Lemme Say This on Second Sunday and Bad Queers 🏳️🌈
Darren Calhoun
“We have hardly ever seen the Black Church experience portrayed through the eyes of Black Queer.”
What is the name of your podcast and what inspired the name? The Second Sunday Podcast title is a call back to the church tradition of having different designations for each Sunday of the month (1st Sunday for Communion and 5th Sunday for the youth, for example). Our co-host Esther originally came up with the idea of the show "taking a second look" at the shared experiences of Black Queer people in the Black church.
What is your mission/goal? We want to connect our audiences to the unique faith experiences of Black Queer people.
What made you want to work in the podcast industry? I've always been a lover of stories. I feel like one of the most powerful points of connection with other people is our stories. So when our Executive Producer, Anna DeShawn, approached me about joining this effort, it was a natural fit. I must admit, I've been surprised by how well the podcast has been received by both queer and straight audiences alike. There's something transcendent about a well-told story.
What is your occupation outside of the podcast industry (if any)? I serve as Digital Pastor at Urban Village Church, I sing in a band called The Many, and I'm a speaker and advocate for Racial and LGBTQ+ Justice.
What's the one thing you wished you'd known about podcasting when you started? Just how important it is to build a team - not just of hosts, but people who can do the behind-the-scenes work that makes your podcast stand out. Marketing, editing, even story-telling workshops all make a huge impact on the final product.
Fave Episode: It's hard to choose one, but for now, I'll say our Season 1 episode with Rev. Don Abram of Pride in the Pews. He's a gifted preacher who so beautifully shares about his first love as a gay black boy growing up in church. He shares the curiosity and beauty of that connection, which is something we rarely hear about, and, ultimately, how he comes to be a bold advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in Black churches.
Lemme Say This
Host: Peyton Dix and Hunter Harris
On Wondery’s newest show, Lemme Say This, you’re getting added to Hunter and Peyton’s group chat - a weekly conversation, going all-in on the pop culture news you didn’t realize you cared so much about. These best friends are chronically online so you don’t have to be. There’s nothing too niche or nosey. This is a show for Eras Tour scholars and Love Island obsessives; a safe space for silly questions and doing-too-much addictions.
Bad Queers
Host: Shana & Kris
This podcast is for people who feel like they came out of the closet and got placed in a box. It’s time to put the u-haul theory to bed and connect over being Bad Queers.