Lives and Plays in a Safe Community with Rev. Dr. Cheryl Cook-Posley

Safety isn’t just the absence of harm. It’s the presence of joy, belonging, and the freedom to dream.

In this episode of Say That With Love, Dr. Leah Austin is joined by Reverend Dr.

Cheryl Cook-Posley, National Director of Movement Building at the Children’s Defense Fund. Together, they explore what it truly means for Black children to live and play in safe communities—where care is a collective responsibility, and safety includes dignity, culture, and joy.

This conversation redefines safety through a liberation lens, offering strategies to build systems and spaces where Black children can grow up knowing they are protected, loved, and free to be. Produced by Mike Brown in partnership with ABF Creative.

Poetry performed by Ariana Santiago.