[Whitney] Previously onRun the World...
-[Sondi] I kept my apartment. -You plan on telling
-Matthew about this? -Fuck no.
-I want you to be my TA. -Seriously?
I love you, and I love Amari.
But all of this can be really distracting.
I'm not trying to spend the next five years getting my PhD.
I hate being this mad at her.
Sounds like you still love her.
I don't think this partnership is gonna work out.
Thank you, Abby, but I gotta be on my own.
You can't keep calling in sick to work.
And fix those overgrown eyebrows.
[groans] Who am I trying to look good for?
I ain't got no man.
You are walking into that office
tomorrow with confidence.
[singer] ♪ Have some juice, honey ♪
♪ Rich bitch juice ♪
♪ You've been sad lately ♪
♪ Need to let loose ♪
♪ Let them fight Let them die, you're fly ♪
♪ You should chill Don't be mad ♪
♪ What about lying By the pool ♪
♪ Drinking rich bitch juice ♪
-♪ Drink it up ♪ -♪ Rich bitch juice ♪
♪ Hey, rich bitch juice... ♪
Hey, Whit. L-love the new look.
Don't care.
[singer] ♪ Rich bitch juice ♪
♪ Hey, rich bitch juice ♪
♪ Rich bitch juice ♪
[Radha] Welcome back, Whitney.
Brett from Eco Cheese sent it as a wedding gift.
It's been here awhile.
I think Chad works out on it, but I don't have proof.
Thank you, Radha.
[dramatic music plays]
♪ ♪
[singer] ♪ We're running We're running, we're running ♪
♪ We run the world We run the ♪
[moans]
Shit! [moans]
[phone buzzing and ringing]
Shit!
-Oh, God! -[Matthew] What are you doing?
I have to answer.
Professor Baptiste, hi. How are you?
Uh, no, no, no, it's not a bad time.
I'm, um--it's fine. I'm at the gym.
[Matthew chuckles]
Really?
Um, yeah.
Yes, I-I would be honored.
O-okay.
Okay, thanks.
Baptiste just tapped me to replace Tasha Henderson
in the student versus faculty debate.
-Hey, that's great. -[laughs]
-Come on. -Hey, this is major.
[sighs] You're right.
It is. I'm sorry.
I guess I'm just nonchalant about it
because professors win every year, so...
Yeah, well, things change.
-Oh, do they, now? -Yeah.
I like this competitive spirit,
but don't think I'm gonna take it easy on you.
Who says I'm gonna take it easy on you?
[Matthew laughs]
[Sondi moans]
I think Baptiste is actually starting to respect me.
Like, I think that she likes me.
-[giggles] -Babe, that's great.
But could you please not mention Baptiste
while I'm inside you?
-Mm-hmm, yeah. Sorry. -Thank you.
[Sondi moans]
-[Matthew grunts] -[dripping]
You feel that?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, I feel that. What--
[Matthew] Oh, shit!
What is that?
[Matthew] This is not good!
♪ ♪
[indistinct chatter]
Hey, Whitney, got a sec?
Sure.
Do you want me to call Ramon to get this out of here?
He's already on his way.
Oh, good.
So first day back. How does it feel?
Like I have a lot of work to do.
Right.
What's up?
I know you have a lot on your plate.
But I was wondering if you put any thought
into who you'll be sponsoring
for the Association for Business Professionals of Color
event this year.
-ABPOC is here already? -Mm-hmm.
No, no, I haven't.
I mean, we work so well together,
and I've already learned so much from you.
I also covered all your clients for you
for four and a half weeks,
even though it was only supposed to be for three.
Okay, Radha, you don't need to sell yourself.
-[phone ringing] -You'd make a great candidate.
Um, but can we talk about this a little later?
I just really gotta get this.
Yes, of course. And thank you. [chuckles awkwardly]
[jazzy music plays]
♪ ♪
To our resident intellectual
coming up in the world. [chuckles]
-Cheers. -[glasses clink]
I'm so proud of you, girl.
-[Whitney chuckles] -Thank you.
You know, maybe you're gonna be
the next Angela Rye...
-Oh. -...or, um...
Angela Rye.
Okay, I'm gonna need you to start following
some more smart Black people
and less spicy wing challenges.
[laughter]
Well, I am just really grateful
that Baptiste chose me for this year's debates.
It's the perfect opportunity for me to remind people
that I am way more than just Dr. Powell's girlfriend.
I have a debate topic for you.
Have you ever noticed how the pretty boys in the NFL--
they're usually the offensive players
that run and make the touchdowns--
they all got white wives
but the big, thick ones, they all got Black wives?
-[both] What? -I'm serious.
You know, the big, thick ones, you know, with big booties
that be running and having head concussions and shit,
they only got Black wives.
What's up with that?
I'll bring it to Baptiste
and pitch it to her for next year's debate.
You know what? Y'all can make fun of me
if you want to, but it's a major conspiracy
that no one else is talking about.
Flashy wide receivers, too good for the sisters, huh?
Anyway, I wouldn't wanna debate you.
So I know you're gonna crush it.
And I'm sure that Matthew is very proud of you.
Yeah, he is.
Couldn't come at a worse time, though.
-Well, what's going on? -We just found out
that Matthew's roof needs to be completely redone.
And it might take a month or two for them to fix it.
Oh, God, that's awful.
So do you two have to move out while they do all the repairs?
Yeah, but the thing is, is that Matthew's
insurance company is only going to give him
$150 a night
for a hotel in New York City.
Oh, my God, where can you stay for $150 a night?
I know a place that's free.
Okay, well, we... [sighs]
...all know that I haven't exactly told Matthew
about my place yet.
Oh-ho!
I'm not not telling him on purpose, okay?
-I just-- -[Whitney] You don't want him
to be pissed at you for totally betraying his trust.
Okay, what is that supposed to mean?
Oh, that's supposed to mean that you were the one
who told me to be completely honest with Ola,
and you are doing the exact opposite.
Okay, but...
my situation is very different.
Okay, Whitney, how was your first day back at work?
Oh, it was great.
It's like I never left.
Ugh, it's brutal.
I'm depressed. I'm behind.
No one there gives a fuck about me.
Not a single person asked me how I was doing.
Even Radha, she just blew past my pain
and asked me if I could sponsor her for ABPOC,
like that's all I'm good for.
What's ABPOC?
The Association for Business Professionals of Color.
Girl, where have you been?
Whitney, fuck Radha.
I need this. You need to sponsor me.
Abby was supposed to sponsor me at this event last year,
but they found out that she wasn't 1/16 Cherokee
and kicked her ass out.
But--
I gotta start networking, okay?
My cash flow is nonexistent right now.
I was just thinking about Airbnb'ing my en suite bedroom,
just get some money!
-Help me! -Ooh!
Matthew and I could rent your place.
Girl, not for 150 a night.
Whitney, please. You're my best friend.
Okay, fine. I will sponsor you.
Thank you. I love you.
Mm.
So should I tell Matthew or not?
[both] Yes!
Esteemed judges, faculty, and students,
welcome to the sixth annual
African-American Studies Department Town Hall Debates.
[applause]
This year, we'll be debating a very pertinent topic:
critical race theory
and its introduction into our public schools.
Before we jump in, I'd like to introduce our teams.
For the professors, we have Dr. Sheila Thomas,
Professor Joseph Johnson,
and Dr. Matthew Powell.
And representing our graduate students,
we have Ms. Regina Jackson,
Ms. Sondi Hill,
and Mr. Julian Simmons.
[cheers and applause]
Let's jump right in with our first question.
Has the term "critical race theory"
helped or hindered Black Americans' efforts
to change the narrative of American history
in the public school system?
Professors, as last year's winners,
would you like to go first or second?
-Second. -I got this.
CRT is simply a performance review
of the great American experiment.
It examines the laws, practices, and policies
passed by certain systems and structures
that continue to render inequality.
It's how intellectuals say, "Show me the receipts."
[light laughter]
I don't think the term has hindered the efforts
for Black Americans to have CRT taught in schools.
We don't need to change a phrase to get people on board
who were never gonna be on board in the first place.
-Thank you. -[applause]
[Matthew] Well done, Mr. Simmons.
Sounds like you've been paying attention in class.
[laughter]
However, I must disagree.
The term has absolutely hindered our efforts
at changing curriculum.
It's been weaponized against us
to the point that we are discussing semantics
and no longer discussing systemic racism.
[applause]
The irony is that "critical race theory"
could not be a friendlier term.
You see, racism is not a theory.
-It's a fact. -[applause]
So whereas I agree with Mr. Simmons
that we do not need to change the term,
we do need to change the discussion around the term.
And the change should be, there is no discussion at all.
The term is not the problem.
Racism is the problem.
[cheers and applause]
[light piano music plays]
♪ ♪
[indistinct chatter]
[Whitney] Welcome to the big leagues.
[Renee] I'm gon' work the shit out of this room.
Ooh, coconut shrimp. Thank you.
Mmm.
Oh, my God, Radha's here.
Is that the girl whose spot I took?
Yeah.
She looks pissed too.
Okay, see ya.
Renee!
[sighs]
Radha, hi. [chuckles awkwardly]
So I see that you--
I Twitter bombed Nisha Shah from Lawrence and Davidson
until she finally sponsored me.
It was really embarrassing.
Oh. Well, um, I'm sorry.
We're two of six women of color at Abbott and Bond,
and I just really thought we'd have each other's backs.
But I guess not.
[laughter]
[Barb] Mm-hmm. Oh, yeah.
Oh, I just got my second duplex
on 142nd and Malcolm X.
You know, these white millennials,
they love paying too much rent.
-[laughter] -[Renee] Barb.
-Oh. -Hey, girl.
-Lord. -Hey.
Fancy seeing you here.
You know, I wasn't sure our paths would ever cross again,
seeing how our girl skipped town
in the middle of the night.
Yeah, I know, she peeled out of here
like she was running from child support.
You know, but I'm not surprised.
Ella was always a free spirit.
Don't get me wrong. She fucked me.
But in a lot of ways, I admire her.
And in a lot of other ways,
I'm gonna wring her long supermodel neck
if I ever see her again.
Who let you in here?
Whitney.
I left Eclipse a few months ago and set up my own shop.
-All right. -Mm-hmm.
-Good for you. -Well, I-I just overheard you
talking about your real estate investment.
You know, I'm looking for some investors as well.
Ooh, I bet you are
after your ex borrowed from your mutual fund.
Oh, yeah, Ella gave me the hot tea on you three as well.
-Oh! -[laughter]
Oh, that Ella, she always was a gossip.
[laughter]
Uh, but I'm-I'm still interested
in discussing my business with you.
Perhaps we can grab a coffee soon.
Well, I--you know, I-I just--
Okay, I-I guess I have time for one more charitable cause.
-Well, here's my card. -[Barb] Okay.
-[Renee] Renee Ross Agency. -Ooh.
My information's right on the back.
-Take it. -Yup.
[Renee] Thank you.
[squeals, clicks tongue]
One in the bag.
[Donda] Next question.
Advocates of CRT
still can't agree on when
to introduce it to the curriculum.
Some say as early as preschool.
Others want to hold out for high school.
When do you think is the best time?
May I?
I wholeheartedly believe
that critical race theory should be taught in school.
But elementary school
is too early for its erudition
because elementary-aged children
lack the critical-thinking skills.
We must leave room for innocence.
We must leave room for natural development.
[applause]
But six-year-olds do experience
microaggressions, Dr. Powell,
whether they recognize it or not.
And when Black kids don't understand what racism is,
they internalize these remarks...
[Regina] Mm-hmm.
...especially little Black girls.
[person] Yes.
Black kids between the age
of 5 and 12
are twice as likely to commit suicide
as white adolescents of the same age.
So I would argue that microaggressions are happening
whether or not children possess the advanced
critical-thinking skills to interpret them.
Therefore, an age-appropriate critical race curriculum
should equip them with the skills to do so.
[applause]
Well, that's all well and good, Ms. Hill,
but that's asking a lot of primary education teachers,
is it not?
In these early stages,
I believe this responsibility belongs to the parents.
[Sondi] Really?
Because most parents
can't even talk to their kids about sex.
[laughter]
Trained teachers are far more equipped
to have this conversation than parents.
Believe me, I know.
And the sooner you learn of the systems
that are in place and designed to hold you back,
the sooner you can begin tearing these systems down.
[cheers and applause]
[jazzy music plays]
♪ ♪
[knock at door]
Whitney Greene.
[laughs]
Phillip Houston, wow.
Hi. How are you?
I'm wonderful. Thank you.
Um, what are you doing here?
I thought that you were in London.
Have you been keeping tabs on me?
Oh, God, you have not changed at all.
[laughter]
I was in London.
But now I'm at Merrill Lynch, making twice as much.
How is Abbott and Bond?
Oh, now who's keeping tabs on whom?
Lovely use of the objective pronoun.
Good, 'cause you Brits
make me real insecure about my grammar.
Was that why I was kicked out of the study group?
-Oh, yeah, 100%. -[laughter]
But it seems like things turned out pretty good for you
after graduation.
-You as well. -Mm.
And how's the good doctor
to whom you were engaged?
Uh, um...
yeah, things didn't really work out.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Yeah.
I went through a pretty brutal breakup of my own.
It may or may not be why I'm here in New York.
Well, I'm... sure that it was all your fault.
Oh, absolutely.
[laughter]
We have some catching up to do.
Yeah.
Fancy a drink later?
Um...
I-I would,
but I came with my friend.
She can come too.
Okay, th-that would be great.
I'm just gonna go use the ladies' room,
if you'll excuse me. Um...
-Right now? -I'll be--
Yes, I'll be right back. Right back.
Well, that's a million-dollar idea.
[laughs]
Well, here's my card, and call me any time
you're ready for some brand management, okay?
All right.
Oh, not the eye roll. Okay, attitude.
-Excuse me? -[Preston] I'm just saying
that I'm surprised you talked that long.
Man, it's some boring motherfuckers in here.
Oh, you ain't ever lied. Everybody in here fake as fuck.
Exactly, everybody trying to act
like something that they not.
Look at my man in this orange tie right here
with that fake-ass hair he got on.
Come on with the damn Maltese mohawk.
Who you think you fooling, bruh?
[laughs] You crazy.
[Preston] I'm just sayin'.
-I'm Renee Ross. -Preston.
-Nice to meet you. -Nice to meet you too.
Uh, so what firm are you with?
Oh, I'm not with a firm.
So what do you do?
Uh, I come to these events and talk shit.
[laughs]
Say, no, I'm in the music industry.
Oh, no. You don't manage a band, do you?
[laughs] No, not quite.
I do it a little bigger than that.
All right, well, you ain't gotta impress me.
You already the coolest person in the room.
It's okay if you're unemployed.
-Oh. -[Renee laughs]
-I can sit with you. -Thank you.
-Okay? -Yeah.
We can talk shit about people.
That's right, nobody here
-got they shit together. -[Preston] Nobody, mm.
Thank you so much to our panelists
for your lively and engaging debate.
I believe the judges have their scores in.
And the winner of this year's debate...
...the graduate students.
[cheers and applause]
This is the first time the students
have beat the professors in six years!
Come on. We gettin' drunk tonight!
Hell yes!
[cheers and applause]
Ooh. [laughs]
I am so glad I chose you.
You are?
If you don't stop acting so surprised.
Yes, of course, I am.
This is your moment, Sondi.
Enjoy it.
Well, well.
You were amazing.
Congratulations.
You know, I think you sold me on something too.
You know, I'm extremely protective of Amari,
but maybe it's time
that we start having these conversations with her.
I would love that.
I'm getting some drinks with my team to celebrate.
I assume you don't wanna spend time
with a bunch of grad students.
Well, considering you're the only grad student
I actually like, no, I'm good.
Say no more.
But hey, why don't you hit me up when you're done?
Maybe we can meet at Jenny's.
I'd like that.
Plus, it'll give you time to contemplate your loss.
[laughs]
♪ ♪
-Oh, Barb. -[Barb] Mm.
Hi.
Is that teriyaki sauce?
-[Barb] Mm. -Yeah.
-Don't judge me. -[Whitney chuckles]
Why do they serve messy foods at these events anyway?
It's like they want us to embarrass ourselves.
[chuckles]
Oof! Mm, pow, pow!
Hoo-hoo!
[breathes deeply]
Everything all right?
Uh, y--uh, yeah.
I just ran into an old friend,
this guy from business school, that's all.
Good-looking?
Extremely. [chuckles]
Then why are you in here fogging up the mirror?
Mm, you single now.
Oh, yeah.
Ella told me about Oleg.
-Ola. -O'Shea.
-No, Ola. -Isaac?
Look, it's brave of you to send
a young, beautiful Black doctor
back into the New York dating pool.
And I know you're still sad and whatnot.
But the way I see it, the universe is sending you
an obvious solution for a rebound.
Life is too short for what-ifs. And there are no accidents.
This is it.
I say go for it.
[Whitney sighs]
Oh, man, that's Renee's business card in the trash.
Oh, uh, uh, don't tell her that.
She'll get her panties in a bunch.
Tell her that she's talking
to the guy with the deepest pockets out there.
The guy in the tracksuit?
He developed Prestify,
top competitor to Spotify.
Well, damn.
[Barb] Mm.
What would they do without you?
Mm.
[upbeat music plays]
[Renee] Prestify?
Oh, hell yes.
Come on, teddies.
Oh, um, somebody must have went and googled me.
No, I didn't.
So why you looking all googly-eyed?
[sighs] Okay, busted.
Yeah, I googled your very successful,
very rich Black ass.
But I assure you, I ain't gon' trip.
I'm still the same woman you met earlier.
-Really? -Mm-hmm.
I hope so, because I was just about to ask you out.
-Come here. -Oh, mm-mm. [laughs]
I'm just here trying to network, not date.
I am the network.
Besides, I think we could do both.
-Okay, well, here's my card. -Oh.
Should I google you?
-Not yet. [laughs] -Not yet? Okay.
[smooth music plays]
-Hey. -[Phillip] There you are.
You ready for that drink?
I'm not.
No need to explain. [sighs]
You hang in there, okay?
Reach out if you need anything.
Thank you.
It was really great seeing you again.
He was cute! [giggles]
What, do you want me to sponsor your date too?
I deserve that.
Listen, Whit,
I realized I went too far earlier.
I know this past month has been horrible for you, and...
I just felt disrespected.
Okay, Radha, that was never my intention.
I see you coming into your own,
and I want you to know that I am here to support you,
but it does go both ways.
'Cause come on, I came back to the office,
and there was no,
"Are you okay?" or, "How are you doing?"
It was an immediate ask for a favor.
I know. You're totally right, and I'm really sorry.
And why'd you guys leave that treadmill there
for three weeks?
Yeah, that was totally our bad.
We should have just gotten rid of it.
Yeah!
You're a really hard person to check in on, though, Whit.
I just didn't wanna make things worse.
Well, that's fair.
-We good? -Duh.
Abbott and Bond was in shambles without you, by the way.
Hope that helps. [chuckles]
-It actually does. -[laughter]
♪ ♪
[Ola] Yeah, I'm back here again.
I don't even know why, but I just...
I keep coming back here,
place where it all fell apart.
Damn. Bro, you gotta stop torturing yourself.
[sighs] I know.
You need to come down to Atlanta.
Trip to the Cheetah Lounge will fix you right up.
[laughs] Um, I'ma pass, but you enjoy yourself.
I think you'll change your mind.
-[chuckles] -[Jason] Take care, bro.
All right. Peace.
So how was drinks with the dream team?
It was wack.
Julian fell asleep after taking, like, two shots.
Then Regina ran off with the bartender.
[Matthew laughs]
But I did get asked to do a podcast.
So that could be kinda cool.
-Wow, a podcast. -Yeah. Don't be a jerk.
Uh, I gotta give it to you, you were brilliant today.
You'll make a hell of a professor one day.
-You think so? -I know so.
Look, your old building.
You ever miss living down here?
No. Out of sight, out of mind, you know?
Yeah, a lot of memories, though.
Is that Ola?
Ola.
O-oh, hey.
Sondi, Matthew, what's up?
-How you doin'? -What you doin' here?
Um, this is where Whitney told me.
Here?
No, up in Sondi's apartment.
The night of the bachelorette, actually.
So wait, you still have the apartment?
Okay, well...
nice seeing both of you.
Yeah, take it easy, man.
Where are you going?
Up to your place.
We're not about to have this fight out here.
[sighing] Fuck.
♪ ♪
Groceries?
Really, Sondi?
[Sondi sighs]
So I guess that big-ass trunk was just to throw me off.
No. I mostly live with you and Amari.
I just use it to study.
I'm barely here, honestly.
"Honestly" is not the word
you should be using with me right now.
I fucked up.
I know.
But the good news is, is that you don't have
to pay for a hotel anymore.
Well, the bad news is, my girl's been lying to me
-for months. -Matthew, I-I really am sorry.
I am.
But I'm-I'm telling you now.
But you're not telling me why.
I don't know.
Maybe I just needed something for me.
And then I saw you at the coffee shop eating that scone.
Jesus Christ, the fucking scone again?
Yes, the fucking scone again!
I just didn't wanna give up my sanctuary.
You shouldn't feel like you're giving up anything
to move in with me.
But I mean, I don't feel like that anymore.
Are you sure?
Yeah.
Yes.
["Chuu" playing]
♪ ♪
[Anaiis] ♪ Spent too much time Contemplating ♪
♪ Wondering how you could Move this way ♪
♪ There's so much I just cannot explain ♪
♪ The consequence I cannot evade ♪
♪ It's been a fight Every single day ♪
♪ I shouldn't have held on to what you said ♪
♪ I'm on the brink of a new beginning ♪
♪ I find myself hesitating ♪
♪ I've been praying For a sign ♪
♪ For the strength To get out ♪
♪ To recall who I am ♪
♪ That I'm here for a reason ♪
[woman] Whoo-hoo![giggles]