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Black woman standing in a hallway in a museum.

Jun 13 2024

My Dad is Tracking Me

Yesterday, I discovered a need that I didn't know that I had. As I chatted with the many people who were kind to me while I was in Mississippi, I felt the ...
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May 8 2024

Roxane’s Hunger

There reason I often say, "All leadership is personal; we just happen to do it in professional settings sometimes," is simple. I actually believe it! Roxane Gay's memoir, Hunger, proves me right! ...
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Apr 30 2024

Traci Mathena, Principal, Charter School Leadership

On a beautiful winter afternoon in March, I drove to Baltimore, Maryland, to interview Traci Mathena. I was excited to hear the story of what drove her to education. More accurately, I ...
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Apr 7 2024

Ben Saulsberry

We had a great #quickchat with Ben! He's a native son the Delta with strong, but warm presence. He framed the necessity of studying the past quite provocatively when he said studying ...
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Mar 25 2024

Richard Pryor, “Pryor Convictions” – He never grew out of what he grew up in.

Some time ago, I heard a guy say (or something similar to this), "Most business problems that entrepreneurs have are really unresolved personal problems." In my own journey as an entrepreneur, I ...
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Mar 20 2024

When Leadership is Emotionally Demanding

As I reflect on two previous podcast interviews, with Dr. Pam Chatman and Keith "The Prince of the Delta Blues" Johnson, I saw a connection. On one hand, Pam’s work focuses on ...
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Mar 20 2024

Kinchen “Bubba” Okeefe

My conversation with "Bubba" was impromptu! I was exploring Clarksdale on foot and stopped by the tourism office, where he works. We chatted right up until I needed to head to Cleveland, ...
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Mar 15 2024

Meaningful Conversations in the Delta

A few months ago, I got in my car and headed south to eventually go west so that I could hike in Utah. As I headed south, I planned a two-night stay ...
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Mar 6 2024

Ethics and Integrity in podcasting

In my travels for my podcast, I'm often surprised when I explore neighborhoods. More specifically, I am often surprised when I explore neighborhoods where poverty "looks" to be higher than what was ...
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Feb 8 2024

Why Do You Stay?

“Why do you stay here?” is perhaps one of the most offensive questions you can ask someone about their hometown. This is especially true if their hometown has a complicated reputation. On ...
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Feb 7 2024

Why Maine?

Black people don't do that! The "that" can be anything from swimming to hiking to skiing! As quiet as it's kept, Black folks often think this, too. Once, I was hiking in ...
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Jan 12 2024

Our December 2023 Leadership Drive and a MAJOR Change in Plans

When I set out on the Winter/December leadership drive, I had a plan! I was supposed to leave New Jersey heading toward California. Specifically, I was heading south to avoid snow, which ...
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Woman wearing a dress and walking

Jan 1 2024

Happy New Year!!!

This is probably the best NY's Eve and Day that I've had in a very long time. I love having no agenda other than to enjoy where I am and the people ...
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