EPISODE THIRTY-THREEE of The Race to Social Justice Podcast series, produced with my colleague, Keva White, and just released, interviews Wynette Yao, an award-winning filmmaker. We discuss her District of Second Chances documentary which chronicles the work of FAMM Foundation, an organization advocating for changes in extreme sentencing laws. Colie Levar Long, who is featured in the film and was released under a District of Columbia “second chance” law after serving over 20 years in prison, tells his story of redemption.
Rounding Third Leadership Series #57: Race to Social Justice Podcast
EPISODE THIRTY-TWO of The Race to Social Justice Podcast series, produced with my colleague, Keva White, and just released, looks at the importance of education and workforce development to the Black community in Intellectual Entrepreneurs with Steve Lewis, an expert in early childhood learning with deep operational and leadership experience in the Head Start program, and Steve’s mentor, Dr. Lorinzo Foxworth (aka “Leader Doc”), a noted work force development leadership coach, trainer, speaker and educator.
Rounding Third Leadership Series #56: Race to Social Justice Podcast
EPISODE THIRTY-ONE of The Race to Social Justice Podcast series, produced with my colleague, Keva White, and just released, looks at false arrest and imprisonment in Free at Last. Convicted of a 1998 murder, 47-year-old Leon Benson, was released from prison on 3/9/23, fully exonerated after 24 years. Now a college student and recording artist, Mr. Benson shares a riveting account of how his false arrest and incarceration (including many years in solitary) transformed, rather than embittered, him and formed the foundation for his new life as a free man.
Rounding Third Leadership Series #55: Race to Social Justice Podcast
EPISODE THIRTY of The Race to Social Justice Podcast series, produced with my colleague, Keva White, and just released, looks at DEI AT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL. We explore how local government can play a positive role in promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in the community. Hear our conversation with professional educator and consultant, Donna Richemond, who meets this challenge as DEI Chief for Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Rounding Third Leadership Series #54: Race to Social Justice Podcast
Rounding Third Leadership Series #53: Race to Social Justice Podcast
Episode #28: Keva and John are joined by a University DEI director, an undergrad nursing student and graduate social work student, for a lively discussion about how diversity, equity and inclusion impact college experience, including barriers BIPOC, gay and non-binary and first-to-college students have to overcome to stay in school, graduate and get a good paying job.
Rounding Third Leadership Series #52: Race to Social Justice Podcast
Episode #27: Meet Apryll Adams and Mike DeCandido, two different looking middle-aged people (one a Black female professional, the other her former white senior executive). Hear their unique story rooted in their discovery of similar values and beliefs leading to the co-founding of a nonprofit organization which promotes sustained individual and group communication channels to foster open discussion of difficult questions in a safe environment.
Rounding Third Leadership Series #51: Race to Social Justice Podcast
Rounding Third Leadership Series #50: Race to Social Justice Podcast
Rounding Third Leadership Series #49 Race to Social Justice Podcast
Episode #24: Jean Pfaelzer, PhD, a public historian, commentator and University of Delaware professor, describes how “progressive” California has, unbeknownst to many, hosted practices which have enslaved indigenous people, Alaska natives, plantation Blacks, Chinese and the incarcerated throughout its history.
Rounding Third Leadership Series #48 Race to Social Justice Podcast
Episode #23: Kenny Holdsman and Ameen Akbar (executive and mission leaders of Philadelphia Youth Basketball, respectively) tell us how their organization uses passionate mission-driven, entrepreneurial work and evidence-based practices which leverage the iconic game of basketball to help urban youth overcome the most urgent and systemic issues facing under-resourced communities.
Rounding Third Leadership Blog #47: Race to Social Justice Podcast
Episode #22: David Mura (a Japanese-American and accomplished poet, writer, critic, and playwright) recounts his transformation from assimilation as a youth to embracing his own color as an adult and shares historical, literary and ethical narratives from his new book that unmask how white stories about race erase the brutality of the past and underpin systemic racism in the present.
Rounding Third Leadership Blog #46: Race to Social Justice Podcast
Rounding Third Leadership Blog #45: Race to Social Justice Podcast
Rounding Third Leadership Blog #44: Race to Social Justice Podcast
Episode #19: Rabbi Greg Marx, a senior rabbi in suburban Philadelphia, and Frederick D. Strober, Esquire, a senior Philadelphia real estate lawyer, discuss increasingly acute Antisemitism facing Jewish communities across the country. Their compelling advocacy is rooted in fascinating origin stories and professional perspectives delivered in a lively discussion mixed with sensitivity and humor.
Rounding Third Leadership Blog #43: Race to Social Justice Podcast
EPISODE EIGHTEEN: The Rev. Canon Emily Richards, a dynamic Episcopal priest, speaks to her life experience, religious calling and social justice from three unique personal perspectives as a young woman growing up in White privilege in the South, severely disabled from youth, who became the mother of an adopted daughter of color.
Rounding Third Leadership Blog #42: Race to Social Justice Podcast
EPISODE SEVENTEEN: E. Ethelbert Miller, a literary activist and prolific, award-winning poet, recounts his long history of racial justice advocacy with the same richness that imbues his poetry, some of which he reads. You will hear a blend of Black history, jazz, baseball and humor, filled with metaphors and stories, in this wide-ranging discussion.
Rounding Third Leadership Blog #41: Race to Social Justice Podcast
EPISODE SIXTEEN of The Race to Social Justice Podcast series produced with my colleague, Keva White, is now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Soundcloud or you can watch AND listen on YouTube. If you are enjoying these “courageous conversations”, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel and forward a link to friends and colleagues.
EPISODES 16: ANDREW MARANISS: STRONG INSIDE
Episode #16: Andrew Maraniss, a best-selling author of narrative fiction for adults and teens, leads a discussion about the intersection of sports and social justice. The jumping off point for this lively podcast is his incredibly well-researched, award-winning book about the life and times of Perry Wallace, the first Black basketball player in the Southeast Conference.
Rounding Third Leadership Blog #40: Race to Social Justice Podcast
EPISODE FIFTEEN of The Race to Social Justice Podcast series produced with my colleague, Keva White, is now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Soundcloud or you can watch AND listen on YouTube. If you are enjoying these “courageous conversations”, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel and forward a link to friends and colleagues.
EPISODES 15: DR. NICHOLAS V. MONTALTO: IMMIGRATION AND DIVERSITY DYNAMICS
Episode #15: Dr. Nicholas V. Montalto, an expert in American immigration and ethnic history, is an accomplished manager, trainer, consultant, researcher, speaker and author. He talks to us about his life’s work helping Americans understand the value immigrants bring to our country and finding solutions to the policy challenges caused by our ever-changing diversity.
Rounding Third Leadership Blog #39: Race to Social Justice Podcast
EPISODE FOURTEEN of The Race to Social Justice Podcast series produced with my colleague, Keva White, is now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Soundcloud or you can watch AND listen on YouTube. If you are enjoying these “courageous conversations”, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel and forward a link to friends and colleagues.
EPISODES 14: NISHA ANAND, BOUNDARY BUSTER
Episode #14: Nisha Anand, a self-professed progressive, builds bridges to find common ground through unlikely partnerships with conservatives. Her life’s mission is to create solutions that promote social and racial justice in three focused areas: criminal justice reform; green economy; and tech equity. This narrative of this storyteller, organizer and policy expert is hopeful and refreshing.