Sometimes the hardest thing you can do is admit your life no longer fits you. This week on Geneva Says, I'm joined by my very first guest, Misha Battiste — political strategist, life & leadership coach, and someone who deeply understands burnout, reinvention, and what it means to choose yourself even when it feels risky. We get into burnout, identity, self-worth, transitions and so much more - a real conversation about identity, ambition, rest, and the pressure so many women carry silently. Then we shift into Currently Obsessed, where we unpack why Michael hit so deeply emotionally beyond just the music — plus yes… we had to discuss Love Island 😂 including the relationship dynamics, emotional messiness, and why these shows actually reveal so much about communication, self-worth, and modern dating. Time to say the quiet part out loud! Let's get into it.

Today's episode is a little different… no segments, just what's been on my mind. Being a Black woman in a world where women are under attack. From stories like Dr. Cerina Fairfax to everyday experiences, the pattern is clear. And the way people defend it? Even clearer. I'm grateful for examples that show something different. KevOnStage and Victor Glover showing what it looks like to love and uplift Black women out loud. As a DC resident, I'm not mad at TMZ being all in the mix. Scrutiny is scrutiny… and if folks are running from it, that says a lot. Abbott Elementary spoiler alert! Watching what happened over "rules" instead of feelings… yeah, it hit a little too close to home. Time to say the quiet parts out loud! Let's get into it.

From the manosphere content machine that's building audiences (and bank accounts) off outrage, to lawsuits exposing how platforms like YouTube and Meta design for addiction, to even tools like ChatGPT that can quietly nudge us to stay engaged longer… there is a constant, calculated fight for our time. And let's be real, I'm in it too. I want your attention. I want you to listen, to watch, to come back. So the question isn't whether we're participating, it's how conscious we're being about it. What does it look like to protect your attention in a world designed to take it from you? What boundaries actually work? And how do you stay informed and connected without getting pulled into the machine? Time to say the quiet parts out loud! Let's get into it.

Is the Target boycott over or nah? Did it "work"? What did we get in return? Where did we spend our money instead, and was that company any better? In this episode, I'm unpacking what it would mean to move from symbolic boycotts to strategic ones… the kind that don't just send a message, but force change. Creating that kind of pressure might require a level of inconvenience most of us, myself included, haven't fully embraced. So the question is… how far are we actually willing to go to make change? Time to say the quiet parts out loud! Let's get into it.

What happens when the media we grew up trusting starts breaking down? In this episode, I reflect on what's happening across media, from the Paramount-Discovery saga to uncertainty at CBS, CNN, TikTok and more. Shrinking newsrooms and billionaire ownership are reshaping what information reaches the public. More than ever, it's on all of us to verify what we're hearing, question headlines, and support the journalists doing independent, accountable work. If you're looking for voices worth following, start with: Phil Lewis, Michael Harriot, Joy Reid, Don Lemon, Roland Martin, and Charles Blow. Time to say the quiet parts out loud! Let's get into it. Connect with me across socials @brittany_geneva Subscribe to my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@brittany_geneva

Geneva Says is back — and stepping into a new chapter! In this relaunch episode, I share what's ahead for the show, unpack the cultural legacy and contradictions behind the America's Next Top Model Netflix documentary, and recommend a few must-watch projects if the ANTM conversation pulled you in. Time to say the quiet parts out loud! Let's get into it. Connect with me @brittany_geneva

Guess who's back?! Sharing a few updates on all I've been working on and my next big thing coming July 6, 2023! All the deets at gamenightish.eventbrite.com, follow the event on IG @thenodpresents, follow me on IG @thegenevasays

Lots of researchers and news outlets are saying we are in a loneliness epidemic. People are losing friends, and more people than even say they don't have any close friends. Can we do anything about it? Or is it just the era of 'no new friends'?  Referenced article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/01/09/how-to-adult-friends-relationships/

I reflect on the emotional toll of witnessing another Black life lost at the hands of police - Tyre Nichols. As this downward spiral of police violence against Black people continues, where are the Black leaders we can look to? Sure we have the NAACP, the National Urban League, Color of Change...but is the community at large really looking to those organizations or their leaders for guidance? Is the era of well known Black civil rights leaders gone, and do we need to try to get it back?

I talk about how we should think more critically about the ways we expose Black culture in the name of satisfying an ever evolving demand for more and more content. Tweets/trends referenced in the episode: https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1615745850180763648 https://twitter.com/elle__monique/status/1612303065205325830 https://twitter.com/CamTheKing/status/1615733064025489410