Joyful Recommendations
In each episode of Diverse Joy® Podcast, the official podcast of Inequity Agents of Changes, Dr. Cox and Nelson (and applicable guests) make a Joyful Recommendation to close out the episode (the “other slice of bread in the Diverse Joy sandwich, since each episode opens with something from their life that is currently bringing them joy.
The point of the joyful recommendation is not “here’s homework to do,” rather it is an accessible piece of media - be it a book, a movie, a TV show, or music - that we hope will bring you, the listener (or viewer) some joy to your day and it happens to also do diversity well in some capacity (no one thing can do everything, nor should it have to) as a way to help you broaden your input via the media.
The recommendations are organized by media type and then alphabetically, with annotations about what we liked about that particular item, with links to the episode where it was discussed in case you want to hear all of what we said about it!
Books
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret (1970)
Judy Blume
In Season 1, Episode 4, guest Nicki Vander Meulen recommended this classic novel for its coming of themes, and Margaret is the child of an interfaith relationship. (In 2023 it was adapted into a major motion picture, also worth checking out!)
Paris is Burning (1990)
Directed by Jennie Livingston
In Season 1, Episode 6, guest Sandy Eichel recommended the powerful documentary film Paris is Burning, which focuses on gay and trans people of color in the New York ball culture of the late 1980s. It’s great for queer representation in communities where that tends to be underrepresented.
Encanto (2021)
Directed by Jared Bush, Bryon Howard
In Season 1, Episode 14, Amber recommended the Disney animated musical feature about the magical Madrigal family - not only for the amazing musical numbers, but because it’s set in Colombia and depicts a beautiful range of Latin American skin tones while also dealing with themes of generational trauma and how there’s no one way to be feminine (special shout out to the character of Luisa).
Inside Out (2015) | Inside Out 2 (2024)
Directed by Pete Docter | Directed by Kelsey Mann
In Season 2, Episode 3 Amber recommended both Inside Out (2015) and Inside Out 2 (2024), two heartwarming and insightful coming-of-age movies; both are stories focused on emotional intelligence, and the later deals more with how puberty can make emotions feel even more overwhelming! Amber uses both when talking to her pediatric patients about emotions.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 (2023)
Directed by James Gunn
In Season 1, Episode 10, guest Nicki Vander Meulen, a lawyer and disability rights advocate, recommended the last film in Marvel’s GotG trilogy for its focus on Rocket Raccoon, a character with whom she deeply identifies (she particularly appreciates his quote, “ain't no thing like me 'cept me” and applies that line to herself).
Nicki also suggests you check out the other films in the trilogy!
Music
The music of Dolly Parton (1956-Present)
In Season 2, Episode 11, returning guest Nicki Vander Meulen recommended the heartwarming, trendsetting, and transcendent music of Dolly Parton! The music is great, but so is the philanthropic work that Dolly Parton does, particularly her literacy program: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
The music of Laufey (2014-Present)
In Season 3, Episode 5, guest Xizhou Xie recommended the music of Laufey, an Icelandic-Chinese singer/songwriter who is “making jazz music cool for this new, younger generation.” A lounge music vibe with Chinese representation in pop culture.
& Juliet (2019)
Jukebox musical with music arranged by Max Martin with book by David West Read
Based on Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
In Season 3, Episode 6, Amber recommended (as a whole production) the jukebox musical & Juliet. If you’re unable to see the production, you should checkout the cast recording! Based on the idea that the character Juliet, of Romeo & Juliet, continues to live at the end of the original play; and includes a nonbinary character, and the complicated ways in which William Shakespeare’s plays were originally produced with male actors playing female characters. The production includes a diverse cast and the soundtrack is “a Millennial fever dream.”
Cowboy Carter (2024)
Studio album by Beyoncé
In Season 2, Episode 2, Amber shared about how she finds Cowboy Carter to be invigorating and revolutionary.
Television Series
Grand Crew (2021-2023)
Created by Phil Augusta Jackson
The very first joyful recommendation on Diverse Joy was Grand Crew, a two season NBC sitcom with great representation that is focused on a group of Black friends (including an Afro-Latina character) who hang out at a wine bar (the show’s title is a pun, y’all) and hijinks ensue. There are six main characters, two of whom are brother and sister, played by Echo Kellum and Nicole Byer. It’s a wondeful sitcom!
Schitt’s Creek (2015-2020)
Created by Dan Levy & Eugene Levy
Our very first guest recommended the funny sitcom with excellent LGBTQ acceptance: Schitt’s Creek. A CBC show from Canada - though on the show they kept it vague so it could have been in the U.S. or in Canada - about a socialite family who loses everything has to move to a small town where they learn about actually making friends with people and actually becoming a family. All the while, David Rose (Dan Levy) is pansexual and everyone in town just accepts it (there are a small handful of queer characters and there’s no homopobia to be found).