The Giving Black Podcast

At Giving Black, we say that " philanthropy is the heartbeat of the world ". A conversation with Michelle Renée Jackson made me feel those words more deeply than ever. Michelle Renée Jackson is a frank, fearless, and deeply inspiring woman. She is the founder of Simuel + Murray . She is a filmmaker, artist, fundraiser, and host of the Black Philanthropy: Our Stories podcast. Throughout h...

This is an important conversation about the power of beloved community, as dreamt by Dr. Martin Luther King.  Dr. Ryan J. Smith, President & CEO of St. Joseph Center in Los Angeles, shares a deeply personal and transformative journey, from experiencing homelessness to becoming a leading voice in community-based care and philanthropy. A native Angeleno, Dr. Smith introduces the powerful idea of...

Season 2 Episode 2 of The Giving Black Podcast was entitled Angry Black Men . In this conversation Curtis Carmichael, author, educator, tech social entrepreneur, and community activist, and Joe Williams Managing Director of the Skills Trade Development Program at the Oaks Revitalization Association , plus yours truly spoke about the common stereotypes that we deal with.  We promised to return to a...

In this Episode of The Giving Black Podcast, you host Olumide Akerewusi explains how he entered into fundraising as a career and what he has learned about generosity along the way. This podcast is about the importance of using ones voice to speak out against injustice and overcoming hardship with a determination to do good. The podcast is also available on video: https://youtu.be/a-1T2IhsQ_U?si=Dh...

Hi Giving Black Family, We are glad to share another brilliant episode of The Giving Black Podcast, with Queen Jade, your Host of The Producers Series: Gleaux & Tell .  In this Episode, Queen Jade speaks with Michael Tennant , the founder of Curiosity Lab and creator of the card game Actually Curious™ and The Five Phases of Empathy™ , an award-winning brand strategist, he has worked with P&amp...

Hi Giving Black Family, We hope you enjoy this amazing episode of The Giving Black Podcast, with Queen Jade, your Host of The Producers Series: Gleaux & Tell .  In this episode, Queen Jade speaks with our friend and member of The Giving Black Family, Dorian Spears . Dorian appeared as a Spotlight Guest at The Giving Black Conference, 2024 where she spoke about the New Era of Black Philanthropy...

Giving Black Family, Thank you for listening to this episode of The Giving Black Podcast with Queen Jade, your Host of The Producers Series: Gleaux & Tell .  Queen Jade speaks with an inspiring Black social entrepreneur,  Jason Teeters . He's a visionary innovator, emergent strategist, and founder of Jet Set State (JSS) — a people-centered design company reimagining leadership for the mod...

Giving Black Family It's the time of year when I find myself listening more intently to my body and my mind. Both of which are telling me it is time to take a break.  It has been a long and arduous six months that I have devoted to producing Series Two of The Giving Black Podcast, planning and delivering The Giving Conferen ce, organizing The Giving Black Soirée, and researching and releasing...

Hey Giving Black Family Here is the closing interview of Series Two of The Giving Black Podcast.  This conversation is with Christal M. Cherry Founder of Board Pro a consulting firm that supports non-profit governance boards to adopt new skills and tools for non-profit leadership.  Christal is a nationally recognized nonprofit consultant, speaker, fellow co-author of Collecting Courage, and board...

Greetings, Giving Black Family, In this episode of The Giving Black Podcast , we return to our archives to share a previously unreleased conversation originally recorded for the Black Canadian Fundraisers Collective Capacity Building Academy . We bring it forward now to celebrate The Giving Black Conference 2025 , as we continue to spotlight the power and impact of Black philanthropy. This recordi...

Hello Giving Black Family,  Here is our final series of conversations to honour Black Philanthropy Month 2025 and celebrate our theme: Sankofa: Remember, Reclaim, Rise!  I sit down with my dear friend, Brother Christopher Beck, Associate Director of Individual and Planned Giving at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia—one of a few Black male fundraisers that I know, and a Member Spotlight of...

Hello Giving Black Family, In this episode of The Giving Black Podcast , we traveled—at least in spirit—to the home of the global philanthropic tradition of Sankofa: Ghana, West Africa. We knew we had to include a Ghanaian perspective in this series, and I was introduced to exactly the right person. As fortune would have it, a close brother of mine, while holidaying in Ghana, told me about an incr...

Hello Giving Black Family! When I learned about the work of Dr. Mojúbàolú Olúfúnké Okome —Professor of Political Science at Brooklyn College, New York, and Co-Founder of Black Philanthropy Month —I knew we had to speak! Dr. Okome, a fellow Nigerian, is both an academic and a powerful advocate for pan-Africanism. In this episode of The Giving Black Podcast , she and I explore the importance of a un...

Giving Black Family, here is another great conversation for you to listen to!  Nasra Ayub is a young activist, philanthropist, and human and civil rights campaigner. She works at the UK's Global Fund for Children , supporting the  Phoenix Way  initiative, which is a philanthropic fund for Black and racially diverse grassroots community organizations.   In this episode, Nasra speaks passionate...

Hello Giving Black Family!  Here's another episode of The Giving Black Podcast. Today we are joined by a friend to the podcast and my Sister-Friend, Nneka Allen, Activist, Mother, Stone Catcher, Freedom Fighter, Founder and CEO of The Empathy Agency   and Author of Collecting Courage . Together we continue in our celebrations of Black Philanthropy Month (August), in honour of our theme Sankof...

August 1, 2025 marks Emancipation Day and the beginning of Black Philanthropy Month.  We begin this important season with a special podcast series dedicated to pioneering people engaged in building on the rich culture and deep heritage of Black philanthropy. Our Sankofa Series pays deference to the Akan people of Ghana, West Africa, who encourage us to learn from the past to build a better future...

On this episode of The Giving Black Podcast , we explore a powerful topic that cuts to the core of identity, emotion, and stereotype. Inspired by Claudio E. Cabrera’s article for The Athletic , “ Draymond Green said what many Black people feel. But then he missed the point , ” we dig into the layered meaning behind the label of the “Angry Black Man.” The article reflects on NBA champion Draymond G...

"Good Morning, Good Afternoon and Good Evening Giving Black Family, Wherever In The World You Are." I have missed speaking those words!  In 2023 we produced 13 Episodes in Series One of The Giving Black Podcast. In 2024, we made one Special recording. Half way through 2025, I am sharing my first Giving Black podcast in almost a year! Sometimes our own thoughts play a role in inhibiting o...

Welcome Back, Giving Black Family!  In this special Emancipation Day and Black Philanthropy Month edition of The Giving Black Podcast, I interview my friend, brother and mentor, Ray Williams. I have known Ray for as long as I have lived in Canada (16 years).  We speak about the recipe for success of the Black Opportunity Fund (BOF), the organization that Ray co-founded and currently chairs.  BOF i...

Since we launched The Giving Black Podcast in August 2023, members of The Giving Black Family are accustomed to me sharing how each Episode is very special and a must-listen. I always give one reason or another for why you should listen. Most times I share how the podcast explains the varying ways that generosity is manifest in the global Black community. This Episode is our 12th and final recordi...

The Giving Black Conference , is scheduled for August 10, 2023, at 9:30am-11:30am (EST).  The theme of this year's conference is, Advancing Belonging. It's a subject that underpins Black philanthropy and affects those who seek to create social impact.      On this episode of The Giving Black Podcast, we introduce an open mic for the first time. I invite The Giving Black Virtual Conferenc...

In this episode of the Giving Black Podcast, we celebrate International Men's Health Week (June 12-18, 2023) and Father's Day (June 20th, 2023). Our guest, Owen Thomas, is Managing Director of Future Men ; a multi-award winning charity founded in 1988.  Future Men supports boys and men along the path to becoming dynamic future men, whilst addressing the stereotypes around masculinity and...

Dr. Keratiloe Mogotsi is Programme Director of Executive Education at Witwatersrand’s (Wits) Business School, Johannesburg. She is  also a lecturer on African Philanthropy at the University.  As a pracademic, researcher, Lean Six Sigma coach, project management professional (PMP), Dr. Mogotsi holds a Ph. D. in African Philanthropy.  Her research areas include disaster philanthropy, venture philant...

I love to meet people whose stories of philanthropy span the decades! Motunrayo Olaogun is one such person. Motunrayo works for the Christian Dior fashion label. She is a philanthropist, and was an  entrepreneur,  founding the Ayo Van Elmar . fashion  label which  is no longer operational. Gifted with incredible knowledge, Motunrayo was 10 years of age when she helped kids in her neighbourhood wit...

Welcome to Part 2 of Boards And Black Tokenism - What It Really Means To Belong . In Part 1 , our guests and I tell the jarring story of how we were recruited to a board as token Black members, and quickly discovered that as board members, we were not, and would never be, treated as equals. Here in Part 2 we specify the concrete actions that people and organisations should take to deal with, and a...