Gettin' Grown – "Untempered Messaging" (Feat: Jenan Matari)
Date: December 9, 2025
Hosts: Jade & Kia
Guest: Jenan Matari
Episode Overview
This episode of Gettin' Grown features an insightful and moving conversation with Palestinian-American writer, media strategist, and children's author Jenan Matari. Jade and Kia ("two happy and hard working Black women trying to figure out life as 30-somethings") welcome Jenan to the Kitchen Table to discuss self-care, intergenerational traditions, the role of storytelling in liberation, the power of narrative, and the intersections between Black and Palestinian struggles. The episode resonates with warmth, cultural commentary, and a fierce commitment to solidarity.
Main Segments & Key Insights
1. Kitchen Table Talk: Holiday Reflections & Resisting the Rush
Timestamps: 08:58–25:49
- Jade & Kia share their Thanksgiving experiences, emphasizing the calm, restorative nature of this year's holiday, and reflect on family, tradition, and reconnecting with their grandmothers through food.
- Cultural Rituals and Cooking: They discuss the significance of "not rushing"—allowing time, attention, and intention in both cooking and life, contrasting modern speed (AI, automation) with the value of slow, deliberate care.
- “Faster is not always better... you can cook a roast in the microwave if you want. It’ll be cooked, but it won’t be good.” – Kia (14:13)
- Regional differences in Black culture: A lighthearted but real debate about mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving sparks commentary on respect for all regional Black identities.
- Music Commentary: The hosts reminisce about generations rediscovering the “Thong Song,” the legacy of Drew Hill and Sisqo, and how social media revives classic R&B for new audiences.
2. Introducing Jenan Matari
Timestamps: 28:12–29:18
- Bio: Kia introduces Jenan as an award-winning Palestinian-American writer and media strategist, an advocate for Palestinian liberation, and author of the children’s book Everything Grows in Jido’s Garden.
- Praise for Storytelling: The hosts highlight Jenan's role in preserving and amplifying marginalized narratives, particularly for younger generations.
3. Jenan Matari: Storytelling as Resistance, Unpacking "Untempered Messaging"
Timestamps: 29:18–88:40
Jenan’s Journey & The Power of Untempered Messaging
- Background: Jenan reflects on moving from confronting Islamophobia to focusing on Palestinian storytelling, tracing her own voice from “fluff” (culture, fashion, beauty) to direct, critical messaging.
- Workplace Censorship: Shares her experience of being tokenized for diversity until speaking on Palestine, when her employers asked her to "temper her messaging."
- “They don’t even think about the language... Would you temper a bowl of soup you serve to someone? You want to serve somebody lukewarm soup?” – Jade (34:49)
- Liberation Through Not Losing Recipes: The importance of cultural preservation—recipes, stories, and traditions—especially amid attempts to erase or water down narratives.
- “We talk so often here at Kitchen Table about not losing recipes and the power in narrative.” – Kia (25:20)
The Cost and Empowerment of Speaking Out
- Fear & Growth: Jenan describes the fear of being maligned (“terrorist,” “anti-Semitic”), learning to trust ancestral knowledge and lived experience over external validation.
- “The more you lean into ancestral knowledge... the less likely you are to fall into this trap of silencing yourself.” – Jenan (37:22)
- Propaganda & Conditioning: Explains how Western media and society persistently invalidate Arab, Muslim, and especially Palestinian voices, likening tactics used on indigenous and Black peoples.
Intersections: Black and Palestinian Solidarity
- Shared Tactics of Oppression: The surveillance and home-seizing tactics used in Palestine are mirrored in Black communities (e.g., legal property theft, police tactics, AI surveillance).
- Amplification and Learning: Jenan credits Black women and the Black community for lessons on owning one’s narrative and the necessity for intersectional activism.
Storytelling for Children: Everything Grows in Jido’s Garden
- Genesis of the Book: Inspired by her grandfather's war-time gardening and her grandmother’s survival story. The process of recording family history becomes a powerful children's book that connects diasporic youth to their roots and resilience.
- “You know, what it takes to cultivate a garden under these conditions... I hear genius, I hear skill.” – Kia (54:12)
- Child-Focused Narrative: Jenan is committed to making complex, heavy histories accessible for children through rhythm, rhyme, and simple storytelling, resisting anti-intellectual gatekeeping about what children can or cannot handle.
- “Sometimes I read it and I think, this is so simple, I don’t get the hype.” – Jenan (60:09)
- “It’s a skill to explain complex things in simple ways—that is brilliance.” – Kia (61:11)
Diaspora, Land, and Identity
- Homecoming: Jenan recounts a brief but transformative return to Palestine just months before the events of October 2023. That trip provided grounding, reconnection, and clarified what she’s fighting for.
- “It was like a sense of calm... this voice just being like, reminder: this is home.” – Jenan (66:33)
- Third Culture Kids: Explores the layered identity of growing up with the traditions of a lost homeland while navigating American society, and what these blended identities mean for future generations.
Call to Action & Intersectionality
- Concrete Steps: Encourages listeners—especially Palestinians in diaspora—to “flip” one person to being unconditionally pro-Palestinian and to recognize how personal connections can create exponential impact.
- “If you get one person... and then they teach one person, and they teach one person.” – Jenan (83:35)
- Solidarity Must Be Mutual: Emphasizes the importance of showing up for other marginalized groups, especially Black communities, and recognizing the queer and trans communities at the forefront of activism.
4. Listener Community Shout-Outs & Giving Back
Timestamps: 92:14–104:21
- Favorite Things: Shout-outs to Dr. Wendy’s new body-care line (EBG15 for 15% off), and Black Girl Hug’s Black-owned conversational card game (code GG for free shipping).
- Giving Back Initiatives: Vanessa, a listener, highlights food insecurity at Roxbury Community College, asking for donations to support their food pantry (see show notes for donation link). Jade also highlights opportunities to support children in Brooklyn shelters.
- “Even if it’s $5, even if it’s $1... every dollar donated has direct impact.” – Jade (103:51)
5. Self Care & Joy
Timestamps: 105:15–127:13
- Intentional Unplugging: Kia shares her self-care practice of unplugging from news and social media to binge old sitcoms—re-watching "Who’s the Boss" and reflecting on the progressive narratives and self-care found in nostalgia.
- Black Girl Joy & The Boy Is Mine Tour: Both hosts gush about the powerful, affirming experience attending the Brandy, Monica, and Kelly Rowland "The Boy Is Mine" tour—a celebration of Black womanhood, artistry, and resilience.
- “That concert was a master class in aging gracefully.” – Kia (115:09)
- Gratitude for Blackness: The segment ends with loving affirmation of Black identity and the joys of community.
6. Petty Peeves
Timestamps: 135:51–143:45
- Pet Peeves with Love:
- Jade: Annoys at people not covering their mouths when yawning & Costco’s declining muffin quality.
- Kia: Dislikes the eye doctor and the pressure to spend Flex Spending Account funds by year-end.
- Playful Banter: The hosts close with their trademark humorous complaints, cultural observations, and a quick-riff connecting ancient T. Rex slander to the modern importance of controlling narrative.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “The more you lean into the belief of ancestral knowledge... the less likely you are to silence yourself.” – Jenan Matari (37:22)
- “Storytelling is one of the major tools of resistance.” – Kia (46:13)
- “Get one person in your real life to flip and be 100% pro-Palestine…Each one, teach one.” – Jenan (83:03)
- “There’s a lot more we have in common than we don’t. The propaganda is strong to keep the division at bay.” – Jade (81:31)
- “Sometimes it’s because you’re right where you need to be, for those moments.” – Jade (72:09)
- “Brandy is your favorite singer’s favorite singer.” – Kia (122:18)
Recurring Themes & Tone
- Warmth & Community: The Kitchen Table is both grounding and evocative, blending humor, music, and sharp cultural analysis.
- Radical Honesty: The hosts and guest are frank, unfiltered, and resist the whitewashing or tempering of their stories.
- Intergenerational Wisdom: There is a consistent emphasis on learning from elders, maintaining traditions, and passing down recipes—literal and metaphorical.
- Solidarity & Intersectionality: The conversation repeatedly returns to the necessity of intersectional organizing and community care.
Timestamps Quick Guide
- 08:58 – Holidays, family, cooking, slow living
- 24:23 – Guest introduction: Jenan Matari
- 29:18 – Jenan’s journey & professional background
- 35:33 – Standing in one’s voice & identity
- 43:32 – Shared surveillance & oppression tactics
- 53:56 – Children’s book genesis; storytelling for youth
- 66:33 – Returning home to Palestine
- 75:09 – Third culture kids/identity
- 83:00 – Calls for action & mutual solidarity
- 92:14 – Shout-outs (Dr. Wendy, Black Girl Hug, charity)
- 105:15 – Self-care: unplugging, cultural joy
- 115:00 – The Boy Is Mine concert & Black girl pride
- 135:51 – Petty peeves (Costco, FSA, T. Rex jokes)
- 143:45 – Closing gratitude & reminders for self & community care
Final Takeaways
"Untempered Messaging" is a rich, heartfelt episode that refuses to dilute difficult truths or joyful celebration. It gently but unflinchingly underscores the power of narrative—in the kitchen, on the stage, and in global liberation struggles. Through storytelling, resistance, and shared care, Gettin' Grown champions both the beauty and the urgency of interwoven Black and Palestinian experiences.
To support the topics discussed:
- Check out Jenan’s book, Everything Grows in Jido’s Garden
- Engage in mutual aid for college students experiencing food insecurity (see Roxbury Community College Pantry link)
- Support Dr. Wendy’s body-care line and Black Girl Hug card game
- Learn and donate in solidarity with Palestine, Sudan, and other marginalized communities (links in show notes)
Listen, learn, and—always—take care of yourself and each other.