The Sista Collective speak with women who've focused on ways to turn their ideas and dreams into successful business realities during the pandemic months. From Sharmaine Lovegrove, the publisher of Dialogue Books, which focuses and discovers new writers of colour…To six year old Faith and her mother Serlina who’ve launched Cocoa Girl - the UK’s first ever magazine for Black Girls. Letitia George, Aminata Kamara and Simone Riley join Jessie Aru-Phillips for Episode 8 of Season 3 of the #SisCollective. Produced by Carly Appleby (BBC Radio Gloucestershire) and Karen Gabay (BBC Radio Manchester). Executive Producer Jessie Aru-Phillips. Originally broadcast on BBC Radio Merseyside.

The Sista Collective speak with Paulette and Xanthe who both researched their family ancestry and ended up with surprising results. Paulette went to Jamaica for the first time and discovered aspects of her family background she had no idea about and Xanthe, who was raised as mixed-race Caribbean finds out that that wasn't the whole story. Letitia George, Aminata Kamara and Simone Riley join Jessie Aru-Phillips for Episode 7 of Season 3 of the #SisCollective. Produced by Carly Appleby (BBC Radio Gloucestershire) and Karen Gabay (BBC Radio Manchester). Originally broadcast on BBC Radio Merseyside.

Dr. Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason is mum to seven classically trained musicians, that include the winner of the BBC’s young musician of the year award in 2016 - Sheku Kanneh-Mason, he also performed at Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding. She explains how they became one of the most talented musical families. The Sistas also speak with Jazmin Craddock-Jones, a biomedical scientist with a passion for writing and film. Letitia George, Aminata Kamara and Simone Riley join Jessie Aru-Phillips for Episode 6 of Season 3 of the #SisCollective. Produced by Carly Appleby (BBC Radio Gloucestershire) and Karen Gabay (BBC Radio Manchester). Originally broadcast on BBC Radio Merseyside.

The Sista Collective meets women for whom sickle cell disease has changed their lives. Whether it’s living with the illness or finding out you are a carrier and having to give up the love of your life or the hope of children, the Sistas talk about the inherited condition that needs to be addressed openly. From painful and sometimes life threatening symptoms to finding out you might pass it on to your babies, meet the women who have had to learn to live with the illness written into their own genetic code. Letitia George, Aminata Kamara and Simone Riley join Jessie Aru-Phillips for Episode 4 of Season 3 of the #SisCollective. Produced by Carly Appleby (BBC Radio Gloucestershire) and Karen Gabay (BBC Radio Manchester). Originally broadcast on BBC Radio Merseyside.

The Sista Collective talks mixed feelings about mixed relationships. South Asian Bias is a generational problem for many younger people in this country. The Sistas meet the women working to change family and cultural attitudes. From the daughter checking to see if her mum would still love her if she “married out” to the young British Black woman and her Indian husband and mother in law! How one generation is fighting the cultural bias of another. Letitia George, Aminata Kamara and Simone Riley join Jessie Aru-Phillips for Episode 4 of Season 3 of the #SisCollective. Produced by Carly Appleby (BBC Radio Gloucestershire) and Karen Gabay (BBC Radio Manchester). Originally broadcast on BBC Radio Merseyside.

Hollywood, stunts and life as a single mum. Award winning Amanda Foster on how she became Britain’s first black stunt woman, and some words of wisdom for the #siscollective on never letting anyone tell you who you are. Letitia George, Aminata Kamara and Simone Riley join Jessie Aru-Phillips for Episode 3 of Season 3 of the #SisCollective. Produced by Carly Appleby (BBC Radio Gloucestershire) and Karen Gabay (BBC Radio Manchester). Originally broadcast on BBC Radio Merseyside.

Talking politics and power with Labour MP Dawn Butler. Britain’s first female Black MP to become a minister in government, Dawn shares her experiences of navigating the” white space” of Westminster. Letitia George, Aminata Kamara and Simone Riley join Jessie Aru-Phillips for Episode 2 of Season 3 of the #SisCollective. Produced by Carly Appleby (BBC Radio Gloucestershire) and Karen Gabay (BBC Radio Manchester). Originally broadcast on BBC Radio Merseyside.

Letitia George, Aminata Kamara and Simone Riley join Jessie Aru-Phillips for Episode 1 of Season 3 of the #SisCollective. Talking Black Lives Matter with Jen Reid and 7 year-old school girl, Nylah Abitimo-Jones reads her poem “Black”. The #SisCollective also hears from songwriter Janee ‘Jin Jin’ Bennett. Jin Jin has written songs for Jess Glynne, Little Mix and Tinie Tempah. Produced by Carly Appleby (BBC Radio Gloucestershire) and Karen Gabay (BBC Radio Manchester). Originally broadcast on BBC Radio Merseyside.

Meet the new collective... Letitia George, Aminata Kamara and Simone Riley join Jessie Aru-Phillips for season 3 of the #siscollective. Produced by Carly Appleby (BBC Radio Gloucestershire) and Karen Gabay (BBC Radio Manchester). Originally broadcast on BBC Radio Merseyside.

Joined by singer Jamelia, the #siscollective talk fertility. Jamelia reveals that her open conversations led to her teenage daughter becoming her birth partner. Jessie, Scarlette and Eunice find out about the search for black sperm from fertility warrior Tamara Bugembe, plus the ins and outs of IVF with fertility blogger Vanessa Haye. Kelechi Okafor from 'Say Your Mind' podcast is also back with her sketch Sally In HR in the season ending episode of The Sista Collective.

Two years on, the #siscollective talk about community spirit with guests Zoe Dainton who survived the Grenfell Tower fire on Friday 14th June 2017. They're also joined by Kiss FM presenter Swarzy Macaly, who was a volunteer on the ground. Professor of Sociology, Cecile Wright talks the importance of community in the UK as she campaigns against the relocation of The Marcus Garvey centre in Lenton, Nottingham. Plus award-winning film director Amma Asante talks about the Afro-German community in latest film Where Hands Touch. Kelechi Okafor from Say Your Mind podcast, is also back with her sketch Sally In HR.

Figures from Public Health England in 2018 estimate almost one third of people living with HIV in the UK are women - of that, 69% are black African women. Aisha Namurach from The Terrence Higgins, Horcelie Sinda, who revealed she was affected by HIV while competing in the 2017 Miss Congo UK pageant and Juliet Reid, who was diagnosed with HIV whilst pregnant and is CEO of Centre for All Families Positive Health join regular podcasters 5 Live journalist Jessie Aru-Phillips, Scottish supermodel Eunice Olumide MBE and TV presenter Scarlette Douglas to share their stories. You'll also hear from Kelechi Okafor’s viral sensation #SallyInHR.

The Economic and Social Research Council estimate that black businesses contribute between 25-32 billion pounds to the UK economy. Melanie Eusebe, founder of The Black British Business Awards and Racheal Sealy, who runs UK Afrolista, join 5 Live journalist Jessie Aru-Phillips, Scottish supermodel Eunice Olumide MBE and TV presenter Scarlette Douglas to share their stories.

Women from across UK sport chat to the collective: TV presenter Scarlette Douglas and supermodel Eunice Olumide MBE alongside 5 Live journalist Jessie Aru-Phillips. The Fifa Women's World Cup is round the corner, the Netball World Cup starts in July and England's women will try and get the Ashes back from Australia in the cricket. With a jam packed summer of women’s sport ‘The Sista Collective’ speak to some of the women at the heart of UK sport. Ama Agbeze, who captained the famous England netball team who won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Sophia Dunkley from England's cricket team and Chantelle Heskey, wife of ex-England footballer Emille Heskey, and so-called WAG, join the Collective to discuss. Who are your sporting inspirations? Let us know on social media using #siscollective

Hear from Michelle Obama as we talk politics with new collective: TV presenter Scarlette Douglas and supermodel Eunice Olumide MBE alongside 5 Live journalist Jessie Aru-Phillips. It's an episode of firsts! Meet 12-year-old Kofi, the youngest person at Hackney youth parliament alongside 23-year-old Tele Lawal, the first black female councillor in Havering, Andrea Enisuoh – Kofi's mum and one of the first black woman on the national executive of the National Union of Students, Sareda Dirir, the first BAME woman on Salford city council and Charlotte Palmer, who stood for the first time as a councillor in her local elections. A welcome return to podcast kids 10-year-old Enaya and 12-year-old Raquelmi, who give us their take on politics. We hear from Operation Black Vote founder, Simon Woolley on their ground-breaking survey after figures gathered by the group suggest 1 in 3 ‘single tier’ local councils in England have zero or one black, Asian or minority ethnic councillor. But who do you think are the UK Obamas? Who are your leading politicians? Let us know on social media using #siscollective

Sista Collective returns with a new line-up. Meet Eunice Olumide and Scarlette Douglas! Simon Woolley from the campaign group Operation Black Vote tells Jessie Aru-Phillips that all-black shortlists could be the answer to tackle a lack of diversity in local councils, after figures gathered by the group suggest 1 in 3 ‘single tier’ local councils in England have zero or one black, Asian or minority ethnic councillor.

Family traditions, regifting and spicing up your turkey with jollof or benachin rice. The #siscollective talk Christmas and shine a festive light on other black and brown girl podcasts with guests Kelechi Okafor from Say Your Mind podcast, Victoria Sanusi from Black Gals Livin, plus Iqra and Alicia from Brown Girls Do It Podcast

Mel B joins the #siscollective to talk about her new book 'Brutally Honest', relationships, Yorkshire, and, of course, the Spice Girls.

Black, Scottish and British identity under discussion with MBE and model Eunice Olumide, DJ and club promoter Sarra Wild and vlogger Stephanie Gyasi aka Chatty Swag.

Model Munroe Bergdorf and Phil Samba join the collective to talk healthy relationships, dating app experiences and National HIV Testing Week as part of the #sextakeover.

Philomena Kwao, one of Britain's first black plus-size models, joins the #siscollective to talk mental health. Stories about overcoming adversity in the world of sport and reality TV, to dealing with everyday microaggressions are also shared. Mancunian DJ Simone Riley discusses her struggle with postnatal depression and you'll hear from Edieneh Spence from the Midlands branch of the Black, African and Asian Therapy Network.

From the natural hair movement to wigs and weaves - the #siscollective are talking hair. They're joined by Natasha Jonas, the first British woman to compete in boxing at the Olympic Games in 2012. The Liverpudlian shares her very personal story, revealing she has trichotillomania, which is the urge to pull your hair out. This week’s collective are from Liverpool, with Liverpool Urban Hair Show's Claire Namukolo and hair blogger Kelsey Rickards.

Welsh star Lateysha Grace from The Valleys and Million Dollar Baby joins The Sista Collective to discuss body image, Brazilian butt lifts and body mass index.

#siscollective episode one reflects on Black History Month, talks plantain vs plantain, Oluwajack and are joined in the studio by 'Two pints of lager...' actress Kathryn Drysdale.

Real talk by women of colour – lit, lively and always honest #siscollective