In this episode, we travel to the Foster Museum in Palo Alto to speak with Film Producer, CEO of 1Community, and Founder of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, Scott Budnick; VP of Impact at 1Community, Rachel Cooke; and Tony Award-winning Performer/Writer/Director/Producer and Founder at Foment Productions, Sarah Jones. Together, they explore how storytelling across film, community organizing, and comedy can shift perception and create space for empathy.

The conversation examines the role of narrative in criminal justice reform, the importance of hope and opportunity for transformation, and how humor can open minds in ways traditional advocacy often cannot.

Jump straight into:

00:00 Introduction.

02:50 Why imagination can be one of the most powerful forms of liberation.

06:21 Why laughter opens the mind and creates space for empathy.

09:29 Reflection on how hope can transform people and reveal who they were always meant to be.

16:38 The powerful film moment that led Scott Budnick to leave Hollywood and focus on justice reform.

18:50 How stories can help us recognize the full humanity of others and resist defining people by their worst mistakes.

24:01 A reflection on the importance of belonging and representation in shaping identity.

37:54 Rachel Cooke argues that it’s time to create a new storytelling playbook for cultural change.

38:19 Why leaning into community-driven storytelling may be key to building a more just future.

Resources

Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC) - A nonprofit founded by Scott Budnick that supports formerly incarcerated individuals through advocacy, reentry programs, and leadership development.

Foment Productions - Sarah Jones’s production company focused on storytelling that explores pluralism, culture, and social impact.

One Community (1C) - An impact entertainment company that connects film and television storytelling with real-world community engagement and social change.

Stanford film study – Researchers Jennifer Eberhardt PhD and Jamil Zaki PhD study racial bias and empathy. Scott Budnick references their Stanford study that examines how storytelling and films like “Just Mercy” can shift public attitudes.

Films Mentioned in the Conversation:

"12 Years a Slave" - The Oscar-winning historical drama about Solomon Northup’s life in slavery

"Just Mercy" - A film about confronting wrongful convictions and injustice in the US legal system

"Sell/Buy/Date" - A film written, directed, and performed by Sarah Jones based on her stage show, using multiple characters to explore themes of identity, gender, and sex work through storytelling and humor

"The Hangover" - The hit, produced by Scott Budnick before he shifted to justice reform work, that became one of the most successful R-rated comedies ever

"Who Framed Roger Rabbit" - A groundbreaking film blending live action and animation, that Rachel Cooke talks about

#DreamingInColor #DEI #LeadersOfColor

JUMP TO’s

1:48 Jam Tan! Tijan shares the Pulaar phrase for “peace only” kicking off the conversation with peace.

5:50 The importance of Black excellence and the legacy of ancestors, including Tijan’s great-aunt Norma, a researcher on the polio vaccine.

9:21 Talking about his own academic and professional journey, including his time at Howard University.

11:46 Tijan shares his initial impressions of Senegal.

20:57 He explains the concept of entrepreneurial capital and the importance of taking risks and creating jobs in Africa.

40:09 Tijan discusses the concept of a "winning Senegal" and the importance of self-belief and positive change.

41:03 The need for African countries to take control of their own destiny.

42:07 Tijan discusses the future of innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa and the importance of creating spaces for entrepreneurs.

42:50 He emphasizes the need for African countries to leverage their cultural assets and create opportunities for young people and explore the continent’s “soft power”.

45:43 Darren wraps up the episode, and the season.

JUMP TO’s

00:43 Introducing Farah.

2:00 Farah’s invocation is a call for

05:30 Going between Paris and Tunis and the difficulty of living your true self in a culture of shaming.

15:10 The power of women to build communities.

19:20 The potential for women’s leadership to grow beyond where it is today

20:00 The importance of men’s support for women to change the narrative

23:00 Hear Farah’s ideas on becoming a successful entrepreneur and living a full life

24:30 What it will take for Tunisia to embrace opportunities and “go out to the world”

29:30 Tunisia holding space as a regional leader

30:00 The need for love and for safe spaces.

Jump To’s

06:20 Feven discusses the knowledge of indigenous plants and medicines passed down through generations and how coming into contact with that knowledge changed her life.

07:00 The importance of storytelling

11:15 The beginning of Chakka Origins as a business with wider impact in mind.

14:10 On reclaiming industrial production and the narrative that goes with it.

16:00 The importance of Ethiopia’s biodiversity and connection to the land to the country’s national psyche. Did you know the country has five Biosphere Reserves!

18:15 Creating a largely women-driven supply chain.

21:30 The importance of aligning oneself with one’s personal values to survive the tidal waves of modern life.

24:00 Hear about Feven’s obsession with Ethiopian cardamom

31:00 What does climate justice mean in Ethiopia?

34:30 Feven circles back to community, especially Ethiopia’s women entrepreneurs, and how this engenders the ability to dream.

JUMP TO:

00:40… where Darren introduces season co-host Elisabeth Makumbi who hosts this episode

03:05… Madji’s invocation, where she calls in Wolof for divine intervention in these troubled times.

06:00… Madji discusses her upbringing and how a name can have such profound influence over a life, as well as the role of food and music - and discussions about women and girls’ causes at the dinner table.

09:00… The influence of the US and particularly New York, on her ambitions in life and on the draw of Senegal.

10:55… Her journey to co-founding the Women’s Investment Club

15:20… Shout out to Wendy Luhabe of South Africa’s WIPHOLD (Women Investment Portfolio Holdings).

18:30… The role of powerful women in Senegalese society.

22:00… Admiration for the authenticity in young people’s voices today.

23:50… African entrepreneurs’ difficulties growing continental champions; how it is one thing to be able to grow a company, to “get from 0 to 1”, quite another to “get from 1 to 10.”.

28:00… The people of Senegal “are still getting up and building” - be that in business or the arts/ entertainment spaces and how hope is driving the country past a “tipping point”.

JUMP TO

02:00… Ore starts the conversation with an invocation in Yoruba: “The river, no matter how far it flows, always knows its source.”

04:40… Ore explains how museums create spaces where you can connect to people who “don't immediately have an obvious association or commonality with you”.

06:50… Learn about the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) as both a space of memory and of evidenced history, but also a space for current creativity and future imagining.

08:30… The connection between Timbuktu and the work of MOWWA and why reimagining “citadels of knowledge” and investing in memory is so important.

12:30… Ore discusses how in African culture and traditions, community was often more important than permanence and how that can help us define modern African cultural values.

16:50… Ore pushes back against being “villagized” and instead highlights the importance of movement across the continent to tell African stories.

20:54… Ore goes on to look at how art and material culture can erase artificial lines and colonial boundaries.

25:26… “Dream big!” Ore looks at what restitution could look like, beyond just the returning of objects, but revitalizing ecosystems for artists and artisanal spaces which she says has the potential to be a more powerful enterprise.

33.00… To ward off from this becoming a “restitution moment” of feel-good photo ops, what do we as Africans, as Black people, want out of it?

33.50… This week, something special as Dreaming in Color’s Cora Daniels rounds out the program with her outro debut.

Jump To:

02:09 - “Disorganized lions won’t catch even a limping buffalo.” Lekgetho’s invocation highlighting the power of community and collective action.

05:15 - Lekgetho’s journey into the arts, with a little help from an attentive headmaster and exposure to animation on TV early in his childhood.

10:00 - The role of the arts, politics, political organization and even sport, in building a space for him to gently “let down” his father by choosing to pursue arts over studying economics.

14:50 - The Howard University experience, Lekgetho chooses to attend graduate school at the premier HBCU in the US and continues to be inspired by its pan-Africanist teaches

23:30 - References in Black imagery in the US, and West Africa and their influence on archiving the photos at Robben Island Museum, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned.

25:35 - Visual literacy, the transformation of South Africa and the power of the image to de-humanize Africans as part of the “Colonial excursion”

33:30 - On utilizing the care found in traditional African storytelling to put dignity back into the modern legacy of Black and African storytelling.

46:20 - Youth and the impact of African music and urbanism on the future of visual storytelling.

54:00 - South Africa’s current challenges and the importance of care and integrity.

This is Dreaming in Color, Africa

Jump straight into:

00:02:00 Leila starts off the conversation with lyrics from Tunisian rapper Balti; don’t worry she translates for Darren.

00:04:00 Because of her father’s work travel, growing up Lelia spent only summers home in Tunisia, which made her value and appreciate Tunisian culture even more and understand the opportunities that the culture offers.

00:07:10 The magic of being a social entrepreneur and being able to run a business that benefits “the people that work there, the community, the environment”.

00:12:30 On taking “early retirement at 30” in order to pursue her obsession of social entrepreneurship.

00:15:00 On the origins of the Dar Ben Gacem hotel in the city’s Medina - built on layer upon layer of history going back 500 years, with each era ushering in new influences.

00:25:00 On artisans thinking “horizontally and vertically” to move forward and create new narratives

00:28:00 Hear how Tunis, which was originally known as Africa before giving the continent its name, can be considered home by so many.

00:31:00 According to Leila, the history of Tunis is easy to understand. “They come. We don’t like them… And they become family.” That history of layering makes Darren think of great gumbo when he grew up in New Orleans.

00:38:00 Hear Leila talk about being “the most positive person I know”

00:40:00 Rounding out the conversation on a pitch for social entrepreneurs and how many of Leila’s “250 dreams” are likely to come to fruition

The conversation delves into the power of the diaspora and diasporic identity, particularly for Black and Brown communities, and the beauty of finding a sense of belonging across traditional borders. Semhar advocates for diasporic unity grounded in love, mutual recognition, and feminist values, arguing that the diaspora holds immense potential to reimagine global leadership and collective liberation. In recognition of the power of the diaspora we purposely start our journey through Africa with this conversation with Semhar in her home in DC.

This is Dreaming in Color, Africa.

Jump straight into:

00:00:45… Introduction of Semhar Araia

00:02:35… Semhar opens the conversation with an Invocation honoring her

00:03:55… Semhar’s early beginnings in an activist home in 1970’s New York

00:09:04… The importance of community – Semhar shares about her deep connection to Eritrean Diaspora community and how that sense of community has evolved

00:12:03… Going “home”, to Eritrea, at 13

00:14:20… Going back again, professionally, as a diasporan

00:16:12… Naming: the role of Semhar’s highly politicized name, and its connection to Eritrea’s struggle for independence, in her sense of “taking up space”

00:21:05… on deep impact of separation from homeland, and of connection…

00:25:47… The power of the diaspora movement, and how it is at once a feminist and a liberation movement

In this bonus episode, Darren is joined by a dynamic panel of philanthropic leaders: Don Chen (President of Surdna Foundation) Flozell Daniels, Jr. (CEO of the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation), Mayra Peters-Quintero (Executive Director of Abundant Futures Fund), and Vanessa Mason (Principal at Omidyar Network), and . Recorded live at the Surdna Foundation offices in New York City, the group dives into an in-depth discussion about building a more equitable world through racial justice, cross-racial solidarity, and community-driven solutions.

Join the conversation as the panelists explore the role of relationships in movement building, the power of joy and imagination in sustaining hope, and the importance of investing in intergenerational leadership. They discuss the challenges of systemic change, the need for incremental wins, and how to create space for collective healing and repair.

Jump Straight Into:

• (00:22) Darren introduces the panel and sets the stage with a poem by Audre Lorde.
• (01:45) Flozell Daniels, Jr. reflects on his family history, his racial equity work, and what brings him sunshine.
• (07:28) Mayra Peters-Quintero shares her journey in immigrant rights advocacy and her hopes for creating a culture of belonging.
• (15:12) Don Chen discusses the critical role of cross-racial solidarity in achieving systemic change.
• (21:30) Vanessa Mason highlights the importance of joy and care in equity work and the necessity of dreaming together.
• (29:15) The panel reflects on the generational shift in leadership and creating space for younger leaders to thrive.
• (42:03) A forward-looking conversation about building a shared future and fostering collective imagination.

Episode Resources:

• Connect with Flozell Daniels, Jr., Don Chen, Mayra Peters-Quintero, and Vanessa Mason on LinkedIn.
• Learn more about the organizations they represent: Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, Surdna Foundation, Abundant Futures Fund, and Omidyar Network.
• Listen to past Dreaming in Color episodes here.

Today we welcome Mia Birdsong, a pathfinder, writer, and facilitator who engages the leadership and wisdom of people experiencing injustice to chart new visions of American life. As the Founding Executive Director of Next River, she nourishes communities toward a liberated future. 

In her book "How We Show Up" and the podcast miniseries "More Than Enough," she highlights community vitality and the guaranteed income movement. Previously, Mia was Co-Director of Family Story and Vice President of the Family Independence Initiative, promoting new narratives and leveraging data to support low-income families. 

Her public dialogues, TED talks, and other initiatives spotlight marginalized voices as leaders of change. A Senior Fellow at the Economic Security Project and a Future Good Fellow, Mia lives in Oakland, tending to bees, chickens, and plants on the occupied land of the Chochenyo Ohlone people.

In this episode, Darren and Mia discuss what constitutes something as radical, a future without poverty, and finding joy and optimism in activism. 

This is Dreaming In Color. 

Jump straight into: 

(00:22.7) Introduction of Mia Birdsong, Founding Executive Director of Next River.

(06:27.5) Cracked open: Mia shares her educational beginnings in Rochester and how an unexpected Public Enemy cassette tape on a school bus ignited her path to activism.

(09:19.9) Critical Resistance and Mia’s journey to becoming an abolitionist.

(12:04.2) The American dream vs. the collective dream. 

(13:43.1) Ending poverty is not a problem of lacking solutions, but of lacking belief. Mia Birdsong explores her initial efforts advocating for a guaranteed income.

(20:59.9) Dismantling power structures and moving beyond wealth and power hoarding. 

(22:51.2) We explore Mia’s work with Next River and her unwavering commitment to guaranteed income, guaranteed housing, education and universal healthcare.

(26:02.6) What is radical? Mia shares how many “unattainable radical beliefs” are actually being successfully performed all over the world and how discovering these stories of small communities implementing these systems for themselves inspires her work. 

(29:38.2) The path of least resistance: Mia discusses finding strength in vulnerability and staying optimistic vs. falling into cynicism. 

Episode Resources

• Keep up with Mia on Twitter, Instagram, & LinkedIn
• Learn more about Mia through her website.
• Order Mia’s book “How We Show Up” here. 
• Listen to Mia’s podcast “More Than Enough” here. 
• Watch Mia’s TEDX Talk “The Story We Tell About Poverty Isn’t True” here. 

In this episode, we sit down with Naomi Ostwald Kawamura, the Executive Director of Densho, an organization devoted to documenting the testimonies of Japanese Americans who were unjustly incarcerated during World War II. Naomi has a rich background, with a BFA in Metal Design from the University of Washington, a Master’s in Education from Harvard, and a PhD from the University of British Columbia, where she studied the intergenerational transfer of memory in Japanese-American and Japanese-Canadian communities. Before Densho, she led the Nikkei Place Foundation and held key roles at the San Diego History Center and the California Center for the Arts. Naomi is passionate about addressing the challenges faced by community history organizations, especially concerning the legacy of Japanese American WWII incarceration, and has shared her insights in various publications, including an upcoming book on ethnic diversity and national identity in history education.

Join this conversation as Naomi explores themes of heritage, resilience, and storytelling. She discusses her upbringing as the daughter of Japanese immigrants in California and her parents' encouragement to embrace both her Japanese and American identities. Naomi shares her family's history, including her father and grandfather's survival of the American atomic bomb attack on  Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and emphasizes the importance of making history relevant for younger generations. Listen as she highlights the challenges of preserving oral histories, the role of technology in accessibility, and the power of art in conveying complex emotions and histories.

This is Dreaming In Color. 

Jump Straight Into: 

(00:22.2) Introduction of Naomi Ostwald Kawamura, Executive Director of Densho.

(01:37.9) Naomi reflects on an inspirational visit to the Meiji Jingu Shrine.

(02:45.7) Naomi discusses her roots and the immigration story of her parents.

(06:07.2) Naomi connects her history to the bombing of Hiroshima.

(07:52.6) Being a light in the darkness: Naomi shares how her family’s history inspires her work. 

(12:15.6) Naomi dives into memory research and discusses collecting stories from diverse perspectives to honor and preserve each viewpoint, thereby creating comprehensive historical narratives.

Episode Resources: 

• Connect with Naomi through LinkedIn.
• Learn more about Densho through their website.
• Read Naomi’s interview with Densho here. 
• Read Naomi’s Densho article “Building Community and Connection that Transcends Borders” here.
• Watch Naomi’s town hall on community and connections here.
• August 6th and 9th, 2024, mark the 79th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This New York Times Op-Ed presents survivor testimonies and underscores the significance of Naomi’s work in preserving these histories.

In this episode of Dreaming In Color, guest host Angela Maldonado, a partner at Bridgespan, welcomes Tarik Ward, Director of Global Strategic Operations and U.S. Programs at ELMA Philanthropies. As the manager of digital and physical infrastructure for ELMA Philanthropy Services, Tarik oversees their operations in New York, Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Kampala. He also directs U.S. programming for the ELMA Music Foundation, ELMA U.S. Foundation, and ELMA Caribbean Foundation.

Tarik's innovative approach has significantly expanded the reach and impact of the ELMA Music Foundation both in the U.S. and South Africa. His collaborations with organizations using music for youth development are transforming lives and creating brighter futures.

With a career journey as diverse as it is impressive, Tarik has worked as a flight controller for the International Space Station at NASA, a consultant at Deloitte focusing on education and early childhood development nonprofits, and as the COO of the Commit! Partnership, a nonprofit dedicated to quality education access in Dallas, Texas.

Tarik holds a B.S. in aerospace engineering from MIT, an M.B.A., and an M.A. in education from Stanford University. Beyond his professional achievements, he is a passionate trumpet player and has amassed a digital music collection of nearly 100,000 songs.

Join us as we dive into Tarik's journey, explore his insights on the educational potential of music, and discover how his work is making a global impact.

Jump Straight Into:

(00:22.1) Introduction of Angela Maldonado, Partner at Bridgespan.

(00:52.1) Introduction of Tarik Ward, Director of Global Strategic Operations and U.S. Programs at ELMA Philanthropies. 

(01:55.1) Tarik reminisces on the memory of his mother and how she inspired him to dream and learn music.

(06:22.8) Tarik takes us on his journey from musician, to MIT student to eventually flying spaceships for NASA.

(11:56.6) Tarik tells us how he met his wife and how she inspired his journey to Stanford and eventually into education and non-profit work.

(18:28.9) Tarik talks about his non-traditional approach to funding and how he builds relationships with other leaders of color. 

(22:19.1) Tarik comments on the current state of philanthropy and paints us a picture of what he hopes the future will look like. 

Episode Resources: 

• Connect with Tarik through LinkedIn.
• Learn more about ELMA Philanthropies through their website. 
• Follow Tarik on Twitter.
• Read Tarik’s interview with Entartain Impact here. 
• Learn more about Jamaican composer and musician Ansel Collins here and follow him on Instagram here. 
• Listen to the Dreaming In Color Spotify Playlist here.

In this episode, we welcome Jamie Allison, Executive Director of the Walter & Elise Haas Fund. In her tenure at Walter & Elise Haas Fund Jami ensures its work aligns with community values and catalyzes change. She focuses on organizational leadership, strategy, and governance, prioritizing staff well-being and grantmaking that promotes liberation and transformation. With over 20 years in philanthropy and experience in the public sector, Jamie leverages her expertise to drive real change. Inspired by community leaders, she aims to create a more just society. Born in Chattanooga, TN, and a San Francisco resident for over 20 years, Jamie loves adventure, attending music and film festivals, soccer matches, and traveling.

Join this insightful discussion as Jamie explores trust-based philanthropy and its transformative impact on communities, particularly for leaders of color. Listen as Jamie describes her journey from Tennessee to the Bay Area, reflects on the cultural significance of the region, and emphasizes the importance of supporting nonprofit leaders by maintaining joy, recognizing progress, and navigating burnout challenges.

This is Dreaming In Color. 

Jump straight into: 

(00:22.0) Introduction of Jamie Allison, Exective Director of the Walter & Elise Haas Fund.

(01:29.5) Jamie shares the words of interfaith civil-rights leader, Valerie Kaur. 

(04:02.1) Jamie confesses her love for the Bay Area and takes us her journey from Tennessee to California.

(09:24.5) We learn more about Jamie’s tenure at the Walter & Elise Haas Fund and how the revolution of 2020 impacted her leadership.

(14:02.2) Jamie reflects on the work of Mia Birdsong and how it has framed her outlook on liberation.

(18:27.3) Making contributions vs. making commitments

(21:16.6) Jamie’s take on avoiding burnout for leaders in the social sector by providing multi-year grants vs. one time grants. 

(29:24.9) Jamie reflects on the fullness of time.

(36:37.9) Music as joy: Jamie shares how her involvement with SF Jazz brings her joy and energy that lasts for days. 

(38:04.8) The privilege and responsibility of being an elder. 

Episode Resources: 

• Connect with Jamie Allison on LinkedIn
• Learn more about the Walter & Elise Haas Fund here
• Learn more about SF Jazz here. 

Listen to the Dreaming In Color Spotify Playlist here.

In this episode, our guest host, Jasmine Reliford, a Manager at Bridgespan, welcomes Rukaiyah Adams, a distinguished financier from Portland and CEO of 1803 Fund. 

Listen as Rukaiyah talks about navigating her career and the challenges of investing in community wealth. Rukaiyah shares her reflections on the unique history of Portland's Albina neighborhood, the effects of systemic racism, and the importance of building a beloved community. Emphasizing the contributions and resilience of Black women, the conversation explores the creation of the 1803 Fund, a venture designed to empower Black Portlanders through strategic investment, advocacy, and inclusive planning. They also discuss the personal sacrifices and triumphs involved in leading such an initiative, underscoring the significance of collective achievement over individual success.

This is Dreaming In Color. 

Jump Straight To: 

(01:05.2) Introduction of Rukaiyah Adams, CEO of 1803 Fund.

(03:18.6)) Water In Motion: Rukaiyah discusses her love for Portland and how her family came to set roots in the city that, like water in motion, is always in motion. 

(09:16.5) Rukaiyah discusses being an example of policy outcome and the excellent education she experience attending school in Portland’s Albina neighborhood.

(14:00.6) Money as a measure of energy: Rukaiyah explains the different forms of capital and how she strives to be the capitalist that teaches the next generations to convert creative or socia captial into financial capital for collective benefit. 

(19:00.9) “Woe is me” vs. “whoa, it’s me.” Rukaiyah embraces her struggle and reflects on the heroism of Black women in the industry and the sacrifices they endure to reach career and life milestones.

(22:09.9) Rukaiyah explores the difference between working for freedom vs. working for liberation. 

(37:09:9) We learn the origin story behind 1803 Fund.

Episode Resources: 

• Connect with Rukaiyah on LinkedIn
• Learn more about 1803 Fund through their website
• Learn about the history of Portland’s Albina neighborhood here.
• Learn more about Albina Vision Trust through their website. 
• Watch Rukaiyah’s TEDx Talk “A Love Letter to Portland.”
• Watch Rukaiyah’s TEDx Talk “Homegirls’ Guide to Being Powerful”
• Explore the Alvin Ailey Dance theatre Rukaiyah references here. 

Listen to the Dreaming In Color Spotify Playlist here.

In this episode, we welcome Frankie Miranda, the first openly gay President and CEO of the Hispanic Federation. During Frankie’s tenure at the Hispanic Federation, he has expanded operations to several states and Puerto Rico, launched disaster relief projects after Hurricanes Maria and Irma, and established the ACT Initiative to support Latinx LGBTQ+ communities. He also oversees their annual gala, raising over $3 million each year. Previously, he held senior roles at New York Univision TV stations and worked on several political campaigns. Frankie serves on the New York State MTA Board, Comcast's Corporate DEI Advisory Council, and is a trustee of Fundación Banco Popular. 

Join us for an engaging conversation with Frankie Miranda as he shares his personal and professional journey. Raised in a small town in Puerto Rico and educated at NYU, Frankie reflects on his upbringing, his family's sacrifices, and his experiences with his queer identity, and how these have shaped his work at the Hispanic Federation.

Tune in to hear about the importance of culturally competent voter outreach and the vital role of grassroots organizations in supporting Latinx communities. Frankie's story of perseverance, human rights advocacy, and his vision for an inclusive America underscore this insightful discussion.

This is Dreaming In Color. 

Jump straight into: 

(00:22.1) Introduction of Frankie Miranda, President and CEO of Hispanic Federation.

(01:54.2) Frankie starts the conversation with an invocation in Spanish and English.

(04:03.0) Frankie takes us back to his humble beginnings in a small mountain town in Puerto Rico.

(10:21.8) From Puerto Rico to New York: how Frankie’s background in theatre led him to one of the best theatre programs in the nation, NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

(15:50.7) Post-grad life: the year is 1998 and Frankie lands a position as Production Coordinator for the Hispanic Federation where his queer identity is embraced and utilized to support their AIDS prevention and education program. 

(17:13.2) Frankie delves into the deportation of his life partner and how the Hispanic Federation encouraged him to fight back, leading him to the Supreme Court. 

(21:35.9) Frankie and Darren discuss the importance of mentorship in bringing about impactful change for generations to come

(26:32.3) Frankie discusses beauty in the complexity of Hispanic cultures and identities and how embracing those differences helps the organization promote civic engagement within the Latinx community. 

Episode Resources: 

• Connect with Frankie on LinkedIn.
• Learn more about Hispanic Federation at their website.
• Learn more about United States vs. Windsor here.

Listen to the Dreaming In Color Spotify Playlist here.

In this episode, Nithin Iyengar, Partner at Bridgespan and head of the San Francisco office, sits down with longtime friend, Liz Thompson, the President, Co-founder, and CEO of The Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education Group (The CAFE Group), which supports leaders of color through financial and programmatic aid. The CAFE Group aims to create a pathway from college intern to established leader, leveraging community genius to drive systemic change.

Liz's nonprofit career began in 1993 as the founding Executive Director of City Year Chicago, influencing the AmeriCorps Program's development. She later expanded the Early Head Start program at Family Star Montessori School in Denver as its Executive Director. Before her nonprofit work, Liz had a successful decade-long career with Ameritech Corporation. 

In this intimate conversation, Liz Thompson discusses her journey from growing up in Cabrini Green to becoming a transformative figure in philanthropy. Liz and Nithin explore themes of radical love, leadership, and service. Liz shares her experiences with challenging philanthropic relationships, her dedication to supporting Black educational visionaries who she likes to call Luminaries, and the founding of the CAFE Group. She guides us through the significance of authentic relationships, collective action, and the joy of giving. Liz reflects on her mentors, the future of education, and the emotional weight of her work before giving insights on self-care, the essence of freedom, and the power of love in her life and work.

This is Dreaming In Color. 

Jump Straight Into: 

(1:14:3) Introduction of Liz Thompson, CEO of CAFE Group

(4:52:2) Liz reflects on growing up in her beloved Cabrini Green community in Chicago. 

(11:28:9) Liz shares the origin story of how she Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education with her husband. 

(12:58:7) We explore the inspiration behind the origins of the 1954 Project.

(16:59:5) Liz and Nithin discuss creating strategy that changes the philanthropic landscape.

(27:30:6) Liz paints a picture of how she imagines the future of education.

Episode Resources 

• Connect with Liz on LinkedIn here
• Learn more about CAFE Group here. 
• Learn more about the 1954 Project here and read Bridgespan’s case study about it here. 

Listen to the Dreaming In Color Spotify Playlist here.

In this episode, we welcome Erika Alexander, an actress known for iconic roles like Maxine Shaw in Living Single, Detective Latoya in Get Out, Cousin Pam in The Cosby Show and many others. Outside of acting, Erika wears many hats including activist, entrepreneur, creator, producer, and director. 

In 2017 Erika founded Color Farm Media, a media company dedicated to building an ecosystem that fosters greater equity, inclusion, and diversity in media and that empowers and elevates voices who are underrepresented, overlooked, and undervalued. Some of Color Farm’s social impact films include John Lewis: Good Trouble and The Big Payback, about the reparations movement. 

Join this conversation as Darren and Erika discuss the significance of her iconic character Maxine Shaw from Living Single and how that led to the so-called “Maxine Shaw Effect” which inspired many young women to pursue careers in leadership and law. 

Listen as we explore the intersection of storytelling and electoral politics and examine how narratives shape public perception and policy reinforcing the need for philanthropy and the social sector to support storytellers and create spaces for diverse narratives to thrive. 

This is Dreaming In Color. 

Jump straight into: 

(00:25.7) Introducing Erika Alexander: Actress, Producer, Director, and Founder of Color Farm Media.

(03:36.4) Erika’s early beginnings in the Southwest.

(05:25.9) We explore the early ideas of futurism spreading through the words of pastors, clergy & teachers. 

(06:08.5) The Maxine Shaw Effect - how Erika’s portrayal of Maxine Shaw inspired leaders like Stacey Abrams, Ayanna Pressley, and Mayor de Blasio 

(9:58.1) American Fiction and creating complex narratives for Black characters in media. 

(12:14.6) Erika delves into the work of ColorFarm Media.

(13:48.8) We dive into the influence of storytelling in politics and Erika’s work on Capitol Hill. 

(18:33.5) Architecting the third reconstruction: building new narratives and shedding old ones. 

(20:46.4) Building a society around the sustainability of storytellers.

(22:27.6) Fusion politics, people being oppressed simultaneously and how we have the power to retell stories of the past through a different lens. 

(23:16.5) Erika references the dark underbelly of the silent investors in media. 

(25:36.7) Going within, how coping mechanisms turned darkness into light, into Black Futurism. 

Episode Resources

• Keep up with Erika on Twitter, Instagram, & Facebook
• Learn more about Erika through her website
• Learn more about Color Farm Media at their website
• Listen to Erika’s podcast “Reparations: The Big Payback” on Apple Podcasts here and on Spotify here. 

Watch “John Lewis: Good Trouble” at home

I'm your host, Darren Isom, and this season I'm lucky to have a few of my Bridgespan colleagues dropping in to join me as guest hosts.

Join us for Dreaming in Color, available every Thursday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

In this episode, Christian interviews Robert Rooks, CEO of REFORM Alliance, founded after the unjust re-imprisonment of recording artist Meek Mill. Robert is one of the nation’s premier criminal justice reformers with over two decades of experience as a grassroots organizer, strategist, and movement leader. 

Under Robert’s leadership, REFORM has won major legislative reforms to transform probation and parole systems in California, Georgia, and Mississippi and has lifted up the experiences of people on supervision to educate the public and build support for broader change. 

Robert co-founded the Alliance for Safety and Justice before joining REFORM, expanding it to eight states with high incarceration rates and leading advocacy efforts for criminal justice reform nationwide, resulting in legislative wins like the Neighborhood Safety Act in Illinois. He directed successful campaigns such as Yes on Proposition 47 and Yes on Proposition 57 in California, which reduced incarceration rates and increased parole eligibility. Additionally, Robert played a key role in fundraising for Florida's Amendment 4, restoring voting rights for over one million individuals with past convictions.

Join this conversation as Robert paints a picture of what our society can look like if we “educate not incarcerate.” 

This is Dreaming in Color. 

Jump straight into: 

(0:32) Introduction of Robert Rooks: CEO of REFORM Alliance.

(2:22) Robert shares how his upbringing inspired his passion for prison reform.

(7:26) Robert discusses how reform legislation in the last 20 years has made strides toward a better justice system and dreams about what the next 20 years will bring. 

(9:03) We visit the story of Meek Mill’s unjust incarceration and how that spurred the beginnings of REFORM Alliance.

(13:53) Robert illustrates a picture of society with true reform. 

(20:38) Abolition vs. reform

(22:10) We need everybody and how investing in community organizers is the pathway to change. 

Episode Resources

• Connect with Robert Rooks on LinkedIn and Instagram
• Learn more about the REFORM Alliance through their website
• Follow the REFORM Alliance on X, LinkedIn and Instragram
• Read about Robert’s work in Bridgespan’s report on philanthropy and the criminal legal system 
• Learn more about Alliance for Safety and Justice through their website

Read Robert’s interview with Katie Couric about how we can fix prison pipelines.

In this episode, Anum sits down with Rebecca Dixon, President and CEO of the National Employment Law Project. Before taking the helm in 2020, Rebecca served on NELP’s Executive Management team as Chief of Programs. Since joining NELP in 2010, she’s advanced NELP’s growth and impact while serving in several positions, including policy analyst and senior staff attorney. During the Great Recession and its aftermath, Rebecca was a leader in winning unprecedented unemployment insurance coverage expansions in 20 states and multiple extensions of federal emergency unemployment insurance benefits for long-term unemployed workers.  

In 2012, Rebecca was selected by the State of New York for its Empire State Leadership Fellows program and served in the Office of the Governor in its Labor and Civil Rights Division. She is a member of the Mississippi Bar Association; a board member of The American Prospect, Americans for  Financial Reform, the Coalition on Human Needs, the Hope Enterprise  Corporation, and the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation; and a member of the  Economic Analysis and Research Network in the South, the 2020 Aspen Institute SOAR Leadership Fellowship, and the 2021 National Academy of  Social Insurance’s Unemployment Insurance Reform Working Group and  COVID-19 Task Force.

Join us as Rebecca shares how her commitment to advancing workers’ rights is inspired by her lived experience growing up in rural Mississippi at the intersection of race, class, and gender. 

This is Dreaming in Color. 

Jump straight into: 

(0:32) Introduction of Rebecca Dixon: President and CEO of the National Employment Law Project

(3:24) Rebecca illustrates how being a descendant of sharecroppers and her upbringing in rural Mississippi shaped her views on labor and fueled her passion for creating a standard of dignified work for all. 

(12:39) Rebecca defines an equitable labor market. 

(16:40) We explore how interest-based problem-solving is a great solution for creating a balanced workplace democracy. 

(22:40) The importance of multi-generational support in the workplace. 

(24:41) The dangers of occupational segregation.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Rebecca Dixon on LinkedIn
• Learn more about the National Employment Law Project through their website
• Follow the National Employment Law Project on Twitter and LinkedIn
• Read Rebecca’s article Reversing Labor Laws Rooted In Slavery.
• Read more of Rebecca’s writing here.

In this episode, we speak with Brea Baker, a Freedom Fighter and Writer working on the frontlines for nearly a decade. She began as a student activist, contributing to #NextYale, a movement to address the legacy of white supremacy on Yale’s campus, the Women’s March of 2017 where she was the youngest national organizer, and the 2018 student walkouts against gun violence. In her professional career, Brea has contributed to dozens of electoral and advocacy campaigns. She advises storytellers, celebrities, and industry leaders on building our collective imagination and responding thoughtfully to social justice movements.  

To add to that, Brea’s book, Rooted: The American Legacy of Land Theft and the Modern Movement for Black Land Ownership is set to release on June 18th. Rooted traces the experiences of Brea’s own family’s history of having land violently taken from them and explores historic attacks on Black land ownership to better understand the racial wealth gap. 

Join this conversation as Brea takes us on her family’s tumultuous journey of land ownership ultimately leading to the “Baker Acres”—a haven for her family, and a palace where they are surrounded by love, sustained by the land, and wholly free. Listen as she paints a picture of a world post-reparations.

This is Dreaming in Color. 

Jump straight into: 

(0:32) Introduction of Brea Baker: Freedom Fighter and Author.

(3:13) Land theft as the original sin that makes colonialism possible.

(4:18) Brea shares her origins as a student organizer.

(10:03) Brea’s delves into her family’s history and how the violent theft of her family’s land led to her activism.

(18:31) Brea paints a picture of reparations in its different forms—the physical, as in the restatement of land and wealth but also the emotional and spiritual, like holding space for grief and rage.

(27:20) Brea speaks on her role as an artist and writer and the responsibility of being society’s truth teller and recorder of history.

(30:52) Holding space for radical love.

Episode Resources

• Keep up with Brea on Twitter and Instagram
• Learn more about Brea through her website.
• Order Brea’s book Rooted here and read her writing in Elle, Refinery29, Harper’s Bazaar, and Sweet July

Learn more about reparations through Bridgespan’s special collection

In this episode, we sit down with Arlan Hamilton, a trailblazing investor and founder of Backstage Capital and HireRunner.co. Arlan is also a serial entrepreneur, author, and prolific speaker. 

In 2015 she started Backstage Capital to invest in founders who are people of color, women, and or LGBTQ. Since its inception, Backstage has raised nearly $30 million and invested in 200 startups led by underestimated founders. 

Arlan also authored the book “It’s About Damn Time” chronicling her entrepreneurial journey, and hosts the popular podcast “Your First Million.” She is also the first, non-celebrity Black woman to grace the cover of Fast Company magazine. If that wasn’t enough, Arlan’s latest book, “Your First Million: Why You Don’t Have To Be Born Into A Legacy of Wealth To Leave One Behind.” is now available at any major book retailer. 

Join us as Arlan details her triumphant ascent from homelessness to multi-millionaire venture capitalist and how being underestimated fueled her success.  

This is Dreaming in Color. 

Jump straight into: 

(0:30) Introduction of Arlan Hamilton: Founder, Author, Speaker, and a trailblazing Venture Capitalist. 

(2:21) From homelessness to venture capitalist - Arlan’s triumphant ascent to the top. 

(4:33) How being an underestimated LGBTQ woman of color inspired her to help others like her get their ideas off the ground. 

(13:23) Success as activism and the power of modeling success for others. 

(13:45) The perks of believing in the underestimated and the ripple effects of how one tiny seed planted can flourish in unexpected ways. 

(18:22) Advice to leaders: “be someone’s first yes.” 

(21:49) Success vs. fulfillment. Defining what fulfillment looks like to you. 

Episode Resources

• Keep up with Arlan on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram
• Read Arlan’s books, “It’s About Damn Time” and “Your First Million: Why You Don’t Have to Be Born Into A Legacy of Wealth to Leave One Behind.” 
• Learn more about Backstage Capital and HireRunner.co
• Listen to Arlan’s podcast, “Your First Million”
• Email Arlan at arlan@backstagecaptial.com 

Support Arlan’s portfolio companies here.

In this episode, we welcome Michael Tubbs, who at the age of 26 became the youngest mayor of any major city in American history when he took the helm of his hometown of Stockton, California. The former Mayor is the founder of End Poverty in California, or EPIC, which works to eradicate poverty by elevating the voices of people experiencing it and the data-driven policies shown to work. He is also the founder of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income. He is a Rosenburg Foundation Senior Fellow and also serves as the Special Advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom for economic mobility.

Join this conversation as Michael takes us on a journey towards prosperity for all. He talks about how growing up in Stockton, California helped him to better serve his community, the challenges he faced as mayor, and candidly shares how failure has shaped his success. 

This is Dreaming in Color. 

Jump straight into: 

(0:32) Introducing Michael Tubbs: Founder of End Poverty in California and Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, Rosenberg Foundation Senior Fellow and Special Advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom

(4:43) Storytelling as the fuel for change and de-radicalizing narratives for the greater good. 

(10:20) Challenging the narrative that exceptionalism is the key to success

(10:47) De-radicalizing the idea of guaranteed income for all. 

(14:35) Challenging myth of meritocracy 

(16:39) What are you willing to fail for? Overcoming failure and building courage. 

(18:17) Defining your personal metric of success, finding your north star and knowing that your purpose doesn’t need to be tied to your position. 

(23:48) Getting to know Michael Tubbs through rapid-fire questioning.

Episode Resources

• Keep up with Michael on Twitter and Instagram
• Learn more about Michael through his website
• Read Michael’s autobiography, The Deeper The Roots: A Memoir of Hope and Home
• Learn more about End Poverty in California

Watch the trailer for Stockton on My Mind, the HBO documentary about Michael’s journey as the Mayor of Stockton, California

In this episode, we journey down to New Orleans during Essence Fest for Bridgespan’s very first live episode recording, a panel highlighting Black women in philanthropy moderated by Tonyel Edwards, a partner at The Bridgespan Group.

Join us as Tonyel hosts a kitchen table conversation with a panel of Black women leading some of the most innovative thinking on equitable philanthropy: Morgan Dawson, co-CEO of Threshold Philanthropy, Tynesha McHarris, co-Founder of Black Feminist Fund, Carmen James Randolph, founding President / CEO at Women’s Foundation of the South, and Susan K. Thomas, president of Melville Charitable Trust. 

Listen as these remarkable women discuss their pathway into philanthropy, the unique assets that come from being a Black woman leading in the space, and all of the ways they have navigated and changed the landscape of giving in support of a more just, equitable and colorful future. 

This is Dreaming in Color. 

Jump straight into: 

(1:02) Starting things off with a James Baldwin Invocation 

(3:55) Darren brings the words of Donald L. Hollowell into the space 

(8:36) Introducing panel moderator Tonyel Edwards

(10:03) Learn about all the different hats our panelists are wearing as Black women 

(19:14) Carmen references writer Toni Morrison - "As you enter positions of power and influence, dream before you think."

(34:40) Tynesha emphasizes the philosophy of being a “principled” leader. 

(47:47) Power sharing, wealth redistribution and giving something up knowing that it’s not yours.

(51:45) “Hold your North,” and other thoughts on navigating the terrain of the philanthropic sector

(53:18) Best practices for building and leading in philanthropy.

(1:09:51) Rest as revolution

Episode Resources

• Connect with our panelists through LinkedIn: Tonyel Edwards, Morgan Dawson, Tynesha McHarris, Carmen James Randolph, Susan K. Thomas.
• Learn more about the organizations these panelists lead: Threshold Philanthropy (Morgan Dawson), The Black Feminist Fund (Tynesha McHarris), Women’s Foundation of the South (Carmen James Randolph), Melville Charitable Trust (Susan K. Thomas)
• Discover the historical contributions of civil rights attorney Donald L. Hollowell 
• Learn more about the work and contributions of the Black women in philanthropy named throughout the segment: Black Feminist Fund co-founders, Hakima Abbas and Amina Doherty, Pivotal Ventures Director of Program Strategy and Investment Ada Williams Prince, and retired Deputy Director of the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation Gladys Washington
• Learn more about Tremé, the oldest African American neighborhood in the United States
• Learn more about the life and activism of Oluwatoyin “Toyin” Salau  and see Toyin speaking at a BLM protest to honor the life of Tony McDade, a transgender man fatally shot by a Tallahassee police officer
• Read about Pauli Murray, American civil rights activist, advocate, legal scholar and theorist, author and an Episcopal priest, and her contributions to the civil rights movement and greater legal protections for gender equality 
• Learn more about James Baldwin and Richard Avedon's collaboration, Nothing Personal

Takema Robinson is a mother, entrepreneur, social justice strategist, and avid advocate for Black women and radical self-care. With more than two decades of experience in strategic philanthropy, policy, advocacy, and fundraising, she is the CEO and co-founder of Converge, a social justice consulting firm whose purpose is to accelerate the creation of a radically just new world where communities of color thrive. In addition, after the near-death experience of delivering a son at just 24 weeks, she also helped to form the National Birth Equity Collaborative, which works to decrease birth inequity for Black women across the US by raising awareness of Black infant prematurity and mortality and the growing Black maternal mortality crisis. 

Join this conversation as Takema explores her family’s distinguished legacy and talks about how that, coupled with her experiences at Howard and The Hill, has shaped her and the work she does through Converge. Listen as she discusses leadership, radical-self care as an act of revolution, and dreams of what a radically just new world looks like. 

Jump straight into: 

(0:28) Introducing Takema Robinson, CEO and Founder of Converge. 

(1:40) Takema offers up words from Toni Cade Bambara’s The Salt Eaters. 

(3:36) Takema and Darren reminisce about their time together at Howard and how her experiences there paved the way to building Converge. 

(5:09) Takema dives into her family’s legacy of activism and how the footsteps they’ve left behind have guided her activism. 

(10:18) Radical self-care as a revolutionary act. 

(13:01) How taking a sabbatical and moving out of the states were necessary in Takema’s self-care journey. 

(19:14) Lessons in leadership. 

(21:44) Motherhood, legacy, and maintaining optimism for the future. 

(25:14) Dreaming of a radically just new world. 

Episode Resources

• Connect with Takema through LinkedIn
• Explore Takema’s work and background though her website
• Learn more about Takema’s work with Converge for Change
• Check out Takema’s article for Inside Philanthropy on the Greater New Orleans Funders Network “Radically Reimaging Philanthropy Through a Restorative Justice Lens”
• Read Toni Cade Bambara’s The Salt Eaters

In this episode, we welcome Bridgit Antoinette Evans, a decorated artist, philanthropic executive, and thought leader in the field of narrative change. Through her ingenious use of pop culture techniques and narrative systems methodology, Bridgit has been at the forefront of promoting social justice. Since 2017, Bridgit has served as CEO of the Pop Culture Collaborative, the philanthropic resource and funder learning community working to transform the narrative landscape around people of color, immigrants, refugees, Muslims, and Indigenous peoples in America, especially those who are women, queer, trans, and disabled.

She has dedicated her career to the relentless investigation of the potential of artists and stories to drive change in society through Fuel We Power Change, the creative and strategic consultancy she founded in 2008, Bridgit's design and tested long-term culture change strategies in partnership with many of the nation's leading movement organizations, including the Save Darfur Coalition, Girls Are Not For Sale campaign, National Domestic Workers Alliance came across generation, ACLU and the Make It Work campaign.

Join this conversation as Bridgit takes us on a journey of how starting in theater at a young age helped to ignite her passion for storytelling and how it has enabled her to become a trailblazer in driving narrative change.

Jump straight into: 

(0:28) Introducing Bridgit Antoinette Evans: CEO of the Pop Culture Collaborative. 

(1:34) Bridgit shares an invocation from her imaginary mentor, Octavia Butler. 

(4:23) Bridgit tells us of her family’s impressive legacy and contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.

(7:37) Bridigit explains how participating in theater at a young age helped her develop her voice and spark a curiosity for storytelling.

(11:56) Bridgit remembers her first role in New York, Lady in Red in For Colored Girls.

(18:57) Surviving American Culture  

Episode Resources

• Connect with Bridgit through LinkedIn
• Learn more about Bridgit’s work at the Pop Culture Collaborative
• Read Octavia Butler’s “Positive Obsession”
• Check out Bridgit’s article with the Nonprofit Quarterly on BIPOC-led narrative change, “The Vital Connection: BIPOC-Led Narrative Change and Pluralist Democracy” 
• Listen to Bridgit’s conversation with the Ford Foundation’s Hilary Pennington on empowering communities and connecting people from diverse backgrounds

In this episode, we sit down with Javier Torres, an anti-racist philanthropic leader committed to liberated and self-determined futures for all people. His work centers on caring for people and community while investing in imagination, narrative change and power building. Most recently, Javier served as the Director of Thriving Cultures at Surdna and is a founding design team member of both the BIPOC Storytelling Fund and the Constellations Narrative and Culture Fund. He also serves as a funding and evaluation partner for the Mosaic Fund and Network at the New York Community Trusts.

Join us as Javier shares how his family legacy and lived experiences have shaped his unique approach to philanthropic work, his dreams for the future of arts funding, and how a young coworker inspired him to change his leadership style. 

Jump Straight Into

(0:28) Introduction of Javier Torres, an anti-racist philanthropic leader whose work focuses on investing in liberated and self-determined futures for all people. 

(1:22) Javier shares inspiring words from Bell Hooks, Adrian Maree Brown and Octavia Butler. 

(4:52) Javier discusses the legacy of his family’s commitment to activism and how the generations before him have prepared him to lead today. 

(13:07) Javier guides us through his experience as a misfit in philanthropy and how he harnessed his differences to mold his approach to the work. 

(19:48) Art and culture and how those entities act as catalysts for shifting the narrative. 

(24:37) Javier hones in on the drawbacks of philanthropy and discusses his commitment to bringing funding to diverse stories. 

(29:14) Dreaming of building a love economy - Javier shares his hopes and dreams for the future. 

(34:55) Slowing down in a society obsessed with productivity and how modeling rest as a leader can serve as a radical act. 

Episode Resources

• Connect with Javier through LinkedIn
• Learn more about the Surdna Foundation’s Thriving Cultures program
• Read Javier’s Q&A with Inside Philanthropy as the Director of Surdna’s Thriving Cultures program
• Check out Darren and Javier’s recent interview with Cyndi Suarez for the Nonprofit Quarterly

Listen to the musical works of New Orleans’ Big Freedia and Wynton Marsalis

In this episode, we speak with Sharif El-Mekki, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Black Educator Development, which is working to revolutionize education by dramatically increasing the number of Black educators to better reflect the students they serve, ensuring teaching practices unleash the power of diverse cultural insights and anti-discriminatory mindsets, and liberating education policy from constraints–real and imagined. 

Join this conversation as Sharif guides us through the journey of how his Masjid and African Free School education served as the catalyst for his distinguished teaching career and activist for education justice. 

Jump Straight Into

(0:28) Introduction of Sharif El-Mekki, Founder and CEO of the Center for Black Educator Development.

(0:57) Sharif shares inspiring thoughts from the Grammy-nominated poet, Amir Sulaiman: “we are all going to be ancestors someday, act accordingly.” 

(5:23) Sharif recalls his anti-racist and pro-black schooling and how that impacted his development of pedagogies that promote positive racial identity development.

(6:44) Sharif reflects on words from Dr. Alfred Tatum on the notion of students becoming proficient vs. advanced in subject matter. 

(9:52) Sharif explores how activism and education go hand-in-hand: “every lesson plan you write is a political document and every time you teach.” 

(16:14) Reflecting on the idea of Intellectual genealogy and being able to trace back your school of thought to its source and using that as a framework to change the narrative. 

(20:51) Sharif recalls how a traumatic incident inspired him to change his path from lawyer to educator. 

(28:34) Sharif tells us about how his Islamic faith and its focus on reading, understanding, and study serves as a framework for inspiring his work 

Episode Resources

• Connect with Sharif through LinkedIn
• Keep up with Sharif on Twitter
• Learn more about Sharif’s work at the Center for Black Educator Development
• Listen to Sharif’s talk for The Moth, “Afros, Boxers, Handcuffs, and Guns”
• Read Bridgespan’s article for SSIR, “What Everyone Can Learn From Leaders of Color”
• Read Sharif’s recent articles in Education Week and the Philadelphia Inquirer
• Watch Sharif’s TED Talk on “Reviving the Legacy of the Black teaching tradition”

In this episode, we welcome Kalia Abiade, vice president of programs at Pillars Fund, a national nonprofit social investment fund that amplifies the leadership, narratives, and talents of Muslims in the US. At Pillars Fund, Kalia is responsible for sharpening the organization's vision and collaborating across teams to advance and execute Pillar's mission and strategy. She draws on nearly two decades of experience advocating for equity and racial justice in media, policy, and philanthropy, and I'm lucky to talk with her today.

Listen in as Kalia shares her experience migrating from California to Chicago, the legacy of activism in her family, and her dream of lifting the burden and making the world a softer place to land for her children and future generations. 

Jump Straight Into 

(0:28) Introduction of Kalia Abiade: Vice President of Programs at Pillars Fund

(2:40) Kalia offers inspirational words from the legendary James Baldwin

(7:30) Kalia shares her migration story from California to Chicago and reflects on the migration stories of those before her. 

(14:30) Kalia talks about converting to Islam, the idea of Zakat and strategic philanthropy, and how that influences her work at Pillars

(18:00) Kalia quotes Hussein Rashid, “there has never been an America without Muslims,” and explains that her role is to shine light on the narrative versus shifting it. 

(20:57) We explore the challenges of raising Black children in a hardened society and dream of building a softer place for our children to land. 

(22:35) The conversation shifts to the role of joy in sustaining us during times of strife. 

(26:51) Working together: “if this is happening to Muslim communities, it can happen and has happened to so many others.” 

Episode Resources

• Connect with Kalia through LinkedIn
• Learn more about Kalia’s work at Pillars Fund
• Listen to Kalia’s talk at last year’s Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) 2022 National Conference
• Learn more about the work of Hussein Rashid
• Explore the life and work of James Baldwin
• Learn about the activism of the Brotherhood of the Sleeping Car Porters
• Read about the history of the Great Migration

In this episode, we welcome María Teresa Kumar, an Emmy-nominated political and voting rights activist who has dedicated her career to advocating for inclusive political participation. She is the co-founder and president of Voto Latino, a national grassroots organization focused on building a more inclusive democracy by educating and empowering a new generation of Latinx voters. Under her leadership, Voto Latino has registered over a quarter million voters and was a founding partner of National Voter Registration Day, the largest one-day effort towards voter registration. 

Join this conversation as María shares how her background as a Colombian immigrant ignited her passion for democracy and how she has dedicated her life to mobilizing young voters to build a stronger America for future generations to come. She is a true champion of a robust inclusive democracy and a joy to talk to today.  

Jump Straight Into 

(0:28) Introduction of María Teresa Kumar: President of Voto Latino and MSNBC Contributor.

(1:15) María shares wisdom from her Grandmother. 

(9:12) María reflects on her background and how it shaped her appreciation for democracy and her desire to improve upon it through voter advocacy. 

(12:44) Brick phones, free nights and weekends, MySpace, and how the evolution of tech and social media paved the way to mobilize young voters. 

(15:52) We are at a crossroads - we can relent and let the few dictate how we live, or, through maximum participation, we can make the change we seek. 

(22:50) Changing the American narrative by doubling down on education. 

(27:26) Dreaming of a colorful democracy. 

(41:43) Donors, funding, and how they can champion stabilizing our democracy for a brighter future. 

Episode Resources

• Connect with María through LinkedIn and Twitter 
• Learn more about María's work through her website
• Get involved with María's organization, Voto Latino
• Register to vote at Vote.gov
• Protect yourself from misinformation at FactCheck.org
• Read the transcript of María's Emmy-nominated MSNBC Special: Beyond Borderlines

In this episode, we welcome Mary Annaïse Heglar, a Writer and Climate Activist whose work focuses on climate change and the ways it intersects with race and emotion. Her work has been published in New York Magazine, The Nation, Vox, Wired and other outlets, as well as in several anthologies. Known as “The Godmother of Green Trolling,” Mary uses social media to clap back at fossil fuel companies and call out their empty environmental gestures and tone-deaf greenwashing. She's also an adjunct professor at Tulane University in New Orleans, and the author of a forthcoming children's book, This World is Yours to Cherish, coming out in Spring of 2024. She's the co-creator of the now retired Hot Take podcast and newsletter. 

Join this conversation as Mary shares how the beauty of the south has inspired her writing and activism. She talks about burnout and finding joy when it feels like being eaten alive by the world's grandest problems, white supremacy as the root cause of climate change, and the lessons learned from her work in this never-ending fight. 

Jump Straight Into 

(0:28) Introduction of Mary Annaïse Heglar: Writer, Climate Activist and Daughter of the South.

(1:33) Mary shares inspiration from Maya Angelou: “tell the truth to yourself first, and then to the children.

(11:37) Mary describes her approach to writing, in particular, writing about climate change. 

(15:51) Taking the world on your shoulders: how to combat burnout when fighting daunting challenges. 

(20:25) The key to finding joy and optimism when it feels like you’re being eaten alive. 

(22:33) How do lessons from the fight for freedom relate to the fight for climate change?

(25:02) White Supremacy is a problem for the Climate Change Movement too. 

Episode Resources

• Read Mary’s climate essays on Medium
• Keep up with Mary on Twitter
• Check out Mary’s articles What Happened When I Tried to Carry the World on My Back and Climate Change Isn’t the First Existential Threat
• Listen to Mary’s HotTake podcast on Spotify and read more about it here
• Learn more about Jacqui Patterson’s Chisholm Legacy Project, which supports climate-justice leadership from Black communities
• Explore the lives and works of James Baldwin and Maya Angelou 
• Discover New Orleans’ Treme Sidewalk Steppers

In this episode, we welcome Simran Jeet Singh, a scholar, author, and champion of equity, who leads Aspen Institute's Religion & Society program. He is the author of The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life and the children's book, Fauja Singh Keeps Going. He's also a visiting professor of history and religion at Union Theological Seminary, a Soros Equity fellow with the Open Society Foundations. In 2020, Time Magazine recognized him among 16 people fighting for more equal America. 

Join this conversation as Simran takes us on a journey of radical introspection. He talks about how growing up as a Sikh in South Texas helped him to better serve the most vulnerable communities, he challenges us all to change the rules that foster inequity, and candidly shares how meeting his hero forced him to confront his own biases on who society celebrates.  

This is Dreaming in Color. 

Jump straight into: 

(0:28) Introducing Dr. Simran Jeet Singh: Executive Director of the Religion & Society Program at the Aspen Institute.

(1:22) Simran draws inspiration from Sikh scripture.

(7:54) Diving into Seva, the Sikh practice of selfless love inspired service and living into your values.

(15:01) Exploring the Sikh wisdoms of individual divinity - seeing the light in yourself, seeing the light in others and balancing humility with a sense of self worth. 

(25:49) On telling diverse stories, the inspiration behind Simran’s children’s book, and challenging our own biases. 

(28:47) A look into radical Introspection through spiritual practice and building softness through grace. 

Episode Resources

• Connect with Simran through LinkedIn
• Learn more about Simran’s through his website
• Read Simran’s recent books The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life and Fauja Singh Keeps Going: The True Story of the Oldest Person to Ever Run a Marathon
• Discover how we can all lean into Seva through Simran’s Time article, The Sikh Idea of Seva is an Antidote to Our Current Malaise
• Learn more about the Aspen Institute
• Explore the work of Gunisha Kaur, Simran’s wife, as the Founding Director of Cornell University’s Human Rights Impact Lab

Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show that provides a platform for BIPOC social change leaders to candidly share how their lived experiences (personal and professional) have prepared them to lead their work and drive the impact we all seek. 

In this episode, we are joined by Nate Wong, Chief Strategy and Social Innovation Officer of the Beeck Center, an experiential hub to incubate emergent ideas in the social impact space. We talk about his cultural heritage and how his background as a cook helped to shape his current vision of the world. Plus, we discuss why unlearning is necessary in cultural healing processes and how he acknowledges this in his leadership coaching work. Join us and listen to this conversation where we reimagine models of coexistence and find keys for an equity-driven system.

Jump straight into:

(1:27) - Show Introduction: Nate reads a poem of the 13th century and shares childhood experiences in the kitchen that shaped his view of the world.

(13:15) - The process of building a self-narrative to inspire others and play a cultural translator role.

(19:53) - What it means to question our own assumptions: Market forces, meritocracy and different views of leadership.

(25:12) - Unlearning to heal: The concept of “inner saboteur” and common underappreciated assets within Nate’s coaching work with the BIPOC community.

(30:03) - Capitalism reimagined: Discussing ‘enoughness’ and storytelling as the ultimate tool for an equity-driven system.

(36:28) - Examining the evolution of the traditional classroom format and the power of teaching: Final words of hope by Nate Wong. 

Episode resources

Connect with Nate Wong through LinkedIn and Twitter

Nate Wong | Homepage

Thank you for listening to Dreaming in Color a Bridgespan supported StudioPod production. Nicole Genova is the Show Coordinator and Teresa Buchanan is the Show Producer. The production team from The Bridgespan Group includes Cora Daniels, Michael Borger, Christina Pistorius, and Britt Savage. Additional music and editing provided by nodalab.  

Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show that provides a platform for BIPOC social change leaders to candidly share how their lived experiences (personal and professional) have prepared them to lead their work and drive the impact we all seek. 

In this episode, our guest is Ashindi Maxton. She is a Co-founder and former Executive Director of the Donors of Color Network, an organization that offers a philanthropic and political home for high-net-worth donors of color committed to building power for and across communities of color. From racial equity and voting rights to climate justice and income inequality, Ashindi has had her finger on the pulse of where and importantly how we need to do and be better. Join in as we speak with Ashindi on bringing community and confidence to her work, leaning into healing and collective efforts, and demanding accountability and action.

Jump straight into:

(00:21) - Introducing Ashindi Maxton: Co-Founder of the Donors of Color Network and a truly brilliant mind.

(01:47) - Ashindi pulls inspiration from a poem by Eve Ewing, Buddhism, and the Twitterverse.

(06:32) - The ability to heal: Takeaways from Ashindi’s early path in politics.

(10:19) - “I know how this reality trickles down”: Experiences and principles that have driven Ashindi’s career.

(16:28) - ”Walk into the place like you own it”: On community, a sense of belonging in the social sector and the effectiveness of the Climate Justice Funders Pledge.

(23:24) - A battle of imagination: Family stories and dystopian fictions that bring lessons on how to achieve victories for social justice. 

(32:46) - New suns and surviving the end of the world.

Episode resources

Connect with Ashindi Maxton through LinkedIn and Instagram

Learn more about Donors of Color Network including the Climate Justice Funders Pledge

Check out some of the written works by Octavia E. Butler

Read Electric Arches by Eve L. Ewing

Read Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life by Thich Nhat Hanh

Read Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools by Jonathan Kozol

Read Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Words by Adrienne Maree Brown and listen to the podcast How to Survive the End of the World hosted by Adrienne and her sister Autumn Brown

Learn more about Color of Change

Thank you for listening to Dreaming in Color a Bridgespan supported StudioPod production. Nicole Genova is the Show Coordinator and Teresa Buchanan is the Show Producer. The production team from The Bridgespan Group includes Cora Daniels, Michael Borger, Christina Pistorius, and Britt Savage. Additional music and editing provided by nodalab.

Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show that provides a platform for BIPOC social change leaders to candidly share how their lived experiences (personal and professional) have prepared them to lead their work and drive the impact we all seek. 

In this episode, Raymond Foxworth joins the show to talk about his experience growing up in a matrilineal society, land preservation as part of his family heritage and the struggles of dealing with white dominant institutions. We address the current state of indigenous land rights and the pressure of representation to honor the legacy and sacrifice of past generations. Raymond shares his view on innovation and we question the general understanding of community development. Listen and connect with Ray’s philosophy of believing and sharing!

Jump straight into:

(01:23) - Raymond reads Apologies, a poem by Haunani Kay Trask (and shares the breathtaking story behind it).

(03:10) - Being a Navajo citizen in 2022: Matrilineal society roots, ethics, values, decisive moments to acquire critical analysis.

(09:18) - Addressing colonialism struggles, sovereignty, liberation and Indigenous land rights.

(12:50) - Acknowledging representation, role models and implications when navigating white dominant institutions.

(20:03) - Innovation as a product of survival, problems within society’s general understanding of community development and redefining what we conceive as assets.

(27:32) - Believing and caring: The experiences that bring hope to Ray, a protective optimist.

Episode resources

Connect with Raymond Foxworth through LinkedIn

Learn more about Ray Foxword, Ph.D.

Learn more about First Nations Development Institute 

Thank you for listening to Dreaming in Color a Bridgespan supported StudioPod production. Nicole Genova is the Show Coordinator and Teresa Buchanan is the Show Producer. The production team from The Bridgespan Group includes Cora Daniels, Michael Borger, Christina Pistorius, and Britt Savage. Additional music and editing provided by nodalab.

Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show that provides a platform for BIPOC social change leaders to candidly share how their lived experiences (personal and professional) have prepared them to lead their work and drive the impact we all seek. 

In this episode, Dr. Carmen Rojas, the President and Chief Executive Officer at the Marguerite Casey Foundation, joins the show. She shares stories of her upbringing as a child of Venezuelan and Nicaraguan immigrants, confronts the complexities and contradictions of the social sector, and offers us a space to think and dream boldly. We learn of the familial roots and values that shaped her path toward a Ph.D., brainstorm around collective liberation in an age of mass wealth and inequality, and discuss how philanthropy can sharpen its focus on social justice. Join us as we bask in Carmen’s wit and wisdom. 

Jump straight into:

(00:21) - Introducing Dr. Carmen Rojas, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Marguerite Casey Foundation.

(1:51) - Carmen shares a quote on optimism from Freedom is a Constant Struggle by Angela Davis.

(03:24) - Moving to the US ​​at the peak of the civil rights movement: A cultural perspective on Carmen’s roots and the family dynamics that shaped her.

(09:19) - Liberation for the public sector: The people and events that encouraged Carmen to focus on social work.

(14:18) - Everyone should be able to dream: Discussing the radical change that Carmen is working to achieve.

(18:51) - Our collective being: How Carmen embraces the concept of contradiction to make it powerful and meaningful.

(22:24) - The urgency of naming: Working to repair a broken system and shift philanthropy in a new direction

(32:27) - A world organized around liberation: The hopes Carmen carries for our future

Episode resources

Follow Carmen Rojas through LinkedIn and Twitter

Read Freedom is a Constant Struggle by Angela Davis

Read Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

Learn more about Dr. Manuel Pastor’s research

Know more about Marguerite Casey Foundation

Learn more about the Greenlining Institute 

Learn more about the Kapor Center

Learn more about Fred Blackwell and the San Francisco Foundation

Thank you for listening to Dreaming in Color a Bridgespan supported StudioPod production. Nicole Genova is the Show Coordinator and Teresa Buchanan is the Show Producer. The production team from The Bridgespan Group includes Cora Daniels, Michael Borger, Christina Pistorius, and Britt Savage. Additional music and editing provided by nodalab.

Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show hosted by Darren Isom, a partner with The Bridgespan Group, that provides a space for BIPOC social change leaders to candidly share how their life experiences (personal and professional) have prepared them to lead and drive the impact we all seek. 

In this episode, we welcome Urvashi Vaid, an Indian-American LGBTQ rights activist, lawyer, and writer.  She talks about her roots as a student activist and organizer, her early days in the ACLU and the National LGTBQ Task Force, and her stints at the Ford and Arcus Foundations. Forged in the fire of the civil rights and anti-Vietnam war era, the motivation Urvashi carried with her to turn the system on its head was nothing short of relentless. Her work in advocacy, policy, and philanthropy has shaped the bedrock that many of our efforts now rest on. This episode was recorded a few months before Urvashi’s passing.  Join us in celebrating her life and genius by listening to her reflections on the triumphs and roadblocks that have led to our present and where we can go from here.  

Jump straight into:

(01:58) - Introducing Urvashi Vaid, President of The Vaid Group

(03:22) - What does it mean when the tools of a racist patriarchy are used to examine the fruits of that same patriarchy? Words from Audre Lorde.

(05:21) - Stoking the fire:  Her sense of belonging, tenacity, and passion from a young age as a young lesbian child of immigrants. 

(11:18) - On her foundation: Urvashi’s experience as a student activist and organizer in nontraditional spaces before law school 

(18:20) - Entering the philanthropic space: Pragmatism, people, and power

(23:24) - On the skills, mentors, and tactics that community engagement created for her professional trajectory

(30:52) - A space in formation: The efforts toward creating solidarity in and success for the LGBTQ movement

(35:32) - What is to come: The future fights of social movements, words of hope, and the victories to be achieved

Episode resources

Follow Urvashi's work through LinkedIn

Learn more about Urvashi's impact through her homepage

Learn more about The Vaid Group

Discover Records from the Bromfield Street Educational Foundation (formerly Gay Community News)

Read Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches, assorted pieces by Audre Lorde

Read Home Girls: a Black Feminist Anthology, a compilation by Barbara Smith

Listen to the Music of Patti Smith on Spotify

Learn more about the National LGBTQ Task Force (formerly National Gay and Lesbian Task Force)

Learn more about the Arcus Foundation

Learn more about the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

Learn more about the Ford Foundation

Thank you for listening to Dreaming in Color a Bridgespan supported StudioPod production. Nicole Genova is the Show Coordinator and Teresa Buchanan is the Show Producer. The production team from The Bridgespan Group includes Cora Daniels, Michael Borger, Christina Pistorius, and Britt Savage. Additional music and editing provided by nodalab.

Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show hosted by Darren Isom, a partner with The Bridgespan Group, that provides a space for BIPOC social change leaders to candidly share how their life experiences (personal and professional) have prepared them to lead and drive the impact we all seek. 

In this episode, we talk with Rhonda Broussard, an award-winning education entrepreneur, public speaker, a queer Black mother. She is a seasoned educator, global researcher, and the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Beloved Community, a national nonprofit committed to sustainable economic equity in schools, the workforce, and housing. Join this conversation as we discover how to open doors through language, trace the importance of our lineages and loved ones, and interrogate systems that have long needed to be corrected. Tune in as Rhonda returns to the chalkboard to teach us how to lean into our authentic selves, celebrate others, and channel diversity into impact. 

Jump straight into:

(00:21) - Introducing Rhonda Broussard, author, CEO of Beloved Community, veteran educator and researcher.

(01:48) - An invocation to set the space, with a powerful quote from All About Love by bell hooks.

(03:14) - Back to school with Darren: Where does Rhonda's joy come from? 

(05:46) -  In community and conversation: Growing up in French, Creole, and English.

(09:23) - How different languages can unlock different and powerful narratives. 

(11:49) - From the US to Brazil to France: On white supremacy and anti-Blackness across borders.

(13:47) - Establishing new paradigms of love and impact through Beloved Community.

(19:17) - Using her positionality: Leveraging power through networks and personhood.

(24:32) - On commitment to creating change: As a queer Black mother and leader.

(27:28) - From blog to book: One Good Question and the answers we seek.

Episode resources

Connect with Rhonda Broussard through LinkedIn and Twitter

Learn more about Rhonda through her website

Learn more about Beloved Community

Check out Rhonda’s blog One Good Question 

Pre-order Rhonda’s upcoming book One Good Question, inspired by the blog

Learn more about the works and life of bell hooks

Read killing rage: Ending Racism by bell hooks

Thank you for listening to Dreaming in Color a Bridgespan supported StudioPod production. Nicole Genova is the Show Coordinator and Teresa Buchanan is the Show Producer. The production team from The Bridgespan Group includes Cora Daniels, Michael Borger, Christina Pistorius, and Britt Savage. Additional music and editing provided by nodalab.