Episodes
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This week we’re welcoming licensed certified public accountant (CPA), business coach and growth strategist, Deanna Brooks.
Deanna gives us a glimpse into her own career journey from Big 4 accountant to business coach, now using her skillset to support small businesses in establishing a strong financial foundation to become scalable and profitable.
We discuss what to look for in a business coach, what to avoid, and at what point in your entrepreneurial journey should you be working with a business coach. Deanna also debunks some of the biggest social media myths about growing and scaling a business, while also offering her take on the power of leveraging community and resources as an entrepreneur, and the invaluable lessons learned from taking the slow and steady path.
To work with and learn more about Deanna Brooks:
Follow Deanna Brooks (@deannabthecpa) on Instagram Sign Up for her upcoming free training - Plugging the Profit Leaks: Financial Mastery for Multi-Million Dollar E-Commerce BrandsKeep the conversation going with us:
Follow us on Instagram Learn more about Black Women Talk Work Tell us resonated with you the most from this week's episode! -
This week, we’re welcoming Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, Licensed Psychologist and Host of the award-winning mental health podcast, Therapy for Black Girls.
We’re discussing workplace trauma, self-care, and what these can look like for Black women in today’s work environment, as well as who you need in your personal tribe when trying to stay mentally healthy while navigating your career. As she reflects on a decade of Therapy for Black Girls, Dr. Joy also shares what she hopes Black women and girls will continue to takeaway from the platform over the next decade.
To learn more about Dr. Joy and Therapy for Black Girls:
Follow Dr. Joy and Therapy for Black Girls on Instagram Listen to the latest episode of the Therapy for Black Girls podcast Read Dr. Joy’s first book, Sisterhood HealsKeep the conversation going with us:
Follow us on Instagram Learn more about Black Women Talk Work Tell us resonated with you the most from this week's episode! -
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Myriha is joined in conversation by Monique Matthews, co-writer and director of the feature length documentary, "Birthing Justice." This film explores the role of racism and inequities within our healthcare system that endanger Black women during this particularly critical moment in our lives. The film also tells the stories and highlights the voices of the people and the organizations that are fighting for systemic change to ensure the best birthing practices for all women at hospitals across the country.
Listen as they discuss the power of celebrating the joy in the Black birthing experience on the journey to justice, and much more.
To learn more about Monique Matthews:
Website: moniquenmatthews.me Instagram: @moniquenmatthews Monique's book pick: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale HurstonTo view Birthing Justice:
To schedule a screening of the film Birthing Justice, head over to birthingjustice.com to connect with the team. The film is also available right now on PBS: https://www.pbs.org/show/birthing-justice/Keep the conversation going with Black Women Talk Work:
Website: blackwomentalkwork.com Instagram: @blackwomentalkwork Facebook: Black Women Talk Work -
Myriha is joined in conversation by writer, activist, feminist and author, Rebecca Walker. Listen as they discuss Rebecca’s latest book, WOMEN TALK MONEY: Breaking the Taboo, a beautiful and incredibly insightful collection of 29 essays by women writers, activists and more, each offering a very transparent look into their personal relationship with money, and its inevitable impact on other aspects of their lives and identity as a woman.
Rebecca also dives into her own belief systems around money and how they evolved over the years growing up as the daughter of novelist, poet and activist Alice Walker. Ultimately, through WOMEN TALK MONEY, Rebecca is offering women a safe and nonjudgmental calling to embrace their own money story, the good and the bad, and use it to build an abundant and financially strong future.
To learn more about Rebecca Walker:
website: rebeccawalker.com Instagram: @iamrebeccawalker
Keep the conversation going with Black Women Talk Work:
website: blackwomentalkwork.com Instagram: @blackwomentalkwork Facebook: Black Women Talk Work
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Myriha is joined in conversation by Jayne Allen, Harvard-trained attorney and engineer, and author of the Black Girls Must Die Exhausted novel trilogy. Listen as they discuss Jayne’s journey to published author, the makings of her novel protagonist Tabitha Walker, and what she hopes Black women will take away from this trilogy that has been embraced by women all over the world.
To learn more about Jayne Allen:
website: jayneallen.com Instagram: @jayneallenwrites Jayne’s Book Genius Book Marketing and Publishing CourseJayne's book pick: The Creation Frequency
Keep the conversation going with Black Women Talk Work:
website: blackwomentalkwork.com Instagram: @blackwomentalkwork Facebook: Black Women Talk Work -
Today’s episode features T.V. writer, producer and award-winning filmmaker, Felicia Pride. Felicia has written on Ava DuVernay’s “Queen Sugar,” and is currently a producer on “Grey’s Anatomy” in addition to developing shows with FX and Netflix. In 2020, Felicia’s film Really Love, for which she is the writer and executive producer, debuted on Netflix, becoming a Top Ten Movie on the platform and quickly cementing its place among the classics, depicting the expansiveness of Black love through romance, friendship, art and much more. Through her production company, Honey Chile, Felicia is committed to producing cultural content centering the full lives of Black women over the age of 40. Listen as Felicia takes us through her journey from writer to screen writer and filmmaker, including how a seven year hiatus from her craft ultimately led her to embracing the gift, commitment and purpose of being a storyteller. To learn more about Felicia's work and her production company visit: feliciapride.com and honey-chile.com Keep up with Black Women Talk Work: Website Instagram Facebook
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This week’s episode features Renée Watson, #1 New York Times Bestselling author, educator, and community activist. With a focus on Black youth and particularly Black girls, Renée’s poetry and fiction explores themes of home, identity, and the intersections of race, class, and gender. Her children’s books and novels for teens have received international recognition and awards, including the Coretta Scott King Award and the Newbery Honor. Renée most recently co-authored the children’s adaptation of Nikole Hannah-Jones’ Pulitzer Prize-winning 1619 Project, titled The 1619 Project: Born on the Water. Listen as we discuss Renée’s journey to becoming a writer, including how a school assignment led to her first published novel portraying the experiences of Black youth during Hurricane Katrina, and how her upcoming book, Maya’s Song, was an opportunity to honor one of the biggest influences on her career, Maya Angelou. We also discuss the importance of Black writers staying true to their vision and continuing to tell our stories, even amid legislation and national movements that seek to limit their ability to do so. To learn more about Renée’s work visit: www.reneewatson.net Keep up with Black Women Talk Work: Website Instagram Facebook
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Today’s episode features Natalie and Derrica Wilson, founders of the Black and Missing Foundation.
Natalie and Derrica’s work championing the voices of the Black and missing and their families was recently highlighted in a four-part HBO Max documentary series by Emmy-Award Winning Geeta Gandbhir and award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien. Listen as we discuss the critical roles of law enforcement, media and community in bringing awareness and resolution to the cases of missing Black people, as well as how Natalie and Derrica utilize their expertise in these areas to mobilize and provide support to families through the foundation. We also discuss the power and necessity of being willing to be the individual fire starter for change in our communities and how you can support the work of the Black and Missing Foundation. Flyers of Current BAMFI Cases: Tiffany Foster Marvin Lloyd II Zion Foster Eodis Harris III Sherrian Howe Paris Williamson Click here to make an online donation to the Black and Missing Foundation. Additional show notes at blackwomentalkwork.com -
This week’s episode features Oludara Adeeyo, former editor at Cosmopolitan and XXL, current psychiatric social worker and author of the new book, Self-Care for Black Women: 150 Ways to Radically Accept and Prioritize Your Mind, Body and Soul. Oludara made the decision to embark on her own radical self-care journey after walking away from the media industry due to burnout and workplace racial trauma. After embracing a new career path that better aligned with the life path that she wanted, she found her way back to writing to author this self-described "love letter to Black women everywhere.” Listen as we discuss Oludara’s personal experience and learnings while writing her debut book, generational shifts in self-care for Black women and how that is reflected in how we are showing up in the workplace, and how putting her happiness first led her to the beautiful next phase of her career journey.
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This week’s episode features Latoya Drake, Head of Media Representation at Google. Latoya landed in the world of media after pivoting from her path to law school and quickly finding herself immersed in the world of messaging, soundbites and ultimately becoming the voice and face for global corporations. Inspired by the quote, “I am a voice in this world and I deserve to be heard” from 90s tv show “A Different World,” Latoya has built a career elevating underrepresented voices and creating a more inclusive and equitable media ecosystem. Listen as we discuss how Latoya identified the need for her current role at Google amid the challenging social and media landscape of 2020, her take on higher education addressing DEI and the importance of a multicultural lens in the media industry as a former Adjunct Instructor at NYU, and why she advises Black women to chase the role not the company.
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This week’s episode features Dwana Smallwood, International Dance Icon and Founder and Executive Director of the Dwana Smallwood Performing Arts Center in Brooklyn, New York. Dwana spent more than a decade as the Principal Dancer of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and founded the dance program for the prestigious Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. Listen as we discuss her journey into the world of dance at the professional level, her perspective on race, diversity and inclusion in the dance and entertainment industry as a whole, the importance of the arts and artistic expression in the development of young Black girls, and her commitment to bringing dance back to her community in Brooklyn amid the pandemic.
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This week’s episode features Dorianne St Fleur, career and leadership coach, founder of Your Career Girl, a digital career and leadership platform for women of color, and author of her newly released book, Deeper Than Work. Dorianne spent more than 15 years in corporate as an HR and DEI Leader, working for global companies like Goldman Sacks, AT&T, and most recently, Google. Amid the pandemic, Dorianne made the decision to walk away from corporate and dedicate this next phase of her career to scaling Your Career Girl and helping other women design the career of their dreams. Listen as we discuss the experiences throughout Dorianne’s corporate HR career that shed light on the need for a platform like Your Career Girl, the ups and downs of transitioning full-time into entrepreneurship, and the actionable strategies and insights for working women of color offered in her new book, Deeper Than Work.
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This week’s episode features Les Alfred, founder and host of Balanced Black Girl, the top-rated health podcast and digital platform connecting Black women to Black women health and self-improvement experts. After entering the workforce full-time after college, Les began to notice the impact of a more sedentary lifestyle on her physical health and fitness, which led her to prioritizing wellness within her own life and planting the seeds to how she could help other Black women do the same.
Listen as we discuss what building the Balanced Black Girl brand has taught Les about her own relationship with health and wellness, how leaving behind the overachiever mindset has been critical to scaling her business while working a full-time job, and the importance of detaching from mainstream definitions of self-care and curating a self-care routine that is personal to one’s own physical and mental health needs.
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This week’s episode features Zakiya Dalila Harris, author of the New York Times Bestseller, that is also being adopted into an upcoming Hulu series, “The Other Black Girl.”
Listen as we discuss Zakiya's journey to writing her first novel, including how her own experiences in the workplace influenced the story and character development, the masterful genre-bending that she executes throughout the novel, and ultimately what she hopes readers takeaway about racism, privilege, diversity, predominately white work spaces, and the Black women who navigate these dynamics everyday.
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Host Myriha Burce recently had the pleasure to interview Actress Sherri Saum for 826CHI’s annual fundraiser. With a career spanning 20 years in the entertainment industry, notably starring in the groundbreaking Freeform T.V. show, The Fosters, Sherri has grounded her career in her passion for creative and inclusive storytelling. Listen as we discuss her development as an actress on her path to Hollywood, how her identity as a Black woman impacts her art and ability to embody a given role, her experience telling the story of Lena Adams on The Fosters, and much more. For those of you not familiar with the organization, 826CHI is a non-profit creative writing, tutoring, and publishing center dedicated to amplifying the voices of Chicago youth. The organization’s annual a literary festival called Prologue, happened earlier this spring, with multiple sessions featuring authors, artists, performers and influencers and of course, the 826CHI students. Head over to 826CHI.org to learn more and get involved.
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This week’s episode features Dr. Akua Boateng, Licensed Psychotherapist and Mental Health Consultant. Before Mental Health Awareness month wrapped up, Dr. Akua was gracious enough to speak with us about all things mental health, but particularly dealing with anxiety as the world opens. Listen as we discuss addressing social anxiety as the summer kicks off and how to mentally and emotionally cope if you must report back to an office setting soon. We also reflect on the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, with Dr. Akua offering some great insight into the long-term mental health effects of racial trauma, embracing healing in our communities and the importance of humanizing our own bodies while living in a system that does not.
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This week’s episode features Lisa Ellis, Entertainment Executive and Founder of Provenance Ventures, an integrated multimedia production and entertainment company that creates, develops, and produces content that champions untold stories from underrepresented voices. A University of Maryland and Harvard Business School Graduate, Lisa has formerly held titles that include President and General Group Manager of Sony Urban Music, Executive Vice President of Sony Music Label Group and most recently, Global Head of Music at SoundCloud. She has worked with some of the biggest names in music including, John Legend, Maxwell, Nas, The Fugees, Mariah Carey, Destiney’s Child and the list goes on. Lisa was also ranked #3 in Billboard magazine’s “Most Influential Women in Music 2006, 2007, and 2009, as well as ranked #50 in Fast Company Magazine’s “100 Most Creative People in Business” in 2011 and 2012. With more than 25 years in the music industry under her belt, she made the decision to pivot into film, founding Provenance Ventures, combining her business acumen, previous experience working on soundtracks for box office breaking films, and innate passion for amplifying the untold stories of the Black community and our history. Listen as we discuss the challenges Lisa faced early in her career as a Black woman promoting pop and rock music and later overseeing the urban music genre, how she preserved and landed countless chart topping, grammy nominated artists and what drove her pivot from music to film. She also gives us a deep dive into two incredible film projects that she is executive producing, the first Never Caught, which will be the film adaptation of the 2017 book, "Never Caught: The Washingtons Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge" by Erica Armstrong Dunbar, and an upcoming HBO Limited Series titled, "Say Their Names," which will examine the Grim Sleeper murders, occurring over a 30-year period in which Black girls and women were killed in a wave of unsolved murders in South Los Angeles.
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Today’s episode features Sherhara Downing, Public Speaking Coach, Executive Trainer and Founder of Level Comm, a communications agency that teaches customized communication practices and strategies that educate and empower employees to improve performance and productivity. With a B.A. in Journalism and a M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications, Sherhara chose the path less traveled in the communications field after realizing that her innate talent for public speaking, as displayed in her work as an engaging MC and event host, was in high demand, particularly for those navigating the corporate world. She made the decision to turn her talent into a teachable skill, and thus began her career journey as a public speaking coach and trainer, working with corporations, executives and individuals on communication and interpersonal skills in the workplace. Since launching Level Comm in 2014, Sherhara has also expanded her offering to specializing in teaching women entrepreneurs to concisely speak with confidence, charisma and credibility. Listen as we discuss Sherhara’s perspective on the specific communication challenges that Black women often encounter in the workplace, how to find the balance between showing personality and maintaining your power, the pros and cons of code switching, and her top tips and practices for developing strong public speaking skills, whether you're in corporate or being the voice for your own business.
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Today’s episode features Dr. Kristian Edwards, Professor of Public Health and Founder of BLK+GRN, an all-natural marketplace by all Black artisans.
With a B.A. in the History of Science and History of Medicine from Yale University, a MPH from Yale University School of Medicine, and a Doctorate in Healthcare Management and Leadership from John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Dr. Kristian has dedicated her career to providing knowledge, tools and resources to highlight health disparities in the Black community and help Black men and women lead healthier lives.
After discovering a sobering stat that 75% of the products marketed to Black women are formulated with ingredients that are considered toxic and linked to cancer, hormone disruption and reproductive damage, Dr. Kristian made it her mission to make all natural products easily accessible to the Black community, while also providing an online retail space for Black women artisans. In 2017 she founded, BLK+GRN, a marketplace connects Black people with natural lifestyles to high-quality, toxic-free brands that share in the mission of health, wellness and community cultivation.
Listen as we discuss how Dr. Kristian’s background in public health has influenced her journey to entrepreneurship and creating BLK+GRN, supporting Black-owned brands and the power of Black consumers, and how when leading your career with purpose at the helm, money and success will naturally follow. Dr. Kristian also sheds lights on how yoga, therapy and her loving family aided her road to recovery after a devastating car accident in July of 2019.
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Today’s episode features Christine Michel Carter, multicultural marketer and Forbes contributor who has been deemed the “Voice of Millennial Moms.” A best-selling author of two books, “Mom AF” and “Can Mommy Go To Work?” Christine has built a career grounded in advocating for working mothers and has doubled down on her mission amid a pandemic that has placed an unprecedented amount of new challenges on working moms and driven millions of women from the workforce. Listen as we discuss the pivotal event early in Christine’s career that drove her to become an advocate for working moms, her predictions on the impact of the loss of millions of women in the workforce due to COVID and the future of work, the specific challenges that Black working moms are facing right now, and how she balances working from home with her children, never-ending mommy guilt and taking care of herself.
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