Podcast
What's Ray Saying?
Hosted by Ray Christian · EN
Storyteller Ray Christian shares personal stories as a sixty-something combat veteran, historian, and goat-wrangling father of six living in the rural mountains of Appalachia, all told through the fabric of centuries of Black history.
11episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Making of a Moral Leader: Reforming the Chaplain Corps
Apr 2300:14:40Tap to summarizeRay and Chaplain Shabazz turn toward the future — what must change, what leadership should look like, and how the Chaplain Corps can evolve to meet the moral challenges of a new generation. Drawing on lived experience and institutional insight, Shabazz lays out a vision for a Corps rooted in justice, empathy, and real accountability. A closing conversation about courage, reform, and the work of building an institution worthy of the people it serves.For more on Chaplain Colonel Shabazz, find him on Facebook or TikTok, and visit Ray at drraychristian.com.
Transcribe →The Making of a Moral Leader: Faith Under Pressure
Apr 800:19:22Tap to summarizeIn the heart of the series, Ray and Chaplain Colonel Shabazz confront the moments that tested him — morally, spiritually, and institutionally. They explore the conflicts he witnessed, the burdens he carried, and the realities of being a Black Muslim officer in a system that often misunderstands both. This is where the quiet truths come out: the cost of service, the weight of conscience, and the thin line between obedience and survival. A powerful look at what happens when faith meets the machinery of war.For more on Chaplain Colonel Shabazz, find him on Facebook or TikTok, and visit Ray at drraychristian.com.
Transcribe →The Making of a Moral Leader: The Story of Chaplain Colonel Shabazz
Mar 2500:16:56Tap to summarizeIn this three-part series, Ray sits down with Chaplain Colonel Khallid Shabazz — a Muslim chaplain, a combat-tested officer, and a man who has spent his career navigating faith, duty, and the contradictions of military life. Through candid conversation and hard-earned truth, Ray explores what it means to serve a country that doesn’t always serve you back, and how a Black Muslim officer carries moral authority inside an institution built on hierarchy, obedience, and tradition.This series digs into the personal cost of leadership, the ethical weight of orders, and the quiet courage required to speak truth inside a system that often prefers silence. It’s a story about faith under pressure, conscience in uniform, and the long shadow of American history — told through the life of a man who has lived all three.Visit Ray at https://drraychristian.com.
Transcribe →Bonus: Gear - Articles of Interest
Mar 1800:48:21Tap to summarizeThis week, we're sharing an episode of the acclaimed podcast Articles of Interest, a show that explores the hidden history and surprising cultural power of what we wear. Ray talks with the show's creator, Avery Trufelman, as part of AOI's "Gear" series, which looks at the military and outdoor clothing we wear in our daily lives — from uniforms to specialized apparel — and how those design choices ripple outward into society, identity, and future fashion trends. For more on Articles of Interest, visit https://www.articlesofinterest.co/podcast, and for more on Ray, visit drraychristian.com.
Transcribe →Obedience, Loyalty, and Survival
Feb 1100:18:32Tap to summarizeIn this episode Ray breaks down how obedience, loyalty, and survival collide in America — in the military, in politics, and in Black life. From lawful orders to the legacy of Black resistance, he explores why conscience, not compliance, has always been the real engine of American progress. A sharp look at power, duty, and the courage it takes to say “no” when it matters most.
Transcribe →Tropes: Saying What You Mean
Oct 100:17:38Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Ray takes another look at tropes, specifically euphemism, stories that follow the path of misunderstanding by substituting words and phrases to deflect or minimize the impact of negativity. He's joined again by Kory Thomas May, and Tiffany Christian. For more on Ray, visit drraychristian.com and support the show!
Transcribe →Bonus: Death, Sex and Money - What Military Service During “Peacetime” is Really Like
Aug 2000:52:04Tap to summarizeWe want to share with you this special episode of Death, Sex & Money, a Slate podcast. Ray joins host Anna Sale to share why he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1978, what it was like serving in the years between major conflicts, and the challenges he faced leaving military life behind. He reflects on the trauma he carried, his time as a paratrooper and drill sergeant, and how he eventually found his way into academia and storytelling. The conversation continues what Anna does best: exploring the hard questions and hidden struggles that shape our lives. You can find Death, Sex and Money wherever you get your podcasts.
Transcribe →Tropes - That Sounds Familiar
Aug 600:11:34Tap to summarizeIn this mini-episode of What's Ray Saying?, Ray is joined by Kory Thomas May and Tiffany Christian. He ponders the characteristics of familiar narratives and storylines and the limits of understanding and expectations that are inherent in predictable, predetermined outcomes. As a public service, Ray presents his own prime example of the ultimate trope. For more on Ray, visit drraychristian.com and support the show!
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Bonus: Our Ancestors Were Messy - Oscar Micheaux and the Family Feud That Launched Black Hollywood
May 14, 202501:09:17Tap to summarizeLet us introduce you to Our Ancestors Were Messy, a podcast covering the gossip, scandals, and pop culture that made headlines in the Black newspapers of segregated communities during the pre-Civil Rights era. On each episode, host Nichole Hill and her guests follow the story of an ancestor who went searching for opportunity, adventure, liberation, and love and made a mess - and eventually history - along the way.On this episode, Ray joins Nichole for "Oscar Micheaux and the Family Feud That Launched Black Hollywood".At the turn of the century, Oscar Micheaux - a dreamer from Smallville - makes his way to the big city searching for fame, fortune...and a change to his single status! What he finds is a wife he loves, a father-in-law he hates, and a path into Black history he could have never imagined.
Transcribe →Juniper Ray Christian - Dickens: Crown of Blooms
Mar 26, 202500:22:05Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Ray lets Tiffany take over the microphone as host and Interviewer of their daughter, author and award-winning storyteller Juniper Ray Christian - Dickens. They talk about their journey as a writer, their new book, their Webby Award, and their perspective on personal identity.Crown of Blooms by R C Dickens, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®
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