The first episode of This Is the Point explores what gender and gender identification mean in today’s world. Host Nia Weeks and co-host Pearl Ricks are joined by hip-hop artist Big Freedia, The Queen of Bounce, who shares her personal experiences growing up gay in New Orleans, and offers guidance to parents and transgender young people. Together, they probe those uncomfortable questions surrounding a person’s pronoun identification.

In a continuation of last week’s topic, Nia Weeks and Pearl Ricks are joined by Jodie Patterson, author of The Bold World: A Memoir of Family and Identity. Patterson is an activist and mother of five who writes and speaks powerfully about raising a trans child. Jodie discusses her firsthand experience and reflects on the complexity of gender in our society and its impact on the daily lives of families like hers.

Join us for a discussion on healthy and successful development for vulnerable young people facing pressures such as unplanned pregnancy, HIV, early marriage, violence, school dropout and unemployment. Host Nia Weeks and co-host Dr. Denese Shervington are joined by incomparable songstress and New Orleans treasure Irma Thomas who shares her experiences and lessons learned as a teen mother.

The second part of our conversation about sex education specifically focuses on adolescent reproductive health, teen pregancy and parenting from a young man’s point of view. Sonny and Dr. Pasternak converse about that unique and important learning window of opportunity during adolescence where the introduction of health and care for ones’ body merges with adult mentorship, emotional support, development of life skills, exposure to constructive experiences and formation of positive, lasting peer-to-peer relationships.