In this episode

In this episode with licensed marriage and family therapist, Dr. Melody Brown, we discuss the intersections of sexuality and race and her experience working in academia within the University of Colorado Denver. Along the way, we talk about the many historical events within marginalized communities that have affected her and her clients.

Being a Student of Color

Melody starts us off by discussing the beginning of her academic journey and what it meant to leave the familiarity of being within the African American community which she had to leave to further her career. She describes how in her program of 15 other students, Melody was the only student of color and how she had to adapt to her new environment. We are lucky to touch upon a topic which the media and people rarely talk about which is the stark differences in the way one must acclimate to their surroundings when leaving their own respective communities that they once called their home.

LGBTQ+ Person of Color

Along the way, Melody shares how leaving her community gave her the opportunity to come out as part of the LGBTQ+ community. She expresses the fears she had about losing her God and her people due to her sexuality, so not only do we get to hear about the racial disparagement within academia but the many challenges an LGBTQ+ person of color may face as well.

“That was the first time I had to really really face this darkness of that reality and the different realities I had from my peers”

How the Black Lives Matter movement impacted her and her practice

Soon after the murder of George Floyd, Melody realized that she could join the fight in her own safe way as the world was still facing a global pandemic. She talks to us about how she wanted to be a resource to those in the BLM movement and be of any help possible putting her abilities on the frontline to those who may need it. Melody also talks about the retraumatization that many have faced during the year 2020 with these kinds of events in the African American communities.

“The trauma we experienced last year wasn’t so much for the marginalized, we know this reality. We know the stories. We know the names. It’s not new to us but we get retraumatized.”

Episode highlights:

🎙 3:20 How Melody decided to get her PhD
🎙 6:33 Leaving her community in order to come out as part of the LGBTQ+ community  
🎙 9:07 Melody’s experience working in academia within the University of Colorado Denver
🎙 17:39 How the Black Lives Matter movement impacted Melody’s practice and how she helped her community with free services
🎙 19:35 The retraumatization in marginalized communities due to 2020 events
🎙 30:00 Advice for young aspiring sexuality professionals

Resources: 

🔗 Melody’s Instagram
🔗 5 Minutes of Fame with Dr. Melody Brown, PhD, LMFT
🔗 Sexcasters Sexuality Professionals Podcast Community
🔗 SHA Certification Trainings where Dr. David Ley is on the advisory board
🔗 Respark Therapy & Coaching for sex therapy and couples therapy in Colorado and Texas
🔗 Practice Outside the Lines