explores what it means to live with racism and violence, then charts the toll on health — from hives and high blood pressure to struggles with mental health. The deaths of two Black men killed nearly 80 years apart in the same Missouri community anchor a conversation about the public health consequences of systemic bias. is the podcast about finding the words to say the things that go unsaid.
A limited series led by host and KFF Health News Midwest correspondent Cara Anthony. Next, check out the companion documentary . SIKESTON, Mo.
— For residents of Sikeston, as for Black Americans around the country, speaking openly about experiences with racial violence can be taboo and, in some cases, forbidden. As a child, Larry McClellon’s mother told him not to ask too many questions about the 1942 lynching of Cleo Wright in their hometown of Sikeston. McClellon, now an outspoken activist, wants his community to acknowledge the city’s painful past, as well as the racism and violence.
“They do not want to talk about that subject,” McClellon said. “That’s a hush-hush.” Also in this episode, host Cara Anthony uncovers details of a police killing in her own family.
Anthony unpacks her family’s story with Aiesha Lee, a licensed professional counselor and an assistant professor at Penn State. “This pain has compounded over generations,” Lee said. “We’re going to have to deconstruct it or heal it over generations.
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