Dope Black Dads Podcast

Recorded in the middle of the night, Marvyn breaks down how New York elected its first Muslim, South Asian, democratic socialist mayor under Donald Trump, why California quietly rewired Congress with one ballot measure, and how Virginia and New Jersey just told the rest of America where voters actually stand. This is not a vibes recap. It’s a live autopsy on power, maps, money and hope. Full show noteTonight’s Dope Black Desk is not from Westminster or City Hall. Emotionally, it’s in New York, California, Virginia and New Jersey at the same time. Marvyn walks through the election results that look “local” on paper but actually redraw the global map of power in a Trump era. In this episode, he breaks down: • New York City electing Zoran Mamdani — 34-year-old democratic socialist, first Muslim and South Asian mayor, ex–housing counsellor, in the financial capital of the world• How Mamdani beat a disgraced former governor and a Republican talk-radio veteran, with Trump backing Cuomo instead of his own party’s candidate• Mamdani’s four “impossible” promises: free citywide buses, universal childcare, rent freezes, and city-run grocery stores in food deserts• Why bodegas, Yemeni owners, unions, taxi drivers, immigrants and young voters formed a single coalition and toppled an old political dynasty• Trump’s threats to punish New York and brand Mamdani a “communist”, and why that bluff could push him into full-blown war-crime territory if he actually follows through• The donor class, pro-Israel money, Gaza, genocide language and why this mayoral race became a referendum on who really owns American politics• How the middle class has been swapped out for racial hierarchy and why that model is breaking down in real timeThen Marvyn zooms out: • California’s Prop 50: a mid-decade redistricting move designed to cancel out Texas’s GOP map and hand Democrats up to five extra House seats• Why this is an “arms race on maps not manifestos” and how one technical vote can decide who controls Congress in 2026• Gerrymandering, the Supreme Court, state courts, and why Democrats finally stopped pretending they were “above” playing the same power gameHe finishes with the governor races: • Virginia: Abigail Spanberger, ex-CIA, becomes the state’s first woman governor by running on anti-chaos, cost of living and competence• New Jersey: Mikie Sherrill, Navy helicopter pilot and former prosecutor, wins on affordability, child tax credits and abortion protection• Why voters in ex-red states are choosing stability over Trump-style chaos, even when Republicans put forward barrier-breaking candidates• How all of this connects back to London, food deserts, mini-mart markups, and a UK political class turning every square metre of life into a productUnderneath the US headlines, this is an episode about: • Who draws the map• Who pays the price• And whether any of this can still translate into a city or a country you can afford to raise a family in

I opened my ChatGPT vault and read the last five things I asked it: the best loose-leaf tea on earth, a high-leverage sales plan, a global parenting pivot, the truth behind “quotas” in ads, and the Antwone Fisher poem that hits like a freight train. Momentum storytelling. Zero fluff. High signal. Project 1Show notes (long, with skim-fast formatting)• Why your teabag tastes mid, and the five loose-leaf brands worth real money• Designing a killer partnerships engine in public• Upgrading Dope Black Dads into a global parenting community without changing the name• Are “quotas” in advertising real or a culture-war decoy? Data and context• “Who Will Cry for the Little Boy?” and the cost of growing up without a blueprint• What it takes for Black men to make it to 60 with purpose and healthReferenced from the live ramble captured in this episode. 

This week on the Dope Black Dads podcast, we dive into a powerful and timely story. Victoria Beckham has revealed in her new Netflix documentary that her eating disorder made her “good at lying” A raw admission that sheds light on a condition too often hidden in silence.Beyond the celebrity headline, this conversation is about what it means for our families, our children, and our communities. Eating disorders are not about vanity; they’re serious medical and mental health conditions that can affect any child, regardless of background.In this episode, we explore:Victoria’s experience of secrecy, shame, and resilienceHow eating disorders impact self-esteem, family life, and identityThe signs parents and carers should look out for in children and teensWhat to do if you suspect your child is strugglingWhy open, honest conversations at home can break the cycle of silenceFor Black families especially, where mental health challenges often go undiscussed, this is an opportunity to create safe spaces for truth and healing. Our children deserve to feel loved, respected, and supported in every part of who they are.If this episode raises concerns for you, please seek support: in the UK, Beat Eating Disorders offers free, confidential advice at beateatingdisorders.org.uk. And remember no parent is alone in this journey.Join us as we use Victoria Beckham’s story as a springboard to talk about how we can show up better for our children, our communities, and ourselves.

For decades, families of the 97 Hillsborough victims were denied honesty and justice. Public officials lied, delayed, and covered up. Now, the long-awaited Hillsborough Law, formally the Public Office Accountability Bill, introduces a legal duty of candour, forcing officials to tell the truth during major disaster investigations, with criminal penalties if they don’t.In this episode, Marvyn Harrison breaks down why this law matters far beyond football. From Grenfell survivors to Post Office workers, from Black families in police custody cases to maternity wards, cover-ups cost lives, trust, and justice.This is about:Truth as protection for families.Ending decades of lies and silence.Rebuilding trust in institutions.Justice for communities failed by the state.Setting a global example of truth as law.Truth, justice, and accountability aren’t optional. They’re non-negotiable.

Back in the 1930s, love was about survival—one person brought money, the other ran the home. By the 1990s, polarity and attraction became the focus. But in 2025? That’s not enough. Today, real connection needs three things: survival, desire, and alignment.In this episode, Marvyn Harrison explores how blurred gender roles, economic independence, and new expectations around emotional intelligence have reshaped what it takes to build lasting relationships. He asks the tough questions:Can you survive together?Do you still desire each other?Are you truly aligned in values, money, health, parenting, and vision?If you’ve managed all three, you’re not just lucky—you’re rare. Listen in to rethink love, dating, and marriage in a modern world where commitment is harder, but also deeper.

Launching this Father’s Day, Not Just a Day, A Legacy is a deeply personal and culturally relevant essay series and visual campaign from Marvyn Harrison — founder of Dope Black Dads. Through intimate letters, storytelling, and healing guidance, the campaign invites fathers, children, and communities to reflect, reconnect, and reimagine legacy beyond absence.

When my son was born, I thought I had to choose between staying home to give him everything or going back to work and risking missing the moments that matter. But the truth is, you don’t have to choose. From September, eligible working parents of children aged 9 months up to school age could get up to 30 hours of funded childcare a week, over 38 weeks a year — worth up to £7,500 in savings. That’s not just money back; it’s time to work, breathe, build, and still be present for your child. Apply by 31 August.Check your eligibility at childcarechoices.gov.uk#ChildcareChoices @educationgovuk #ad

Today’s episode is a throwback episode with Kate Ferdinand — mother, entrepreneur, and host of the award-winning podcast Blended. We discussed what began as a WhatsApp group is now a powerful platform supporting Black and mixed-heritage fathers across the world.In this episode, Kate and Marvyn explore how our own childhoods shape the way we parent, the importance of emotional honesty, and how to have age-appropriate conversations with children about race, identity, and belonging. It’s a powerful discussion about masculinity, legacy, and learning to be the parent you needed.

From Kool Herc’s Kingston-style block parties to Kendrick’s Grammy sweeps and Carti’s moshpit mayhem, who really ran rap every year since 1979? In this definitive timeline, we break down the Big 3 artists of each year, blending mainstream dominance, cultural impact, and lyrical integrity.Featuring heavyweights like LL Cool J, OutKast, Missy, Future, Nicki Minaj, and J. Cole, this episode challenges revisionist history and makes room for the artists who actually defined the sound, the streets, and the stats.Was Drake too dominant to leave off 2019? Should LL have been #1 in ’87? Did we underrate Future’s run? Is Kendrick now the GOAT closer? We’ve got facts, footnotes, and a lot of fire takes.Whether you’re an old-head, new-school, backpacker or trap loyalist, this episode is your hip-hop history cheat code.