Southern Soul - Live Stream

Summary In this engaging conversation, Calvin Rich sits down with Kendra Glasgow, an occupational therapy professional transitioning into entrepreneurship and relationship and intimacy coaching after her divorce. They explore Kendra's journey, the impact of family dynamics on relationships, and the lessons learned from loneliness in marriage. Kendra shares insights on intimacy issues and the shame surrounding them and offers practical advice for couples struggling with emotional connection. The discussion emphasizes the importance of communication and provides resources for couples to improve their relationships. Takeaways Kendra emphasizes the importance of sharing personal relationship problems. Family dynamics can significantly shape one's understanding of intimacy. Loneliness in a relationship can be more profound than being single. Shame often surrounds discussions about sex and intimacy. Women may lack encouragement to explore their sexuality. Men face pressure regarding performance and masculinity. Addressing intimacy issues requires normalizing the conversation. Couples should focus on progress rather than being right. Communication is a common issue in relationships. Kendra offers free resources to help couples improve communication. Chapters Kendra's First-Gen American Experience Lessons from Family Dynamics and Personal Experiences Loneliness in a Relationship Shame and Intimacy in Relationships Quotes "Feeling lonely in a relationship is way lonelier than feeling lonely when you're single." "There's a lot of shame when it comes to sex and intimacy." "Keeping your personal relationship problems private can be a problem sometimes." Kendra Glasgow, Relationship and Intimacy Coach Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kendra.glasgow/ Download - https://pages.kendraglasgowcollaborative.live/free-guide-1 About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm Eastern at SoulThursdays.com to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Support - Community Exploratory Journalism  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register for our free podcast workshop training Getting Start in Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise  Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase Official Show Companion  SSL Companion & Journal   Register -  Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”  Click here to register.   Connect with us Website: www.SoulThursdays.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulthursdays/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulthursdays/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soulthursdays TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulthursdays

Summary   Anita P. Stoudmire, M.S., LPC. is a mental health professional and creator of the Better Love Movement, discusses topics such as loneliness, relationships, attachment styles, and narcissistic personality disorder. She emphasizes the importance of holding space for others, developing healthy friendships, and avoiding toxic individuals. Anita also addresses the impact of consumerism on mental health and the need for individuals to define their own success. She offers resources such as her YouTube channel and books to help women navigate relationships and make better choices.   Takeaways Loneliness is a prevalent issue, especially among young men, and is often caused by a lack of social skills and meaningful connections. Attachment styles, such as dismissive avoidant, can contribute to relationship difficulties and loneliness. Narcissistic personality disorder can be harmful to mental health, and it's important to recognize and avoid individuals with this disorder. Consumerism and the pressure to impress others can negatively impact mental health and lead to feelings of emptiness. It is crucial to define success and beauty on one's own terms and live within one's means. Developing healthy friendships and holding space for others can help combat loneliness and improve mental well-being.   Quotes "Men between the ages of 18 and 30 have the highest rate of loneliness." "Dismissive avoidant attachment style: lone wolves who interact with others solely to get their needs met." "Dating apps have become a playground for narcissistic and avoidant individuals." Chapters 00:00Introduction and Anita's Background 05:01Loneliness and Attachment Styles 09:39Narcissistic Personality Disorder in Relationships 14:07The Impact of Consumerism on Mental Health 19:27Defining Success and Beauty on Your Own Terms 24:29Developing Healthy Friendships and Holding Space for Others About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern at SoulThursdays.com to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Support - Community Exploratory Journalism  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register for our free podcast workshop training Getting Start in Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise  Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase Official Show Companion  SSL Companion & Journal   Register -  Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”  Click here to register.   #BecauseIhaveaBlackSon #BlackSon Connect with us Website: www.SoulThursdays.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulthursdays/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulthursdays/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soulthursdays TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulthursdays

Episode Summary This episode delves into redefining education through K-12 innovation with Jennifer Cantor, Principal and Co-Owner of Rivers Academy, an alternative school offering unique educational experiences. We discuss alternative education, its impact on mental health, and upcoming trends. Additionally, Katrina Leggins, LCSW, licensed clinical social worker and mental health advocate, shares insights on managing anxiety and depression for Gen Z. He also dispels misconceptions about the generation, emphasizing the importance of self-care and community support. Takeaways Alternative Education Models: Rivers Academy highlights the benefits of experiential learning, diverse cultures, and global adventures for student engagement and growth. Individualized Education: Custom approaches to education help students discover their passions and thrive academically and emotionally. Mental Health Impact: Innovative educational practices positively affect students' mental health and overall well-being. Role of Collaboration and Technology: These elements are crucial in modernizing educational practices. Community Support: Parents and communities play a vital role in supporting educational innovation through advocacy and volunteering. Gen Z Challenges: This generation faces significant mental health pressures from academic and career expectations, social media, and societal standards. Practical Mental Health Tips: Real self-care, setting boundaries, self-compassion, outdoor activities, meaningful connections, and mindful social media use are key to managing anxiety and depression. Misconceptions about Gen Z: Contrary to views of them being overly sensitive or lazy, Gen Z is business-driven, politically active, and well-informed. Support Strategies: Effective ways to support young people with mental health issues include listening, creating safe spaces, educating oneself, and involving mental health professionals. Resources: Katrina Leggins, LCSW  offers various tools and worksheets for teen girls and women on his website. Sound Bites "We got to experience real world experiences instead of just reading about it in textbooks." "It's really made a big impact when, you know, Julia came to us and, and eighth grade was like, Hey, I really want to look at an alternative." "I think we need to do it differently. I think there need to be options out there for kids." "Gen Z, they are stressed out. They are burnt out, they are overwhelmed." "Gen Z is a generation that literally grew up using social media and the internet." "Invest in real self-care. Setting boundaries. Practicing self-compassion. Going outdoors, exercising, moving your body. Cultivating meaningful connections." Chapters 00:00 Introduction: Redefining Education with K through 12 Innovation 03:17 Experiential Learning and Global Adventures 07:09 The Impact on Mental Health 10:25 The Journey of Rivers Academy 15:05 The Future of Education: Collaboration and Technology 21:41 Supporting Educational Innovation: The Role of Parents and Communities 28:40 Introduction and Background 29:38 Challenges Faced by Gen Z 30:39 Personal Journey to Becoming a Mental Health Advocate 32:59 Pivotal Moment in Career: Working with Adolescents and Gen Z 34:45 Common Issues Faced by Gen Z 36:39 Misconceptions about Gen Z 38:03 Practical Steps for Gen Z to Manage Anxiety and Depression 39:29 Resources and Tools for Teen Girls and Women 40:56 Advice for Parents and Educators 43:18 Q&A: Spreading Awareness in Public Schools 43:47 Q&A: Supporting Young People in Absentee Parenting Situations Speakers Jennifer Cantor https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-a-cantor-468270161/ Katrina Leggins, LCSW https://www.elevatementalwellnessllc.com/ About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.    Support - Community Exploratory Journalism -  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register Free Training - Getting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise - Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase - Official Show Companion - Soul Thursdays Journal   Register - Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”  Connect with SoulThursdays Website | Facebook  Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

What impact is AI having on our workplaces? Calvin explores this question with two experts who share their insights on the implications of AI for employee privacy and workplace dynamics.   Yanika Daniels, an HR consultant from Atlanta with a background in engineering, talks about the importance of maintaining a human touch in tech-driven environments. She shares a personal case study involving AI in recruitment that inadvertently excluded diverse candidates, prompting a conversation on the need for AI tools to align with company values and diversity objectives.   Chiquita Hall-Jackson, an employment law attorney from Chicago, offers a legal viewpoint on AI usage in workplaces. Drawing from her experiences with workplace discrimination, Chiquita examines how AI can sometimes fail to capture complex human nuances, emphasizing the risks of over-reliance on technology for decisions that require deep human judgment.   Both experts emphasize the need for a balance between using AI to enhance efficiency and ensuring it meets ethical standards. They call for transparency in AI operations and continuous human monitoring to mitigate biases and protect employee rights.   Quotes “When we help organizations find great people, we use AI, but we also look at the outputs of AI and we go back and say, ‘What bias was introduced in this process? What can we do to then go back and look and make sure that this was actually the output that we wanted?' And if it wasn't, then we have to do a little bit more work, right? We can't be lazy and dependent on AI. (20:09 | Yanika Daniels)  “We have to say, ‘Hey, here are the values that this organization has given us. We want a diverse pool, 90% people of color in our pool, whatever the goals might be.' And so we have to then use it to find those great folks and make sure that it's not something by itself that is kind of used as an excuse to just create this continuous system of bias in our recruitment efforts.” (20:34 | Yanika Daniels) “Keep in mind that it's levels to this friendship game and you should separate who's associate, who's a co-worker, who's a colleague, who's my friend that I know if I need a shoulder to cry on, who's just a good time if I want to go out and have a drink on a Friday night, who can I call versus who can I confide in? Keep those things in mind in the workplace.” (01:04:01 | Chiquita Hall-Jackson)    Links Connect with Yanika Daniels https://www.danielssolutionsllc.com/our-team  LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/daniels-coaching-consulting   Connect with Chiquita Hall-Jackson https://chiquitahall-jackson.com/#contact LinkedIn: https://www.instagram.com/blowthewhistlelaw?igsh=d3RhNTA4bHpkam0w   About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.    Support - Community Exploratory Journalism -  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register Free Training - Getting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise - Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase - Official Show Companion - Soul Thursdays Journal   Register - Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”    Connect with SoulThursdays Website | Facebook  Instagram | Twitter | TikTok   Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

What does the pursuit of Black sovereignty look like through the lens of history and community activism? Calvin sits down with Dr. Timothy Nelson about this concept. Dr. Nelson shares his journey from a tough upbringing in Compton to being inspired by Malcolm X's autobiography, leading him to academia where he studied Blackdom—an early 20th-century Black community that formed its own government and established a business in oil. He illustrates how Blackdom exemplifies Black sovereignty through municipal governance and economic independence.   The discussion covers the challenges of achieving true community sovereignty. Dr. Nelson highlights the essential role of education and collective understanding in advancing Black communities' autonomy.   Later in the episode, community activist Curtis Pitts brings a practical perspective on activism. With decades of experience, Pitts explores how reclaiming and effectively utilizing community resources are crucial for development and local control.   This episode connects historical examples and contemporary challenges faced by Black communities striving for self-determination and economic independence, offering insights into the past and guidance for today's efforts in community sovereignty and empowerment.    Quotes “To be Black is to be political.” (06:51 | Dr. Timothy E. Nelson)  “If I'm talking to you and I'm telling you about Black people, it's different than when I'm telling my dissertation chair about Black people. Because now, I'm trying to prove that Black people are human to my dissertation chair, who is white.” (15:43 | Dr. Timothy E. Nelson) “Sovereign is a state of mind. I heard that a sovereign requires agreement and understanding. I had to be sovereign. You have to invest. And once you get to the point where you have a sovereign mind, then you have to find a way to protect that sovereign mind. And remember that you still live in a place that is threatened by your sovereignty.” (22:49 | Calvin) “People don't realize that black folks going to the projects was a forced migration. It was not a voluntary thing. They forced us into the project, they broke up our families,they sent us in there, and we developed this dependent mentality that was never us. We have to go back from being at the children's table at the picnic and force our way back to the adults table. And the way we do that is we have to be able to say, ‘What we brought to the table allows us to eat the good food and the good news.'” (38:28 | Curtis Pitts)  “We have to create sovereignty by creating a hub of self-help and self-work. That does not mean we have to exclude anyone. Racism and Black nationalism is not a place where we have to use that as a means and a medium to destroy and move others by taking pride in our history and culture… It took them 70 years to separate us from our economics, our culture, our music, our faith, and our families, because they know with our churches and our families, they could never defeat us. We got married in slavery, even when they didn't know it.” (49:12 | Curtis Pitts)   Links Dr. Timothy E. Nelson: https://blackdomthesis.com/   Curtis Pitts https://curtispitts.us/services About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.    Support - Community Exploratory Journalism -  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register Free Training - Getting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise - Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase - Official Show Companion - Soul Thursdays Journal   Register - Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”    Connect with SoulThursdays Website | Facebook  Instagram | Twitter | TikTok   Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

What can gardening teach us about nurturing and growth in education? Today's episode of Southern Soul explores this question through the transformative experiences of two individuals: Alethea Victor, founder of GroLeafy, and Janelle Wood, founder of Black Mothers Forum.   Alethea shares her journey from social worker to gardening enthusiast, a hobby that provided her solace and therapeutic benefits during challenging times, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, Alethea had no experience with gardening and struggled to keep plants alive. Now, she is an avid gardener and composter, guiding others on how to start their own gardens, from selecting the right soil to starting seeds and managing pests organically.   The discussion shifts to Janelle Wood, whose advocacy is deeply rooted in her experiences in the Middle East and Arizona's prisons. Janelle tackles critical issues like systemic racism and the school-to-prison pipeline, which disproportionately affect Black and Brown communities. Her work with the ACLU led her to advocate for micro schools—an innovative educational model offering personalized, trauma-informed environments. These schools emerged in response to the traditional public school system's inadequacies, particularly in meeting the needs of Black children and incorporating parental involvement. Janelle points out that micro schools provide tailored education for small groups, enhancing student support. The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed this initiative, pushing for a transformative approach to education for Black children.   This episode offers insights on personal growth, community empowerment, and innovative approaches to education. Whether you're a gardening enthusiast or an advocate for educational reform, there's inspiration and practical advice to be found in the stories of Alethea and Janelle. Tune in to uncover how small-scale interventions can lead to substantial changes in our lives and communities.   Quotes “I just remember reflecting and just wondering that I wanted to live a healthier life now; make some choices and changes in my life that would affect me in a positive way. I know that we're not here forever, but I really wanted to just make some changes at that point.” (04:22 | Alethea Victor) “I would come home and I would spend hours in the garden. It would just really help me to decompress and to just relax. It was my form of self-care. And that really helped me through difficult times.” (07:22 | Alethea Victor) “It started to hit me that one thing that I had in common with many black mothers was that I had a black son in America and that he was deemed a threat by the police. And that became a problem for me because I realized that we raised our sons, many of us mothers of black sons, raised our sons to be respectful, to get a good education. And for me to even think that someone would think that he was a threat just because of the color of his skin was unacceptable.” (35:10 | Janelle Wood) “What are our top three urgent issues? Mothers, what do you think we need to do? And the mother said, ‘We want to save our children now, especially our sons. We want to deal with systemic racism. We want to deal with post-traumatic stress disorder in the black community, and we need to pray.' So we started our first four core groups off of that. But our mission became getting educated so we could get organized to take action, to do whatever we needed to do to make sure our children could live the life that they were birthed here to live and to be who God created them to be. (36:28 | Janelle Wood)  Links   Alethea Victor, founder of Gro Leafy https://www.facebook.com/GroLeafy/  Janelle Wood, Founder of the Black Mothers Forum.https://blackmothersforums.com/   About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.    Support - Community Exploratory Journalism -  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register Free Training - Getting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise - Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase - Official Show Companion - Soul Thursdays Journal   Register - Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”    Connect with SoulThursdays Website | Facebook  Instagram | Twitter | TikTok   Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Why is it essential to tailor advocacy efforts for neurodivergent children within the Black community? In this episode of the Southern Soul Livestream podcast, host Calvin Baldwin introduces a panel discussion that explores this topic with detailed analyses and engaging dialogue. The panel features four leading experts in neurodiversity and advocacy: Cheryl Poe, Cori Fonville Foster, Destiny Huff, and Maria Davis-Pierre. Drawing from their personal and professional experiences, each panelist brings a unique perspective to the discussion: Cheryl Poe, founder of Advocating 4 Kids, discusses her work in helping parents navigate services for children with disabilities. She emphasizes the importance of using neuro-affirming language in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and protecting families from racial microaggressions.  Cori Fonville Foster, a CEO and homeschool educator, shares her reasons for homeschooling her neurodivergent children, citing the limitations of the public school system and the benefits of a tailored educational environment supported by a community network.  Destiny Huff, a licensed mental health professional, talks about her experiences with late diagnoses of autism and ADHD for herself and her son, advocating for systemic changes to incorporate neuro-affirming practices in educational and professional settings.  Maria Davis-Pierre, CEO of Autism in Black, highlights the need for culturally responsive autism advocacy and discusses disparities in diagnosis and treatment for Black autistic individuals. The panel examines the importance of tailored IEPs and 504 plans for meeting the unique needs of Black neurodivergent students, addressing systemic barriers, and emphasizing the need for advocacy and representation. This episode also includes a Q&A session that allows the audience to engage with the experts, reinforcing empowerment through informed advocacy and culturally responsive support for the neurodivergent community. Quotes “Special education is not a location. It is not a classroom. It's a service. There's nothing that should prevent your child from going into a general education classroom if they have the skill to do it, if they have the ability to do it. That should always be your goal.” (23:38 | Cheryl Poe)  “I have been noticing that there are just so many resources out there where we can give undivided attention. We don't call them IEPs in homeschool, but they are. Basically, we are individualizing our children's ability to grow. We're able to focus on things that they need and offer them more support.” (28:12 | Cori Fonville Foster) “When you go in there and you have a 96% chance of having a non-Black healthcare professional, and they are using an evaluation that was not created for Black people, that leads to misdiagnosis. That leads to Black kids constantly getting pushed into a behavioral diagnosis that leads to, ‘Oh, autism is not a Black people thing.' ...I like to use culturally responsive or cultural humility as the terms. I do not believe that anybody is competent in anybody's culture.” (33:29 | Maria Davis-Pierre)  “When you are that Black person in the room sitting across all white faces, and my husband being in the military, he can't be there all the time for the meetings, right? So it was predominantly on me. You feel judged for everything. You feel like you're not a professional. You feel like your child is doing all these wrong things and you don't know how to help him and you don't know how to support him. You feel like a failure as a parent. And then you feel like because you're Black, they view you as less than, right? Even though I had the mental health experience. And so it goes back to what Maria said. You have all of these credentials and people are still looking at you like this. So what about those families that don't have those credentials, that don't have that background, that don't have that education?” (45:26 | Destiny Huff)  Links Cheryl Poe: https://www.adv4kidsinc.org/ Destiny Huff: https://www.hrgcounseling.com/ Maria Davis-Pierre: https://www.autisminblack.org/   About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.  Support - Community Exploratory Journalism -  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register Free Training - Getting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise - Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase - Official Show Companion - Soul Thursdays Journal   Register - Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”  Connect with SoulThursdays Website | Facebook  Instagram | Twitter | TikTok   Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

In this enlightening episode of Soul Thursdays, we embark on a profound exploration of natural hair care, with a particular focus on addressing alopecia and its potential remedies. Our esteemed guest, Evelyn Pettiford-Landrum, a recognized expert in the realm of natural hair care, generously shares a treasure trove of insights regarding holistic approaches for promoting hair regrowth. Throughout this engaging discussion, we dissect the root causes of alopecia, dispel prevalent misconceptions, and unveil the efficacy of various natural treatments. This episode is an absolute must-listen for those in search of alternative methods to nurture robust hair growth and combat the challenges of hair loss. Don't miss out on the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge in the realm of natural hair care solutions. Download now and join us on this enlightening journey.   Listeners also get practical DIY hair care tips and tricks that can be tried at home, making this episode not just informative but also highly actionable.   The episode wraps up with an engaging Q&A session, where our expert addresses various queries from the audience, offering tailored advice and recommendations for individual hair care concerns.   Quotes "Your hair is a reflection of your inner health and well-being."- Evelyn Pettiford-Landrum "Consistency is key when it comes to promoting hair growth naturally."- Evelyn Pettiford-Landrum "Alopecia is a challenge, but it can be overcome with the right care and mindset” - Evelyn Pettiford-Landrum   Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Connect  Evelyn Pettiford-Landrum, Natural Hair Care Guru, Master Licensed Cosmetologist, Certified Herbalist, Certified Aromatherapist Visit Website EVELZWAY.com     Connect with @SoulThursdays Website | Facebook Instagram | Twitter | TikTok     About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.   Build a Community Following with Podcasting - from concept to creation, we'll explore the essentials of crafting compelling content and building an engaged audience. Whether you're a seasoned podcaster or a newbie, you'll find valuable insights in this episode. Tune in and get ready to amplify your voice in the podcasting sphere!

In this compelling episode, host Calvin Rich engages in a poignant conversation with Shanera Williamson, the dynamic force behind the "Brown Mama Bear" podcast on Empowering Parents: Navigating Black and Brown Youth in Aggressive Spaces, the episode is a deep dive into the challenges faced by Black and Brown youth in aggressive white education spaces. The discussion unfolds in a series of impactful topics, beginning with an exploration of microaggressions, the absence of representation, and the crucial understanding of racial identity. Shanera shares personal stories about parenting in predominantly white spaces, highlighting the importance of open conversations about race and the significance of exposing children to their cultural heritage.   Quotes "Parents are busy, and I wanted my podcast to be a one-stop shop. Listen for 30 minutes or less, get tools to put in your toolbox, and ease the burden of being a parent in aggressive spaces."- Shanera Williamson, Coach, Speaker & Podcaster   "During bedtime wind-down, have heart-level conversations with your kids. It's a quiet time when they often open up and share more." - Shanera Williamson, Coach, Speaker & Podcaster   "Brown Mama Bear Podcast is about being a mama bear and not being ashamed of it. Don't get between me and my cubs, especially when it comes to racial harm." - Shanera Williamson, Coach, Speaker & Podcaster Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Connect with Shanera William Brown Mama Bear Podcast   Connect with @SoulThursdays Website | Facebook Instagram | Twitter | TikTok   About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.   Build a Community Following with Podcasting - from concept to creation, we'll explore the essentials of crafting compelling content and building an engaged audience.   Whether you're a seasoned podcaster or a newbie, you'll find valuable insights in this episode. Tune in and get ready to amplify your voice in the podcasting sphere!

In a world filled with challenges and battles, Cynthia C. Farmer emerged as a guiding light in the realm of spiritual warfare. Her journey is a testament to faith, resilience, and the transformative power of healing and forgiveness. Through her candid and relatable account, Cynthia reveals the power of faith in the face of adversity. Her two-week silence with God, a profound spiritual attack, and the shattered trust in her marriage were all pivotal moments in her story. Quotes "Dig into who God is, who you are, and God, and you will set you up for victory every single time." - Cynthia C. Farmer, The Warfare Coach "The enemy's primary goal is to make sure that he has the power to defeat you." - Cynthia C. Farmer, The Warfare Coach "You are more powerful than you realize, you are always a conqueror." - Cynthia C. Farmer, The Warfare Coach "How many revelations are we missing because we're not going into our prayer Closet?" - Cynthia C. Farmer, The Warfare Coach Connect Cynthia C. Farmer, The Warfare Coach Connect with the Speaker Connect with @SoulThursdays Website | Facebook Instagram | Twitter | TikTok  About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences. Build a Community Following with Podcasting - from concept to creation, we'll explore the essentials of crafting compelling content and building an engaged audience. Whether you're a seasoned podcaster or a newbie, you'll find valuable insights in this episode. Tune in and get ready to amplify your voice in the podcasting sphere!

In this episode, we sit down with Jennifer Gaskins, a remarkable individual who has not only survived multiple sclerosis (MS) but has also become a leading advocate for the use of cannabis in autoimmune care. Join us as we delve into her inspiring journey and explore the profound impact of cannabis on autoimmune conditions. Episode Highlights: Overcoming Burnout and Embracing Change Medical Marijuana for Autoimmune Conditions  Confronting Mental Health Stigma  Self-Care, Cannabis, and Cultural Heritage  Unveiling Medical Marijuana's History and Usage  Quotes "Cannabis has been a game-changer for so many people with autoimmune conditions." - Jennifer Gaskins "I'm proud to be part of an industry that's changing the narrative around cannabis and its benefits." - Jennifer Gaskins  "Education is key. It's important for people to understand how cannabis can be used for medical purposes." - Jennifer Gaskins "We recommend books like 'Cannabis Pharmacy,' 'The Women's Guide to Cannabis,' and 'Cannabis High Tea' for learning about medical marijuana dosing and usage." - Jennifer Gaskins Dr. Rachel Knox, a black doctor, is spotlighted for her work in running a cannabis institute that certifies patients and educates them about the endocannabinoid system and the body's natural ability to utilize cannabis. Jennifer recommends essential reading materials for understanding medical marijuana dosing and usage, including "Cannabis Pharmacy," "The Women's Guide to Cannabis," and "Cannabis High Tea."   Connect with Jennifer Gaskins https://www.southernsoulthursdays.com/guests/jennifer-gaskins/   About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.   Build a Community Following with Podcasting - from concept to creation, we'll explore the essentials of crafting compelling content and building an engaged audience.   Whether you're a seasoned podcaster or a newbie, you'll find valuable insights in this episode. Tune in and get ready to amplify your voice in the podcasting sphere!

Overview In this illuminating episode, host our host engages in a profound conversation with Calvin Lawrence, the author of "Hidden in White Sight," as they delve into the intricate world of artificial intelligence and its impact on racial equity. Together, they explore the hidden biases lurking within AI systems and discuss the crucial journey from awareness to action. The episode begins with a poignant discussion about racial bias in technology and how AI, once considered a mere concept, has become an integral part of our lives, influencing decisions that can significantly affect individuals. The conversation progresses to dissect the notion of bias in AI, differentiating between intentional racism and systemic bias. This distinction proves vital in unraveling the complexities of AI's hidden biases. Calvin Lawrence concludes with his vision for the future, underlining the importance of sustained awareness about AI's hidden biases. He remains committed to being a vocal advocate for responsible AI and intentional   Quotes AI is no longer just technology; it's a set of business applications that impact our day-to-day lives." - Calvin Lawrence  "Think about the last three years. You'll see probably 95% of the applications that you touch today will be fueled by some AI algorithm to some extent." -  Calvin Lawrence  "Regardless of what field you find yourself in, you need to have a basic understanding of AI because it will touch every industry."  - Calvin Lawrence  We have to continue to scream as long as we can to ensure that people who are building apps are doing it intentionally with the victim in mind."  - Calvin Lawrence    Connect with @SoulThursdays Website | Facebook Instagram | Twitter | TikTok   Connect with Calvin Lawrence Website | Linkedin | Instagram   About with Soul Thursdays - LIVE Episode Podcast: Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.   Build a Community Following with our Podcasting Coaching  - from concept to creation, we'll explore the essentials of crafting compelling content and building an engaged audience. Get ready to amplify your voice in the podcasting sphere!

The episode explores Lynne's coined phrases, including "50 and Fed Up," "Career Deceleration," and "Flow from Frustration to Freedom." These phrases encapsulate the mid-career professional's journey, where individuals may feel stuck, frustrated, or uncertain about their career trajectories. Lynne provides practical steps for mid-career professionals to realign their paths and rediscover their purpose. She emphasizes the importance of dreaming and dabbling in one's passions, suggesting that individuals give themselves permission to explore their interests. Additionally, Lynne encourages leveraging social media and curating online communities that align with one's aspirations.   Quotes "Burnout isn't just about exhaustion; it's about not recognizing who you are."- Lynne Stokes, MBA "It's one thing to have the dream, but that dream stays stagnant if you don't do anything, Dream and Dabble in your passions. Give yourself permission to explore your interests." - Lynne Stokes, MBA "I really believe in a personal brand. Everybody needs one. Everybody has one, whether you know it or not... your personal brand is what people think of when they hear your name or see you." - Lynne Stokes, MBA   Connect with @SoulThursdays Website | Facebook Instagram | Twitter | TikTok   Flow from Frustration to Freedom with Lynne Stokes, MBA Facebook | Website | Instagram   About with Soul Thursdays - LIVE Episode Podcast: Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.   Build a Community Following with our Podcasting Coaching  - from concept to creation, we'll explore the essentials of crafting compelling content and building an engaged audience. Get ready to amplify your voice in the podcasting sphere!

In the podcast, Dr. Carrie Rosario stands out as a strong advocate for overall well-being. Alongside Counseling Psychologist Tatyana Smith, Dr. Rosario engages in a dynamic conversation that puts her expertise at the forefront. Her thoughtful insights highlight critical themes of resilience, reflection, and renewal, resonating deeply with the audience. She underscores the value of safe spaces for exploring experiences, vulnerability, and personal growth. Tatyana Smith draws from her research to explore the experiences of cisgender heterosexual Black men who have faced childhood sexual abuse. She discusses the challenges these men confront in building healthy relationships and self-identity, shedding light on coping strategies and available resources for healing. Together, the speakers highlight the importance of recognizing the diversity within identity and offering tailored support for growth and renewal. The episode serves as a potent reminder that healing and resilience can be achieved through self-reflection, openness, and cultural sensitivity.   Quotes "Every step towards healing matters, regardless of its size. Each moment of self-awareness, self-care, and self-acceptance contributes to the journey of resilience, reflection, and renewal."- Dr. Carrie Rosario "Black men's healing involves breaking free from the survival mode imposed by historical trauma. Thriving is about reaching a space where they can self-actualize." - Tatyana Smith "In the process of healing, it's essential to honor our emotions, even the difficult ones. Emotions provide valuable information about our inner world and guide us towards a more authentic sense of self." - Dr. Carrie Rosario "Childhood sexual abuse impacts black men's romantic relationships. Challenges in emotional intimacy and trust arise due to societal pressure on masculinity." - Tatyana Smith
 Connect with @SoulThursdays Website | Facebook Instagram | Twitter | TikTok   Speaker Info Tatyana Smith, Counseling Psychology PhD Student Dr. Carrie Rosario, Health Equity Advocate   About with Soul Thursdays - Live Episode Podcast Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.   Support our Community - Exploratory Journalism -  Buy us  A Coffee! Learn - Register Free Training - Getting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise - Buy Official Merchandise Purchase - Official Show Companion - Soul Thursdays Journal Register - Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”  

In this episode, we dive into the heart of mother-daughter relationships with the remarkable Dr. Monica Moore, MD. Join us as we explore healing mother wound with Girls Growing Gracefully—a platform dedicated to strengthening the bond between mothers and daughters. Dr. Moore guides us through empowerment, the value of shared experiences, and the art of nurturing resilience. From fostering authentic connections to managing stress and anxiety, this episode unveils the secrets to fostering lifelong relationships. Tune in to discover how Girls Growing Gracefully empowers not only the present but also the future generations to come. Get ready for an inspiring journey of growth, connection, and lasting memories. strategies that will shape the destiny of the Black community. The revolution starts now!   Quotes "Empowering mothers and daughters to live their lives unapologetically is at the heart of Girls Growing Gracefully. It's about equipping them with the knowledge to learn, do more, and see more." - Dr. Monica Moore, MD "Our goal is to create long-lasting positive memories for mothers and daughters. Quality time together, engaging in activities like spa days, cooking, and meditation, can deepen your bond." - Dr. Monica Moore, MD   Connect with @SoulThursdays Website | Facebook Instagram | Twitter | TikTok   Speaker Info   Dr. Monica Moore, MD  @drmonicacares  Be Unique: A Girl's Guide to Self-Awareness and Self-Acceptance    About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.   Support  Community Journalism -  Buy us  A Coffee! Learn - Register Free Training - Getting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise - Buy Official Merchandise Purchase - Official Show Companion - Soul Thursdays Journal Register - Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”

Join us on an inspiring Soul Thursday episode as host D-Rich engages in a captivating conversation with Theresa Cummings, founder and CEO of Cummings Consulting & Management, LLC, alongside the incredible Dr. Ashlie Booth, MD, from Healing Beyond the Stethoscope Primary Care. Together, they unveil the secrets to manifesting career success like never before.   In the words of Theresa Cummings, "Difference matters, and when we prioritize people, the numbers will naturally follow. It's crucial to focus on embracing diversity and inclusivity." Prepare to be enthralled as she shares her profound insights into the power of collaboration and allyship, reminding us all that unity propels us toward greatness.   Dr. Ashlie Booth, on the other hand, faced her own set of challenges as the sole Black individual in her immediate environment, both on campus and within her Biology major. Despite the discouragement she encountered, her unwavering determination fueled her pursuit of a lifelong dream—to become a doctor. Resisting the well-intentioned suggestions to explore alternative paths like business, Dr. Booth fearlessly blazed her own trail. And today, she proudly owns and operates her clinic, Beyond the Stethoscope Primary Care where she is able to provide a unique approach to health and medicine by centering her practice on building genuine connections with patients and empowering them to make health decisions that seamlessly align with their real lives.    Diversity gaps can be disheartening, but the most unexpected allies can emerge if you maintain an open mind and unwavering determination. Refuse to let anyone dictate your capabilities. Stay laser-focused on your ultimate goals, and seek out mentors who will elevate and support you on your journey. Quotes • “My leadership style is such that I'm very collaborative and from my upbringing, I was able to transfer that into the corporate world and be a little bit more successful from going through a whole lot of that mess.” (4:32-4:46 | Theresa) • “You cannot act as if you're in corporate in running your own business. You have three roles, doing the business itself, being the visionary of the business, and managing the business.” (20:23-20:35 | Theresa) • “What I continue to do is teach people that difference matters. And we focus on the people, the numbers are going to come, but you have to focus on all people.” (25:51-26:01 | Theresa) • “Life affects your health, so I have to be able to put all of that together to make sure you are totally well.” (44:24-44:30 | Dr. Booth) • “Treatment plans look beautiful on paper, but if a patient is not following it, then what sense does it make?” (46:46-46:53 | Dr. Booth)   Links Connect with Theresa Cummings Website - https://www.cummingscm.com/ Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresa-cummings/   Follow Dr. Ashlie A. Booth MD Linktree - https://linktr.ee/DrAshlieABoothMD Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/drashlieaboothmd/ About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.    Support - Community Exploratory Journalism -  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register Free Training - Getting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise - Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase - Official Show Companion - Soul Thursdays Journal   Register - Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”    Connect with SoulThursdays Website | Facebook  Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

Buckle up for an exciting and enlightening episode as host D-Rich engages in a dynamic conversation with the remarkable Rev. Lakesha Womack, Rev. JerQuentin Sutton, Rev. Carline Brown, and Dr. Chelece Brown. Together, they unveil groundbreaking strategies aimed at transforming the future of Black churches.   Gone are the days when the church solely served as a social hub for the Black community. Rev. Lakesha Womack passionately asserts that the true essence lies in theological engagement—helping individuals grapple with real-life issues. It's not about superficial changes like logos or fancy effects, but rather about empowering people to navigate the adversities they face, both spiritually and practically.   To usher in a brighter future, Black churches must evolve beyond traditional norms. By shining a light on mental health, social justice, and financial literacy, church leaders can become beacons of support for their congregations. It's time to address spiritual abuse, collaborate with faith-based organizations, and uplift entrepreneurial endeavors within the community. Together, these efforts will guide the Black community toward diversity, justice, and economic empowerment.   Get ready for an empowering journey as these visionary leaders illuminate the path toward a more inclusive and equitable future for Black churches. Tune in to discover the transformative strategies that will shape the destiny of the Black community. The revolution starts now! Quotes • “It's not about getting a logo or taking the altar out of the church or turning off the lights and bringing in fog machines. It's about, how do you really help people wrestle theologically with the issues that they're dealing with.” (11:25-11:37 | Rev. Womack)  • “The solution is talking about trauma within the church, because there's a lot of trauma, especially with churches in urban communities.” (14:50-14:56 | Dr. Brown) • “When the church is able to forgive someone who has strayed, it helps us to understand reconciliation and solidarity with the poor and the oppressed.” (30:04-30:16 | Rev. Sutton)  • “A lot of people say, ‘I'm a Christian'. But, when they say they're a Christian, what I've come to realize through therapy is that they may not have a relationship with Jesus.” (36:01-36:14 | Rev. Brown)   Links Rev. Carline Brown Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carline-brown/ Website - https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/carline-brown-riverview-fl/1121595   Rev. JerQuentin Sutton WRSU 88.7 FM Sundays 6 to 8pm Eastern - https://radio.rutgers.edu/schedule/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gqallmighty/ Website for Lebanon Baptist Church Westwood: https://www.lebanonbaptistchurchwestwood.com/   Rev. Lakesha Womack Website - https://www.blackseednetwork.com/about Book LaKesha - https://womackcg.com/book-lakesha Rethinking Church Strategies - http://rethinkingchurchstrategies.com/   Dr. Chelece Brown Website - https://www.chelecebrown.com/ Instagram - https://instagram.com/drchelecebrown?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA== About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.    Support - Community Exploratory Journalism -  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register Free Training - Getting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise - Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase - Official Show Companion - Soul Thursdays Journal   Register - Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”    Connect with SoulThursdays Website | Facebook  Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

Prohibition of cannabis has been about bad science, racism, propaganda, and violence, “ says Arti Finn, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, APDS.  In this episode, host D-Rich leads a fascinating exploration of the intricate world of legalized cannabis and the political and social landscape that surrounds it.    Our panel of guests share experiences about their presence in the industry, including the challenges they have confronted and solutions they have implemented. During a discussion on the topic of incarceration and the prison system, we delve into the massive role that prisons play in treatment for substance abuse and mental health, the many issues with private correctional institutions, and life after incarceration. And the panel guests emphasize the need for a cultural shift toward more effective solutions, backed by data and results.   Quotes • “I think there's an opportunity for the industry to have an outsized word on criminal justice reform by saying taxes that are redirected from cannabis sales should be put into correctional education. States don't have enough money dedicated to that. Less than 17% of the folks that are incarcerated get any access to programming. So if you want to actually start to regulate the industry, control where the money goes.” (25:35 - 25:59 | Arti) • “We criminalized things that should not have been criminalized, including cannabis consumption. And we did it on bad science. We did it using racism, we did it using propaganda, we did it using violence. And we're continuing to use that violence by putting people in cages for using something that is relatively harmless.” (38:22 - 38:44 | Maggie) • “We miss the fact that the American prison system and jail system is the largest mental health institution we have in the country. There are more mentally ill people in our prisons and jails than there are in all the state psychiatric institutions combined. Also, people who are under the influence of drugs, well, jails are now the largest detoxification facilities in the country. 100 times more people are detoxed in jail than are detoxed in detox centers in the community or in hospital emergency rooms.” (43:58 - 44:36| Andy) • “Talk to your state legislatures, your governor, anyone who's in policy making and really advocate for changing corrections from a place of warehousing to a place of true rehabilitation. And when you start to raise the pressure on government, they step up.” (1:04:19 - 1:04:39 | Arti)   Connect with our guests: Maggie Kinsella - https://coyotecannabisco.com/ Arti Finn - https://apds.works/ Andrew Klein - https://www.ahpnet.com/About/Meet-our-Experts/Andrew-Klein Kyle Moon - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-moon-4404b1170/ About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.    Support - Community Exploratory Journalism -  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register Free Training - Getting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise - Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase - Official Show Companion - Soul Thursdays Journal   Register - Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”    Connect with SoulThursdays Website | Facebook  Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

“Race can be a very positive thing, but it can also be something that can promote a lot of stress against children. And we want to make sure that children are prepared,” explains Dr. Stephanie Irby Coard, clinical psychologist, professor, and founder and President of Kindred Behavioral Research. Talking to children about difficult topics like anxiety, depression, and racism can be intimidating and stressful for parents, especially parents of color who are having to navigate racism themselves. Today, Dr. Stephanie joins host D-Rich along with Tavara Franklin, CEO and founder of Healing Grounds Therapy and Wellness Center, to discuss how to have fearless conversations with children about important topics that are often viewed as taboo like race and anxiety.   Racial ethnic socialization is all about preparing children of color to deal with racism. It is critical that parents teach conflict resolution and problem solving skills to their children with regard to navigating racism. Otherwise, children may respond by being reactive, which could lead to bigger issues since Black children will often face much harsher consequences for being reactive than their white peers. It's never too early to start talking about race and instilling positive messages so that children can be more resilient when facing nasty remarks about their skin tone or their hair later on in life.    When it comes to having difficult conversations with children, the best thing a parent can do is to remove the stigma around talking about these topics. If children think a topic is taboo, they might not feel comfortable discussing it, and might even start to think something is wrong with them for having a hard time navigating their emotions.    Quotes • “Racial ethnic socialization is the process by which we talk to, transmit messages about, expose our children to, meaning around race.” (6:30-6:42 | Dr. Stephanie) • “Resilience is incredibly important. And I think that racial socialization is actually a mechanism by which we can help our children to be even more resilient.” (15:00-15:11 | Dr. Stephanie) • “Race can be a very positive thing, but it can also be something that can promote a lot of stress against children. And we want to make sure that children are prepared.” (24:19-24:30 | Dr. Stephanie) • “Anxiety is a normal emotion. It is a natural emotion, everybody experiences anxiety.” (49:12-49:21 | Tavara)  • “With mindfulness, it helps us to be able to ground ourselves to identify what is most important at this moment.” (54:22-54:30 | Tavara)   Links Connect with Dr. Stephanie Irby Coard: Professor Page - https://hhs.uncg.edu/hdf/people/coard-stephanie-irby/ Kindred Behavior Website - http://www.kindredbehavior.com/team-member/dr-stephanie-irby-coard/   Connect with Tavara Franklin, LPC, CAMS: Website https://healinggroundstherapy.com/hgt-team/ Tavara's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tavarafranklin/ About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.    Support - Community Exploratory Journalism -  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register Free Training - Getting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise - Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase - Official Show Companion - Soul Thursdays Journal   Register - Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”    Connect with SoulThursdays Website | Facebook  Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

“I realized the crazy ridiculous impact that sharing our stories and being vulnerable could have on letting other people share their stories and be okay with getting treatment,” explains Dr. Rhonda Mattox, MD. There is incredible power in advocacy and creating cultures centered around support. Today, Dr. Rhonda joins host D-Rich along with Dr. Jenny Vazquez-Newsum, Ed.D., to talk about advocacy, destigmatizing mental illness, and the untapped leadership potential of marginalized people.   Growing up, Dr. Jenny rarely if ever saw anyone in a leadership role that looked like her. As a multiracial woman, she found that the books on leadership were primarily written from the perspective of white men. This inspired her to write a book of her own and found an organization that centers marginalized perspectives. Although she struggled at first with imposter syndrome, she ultimately realized that the issue is systemic and not due to any deficit of her own.    Dr. Rhonda grew up with similar experiences, deciding to become a doctor after being inspired by a strong, Black woman who asked not what she wanted to be when she grew up, but who she wanted to help. While pursuing her degree for psychiatry, Dr. Rhonda realized that she was still holding onto many of the stigmas around mental illness that she had grown up with. She could not recognize her own depression, because her mother had taught her that Black people cannot be depressed. When she managed to push past the stigma and share her story anyway, she found immense power in being vulnerable.    There is a lot of untapped power in speaking up and advocating for yourself. As a leader, you have the opportunity to shatter the stigmas and break down the barriers that hold marginalized perspectives back.    Quotes • “We tend to kind of define being a leader as this far off destination, and then we lose out on the opportunity to lead right here and now.” (24:55-25:04 | Dr. Jenny) • “I grew up hearing from my mother, in a southern town, Black people don't have the luxury of being depressed. Black people can't call into work, you've got to get up and go.” (37:37-37:47 | Dr. Rhonda) • “Don't you pour water on anybody's dreams. Be the person who kneels down and looks in the little girl or the little boy's eyes and see them and tell them they can do it.” (1:14:38-1:14:48 | Dr. Rhonda)    Links Connect with Dr. Jenny Vazquez-Newsum, Ed.D.: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennyvazqueznewsum/ Book: Untapped Leadership: Harnessing the Power of Underrepresented Leaders - https://www.amazon.com/Untapped-Leadership-Harnessing-Underrepresented-Leaders/dp/1633889165   Connect with Andre Smith: Website: https://www.chosn.io/getmygoals Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrechosn   Connect with Dr. Rhonda Mattox, MD: Website:https://drrhondamattox.me/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-rhonda-mattox-physician-and-consultant-66175011/ About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.    Support - Community Exploratory Journalism -  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register Free Training - Getting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise - Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase - Official Show Companion - Soul Thursdays Journal   Register - Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”    Connect with SoulThursdays Website | Facebook  Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

“If they can lead the organization from an inclusive cultural perspective, they're going to see the pendulum shift in the right direction. DEI training is great, but it only scratches the surface,” shares Sheree Knowles, CEO of HR Knowledge Source. HR has changed a lot throughout the years and with AI advancing, there are many more changes coming to consider when thinking about a career in Human Resources. Today, Sheree joins host D. Rich along with Deirdre Simmons, certified coach and VP of Human Resources, to talk about the future of human resource careers.    For most companies, there is a long way to go when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion. The focus on the leaders in the organization really control how HR is able to function. Sheree experienced this first hand when working as the head of HR in a corporate environment, helping others navigate through racial biases and microaggressions while simultaneously experiencing the same issues herself. With so many changes in the way people do business, including the push from employees for remote work, the implications of AI technological advancements, and a stronger emphasis on DEI, the future of Human Resources looks very different from how it used to be.    If you are considering going into Human Resources, it is a good idea to identify your strengths and figure out exactly what you enjoy doing. There are many different HR avenues to explore like employee engagement, benefits, compliance, payroll, and learning and development.    Quotes • “If you are considering a career in HR, I want you to consider your strengths.” (4:08-4:13 | Deirdre) • “Depending on the organization, depending on the focus of the leaders in the organization and how they view HR is how HR is able to function, and that impacts the employees.” (15:55-16:09 | Deirdre) • “Here I am the head of HR. I'm helping employees, other people, navigate exclusion and microaggressions and bias while at the same time, I'm personally experiencing exclusion, microaggressions and bias.” (40:12-40:27 | Sheree) • “AI is going to have an enormous impact on the HR profession.” (46:11-46:16 | Sheree) • “In the HR world, DEI, diversity, equity and inclusion, is a hat that most HR professionals find challenging to put on.” (48:02-48:11 | Sheree)  • “If they can lead the organization from an inclusive cultural perspective, they're going to see the pendulum shift in the right direction. DEI training is great, but it only scratches the surface.” (49:19-49:32 | Sheree)   Links Connect with Sheree Knowles, SPHR, CPM: Website: https://www.hrknowledgesource.com/about-hrks/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shereeknowles/   Connect with Deirdre Simmons, MSHRM, PHR, SHRM-CP: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deirdresimmons Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachdeirdresimmons/ About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.    Support - Community Exploratory Journalism -  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register Free Training - Getting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise - Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase - Official Show Companion - Soul Thursdays Journal   Register - Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”    Connect with SoulThursdays Website | Facebook  Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

“Flexibility is probably the number one characteristic you need to have as entrepreneurs,” explains J Haleem Washinton, author and entrepreneur coach. No matter how much you plan, there will always be things that happen unexpectedly that require you to think on your feet and pivot in a new direction. Successful entrepreneurs are the ones who can roll with any changes that come their way. Today, J Haleem joins host D-Rich along with Dr. Daryl Green, business marketing and management professor, to discuss the challenges of growing a small business in Atlanta.   Entrepreneurship is not without its challenges, but it also provides incredible opportunities for people to earn a living outside of the often inaccessible corporate world. Due to his felony record, even with a college degree and Dean's List letters, J Haleem was unable to get accepted to any reasonably paying position after graduation. Instead of giving up and going back to hustling on the streets, he created his own opportunities. No one was going to give him a fair shot due to his criminal record, but he was determined to provide for his family and was flexible enough to work around any obstacle he encountered along the way.    Growing a small business is a challenging, yet rewarding endeavor. It can be very isolating and lonely, especially if you do not have a strong support system. J Haleem shares that without support, it is often too tempting for people to give up and go back to the streets. That's why regardless of the level of support you have, flexibility and knowing how and when to pivot is the number one skill set that all entrepreneurs need.    Quotes • “A lot of people don't understand marketing is more than just selling and buying.” (1:31-1:35 | Dr. Green) • “In 2020, we realized something, even churches, that if you don't have a digital platform, you don't exist.” (1:57-2:06 | Dr. Green) • “What I learned is that a lot of times when I fell, there was nobody around. There was no support.” (1:12:26-1:12:32 | J Haleem) • “Hustle while you work.” (1:15:38-1:15:39 | J Haleem) • “Once I figured out how I wasn't going to starve, then I had the chance to focus on other people.” (1:19:56-1:20:01 | J Haleem)  • “Flexibility is probably the number one characteristic you need to have as entrepreneurs.” (1:21:15-1:21:20 | J Haleem)   Links Connect with Dr. Daryl Green, DSL: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdarylgreen/   Connect with J Haleem Washington, CPC: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamjhaleem/   About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.    Support - Community Exploratory Journalism -  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register Free Training - Getting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise - Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase - Official Show Companion - Soul Thursdays Journal   Register - Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”    Connect with SoulThursdays Website | Facebook  Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

“The big challenge is a knowledge gap, legal gap, estate planning gap. Because when you lose the land, you lose the presence, you lose the control over the place,” explains Dr. Andrea Roberts, founder of the Texas Freedom Colonies Project and Associate Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning at the University of Virginia's School of Architecture. She is a proud 6th generation Texan whose ancestors have roots in the Texas freedom colonies. Today, Dr. Andrea joins host D-Rich to talk about historic Black “freedom” towns and the importance of preservation and bridging the legal knowledge gap.   Many historically Black places are not listed on any map, but are known by names whispered by descendents of those who lived there. Preserving these historical sites from old Black “Freedom” towns, settlements and colonies has been challenging as the land may not even be owned legally by the descendents. The majority of Black-owned land is what is called intestate, which means that you lose legal control over the place when your loved one passes on rather than being able to truly inherit it. Being able to put a name, information, and exact mapped location to these places that are otherwise lost to history is pivotal for anyone who may want to reclaim the land and protect what remains.    The Texas Freedom Colonies Project aims to not only preserve historically Black places, but also to educate through providing access to resources like free legal assistance to help bridge the knowledge gap. By having a mapped and fully visualized story of the past available, people can learn and connect better with their family history and the places that their ancestors called home.    Quotes • “No one was explaining to me why this entire Black cemetery is here, surrounded by all of these middle to upper middle class to elite suburbs right outside of Houston.” (8:09-8:22 | Dr. Andrea) • “70 to 75% of all Black-owned land is intestate, meaning it's in a state where you cannot sell it, make use of it, take control of it, when your loved one passes on, because you don't have proper legal standing.” (17:14-17:30 | Dr. Andrea) • “The big challenge is a knowledge gap, legal gap, estate planning gap, because when you lose the land, you lose the presence, you lose the control over the place.” (18:40-18:51 | Dr. Andrea) • “Our ancestors gave so much and they gave until they couldn't give any more. And that martyrdom got us this far, but that same martyrdom is not what's going to get us the next part of the way.” (49:04-49:16 | Dr. Andrea)   Links Connect with Dr. Andrea Roberts: Website - https://andrearobertsphd.com/homepage/about/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/FreeBlackTX LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrearoberts/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AndreaRRoberts   About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.    Support - Community Exploratory Journalism -  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register Free Training - Getting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise - Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase - Official Show Companion - Soul Thursdays Journal   Register - Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”    Connect with SoulThursdays Website | Facebook  Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

“Many women don't get diagnosed until their kids get diagnosed because people miss it,” shares ADHD coach, IngerShaye Colzie, MSW, LSW. IngerShaye went 50 years wondering why certain things were so difficult while others were easy. In spite of noticeable struggles in her childhood continuing into her work and college life, her ADHD went unnoticed until her own child was diagnosed. Today, IngerShaye joins host D-Rich to talk about ADHD and how it presents in Black women and girls.    ADHD is a brain based condition affecting the way someone's brain is wired that tends to show up differently in girls than it does in boys. Many people are familiar with the textbook idea of a distracting, impulsive little boy with ADHD, but are less adept at recognizing girls with ADHD. For girls, it often shows up as the inattentive or combined version versus strictly hyperactive. And when it is hyperactive in girls, that hyperactivity is directed inward. IngerShaye shares that some of the challenges of ADHD are time blindness causing her to be late constantly, trouble prioritizing, impulsivity, disorganization, and getting overwhelmed easily. She also explains that ADHD comes with strengths like empathy, a strong sense of fairness, resilience, hyperfocus, passion, and creativity.    It is important to build awareness and seek support for  Black women and girls with ADHD because it is not okay that so many are slipping through and not being diagnosed until much later in life. When Black women have ADHD, they face additional challenges. There is a lot of misinformation circulating about ADHD and when we come together to talk about our experiences, more of those myths can be dispelled and replaced with the truth.   Quotes • “Once we went from learning to read to reading to learn, it just got harder and the ADHD started to kick in.” (2:42-2:49 | IngerShaye) • “Many women don't get diagnosed until their kids get diagnosed because people miss it.” (10:44-10:51 | IngerShaye) • “The thing about ADHD, the H part, the hyper part, it's not outward. For women especially, it turns inward.” (11:49-11:56 | IngerShaye) • “When I got diagnosed with ADHD, my whole life flashed in front of me because all the things that were confusing began to make sense.” (12:33-12:40 | IngerShaye)  • “Kids with ADHD get, I think they say, 20,000 more negative messages by age 12 than other children.” (24:44-24:51 | IngerShaye) • “I think what encourages me more than anything else is that, seeing this is a room full of people of color that we are furthering this conversation about something that's so important in our community that we haven't been saying out loud, and it's so encouraging to see so many people in the chat and in the breakout room who are realizing that they need to learn more about this, because it may be something that's really relevant in their lives." (1:20:10-1:20:38 | KD)   Links Connect with IngerShaye Colzie, MSW, LSW, ADHD Coach: Website: www.ingershaye.com Instagram: @ingershaye   Resources Available to Parents ADHD Parent Training and Resources ADHD Resources for Youth   Quizzes for ADHD Symptoms ADHD Testing ADHD Test for Black Women   Books ADHD 2.0 - Edward Hallowell, MD & John J. Ratey, MD Self-Care for People with ADHD, Dr. Sasha Hamdani A Radical Guide for Women with ADHD, Sari Solden, MS & Michelle Frank, PsyD About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.    Support - Community Exploratory Journalism -  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register Free Training - Getting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise - Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase - Official Show Companion - Soul Thursdays Journal   Register - Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”    Connect with SoulThursdays Website | Facebook  Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

“How do you feel when you think about your self concept and your self reflection? How much of yourself do you see in your mother?,”asks Dr. Richarne Fuqua aka Dr. Shawn, the LPC. Today, Dr. Shawn joins host D-Rich alongside Tiara Nicole Riley, life coach, motivational speaker, and author to talk about the “Mother Wound” and understanding mother-daughter conflict and healing.    The goal of this show is to help guide women who are stuck in painful cycles - feeling unworthy because of insecure thoughts about themselves, which stem from the Mother Wound. For some, there is a deep yearning for love, acceptance, and nurturing that can never be fully satisfied. This pain builds up over time as our needs remain unmet, and we unconsciously form a belief system that says, “I am not enough,” “I don't deserve true love,” or “It's not safe to trust and love again.”    Black women have always been laborers in America and they are always giving more than they take. Much of what we struggle with today is actually rooted in intergenerational trauma. This Mother Wound often stays unhealed and can cause a lot of conflict between mothers and daughters.    Quotes • “I didn't know her daughter, but I was able to say, ‘When your daughter is going through this, maybe this is what she needs. Maybe you can try this'. This is what I wish my mother knew, and I couldn't tell her in the moment. These are questions that you can ask to figure out what she specifically might need.” (6:02-6:17 | Tiara) • “If you empower the woman, especially if you empower the Black woman, that's where the real change begins.” (12:07-12:13 | Tiara)  • “How do you feel when you think about your self concept and your self reflection? How much of yourself do you see in your mother?” (35:07-35:13 | Dr. Shawn) • “Honor and obey are not the same thing. As an adult who pays her own bills among somebody I no longer feel the need as an adult to obey my mother. Honoring my mother means I show love. I show care." (55:55-56:20 | Tiara)    Links Connect with Dr. Shawn, The LPC: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drshawnthelpc/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drshawnthelpc TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drshawnthelpc Website: https://www.drshawnthelpc.com/   Connect with Tiara Nicole Riley: Instagram: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiaranicoleriley/ Free Consult: https://www.tiaranicoleriley.com/coach TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tiaranicoleriley Website: https://www.tiaranicoleriley.com/ About with Southern Soul Livestream - Live Episode Podcast   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Soul Thursdays is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences.    Support - Community Exploratory Journalism -  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register Free Training - Getting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise - Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase - Official Show Companion - Soul Thursdays Journal   Register - Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”    Connect with SoulThursdays Website | Facebook  Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

“The church is not just what we do on Wednesday and Sunday, but how do we really live our faith and become the change agents in the world?”, shares LaKesha Womack, church growth consultant and founder of the Rethinking Church Project. Today, LaKesha joins host D-Rich to talk about the future of the Black church in the Black community. Later, they are joined by several ministers and pastors who contribute their own observations from their communities.   The Black church was an extraordinarily important fixture in the Black community during the Civil Rights Era. Recently Gallup released poll results that revealed that church membership in the US has fallen below 50% for the first time. While 66% of American adults born before 1946 belong to a church, only 36% of millennials do as well. It is often said that Sunday at 11AM is the most segregated hour in America. The Black church was initially started because of slavery and the widely held belief that going to church created better slaves. For a long time, Black people were not able to hold any leadership positions within the church and had to be overseen by white ministers. Church is still largely segregated due to the way Black people were treated historically.    It's important to recognize that no church is perfect. Unfortunately, some churches create toxic environments that are not about connecting with God, but instead focus on prosperity preaching and pastoral salvation. This can be especially problematic for Black churches, given their history and the potential for discomfort within a polarized society.   When Black churches fail to consider this history and its implications, it can lead to people feeling disconnected and ultimately stopping attendance altogether. This trend is particularly evident among Millennials and Gen Z, who display declines in religiosity.   To encourage young Black people to attend church, it's critical to be intentional about the environment you're creating. This means creating a space where they can actually have a spiritual encounter, rather than feeling like they're just being sold a message of prosperity or salvation. By being mindful of these issues, Black churches can help to build a stronger connection with their community and create a more welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for all. Quotes • “The church is not just what we do on Wednesday and Sunday, but how we really live our faith? And live it in a way that does not make you feel like, ‘Oh, I've got to forsake the world,' but how do we impact the world and how do we become the change agents in the world?” (7:13-7:29 | LaKesha) • “The reality is a lot of people are still going to church. They're just not going to your church.” (10:48-10:53 | LaKesha) • “A lot of people really need to take some time to examine the history and not just assume that we don't worship together because of color, but it was actually because of culture and the way that we were treated.” (17:10-17:21 | LaKesha) • “Black women are the backbone of the Black church, even though most churches are led by Black men.” (20:28-20:36 | LaKesha)    Connect with LaKesha Womack: Website: https://womackcg.com/about-wcg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lakeshawomack/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MsLaKeshaWomack/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/womackcg/ About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Live Episode Podcast  Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern at SoulThursdays.com to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Support - Community Exploratory Journalism Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register for our free podcast workshop trainingGetting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase - Official Show Companion SSL Companion & Journal   Register -  Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.   Connect with Soul Thursdays Website: www.SoulThursdays.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulthursdays/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulthursdays/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soulthursdays TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulthursdays

“Some clients and vendors would often ask me to consult my husband, or they would request to speak to my male counterpart,” Tracy Green said, “I would politely offer to help with their request and tell them that if I was unable to do so we could consult my male counterpart.” Tracy is the President of TinMan Enterprises, a company that puts up fencing, does metal fabrication and welding repair, and is part of the larger male-dominated construction industry. Gender and minority discrimination are still rampant within the construction industry. Today, Tracy joins host D-Rich to talk about Black women in construction. Later, they are joined by Demetria Bivens of NAMC-DFW who shares her insight into the booming Texas construction industry and the incredible earning potentials available.    The construction industry is heavily male-dominated and there is still a lot of stigma around trade workers. However, there is a really good amount of money to be made in the trade and an experienced journeyman typically earns 60-80,000 a year. Texas has a booming construction industry and actually has some minority hiring initiatives that can be beneficial to take advantage of. There are many job opportunities within construction that do not require you to be out in the field. Women who do not wish to be in the field may thrive working as an appraiser, an administrator, or as a salesperson.    One way to get involved if you are interested in learning more about the construction industry is to seek out your local chapter of the NAMC, which is the National Association of Minority Contractors. There are 23 chapters nationwide, including the one Demetria works with in Dallas Fort Worth, and every minority is represented and welcomed.    Quotes • “A lot of the municipalities have gone back and actually performed disparity studies that allow them to do preference or race-based initiatives.” (55:05-55:17 | Tracy) • “Most times my minority status outweighs the women owned status because the women own businesses, if you look historically, they have grown and they have been able to get a larger percentage of the work, whereas minority owned firms are still getting single digits.” (55:41-56:00 | Tracy) • “Being a black contractor, not all black contractors are supporting other black contractors.” (1:16:25-1:16:29 | Demetria) • “If you want to get into this industry, it's wide open. Just be fearless and just go out there and just do it.” (1:27:08-1:27:15 | Demetria)    Connect with Tracy Green: Website: https://tin-man.net/about-our-president/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-green-813ab75/ Connect with  Demetria Bivens: Website: https://consultantsdlb.com/services/ Website: http://www.namcdfw.org/leadership.html   About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow  Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern at SoulThursdays.com to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Support - Community Exploratory Journalism  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register for our free podcast workshop training Getting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise  Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase Official Show Companion  SSL Companion & Journal   Register -  Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”  Click here to register.   Connect with us Website: www.SoulThursdays.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulthursdays/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulthursdays/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soulthursdays TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulthursdays

“People want change. People want something different. And I think Black women bring a special narrative when it comes to addressing issues of poverty,  fairness, and issues related to justice,” explains Judge Robin Kimbrough-Hayes of General Sessions Court of Nashville-Davidson County, Tennessee. Today, Makya Renée Little, candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates, and Judge Robin join host D-Rich to talk about electing Black women into political office.   Black women are the backbones of their communities. Growing up, many Black women experience racism, poverty, sexism, and exposure to domestic violence. These experiences make them uniquely qualified to address the issues affecting the most marginalized members of society. Nowadays, people are seeking change and want something different from the status quo. That makes now the perfect time for electing Black women who will be able to bridge the gaps between communities and fix the issues that are most important to marginalized people.    Black women are the fastest-growing segment of voters, and in 2019 there was a record-number of Black women serving in state legislative office. Electing Black women is a great way to show that you are listening to Black women and to begin addressing the changes that need to be made to create a more just society.    Quotes • “Black women are naturally nurturers. We are the backbones of our families. Our matriarchs are our everything.” (16:56-17:05 | Makya) • “When you can empathize with those most harmed by society systems, you're more prone to wanna fix them, not just for your children, but for everyone's children.” (17:26-17:43 | Makya) • “People want change. People want something different. And I think Black women bring a special narrative when it comes to addressing issues of poverty, addressing issues of fairness, addressing issues related to justice.” (56:15-56:32 | Judge Robin) • “It's important to have a voice, wherever that voice is, that can speak to the hood and speak to the holler and bring those communities together.” (1:10:16-1:10:25 | Judge Robin)    #ElectBlackWomen and connect with    Judge Robin Kimbrough-Hayes: TikTok - https://in.tiktok.com/@judgerobincares Twitter - https://twitter.com/judgerobincares LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/judge-robin-kimbrough-hayes-8a10281a7/ Website - https://kimbroughhayes.com/meet-robin   Connect with Makya Renée Little: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/makyalittle/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/MakyaLittle Website - https://www.makyalittle.com/about The Phoenix Phoundation™ - https://www.thephoundation.org/ About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow  Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern at SoulThursdays.com to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Support - Community Exploratory Journalism  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register for our free podcast workshop training Getting Started in BIPOC Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise  Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase Official Show Companion  SSL Companion & Journal   Register -  Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”  Click here to register.   Connect with us Website: www.SoulThursdays.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulthursdays/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulthursdays/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soulthursdays TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulthursdays

“If there is a feeling, an emotion, expression that you want to get out, that's what you can do with cosplay,” shares Melony Isaac. Today she and Joy Stephens join host D-Rich to discuss Black Unicorns, uniqueness, connection, and cosplay.    Cosplay provides a means for self-expression that can be invaluable to people who otherwise struggle with expressing themselves. By embodying a character, you get an opportunity to step into a whole new role. It can be a great tool for finding your tribe. Because when you dress up as a character, it will attract people with similar interests to come and speak with you. Fantasy has for such a long time been viewed through an overwhelmingly white lens, but Black people can be magical and whimsical too. Too often Black people are cast as the villains in fairy tales and not given the opportunity to embody powerful, good, magical creatures. Cosplay can help change that by empowering Black people to step into the shoes of their favorite fantasy characters.    Showcase your unique personality through cosplay. If you don't know where to start, just take a look in your closet and put something simple together. Cosplay can be a great means of expressing yourself and making new friends, especially if you typically feel like an outsider.    Quotes • “I can become a character and embody it by just putting on some face makeup, putting on cat ears, putting on a cape. And I am instantly a new thing, a new person. That's what cosplay is for me.” (10:56-11:12 | Joy)  • “If there is a feeling, an emotion, expression that you want to get out, that's what you can do with cosplay.” (14:33-14:40 | Melony) • “Everything that we have seen in the United States has white people being all of these different characters and us being relegated to pimps, prostitutes, strumpets, whatever you want to call us and not really being able to be the whimsical, the fairytale, etc.” (17:34-17:50 | Joy) • “Don't let other people stop you from doing what feels right to you. And once you find your tribe, I feel like you will feel more comfortable doing that.” (21:13-21:23 | Melony)   Links Connect with Joy Stephens, MBA: Website: https://www.newheightsawait.com/team/joy-stephens-mba LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-stephens-newheights/   Connect with Melony Isaac, MBA: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missmelony/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/missmelony/ About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern at SoulThursdays.com to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Support Community Exploratory Journalism Buy us  A Coffee!  Shop Southern Soul Official Merchandise Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase Official Show Companion SSL Companion & Journal   Register for Live Episode - “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulThursdays.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulthursdays/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulthursdays/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soulthursdays Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulthursdays

“Imagine being a Black boy growing up, seeing where you're targeted, but nobody's talking about it. And worse, no Black parent is talking about it,” shares Dr. Christina Christian, educator and leader in special education and student success. Today, she joins host D-Rich to explore how parents navigate the joy, excitement, anxiety, and fear of raising a Black son.   Parents of Black boys need to be very intentional and proactive about their educational, social, spiritual, and emotional development to establish a strong foundation against the racial targeting they are unfortunately going to face. Black boys are still the lowest performing academically and research shows that they end up in the system more frequently than their White counterparts. Many teachers still have very little to no expectations for the success of Black male students and this can be extremely damaging to them. The systems in place and the discrimination especially within educational settings are designed to hold our Black boys back.    Talk to your Black sons about what it means to be a Black male in today's society and be proactive about getting involved in their education from the start so that you can stop any issues that may arise. Be sure to read your son books that reflect who he is and will become and validate the qualities that make him special and unique, so that he won't lose himself in the face of discrimination.    Quotes • “For a lot of these young boys, they just wanted school clothes, that was it. These were good kids who just wanted a nice jacket. They wanted the shoes and they saw drugs as a very easy, quick, simple way to get it. And they were being arrested over and over and over.” (10:10-10:27 | Dr. Christian) • “It's still Black males and the stereotypes that teachers have for them and no expectations, not low, but no expectations for what they're able to accomplish.” (23:47-24:03 | Dr. Christian)  • “When you put your child in a class, especially when you have a Black boy, write down your expectations. Sit down and have a meeting with that teacher and tell that teacher, these are the expectations I have.” (29:05-29:17 | Dr. Christian) • “Our black boys are the lowest performing we have in academics.” (34:06-34:12 | Dr. Christian) • “A black boy, white boy, black girl, white girl. All four of them can commit the exact same offense, and research shows black boys will be given the harshest consequence.” (35:24-35:40 | Dr. Christian) • “Imagine being a black boy growing up, seeing where you're targeted, but nobody's talking about it. And worse, no black parent is talking about it.” (40:35-40:44 | Dr. Christian)   Links Connect with Dr. Christina Christian: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcchristian/   About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern at SoulThursdays.com to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Support - Community Exploratory Journalism  Buy us  A Coffee!  Learn - Register for our free podcast workshop training Getting Start in Podcasting Workshop Shop - Southern Soul Official Merchandise  Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase Official Show Companion  SSL Companion & Journal   Register -  Join a Live Episode Show - “It's a Whole Vibe!”  Click here to register.   #BecauseIhaveaBlackSon #BlackSon Connect with us Website: www.SoulThursdays.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulthursdays/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulthursdays/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soulthursdays TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulthursdays

Is building a community-centric brand a marketing strategy or a business strategy? Well, as Dorian Bolden would say, “Without community, it's just coffee.” Dorian is the founder and owner of Beyu Caffé as well as being the CEO and Chief Vision Officer of Beyu Group. Today, he joins host D-Rich to talk about what it means to build a community brand that matters.   Growing up as an only child and going from an all Black high school to a predominantly white college, Dorian wanted to grow a community where he could enjoy being around the people that he works with and enjoy the company of the clients. He was inspired to create Beyu Caffé as a place where a mix of people can be comfortable being themselves regardless of being from different races and backgrounds. The similarities to Atlanta and accessibility of nearby HBCUs made Durham, NC a perfect place for Dorian to set up his dream cafe.    Fostering a sense of community within your business can be a big draw for clients, especially with a business like a coffee shop. However, a community can be difficult to build, because it is not always profitable. It's one thing to want to create a community, but another thing to have the business mindset to be able to pull it off.    Quotes • “Seeing blackness in this cafe style environment was the inspiration, the origin of what I wanted to create. A place where you could just be you and Beyu Caffe.” (6:45-6:56 | Dorian) • “Community has been difficult, because community and being profitable, having a business mindset, aren't always synonymous.” (16:32-16:43 | Dorian) • “It was at that moment it hit me where it was no different than what we hear on the news with police officers shooting innocent Black people because they look threatening. It's the same thing with Black faces on the board. You're sadly going to look and appear not as smart.” (27:11-27:27 | Dorian)   Links Connect with Dorian Bolden: Dorian Bolden (Beyu Caffe | Instagram)  Shop Coffees Buy Gift Cards   About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern at SoulThursdays.com to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Support Community Exploratory Journalism Buy us  A Coffee!  Shop Southern Soul Official Merchandise Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase Official Show Companion SSL Companion & Journal   Register for Live Episode - “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulThursdays.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulthursdays/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulthursdays/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soulthursdays Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulthursdays

“We certainly as Black women have to advocate for ourselves. Black women get breast cancer less, but we die more,” shares Dr. Kellie Kendred Goss, “breast cancer previvor” and advocate for genetic counseling and testing. Today, she joins host Calvin to spread awareness about Black women and breast cancer risks.   Dr. Kellie's mother is a two time breast cancer survivor. Knowing this, her doctor recommended genetic testing. She and her sister underwent genetic testing at the same time, and her sister actually ended up being diagnosed with breast cancer shortly after. Dr. Kellie's own results showed a 75% chance of breast cancer and an 80% chance of ovarian cancer. She decided to pursue a preventative full mastectomy and hysterectomy. Following her surgeries, she leaned on the support and sisterhood of the breast cancer community, because they better understand her experience.    Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with more advanced stages of breast cancer than white women. So even though they tend to get diagnosed less, they have higher risks of dying from the disease. Due to historical distrust of the medical community, it is also harder to get Black women involved in the clinical trials and studies being done. Knowing the risks is half the battle and genetic counseling can save lives.    Quotes • "Black women are more likely to develop more aggressive, more advanced-stages of breast cancer" (Dr. Kellie)  • “That was my life. I was just waiting for breast cancer to find me, almost like a rite of passage.” (5:45-5:53 | Dr. Kellie)  • “We certainly as Black women have to advocate for ourselves. Black women get breast cancer less, but we die more.” (7:18-7:26 | Dr. Kellie)  • “Many times when Black women find out that they actually have breast cancer, it's not as treatable.” (8:02-8:10 | Dr. Kellie) • “There's a gap between how Black people view medical professionals and where we need to go.” (22:11-22:18 | Dr. Kellie)   Links Connect with Dr. Kellie Kendred Goss Kellie's Website: https://www.browngirlandbrcaplus.com/ Kellie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellie-goss-42a95088 Breast Cancer Awareness Resources Breast Cancer Statistics Basic Information About Breast Cancer Disparities in Cancer Screening For Early Detection  Health Equity Resources   About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern at SoulThursdays.com to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Support Community Exploratory Journalism Buy us  A Coffee!  Shop Southern Soul Official Merchandise Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase Official Show Companion SSL Companion & Journal   Register for Live Episode - “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulThursdays.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulthursdays/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulthursdays/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soulthursdays Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulthursdays

“We are the only group of folks who didn't ask to come here. And so the fundamental existential question of Black politics, is now that we are here, what do we do about it?”, shares Dr. Albert Samuels. Dr. Samuels is a professor of Political Science at Southern University as well as the Chair of the Department of Political Science and History. Today, he joins host D-Rich to discuss the history of post-civil rights Black political science and symptoms of injustice in today's society.   As a community, Black people have never been on the same page about how to deal with the fact that they are the only group that did not come to America by choice. The fundamental question at the root of Black politics is simply now that we are here, what do we do about it? Instead of one unifying theory of what to do, Black people have separated into several different groups including Black Traditionalists, Black Reformists, Critical Race Theorists, and Limited Separationists. Although these groups differ in what they ultimately believe to be the solution, all are seeking a way to uplift Black people from the systems of oppression that have existed in America since day one.    There are unique differences between all types of Black political theories, but all are simply a reaction to the fundamental issue of being the only group that was forcibly brought to America and oppressed. Young Black and Brown people deserve access to more nuanced history lessons and can handle learning the truth. Many white people are opposed to teaching Critical Race Theory, because they want to continue presenting racism as something only individual bad people do and not a systemic issue. If racism is an individual issue vs. a systemic issue, then it does not require affirmative action, Federal rights protections, or any sort of reparations.  Quotes • “The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.” (1:11-1:19 | D-Rich sharing quote by Mahatma Gandhi)  • “As a Black female attorney, I am literally crying right now. #KetanjiBrownJackson” (13:22-13:32 | D-Rich sharing quote by a social media user) • “As long as outward-facing Control is still allowed oxygen to breathe, people will continue their ‘love-hate' relationship with Liberty. We will ‘love' to Control the things around us, while we simultaneously ‘hate' to be controlled by the things around us. If both definitions of Liberty are allowed to exist–as they do in Capitalism's version of Democracy–Fairness is doomed to always skate somewhere between the two. In our current ‘environment', Fairness is not even something anyone is looking for; if we do not constantly try to get more than we ‘deserve', we will invariably end up getting less. If any one of us was to stumble or ‘let go of the rope' in this tug-of-war we have mistaken for Liberty, they would automatically forfeit all their ‘Fairness' to someone else.” (1:40-2:49 | D-Rich sharing quote from Toward a Unified Theory of Justice in America by Forebrain Underground ) • “Our young people are now asking for more nuance and things about history, and they can handle it.” (2:53-3:07 | D-Rich quoting Dr. Samuels)  • “We are the only group of folks who didn't ask to come here. And so the fundamental existential question of Black politics, African American politics, whichever term you prefer, is now that we are here, what do we do about it?” (14:39-15:03 | Dr. Samuels) • “We have never been of the same mind as to how we deal with the fact that we were forcibly brought here and oppressed.” (16:50-17:08 | Dr. Samuels)   Links Dr. Albert L. Samuels is a native of Shreveport, LA. He holds a B.A. in Political Science and a M.A. in Social Sciences (both from Southern University) and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Louisiana State University. He has taught political science at Southern University since 1999 and is the Chair of the Department of Political Science and History.   Connect with Dr. Albert Samuels   Episode Reference: Toward a Unified Theory of Justice in America by Forebrain Underground  About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern at SoulThursdays.com to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Support Community Exploratory Journalism  Buy us  A Coffee!  Shop Southern Soul Official Merchandise  Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase Official Show Companion  SSL Companion & Journal   Register for Live Episode - “It's a Whole Vibe!”  Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulThursdays.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulthursdays/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulthursdays/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soulthursdays Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulthursdays  

If you can identify a problem that people in your community have and are willing to pay for, you are on trD-Richack for starting a successful business. Use money that is closer to home by investing your own funds or seeking help from friends and family before reaching for outside investors.   “The first funding you should have and the best funding you can have is your own money. Because if you haven't put your own money in, you don't really believe in it,” shares Linsey Mills. Linsey is an author, entrepreneur and consultant whose goal is to give back to his community. Today, Linsey joins host D-Rich to talk about funding and launching your dream business. Later, they are joined by Joy B. Webb, the Collective Giving Evangelist, to talk about giving circles and the power of the collective.    Another really great way to fund your dream business is to seek help from the community through a giving circle. Giving circles bypass all the usual bureaucracy of philanthropy and allow typically unrestricted funds to be given directly to the person in need. Getting involved in these circles helps you keep your pulse on what the needs of the community actually are. When people come together and give as a collective, they can achieve incredible things for their communities without requiring any outside investments.    Black and brown people have always been strongly committed to their communities. We see philanthropy every week in church, so even if you do not think of yourself as a philanthropist, you likely are one. If you do not put in your own money at the start, investors won't think you are serious or truly believe in your business. In order to fund your dreams, you will first need help from the community and your immediate circle of family and friends prior to finding investors.    Quotes • “An entrepreneur sees opportunity in their mind long before others see opportunity with their eyes.” (12:25-12:31 | Linsey)  • “Most of the businesses that have been really successful have found opportunities in a need or a problem that people have had. And they are willing to pay whatever amount there is for it in order to have that problem solved. And if you can build a business around that, I think that's very important.” (13:48-14:07 | Linsey) • “If we lose some dollars, or we lose some of these hours, it is not going to affect our lifestyle, we're looking for a return on the money rather than a return of the money.” (17:47-17:55 | Linsey) • “The first funding you should have and the best funding you can have is your own money. Because if you haven't put your own money in, you don't really believe in it.” (19:19-19:28 | Linsey)  • “I don't consider myself a fundraiser. I consider myself a friend raiser.” (35:10-35:15 | Joy) • “A giving circle actually is almost a disruptor of philanthropy and just gets down to the core of the why, and lets people actually get the funds.” (42:17-42:25 | Joy) • “What I can do as an individual is great, but what I can do with the collective is just amazing, powerful, life changing, legacy building, and all of that stuff.” (42:27-47:36 | Joy)   Links Connect with Linsey Mills: Website: https://callinzgroup.com/about Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplyoutrageous/ Book: Your Business Venture: The Prep. The Pitch. The Funding. - https://yourbizventure.com/   Connect with Joy B. Webb: Website: https://joybwebb.com/about-joy/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-webb/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoyBWebbTheCollectiveGivingEvangelistATLGAFacebook About Southern Soul Thursdays - @SoulThursdays   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern at SoulThursdays.com to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Support Community Exploratory Journalism  Buy us  A Coffee!  Shop Southern Soul Official Merchandise  Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase Official Show Companion  SSL Companion & Journal   Register for Live Episode - “It's a Whole Vibe!”  Click here to register.    Connect with us Website: www.SoulThursdays.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulthursdays/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulthursdays/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soulthursdays Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulthursdays

“The body needs to keep score of these traumatic events to protect itself. But unfortunately, this can cause anxiety. This can cause depression. This can cause substance abuse,” explains Dr. Jody Joshua Adewale. Dr. Jody is a clinical psychologist with his own practice and also a professor at East Los Angeles College. Today, Dr. Jody joins host Calvin to talk about Black male mental health, depression, and toxic masculinity. Later, they are joined by Charles Couch and Corbin Coleman who are the creators of the documentary, I'm Good Bro: Unmasking Black Male Depression.    Historically organizations have used medical experimentation abuse in the Black community. This has caused an understandable distrust of authority figures and a tendency to shy away from seeking resources for mental health. Thankfully, things have begun to shift positively as more Black celebrities come forward about their own mental health struggles. Black men have started to be more in tune with their feelings and are beginning to seek support, however, there is still a stigma against vulnerability that needs to be addressed. It can be really helpful to come at mental health from a liberation framework because that takes into account the marginalization, structural discrimination, and other environmental factors that are ultimately the cause of the mental health issues.    It is important for Black men to be allowed to be vulnerable without judgment. They need to know it is safe to seek resources and to ask for help. Many of the mental health struggles that are faced by the Black community are caused by external factors, and that is a piece that unfortunately medicine tends to overlook. By learning how to be more in tune with their feelings and understanding that vulnerability can actually be a strength, Black men can heal from trauma and move on from toxic masculinity.    Quotes • “I think there's becoming a wave or a shift in thinking where black men and black women are starting to see mental health as a resource as opposed to something to run away from.” (16:09-16:19 | Dr. Jody)  • “Individuals and organizations have used mental health as a way of exerting power and authority over the black community.” (16:47-16:54 | Dr. Jody) • “With these celebrities coming out and speaking about their mental health challenges, it's giving some people permission to do the same.” (18:18-18:24 | Dr. Jody) • “Mental health and medicine really fail to consider the social part of it, the environmental factors that are pulling this out.” (20:52-20:59 | Dr. Jody) • “The body needs to keep score of these traumatic events to protect itself. But unfortunately, this can cause anxiety. This can cause depression. This can cause substance abuse.” (24:07-24:17 | Dr. Jody) • “As soon as you say mental health, or mental illness, especially in the Black community, you're labeled crazy. When everybody has mental health, just like everybody has digestive health, or respiratory health, your mind is a part of your being.” (52:17-52:38 | Charles) • “Vulnerability has been stigmatized as a weakness in the black community when actually being vulnerable is a strength, because basically you're exposing yourself. And a lot of times, black men don't have that privilege just to be human and say, look, things are not good.” (59:26-59:47 | Charles)   Links   Connect with Dr. Jody Joshua Adewale, PsyD, MA: Twitter: https://twitter.com/dr_jodyadewale?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oluyumi/ Books Absent Fathers: Understanding Perceptions Adult Males have of their Absent Fathers: https://www.amazon.com/Absent-Fathers-Understanding-Perceptions-Adult/dp/1499246277/ Children's Book: Who Can Curly Trust : https://www.amazon.com/Who-Curly-Trust-Jody-Adewale/dp/1507510462   Connect with Charles Crouch and Corbin Coleman of 4C Visuals Group: Website: https://linktr.ee/4CVisualsGroup Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/4cvisualsgroup  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/4cvisualsgroup/ Documentary: "I'm Good Bro" Part 1 - Unmasking Black Male Depression: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_iCaM84HUg&t=32s  Part 2 - The Year 2020 & Mental Health: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYfa7D3415k&t=6s    About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern at SoulThursdays.com to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Support Community Exploratory Journalism Buy us  A Coffee!  Shop Southern Soul Official Merchandise Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase Official Show Companion SSL Companion & Journal   Register for Live Episode - “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulLiveStream.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernSoulLiveStream/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulthursdays/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soulthursdays Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulthursdays  

“I'm a firm believer that your network is directly tied to your net worth. And so you really have to surround yourself with the right people,” shares April Pyatt, owner and lead event coordinator at Socialite Events. Today, April joins host Calvin to talk about building a growth business on the side. Later in the episode D-Rich is joined by Lathay Pegues, Rodney Robinson, and Terrell Cooper of JohnTom's Barbeque Sauce to talk about how they turned a BBQ sauce into a business.    It can be scary when starting out creating a business, especially if you do not already have a foundation in that industry. When Lathay, Rodney and Terrell began their barbeque sauce business, they did not have any experience in the food industry. However, they didn't let that stop them from trying. Similarly, April explains that she was nervous about creating video reels for marketing and had to learn to just do things in spite of the fear. When you are not afraid to fail and you leverage the skills of your teammates, you can accomplish anything. It all comes down to not being afraid to try and putting yourself out there to the right people.   Even if you do not have a firm foundation in a specific industry, that doesn't mean you won't be successful. Part of creating a business is learning and growing along the way through making mistakes and not being afraid to fail. By reaching out to the right people, finding mentors within your community, and believing in yourself and your team, you can build a successful growth business that utilizes the skills you already have.   Quotes • “We set ourselves apart a lot of times by just building the relationship with our clients and giving them the customer service that they may or may not be getting in other places.” (4:24-4:33 | April) • “You really leverage what you already know, and just become a beast at it.” (7:19-7:25 | April)  • “I'm a firm believer that your network is directly tied to your net worth. And so you really have to surround yourself with the right people.” (11:02-11:13 | April) • “Take baby steps, but definitely take those steps. Some things in life, I have learned through experience that you just have to be afraid.” (20:52-20:59 | April) • “It didn't start to be something to make money. It was more of a legacy, and it was a dream to carry out.” (41:15-41:20 | Rodney) • “Making those failures very early and not being afraid to fail and fail fast was vital to our success.” (57:00-57:08 | Terrell) • “Persistence beats resistance. Tell your story. Understand your worth and your value. Make somebody listen to you and make them give you a chance.” (1:00:19-1:00:29 | Rodney)   Links   Connect with April Pyatt of Socialite Events: Website - https://www.yoursocialiteevent.com/about Complimentary Consult - https://calendly.com/socialiteevents/complimentary-consult?month=2022-06 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/socialiteeventsnc/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SocialiteEventsNC/   Connect with Lathay Pegues, Rodney Robinson, and Terrell Cooper of JohnTom's Barbecue Sauce: Website - https://www.johntomsbbq.com/ BBQ Sauce Review - https://meatwave.com/reviews/johntoms-original-barbecue-sauce Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/johntomsbbq/about/?ref=page_internal About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern at SoulThursdays.com to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Support Community Exploratory Journalism  Buy us  A Coffee!  Shop Southern Soul Official Merchandise  Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase Official Show Companion  SSL Companion & Journal   Register for Live Episode - “It's a Whole Vibe!”  Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulLiveStream.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernSoulLiveStream/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulthursdays/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soulthursdays TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulthursdays

“It benefits all of us if we come together and are vulnerable, express love, and support each other. We've got to figure this out because it's better for us to be together and to have love in our lives than it is for us to not,” shares Amesha. Today, Amesha, Dr. Kris Marsh, and LaToya Franklyn, Esq. talk with host Calvin about dating in 2023 in the Black community.   The reality is that men and women have different ideas and expectations when it comes to dating. This can make dating more complicated than necessary for everyone and can cause men and women to have the wrong view of one another. Instead of coming into a relationship with preconceived expectations, it is best to keep an open mind and spend time learning about the person. Each person is different and the things that one woman likes are not going to necessarily be the same for the next woman. Black women nowadays are more financially independent and may not be looking to fill the old traditional relationship roles. This is an adjustment for men who are used to being needed in a very particular way and now are needed for different reasons.    No two men and women are exactly alike in what they want from a relationship. As Black women are becoming more and more successful and independent, they are dating and marrying for different reasons than prior generations of women. There is nothing wrong with being single and spending time working on yourself so that once you do enter a relationship, you are entering as the best version of yourself as possible. Take time to get to know the person you are dating and try not to assume their desires or expectations based on their gender.    Quotes • “A lot of people are walking around out here broken and they don't want to do the healing because it hurts.” (12:00-12:04 | Amesha)  • “I do think it really is important for us to broaden our parameters of what dating is, and I think coffee shops and going to get tea is a really great way.” (17:22-17:31 | Dr. Kris) • “We still have these kind of old school philosophies, even though we're modern women. And men, I think a lot of them want to be in 2050, and they don't want to take care of women in that way.” (25:18-25:32 | LaToya) • “I've had men tell me that I make them feel not needed. And then I would always counter with, well, do you want to be needed or do you want to be wanted? I don't need you to pay my bills, I don't need you to come in and save me, but I do want partnership. I want a relationship. I want companionship. I want love.” (27:28-27:48 | Amesha) • “Expectations have to be fluid. And what I mean by that is that they vary from relationship to relationship.” (30:15-30:24 | Dr. Kris) • “People need to date on their level. And if you know you're not happy, you're not in a good place financially, mentally, spiritually, career wise, whatever. Just work on yourself before you bring other people into your mess.” (52:17-52:29 | Dr. Kris) • “When something works for one person, it doesn't necessarily work for the next person. So you can't come with these cookie cutter ideas and think that they're going to work on every person. You have to take the time to learn the person.” (54:44-54:56 | Dr. Kris) • “If we take the stigma out of singlehood, I think it could prevent a lot of people from being in toxic relationships, just for the sake of being in a relationship.” (58:20-58:30 | Dr. Kris)   Links   Connect with Dr Kris Marsh: Website: https://drkrismarsh.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkrismarsh/  Shop Books: https://drkrismarsh.com/books   Connect with LaToya Franklyn, Esq.: Website: https://www.latoyafranklyn.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelatoya/  Buy Book: https://www.latoyafranklyn.com/collegebook/p/collegeasreality    Connect with Dr Darryl Jaye: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darryljaye1/ Twitter:  https://twitter.com/darryljaye Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darryl.jaye    About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in their exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern at SoulThursdays.com to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Support Community Exploratory Journalism Buy us  A Coffee!  Shop Southern SoulBuy  Official Merchandise Purchase Official Show Companion SSL Companion & Journal   Register for Live Episode “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulLiveStream.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernSoulLiveStream/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulthursdays/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soulthursdays  

“People have tried to put critical race theory above equity. And to say any word that has any sort of association with a diversity, equity, inclusion theme, that is critical race theory. And it's a bad thing and your kids are being indoctrinated. Your kids are being taught to hate America. And so it does make it challenging,” explains Dr. Sheldon L. Eakins, Ph.D. Dr. Eakins is the Founder of the Leading Equity Center and host of the Leading Equity Podcast. He is also the author of Leading Equity: Becoming an Advocate for All Students. He has over 11 years of experience working in education and uses his background and lived experience to help other educators accomplish equitable practices in their schools. Today, he talks with host D-Rich about how educators can build awareness and practical solutions to racism in schools.    Students of color are represented higher in special education classes and disciplined harsher than their white counterparts. White teachers who do not have a lot of experience with teaching Black and Brown children tend to struggle to relate or to know what to do to make these students more comfortable in school. This is especially true in rural communities and in states like Idaho, where Dr. Eakins resides, that are putting restrictions on what educators can teach their students and what books they can assign in the classroom. It is important for educators to check their biases and recognize the unique challenges that students of color face, so that they can teach content that is relevant and relatable to them.    Educators should take extra time to ensure that they are fostering a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students regardless of what demographics they are. There is no quick and easy bullet point style solution, but Dr. Eakins has created a framework in his book that can be beneficial for educators to follow. In a time when education related to race and equity are being challenged by law, it is more important than ever to ensure that students of color have the support they need.    Quotes • “Whoever's in your classroom, whatever demographics they are, what community they serve, especially in our black communities, we need to make sure that the content that we're providing is relevant and relatable to them.” (11:29-11:40 | Dr. Eakins)  • “White teachers will reach out to me and say, ‘Sheldon, I need a list of strategies in order to reach my Black and Brown kids in my classroom. I don't know how to relate.” (28:22-28:32 | Dr. Eakins) • “The reality is a lot of our teachers aren't comfortable with talking about race.” (36:38-36:41 | Dr. Eakins) • “People have tried to put critical race theory above equity. And to say any word that has any sort of association with a diversity, equity, inclusion theme, that is critical race theory. And it's considered a bad thing and your kids are being indoctrinated. Your kids are being taught to hate America. And so it does make it challenging.” (39:35-39:52 | Dr. Eakins)   Links   Connect with Dr. Sheldon L. Eakins, Ph.D.: Website :https://www.leadingequitycenter.com/ Podcast : https://www.leadingequitycenter.com/podcast Book Leading Equity: Becoming an Advocate for All Students: https://www.amazon.com/Leading-Equity-Becoming-Advocate-Students/dp/111984097X K-12 Youth Episodes by Southern Soul Livestream: https://www.southernsoulthursdays.com/category/k-12-youth/ 20 Diversity Equity and Inclusion Activities to Do with Your Team: https://www.leadingequitycenter.com/dei-activities-playbook   Dr. Eakins is passionate about helping educators accomplish equitable practices in their schools. He specializes in assisting educators in thinking through lesson plans and activities that consider their students' cultural identities. Dr. Eakins earned a B.S. degree in Social Science Education, an M.S. degree in Educational Leadership, and a Ph.D. in K-12 Education. Sheldon L. Eakins, Ph.D., is the Founder of the Leading Equity Center and host of the Leading Equity Podcast. He is also the author of Leading Equity: Becoming an Advocate for All Students. With over 11 years in education, he has served as a teacher, principal, and Director of Special Education. About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in their exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern at SoulThursdays.com to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Support Community Exploratory Journalism  Buy us  A Coffee!  Shop Southern Soul Buy  Official Merchandise Purchase Official Show Companion  SSL Companion & Journal   Register for Live Episode  “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulLiveStream.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernSoulLiveStream/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulthursdays/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soulthursdays  

“When I talk about family history, I tell people to look at the people in their family. See what it is that bothers them. Why is that important? You contain somewhere between 40 to 70% of the genetic material of each of your parents. And it'll be in a different mixture based on the way the good Lord wanted it to come out. But if both of your parents have high blood pressure, and both of your parents have high cholesterol, and both of your parents have had strokes at an early age, and you do the same things that they did, such as eat lots of cholesterol, fried foods, smoke cigarettes, you're probably going to have a stroke as well,” explains Dr. David Chatman. Dr. David Chatman is currently the Medical Director of Focused Claims Review in Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Optum Health Care following a successful career as vascular surgeon. He talks with host D-Rich about the importance of communicating and understanding your family medical history. They are joined by Dr. Allison Matthews, Executive Director and Research Fellow in Faith and Health, to discuss the stigma surrounding HIV in the Black community.    Historically, the Black community and Black churches have not been very accepting of the LGBTQ community and as such there is a large stigma surrounding HIV. People prefer to act like HIV does not exist and to stay silent. This leads to HIV-positive Black and Brown individuals being uncomfortable with seeking care or even just speaking with their families about their experiences. Talking about HIV status is not the only medical issue that the Black community struggles with. Many adults prefer not to talk about any of their health concerns or medical history with others, even their own children. It is vital that we normalize having these discussions in an understanding and compassionate way because knowing your family medical history could be the difference between life and death in many cases.   It can be difficult to have conversations about medical concerns. Many people delay going to the doctor because they would rather not know something is wrong. By working to remove the stigma surrounding medical conditions, we can make it easier for people to choose to seek out care.    Quotes • “Nationally we don't really have a lot of faith based initiatives around HIV, because of the stigma. A lot of people don't agree with homosexuality in the Black community and in Black churches in particular. Unfortunately, churches have been one of the main sources of stigma around HIV. We were founded in 2021 to coordinate efforts to put money into faith based organizations that are committed to addressing HIV stigma in a responsible and compassionate way.” (5:21-6:02 | Dr. Allison) • “The common thread through faith communities and our families is silence. I think a big reason why HIV has so much stigma is because we like to sweep things under the rug and act like things never happen. But our silence is what's killing us.” (18:44-19:08 | Dr. Allison)  • “The thing that I like to share with the community and people who tend to be in what I call pockets of ignorance is information that's readily available to people who are in higher socioeconomic status, etc. And I like to say that these are situations that we need to talk to each other about. We need to educate each other about in order to fill these gaps.” (37:05-37:39 | Dr. David) • “When I talk about family history, I tell people, look at the people in your family. See what it is that bothers them. Why is that important? You contain somewhere between 40 to 70% of the genetic material of each of your parents. And it'll be in a different mixture based on the way the good Lord wanted it to come out. But if both of your parents have high blood pressure, and both of your parents have high cholesterol, and both of your parents have had strokes at an early age, and you do the same things that they did, such as eat lots of cholesterol, fried foods, smoke cigarettes, you're probably going to have a stroke as well.” (43:16-43:59 | Dr. David)   Links   Community Health Activation - Enabling Preventative and Restorative Health with Dr. Allison Mathews    Connect with Dr. Allison Mathews: Website: https://drallisonmathews.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonmathews/   Dr. Allison Mathews serves as Executive Director and Research Fellow in Faith and Health. She specializes in integrating technology, social marketing, community engagement, and social science to examine the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, and religiosity on HIV-related stigma and to innovate clinical research engagement and access to health care for underserved populations. Dr. Mathews has been invited to speak about HIV and COVID-19 on national and international platforms, including TEDxCaryWomen. Dr. Mathews is the founder of Community Expert Solutions (CES). CES innovates community engagement for clinical trial research and public health campaigns using qualitative research, social marketing, technology, and crowdsourcing expertise. CES aims to build our clients' capacity to serve their communities more effectively while promoting health equity.   Normalizing Family Medical History and Understanding - Enabling Preventative and Restorative Health via Community Activation with Dr. David Chatman   Connect with Dr. David Chatman: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-chatman-md-facs-b4263535/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DMCQuePsiPhi   Dr. Chatman graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1985, then completed medical school at the James Quillen College of Medicine. His General Surgery and Vascular Surgery training were accomplished at Howard University and the Ochsner Clinic, respectively. He practiced General Vascular Surgery in Murfreesboro, TN, for 26 years. He has held many leadership positions in his healthcare community, on the Vanderbilt University Alumni Board, and in the Association of Vanderbilt Black Alumni. He is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and recently retired from his practice of Vascular Surgery to accept a position at Optum Health Care as a Medical Director of Focused Claims Review in Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. He also recently began an MBA program at Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management.   About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in their exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Enjoyed this episode? Support our hard work and exploratory journalism, Buy us  A Coffee!  Join The ShowExperience our live studio recordings “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulLiveStream.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernSoulLiveStream/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southern_soul_livestream/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soulthursdays

“When I think about the impact that I can make in the community, there are very few things that have impacted me more than a little Black girl coming up to my counter and saying, ‘She's the owner? Mommy, Daddy, I want to own a business one day!', That is what I do it for. It shows that representation is possible,” shares Brittany Willis, MBA. Brittany is an accomplished franchise entrepreneur and franchise owner of PJ's Coffee in Dallas, TX with over a decade of business development experience. In the first half of today's episode host D-Rich talks with Brittany Willis about franchising and the importance of being a Black entrepreneur in your community. Next, they are joined by Dr. Beverly A. Browning, known as The Grant Doctor, to talk about how to get started in grant writing. Dr. Beverly has authored 47 grant writing applications, including 7 editions of Grant Writing For Dummies and she has used her expertise to help clients win over 750 million dollars in grant awards.    It is so important to invest in yourself. If you have been considering starting a business whether that be something entirely new or buying into a franchise, don't wait. In terms of franchising, be very thorough with your research and very particular about what industry you choose to go into. Brittany explains that even though she opened her franchise location right when Covid hit, she knew she could still be successful because the coffee industry is resilient and there was a need for a coffee shop in the location she chose. When it comes to needing money for your business, looking into grants could be the leg up you need. Be sure to consider your network and reach out to anyone you think could be interested in investing in your company.    Dr. Beverly did not have experience in grant writing when she was told to try to get a grant to help keep the suicide hotline open at her nonprofit. However, with a lot of determination and the courage to ask for help, she was able to succeed and go on to make grant writing a more accessible process for all.    It has been historically difficult for the Black community to create generational wealth. One way to not only create lasting wealth, but also impact local legislation is to become a small business owner. Being a Black business owner, especially a Black woman business owner, provides much needed representation and visibility within the community. Join Brittany Willis, Dr. Beverly A. Browning, and host D-Rich on this week's episode of Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow to learn more about how to get started in grant writing and franchising.   Quotes • “People are told to invest all the time, invest in yourself as well.” (8:41-8:45 | Brittany) • “For anyone considering franchising, the industry matters. I think even outside of franchising, with a wave of macro events, inflation, recession, pandemics, the list goes on, there are going to be industries that succeed and those that don't. And one of the reasons I chose coffee was because of how resilient it was.” (17:03-17:23 | Brittany) • “As a business person, especially as a business woman, and especially as a black business woman, you are going to have to be assertive and stand up for yourself.” (20:20-20:28 | Brittany) • “My biggest advice is, you don't have to like it, you don't really have to know it. You should get to know the industry, but a business opportunity is a business opportunity.” (27:41-27:49 | Brittany) • “Understand how much money you're going to be making. Just because the business is generating revenue and it's open does not mean that it's making enough profit for you to either quit your job or maybe to stop ingesting capital into it.” (28:53-29:04 | Brittany) • “Lesson two: if you don't ask, you don't get.” (57:20-57:24 | Dr. Bev) • “The trends that I see in the nonprofit community are more and more people are realizing after coming through COVID, even though now we have other things hitting us, that this is a time to realize their dream before their life is snuffed out by some next random, unknown, unreliable source, virus, or pandemic. Don't wait forever.” (1:03:09-1:03:31 | Dr. Bev)   Links Understanding & Getting Started in Franchising Connect with Brittany Willis, MBA, Franchise Entrepreneur: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanywillismba/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_brittanywillis/ Website: https://www.eight28enterprises.com/ Podcast: https://ebonypodcastnetwork.com/protege-to-pro/ Book Brittany: https://www.eight28enterprises.com/book-brittany   Getting Started in Franchising and Nonprofit Grant Writing Connect with Dr. Beverly A. Browning, The Grant Doctor: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bevbrowning/ Website: https://bevbrowning.com/ Grant Writing Suite Course: https://www.ed2go.com/courses/business/operations/ilc/how-to-write-a-grant Grant Writing for Dummies: https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Dummies-Business-Personal-Finance/dp/1119868076 Nonprofit Kit For Dummies: https://www.amazon.com/Nonprofit-Kit-Dummies-Beverly-Browning/dp/1119835720/   About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in their exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Enjoyed this episode?  Support our hard work and exploratory journalism, Buy us  A Coffee!  Join The Show Experience our live studio recordings “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulLiveStream.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernSoulLiveStream/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southern_soul_livestream/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soul_livestream

“There's now this notion that you, as an individual, are an independent agent, and you can determine what your career path looks like,” explains Alex Smith, HR executive for the City of Memphis. In today's episode, host D-Rich sits down with guests Alex Smith and Nona Austin-King, CEO of Career Catalyst Group, to discuss the future of work and how employee expectations and desires have changed thanks to technological advancements, societal shifts, generational differences, and of course, the pandemic.   Growing up, most of us were taught that we would go to college, get a job, stay with that company forever and then retire. However, that's just not the norm anymore. In fact, there has been a large shift, in part propelled by the pandemic, where employees are taking control of their career paths. Now, people are looking more for flexible and remote opportunities where they can temporarily grow a skill set rather than provide a lifetime commitment. In response, employers have an evolved understanding of what the employer-employee relationship entails and realize that people are not necessarily looking to be tied into the same role long term anymore. Thanks to this, the relationship is on more equal footing and employees often hold more power at work than they realize.    The future of work is happening right now. The expectation of a long term employment relationship is mostly a thing of the past and employees have more control than ever before over their own career paths. Join Nona Austin-King, Alex Smith, and host D-Rich on this week's episode of Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow to learn more about how the idea of work has changed throughout recent years and what employers and employees alike should anticipate for the future.    Quotes • “The thing that I have been most surprised about is going through this process is not just about landing a role. It is helping people to build that self confidence again, elevating their mindset, and really just rediscovering the excellence that's already inside of them. There is no magic pill, it's already inside of you.” (10:57-11:24 | Nona) • “The term ‘future of work' means changing the way businesses run based on technological advances, generational changes, social shifts, but the reality is the future of career management, the future of work, is right now.” (16:42-17:01 | Nona) • “I believe that a lot of us have the skills needed in the future, but we just need to be able to identify that in a story.“ (18:27-18:42 | Nona) • “When many of us were growing up, or even when we talked to our parents, they gave us this whole adage about, you're going to go to college, get a job, and work for a company for 25 years, retire. And there was this whole sense of having this long term employment relationship with an organization of some sort, and you do your time, and you're able to retire and move on with your life. But nowadays, it is very different.” (40:26-40:54 | Alex) • “There's now this notion that you as an individual are an independent agent, and you can determine what your career path looks like, and chart that out. And you can design it the way that you want.” (41:56-42:07 | Alex) • “That's the new contract. That's the future of work now. This idea that people can move and be very transient, that they can work from home or work in hybrid environments, that they can be in an independent contracting space, or they can also be a full time employee. But they have flexibility to decide how they want to work and when they want to work.” (42:21-42:42 | Alex)   Links   Connect with Nona Austin-King, CEO of Career Catalyst Group: Website - https://careercatalystgrp.com/ Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nonaaustinking/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/careercatalystgroup/   Connect with Alex Smith, HR Executive City of Memphis: Website - www.consultalexsmith.com Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chroalexsmith/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/CHROAlexSmith   About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in their exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Enjoyed this episode?  Support our hard work and exploratory journalism; buy us  A Coffee!  Join The Show Experience our live studio recording “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulLiveStream.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernSoulLiveStream/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southern_soul_livestream/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soul_livestream

“Whether you grew up in a predominately Black space, or a predominately white space, you're probably going to have a racialized moment at some point in America. And you have to figure out what you're going to do with that racialized moment. Is that going to derail you or is going to put you on a new path to think about race in a slightly different way?” asks Dr. Kris Marsh, Professor at the University of Maryland. In today's episode host D-Rich sits down with guests Dr. Kris Marsh and Kiara Williams, Esq., Co-Founder of the Auditory Museum and radio host, for part two of a two-part series titled, “What My Eyes Have Seen” which focuses on generational stories.    Both Dr. Marsh and Kiara grew up in predominantly white environments. Kiara shares that she did not have a Black teacher prior to fifth grade and until that moment, she had formed the assumption that white people were naturally smarter. When children grow up without connections to their race in the people around them, they lose touch with a large part of their identity and have to unlearn preconceived biases made based on their environments. Dr. Marsh shares that anti-blackness is woven into basically all social institutions in America and although the racism is slightly less overt now, it is no less traumatizing to experience. In order for real and impactful change to occur, reparations must be performed on a federal level.    Whether you grow up in a predominantly white area or a predominantly Black one, you will inevitably encounter radicalized racism at some point. Unfortunately, the undercurrent of racism runs deep throughout America and has created lasting trauma that all Black people must learn to analyze and face. Join Dr. Kris Marsh, Kiara Williams, Esq., and host D-Rich on this week's episode of Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow to learn more about racism in academia, mental health disparities within the Black community, and why Black Americans deserve reparations.    Quotes • “If you were to take away every title, mother, father, teacher, engineer, lawyer, radio host, you were to take away all of those titles, who are you at your core?” (15:46-15:56 | Kiara) • “I have a lot of Black friends who have never had the experience of having a Black teacher. Many of them have spent their lives thinking they hated science, or they were bad at math, when really they just had a hard time connecting with their teachers.” (23:05-23:15 | Kiara) • “Whether you grew up in a predominately Black space, or a predominately white space, you're probably going to have a racialized moment at some point in America. And you have to figure out what you're going to do with that racialized moment. Is that going to derail you or is going to put you on a new path and think about race in a slightly different way?” (35:50-36:06 | Dr. Kris) • “What happens with racism now is we can't always name it and claim it because you didn't explicitly call me the N word. And so it's harder for us to kind of tease it out and think through it. And it can be traumatizing for black folks having to always think about that.” (39:01-39:15 | Dr. Kris) • “Anti-Blackness happens in any social institution in America. Why? Because we know race is the linchpin that holds America together and race is the linchpin that built America.” (50:55-51:06 | Dr. Kris)  • “For every dollar of wealth held by a white person, a Black person holds 10 cents of wealth, relative to that dollar.” (1:05:28-1:05:37 | Dr. Kris) • “To really be impactful, the federal government owes Black Americans reparations, it should not be at the individual level, it should be a federal law.” (1:06:14-1:06:24 | Dr. Kris)   Links Kiara Imani Williams - https://www.kiaraimani.com/about Therapy Isn't Just for White People Book - https://www.amazon.com/Therapy-Isnt-Just-White-People/dp/1735145874/   Kiara Imani Williams, Esq., is a co-founder of The Auditory Museum - a company specializing in communication and corporate storytelling. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, and received her bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia in 2011 with a major in political science, specifically focusing on politics in the media. In the past, she has worked for the FCC, PBS, MTV Networks, Fox News Networks, Modern Viewpoint Magazine, Disney ABC Television Networks, and the Student Press Law Center. Kiara is author of Therapy Isn't Just For White People.   Dr. Kris Marsh https://drkrismarsh.com https://drkrismarsh.com/books Dr. Kris Marsh received her PhD from the University of Southern California in 2005. She was a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina before joining the faculty of the University of Maryland where she has been tenured since 2014. Currently, Professor Marsh is writing a book (The Love Jones Cohort: A New Face of the Black Middle Class) for Cambridge University Press on the wealth, health, residential choices and dating practices of an emerging Black middle class that is single and living alone. About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in their exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Enjoyed this episode?  Support our hard work and exploratory journalism, Buy us  A Coffee!  Join The Show Experience our live studio recordings “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulLiveStream.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernSoulLiveStream/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southern_soul_livestream/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soul_livestream

“What was really fascinating for me in the course of writing about some of my own trauma was that my parents never really talked to me about racism,” shares Bettye Walker, Owner of B. Walker Consultants with more than three decades of professional experience in advisory leadership and administrative capacities. In today's episode host D-Rich sits down with guests Bettye Walker and Kathy Murray, Owner of Fit Bodies Inc, for part one of a two-part series titled, “What My Eyes Have Seen” which focuses on generational stories. Here, Bettye and Kathy reflect on their experiences growing up as baby boomers and Black women.   As a child, Bettye did not have the voice or the understanding to really process or speak out about the racism she encountered during her schooling. Growing up in a military family and being educated in a multicultural environment, Bettye was shocked that when her family returned to the states, she was forced into a segregated learning environment. Bettye struggled academically until she graduated from high school because she had not been properly prepared to transition into a formal Black schoolhouse. She was too young to comprehend all of the differences like the schoolhouse's lack of a library or a formal cafeteria .And being raised by parents from “the Silent Generation” meant that racism was not discussed.    In addition to navigating racism, there can be cultural challenges for Black Americans as well. Kathy shares that when she moved to Germany to be a fitness educator she did not even think about the implications of being Black until she was there and experiencing racism and anti-American sentiment all at once. She had difficulties even securing an apartment for herself due to her race and even her white American colleagues faced discrimination due to their nationality.    Baby boomers grew up during the time of Jim Crow laws and had unique experiences as a result of segregation. As children, it was difficult to understand the full extent of the racism being witnessed on a daily basis. Join Bettye Walker, Kathy Murray, and host D-Rich on this week's episode of Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow to learn more about what it was like to grow up as a baby boomer and how those experiences with racism have shaped the generation as a whole.  Quotes • “What was really fascinating for me in the course of writing about some of my own trauma was that my parents never really talked to me about racism. They never prepared me to transition from a multicultural learning environment and into a formal black schoolhouse.” (4:51-5:09 | Bettye) • “As a child, you can't really process what's happening to you, you just do things because your parents tell you to do it. So there was that dynamic of really not being able to have a voice because I didn't know what voice to have as a child. I think it's important that adults and parents recognize that it is important to be able to be advocates for our children.” (11:48-12:14 | Bettye) • “Unfortunately for a lot of us, we've gone through the problem and issues, but we never recovered from it. And to me, that's where the trauma comes in..” (22:30-22:50 | Bettye) • “The challenge is cultural because not only did I have to go through a lot of racism, but anti-American. So I even found some of my white counterparts were being discriminated against because we were American. So it was kind of a double-edged sword there.” (41:51-42:12 | Kathy) • “Don't be afraid to fail. No one likes to step out of their comfort zone. My advice would be to definitely go ahead and jump in, and the opportunity will come.” (52:29-52:59 | Kathy)    Links   Bettye Walker, Owner of B.Walker Consultants - https://bwalkerconsultants.com/#about   Free 30-minute Consultation - https://www.facebook.com/B.WalkerConsultants/   Kathy Murray, Kathy Murray owner Fit Bodies Inc - https://fit-bodies.net/about-kathy/   Kathy's book is The Munich Cowboys Cheerleaders: A Novella - https://www.amazon.com/Munich-Cowboys-Cheerleaders-Novella/dp/B09Q97BB61 About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in their exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Enjoyed this episode? Support our hard work and exploratory journalism, Buy us  A Coffee!  Join The ShowExperience our live studio recordings “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulLiveStream.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernSoulLiveStream/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southern_soul_livestream/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soul_livestream

“It's not about whether our kids can learn, it's about how we engage them as critical thinkers and how teachers engage those students,” explains Thom Jackson, Esq, President and CEO at EdisonLearning. In today's episode host D-Rich sits down with guests Thom Jackson and LaShanda Jackson, Extension Instructor at Michigan State University to talk about the future of public education and how to reduce the achievement gap between white students and students of color.    There are a lot of factors to consider when looking into why students of color often fall behind their white peers in education. In order to truly understand why kids are struggling and turn the tides for them, one must look at their entire learning and home environments. Is the school a safe learning environment where students feel free to engage with their teachers and classmates? Are they getting the proper nutrition? Oftentimes children of color are growing up in situations that are not conducive to learning. For example, they may have repeated exposure to chemicals like lead in their food and water supplies, they may not have access to early education, or they may be held back a grade at a critical time in their development. When kids are more engaged and able to utilize their critical thinking skills, their academic performance improves exponentially. Unengaged kids who constantly have their heads down or don't care enough to pay attention are more likely to fail, be held back, and ultimately to drop out of school. All kids learn differently and it is important to determine how each student learns best in order to get them fully engaged in their own education.   Join Thom Jackson Esq., LaShanda Jackson, and host D-Rich on this week's episode of Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow to learn more about the difficulties facing public education and what needs to be done to ensure better outcomes for children of color.    Quotes • “If you're not putting the proper food inside your body, how can you even feed your brain the right way? Your first brain is your stomach.” (21:32-21:40 | LaShanda)  • “Our kids are dealing with lead paint, not only in water, but in the piping that's used. They're dealing with the paint on the walls, in the air that they're breathing, and all of these atmospheres, and we ask ourselves these questions about why are our kids in certain neighborhoods underperforming in education, and we've yet not linked it to the very environmental conditions in which we have these kids growing up.” (32:36-33:00 | Thom) • “It's not about whether our kids can learn. It's about how we engage them as critical thinkers, and how teachers engage those students.” (48:33-48:42 | Thom)  • “When we say equity, we're saying, let's make sure that every child has access to the tools that will help them become the best student that they could possibly be.” (49:01-49:11 | Thom)   Links Thom Jackson, Esq President & CEO at EdisonLearning: https://www.edisonlearning.com/equity-everywhere   LaShanda Jackson, Michigan State University Extension Instructor:  https://healthyjustfeelsright.com/ About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in their exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Enjoyed this episode?  Support our hard work and exploratory journalism, Buy us  A Coffee!  Join The Show Experience our live studio recordings “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulLiveStream.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernSoulLiveStream/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southern_soul_livestream/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soul_livestream

“If you are white, therefore, you are American. So where does that put everyone else who isn't?” inquires Suzette Chang, Cultural Anthropologist, Founder, and CEO of Thick Descriptions. In today's episode host D-Rich sits down with guests Suzette Chang, Speaker Vic Sorrell, and Anti-Racism Leadership Coach Jill Nagle to talk about white supremacy mythology and how to navigate white fragility when speaking about racism.    White people tend to look at racism as an intentional action, one they as “good white people” would never participate in. However, due to whiteness being the structural basis for socialization, white people cannot escape the inherent biases that result from the socialization process. White supremacy is a mythology in that it is an invented belief system that has been woven into our society to keep white people in power while keeping Black and Brown people in oppressive situations for hundreds of years. In order to make progress radicalizing white people to be anti-racist, they have to first understand that racism is not about being a good or bad person. And speaking about race is not in itself a racist undertaking. White people often become uncomfortable anytime race is mentioned, especially if they are addressed as “white” because of the stigma built into society around racism as a morality issue rather than a structural one. To become anti-racist, they must recognize themselves as living in a world where their whiteness is not racialized in the way that every other race is.    Join Suzette Chang, Vic Sorrell, Jill Nagle, and host D-Rich on this week's episode of Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow to learn more about navigating discomfort and fragility when addressing the myth of white supremacy and its consequences.    Quotes • “When people of color, for instance, are willing to take the risk of letting a white person know how something that they did or said could be racist, a lot of times this simple word racism, the simple term racist, because of the fact that white fragility is so real, will shut down a white person to the point that they can't hear anything. They can't hear the gift that they are being given. They can't listen. Because they're so distracted with the way our society has shaped racism to the point that it isn't able to be perpetuated.” (24:11-25:05 | Vic)  • “When we keep racism in the context of good and bad people, then we spend more time as white people defending our moral character than we ever do listening to how our socialization is coming out of us.” (27:59-28:10 | Vic) • “If you are white, therefore, you are American. So where does that put everyone else who isn't?” (33:01-33:08 | Suzette) • “The term white really does not exist, it was created. And so there was a time where to be white meant you were male, Christian, and you owned land. So that meant Jews weren't white. That meant Protestants weren't white. It did not speak to phenotype. It was not a biological factor. It was a status, it was a privilege. So this has existed before America was born.” (37:05-37:48 | Suzette) • “How do we as white people solve this heinous, horrific, yet again fatal problem of white supremacy?” (44:50-45:03 | Jill)  • “These white people who are committing murders are expressing for the collective white body. The collective distress of white supremacy and mythology. They're expressing a psychosis which is not simply of their making. This is 400 years in the making. And they are only the most visible and most fatal expressions of that psychosis.” (46:51-47:19 | Jill) • “When we talk about white supremacy mythology, I'm referring to the incorrect beliefs which are this notion that white people are somehow superior to others. Which is not true, of course. But it's so deeply woven into our thoughts, the music that plays in a mall, who the superheroes on TV are, who's considered beautiful, meritorious, worthwhile, important, who makes us comfortable. And it's been dictated by white comfort zones.” (49:54-50:32 | Jill)   Links   Connect with Suzette Chang: Suzette's Website  Suzette's Linkedin Suzette's Instagram   Resources “Working Toward Whiteness (How America's Immigrants Became White)” by David R. Roediger  How Jews Became White Folks and What That Says About Race in America  The Everyday Language of White Racism     Connect with Vic Sorrell: Vic's Instagram  Vics' Linkedin  Vic's Resources Robin DiAngelo's Book: White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism  What's My Complicity? Talking White Fragility With Robin DiAngelo  Connect with Jill Nagle: Jill's Website   Jill's Linkedin    Jill's Resources White People: Lean In, Hang out and Talk with the “Other” White People Please  Our Big, Fat, White Dysfunctional Family  White-on-white, for Anti-racists  About Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in their exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Enjoyed this episode?  Support our hard work and exploratory journalism, Buy us A Coffee!  Join The Show Experience our live studio recordings “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulLiveStream.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernSoulLiveStream/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southern_soul_livestream/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soul_livestream

“The first thing we need to do as parents is step back and listen to our kids about what they need, but also take ourselves out of it. My kid's success is not about me,” explains Dr. Toi Curry, Licensed Clinical Psychologist with specializations in neuropsychology and school psychology.  In today's episode host D-Rich sits down with guests Dr. Toi Curry and Board Certified Pediatrician Dr. Monica Moore to discuss school related stress and how it impacts childrens' mental health.    The COVID pandemic has been both good and bad for children's mental health. In one respect, more children than before are struggling with depression and clinical levels of anxiety from isolation and disrupting their routines. But on the other hand, there is now a lot more awareness being dedicated to children's mental health. Where before parents may not have been able to pick up on changes in their child's mood or behavior, being stuck at home with them opened up more opportunities to notice these changes. There has also been a reduction in the stigma associated with seeking care for mental health in the wake of the pandemic, which helps parents to be a little less wary of bringing their child in for evaluation. Children do not exist in a vacuum, nor do they have adult level coping skills for handling and understanding their emotions, so it is very important for parents and caregivers like teachers and pediatricians to really pay attention to behavioral signs.    Join Dr. Monica Moore, Dr. Toi Curry, and host D-Rich on this week's episode of Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow to learn more about how to reduce school related stressors, and best support children struggling with their mental health.    Quotes • “We have to make sure that we're checking on each other. Because sometimes you say, ‘Oh, they're fine, they're good, they're stronger,' but you just never know what an individual may be going through.” (19:17-19:26 | Dr. Monica) • “If a parent is concerned, or a teacher has some concerns, the first step would be to end up at the pediatrician for the initial conversation. And so after having that conversation, assessing what's going on, then the referral would be for psychological testing, or specifically, if there's a concern, maybe for autism. So there's certain testing that can be done. But the initial conversation usually does happen with that child's pediatrician.” (26:57-27:32 | Dr. Monica) • “COVID has been a blessing and a curse in terms of mental health. Because what I've seen and similar, what Dr. Monica mentioned, is that there is an increase in anxiety and increase in depression across the board, adults and children. But there is an increase of awareness with children.” (42:59-43:18 | Dr. Toi) • “Children are not little adults, they experience things differently. But the reality is, adults are just big children. And so the things that adults experience, children are also experiencing, but with fewer resources to cope.” (47:30-47:43 | Dr. Toi) • “Kids will exhibit irritability, frustration, clinginess, inattention, hyperactivity, all kinds of behaviors, and sometimes us adults go, ‘why is that child acting out? What's going on?' We miss the reason for the behavior because we're so focused on the behavior and correcting the behavior, right? We don't want them acting out in the store. So we're putting all this pressure on them. Don't do this. Don't do that. Well, that's just adding to their stress.” (48:58-49:29 | Dr. Toi) • “Kids don't know how to be bored anymore. Boredom is not a negative thing. Boredom increases creativity. Boredom forces you to use your imagination, boredom forces you to problem solve. Kids don't know how to do that, because they've not had those opportunities.” (53:31-53:46 | Dr. Toi) • “The first thing we need to do as parents is step back and listen to our kids about what they need, but also take ourselves out of it. My kid's success is not about me.” (58:59-59:11 | Dr. Toi)   Links and Resources African Americans, Afro-Caribbean Americans, And Addiction Children's Mental Health is in Crisis Report  Virtual Pediatrician Dr. Monica Moore, MD  Websites @drmonicacares  Girls Growing Gracefully Non Profit  Be Unique: A Girl's Guide to Self-Awareness and Self-Acceptance    Resources for Children's Mental Health www.childmind.org, www.psychologytoday.com, www.therapyforblackgirls.com, www.strong4life.com   Dr. Toi Curry, PsyD - https://www.toicurrypsyd.com   Resources for Children's Mental Health:  www.adaa.org, www.chadd.org, www.mhanational.org, www.boystown.org   About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in their exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Enjoyed this episode?  Support our hard work and exploratory journalism, Buy us  A Coffee!  Join The Show Experience our live studio recordings “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulLiveStream.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernSoulLiveStream/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southern_soul_livestream/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soul_livestream

“It takes a village to raise an entrepreneur,” shares Dr. Dell Gines, certified economic developer who works for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.  In today's episode, host D-Rich sits down with guests Dr. Dell Gines and college professor Dr. Tracy H. Dunn to discuss entrepreneurship ecosystems and how they impact women of color and Black communities as a whole.    Dr. Tracy is a professor at Benedict College, an HBCU that was first created to educate newly freed Black males. She now works with the college to implement entrepreneurial learning opportunities for the students which include both business and small retail incubators for students to practice launching their own businesses while receiving college credit. It is important to keep HBCU's alive and thriving, because they are statistically responsible for the majority of Black leaders across a wide array of jobs from engineers and lawyers to being elected into political positions. Dr. Dell explains that to build a functioning entrepreneurship ecosystem, communities need to come together rather than focusing on individualism. Historically, the best successes for Black people in America have occurred within the context of community because it takes a village to counteract the exploitative systems that were put in place to keep Black people from gaining and holding power. By ensuring that Black entrepreneurs, and particularly Black women entrepreneurs, are able to access the resources they need to be successful, there will be more businesses that hire Black people and that are sensitive to the needs within the local community.    Join Dr. Tracy H. Dunn, Dr. Dell Gines, and host D-Rich on this week's episode of Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow to learn more about entrepreneurship ecosystems, the challenges facing women of color in the context of entrepreneurship, and the importance of helping HBCUs thrive.    Quotes • “In order for HBCUs to survive, what I think is critical is that we remain relevant.” (17:34-17:40 | Dr. Tracy) • “Any way that you can think of to contribute to your local HBCU, or your HBCU of choice, I would encourage you to do so. Think about if you have a master's degree, or PhD, think about being an adjunct to another HBCU, or giving back in some way.” (21:01-21:23 | Dr. Tracy) • “It's not easy being a woman leader, but if you can find people who inspire you and who have lessons from their own walk in leadership, that is very, very helpful.” (30:04-30:20 | Dr. Tracy) • “Almost one in four HBCUs are responsible for 40% of all Black engineers, 40% of all members of Congress, 50% of Black lawyers and 80% of Black judges.” (32:06-32:23 | Dr. Tracy)  • “It takes a village to raise an entrepreneur.” (36:22-36:24 | Dr. Dell) • “Bourgeois black people have to understand, you are still black, right? In that you can't escape that essential centeredness of who you are as an individual, based upon the way America sees you. Now, you can see yourself differently, of course, in people, you can see people differently in your circle. But at the end of the day, no matter how we come to this, this is how we are perceived externally. And the forces of the United States have been set up against us, and are set up to exploit us from the beginning.” (42:41-43:08 | Dr. Dell) • “One of the ways you exclude masses of people out of the process of generating wealth is through the systems, particularly the education system, that really trains us to be employees and not owners.” (49:08-49:19 | Dr. Dell) • “Black women in particular, have been always been very innovative within our community, and going back to slavery, of trying to navigate hostile environments through creativity, in the creation of opportunity.” (1:11:26-1:11:37 | Dr. Dell)   Links Connect with Dr. Tracy H. Dunn, Ph.D.: https://www.benedict.edu/dr-tracy-h-dunn-named-first-female-dean-of-benedict-colleges-tyrone-adam-burroughs-school-of-business-and-entrepreneurship/    Connect withDr. Dell Gines, Ph.D.: https://www.kansascityfed.org/community-staff/dell-gines/ https://www.iamdellgines.com/    Guides: https://www.kansascityfed.org/Community/documents/7298/ecosystembuildingincommunitiesofcolor062019.pdf About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in their exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Enjoyed this episode?  Support our hard work and exploratory journalism, Buy us  A Coffee!  Join The Show Experience our live studio recordings “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulLiveStream.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernSoulLiveStream/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southern_soul_livestream/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soul_livestream

“Family trauma really just extends from trauma that one person experiences and If it's not resolved, it just keeps going,” shares Jamesha Williams, licensed marriage and family therapist. In today's episode7 host D-Rich sits down with guests Jamesha Williams and Christian psychologist Dr. Juanita Britt McDonald to talk about the impacts of family conflict and generational trauma on the Black community.    Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, or TEI, is essentially an imprint in our DNA from our parents and grandparents and so on. Unresolved traumatic experiences from our direct ancestors are embedded into our own DNA and have impacts on our behaviors, personality, and mental health. In the Black community especially, there is a lot of stigma surrounding mental health, frequently accompanied by a lack of healthy communication regarding trauma. People may not realize that when dealing with anxiety, shame, alcoholism, or any other host of challenges, their behaviors can often be traced back to a parent or grandparent's experiences. When we break the chain by getting support, whether it be through talking it out with a therapist or a close friend or even getting medication and we commit to resolving our own trauma, we can stop that domino effect of generational trauma in its tracks. By establishing healthy boundaries and clear channels of communication, we can set our kids up for successful future relationships and lessen the burden of TEI.    Join Jamesha Williams, Dr. Juanita Britt McDonald and host D-Rich on this week's episode of Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow to learn more about transgenerational epigenetic inheritance and how trauma impacts the community as a whole rather than just being an individual issue.    Quotes • “When you and I began to look at stigma in the Black community, guess what? We don't do that. And excuse my ebonix but we don't do that. We don't need therapists. We don't have those personal issues. And you're crazy if you need a therapist. That's the biggest overall. And that's why you're looking at a form of learned behavior that we don't need that type of support and help.” (4:45-5:15 | Dr. Juanita) • “It is really a taboo to air your dirty laundry. And so a lot of people just suffer in silence because of it.” (5:32-5:40 | Jamesha) Social Media • “When Miss Jamesha's grandmother was carrying her mother, at five months old, she was also carrying Miss Jamesha.” (9:02-9:12 | Dr. Juanita) • “Family trauma really just extends from trauma that one person experiences and how it really affects our system. So the people who are around us, it affects our community. And again, if it's not resolved, it just keeps going.” (11:51-12:06 | Jamesha) • “There was never ever any form of communication. There was never ever a form of education. There's a lot of things that we never did receive.” (27:21-27:28 | Dr. Juanita) • “It is okay to say no. It is okay to put yourself first. It's okay to be selfish. Sometimes if you have kids, I understand you have to walk a fine line, but teaching them boundaries will then help them when they're in a difficult situation and feeling uncomfortable.” (44:13-44:33 | Jamesha)   Links Connect with Jamesha Williams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesha-williams-500637121    Connect with Dr. Juanita Britt McDonald: https://www.rediscovermewi.org/ About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in their exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Enjoyed this episode?  Support our hard work and exploratory journalism, Buy us  A Coffee!  Join The Show Experience our live studio recordings “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulLiveStream.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernSoulLiveStream/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southern_soul_livestream/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soul_livestream  

“When it comes to representation, VC entrepreneurship is woefully behind,” shares Brooke Daniels, founder of Ready, Aim, Launch. In today's episode host D-Rich sits down with Brooke to talk about bridging the funding gap for Black entrepreneurs and the differences between venture capital and angel investing. Next, D-Rich and Brooke are joined by entrepreneurs Aireka Harvell, CEO of NoDat Place, and Gene Norman of Water Watch LLC to critique their business pitches.    Many Black entrepreneurs feel that before they start a business, they need to have a specific amount of money, but that is not the case. Brooke explains that bigger companies rely on venture capital and angel investors for funding rather than investing their own cash. Venture capital offers the opportunity for very high growth in exchange for equity in the company. Angel investors are accredited investors that face even larger risks than venture capitalists because they are investing individually rather than through a fund. It is one of the riskiest asset classes, but does allow for greater control over your investments and the potential for even higher reward.    Join Brooke Daniels, Aireka Harvell, Gene Norman, and host D-Rich on this week's episode of Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow to learn more about venture capital and angel investing. Learn about the funding gap facing Black entrepreneurs and how to benefit from learning how to invest in different asset classes.    Quotes  • “One of the biggest hurdles I see in our community is that we feel like it has to be our personal cash that starts a business, which is just not true. That's not how the big companies do it.” (11:52-12:03 | Brooke) • “The trade off for venture capital money is that because you've been able to grow so fast with these cash infusions, you've created a bigger business where now you maybe only have five or 10% left. But that piece is still going to be bigger than the piece you may have had if you had done the funding yourself.” (13:21-13:37 | Brooke) • “VC entrepreneurship, when it comes to representation, is woefully behind.” (16:18-16:22 | Brooke) • “When I was on TV, I was just forecasting how you're gonna get two inches of rain. Once it fell, I didn't care what happened to it. But there's a whole industry of people who are very concerned about what happens to that water. And so I listened to my customers, I made adjustments to our product to make it more valuable and useful to them. And that has helped us grow.” (56:52-57:12 | Gene) • “After COVID, what we realize is it's easier to connect with investors through zoom.” (1:05:53-1:05:58 | Aireka) Links   Connect with Brooke Daniels, Founder of Ready, Aim, Launch and Business Coach & Advisor - VIP Coaching - https://thebrookedaniels.com/vip-coaching - Ready Aim Launch - https://thebrookedaniels.com/ready-aim-launch   Gene Norman, Water Watch, LLC https://waterwatchpro.com/   Aireka Harvell, CEO NoDat Place https://nodatplace.com/ https://nodat.app/about/   Angel Investor Resources for Black Women, and People of Color Equity Crowdfunding Getting Started as an Angel Investor - Cap Table Coalition - https://www.captablecoalition.com/ - WeFunder Crowdfunding - https://wefunder.com/ - Net Capital Crowdfunding - https://netcapital.com/ Angel Investing: The Gust Guide to Making Money and Having Fun Investing in Startups - https://www.amazon.com/Angel-Investing-David-S-Rose-audiobook/dp/B00KI2JKLA/ About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in their exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Enjoyed this episode?  Support our hard work and exploratory journalism, Buy us  A Coffee!  Join The Show Experience our live studio recordings “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulLiveStream.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernSoulLiveStream/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southern_soul_livestream/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soul_livestream

“I think it's very important to have first person accounts, and if it can't be a first person account, a witness account,” shares Dr. Camika Royal, professor with 23 years of education experience and Author of Not Paved for Us. In today's episode host D-Rich sits down with guests Dr. Camika Royal and Historian and Educator Peter J. Boykin to talk about public school reform in Philadelphia and the challenges facing Black educators now and throughout history.    While Philadelphia may be viewed as a very liberal northern city, its history is much darker and full of racist undertones. When teachers were first hired by the district, they were separated into two lists based on race. After receiving backlash, the district merged the lists, but still found ways to treat Black educators as inferior. The Voluntary Transfer Program was put in place to send Black educators to different schools in an effort to “desegregate” the faculty, rather than making white educators change schools. Protests by Black students demanding more Black educators and African American history courses were historically met with police violence. Similar attempts to keep Black educators down and keep African American history out of schools have been widespread across the country, even in cities where the majority of the school districts are home to primarily African American students.    Join Dr. Camika Royal, Peter J. Boykin, and host D-Rich on this week's episode of Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow to learn more about the history of public school reform in Philadelphia, the challenges facing Black educators and students, and the similarities between the education system in Philadelphia and southern cities like Detroit.    Quotes • “In Philadelphia, they're starting to make these connections. It's not just the UK having all of this power and colonizing all these people. We have our own version here in the US and in Philadelphia as well.” (10:14-10:29 | Dr. Royal) • “In the late ‘70s, some Black educators were like, wait a minute, we are Black people teaching at a majority Black school. Why should we have to leave? We work well with each other. We're invested in these children. Why are we responsible for desegregating this school district?” (14:48-15:02 | Dr. Royal) • “People need to look in their own communities to see what stories need to be told so that there will be testimonies of our work and how we fought back against racism, against white supremacy, against anglo-normativity, against the patriarchy, against all these forms of oppression that continue to try to kill us.” (28:45-29:08 | Dr. Royal) • “People say that Brown v. Board of Education was a southern thing, but it really encompasses the whole United States.” (35:50-35:57 | Peter J. Boykin) • “Even with a majority African American School District, there's still a lot of inequity.” (36:35-36:39 | Peter J. Boykin)   Links More Information about Dr. Royal - https://www.loyola.edu/school-education/faculty/camika-royal Not Paved For Us: Black Educators and Public School Reform in Philadelphia - https://www.hepg.org/hep-home/books/not-paved-for-us The day Philadelphia bombed its own people: https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/8/8/20747198/philadelphia-bombing-1985-move About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in their exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Enjoyed this episode?  Support our hard work and exploratory journalism, Buy us A Coffee!  Join The Show Experience our live studio recordings “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulLiveStream.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernSoulLiveStream/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southern_soul_livestream/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soul_livestream  

“Trucking is where it's at right now,” shares De Shola Spencer, teacher and serial entrepreneur with 17 years of experience. In today's episode host D-Rich sits down with guest De Shola Spencer and others to talk about the money-making opportunities in Hot Shot Trucking.   When people think about trucking, they usually think of the big 18 wheelers and box trucks. Many people do not realize that they can be a trucker without a CDL license. There are big opportunities for earning money in trucking, especially if you do the proper research first. De Shola works as a dispatcher that helps truckers to maximize their loads and use the best routes. Even if you just have a basic pick up truck and a small trailer, it is possible to make good money in the industry.    Join De Shola Spencer and host D-Rich on this week's episode of Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow to learn more about Hot Shot Trucking, the opportunities available in the trucking industry, and what it takes to maximize your money as a trucker.    Quotes • “If you have a niche, and then you see the opportunity there, you just have to go for it. I do believe in being patient. But I also feel that if there is an opportunity, you need to make it happen because someone else is going to make it happen otherwise.” (49:42-49:59) • “Every time someone thinks about trucking, they automatically think about 18-wheelers, CDL drivers, box truck drivers. They don't think about the fact that someone who doesn't have a CDL can also benefit from being in this industry.” (52:32-52:47) • “Factoring for truckers allows them to get paid within 24 hours. Which is a big thing especially when you have to pay for things like gas, hotels, and all the other things associated with being a trucker.” (57:29-57:41) • “Trucking is where it's at right now. Some things that you need to know when you're booking loads for a person, is how to maximize that trailer. If you get a load that's five feet, and it's only 1000 pounds, and you can carry 7400 pounds, then we need to find more to go on that truck on that trailer because you're trying to maximize all of your loads. You have to be able to route and you have to have critical thinking skills.” (1:10:59-1:11:31)  Links Connect with episode guests: De Shola Spencer, Hot Shot Trucking - https://www.southernsoulthursdays.com/ Yvette Freeman, The Envoy Magazine - https://www.theenvoyguide.com/ Vanessa Butler, Lady Vwb Nature - https://www.ladyvwbnature.com/ Dr. Daryl Green, Nu Leadership Revolution Blog - https://nuleadership.com/tag/dr-daryl-green/ About with Southern Soul Live Stream - Podshow   Witty, thought-provoking, and uplifting, Southern Soul Livestream - Podshow is the program that you'll invite friends over to watch every week, where you'll learn about fascinating speakers and get to share in their exciting experiences. Tune in each Thursday at 8 pm eastern to connect with guests from across the generations and to laugh with our "cast of characters," hosts who are as charming as they are talented!   Enjoyed this episode?  Support our hard work and exploratory journalism, Buy us  A Coffee!  Join The Show Experience our live studio recording “It's a Whole Vibe!” Click here to register.     Connect with us Website: www.SoulLiveStream.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernSoulLiveStream/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southern_soul_livestream/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/soul_livestream