Ray's Ruminations: Healthcare and caring for the sick and elderly

In this three-part series, Ray sits down with Chaplain Colonel Khallid Shabazz — a Muslim chaplain, a combat-tested officer, and a man who has spent his career navigating faith, duty, and the contradictions of military life. Through candid conversation and hard-earned truth, Ray explores what it means to serve a country that doesn’t always serve you back, and how a Black Muslim officer carries moral authority inside an institution built on hierarchy, obedience, and tradition.This series digs into the personal cost of leadership, the ethical weight of orders, and the quiet courage required to speak truth inside a system that often prefers silence. It’s a story about faith under pressure, conscience in uniform, and the long shadow of American history — told through the life of a man who has lived all three.Visit Ray at https://drraychristian.com.

This week, we're sharing an episode of the acclaimed podcast Articles of Interest, a show that explores the hidden history and surprising cultural power of what we wear. Ray talks with the show's creator, Avery Trufelman, as part of AOI's "Gear" series, which looks at the military and outdoor clothing we wear in our daily lives — from uniforms to specialized apparel — and how those design choices ripple outward into society, identity, and future fashion trends. For more on Articles of Interest, visit https://www.articlesofinterest.co/podcast, and for more on Ray, visit drraychristian.com.

In this episode Ray breaks down how obedience, loyalty, and survival collide in America — in the military, in politics, and in Black life. From lawful orders to the legacy of Black resistance, he explores why conscience, not compliance, has always been the real engine of American progress. A sharp look at power, duty, and the courage it takes to say “no” when it matters most.

In this episode, Ray takes another look at tropes, specifically euphemism, stories that follow the path of misunderstanding by substituting words and phrases to deflect or minimize the impact of negativity. He's joined again by Kory Thomas May, and Tiffany Christian. For more on Ray, visit drraychristian.com and support the show!

We want to share with you this special episode of Death, Sex & Money, a Slate podcast. Ray joins host Anna Sale to share why he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1978, what it was like serving in the years between major conflicts, and the challenges he faced leaving military life behind. He reflects on the trauma he carried, his time as a paratrooper and drill sergeant, and how he eventually found his way into academia and storytelling. The conversation continues what Anna does best: exploring the hard questions and hidden struggles that shape our lives. You can find Death, Sex and Money wherever you get your podcasts.

In this mini-episode of What's Ray Saying?, Ray is joined by Kory Thomas May and Tiffany Christian. He ponders the characteristics of familiar narratives and storylines and the limits of understanding and expectations that are inherent in predictable, predetermined outcomes. As a public service, Ray presents his own prime example of the ultimate trope. For more on Ray, visit drraychristian.com and support the show!

Let us introduce you to Our Ancestors Were Messy, a podcast covering the gossip, scandals, and pop culture that made headlines in the Black newspapers of segregated communities during the pre-Civil Rights era. On each episode, host Nichole Hill and her guests follow the story of an ancestor who went searching for opportunity, adventure, liberation, and love and made a mess - and eventually history - along the way.On this episode, Ray joins Nichole for "Oscar Micheaux and the Family Feud That Launched Black Hollywood".At the turn of the century, Oscar Micheaux - a dreamer from Smallville - makes his way to the big city searching for fame, fortune...and a change to his single status! What he finds is a wife he loves, a father-in-law he hates, and a path into Black history he could have never imagined.

In this episode, Ray lets Tiffany take over the microphone as host and Interviewer of their daughter, author and award-winning storyteller Juniper Ray Christian - Dickens. They talk about their journey as a writer, their new book, their Webby Award, and their perspective on personal identity.Crown of Blooms by R C Dickens, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®

Let us introduce you again to another show we think you'll enjoy. RISK! is a live show and weekly podcast where people tell true stories they never thought they’d dare to share in public, created and hosted by Kevin Allison (MTV, Comedy Central, HBO, Netflix). In this best-of episode,  you'll hear stories, including one from Ray, that examine ideas of exposure, vulnerability, reunion and death. To find out more about the show, visit risk-show.com.*Listener discretion is advised.

In this mini episode of What’s Ray Saying, Ray whimsically explores his encounters with the “dog on the street” and the diversity of canine culture. Through dialogue that breaks down stereotypes and builds understanding, he reimagines his conversations and the epiphany of understanding difference. Special thanks to Mark Pagan, the voice of the sophisticated, street-smart-but-smooth-on-the-outside perro in Mexico, and Tiffany Christian, the voice of the former-celebrity-down-on-her-luck French poodle with chipped red fingernail polish on the streets of LA. For more on Ray, visit drraychristian.com and support the show!