'Hey Black Child' Local family behind one of the highest ranked podcasts in country

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Two local kids have one of the highest ranked podcasts in the country.

"Hey Black Child” is the third most popular podcast in the arts category and is meeting rave reviews. Local 12 dropped in on Jackson and Avery Ausmer while they were practicing for their next show.

“Hey, Jackson. Are you ready?”

“Yes, I’m ready.”

“Hey, black child, do you know who you are?”

“Who you really are?”

"Hey Black Child the Podcast" began just a few weeks ago and already has thousands of listeners. But if you think it was created by paid actors in a Hollywood sound studio, think again. "Hey Black Child" is a family affair.

Nicole Ausmer, Jackson and Avery’s mother, works at the University of Cincinnati. She’s the scriptwriter. Their dad is the sound engineer. But it was their 10-year-old daughter Avery and 7-year-old son Jackson who noticed Black history by kids and for kids was absent in podcasting and in school.

“At schools, they don’t really talk about Black history,” said Avery. “They talk about different history that’s not Black history, and I think it’s important for kids to listen to it so they learn about different history, not just what they learn at school.”

The kids continue their rehearsal:

"So you've heard about Rosa Parks, right?" said Avery into a mic.

"She refused to give up her seat on the bus!” said Jackson.

The podcasts don't only talk about Black history and current events; they provide other resources, like the poem by Countee Cullen that inspired the name of the podcast.

“We want Black children to take away ‘pride’ from it,” said Nicole. “We want them to take away the belief that they could be anything that they put their minds to or work hard towards.”

The studio sessions aren't perfect, but the timing sure turned out to be.

“It didn’t start because of everything that’s happening,” said Nicole. “But, man, the timing could not be more perfect because we know that in homes all across America, people are trying to have the tough conversations with their kids about race.”

You can find "Hey Black Child the Podcast” here.