Not forgiving someone for a wrong is never discussed as often as forgiving someone for a wrong. The mantra is to forgive and move on, but what if not forgiving someone who has perpetrated an act of betrayal, violence, broken trust or theft , which could lead to triggers or trauma, is healing? What if it is not?

On this episode of The Offshoot Podcast, Dr. Yve Michaels flips the script and has me, the host, on her couch, as we talk about not forgiving versus forgiving as part of process toward healing from triggers, trauma and other emotional pains. Whether the pain came upon you from family, friends, co-workers, or the church, not forgiving can be easy but it is not the path to healing, according to Dr. Michaels. But, why do we sometimes feel that not forgiving is ideal? Listen to Dr. Michaels, and she will tell you not forgiving has nothing to do with the other person but rather forgiveness is solely about you.

On this episode of The Offshoot Podcast, three incredible chefs define what makes food good, and it turns out good food is more than just about taste. Chef Sherise, the owner of Sweet Sage Catering, Chef Steven Steven German-Jones the co-owner of Palate202 Catering, and Chef Maine, the owner of The Maine Course, define what is good food by telling stories about their grandmothers' cooking, the family connections, the history of Black food, and rising costs to prepares dishes like collard greens and oxtails.

Food can be basic or it can be a memorable meal. It can be an expensive cuisine of unique marinades and sauces or it can be a very satisfying grub that warms the soul. But in both cases, and everything in between, food can be good, and according to all three chefs, food should be good. Not all mac & cheese is the same, so what makes one version of the iconic dish more good than the other? Watch and listen to what Chef Sherise, Chef Steven and Chef Maine have to say about what makes food good on this episode of The Offshoot.

To cater your next soiree, dinner party or brunch contact any of these fabulous chefs at:

Chef Sherise of Sweet Sage Catering, www.sweetsagecatering.com, on Instagram at Sweetsagellc

Chef Steven of Palate202 Catering, palate202llc@gmail.com, www.palate202catering.com, on Instagram at palate_202

Chef Maine of The Maine Course, www.themainecourse.com, on Instagram at _maine_course

I am going to venture and bet that there are many of us who went through the public education system, and perhaps throughout college and grad school, did not have many, if any, Black men as educators. I would venture and add that for those individuals that attended private schools, there were not many Black men educators in their classrooms either. The lack of Black men in the classroom, direct correlation or not, seems to have impact on many youth in schools today. The impact seems to hit harder when it comes to young, Black boys.

Why are there so few Black men in education at every level of education? On this episode of The Offshoot Podcast, posed that question to two Black men who had professions in education, but chose to leave for different reasons. Their decision was despite the acknowledgement that Black men are needed in the classroom. The education profession, to hear my guests talk, had become unsafe, high demand, and low in compensation. But they offer solutions. Take a listen to this episode of The Offshoot Podcast.