About the Podcast
Neither of them have any experience in radio or media. They live on opposite ends of the city spectrum and have two very different backgrounds. But that hasn’t stopped these two moms in changing the narrative of black motherhood. Based in Dallas, Texas, Mahogany Momology is hosted by Melissa Tarpley and Natasha Gordon, two African American wives and moms. Mel and Tash (their show nicknames) met through the group, Mocha Moms, and wanted to transform the lessons learned through their leadership teneur and wanting to help others in their motherhood journey through an online dialog.
Mahogany Momology, a podcast addressing the concerns and carefree parenting of black motherhood, was released Mother’s Day Weekend 2018 and is available to listeners for subscription on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play music with over 9,500 downloads. Through open dialogue and engaging platforms, Mahogany Momology podcast brings light and conversation to such topics as Re-Establishing Parent Relationships, Living in the Sandwich Generation, The Rise of Gun Ownership, and more. It appeals to African-American mothers ages 25- 44 years old. Their most popular episode featured information on the the stress of Black Maternal Healthcare, reaching an audience of over 500 listeners in the US and Europe.
Podcast co-host Natasha Gordon says, “Currently media representation in the crafting of black motherhood portrays a negative connotation. This podcast will not only discuss OUR joys, issues, but also delve into the social complexities that many African American mothers face daily.”
In less than a year, Mahogany Momology has been featured in Swagher Magazine, Our Black Family Magazine,forHarriet.com, Celebrity Events by Makena, VoyageDallas, Podcast Movement Spotlight, Dallas Moms Blog, Adoptive Black Mom Blog, TyneeTalks, Black Girls Making Millions Academy, Black Blogs Matter, The Dallas Weekly, and most recently 97.9 She Represents. They were also a 2019 SxSW Podcast Presentation Candidate.
About the Hosts
Natasha Gordon
Natasha O. Gordon is a speech language pathologist, with 13 years experience, having worked with the adult population, exclusively in skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies. Upon relocation to the Dallas area, began serving her community. A big believer in civic engagement, Natasha volunteered with afterschool programs hosted by the Dallas Community Fellowship, Inc. Additionally, she is a Founding Board Member of the Dallas Chapter of New Leaders Council, and is Past President of the DFW South|Fort Worth Chapter of Mocha Moms, Inc., a non-profit organization and advocacy group for mothers of color. She currently serves as a member for City of Red Oak’s Library Advisory Board, and Secretary for the Southsiders Running Club. Natasha holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hampton University and a Master of Science degree from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Speech Language Pathology. Natasha is a native of Brooklyn, New York, and enjoys long distance running and spending time with her spouse and two children.
Melissa Tarpley, CMP
With over 15 years in the hospitality industry Melissa's mission is to organize, create, and manage meetings and events which allow associates to be inspired, interface with customers, and interact with fellow leaders. Melissa has enjoyed a career at various 4 and 5 star hotels and being a meeting and event planner in at Fortune 1000 company. She transfers her skills in marketing and business management into empowering the community. Melissa is a graduate of San Diego State University's inaugural Hospitality and Tourism Class and holds a Masters in Management from National University. The boy mom is a member of North Suburban Dallas Jack and Jill of America, Inc., Mayor Star Council, and CitySquare Hospitality Workforce Advisory Board. When not podcasting, working, or serving the community, Melissa can be found enjoying time with family and friends cooking, wine tasting, site seeing, playing spades and dominoes and binge watching marvel tv shows.
Mahogany Momology is an on-line dialog pertaining to the concerns and carefree parenting of black motherhood.