The Outspoken Leader

While the concept of the American Dream is an enduring idea, predating the union itself, the term “American Dream” was coined in 1931 by James Truslow Adams as "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement." However, throughout history, this dream has been repeatedly denied to marginalized groups. Jaime Harrison, the current chairman of the Democratic National Party, seeks to change that. In this episode of The Outspoken Leader, Harrison revises Adams's definition of the American Dream and serves as a success story of that dream.

You may have seen her on the court representing Team USA in the Olympics or on the sidelines of the latest USC Women's Basketball game. From living in poverty in Philadelphia to coaching professional basketball, Dawn Staley has demonstrated the importance of self-motivation and resilience in one's success. Staley played division one basketball at the University of Virginia, and after graduating college she went on to be a gold medalist Olympic basketball player. After her successful playing career, Staley moved on to coaching, where she found her passion in encouraging her players to follow their dreams just as she did. She revived the USC Women's Basketball team in only a few short years with the program, and led them to a National Championship. In this episode we had the opportunity to sit down with Staley and discuss how she found her identity, and how she helps her players find their own.

The future of the Republican Party is at stake as a civil war rages from within over the true meaning of conservatism. What is the future of the GOP? Who better to answer that question than Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina's 2nd congressional district? Wilson followed his family's legacy in the party by standing up for conservative values, and has inspired future generations to do the same. In this episode, we speak with Representative Wilson about the Republican Party's past, present, and future, and why he believes conservatism is the best way to propel our republic forward.

A story of corruption, racism, murder, and the fight for freedom of the press. A politician shoots a newspaper editor in broad daylight in Columbia, South Carolina, over one hundred years ago. The story has been largely forgotten yet it is eerily tied to our political climate today. A historian, two local journalists, a famous South Carolina prosecutor, and the great nephew of the victim help us tell this lost story.

In 1968, three black men were shot dead by police at a bowling alley in Orangeburg, South Carolina. 47 years later, nine black members of the Mother Emanuel AME Church were shot dead by a white supremacist in Charleston. How could such a similar event occur so many years later? Why hasn't there been more progress in race relations in South Carolina? Bakari Sellers has felt the continuous effects of this stagnation throughout his life, especially growing up in the rural town of Denmark, where opportunities for this majority-black community were limited. His father, Cleveland Sellers, was shot and arrested in the events of Orangeburg in 1968. Bakari grew up aware of the hardships his father faced, using them to fight for equity and justice in political positions in government and media. Bakari Sellers' life has been dedicated to preventing this repetition of history.

What is bias? We all have it, but how do we recognize and combat it? Dr. Rodney Glasgow, head of an independent school, founder of the Student Diversity Leadership Conference, and the president of the Glasgow Group, an anti-bias organization, is committed to answering these questions. In this episode, Dr. Glasgow speaks to us about how we can confront our own bias in order to evolve into a more inclusive community.

Lisa Borders, has three decades of leadership in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Former President of the WNBA, CEO and President of Time's Up, Vice President of Global Community Affairs at The Coca Cola Company, and President of the Grady Health Foundation. Lisa offers an enlightened approach to leadership and she sits with us to discuss what activism can do for the world.

In this episode of The Outspoken Leader, we sit down with Marcus Lattimore--a standout football player at the University of South Carolina and first-round draft pick for the San Francisco 49s. After his career was cut short by a series of devastating injuries, Lattimore coached at Heathwood Hall before becoming the Director of Player Development at the University of South Carolina. Lattimore chatted with us about his experiences regarding leadership in a team setting.

Today we live in an era of media saturation, including a 24-hour news cycle and the emergence of “fake news.” While many people still see the news as the center of our democratic institutions, others now see it as undermining those same democratic values. In this episode we talked to Craig Melvin, who rose through the ranks of local news to become the anchor for NBC's Today. We discuss the role of a journalist in the modern world and, most importantly, address if journalists can be effective leaders.

Retired General George Flynn joined us to discuss his leadership role within the Marine Corps. He directed multinational operations in Iraq to liberate cities from Al-Qaeda, leading combat operations and directly supervising more than 50,000 service members and civilians. Since Gen. Flynn retired, he has given several speeches about leadership to corporations and inspired leadership savant Simon Sinek. In this episode, he draws upon his experiences to explain how one grows and develops as a leader

Statistics show that women and minorities are less likely to be promoted into leadership roles, for no other reason than their gender or race. In this episode we talk to Janet Hill, an African-American woman who grew up in the heart of the Civil Rights movement and has since gone on to shatter every glass ceiling she's encountered. Mrs. Hill was the first African-American student at Wellesley College, later becoming a mathematician working in communications to spy on Soviet submarines. After her time in the Pentagon, Ms. Hill moved to the heart of DC where she worked for the Secretary of the Army, and went on to mentor former First Lady Michelle Obama. She helped us answer the question: How does one overcome adversity in leadership roles?

In this episode of The Outspoken Leader, we talked with Republican Mark Sanford, former Governor of South Carolina who bounced back from his own scandal to serve in the United States Congress. A voice of conservative ideals he stood up to President Trump, ultimately sacrificing his seat in the process Sanford talks about what he's learned in the political arena, you'll learn about what it takes to develop that set of core principles and how to use them effectively to inspire change in your community.