The Dap Project

The Dap Project discusses the award winning book from Clint Smith. "How The Word is Passed" is a necessary read. Aaron and Rhonda point out a few reasons why. Intro music: "What We've Come From" by Wes Felton

After months of talking with folks about resilience, and hearing powerful testimonies of persisting through adversity and disappointment, staying on the path to excellence, we thought we should talk with an expert. Phillip Reynolds is a behavior and mental health professional who brought wisdom, jokes, and practical advice to the Dap Project podcast. And of course, we talked about dap. You know that feeling of a solid dap? Reynolds says that's good for the spirit. When Reynold's closes a session with a client, they dap it up. Yes, get you a therapist who will dap you up! But, unfortunately, it can't be Phillip because, in his words, “he's full as a tick.” Listen to our episode on Apple podcasts and Spotify. Tag a brother who's in your corner when you're going 12 rounds with something challenging Resilience is using HEALTHY ways to cope with adversity. Gym? Cooking? Watching sports? What's an outlet to reduce stress, and help you endure the hard stuff?

When we asked saxophonist Marshall Keys about resilience from a musician's perspective, he had to pause. Playing music has always been a joy, he said, and he could not imagine doing anything else. And playing in Washington, DC, in his early years was especially magical. You could play music every night of the week, and make a living, he told us. However, he still offered a nuanced discussion about resilience, surviving and thriving as a musician, and the song that brings him joy. Did Keys also record a song with Chuck Brown, the Godfather of DC's authentic sound, go-go? Listen to find out.

Listen In! Our book talk on We Cast a Shadow by Maurice Carlos Ruffin.  Our new favorite New Orleans author evokes a humor packed review of a book that reflects on a world that is far from funny.  Demelanization, racism, work and family relationships weave themselves together to provide a chilling look at how a tainted sense of self can haunt a family in ways we never imagined.

The intimate Art of Noize art gallery and event space reflects owner Adrian Ferguson's childhood of Saturday evenings listening to choir practice, aesthetic appreciation for Marvin Gaye's album covers, and determination to showcase locally created art. In our ongoing series about resilience, he tells us about his formative years at Morehouse college (despite a naysaying guidance counselor), and the perseverance it took to become a cultural destination in the Petworth neighborhood of Washington, DC. Listen to the Dap Project on Apple podcasts. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for additional TDP content at www.thedapproject.com.

Investors and entrepreneurs Mitch Brooks and Tristan Wilkerson co-founded High Street Equity Partners to close the racial and gender wealth gap, and support small businesses that can make a big impact. Undaunted by but well-aware of the fact that only two percent of venture capitalists are Black men, the pair are clear that this is their life's work. Our conversation between these two friends is reflective, instructive, and funny. Pull up and learn who taught Mitch resilience, how Tristan responded to advice that he would have to cut his locs to succeed professionally, and what music is allowed in the whip.

Experienced educator and school leader Julian Hipkins III organized the first annual Tour de Roosevelt, a community bike ride through the neighborhoods where Roosevelt students live. The Tour was not just a great event to support the high school, but also a personal triumph for Hipkins. During the pandemic, his young daughter learned to ride a bike, and he found it increasingly harder to walk alongside her as her distance and speed increased. After years away from the bike, he hopped back on, and soon began regular solo rides to clear his head. These rides connected to his earlier reading about biking infrastructure and community building, and sparked the idea for a community ride. The collective joy of a good ride helped to restore what the months of stress and isolation had broken. The Dap Project chatted with Julian about what the ride meant to him, the influence of his Morehouse education, and the music that brings him joy.

Over the past 10 years, 44% of firefighters who died in the line of duty suffered from a cardiac event. The life expectancy of firefighters is 10-15 years lower than other public servants. Jonathan Tate was unaware of these statistics when he joined the department nine years ago, or when he began Food on the Stove (@foodonthestove) four years ago. What did he know? Jonathan knew that three heart attacks and cancer had taken his father's life just nine years into retirement. He knew that changing his own diet could prevent this fate. He then felt called to share what he learned with his crew. But who was he, a rookie, to tell his colleagues what to eat? He wasn't even eating with the station, having chosen to stick with the health-conscious diet he'd developed instead of the tasty-but-unhealthy meals the company typically ate. Further, what money did he even have to buy these steaks, broccolini, and sweet potatoes? Tate's definition of resilience doesn't call for him to have all the answers, he explained, but to lean hard on his faith. In our next conversation on resilience, he tells us how he went from happy party promoter to passionate health advocate and non-profit leader of Food on the Stove.

To celebrate Back to School after an unprecedented 18 months away, we are reposting our conversation with Myron Long and Brandon Johnson, founding leaders of the DC-based Social Justice School. We explore the lessons they learned as students that inform their philosophy as educators. The principles are appropriate for this moment: respect for the past, courage to design a just future.

Nife Olufosoye approached middle school basketball tryouts confidently. Dribbling looked easy, and he had a Vince Carter poster hung in his bedroom for good luck. Nife's earning a spot on the B team -- not the A team he coveted -- was his first lesson in resilience. Off the court, he learned resilience as he and his mother, recent immigrants to the United States, pursued citizenship to the United States. Soon, he was politically engaged and applying the skills learned in sports to the task of building political power. Nife is the Organizing Director for the Black Futures Lab. He tells us if we're winning under the Biden Administration, and what would be his win of a lifetime.

What does it take to cycle 3000 miles across America? Skai Shadow's legs have finally recovered from completing the world's toughest bike race, Race Across America. Fascinated, we asked him all the questions. Apparently there were months of intense training, sleep deprivation on the journey, and lots of uptown body funk. But there was that one night where Skai felt inspired to leap out of the moving car to cheer on his team mate as they cycled up a steep hill. The night before Skai embarked on the race, he sat on the balcony of an AirBnB and meditated. “It was just so powerful,” he told us, “thinking of my journey, from where I started to where I am. I said, ‘Wow, my God. This cycling thing can really take you far, if you let it.' ”

Enjoy listening to our reflections on Octavia Butler's prophetic Parable of the Sower. With guest Brandan Wilburn Herbert, we discuss poignant characters and their relationships, symbolism, and the meaning of Earthseed. Reading has the power to change the reader. We discuss how reading the Parable of the Sower changed us.

Rev. Dr. Heber M. Brown - A Conversation with The Dap Project by TheDapProject.com

The weekend is here and I know you plan to make the most of it

C Brian Williams recalls that dap was always part of his life growing up in Houston, Texas. As an Alpha, he learned the sacred dap shared among frat brothers, and noticed similarities in greetings during travels throughout Africa. He also peeped a little boy in gigantic boots doing a dance that beautifully resembled stepping… Listen to our conversation about the birth of Step Afrika and the resolve you draw on when the bright lights unexpectedly go dark. TheDapProject.com @the.dap.project Twitter: https://twitter.com/StepAfrikaHQ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stepafrika1994 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stepafrika/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/StepAfrikaInfo Website: www.stepafrika.org Hashtag: #StepAfrika

Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie represents Ward 5 on the Washington, DC City Council. In our first conversation about resilience, McDuffie takes us into the Stronghold community that shaped his unexpected path to public service where he uses legislation to address structural race-based inequities. The voices of family, friends, and Freeway reassure McDuffie that setbacks are temporary, and he's here to win.

The Dap Project welcomes author Vernon Gibbs back to the podcast to discuss his latest offering, "I'm Dreaming of A Brown Christmas". A play on a popular classic that is overdue for some reimagination. Listen in and contribute to the book's Kickstarter campaign. Link below... https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/552271/im-dreaming-of-a-brown-christmas

We're coming in hot off of Instagram Live, our May book talk on The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin The Great. Independent Bookstores: Loyalty Bookstores Mahogany Books Harriett's Bookshop East City Bookshop Solid State Books Uncle Bobbie's Coffee and Books Shop independent bookstores online at Bookshop.org. Search for independent bookstores on https://www.indiebound.org/indie-store-finder.

Flash back with us to hear from a few of our guests from Season 3. Listen to full episodes on Apple and Spotify. We look forward to bringing you more with Season Four with our theme of Resilience. Keep rocking with us! SOURCE Jobs numbers https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/04/jobs-report-november-2020.html#:~:text=In%20all%2C%20the%20economy%20has,two%20months%20of%20the%20crisis.&text=The%20total%20of%20permanent%20job,up%202.5%20million%20from%20February. Coronavirus numbers: https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update---17-november-2020

Breathe. We're coming in hot off of Instagram Live, our May book talk on Breathe: A Letter to My Sons by Imani Perry. Independent Bookstores: Loyalty Bookstores Mahogany Books Harriett's Bookshop East City Bookshop Solid State Books Uncle Bobbie's Coffee and Books Shop independent bookstores online at Bookshop.org. Search for independent bookstores on https://www.indiebound.org/indie-store-finder.

Carter G. Woodson Book Talk - The Mis-Education of the Engro. This week, we're bringing to the podcast our February book talk, originally held on Instagram, where we discussed The Mis-Education of the Negro. Show notes: Independent Bookstores: Loyalty Bookstores Mahogany Books Harriett's Bookshop East City Bookshop Solid State Books Uncle Bobbie's Coffee and Books Shop independent bookstores online at Bookshop.org. Search for independent bookstores on https://www.indiebound.org/indie-store-finder.

This week, we're bringing to the podcast our March book talk, originally held on Instagram, where we discussed The Purpose of Power by Alicia Garza, Principal of the Black Futures Lab. Independent Bookstores: Loyalty Bookstores Mahogany Books Harriett's Bookshop East City Bookshop Solid State Books Uncle Bobbie's Coffee and Books Shop independent bookstores online at Bookshop.org. Search for independent bookstores on https://www.indiebound.org/indie-store-finder.

This week, we're bringing to the podcast our April book talk, originally held on Instagram, where we discussed The Marathon Don't Stop: The Life and Times of Nipsey Hussle. Teacher and scholar, Deonte Bridges, joined us for this revealing conversation. Shop independent bookstores online at... Bookshop.org. Search for independent bookstores at... https://www.indiebound.org/indie-store-finder.

Bringing this insightful conversation to the top of the queue as we prepare for our forthcoming Book Talk with Professor Musgrove, discussing Chocolate City - A History of Race and Democracy in the Nation's Capital. Stay tuned! Born in Connecticut, raised in Baltimore, author, historian, and professor G. Derek Musgrove associates dap with church and feels compelled, coming out of 2020, to make history even more relevant to the present moment. Where cities such as the District painted “Black Lives Matter” on main streets in the summer of 2020, Prof. Musgrove's Black Power Map illustrates DC's rich Black political tradition from its origins in 1961 to its resurgence in 1998. In other words, we been here. But there are cautionary lessons that today's activists can apply to the current moment, which he highlights. Listen to our conversation to learn how dap shows up in academic spaces, and the music that energizes the professor to keep dropping knowledge. Shout out UMBC. SHOW NOTES BLACK POWER MAP: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/5e17e7d1c4a8406b9eaf26a4eae77103/page/page_0/ Rhonda's News Segment DC Police Reform Commission Report: https://dcpolicereform.com/ https://dcbar.org/news-events/news/reform-commission-issues-report-reimagining-distri From Aaron's Commentary on Hollywood: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/24/opinion/hollywood-oscars-racism.html Other referenced sites: https://dccouncil.us/council-unanimously-passes-emergency-police-and-justice-reform-measure/ https://wtop.com/dc/2020/06/dc-council-police-reform-legislation/ https://thedcline.org/2020/08/03/press-release-chairman-mendelson-announces-appointees-to-dc-police-reform-commission/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/legal-issues/dc-police-lawsuits/2020/12/24/e986472c-2375-11eb-8672-c281c7a2c96e_story.html Emancipation Statue: https://dcist.com/story/21/02/18/eleanor-holmes-norton-reintroduces-bill-to-remove-emancipation-memorial-from-lincoln-park/

Aaron and Rhonda talk with Markus Batchelor, Deputy Director for Leadership Development for People for the American Way. A native son of Washington, DC, Markus is well versed in DC political traditions but has developed a progressive, inclusive political vision. He joins us for an honest reflection of 2020, including his run for At-Large City Council seat, what statehood means for DC, and how to remain politically engaged when it's not election season. Oh, and he drops a few songs that bring him life. SHOWNOTES On cash bail: https://www.injusticewatch.org/news/2021/illinois-criminal-justice-reform-cash-bail-felony-murder/ On ending the death penalty: https://theintercept.com/2021/04/11/virginia-death-penalty-abolition/ Washington post article on gentrification and displacement: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/in-the-district-gentrification-means-widespread-displacement-report-says/2019/04/26/950a0c00-6775-11e9-8985-4cf30147bdca_story.html DC Politics, History and the fight for statehood: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/14/us/politics/washington-dc-state.html The Oscar Nominated Short Film, Two Distant Strangers: https://www.netflix.com/title/81447229?s=i&trkid=13747225

We spoke with David Johns, Executive Director of the National Black Justice Coalition in our latest conversation. This interview came to pass a day earlier than planned in order for David to bring some heat to the Georgia legislators in response to SB 202.  He also brought the fire to the pod, lighting us up about all the things at the intersection of gender and joy.  Listen in.  Like. Five Star Rating.  Subscribe.  Nap. SHOW NOTES National Black Justice Coalition "Inviting In Toolkit" https://nbjc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/INviting-In-Toolkit-web.pdf APA RESOLUTION on "Gender Identity Change Efforts" https://www.apa.org/about/policy/resolution-gender-identity-change-efforts.pdf “Why the trope of Black-Asian conflict in the face of anti-Asian violence dismisses solidarity,” https://www.brookings.edu/blog/how-we-rise/2021/03/11/why-the-trope-of-black-asian-conflict-in-the-face-of-anti-asian-violence-dismisses-solidarity/ “Our Own People” https://www.npr.org/2021/03/29/982274384/our-own-people "Young, Gifted and Black" by Donny Hathaway https://youtu.be/6agBPKX02UM

We're talking, laughing, and learning this week with poet, educator, and movement worker Tongo Eisen-Martin. At the Dap Project, we believe the personal is political and the personal influences the political. This conversation with Tongo beautifully exemplifies these dynamics. Born into a community steeped in the work of Black liberation, he's always known dap, which is to say, he's always known the struggle for, and celebration of “dignity and pride.” Rhonda crossed paths with Tongo for a minute when they were both undergrads at Columbia University. Tongo's published books of poetry include SOMEONE'S DEAD ALREADY, and Heaven is all Goodbyes, which won the American Book Award in 2018. He is currently the poet laureate of San Francisco. This episode of the Dap Project is made possible by our friend, fellow Columbia Lion, Antonio Garcia. Thanks, Tone, for putting us in touch. BlackFreighterPress.com "Where the collective determines cultural reality" OperationGhettoStorm.org 2012 Annual Report on the extrajudicial killing of 313 Black people by police, security guards and vigilantes Poetry by Tongo Eisen-Martin: Four Walls https://youtu.be/h8l1zVxqPA4 Blood On The Fog https://www.instagram.com/tv/CMSovxtB_dP/?igshid=nm9tez1fq88c

As much as Vernon Jordan was America's power broker, he was America's consummate mentor, especially to determined, emerging Black American talent. We are taking a moment to share personal tributes to the legend.

A child of an educator and a wildlife biologist, Taylor Morton spent their childhood in the outdoors of South Carolina, where they fell in love with nature, and watched their dad dap up the few other Black families on the trails. Taylor's passion evolved into a pursuit of justice as Director of Environmental Health and Education at WE ACT for Environmental Justice in New York City. We talk with them about bears, climate change, and holding elected officials accountable. SHOW NOTES Sources for news segment: -https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/19/us/texas-deaths-winter-storm.html -https://www.texastribune.org/2021/02/18/texas-power-outages-ercot/ -https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2021/02/19/ercot-ceo-bill-magness-texas-power-outages-storm-camerota-newday-vpx.cnn -https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2021/02/19/el-paso-texas-winter-weather-gallagher-pkg-tsr-vpx.cnn/video/playlists/top-news-videos/ -https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Why-does-Texas-have-its-own-power-grid-15958412.php https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-weather-texas-power-insight-idUSKBN2AL00N Casa Marianella: An Austin-based organization aiding immigrant families by providing shelter, medical resources, food, clothing and more. -https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/02/17/hud-toxic-superfund/ Austin Area Urban League: https://aaul.org/our-history Robert Wood Johnson: Life Expectancy by Zip Code https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/interactives/whereyouliveaffectshowlongyoulive.html

This week, we have a wide ranging conversation with Vincent Southerland, former public defender and current Executive Director of the Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law at NYU. He discusses how he experienced the summer of 2020, and critiques the current investment in policing over people.

Myron Long and Brandon Johnson are co-founders of the Social Justice School, an innovative middle school in Washington, DC that teaches students to apply design principles to create a just world. This week, we talk with them about pivotal experiences as students-- reconciling with opportunities lost, answering fundamental questions about identity and the “right” path to liberation -- that deeply influenced their philosophy about teaching and leadership. While Long and Johnson did not plan to open their school in the receding waves of global protests against injustice, it is an auspicious time for students to witness the relevance of their unique education. Notes and Resources The Social Justice School thesocialjusticeschool.org Social Justice in Education https://medium.com/@dan.r.scratch/social-justice-education-is-for-everyone-18dcf8569182 Black existentialism or Africana critical theory is a school of thought that "critiques domination and affirms the empowerment of Black people in the world". Jazmine Sullivan - Let It Burn Resources for news segment: https://news.maryland.gov/mcss/2020/06/15/an-introduction-to-sros-in-maryland/ https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/county-state-lawmakers-battle-over-school-resource-officers-intensifies/ https://www.wbaltv.com/article/state-lawmakers-consider-legislation-surrounding-future-of-sros-in-schools/35366160 https://advancementproject.org/wecametolearn/ ------------------

The final episode of Season 2 is a personal conversation with two brothers who tell the story of growing up in Washington DC in the 1960s, with a guest appearance by the cool-ass cousin who taught them the dap. SHOW NOTES AND LINKS Dap defined by Malachi Byrd: https://soundcloud.com/user-882642710/the-definition-of-dap Damon Young “I Miss Dap” https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/30/opinion/dap-covid-black-men-losses-grief.html The 1619 Project https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/1619-america-slavery.html Barack Obama's Daily Show response to the backlash on calling Defund The Police “snappy” https://youtu.be/ky7hpzBfh54 Black and White in Vietnam https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/18/opinion/racism-vietnam-war.html Shaft and Blaxsploitation https://historyengine.richmond.edu/episodes/view/5695 Guest Column: Why has the black soldier's experience in Vietnam been overlooked and marginalized? https://www.jacksonville.com/opinion/columnists/2017-11-21/guest-column-why-has-black-soldier-s-experience-vietnam-been DC in the 1960s https://weta.org/tv/program/washington-60s Black on Black https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eJ6AlzC4X4 Song: “Things get a little easier once you understand” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH8go6bj-Y4 Paul JHS in the 1970 Black Power Salute, the military, and Vietnam https://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/article76828177.html “Man from Uncle” https://the-man-from-uncle.fandom.com/wiki/The_Man_from_U.N.C.L.E.

The subject of music emerges in every dap conversation, possibly because dap itself is rhythmic: the beat of coming in, the sounds of hands clasping, then snapping, the step back and smile (or nah, depending). DJs and long-term friends Jamil Hamilton and Adrian Loving know music well, and that we need it now more than ever. Our conversation begins in Far Northeast DC — “over by the Shrimp Boat” — blossoms at The Mecca (Howard University), and lands on the turntables in perfect time. SHOW NOTES Washington Ghosts: Former Record Stores of Georgetown https://dcist.com/story/14/01/29/washington-ghosts-former-record-sto/ BEATS, RECORD BINS, AND RETAIL LIFE: A TOWER RECORDS APPRECIATION https://nmbx.newmusicusa.org/beats-record-bins-and-retail-life-a-tower-records-appreciation/ Hadiya Williams' World of Expressive Ceramics and Deft Design https://www.printmag.com/post/hadiya-williams-world-of-expressive-ceramics-and-deft-design Sam “the Man” Burns: Tribute https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/176046/sam-the-man-burns-19572020/ Vogue Enlists Black Artists Kerry James Marshall and Jordan Casteel to Paint History-Making September Covers https://theglowup.theroot.com/vogue-enlists-black-artists-kerry-james-marshall-and-jo-1844846319 How ‘Bloods' Brought the Stories of Black Vietnam Veterans Out of the Darkness https://www.theringer.com/2020/6/11/21287158/bloods-wallace-terry-da-5-bloods-book-dead-presidents “Resurrection,” Common https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmOd0GKuztE “Wildfires,” Sault https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRC4Ac6IB1w “Dancing into the Stars,” Leroy Burgess https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wf3eSxxmd8

Today, twin brothers Kristopher and Keagoe Stith are, respectively, a graphic designer based in Washington, DC, and a visual arts teacher in Brooklyn, New York. But in 2004, when Rhonda happened to be their summer camp director, they were your typical middle school boys growing up in the nation's capital: curious, savvy, and obsessed with drawing. Our conversation picks up from there... Show Notes: Outtake of Kris & Keogoe's take on women getting dap. Yes or no? https://soundcloud.com/user-882642710/outtake-season-2-episode-4-kris-and-keagoe-dap-with-women/s-d34QKGNC5DS About Duke Ellington School of the Arts https://www.ellingtonschool.org/ Diversity at Cooper Union https://cooper.edu/about/initiatives/diversity-task-force History and Evolution of Barry Farms https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/publications/barry-farm-anacostia-history/ Dap and Gentrification: To many Black men, dap means “I see you.” When DC was Chocolate City, that meant seeing mostly Black people in your daily life. In 1970, 70.1% of the population identified as black. Now, half a century and sustained urban redevelopment later, only 48% of the population identifies as black. In 2019, the National Community Reinvestment Study reported DC had the highest intensity of gentrification of any US city from the year 2000 to 2013, where 20,000 Black people were displaced from their neighborhoods mostly by affluent white people. (https://ncrc.org/gentrification/). So in an environment where you might feel increasingly invisible, do you put a little more into the dap when you're finally seen? Or is it even that black and white?

Olutosin Burrell and Aaron “Ab” Abernathy met at Howard University with a shared passion for music and the creative “Love Jones” life. After graduating Ab developed a professional career singing, playing the piano, and traveled the world. Olu influences the local government as a facilitator and executive coach. We talk about giving dap at the rec center, what is required to create an anti-racist culture, and how dap at its core is a radical expression. As COVID, unfortunately, has impacted the black community at a disproportionate rate to white people, Olu talks about being quarantined from his wife and two small children while he recovered from COVID. SHOW NOTES: Peter Drucker, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast” https://journal.jabian.com/culture-eats-strategy-for-breakfast-and-transformation-for-lunch/ 79% of change management initiatives fail -- where is the evidence? https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/leadership/changing-change-management “We have to find some way to persuade the white liberal to stop being a liberal and become an American Radical,” Lorraine Hansberry http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/blackspeech/lhansberry.html Music and the Civil Rights Movement https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/eyesontheprize-music-civil-rights-movement/ Link to Ab's 2017 album, dialogue https://aaronabernathy.bandcamp.com/album/dialogue Jazmine Sullivan, Adele and How Black Soul Artists are Received https://www.themarysue.com/jazmine-sullivan-adele/ Food Deserts in DC https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Food-ACCESS-in-DC.pdf History of H. St. Corridor Development https://washington.org/visit-dc/h-street-corridor-ne-history-and-revival Building New Hospitals to Rectify Unequal Access to Hospitals https://eastoftheriverdcnews.com/2020/05/15/expanding-health-care-access-in-wards-7-and-8/

How do you use your gifts to help black and brown people to thrive at work and in life?  A quarter life crisis led CEO of Big Thought Byron Sanders to write his personal mission statement, which he recited at a leadership development program. Chike Aguh, of the Equity Design Lab,  was in that room and approached Bryon with a proper dap that initiated their brotherhood.  Our conversation, which travels from a small town outside of Lagos to the boardroom in Dallas, explores authenticity, dismantling oppression, and, of course, dap.

Malachi Byrd was one of our first guests on TheDap Project. He shared with us how he defined dap and we had to share his perfectly chosen words with you. His definition has become a permanent part of The Dap Project.

The conversation with friends Jason and Malachi, both recent graduates of Princeton University, was an unexpected gift to the Dap Project. They share their experience at the storied institution, “where giving dap felt like a revolutionary act.” We also hear what Jason said to Malachi that radically changed his perception of what black men can do to change the world.

Aaron remembers the first dap with friends George Ashton and Keir Gumbs at their investment club meeting. We invited them to the Dap Project to relive the moment, talk about the “privilege” of giving dap as a corporate leader, and ponder the resurgence of dap in a post-COVID world.

Over the years, we've had really deep conversations with Lael and Winfred, and I knew these two would be fascinating guests. But they totally exceeded expectations! From Winfred riffing on his Uncle Anderson, to Lael talking truth about giving dap in the halls of power, this was such a great talk. You can really feel the deep friendship between these guys.

Les joined us, via Zoom, back in April to share his take on Dap. Les is a long time friend and an extraordinary business man. Most folks that know Les will label him as the guy that seems to know everyone. Les connects friends and business associates as easily as he connects Dap to the culture of Black men. Unless of course those men happen to be Clarence Thomas or Ben Carson. This chat is full of energy, laughter and keen insight on all things Dap!

Nearly every cool point Rhonda earned was courtesy of my Skai's instruction. Rhonda and Skai have talked about a lot of things, but this was a special conversation. Skai shares how dap appears in multiple spaces: DC coffee shops, work at Shell Oil, and with his in-laws. Listen for the touching conversation between Skai and Aaron about giving dap to their children.

This is our very first interview, and it sounds like our very first interview! We sat down with TDP Family for this one. David is Rhonda's younger brother and Darnell aka Cuzzo is, of course, Rhonda's cousin. We had some brief introductions, proceeded to pour a little wine and a little Uncle Nearest, then we sat around Rhonda's dining room table to begin our first dig into some of the fundamentals of Dap.