Sundays With Verna

In this timely episode of  Sundays with Vernā , Jason G. Green joins the conversation to explore how one family's story can deepen our understanding of the American story. Inspired by his memoir, Too Precious to Lose , Green traces his family's roots through generations of Black life in rural Maryland, revealing a legacy of resilience, faith, and community that offers a richer understanding of our...

In part two of Vernā's conversation with Kevin Shird, the discussion turns to life after incarceration and the often-overlooked challenges of rebuilding a life once a prison sentence has ended. Drawing from personal experience and years of advocacy, Kevin shares what he has learned about post-incarceration syndrome, the psychological and emotional impact of long-term incarceration, and the barrier...

In this special in-studio episode of Sundays with Vernā , Vernā sits down with author, educator, and social justice advocate Kevin Shird for a deeply personal conversation about trauma, choice, incarceration, and transformation. Kevin shares his journey from growing up in poverty in Baltimore to becoming involved in the underground drug economy at a young age, a path that ultimately led to more th...

In this special mailbag episode of Sundays with Vernā , Vernā sits down with questions straight from her listeners, opening up a warm, honest conversation about transitions and transformations, the changes we plan for and the ones that catch us off guard. How to you not lose yourself during transition? What are the right conditions for transformation to happen? From career pivots and relationship...

In this thought-provoking episode of Sundays with Vernā, Susanne Goldstein joins the conversation to examine what shifts when women lead from a place of alignment, integrity, and true power.  Rooted in her work and the foundation of Lead Like a Woman, Goldstein introduces a new way of approaching leadership that moves beyond burnout, constant striving, and outdated frameworks that were never built...

Can DEI withstand the attack it's under? Imagine a future where inclusion not only survives but thrives, overcoming every obstacle and restoring balance to our workplaces. Vernā is joined for a very special episode by NY congressional candidate James Felton Keith (JFK), CEO of Inclusion Score . In this prerecorded conversation, they dive into why DEI is not going anywhere.  We explore the financia...

Think about the three people closest to you in your professional orbit.... If you were truly honest with yourself, how much do you  really trust them?  Trust is in short supply, and workplace silence is on the rise... a challenge that poses significant risks for organizations at a time when we need it the most. Vernā sits down with workplace culture luminary, Minda Harts, to explore the transforma...

What does it mean to truly belong, to feel seen, and to build a community where every thread of identity is honored? As a society, we often pride ourselves on progress, yet the persistent barriers to truly inclusive spaces reveal that we may be further behind in embracing equity and belonging than we'd like to admit.  Join Vernā Myers for an extraordinary conversation with Prasanna (Pras) Ranganat...

In this powerful episode of Sundays with Vernā, rising political star Deja Foxx shares her remarkable journey from a challenging childhood marked by homelessness and a single mother's struggle with addiction to launching a groundbreaking congressional campaign to become the youngest woman in Congress.   At just 25 years old, Foxx is running to be the first Gen Z woman elected to Congress in Arizon...

In this powerful episode of Sundays with Vernā, New York Times bestselling author Charles Duhigg reveals the hidden dynamics that can make or break workplace communication. Drawing from his latest book "Super Communicators," Duhigg unpacks the critical skills leaders and employees need to break through organizational silence and create meaningful dialogue.  Discover how workplace conversations are...

HBCUs receive just $1 for every $100 in endowment funds that predominantly white institutions enjoy. Now, under increased budget cuts, legislative challenges, and attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, their survival is being tested more than ever. Join us for a compelling conversation with Morehouse College President David A. Thomas as he shares with Vernā a powerful blueprint for defending...

In this episode of  Sundays with Vernā , we celebrate Women's History Month with an uplifting and insightful conversation with tech trailblazer and business powerhouse Shelmina Abji. Shelmina is the CEO of Show Your Worth. AI and the author of  Show Your Worth: Eight Intentional Strategies for Women to Emerge as Leaders at Work . Shelmina shares her inspiring journey from humble beginnings in Tanz...

This week on Sundays with Vernā, Vernā sits down with Mahlet Getachew, Managing Director of Corporate Racial Equity at PolicyLink, for a robust conversation about redefining leadership in corporate America. Mahlet shares her inspiring journey from corporate law to becoming a passionate advocate for equity, shaped by her experiences as a first-generation immigrant from Ethiopia.  Together, they dis...

This episode features an in-depth conversation with Patrice Gordon, a multi-award-winning professional with extensive leadership experience at British Airways, Royal Mail, and Virgin Atlantic. Her pioneering work in reverse mentoring, including her role as a reverse mentor to Virgin Atlantic's CEO, Craig Krieger, has transformed organizations worldwide. Vernā and Patrice discuss the origins of her...

Join Sundays with Vernā for an inspiring conversation with Ginny Clarke, a former Google executive and renowned leadership expert. Ginny's extraordinary career, which has spanned multiple disciplines and sectors, has paved the way for her to guide top executives at global powerhouses. Through her visionary "Five Dimensional Leadership" model, she continues to challenge leaders to rethink tradition...

In this special conversation, Vernā interviews former mentee, Brenda Rodriguez, CEO of Lynn Community Health Center in Massachusetts. Brenda shares her journey from overcoming challenges like pre-teen pregnancy and homelessness to becoming a passionate healthcare leader. She reflects on the vital role of community health centers in delivering inclusive, comprehensive care.  Together with Verna, wh...

Join us in this episode with Rodney Bolden, the Executive Director of Industry Engagement and Learning at Morgan Stanley at Work, as we explore the impact of equitable workplace benefits and the data-driven strategies behind creating inclusive benefit packages. Rodney offers invaluable advice on financial planning, breaking down the formula to reach your financial goals. He and Vernā reflect on th...

Join us for an inspiring episode of "Sundays With Verna" featuring the phenomenal Carla Harris, a Wall Street veteran with over 35 years of experience. As a Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley, Carla offers extraordinary insights on achieving success in every aspect of life. In this episode, Verna and Carla delve into the art of winning conversations and leading across generations, sharing str...

In the latest episode of "Sundays With Verna," host Verna sits down with Michael Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work, for a riveting discussion on redefining modern corporate culture. Great Place to Work is a pioneering research and analytics firm that assesses employee satisfaction globally. Known as "the global authority on workplace culture," they survey over 20 million employees at 25,000+ busine...

This month on Sundays With Vernā, Vernā sits down with Brenda Darden Wilkerson, the president and CEO of AnitaB.org, an organization that advocates for gender equality in technology. Wilkerson shares her professional journey, from studying pre-med to discovering her passion for computer science and facing barriers as a Black woman in the tech industry. She discusses her work in creating the 'Compu...

In this episode of "Sundays with Vernā," Thomas Vozzo, the CEO of Homeboy Industries, a gang rehabilitation and re-entry organization, and Vernā have a conversation about Homeboy's history, methodology, and mission, the business benefits of  DEI, the possible positive impact the corporate sector could have on our society, the role of faith and spirituality in his leadership, and Homeboy's response...

In this thought-provoking episode, Vernā engages with the talented Emmy-nominated storyteller Baratunde Thurston in a wide-ranging discussion covering community, unlikely allies, intergenerational lessons, and dispelling myths related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Baratunde discusses how different and seemingly unrelated peoples connection with nature has impacted his perspective of i...

In this episode of "Sundays with Vernā," Anu Gupta, CEO of BE MORE with Anu and author of Breaking Bias (to be released in September 2024), joins Vernā as the latest guest. Together, they discuss the integration of mindfulness, science, and spiritualism in their work. He explains the journey that led to him receiving a foreword from the Dalai Lama. Anu also shares insights into the scientific tool...

On this Episode of Sundays With Vernā, Verna and her guest, Dr. Jenn M. Jackson, delve into Jackson's new book Black Women Taught Us: An Intimate History of Black Feminism, her personal journey into Black Feminism, and the stories of influential Black feminist figures featured in the book. In this discussion, Jackson pays homage to Black feminist foremothers such as Toni Morrison, Ida B. Wells, an...

In this episode of Sundays with Vernā, we are featuring a powerful conversation with Robert P. Jones, author of The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy: And the Path to a Shared American Future. The research on which Robert's latest book is based delves deeply into the painful truth of our nation's historic violence against Indigenous people and those of African descent. By having difficult conversati...