In this episode of Be The Smoke, I unpack why I, as a Black man, refuse to mourn the death of Charlie Kirk. America has a long history of asking Black people to extend forgiveness and sympathy to those who openly worked against our liberation — and I’m not playing into that script.

In this episode of Be The Smoke, we break down Chance the Rapper’s Star Line and unpack the powerful themes woven throughout the track. From the realities of mass incarceration and the ongoing crisis of Black maternal mortality to global struggles like the fight for freedom in Palestine, we explore how Chance’s words open the door to deeper conversations about justice, liberation, and community. Tune in as we connect the dots between art and activism, and reflect on what it means to build a world where we all can breathe free.

In our very first episode, a fellow community organizer joins the space, as we lay the foundation for what Be The Smoke is all about—sparking conversations that matter. We ask a central question: What does Black liberation mean today? From history to the present, we unpack how freedom, justice, and equity have been pursued by Black communities, and what it truly looks like to build a liberated future. This episode explores the personal, the political, and the collective visions of liberation, setting the stage for deeper conversations to come.