella and Leslie are bringing you a real-time example of how fast our brains can write a story that isn’t even true and then treat it like evidence....
E178 Buying Black With Intention (Rebroadcast)
A random Brooklyn day turns into a full-on love letter to Black-owned brands we trust and repurchase, plus a hard look at how we talk ourselves out of supporting Black-made luxury.Our faves for self-care and home:
Ep177 Why Handwritten Letters Still Feel Like Love
Your phone is full of messages, photos, and threads you swear you’ll scroll back to someday. But what happens when the platform changes, an account disappears, or “someday” never comes? We’re Angella and Leslie, two 60-something Black women ...
Ep176 Write our story? We said yes!
We’ve talked for years about writing our story, but talking is safe (and cheap) and the blank page is not. This time we’re doing it: we’re each contributing to a chapter in Kim Coles’ latest anthology Legacy GIFTs, a project built around gra...
Ep175 Who Are You Without That Job Title?
A toxic job doesn’t just waste your time. It can hijack your body, shrink your thinking, and convince you that staying small is “safe.” We sit down with Dr Kimani Norrington Sands, licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Lifting As We ...
Ep174 5 Ways to See The Legacy You’ve Already Started Building
Legacy can feel like a loaded word, like you need a big house, a perfect family tree, and a fortune to leave behind. We don’t buy that. We’re two 60-something Black women, best friends for almost 50 years, and we’re talking about legacy as s...