0:00

The Angie's List you know and trust

0:02

is now Angie, and we're so much

0:04

more than just a list. We still

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connect you with top local pros and

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show you ratings and reviews, but now

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we also let you compare upfront prices

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on hundreds of projects and book a

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service instantly. We can even handle the

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rest of your project from start to

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finish. So remember, Angie's List is now

0:22

Angie, and we're here to get your

0:24

job done right. Get started

0:26

at angie.com. That's A-N-G-I,

0:28

or download the app today. We

0:32

all have a cousin who isn't actually

0:34

our cousin. Play

0:37

cousins are one of the

0:39

beautifully expansive and beneficial ways

0:41

our people have defined family

0:43

for ourselves for generations. This

0:46

is Two Minute Black History, what

0:48

you didn't learn in school. Play

0:51

cousins Growing

0:58

up, many of us had

1:00

play cousins who were biologically

1:02

related to us, but were

1:04

given those titles through relationships

1:06

our parents value, usually

1:08

with close friends. For many, these

1:11

bonds are one of the earliest

1:13

forms of belonging that we experienced.

1:16

We know it takes a

1:18

village to raise a child,

1:20

and having play cousins strengthens

1:22

familiarity, maintains community connections, and

1:24

gives children access to support circles.

1:28

Experts say that play family

1:30

helps provide emotional support, guidance,

1:32

and a sense of belonging

1:34

that helps our children thrive.

1:37

Having play cousins isn't new to us either.

1:40

The concept is deeply rooted in

1:42

our culture, likely extending back to

1:44

West African beliefs about community and

1:47

extended family networks. During

1:49

enslavement, fictive, kin relationships helped

1:51

our people compensate for the

1:54

loss of biological ties intentionally

1:56

torn apart by bondage. It's

2:10

a tradition that thrives because we need

2:13

each other. Play cousins

2:15

help children learn the importance

2:17

of mutual support and cooperation

2:19

principles they can carry into

2:21

adulthood. Poet

2:23

Gwendolyn Brooks said it best, We

2:26

are each other's harvest. We

2:28

are each other's business. We are

2:31

each other's magnitude and bond. We've

2:34

always been communal people. Togetherness

2:37

is how we survived and

2:40

will continue to thrive. In

2:43

order to move towards the future, you've got to

2:45

look to the path. This

2:47

has been 2 Minute Black History, a podcast

2:49

by Push Black. If

2:52

you enjoyed this episode and want to show

2:54

your support, please rate and subscribe to our

2:56

podcast. Together, let's celebrate

2:58

and honor the legacy of Black

3:00

History.