STUFF are live online conversations hosted by Dr. Vibe (Canada) and Jazz Keyes (United States) about current events and culture from a black woman’s and black man’s POV.

Jazz Keyes is a clinical psychologist, certified life coach, author, and motivational speaker. Recognized for her work as a community activist, Keyes has spent the last 10 years of her career focusing on empowering the lives of others. With an intense focus on women, people of color, and children, Keyes has been honored as a Neighborhood Hero by ComEd for her involvement in numerous community-based initiatives.

As a psychologist and life coach, Keyes supplies clients with the necessary tools and techniques to awaken their divine energy, heal their open wounds and create an aura of love, compassionate and tranquility.

For the last two years, Jazz Keyes has managed to grow her brand as a dating and relationship writer for two major media platforms, JET Magazine and Black and Married with Kids. Her first book, If We Knew Better: Soul Cries of Women Past and Present, is available here.

Ms. Keyes is preparing to begin her PHD program Fall 2017. She will be studying to receive her Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage and Family Therapy with a specialization in Couples Therapy. Keyes has devoted a great deal of her time and energy on mastering the art of communication to create healthy, dynamic, long-lasting relationships and to help others do the same.

Jazz Keyes is an aspiring bestselling author. Focusing on spirituality, emotional empowerment, and love, Keyes hopes to one day deliver soul healing messages as a television personality and international inspirational speaker.

Our this episode of STUFF, Dr. Vibe and Ms. Keyes hosted the conversation Is Education Still The Great Equalizer For Blacks?.

The special guest for this conversation tonight was Dr. Marvin Thompson.

Dr. Marvin Thompson is an educational leader who has spent the majority of his 25 years in the educational field turning around schools in challenged communities. The scope of his experiences in schools range from pre-school director, elementary teacher to district superintendent.

In 2003, his efforts led to his school being recognized as one of the top 15 most changed schools in America through the National School Change Award Program. He served on the Virginia Academic Review Steering Committee, which reviewed, revised and developed school performance standards which are currently being used in states across America. He has served on Governor Mark Warner’s Economic Development committees and Governor Tim Kane’s early childhood committee.

As the Chief Academic Officer of a charter school in New Orleans, Dr. Thompson was featured in Oprah Winfrey’s Blackboard Wars, a nationally televised documentary bringing light to the challenges facing urban schools in America. The program received many awards including CableFax’s Best Documentary, The CINE Golden Eagle Award and the New York Festival’s TV and Film Award.

Dr. Thompson has many televison and radio apprearances including the CBS Morning News, The Tavis Smiley Show, LA Today, and CNN: Headline News as an educational commentator. In 2013, he was a speaker at the Steve Harvey Mentoring Camp for Boys and the Indiana Black Expo. Dr. Thompson was most recently an invited guest of the White House to speak at the 2015 Congressional Black Caucus Convention in Washington, D.C., to discuss the challenges facing boys in challenged communities.

Currently Dr. Thompson is the President and CEO of EmpowerED, and educational Consulting firm specializing in organizational systems development. His company has worked with schools across America from rural districts to some of the largest and most challenged such as the Los Angeles Unified School District. In 2009, Dr. Thompson was an invited member of the International Exchange of Scholars to assist the University of South Africa, the 4th largest university in the world, in revising its educational curriculum. These efforts will influence over fifty percent of the teacher workforce in the continent of Africa.

Dr. Thompson received his Ed.D. degree in Leadership & Policy Studies from The George Washington University, an M.ED in Administration & Supervision from Virginia Commonwealth University and a B.A. in Psychology and Education from Randolph Macon College in Virginia.

Some of the topics discussed during the conversation were:

– That education has never been an equalizer for African Americans
– If education been designed for African Americans?
– The state of the public education system for African Americans and what African Americans need to do
– What is the equalizer for African Americans when it comes to education
– The situation with the lack of teachers of color in the school system
– What should schools be doing
– How is data been used to hurt African American students
– Some of the reasons why there are gaps in the system for African Americans

You can find out more about Dr. Thompson via:

Website
Twitter

You can find more about Ms. Keyes via:

Website
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube
Instagram

Visit our website at https://www.thedrvibeshow.com/

Please feel free to email us at dr.vibe@thedrvibeshow.com

Please feel free to “Like” the “The Dr. Vibe Show” Facebook fan page at “The Dr. Vibe Show” Facebook Fan Page

God bless, peace, be well and keep the faith,

Dr. Vibe

LeRon L. Barton is a writer from Kansas City, Mo that currently resides in San Francisco, Ca. He has been writing poetry, screenplays, and short stories since he was way young. LeRon’s essays have appeared in Salon, The Good Men Project, Those People, Alternet, SF Bayview, Buzzfeed, Gorilla Convict, and Elephant Journal. His first book, Straight Dope: A 360 degree look into American drug culture was released in Feb 2013. LeRon’s new book, All We Really Need Is Love: Stories of dating, relationships, heartbreak, and marriage is available at Amazon.

Mr. Barton was on our show talking about his article Should Black People Call the Police?.

During our conversation Mr. Barton talked about:

– The reason why he wrote the article
– Some of his experiences with the police
– What did his parents tell him about dealing with the police and “The Talk”
– What does he feel the role of police is in today’s society
– Does he feel a good police officer exists?
– The fact that 49% of the felony arrests are Black people when only 4% of the population of San Francisco is Black
– Do older Blacks have a different opinion of the police than younger Blacks?
– Does he believe in community policing in Black neighbourhoods

You can connect with Mr. Barton via:

Website
Twitter
Facebook

Visit our website at https://www.thedrvibeshow.com/

Please feel free to email us at dr.vibe@thedrvibeshow.com

Please feel free to “Like” the “The Dr. Vibe Show” Facebook fan page here

God bless, peace, be well and keep the faith,

Dr. Vibe