13 podcasts to help you feel connected and stay informed

Hosted by civil rights advocate and leading critical race theorist Kimberlé Crenshaw, who coined the term “intersectionality”, this podcast explores the real-life meaning of the word through vital discussions about current global issues and interviews with key figures. podcasts.apple.com

From Reni Eddo-Lodge, author of the bestselling Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race, comes a podcast examining important questions and subjects around anti-racist activism – from media representation to intersectionality of feminism. In each episode, Eddo-Lodge invites key voices from the recent history of the movement to expand the conversation. aboutracepodcast.com

Listen to interviews with people who were part of significant moments in Black and civil rights history – from Norwell Roberts, the first Black police officer in London, to African American designer Ann Cole Lowe, who created Jacqueline Kennedy’s wedding dress in 1953. bbc.co.uk

On a journey to make sense of the legacy of the British Empire, and the parts of history rarely learned at school, Afua Hirsch explores the stories of people who lived through it. Speaking to leading cultural figures, from writer and poet Benjamin Zephaniah to actor Diana Rigg, broadcaster Anita Rani to novelist Nadifa Mohamed, Hirsch unpicks its impact on identities, attitudes and relationships today. audible.co.uk

This podcast bringing long-distance best friends together feels particularly relevant right now. In each episode, real-life friends Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman call each other to talk everything from pop culture to politics. callyourgirlfiend.com

The real-life couple behind the 2017 hit film The Big Sick, Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani, use their unique experience of quarantine to offer advice and recommendations on being at home. Profits go to charities helping those affected by Covid-19. podcasts.apple.com

Get lost in wondrous immersive soundscapes and in-depth storytelling of nature, science and human experience from across the world. Each 30-minute episode takes listeners on an epic journey of discovery, whether it’s to the deep-sea floor or the very edge of space. bbcearth.com

Use this time to delve into a deeper listen of Dolly Parton’s legendary discography, encapsulating the landscape and cultural scenes that inspired an icon. wnycstudios.org

Clara Amfo explores the streets of London with some of the city’s most recognizable residents, to uncover the places that made them – from their favorite hidden gems to the locations of defining moments in their lives. podcasts.apple.com

From newer releases to old favorites, readers question authors about their best-known novels, with past episodes featuring Margaret Atwood, Colm Toibin and Marian Keyes. bbc.co.uk

Follow the stories of Incredible Women such as Tracee Ellis Ross, Halima Aden, Sam Taylor-Johnson and Zainab Salbi as they discuss defining moments of their lives – and the clothes they were wearing at the time. net-a-porter.com

From the researchers of BBC panel show QI comes a podcast based on extraordinary truths, in which the show’s writers share their most incredible fact finds of the week (ideal for the next quiz you are planning). audioboom.com

Something that we are all in need of now – the tools to finding greater happiness. Hosted by Fearne Cotton, guests in each episode share their own experiences and expert advice on finding new and different ways of finding more joy in the everyday. officialfearnecotton.com