Conversations with Chanda

Toya Randall is the curator of Voice. Vision. Value. This digital narrative project celebrates the leadership impact of Black women in philanthropy. Toya connected with Chanda to talk about what it means to be a person of color working in philanthropy, her 2020 experiences, and the benefits and challenges of proximity.

Dr. Yaba Blay is an activist, scholar, speaker, and author of “One Drop: Shifting the Lens on Race.” Her work focuses on the lived experiences of Black women and girls. In this episode, Chanda and Yaba talk about the complexities of colorism, the history of Blackness, and the politics of race and identity.

As the Founding Director of NYU’s Policing Project, Barry Friedman is committed to bringing data-driven best practices to policing. In this episode, Barry and Chanda discuss what a holistic view of public safety would look like, why we need to build in more front-end accountability into our policing system, and their upcoming Policing Project partnership.

As a pastor, activist, author, and filmmaker, Dr. Otis Moss III preaches messages of love and justice. Today, he is the Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Illinois. Chanda sat down with Otis to talk about his family’s legacy, why our community needs public health – not public safety, and why it’s important to understand the totality of Black history.

Angela Harrelson and Paris Stevens are the aunt and cousin of George Floyd. Since George’s death, both Angela and Paris have been using their voices to speak up for justice. In this episode, Chanda, Angela, and Paris talk about the global impact of George’s murder, their reactions to Derek Chauvin’s trial, and the courage it takes to fight when you’re in pain.

As a civil rights lawyer, NYU professor, and President of the ACLU, Deborah Archer works to overcome the systemic injustices in our society every day. Chanda and Deborah connected to talk about how racism affects all aspects of life, the navigational skills you learn as a Black woman, and how the law struggles to keep up with the evolution of racism.

Jelani Cobb is an award-winning writer for The New Yorker on issues of race, history, justice, and politics. He currently is a part of the Westminster Town Hall Forum’s series, “The Arc Toward Justice: Taking Stock One Year After George Floyd’s Death,” which is sponsored by the Minneapolis Foundation. In this episode, Chanda and Jelani talk about the adultification of Black children, the calculate...

Dr. RaShall Brackney is a recognized expert in community-police relations, procedural and restorative justice practices, and harm reduction. She currently is the Chief of Police in Charlottesville, Virginia. In this episode, Chanda and RaShall talk about how RaShall got into police work, the steps she’s taken to build community trust in her department, and her personal and professional responses t...

Kim Foxx made history when she was elected to be the first African American woman to lead the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in Illinois. Chanda connected with Kim to talk about how her upbringing informs her leadership, the struggles of representing institutions, and the support systems that keep her grounded.

Kareem Farah is an educator and Co-Founder of the Modern Classrooms Project – a nonprofit that empowers educators to meet student needs through blended, self-paced, mastery-based instruction. In this episode, Chanda and Kareem talk about the 21st-century skills that need to be taught in the classroom, the importance of trauma-informed teaching, and how COVID-19 has affected education.

Elizer Darris is the Co-Executive Director of the Minnesota Freedom Fund – an organization that disrupts the predatory practices of criminal bail and immigration bonds. Chanda sat down with Elizer to talk about the trappings of the criminal justice system and what it takes to be a changemaker.

Jim Bear Jacobs is dedicated to bringing to light the Indigenous stories of Minnesota. This includes his “Healing Minnesota Stories” work at the Minnesota Council of Churches. In this episode, Chanda and Jim discuss how storytelling can spark consciousness, the ways philanthropy has shifted strategies over the past decade, and how trauma can resurface in unexpected ways.

Drew Evans is the Superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). Chanda met Drew in 2019 when she was a part of a state-led working group on police-involved deadly force encounters. In this episode, Drew and Chanda talk about the BCA’s role in the criminal justice system, the laws and circumstances that can prevent justice, and how the BCA is trying to build community trust...

Dr. Ibram X. Kendi is an award-winning author and anti-racist scholar. His latest book, “Four Hundred Souls,” is a collaborative effort that showcases the history of African Americans from 1619 to 2019. Chanda and Dr. Kendi connected to talk about the importance of anti-racist education, the struggles of reimagining public safety, and why we need to invest in narrative change work.

As President of North Central University in Minneapolis, Scott Hagan found himself propelled into the national spotlight last year when the university was asked to host George Floyd’s memorial. Chanda sat down to talk to Scott about that experience, his journey to understanding racism on a systemic level, and how he’s trying to use his platform for good.

As a scholar and author, Eddie S. Glaude Jr. writes about the complexities of race and the American experience. His latest book is “Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own.” Chanda and Eddie connected to talk about the intersection of greed and racism, the pitfalls of symbolic representation, and how to prevent burnout while working toward justice.

For nine years of his life, Christian Picciolini was part of the neo-Nazi movement. Now, the former extremist runs the Free Radicals Project where he helps individuals, families, and communities disengage from hate- and violence-based extremism. Christian was in Minnesota in late 2019 for a community listening session on hate crimes with local faith and political leaders, including Attorney Genera...

Isaiah Oliver is the President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint. In this conversation, Chanda and Isaiah discover that they share similar paths to their roles in philanthropy. They discuss the support systems that help them lead, the national and local issues affecting the work, and how philanthropy needs to evolve to stay relevant and effective.

Dr. Christopher Emdin is an associate professor of science education at Teachers College, Columbia University and the author of the New York Times bestseller, “For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood and the Rest of Y’all Too.” Chanda and Chris took time to discuss the major challenges in our education system – especially for brown and black students, the positive and negative effects of narratives,...

Michael Vick’s career has gone through a tremendous rise, fall, and redemption. Today, the former NFL quarterback works hard to show up for his community. Chanda and Michael talk about what it was like for Michael to grow up in Newport News, the importance of a strong support system, and the actions he’s taking to strengthen prison reform and youth development.

From 1994 to 2001, Sharon Sayles Belton served as mayor of Minneapolis. She was the first woman and first African American to hold that position. Sharon and Chanda connected to talk about the importance of relationships in community building work, philanthropy’s role in bringing people together, and why complicated problems need complex solutions.

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx partnered with the Minneapolis Foundation to pursue justice, equity, and healing in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death. Timberwolves head coach Ryan Saunders and player Josh Okogie connected with Chanda to discuss how sports have shaped their perspectives on racial justice, how they’re using their leadership and platforms for good, and why silence is not an o...

In the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, the Minnesota Lynx and Timberwolves partnered with The Minneapolis Foundation to pursue justice, equity, and healing through our Fund for Safe Communities. Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve and player Napheesa Collier sat down with Chanda to talk about how they weave social justice into their games, how they approach making meaningful change, and why it’s impor...

As a pastor, activist, and philanthropist, Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson has a wide range of experience fighting for racial justice. In this episode, Chanda and Starsky process the recent grand jury decision in the Breonna Taylor case. They also discuss the lessons Starsky learned during the Ferguson protests, philanthropy’s role in this moment, and the responsibility we all have to the next generation.

Ron Heifetz is a world-renown professor, author, and authority on the topic of leadership. One of his books, “Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Change,” has been instrumental to Chanda’s approach to leadership. Chanda connected with Ron to talk about the self-care practices leaders need to establish, the disparities and opportunities that crises reveal, and the work whit...