Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay
Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay dissect the biggest topics in Black culture, politics, and sports. Two times per week, they will wade into the most important and timely conversations, frequently inviting guests on the podcast and occasionally debating each other.
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Van and Rachel react to the tragic Texas floods, before switching gears to discuss the conversations coming out of this year’s Essence Festival. (0:00) Intro (0:25) Texas Floods (34:29) Essence Fest 2025 (43:40) Diaspora War (1:02:07) Epstein Files Update (1:07:27) Zohran Mamdani, African American (1:23:43) 4Ext
The Fourth of July Delivers the End of Diddy’s Trial and Trump’s Big “Beautiful” Bill | Higher Learning | The Ringer
Let’s “celebrate” the Fourth with a two-topic episode: the Diddy trial and Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.” For today’s episode we bring in Yodit Tewolde to talk about the results from the Diddy trial, and Stephen Neukam to talk about how the country will be affected by Trump’s new bill. 00:00 - Welcome! 00:24 - R
Van and Rachel are joined by Columbia Law School professor Jamal Greene to help break down the recent rulings from the SCOTUS. (0:00) Intro (00:27) The morality of stealing (24:47) Jury deliberates in Diddy trial (31:34) Knicks considering Dawn Staley? (36:11) Zohran Mamdani update (53:21) The Big Beautiful Bill
Draymond’s Punch, Daddy Trump, and Dropping Loaves! Plus, a Diddy Trial Update. | Higher Learning | The Ringer
It’s Rachel’s last day in Paris, and Van’s dropping loaves (gross)! They talk about the closing statements from the Diddy trial with Yodit Tewolde before getting into quick hitters, Zohran Mamdani’s victory, and the use of the n-word by That Mexican OT. 00:00 - Welcome! 03:47 - Rachel’s Paris call 14:37 - Yodit Tewolde
Rachel’s back! And the U.S. is on the brink of war! Rep. Ro Khanna joins to bring congressional perspective to our involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict, before HuffPost’s Akbar Shahid Ahmed returns to help dig into Iran’s retaliation on a U.S. military base. (0:00) Intro (17:24) Rep. Ro Khanna joins the show (29
It’s Juneteenth, so we brought Dr. Peniel Joseph back to discuss his book, ‘Freedom Season,’ and the activist Robert F. Williams before podcaster Demetria Lucas joins to help break down the Tyler Perry lawsuit. And finally, The Ringer’s Chris Ryan joins to weigh in on the "face of The Ringer" debate. (0:00) Intro (08:
