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.
Black Boomer Besties from Brooklyn
Boots on the Ground: How These Black Boomers Navigate Political Anxiety
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
In this episode, The Besties share their strategies for managing political anxiety through intentional actions rather than constant news consumption, discussing how they've transformed feelings of helplessness into empowerment through deliberate consumer choices and lifestyle decisions. They are:
• Stepping back from news consumption and financial monitoring to protect mental health
• Boycotting certain retailers, despite inconvenience, to support businesses that align with their values
• Promoting the Job Liberation Summit for Black Women (May 16-18, 2025), a comprehensive program designed to help escape toxic workplaces. The sessions feature experts Dr.Kimani Norrington-Sands, Stephanie Perry and Roshida Dowe among others
2025 Job Liberation Virtual Summit for Black Women
Early Bird tickets as low as $99
Dr. Rebecca Eldridge's Black Boomer Besties episode on stress management tools:
Self-Care Tools for Troubled Times w/ Dr Rebecca Eldredge
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Black Boomer Besties from Brooklyn Podcast
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Get Angie’s eBook: We’re Too Old for This Shit! The Inquisitive Older Woman’s Guide to Joy http://joystrategy.co/ebook
Visit Black Boomer Besties from Brooklyn website for behind-the-scenes extras.
Brooklyn Besties Catch Up
Speaker 1Hey Ange , hey Liz , How's it going ? It's going well , hi , good , hi . Another time with my bestie .
Speaker 2I know , I know it's so special and you're so silly . What is that ? What is that ? What is ?
Speaker 1that .
Speaker 2Today was a good day , Liz . Today was a good day .
Speaker 1I'm glad I had a pretty good day too .
Speaker 2What made it good ?
Speaker 1I'll tell you what a patient said to me the other day , and this is something I think of I didn't experience the pain of a toothache , wow , and for that I am grateful .
Speaker 2Perspective .
Speaker 1Yes .
Speaker 2Perspective . Well , that's what we do here .
Speaker 2Welcome to another episode of Black Boomer Besties from Brooklyn . My name is Angela and that's Leslie , my best friend of almost 50 years . I think we're going to be talking about how it feels to be in these Black bodies in America at this time , and then after that , we're going to talk about something that is joy-spreading , about a summit that some friends of ours are hosting , and we'll give you some details about that . So you want to stick around , so listen . Just before we started recording , I
Stepping Back from News Overload
Speaker 2said to Leslie are your boots on the ground ? Do you know that dance ? Yet ? We have a high school reunion coming up our 45 and it's , it's this month , it's later this month , oh my gosh .
Speaker 1Weeks from now , oh yeah , yeah . Anyway , running out of time to lose the 20 pounds .
Speaker 2So I said did you learn the dance yet ? And I'm like dance what dance what the hell are you talking about ? I'm like what ?
Speaker 1boots on ground . Do I have to turn in my black card ?
Speaker 2You better . Please do Quick facet in a hurry . Turn it in . All right , all right . Because I'm thinking about making the centerpieces with fans and then , when people , when we're doing that , the fans will be there , they could grab it from the centerpieces .
Speaker 1The fans , that was my friend Steph's idea .
Speaker 2Yes , we yes . So you have to learn about that .
Speaker 1I've seen something about that . Some people pull out fans , and all right , just explain .
Speaker 2I don't know . I don't know , I'm afraid now .
Speaker 1I'm a little embarrassed .
Speaker 2I would rather you now go and discover what this is . It's a line dance and it's really cute and you have to learn it , or else you really do have to turn it in and if you don't know what you're doing , this at the reunion everybody except you , oh , everybody except you , and the corny and the corny people .
Speaker 1I'm gonna be excluded . It's like it's leslie on the line get out .
Speaker 2You're no longer gonna be a cool kid .
Speaker 1You know , you just learned this an hour ago . Get out .
Speaker 2Okay , you watch , I'm a beat no , okay that's not it you have to , you have time .
Speaker 1You have time , anyway .
Speaker 2So that came to mind actually , because what we've been talking about over the last few days is how we are feeling and what we're doing about it with all of this stuff going on in the government , and if you've been with us for any time , you know that we've really kind of pulled ourselves back from consuming all of the kind of constant . We're newshounds , or we used to be newshounds , and if you remember , we had a friend and psychologist , dr Rebecca Eldridge , on a few weeks ago talking about giving us tools for managing our levels of stress during this time .
Speaker 1Yeah , and just good self-care tactics and strategies to help some of the despair that people will feel , the hopelessness and just the anxiety and I've taken so many of her tips to heart and I've really stepped back in many ways Exactly .
Speaker 2So , and we will put a link somewhere here , it will be easy for you to find a link to that video .
Speaker 1It's honestly , it's really worth it .
Speaker 2It really is it really is so anyway . So we were just talking about all the ways that we have decided to step back you know , instead of being step back . One of them for me is learning this line dance that Leslie doesn't know yet yet , but I'm willing to teach you because I'm coming up a few days early . I'm going to Leslie . I got you . I forgot , I got you .
Speaker 1Yes , yes , you're in .
Speaker 2You're going to be fine and you will not embarrass me , so you're going to be fine .
Speaker 1Okay , anyway , but a couple of things I wanted to say . Just , I've intentionally stepped back from a lot of the news , the breaking news cycles , what's the daily or hourly issues that's going on . I stopped looking at my financial portfolio because it's going like this , this , this , this . But I know that this is
Intentional Shopping and Boycotts
Speaker 1a transient thing . I'm really trying to guard my feelings , my emotions , and I've needed to step back , but so many things creep in . Let me give you a couple of examples . I was in the supermarket today , minding my own business as I do , minding your own business as you do yes .
Speaker 1And a man asks one of the workers where is such and such items ? And I said , oh , he's really good because he helped me earlier and he'll tell you where it is . So the guy says , and you know , you're going to pay extra for it . And I says , oh yeah , we'll be paying extra for many things that we got what we wanted . We voted in who we wanted . And he says I didn't vote for him . I didn't vote for him . I'm a lifelong Democrat . So now other people in the aisle started , it's like we shouldn't vote for him . I didn't vote for him , I'm a lifelong Democrat . So now other people in the aisle started , it's like we shouldn't talk about politics . I said we'll see how this goes . We voted in who we wanted . Have a nice day .
Speaker 2Have a nice day .
Speaker 1And it comes up . I have occasions in the operating room with patients . It almost seems like everybody wants to talk about it . So , when patients are in the operating room before they go to sleep or after they wake up or stuff , it just comes up in conversation and I'm like I don't want to hear about this , I don't want to have this conversation because it still produces a certain amount of anxiety for me .
Speaker 2So I've taken steps so we can talk about some of those steps that I've taken , some of those steps are to not be in this , to step into a place of empowerment instead of okay , you're not doing that , but what are you doing ? And what are the things that we're doing ? To kind of not even what's that thing that the ancestors are telling us now Sit your asses down .
Speaker 2Yes , we are being down , yes , we are being intentional , yes , very very , very , very , very intentional about what we buy , where we buy , how much we buy where we're going . All of these things , our plans and how we're shaping these things with so , so much , and I'm really proud . I am really proud of the ways that we've moved from oh the hand-wringing .
Speaker 1Yes , and I really do . Let me just tell you , I have boycotted so many stores vendors , Amazon , Walmart .
Speaker 2I started to say Woolworth , I'm dating myself . Walmart Target I don't shop in those stores .
Speaker 1And it's not easy . It really takes some strategy . I have to do research on where to get the products .
Speaker 2I have to drive to go get them and I often have to pay a little bit more for them , but so what , it's worth it . It's worth it . Let me tell you this little sacrificial thing that I've done , and I realize this is silly , but it's meaningful to me . So a few weeks ago I was in Maui with a friend and they had this delicious coffee with a friend , and they had this delicious coffee and so I brought some back and I couldn't find it on the store shelves , right . So I bought some , brought some back from the , the villa that we stayed in , and it's only available on Amazon , and she wants to buy it for me and I don't know . You're like , oh , no , no , no , we're not doing that , we're not doing that . And she's like , yeah , because when you get the Amazon box I'll be found out . Yes , I am not . I am not , and we're making purchases .
Speaker 2We mentioned the , the , the reunion that we're planning , leslie and I are two of the people on the planning committee and you know there are things that we need to buy and we're trying to be good stewards of the money that we're bringing in from tickets to create a beautiful experience for our classmates , and so there are things that you know we need to buy and we're making choices . It's like no , we're not going to go there just because it's the cheapest . We're going to support . And because it's convenient .
Speaker 1Exactly Because it's easy . It's like we don't need to do easy .
Speaker 2It's like the . It's like the , that's what you do , that's what you do . Go there . No , we're making choices to say we're going to spend a little bit more because it supports a local , oftentimes Black-owned business and we are willing to spend that little extra , even with our own money , in order to not , you know , to live by our convictions ,
Responding to Political Change
Speaker 2to live our values is what we're doing , and that feels really , really , ooh , really really empowering .
Speaker 1It , does , it does . I'm proud of myself in that regard .
Speaker 2Only you're not proud of me , because you know me , I'm into the convenience and this You're not proud of me .
Speaker 1Oh , I'm always proud of you I heart you , oh Lord , yeah , yeah , yeah .
Speaker 2She got triggered , she got triggered , she got triggered , she got triggered , so are you ready to start talking about ?
Speaker 1Well , I just want to mention in that regard a friend sent me a post that's been going around social media that on April 5th , a few days from now , people will be gathering to protest what's going on in the government with our new president , I suppose , protesting the tariffs or the picking up people , what they call undocumented immigrants and what have you . Well , that's not what they call them . People are literally walking in and their badge not working anymore , their badge not working anymore . And someone says to me well , isn't reducing waste in government good , or waste anywhere in industry a good thing ? And absolutely .
Speaker 1But that , in my opinion , is not why these folks are doing what they're doing , not why these folks are doing what they're doing . I think it's . I mean that in the long run might be a byproduct of what's going on , but you can't tell me that this is not about power , instilling fear , getting people in line , all of those things that signal to me authoritarianism and fascism . In my opinion , you know , first you start making people afraid and anxious and that's absolutely what's going on . So when that person sent me that notice about April 5th protests guess what Black people I told her I did my protest at the ballot box in November .
Speaker 1I'm done , I'm done , so I'll watch it on television , maybe so what was the thing ?
Speaker 2What was the thing when they said the ancestors ?
Speaker 1You sent it to me . It said sit your black ass down . Yeah , there will be a protest on April 5th . Black people Hashtag Sit your black ass down and I get it .
Speaker 2I get it . Yeah , yeah , we're , yeah , we are .
Speaker 1It's in our DNA to fight and struggle and do the best we can and create legacy and do it for you know , sacrifice and work hard and work ourselves to the bone and whatever this is for our people , this is our struggle , but guess what bone ? And whatever this is for our people , this is our struggle . But guess what ? I also deserve a life of joy , of ease , of intentionality , and there is another way . I mean , you know , we're looking to get the heck out of this country and we are making plans on a regular to do that .
Speaker 1We are , we are .
Speaker 2You guys can have it , I'll watch you guys protest from afar .
Speaker 1I'm going to be sipping my Mai Tai on a beach with my feet up getting a massage by Jaime , that's so by Raul , by .
Speaker 2Pedro , pedro or Mariana it could be .
Speaker 1I'm not gender specific . Mariana , it could be , I'm not gender specific .
Speaker 2Absolutely , it could be . So yeah , and so let's talk about the Job Liberation
Job Liberation Summit for Black Women
Speaker 2Summit .
Speaker 1Let's talk about that yes .
Speaker 2Because I think we need to .
Speaker 1So we know one of the areas of stress , and I just talked to you about my cousin and how his job is insecure and many federal workers have this insecurity . Now , after putting in hard work and whatever , our friend , dr Kimani Norrington-Sands , is hosting her second annual Job Liberation Summit for Black Women . It's going to be held in May May 16th to 18th and we just want to talk to you about it a little bit because , remember , we're speaking now about how to reduce anxiety , how to feel more empowered in troubled times . How to feel more empowered in troubled times and Dr Kimani is an expert in telling people how to leave toxic jobs and toxic situations , rather than buckle down and suffer more and fight , fight , fight .
Speaker 2And cry in silence and keep trying to be excellent and keep trying to suppress your emotions and you know you ain't going to quit that good , good job and all of that .
Speaker 1But you've got benefits and you're in . You have 20 years in , you've got a pension , you can retire .
Speaker 2Meanwhile it's chipping away at your soul yeah .
Speaker 2Yeah . So Dr Kimani Norrington-Sands is a licensed clinical psychologist and she is a toxic job survivor , but she likes to call herself a toxic job liberator . She was on this Black Boomer Besties in . I want to say it was late December . I think it was December 31st . We'll put a link to that also , and we've been on her platform . She is beating the drums teaching Black women how to become liberated from these toxic workplaces , and I'll just read some of this here . This is our way , this is what we do . We spread joy on this channel . We can talk about what's not going well until the cows come home . We like to talk about what is going well and what we can do about it and how to have self-agency .
Speaker 1Self-agency , yeah , yeah .
Speaker 2Okay , so it is the premier online event for Black women pivoting from jobs that are no longer serving them , and I just want to just mention some of the speakers , not by name , but just the topics . I think that will be better for you . So one topic is take your power back from a toxic job . Know your options and your legal rights .
Speaker 1that part Right . You got rights yeah .
Speaker 2I don't know how long , but you still have rights that you can rely on . Ready to create multiple income streams ? Yes , we are .
Speaker 1Right , because that's what keeps us in these jobs very often Absolutely I mean obviously we have to feed ourselves and our families .
Speaker 2Yeah , yeah . Heal and rebuild your confidence is another topic . Learn how to replace your income . Listen , I have been an entrepreneur for eight years , almost .
Speaker 1Wow .
Speaker 2Since 2016, . Do the math Since the end of let's call it 2017 , for a long time . There are other ways that you can make money . Those ways can be less stressful or very joy-filled , that's what I coach on . I coach on how to have a joy-filled life and have joyful income Joyful income generation and people don't realize that it's a thing I mean .
Speaker 1I've talked about many times how joy-filled my work life is as a physician . I skip to work every day . Well , now I have a bad knee . I limp to work but I go in happy to be there , in a stressful situation often , but I enjoy my work so much that that's not my world . But yeah , we don't have to be miserable .
Speaker 2But , leslie , it wasn't always your world , though . You made a choice .
Speaker 1I did , I did . You made a choice . You were miserable and then you made a choice to go to med school yes , yes , so you forgot , and people looked at me like I was nuts . At that time , I was a single parent and it's like what do you mean ? You're going to quit your job and go to school full time . What is this dream ? You got your good job .
Speaker 1You're a science teacher , you're an educator . You got your master's degree . What are you doing , les ? And we don't always have to justify what's in our hearts and that will bring us joy later on in life . That's right . So , yeah , that's right .
Speaker 2So the summit is now in its early registration , so the prices are reduced . We will put a link to how you can um attend and um get your tickets and um , they have some really good speakers . Um uh , rashida dao and stephanie perry . You know they are the co-founders of our beloved exodus , so they're going to be there . There are , let me see if I could pull up some of the names real quick . Libria Jones Listen if you don't know . These are people that we hope become household names in your life and in your community , because you're going to be learning from these Black women who are in it , who are in the . They're not just talking about how to do X , y Z , they're actually living their lives , doing this and they're coming to talk to you about that .
Speaker 2Roshini Cope I love her . Dr Kimani , of course
Creating Options During Uncertain Times
Speaker 2there is Coach Yolanda . Patrice Williams Lindo all I mean , I know these people . Jasmine Williams Jacobs it's so good . Giovanna MacRees , christian Wright oh my gosh . Marissa Price I think she is co-hosting this event with Dr Kimani .
Speaker 1I think she is co-hosting this event with Dr Kimani .
Speaker 2Please do this for you , do this for your families , do this for your community . You have options and this has now been created for you . If you or anyone you know is suffering in a toxic job and they might not even be aware of it , but you might be aware of it you see how they have changed . You see that when you are together , all they can talk about is what their manager did to them today at that job what their co-workers are doing to them at that job .
Speaker 2That is like a common refrain for anyone in your life if not you .
Speaker 1And the thing is , it's easy for people not to recognize it because it's something that's typical . It's like the bad mother-in-law . It became like the joke that you're not supposed to get along with your mother-in-law .
Speaker 2So with these jobs .
Speaker 1It's like you're not supposed to be happy at work .
Speaker 2It's a grind .
Speaker 1It's something you endure . You endure it for your 25 years and then , you get out when your body is broken down and tired and you know what it's the American way , but I've learned in the last few years that it doesn't have to be the way it really doesn't . It's a scam , it's a joke . It's not . You know , don't drink the Kool-Aid . We have internalized that as the way that it's supposed to be and it's not . We get to create the way things are supposed to be .
Speaker 1We get to create the environment that we now to live outside of the United States you know , but it's real .
Speaker 1And I'm not saying that that's the truth or what everyone needs to do . But I bet you , the more options you have , the more you are buffered against some of these streams of terror and fear that are coming into us . I was speaking to my mom recently and she was telling me about how afraid she is about just listening and what's going on and the prices of groceries and things . And I'm like Mom , turn it off . Why are you listening to this ? You ?
Speaker 1know , like what Dr Eldridge said , decide what it is you're looking for and why you're watching these things , this doom scroll that people have a habit of doing turn it off . I said Mom , how about if you just well , I need to listen to the news . No , you don't .
Speaker 2Or you can listen to it once a day or once every other day . It's the intention part . Yeah , what are you doing ? What do you want from it ? And listen to it to get that and then turn the rest off .
Speaker 1And then she comes away shaking in her boots and I don't understand , and calling up everybody about warning us . I'm like mom . Oh , poor thing .
Speaker 2Oh , Les .
Speaker 1Yeah , poor thing , it's okay mom .
Speaker 2Maybe we should get her a ticket , but she's not in a job . I'm just saying , maybe being around these women will help her . But you know , being an older , person here in the .
Speaker 1United States , we're used to certain things . And we're used to watching the news every night . You know , yeah , that's right we're used to trusting our government to help us and serve us . We think that you know we're going to get the return for the input that we've had all our lives Times . They are a changing .
Speaker 2They are a changing Buckle up . Buckle up and get your boots on the ground , but not to them protests . Okay , Les , can we bring this in for a landing , Because I've got to go get something to eat . I am so hungry right now ?
Speaker 1Yeah , you probably haven't eaten all day because you just forget to eat who ?
Speaker 2forgets to eat . I forget to eat .
Speaker 1This one .
Speaker 2I do . I forget to eat .
Speaker 1Listen , stick with me , I will remind you on a regular Stick with me , kid Stick with me .
Speaker 2I don't have a problem when I'm with people who are eating , but when I'm by myself , I really have to be reminded to eat or the headache starts to come .
Speaker 1In Must be nice . So , anyway , it was a pleasure talking to you all . Thank you for listening . We're going to give you links to all of the content and the
Closing Thoughts on Finding Joy
Speaker 1people that we've mentioned , and the summit for sure . We want to give you guys options and ideas to bring more joy in your life and less stress in your life . It is possible , even in these hard times , to skip to work , like I do . But anyway , thank you for listening . Thank you , we appreciate you , we do . And this has been another episode of Black Boomer . Besties from Brooklyn , brooklyn .
