In CULT AMERICA podcast, we unpack the American way of life from an outsider’s perspective. From the PLEDGE of ALLEGIANCE to AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM, how did these behaviors become the norm in the USA?
Join Brooklyn native Carl Black and migrant Leesa Charlotte as they unpack the weird, wonderful, and worrying rituals and sacrifices that make up American GREAT?
Carl Joseph-Black, J.D. is a Law Graduate of the City University of New York School of Law and the Founder of RaisingBenjamin.com, a website dedicated to increasing the wealth of young black millennials by sharing insights on Capital Markets and Wealth Management that’s as easy to learn as a Drake verse. After obtaining his Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania in 2011 he began his career at JPMorgan. Through his work, he found the need for financial literacy and empowerment among minority communities. This inspired him to create #RaisingBenjamin. During his spare time he likes to sip Kombucha while reading the Wall Street Journal, and advises local businesses on strategy. If he isn’t doing those things he’s probably watering his plants or listening to Drake somewhere.
Carl’s work can be found on The Dime, a social network first financial publication. It can also be found on Ebony.com, where he writes a weekly column, or on TED.com, where he gave a talk on the changes in financial policy and how it can improve Community Economics.
Leesa Charlotte is a Brooklyn based, Aussie born producer, podcast creator and singer. She stumbled into the podcasting when she started a Battlestar Galactica rewatch podcast for fun in 2017. She is producer, co-host and Jill-of-all-trades for both Cult of America and Sweetbitter podcast — and has assisted in the launch of several successful shows, including Sweetbitter which has been featured on Apple Podcast’s banner and New and Noteworthy, Stitcher’s Women in Pop Culture & Indie Pod Picks and PocketCast’s Remarkable Women.
Her degree from Monash University in International Relations in Psychology, specializing in extremism and identity, consolidated her obsession with history, politics and human behaviour — and she loves podcasting as a medium to discuss these topics.
In her spare time, you can find her gallivanting around New York attending burlesque or drag shows, playing lawn bowls in Central Park or singing at her favourite piano bar.
CULT AMERICA is produced in partnership with THREE SPRINGS MEDIA.
Audio by SARAH GABRIELLI. THEA SMITH is our assistant producer. Art is by ISTELA ILLUSTRATED. Soundtrack courtesy of KING VIR2UE and SOSOON.
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