Talks & Entertainment

“Vibe Check” is a weekly podcast where hosts Sam Sanders, Saeed Jones, and Zach Stafford make sense of what’s going on in news and culture—and how it all feels. It’s like your favorite group chat, come to life.  

This live taping—coinciding with WorldPride in DC—will focus on “Modern Scriptures,” with each host sharing a piece of art—whether literature, music, visual art, or a clip from pop culture—that they turn to for comfort, clarity, and inspiration, and revisit often, as one might return to a favorite piece of scripture. They’ll highlight the creative sources that shape their perspectives and help them, and us, make sense of our lives. The works will uplift Pride themes and celebrate LGBTQ+ thinkers, entertainers, and creators.

Sanders is an award-winning reporter, radio host, and podcaster named best podcast host by the Ambies and the iHeart Podcast Awards. His work has been honored by the National Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists and the National Association of Black Journalists. 

Jones is an author as well as a powerful voice in the world of literary activism, and his writing often engages the questions and nuances of identity. His memoir, How We Fight for Our Lives, won the 2019 Kirkus Prize for Nonfiction and a 2020 Stonewall Book Award. 

Stafford is an award-winning journalist, editor, and Tony award-winning producer of the Broadway musical, A Strange Loop. Stafford was the first Black editor-in-chief of The Advocate, served as the chief content officer of Grindr, and was a journalist at The Guardian.  

In partnership with the Pop Culture Collaborative