Flowers & Crowns

Ralph Johnson is the CEO of Breakthrough Public Schools. He formerly worked at McKinsey and Company, where he served as an Ombud for nine years, strengthening workplace culture and addressing issues impacting staff satisfaction. 

Ralph also beat prostate cancer three years ago, and discussed in the episode the importance of Black men taking care of their physical health and talking about their experiences. 

This episode feels like ministry, as Ralph shared his religious upbringing and how spiritual wellness helps to ground him in his purpose. The conversation also turned to the emotional toll that came wi...

Kandance Norris is the Executive Recruiter, Experienced Professionals for McKinsey & Company. She graduated from both Spelman College and Harvard Law and opened her own law firm.  

Kandance lives with a sporadic form of Cerebral cavernous malformations, and is bringing more awareness to CCM through her work with the Angioma Alliance, which helps break barriers and assist others impacted by CCM.

In this episode, we sat down with Kandance to discuss the realities of living with CCM, but the conversation blossomed into the important energy of collective care and asking the question: Who is caring for B...

Dr. Jessica Boyd is the President and CEO of Unity Health Care, the largest network of community health centers in Washington, D.C. and is a practicing pediatrician. She was also a former Senior Implementation Consultant at McKinsey and Company from 2015-2017.

Jessica aims to change the medical landscape by achieving health equity to medically underserved communities. The third generation to be involved in medicine, a desire to help others is deeply rooted in Jessica’s family history. 

In this episode, we talk to Jessica about the under-resourcing that marginalized people experience in health care, as...

Akili Hinson is the Founder and CEO at Juno Medical, which aims to build an inclusive healthcare system by including specialized services of pediatrics, gynecology, adult primary care, labs and imaging, and wellness services all in one place. He was also formerly in Healthcare Systems and Services at McKinsey and Company for five years. 

In this episode, Akili shared how he was inspired by the Black women who raised him to pursue a career in medicine. He took us through his journey navigating the health care system and the inequities he saw during his time as a m...

Previously named as one of “The Most Influential Black Women in Britain,” Dame Vivian Hunt has been recognized as a global thought leader on productivity and skills, leadership and DE&I. 

She is the Chief Innovation Officer for United Health Group and former Senior Partner for McKinsey and Company, and in 2018 she was appointed as “Dame Commander of the order of the British Empire for services to the economy and women.” 

In part two of our conversation with Dame Vivian, we talk about how she rised through the ranks at McKinsey and Company and her experience...

Previously named as one of “The Most Influential Black Women in Britain,” Dame Vivian Hunt has been recognized as a global thought leader on productivity and skills, leadership and DE&I. 

She is the Chief Innovation Officer for United Health Group and former Senior Partner for McKinsey and Company, and in 2018 she was appointed as “Dame Commander of the order of the British Empire for services to the economy and women.” 

While it’s easy to be swept up in Dame Vivian’s accolades, it’s important to remember that she is still human and her connection t...

Tamara N. Houston is the founder of heritage development enterprise ICON MANN, a published author, and an entertainment producer. She and her organization are committed to direct engagement and working across channels from boardrooms to studio campaigns to original productions to positively rewrite and reposition the narrative of black men.

But Tamara's love for the Black community and Black men is only part of what we explored during our conversation. We touch on everything from classic film, fashion, and the entertainment agency world to some of her early conversations with Hollywood stars like Idris Elba and Charles...

Misty Copeland is known around the world as an American Ballet Theatre (ABT) principal dancer, a distinction that she earned in June 2015. Her promotion made her the first African American woman ever to hold that position in ABT’s 75-year history.

Misty’s genius as an artist and dancer is deserving of accolades and appreciation. However, Misty’s humanity, generosity of spirit, and willingness to support others have led her to inspire so many of us.

This episode begins with Misty opening up about her childhood, her biracial identity, and her experiences with instability and homele...

As President and COO of Parkwood Entertainment, Steve Pamon played an integral role in developing and delivering Beyonce's Homecoming performance at Coachella 2018, one of the most significant cultural moments this generation has ever seen.

His creativity and leadership on that alone would be enough to warrant Steve receiving his flowers, but we get into so much more. It's Steve's character, intellect, and values that have allowed him to consistently set (and raise) the bar in business, sports, and entertainment.

In this episode, Steve takes Bryan on a journey through the Southside of Chicago, where family...

On February 1st, we're launching a podcast with good energy and high vibrations. On every episode, we'll lovingly give everyone from cultural icons to community leaders their flowers. 

In this trailer, get a taste of the people we'll honor and the stories they'll share in our pilot episodes.

Let's give thanks and flowers together 🌸.