Bawse With A Cause

This episode featuring Mark Williams, Chief Artistic Officer of the Cleveland Orchestra, is the continuation of our series focusing on black and brown leaders in the performing arts space. This episode was recorded months ago- long before quarantine - long before our latest encounters with nationwide protests rejecting police brutalism and racism. But Mark Williams, as a man, as a cultural leader holds much meaning in our world. In a time where it’s not uncommon to read about, even in 2020, a black person becoming “the first of something”, Mark’s historical mark, pun intended on the world is one of significance as the first black man to manage artistic operations with a major symphony orchestra- a distinction he unequivocally deems a sad one. In spite of the context of his place in history, Mark stands out as an exquisite voice in the orchestral world, casting out a compelling vision about how orchestras can widen opportunity lanes for black and brown leaders, and how he feels conservatories fail its students in the lack of curricular rigor around the history and repertoire of the black composers. I appreciated his candor with how these conditions have impacted his own work at the Cleveland Orchestra.Mark, at the tail end of his talk, shares why in spite of being a black man in a largely white space he will not turn his back on the art form he loves and why he is devoted to providing windows and mirrors to black and brown emerging leaders in this space through mentoring. I hope you can hear in his vision and his earnest expression why Mark Williams is at once a guardian of the symphonic art form art as well as a visionary prodding it into new realms of adventure and exploration.

Urban Consulate: Music. Equity. Cities.Creative incubators & accelerators are emerging in cities across the U.S. to support artists and build more equitable ecosystems for the future. In this cross-city conversation, we cover a broad range of topics including how Covid-19 has impacted artists of color, what anti-racist policies are being applied to music accelerator work, how the sustained struggle to dismantle white supremacy making this work more pressing, and what our experts want to see as the culminating impact of their work. This discussion was originally planned as a panel as part of the SXSW Festival and was canceled due to Covid-19. We re-booted this convo virtually via Facebook Live and garnered nearly 1,000 video views since our broadcast yesterday. Many thanks to our amazing panelists, Urban Consulate, Amplify Philly, Afrochine Productions, and the Anne and Ralph V. Haile/US Bank Foundation for their unending support. Naimah Bilal, Co-Host, Urban Consulate Cincinnati (moderator)Will Toms, Head of Strategy, REC PhillyKick Lee, Executive Director, Cincinnati Music AcceleratorTonya Dyson, Executive Director, Memphis Slim Collaboratory

On Thursday, June 18 on Facebook Live, Bawse With A Cause had an audience of some 2,000 viewers watching a conversation with six dynamic black women leading artistic operations around the nation.Jennifer Arnold, Director of Artistic Planning and Orchestral Operations at the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, Danni Gee, Curator at SummerStage in NYC, Kaisha Johnson, Co-Founder and Founding Director of Women of Color in the Arts (WOCA), Toya Lillard, Executive Director of viBe Theater Experience in Brooklyn, and Taneshia Nash Laird President and CEO of Newark Symphony Hall. We heard their stories of how they came to their careers in the arts, about their dynamic leadership styles, heard how their institutions are being impacted by COVID-19, and about their triumphs and challenges as leaders in homogenous spaces.We did many deep dives into the insidious and deadly manifestations of racism and white supremacy and how people of color can fight against internalizing these harmful and intractable social ills. Each of the five leaders also gives their take on what truth and reconciliation and restorative justice look like in the arts world. in addition to our regular listeners, I hope reaches every cultural hallowed hall stagnated by old thinking and is now ready for new ideas and new leadership.

Five months ago, I asked BWAC podcast guest Weston Sprott a question which then fascinated me but today returns with the urgency of a coming storm – “How can we apply antiracist principles to the world of classical music?”. As the interview unfolds, Weston Sprott, Dean of the Juilliard Preparatory Division and Metropolitan Opera Orchestra trombonist, gives us a master class in all things leadership, DE&I and yes, gives a clarion clear pathway to apply some of the core ideas from Ibram Kendi’s “How to be Antiracist” to the music world. We also discuss how at Juilliard Prep work continues to make auditions “implicit bias proof”, how the concept of “mirrors and windows” is helping inform opportunity building alongside talented students who happen to also members of communities that are often forgotten. Ultimately these efforts all converge to answer the question: “Do our students have everything they need to be successful?”There’s one section of this dialogue in particular which still leaves my mind and heart blown. When I asked Weston what he’s listening to, apart from operas and symphonies, he mentioned singer-songwriter Moses Sumney. He then quotes lyrics from Sumney’s song “Doom” which pretty much sums up the spirit of the whole dang episode: “Am I vital. If my heart is idle?” If that doesn’t move you, I don’t know what will my friends! Enjoy this one. Weston’s Recommendations:https://www.composerdiversity.com/Moses Sumney

George Floyd - Breonna Taylor - Ahmaud Arbery - Sandra Bland - Tamir Rice - Trayvon Martin - Eric Garner - Akai Gurley - Freddie Gray - Stephon Clark - Botham Jean - Atiana Jefferson - Michael Brown - Philando Castile My heart cracks open with grief to say your names. The act of speaking your names out loud has become prayer. Prayers I imagine reach into the imperceivable place where you all rest in power with the ancestors. As we find ourselves managing the surf and wipe-out from waves of sadness and pain, the many words exchanged in this podcast may wade into deep water but it may also leave you a little lighter, a little more curious, and hopeful. Months ago, Neesha Powell-Twagirumukiza, gave me a masterclass in how we can begin to ensure that #BlackLivesMatter in all spaces- around our world and within the nonprofit organizations we devote ourselves to.Neesha Powell-Twagirumukiza is a young movement journalist and creative nonfiction student. Neesha grew up having a deep connection to books and it comes as no surprise that she would go on to become a skilled and talented writer of creative nonfiction. A regular contributor to national publications, Neesha also happens to have authored a brilliant conceptual framework to help nonprofits begin to apply the theoretical principles of decolonization to their work. In this episode, Neesha gives us a high-level view of her decolonizing framework, shares her ideas about the intersectionality of being a black queer feminist, and she shares her views on how POC can identify and leverage our privileges to advance equity and dialogue about unity. We also wade into pop culture territory as we discuss the merits and pitfalls around celebrity activists.@womanistbaehttps://everydayfeminism.com/2018/05/decolonizing-nonprofits/https://www.vice.com/en_ca/contributor/neesha-powell-twagirumukiza

In this episode, I had to distinct pleasure to connect with Kishshana Palmer, national speaker, trainer, and coach with a 17-year background in fundraising, marketing, and talent management. She’s a supernova on any stage and platforms due to her charismatic and candid delivery. It doesn’t matter if she’s speaking about philanthropy, living your most authentic life, or diversity, the energy she brings to the stage is always entertaining and edifying.Kishshana is an adjunct professor at Baruch College and Long Island University,Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), a BoardSource Certified Governance Trainer(CGT) and an AFP Master Trainer. When an organization wants to grow, find and retainpeople on their team, raise money, and more she is the philanthropic fairy godmotherthey have on speed dial. Her work isn’t limited to organizations, she also coaches womenentrepreneurs. You'll seldom meet/talk with anyone as sharp-witted and sharp-minded as Kishshana- and she’s ALWAYS been out front. Her life in leadership uniquely positions her to offer sage advice to aspiring and seasoned leaders alike to sharpen their approaches and effectiveness. In record time she drops some serious pearls of wisdom in this episode!I expected my whirlwind conversation with management consultant Kishshana Palmer to touch on many varied topics under the lens of management- BUT because Kishshana's management style and philosophy are explicitly human-centered- this episode really centers on a theme of human connection. To hear Kishshana talk is to experience a masterclass in living your best life, how to get really clear on what you're called to do in this life- and doing it on purpose! Enjoy this one everybody- some life-affirming, straight-talking, and uplifting words await you!Online Resources Mentioned During the PodcastRooted RetreatA first of its kind convening of Black and Brown Women Fundraisers Seeking ConnectionsAADOAfrican-American Development Officers NetworkKish and Company Websitehttps://kishshanaco.comKishshana's New BookHey! I’m New Here The first in a series of Management How-To BooksKishshana's Online Management ClassKish Camp- Management ClassKishshana's Leadership BlogSecret Lives of LeadersSocial Media Handle:@funddiva

In this episode, I have an energetic dialogue with Shijuade Kadree, Chief Advocacy Officer for The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center (The Center). An alumna of Emory University, Shijuade graduated with a joint degree from the Schools of Law and Public Health. A former defense attorney with Brooklyn Defender Services, Shijuade has significant government relations, policy, strategic planning, and stakeholder cultivation and engagement experience. Early in the episode, you will be taken by Shijuade's story of how she turned curiosity about disparities she saw into discovery and discovery into a rich and varied career path serving communities in need.Shijuade talks in great detail about how race is a powerful lens through which to examine many disparities in our world- not least those within the LGBTQA+ community. Most revelatory was her retelling of the moment she realized the painful irony that leadership at the highest echelons of the LGBTQA+ advocacy space often failed to reflect the diversity of the people who powered the movement. Within this same vein, Shijuade excavates the duality of significance and impact of the Marriage Equality Act, which on one hand marked a hugely positive shift in our nation’s recognition of the LGBTQA+ community's right to marry- and on the other hand, was driven by a largely homogenous power structure.Shijuade struck a nerve when she enumerated the impacts of the tacit invisibility black women experience in the workplace. We then get into seeming perpetual power of divisive rhetoric and how we can help move the public from cynicism to apathy, and from apathy to action. We also get a sobering lesson about the tragic after-effects of the black community’s miseducation about trans women and how many trans women of color are dying at the hands of black male partners. Shijuade talks about the work she's doing now to help heal with dialogue, education, and relationship building.Shijuade helps us gain a vital understanding of the distinctions between sexual identity and gender identity and how the synergies they share also surface some tensions within the LGBTQA space; especially when members of the trans community are seen as a part of a monolith- their needs going unrecognized and unmet. She ends with an assertion that we need to reconceptualize our notions of what it means to be a nonprofit professional. Shijuade firmly believes that a career in this broad field is often a selection into a life of struggle- but this setting can change once non-profits at all levels embrace a philosophy of abundance.This episode is sure to leave you feeling challenged, incredibly well informed, and invigorated! Many thanks to Shijuade Kadree for joining me on the podcast!Please check out Shijuade's consulting firm- Comp Strat Consulting Comp Strat Consultinghttps://compstratconsulting.comhello@compstratconsulting.comBook recommendations: The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Tableby Minda Harts