For Our Edification

Halima turned the tables for the season 6 premiere by interviewing me! We dug into my obsession with leadership, especially as it relates to identity and value, as well as personal leadership. Out of it came a big story about how one leader I worked with reinforced the importance of listening while also teaching me that leadership isn't a vanity project. You'll also find out how For Our Edificatio...

Three words define Mykel Shannon Jenkins' career as an actor, director, and producer--passion, purpose, and persistence. I've seen these three qualities come out of Mykel's pores since I saw him on Bonnabel High School's speech and debate team. In this conversation, we go into a deep dive about where he saw his career going and some of the hard decisions that go into life as an actor. Mykel also t...

This throwback episode features a conversation with playwright and author Harold Ellis Clark Jr. While he is known for his great radio broadcasting, public relations and communications work, Harold has made a mark as an award-winning playwright and author. In this interview from the old "Eddie Francis Podcast Show," Harold talked about his burning desire to write, how it felt to see that dream com...

This throwback interview goes back to May 2018, when I asked Halima about cultural philanthropy. In this Write to Bear Alms segment, she gave great insight about how giving differs from one community to the next. At the time, Halima had been the chief philanthropy officer for the Texas Muslim Women's Foundation.  Halima discussed the common traits among various communities in their giving, philant...

October is ADHD Awareness Month, so it seems like a good time to continue sharing my experiences having been recently diagnosed with ADHD. I wondered how ADHD impacts the leadership journey, so I offered thoughts on what makes the journey a challenge. There are also thoughts about how people can support those who seem to have great leadership potential but also seem to display signs of ADHD. Final...

Priscilla María Gutiérrez's story is a true mental health journey. Having lived through trauma, she set out to understand what it means to truly trust herself. Priscilla joined "For Our Edification" to tell her story of personal leadership so that others can understand what it means to reach a point of self-validation. In this episode, we learn, most importantly, what a healthy support system look...

On episode 19 , David Grubb spoke passionately about athletes and their mental health. Trevon Bryant lived it. As a running back at the University of New Hampshire, he saw his future as a professional football player ahead of him. One day, it slowed down drastically because of a severe knee injury. Trey eventually fell into what he calls a "dark hole," not only because he felt his dream slipping a...

It's another blast from the past. In 2016, Michael Jordan made significant donations to several causes. There were many critics, however, who questioned why the sports legend donated the money where he did.  In this Write to Bear Alms segment from the old "Eddie Francis Podcast Show" and in the spirit of Black Philanthropy Month, Halima gave her thoughts about the intersection of philanthropy and...

Once upon a time, Halima was in the fundraising world. But she wasn't a "make it rain" fundraiser. That's because Halima's success was built on the understanding that fundraising isn't just about money, it's about relationships. In this Write to Bear Alms segment, hear about why your organization's attitude towards donors is crucial, why it's crucial to choose sustainability over survival, and how...

Dr. Sheena Howard  has succeeded because of a simple mantra:  "This is not the end of my story." She joined "For Our Edification" to talk about the importance of her work as a creator who centers her work on representation. Having survived domestic abuse at one point in her life, Sheena's journey is a call to action for anyone who's ever felt lost or unseen. She shares the power of self-belief and...

At the age of 53, I found out that I have ADHD. Here's how it feels and this is how I'm handling it. The views expressed on “For Our Edification” do not reflect the views of any entity with which the hosts or guests are affiliated. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit forouredification.substack.com

No one asked for this commencement address, but they got it. The views expressed on “For Our Edification” do not reflect the views of any entity with which the hosts or guests are affiliated. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit forouredification.substack.com

Business is Liz Springer's business. For her, however, business growth is heavily connected to personal growth. Having endured significant challenges in the business world as a woman, Liz is dedicated to working with small business owners to overcome their challenges to grow their businesses. It all comes with a big message--keep pushing. Liz visited For Our Edification with an inspiring message a...

George Sedberry became a fan of HBCUs in a pretty interesting way. He's not just any fan; he's a fan with, shall we say, a past. So, when and how did he make the life-changing transformation that got him known on TikTok and Instagram as "The White George"? George visited "For Our Edification" to tell talk about his turning point in life, his advocacy, how he takes the time for his own growth and d...

American Black Gen Xers are buzzing with the release of "Freaknik: The Greatest Party Never Told." I watched it, and two things stood out to me--one was folks' perception of Freaknik and the other was the way the documentary ended. I shared some thoughts. On another note, I've had thoughts rattling around in my head for a while about what folks regularly regard as the "top" HBCUs. I'm not so sure...

The reason I’m an "award-winning" broadcaster is Immaculée Ilibagiza . In 2010, I interviewed her for a retreat that she was holding in New Orleans. A year later, I won the Press Club of New Orleans Excellence in Broadcasting Award for the Best Radio Entertainment Feature. This interview is a throwback from my days as a contributor to "Sunday Journal with Hal Clark" on WYLD-FM in New Orleans. Abou...

"It's not about you. It's about what God does through you." Those are the words of Dr. Ansel Augustine , international speaker, author, and educator. Ministry is Ansel's life, and he joined "For Our Edification" to talk about how his dedication to faith has been an important part of his personal leadership. While he is well-known around his home city of New Orleans for his giving, Ansel also works...

Personal trainer Micah "Bravo" Matthews trains more than the body. He goes out of his way to train the mind and the spirit. Set to enjoy a lucrative engineering career, Bravo decided that he wanted more out of life than he felt a lot of his colleagues were getting. That's when he decided to invest in a healthy lifestyle. In an interview that originally ran in 2018 on the old "Eddie Francis Podcast...

At one point, Kimberly O'Neil was concerned that she would lose her voice, both figuratively and literally. Heavily committed to community work and education, Kim dedicates her life to empowering people to lift their voices to fortify the causes they care about. When her well-being was threatened by COVID-19 and workplace bullying, she realized that she had to take care of herself, too. Kim shares...

Let's call this a get-to-know-you episode. It was such a pleasure to have Dr. Froswa' Booker-Drew on to talk about her work and what she values most--relationships. A "network weaver," as she calls herself, Froswa' talks about her expertise in social capital, why she's concerned about the lack of connection among generations, how leadership is thwarted by impostor syndrome, and what she has learne...

Why not? It's a question that Austin Levy seems to ask whenever he has an idea for a venture. Recognized as one of Gambit's 2023 "40 Under 40," the New Orleans MC (known as A.Levy) has spent over two decades as a recording artist and businessman. We spent time talking about what it means to grow as an artist, his business ventures, and what he has learned about himself through it all. Connect with...

August is Black Philanthropy Month. It's a time that celebrates the legacy and traditions of giving throughout the African diaspora. One group that has uplifted Black philanthropy is HERitage Giving Fund. Based in Dallas, HERitage has awarded over $100,000 to Black women-led nonprofit organizations that serve Black women and girls throughout North Texas. Akilah Wallace  founded HERitage with Halim...

Announcing Edify Ventures, LLC , a brand strategy and experiences company! Find out why I started this thing, and learn more about Edify Ventures by going to https://edifyventuresnola.com . The views expressed on "For Our Edification" do not reflect the views of any entity with which the hosts or guests are affiliated. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscrib...

Yes, there is such a thing as followership, so I invited someone to talk about it in a very creative way. Sharna Fabiano is the 2023 chair of the International Leadership Association’s Followership Member Community and an internationally recognized tango artist. She’s also the host of a great podcast called “Lead & Follow” (linked below). Sharna cleverly uses dance as a metaphor for the leader-fol...

If anybody knows anything about overcoming obstacles, P.J. Dixon does. Here's someone who has lived a chunk of his life in a wheelchair, yet that hasn't stopped him from living life to the fullest as a wheelchair athlete, international traveler, 10th degree black belt, and a martial arts and women’s self-defense instructor. So, how has P.J. done it??? In this energized interview, we go in about ov...