TonyTidbit: A Black Executive Perspective

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/will-ai-erase-black-history-or-empower-it

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Artificial intelligence is transforming the world at breakneck speed.

But one critical question remains largely unanswered.

Who is shaping the future of AI, and who might be erased from it?

In this powerful episode of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, Tony Franklin and Chris P. Reed sit down with Roy Austin Jr., Director of the Howard Law AI Initiative and former Deputy Assistant to President Obama, live from the HBCU AI Conference at...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/did-america-just-bite-the-hand-that-feeds-it

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Today, Dr. Nsenga Burton, cultural critic and communications strategist, breaks down a high-stakes leadership failure unfolding in real time, the consequences of ego, poor decision-making, and fractured global relationships.

In this episode of Need to Know, we explore how “biting the hand that feeds you” applies to leadership, diplomacy, and power. From strained alliances to economic ripple effects, this conversation highlights what happens when strategy is replaced with impulse.

This is not just about politics. This...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/will-ai-make-inequality-worse

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Artificial intelligence is often described as the most powerful technology of our lifetime.

But what happens when AI learns from a world already filled with inequality?

In this thought-provoking episode of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, Tony Franklin and Chris P. Reed sit down with Chris Hyams, former CEO of Indeed and visiting lecturer at Huston Tillotson University, live from the HBCU AI Conference in Austin, Texas.

Chris Hyams shares powerful insights on...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/how-black-women-changed-the-game-in-rodeo

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Today, Valeria Howard Cunningham, President and Owner of the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo, joins A Black Executive Perspective for a powerful conversation on Black leadership, Black history, women in business, cultural preservation, and the legacy of Black cowboys and cowgirls.

This episode explores how Valeria helped carry forward and expand one of the most important Black cultural institutions in the country. From sponsorship struggles and racial barriers to youth development, scholarships, wellness advocacy, and national visibility, this...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/-bafta-controversy-did-the-response-make-it-worse-

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In this episode of Need to Know, Dr. Nsenga Burton examines the controversy surrounding the BAFTA awards incident and why the real issue may not be the moment itself, but the response that followed.

When unexpected or harmful moments occur in public spaces, institutions have a responsibility to respond with clarity, accountability, and empathy. Dr. Burton breaks down how BAFTA handled the situation involving comments made during the ceremony and why their response raised deeper concerns about...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/black-maternal-health-crisis-

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In this powerful episode of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed sit down with Da'na M. Langford, Certified Nurse Midwife and Founder of the Village of Healing Center, to explore the Black maternal health crisis and the deeper systemic challenges affecting healthcare outcomes for Black families.

Black women in the United States face significantly higher risks during pregnancy and childbirth. But the story behind these disparities is rarely explained in full.

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/victim-mentality-or-truth-telling-

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Today, Tony Franklin and Chris P. Reed, hosts of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, dive into one of the most controversial phrases dominating modern cultural and political conversations: “victim mentality.”

Across media, politics, and social platforms, the phrase is frequently used when discussions about systemic racism, structural inequality, and historical injustice arise. But is acknowledging real barriers the same thing as surrendering personal responsibility?

In this powerful BEP Live conversation, Tony and Chris examine the diff...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/when-staying-informed-hurts-your-mental-health-

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In this episode of Need to Know, Dr. Nsenga Burton addresses an important reality of modern life: the emotional toll of the nonstop news cycle and political climate.

Following the national conversation surrounding the State of the Union address, many people debated whether to watch, stay informed, or step away entirely. Dr. Burton explores the pressure people feel to constantly consume political news and why, sometimes, the healthiest decision is to take a step back.

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/why-black-women-build-ladders-when-traditional-pathways-wont-

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In this powerful audio episode of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed sit down with Felicia Smith, Founder and Chair of The Climb, to unpack what it really means to navigate corporate systems that were never designed for you.

From being overlooked for promotion to discovering the political and strategic realities of executive leadership, Felicia breaks down the invisible tax Black women carry in corporate America and why working hard is not...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/bafta-scandal-was-he-thinking-the-n-word-

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Today, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed break down the BAFTA controversy involving an individual with Tourette's syndrome whose verbal tic included the N-word during a live broadcast in front of Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo. The question is not just about intent. It is about impact, accountability, and institutional response.

Was the harm unintentional? Possibly.

Was the response sufficient? That is the real debate.

Then, the conversation shifts to the U...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/who-will-carry-the-torch-after-jesse-jackson-

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Today, Dr. Nsenga Burton reflects on the passing of civil rights icon Jesse Jackson and delivers an urgent message about leadership, legacy, and cultural responsibility.

Our lions are leaving.

In this focused 7-minute Need to Know segment, Dr. Burton examines what Reverend Jesse Jackson meant not only to the Black community, but to the world. She challenges us to think critically about how we preserve history, how we use media responsibly, and why media literacy...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/Will AI Close the Leadership Gap for Black Executives?

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In this Audio episode of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed sit down with MIT engineer, entrepreneur, and former Bridgewater and Citadel executive Ted Yang to explore how Artificial Intelligence is transforming executive leadership, career longevity, and performance in corporate America.

For decades, professional growth followed a predictable arc. You rise. You plateau. You decline.

Ted challenges that model.

Drawing...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/is-black-history-month-still-necessary-in-2026-

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In this BEP Live audio episode, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed examine a question that sits at the center of culture, leadership, and American identity:

Is Black History Month still necessary?

Originally launched in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson as Negro History Week and later expanded under Gerald Ford, Black History Month was created to address the exclusion of Black contributions from mainstream education.

But in 2026, something feels different.

With...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/why-did-kid-rock-blame-jay-z-

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In this audio episode of Need to Know, Dr. Nsenga Burton unpacks the controversy surrounding the Super Bowl halftime show, Kid Rock’s alternative performance, and the claim that Jay-Z is a “DEI hire.”

This is not just pop culture commentary. It is a sharp analysis of leadership accountability, race politics, media influence, corporate power, and the weaponization of DEI in today’s cultural climate.

Dr. Burton explores what happens when performance fails but blame gets red...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/The “Supermom” Lie: Why High-Achieving Women are Burning Out?

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In this episode of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed sit down with Raquel Cadourcy, Founder & CEO of AI Moms and former Chief Marketing Officer, to expose the hidden crisis impacting working mothers across corporate America.

The “Supermom” expectation is not empowerment. It is cognitive overload.

Millions of high-performing women are carrying two full-time jobs: executive leader at work and Chief Everything Officer...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/why-bad-bunny-triggered-backlash-and-the-obama-video-didnt

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In this episode of A Black Executive Perspective podcast, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed analyze the backlash to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance and contrast it with the muted reaction to a racially dehumanizing video targeting Barack and Michelle Obama.

What appears to be two separate controversies is actually one larger conversation about race, cultural power shifts, media hypocrisy, and leadership accountability.

This discussion explores why minority visibility triggers fear, how dehumanization becomes no...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/what-is-corporate-america-really-costing-black-men

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In this episode of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, Tony Tidbit sits down with Justin Grant, author of Company Men: A Wellness Guide for Black Men in Corporate America, for a powerful conversation about the hidden costs of success, leadership pressure, and long-term sustainability for Black men navigating corporate America.

Justin shares why Black men experience increased anxiety, depression, and health risks as they climb professionally, a trend that research shows does not exist for other demographic...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/Is Black America Broken? Power, Policy, and Moral Narratives

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Hello and welcome to TonyTidbit: A Black Executive Perspective ! Today, we're discussing .🎙️

Today on A Black Executive Perspective, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed confront a narrative that refuses to die, the claim that Black America is broken due to moral failure. Sparked by a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, this episode goes deeper than surface-level talking points and challenges viewers to examine accountability, policy, power, and perception simultaneously.

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/media-literacy-vs-propaganda-how-power-rewrites-the-truth-in-real-time

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In this episode of Need to Know with Dr. Nsenga Burton, part of A Black Executive Perspective, Dr. Burton delivers a direct and unfiltered examination of why media literacy is essential in an era defined by propaganda, narrative control, and unchecked power.

As political authority, media systems, and culture collide, false narratives are increasingly presented as fact without investigation, accountability, or evidence. This episode explores how propaganda operates, how media manipulation reshapes public understanding, and why the...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/global-leadership-without-losing-yourself-culture-identity-and-power

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In this episode of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed explore what it truly takes to lead across cultures without losing your identity. Joined by cross-cultural leadership coach Sandra Bonifacio, the conversation examines global leadership, cultural intelligence, identity, belonging, and the emotional realities of working across borders.

Drawing from lived experiences across Latin America, Europe, and the United States, this episode breaks down why some global leaders succeed while others struggle, how...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/shot-on-camera-when-federal-power-rewrites-the-truth

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In this episode of A Black Executive Perspective podcast, Tony Tidbit leads an urgent, fact-based discussion following the killing of Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen, registered nurse, and legal gun owner, during a federal ICE operation in Minneapolis.

Joined by criminal defense attorney Keith B. Johnson and educator Mark Jamison, the conversation examines what video evidence shows, why official narratives matter, how constitutional rights apply during moments of state power, and why silence in the face...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/when-the-government-lies-and-the-cameras-dont

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In this episode, Dr. Nsenga Burton examines gaslighting as a deliberate strategy of institutional power, not confusion or miscommunication. She breaks down how official narratives are constructed to override lived experience, even when video footage, eyewitness accounts, and citizen journalism clearly document what occurred.

Using events in Minneapolis as context, this conversation explores how authorities reframe and minimize protest, First Amendment rights, press freedom, and public assembly to protect systems of power. Dr. Burton explains why recording...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/two-cultures-one-career-the-immigrant-credibility-playbook

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Where does credibility come from when you are building your life in a country that did not grow you, and you are forced to prove yourself before you are even heard?

In this episode of A Black Executive Perspective, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed sit down with Aman Thakral, Business Head at Target Integration, for a systems-focused conversation about identity, power, and the unspoken rules of corporate America for immigrants. Aman breaks down culture shock, relationship-driven...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/civil-rights-rewritten-how-power-turns-equality-into-white-grievance

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Leave a review and tell us this: where do you see narrative inversion showing up right now, at work, in media, or in politics?

In this BEP Live episode, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed do not argue headlines. They interrogate the mechanism underneath them. How civil rights protections get memory holed, then repackaged as “reverse discrimination,” and how that reframing turns equality into a grievance machine.

The conversation opens in the shadow of Dr. Mart...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/america-without-guardrails-how-chaos-became-the-strategy

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Where are the guardrails, and what happens when the institutions designed to protect democracy decide silence is safer?

In this episode of Need to Know, Dr. Nsenga Burton delivers a systems-focused briefing on narrative manipulation, institutional silence, and the collapse of accountability. On the January 6 anniversary, she confronts the reframing of an insurrection as a “peaceful protest” and explains why historical revisionism is not a side effect; it is a strategy.

Dr. Burton connects today’s inst...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/what-if-prison-actually-worked-a-sheriff-rewrites-the-rules-of-corrections

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What if the real measure of public safety is not harsher punishment, but better outcomes, lower recidivism, and a corrections system built on dignity, accountability, and results?

In this episode of A Black Executive Perspective, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed sit down with Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian to examine a research-driven approach to corrections that challenges the default “lock them up” mindset. Sheriff K explains how treating incarcerated people as human beings transforms behavior inside faci...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/ice-and-the-killing-that-shook-minneapolis

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In this episode of BEP Live from A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed confront the fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis that took the life of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three.

The conversation goes beyond headlines to examine federal power, lack of transparency, and the growing distrust between communities and institutions meant to protect them. Tony and Chris break down what we know, what doesn’t add up, and why ac...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/This Flu Season Is Different—and It’s Already Deadly

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In this episode of Need To Know, Dr. Nsenga Burton sounds the alarm on a severe and deadly flu strain spreading across the country. She explains why this season is different, outlines critical prevention steps like vaccination, masking, and knowing when to seek medical care, and calls out the lack of clear public health communication. Dr. Burton also stresses our responsibility to protect children, older adults, and other vulnerable communities. This...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/stop-surviving-start-leading-with-joy

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Today, on A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, hosts Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed sit down with Sheryl Raphael Whitaker, founder and CEO of Eden Anthony Elite Talent Solutions and author of It Starts with Joy. In this powerful conversation, Sheryl pulls back the curtain on the hidden toll of leadership, toxic work environments, emotional labor, and the quiet pressure to be perfect at all costs.

After nearly being broken by a toxic leader, Sheryl chose a...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/2025-was-not-progress-it-was-a-rollback

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In this episode of BEP Live, hosts Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed take a hard look at 2025, a year defined not by forward movement, but by coordinated rollback. Across corporate America, media, and government, diversity initiatives were dismantled, protections were stripped away, and policies once thought settled quietly returned under new language.

Tony and Chris unpack the erosion of DEI, the implications of legislation like the Heartbeat Law for women’s autonomy, and the growing reality of...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/why-2026-is-a-life-or-death-year-for-black-women

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In this episode of Need to Know, Dr. Nsenga Burton confronts the urgent realities Black women face as we head into 2026. Using the story of Adriana Smith as a lens, Dr. Burton breaks down the ongoing maternal mortality crisis, the rising cost of healthcare, and the erosion of reproductive and economic protections that disproportionately endanger Black women.

This conversation goes beyond headlines. Dr. Burton challenges the watered-down idea of self-care, reframing it as a strategy rooted...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/before-beyonce-there-was-lovely-hill-the-forgotten-face-of-black-beauty

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In this powerful episode of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, host Tony Tidbit sits down with trailblazing model and educator Lovely Hill, a woman whose legacy helped shape modern standards of Black beauty long before diversity was marketable.

Lovely reflects on being one of the first Black models to break into major national campaigns, navigating an industry that was not built for her presence, let alone her success. She speaks candidly about the pressure of being “the fi...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/Uncomfortable Conversations That Defined 2025

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In this year-end episode of BEP Live on A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, hosts Tony Tidbit and Chris P Reed take an unfiltered look back at the conversations that defined 2025.

From race, leadership, and politics to AI, social justice, and cultural accountability, this episode revisits the moments that challenged assumptions, sparked dialogue, and refused to play it safe. Featuring powerful insights from change-makers, executives, creatives, and truth-tellers, the conversation highlights why uncomfortable dialogue is...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/when-power-has-no-manners-how-leadership-lost-its-decorum

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In this episode of Need to Know, Dr. Nsenga Burton takes a direct look at the growing erosion of decorum in leadership and why it matters more than ever. Using the conduct of the individual referred to as “47” and his administration as a case study, Dr. Burton unpacks how power and privilege can shield unprofessional, abusive, and reckless behavior from accountability.

She challenges the dangerous normalization of this conduct and explains how leadership without boundaries does not sign...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/social-media-made-my-child-famous-it-almost-cost-me-my-sanity

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In this powerful and deeply personal episode of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, host Tony Tidbit sits down with Cassh Mahama, a devoted mother, digital marketing student, and creative entrepreneur, to unpack the truth behind childhood virality and the unseen toll it takes on parents.

What happens when your child becomes internet famous before they can fully understand what that means? Cassh opens up about recognizing her daughter, Lyric, ’s natural talent early, the rapid rise of on...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/the-best-of-need-to-know-a-2025-year-in-review

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This special “Best of” episode brings together some of the most powerful and thought-provoking moments from Need to Know with Dr. Nsenga Burton throughout 2025. Curated from her standout episodes of the year, this collection captures Dr. Burton at her sharpest, most direct, and most unapologetic.

Across these clips, Dr. Burton breaks down critical issues, including the lasting impact of January 6th, threats to democratic institutions like the Federal Reserve, the Georgia Heartbeat Bill, voter disenfranchisement, and the...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/holiday-traditions-family-tension-and-finding-peace

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In this episode of BEP Live on A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, hosts Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed take an honest look at the holiday season beyond the surface. They reflect on their own Christmas traditions, family dynamics, and how race, expectations, and lived experience shape the way the holidays are experienced and discussed.

The conversation explores protecting your peace, managing family expectations, and finding meaning amid the noise and commercialization of Christmas. Tony and Chris...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/if-youve-never-heard-of-black-theater-thats-not-an-accident-

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In this powerful episode of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, host Tony Tidbit sits down with Dr. Monica White Ndounou, an award-winning scholar, director, and cultural strategist, to confront an uncomfortable truth. Black theater has shaped American culture for centuries, yet remains largely invisible.

From the groundbreaking legacy of the African Grove Theatre in 1821 to modern efforts like Black Theater Day, this conversation traces the brilliance, resilience, and systemic neglect of Black theater institutions. Dr. Monica breaks...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/dei-wasnt-the-problem-cowardly-leadership-was

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In this episode of BEP Live on A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed confront the real reason DEI efforts stall, not because the ideas are flawed, but because too many leaders retreat when truth creates discomfort.

The conversation opens with Grace Fooden Correy, host of the newly launched A Mixed Executive Perspective Podcast, as she shares her leadership journey and why honest conversations matter when navigating identity, culture, and power. From there...

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/artificial-intelligence-or-artificial-bias

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In this episode of Need to Know, Dr. Nsenga Burton cuts through the AI hype to examine what artificial intelligence really is and more importantly, what it isn’t. She breaks down how AI often reflects human bias, spreads misinformation, and disproportionately fails to serve historically marginalized communities.

Dr. Burton challenges listeners to stop treating AI as an authority and start using it as a tool. She emphasizes the importance of personal research, critical thinking, and digital li...