There can be no freedom without love.  Blame the lateness of this episode on Mx Merc and her extra-tight microbraids!  This week’s episode is a little different. In part 1 of Surrendering to Love, we begin with an interlude where Brendane shares about her experience recently discovering an ex’s betrayal and how that moment signaled some spiritual growth. TLDR: Being ghosted was a blessing, not a curse. (If you are not interested in the tea, skip to 26:32.) Then we listen to Brendane and her guest/friend/kin Jonathan discuss the power of loving friendships and navigating life & (self) love as Black queer neuroexpansive people with the support of bell hooks’s All About Love. This episode is full of laughter, jokes, and truth, so be sure to tune in! Brendane and Jonathan also created a playlist on Apple Music for this episode. Give it a listen and let us know what song you would add!  https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/black-loved-free-podcast/pl.u-Ymb09Kmfg18xd3 Jonathan Hill-Rorie (he/him/his) is a Black queer, neuro expansive, Southerner from North Carolina. He grew up as the eldest child to teen parents in a large, multigenerational family initially from various parts of the state. He has lived in Boston (hell) and currently resides in Philadelphia with his partner and dog-son. His passions are music, dancing, superheroes, pets, and his friends.  He is committed to the end of this world and to building community to carry us through to the next one. This commitment is rooted in the love of his people and the desire to see them boundless and free.   You can find Jonathan on IG at @mileswhorales. Visit our website blacklovedandfreepodcast.com for exclusive content related to the episode. If you'd like to submit a question for a reading on the podcast, please email us at [email protected]. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/black-loved-free-podcast/message