TonyTidbit: A Black Executive Perspective
About the Podcast: "TonyTidbit: A Black Executive Perspective" offers a deep dive into the corporate world through the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Hosted by Tony Franklin, aka Tony Tidbit, this podcast shines a light on vital conversations around race, leadership, and diversity, fostering understanding and change. https://ablackexec.com Meet Your Host: Tony Franklin has over three decades of corporate experience and provides transformative insights into diversity and inclusion, making each episode a journey of learning and empowerment. Why You Should Listen: - Diverse Perspectives: Insights from a variety of voices on challenges and triumphs in the corporate...
If Love Is So Powerful, Why Hasn’t It Erased Racism?
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/if-love-is-so-powerful-why-hasnt-it-erased-racism-
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Dorothy Roberts joins A Black Executive Perspective for a powerful audio conversation about The Mixed Marriage Project, interracial marriage, systemic racism, Black identity, family, law, and the structures that still shape who we love and how society responds.
This episode explores her parents’ interracial marriage in 1950s Chicago, the 500-plus interviews her father conducted with Black and white couples, and the deeper question at the center of the conversation. If love is powerful, why has it not er...
Why Doesn’t War Feel Like War Anymore?
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/why-doesnt-war-feel-like-war-anymore-
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In this audio episode of A Black Executive Perspective Live, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed examine why America keeps fighting conflicts while rarely calling them formal wars.
This conversation explores power, politics, culture, military action, congressional accountability, public numbness, and the human cost of conflict. Tony and Chris break down the difference between war and conflict, why Americans often do not feel war unless it reaches our own soil, and how language can make military action...
What Happens When America Fails the Open Book Test?
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/what-happens-when-america-fails-the-open-book-test-
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Today, Dr. Nsenga Burton, host of Need to Know with Dr. Nsenga, delivers a bold reflection on buyer’s remorse, political accountability, and the consequences of failing the “open book test.”
In this audio episode from A Black Executive Perspective, Dr. Burton examines what happens when people have access to the truth, ignore it, and later ask for sympathy after damage has been done. Through the lens of power, politics, culture, workplace equity, DEI rollback, civic responsibility, and co...
Stroke of Success: The Hidden Cost of Climbing the Corporate Ladder
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/stroke-of-success-the-hidden-cost-of-climbing-the-corporate-ladder-
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In this audio episode of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed sit down with Roderick Jefferson, author of Stroke of Success, for a deeply honest conversation about success, burnout, health, family, faith, leadership, and purpose.
Roderick shares how he rose through Corporate America, helped shape the sales enablement profession, and built a powerful executive career, only to realize that professional success was costing him connection, presence, and peace.
After surviving...
Can You Really Be Your Authentic Self at Work?
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/can-you-really-be-your-authentic-self-at-work-
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In this BEP Live audio episode of A Black Executive Perspective, Chris P. Reed leads a powerful conversation with Felicia Smith and Obrin Bills about authenticity, code switching, workplace equity, and the real cost of navigating Corporate America as a Black professional.
The episode examines what it really means to bring your authentic self to work, why professionalism is often judged differently across race and gender, and how Black professionals, women of color, and corporate leaders manage...
Why Are Black Women Still Unsafe at Home?
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/why-are-black-women-still-unsafe-at-home-
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Trigger warning: this episode discusses domestic violence, intimate partner violence, murder suicide, and harm against Black women.
In this urgent Need to Know with Dr. Nsenga Burton episode, Dr. Burton examines domestic violence, Black women’s safety, warning signs, survivor resources, and the responsibility communities have to intervene before abuse turns fatal.
This conversation addresses intimate partner violence, control, silence, mental health excuses, gun violence, and the role men must play in holding other men ac...
Can Foster Youth Rewrite Their Future Through Film?
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/can-foster-youth-rewrite-their-future-through-film-
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Today, Tige Charity, Founder and CEO of Kids in the Spotlight, joins A Black Executive Perspective Podcast for a deeply personal and powerful conversation about foster youth, storytelling, filmmaking, access, healing, and workforce development.
Tige shares how an encounter with girls in foster care moved her to build Kids in the Spotlight, a nonprofit that helps young people write, act, produce, and tell their own stories through film. What began as a purpose-driven idea has grown into...
Remote Work vs Return to Office: Productivity or Control?
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/remote-work-vs-return-to-office-productivity-or-control
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In this audio episode of BEP Live, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed debate the future of work, remote work vs return to office, and whether companies are really focused on productivity or simply trying to regain control.
The conversation covers hybrid work, office culture, commute costs, employee trust, micromanagement, coffee badging, leadership accountability, and the changing expectations inside Corporate America.
What You Will Learn
Why return to office policies are creating frustration...
Surviving Workplace Hostility
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/surviving-workplace-hostility-
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In this audio episode of Need to Know with Dr. Nsenga Burton, Dr. Burton examines workplace hostility, business etiquette, microaggressions, and the professional discipline required when your identity-based perspective is challenged.
Using Ta-Nehisi Coates’ composed response during a difficult interview as a framework, Dr. Burton explains how Black professionals, women, people of color, and historically disenfranchised communities can respond to aggression without sacrificing their livelihood, reputation, or peace.
This episode is a sharp reminder that st...
Can AI Save the World, Or Just Protect Power?
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/can-ai-save-the-world-or-just-protect-power-
Today, Jacqueline Corbelli, Technology Emmy Award winner, entrepreneur, founder of Brightline and SustainChain, and author of Changemaker, joins A Black Executive Perspective Podcast for a powerful audio conversation about sustainability, poverty, ethical AI, and what real change requires.
Tony Tidbit and Jackie unpack why impact cannot stop at branding, donations, or good intentions. They discuss the Millennium Villages Project, wasted philanthropy, systems thinking, the danger of concentrated AI power, and the urgent need for responsible representation in technology and leadership.
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Is This About Jobs… or Fear?
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/is-this-about-jobs-or-fear-
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Today, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed lead a candid BEP Live discussion on H-1B visas, immigration, and the narratives shaping Americans' views of workforce competition and cultural change.
With insights from Walter Rhein and Will Fullwood, this episode challenges assumptions and confronts the uncomfortable truth at the heart of immigration debates.
What You Will Learn
The real impact of H-1B visas on the workforce How fear shapes public opinion on immigration...Why Do We Still Blame Black Girls for What Grown Men Do?
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/why-do-we-still-blame-black-girls-for-what-grown-men-do-
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In this episode of Need to Know with Dr. Nsenga Burton, Dr. Burton confronts the way society talks about Black girls, abuse, and accountability. What begins with the public discussion around Brandy’s early relationship with an older man becomes a much deeper examination of grooming, victim blaming, misogyny, celebrity culture, and the refusal to see Black girls as children deserving protection.
This is a direct and necessary episode about power, exploitation, consent, and the cultural hypocrisy th...
Can You Stand in the Fire Without Losing Yourself?
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/can-you-stand-in-the-fire-without-losing-yourself-
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Today, Mary Broomall, spiritual practitioner, end-of-life doula, wellness professional, and consciousness guide, joins A Black Executive Perspective for a powerful audio conversation on leadership, healing and resilience, emotional regulation, and personal transformation.
Mary breaks down how fear, subconscious beliefs, and emotional overload shape the way we respond to pressure. She also shares how intention, inner grounding, and conscious leadership can help people move through chaos without losing themselves in it.
This episode explores the connection...
Are You Middle Class, Or Just Managing to Survive
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/are-you-middle-class-or-just-managing-to-survive
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What happens when we stop repeating the labels and start looking at the numbers?
In this episode of BEP Live, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed break down one of the most uncomfortable conversations in America: class, money, status, and the illusion of financial security. From blue-collar versus white-collar identity to the shrinking meaning of the middle class to the brutal reality of the wealth gap, this conversation challenges the stories people have been taught to believe...
When Leaders Confuse Noise With Power
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/when-leaders-confuse-noise-with-power-
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In this episode of Need to Know with Dr. Nsenga Burton, Dr. Burton cuts through the noise on power, politics, culture, community accountability, and responsible representation. This conversation examines what happens when leaders overplay their hand, mistake volume for influence, and weaponize reckless rhetoric in moments that demand diplomacy, discipline, and moral clarity.
From the discussion of Pope Leo to the broader implications of political threats, abuse of power, and cuts affecting vulnerable families, this episode is...
Your Pivot Is Not Failure
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/your-pivot-is-not-failure-
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Success is not always linear, and sometimes the most powerful move a leader can make is to pivot.
In this episode of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed sit down with TaShun Bowden-Lewis, Founder and CEO of The Bowden-Lewis Consulting Group, to unpack what it really means to navigate a forced pivot with clarity, courage, and control.
Drawing from her journey as an attorney, executive leader, and the first Black...
Do We Have to Work Until We Die?
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/do-we-have-to-work-until-we-die
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Today, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed tackle a question that cuts across every generation: Are we working toward retirement or working until the end?
In this BEP Live audio episode, the conversation goes beyond headlines and gets real about the state of work, money, and long-term security. From Gen Z workplace challenges and employer expectations to the disappearance of pensions and the pressure of rising cost of living, this discussion exposes the gaps no one wants...
DEI Is Not What They Told You
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/DEI Is Not What They Told You
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In this episode of Need to Know, Dr. Nsenga Burton breaks down the truth behind Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and challenges the narratives shaping public perception.
DEI has become one of the most misunderstood and politicized concepts in today’s culture. But what does it actually mean, and who does it really benefit?
Dr. Burton unpacks the myths, exposes the bias behind the backlash, and explains why DEI is no...
Are We Building… or Just Complaining?
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/are-we-building-or-just-complaining-
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Today, Wesley Alexander, CEO of CoBiz Richmond, delivers a direct message: if we are not building, we are falling behind.
In this episode, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed unpack how leadership, faith, economic development, and community infrastructure determine whether individuals and communities move forward or stay stuck.
From his journey through Silicon Valley, the FBI, and entrepreneurship, Wesley explains why access, collaboration, and long-term strategy are critical, and why ego, division, and lack of...
AI Fear or Opportunity?
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/ai-fear-or-opportunity-
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Today, Kee Jones, Founder and CEO of Reset, explores a critical question shaping the future of work: Are we avoiding AI out of fear, or stepping into it as an opportunity?
In this episode, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed break down how mental health, workplace culture, and leadership accountability are directly impacting how people engage with AI and innovation.
From psychological safety in the workplace to the lasting effects of trauma, this conversation reveals...
Are Black Girls Being Treated Like Adults Too Early?
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/are-black-girls-being-treated-like-adults-too-early-
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Today, Dr. Gabrielle Wallace and Brittany Merida of Measure unpack a critical issue impacting Black and Brown girls, adultification bias, and how it shapes perception, treatment, and opportunity from an early age.
In this episode of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed explore how language, culture, education systems, and artificial intelligence reinforce bias, often without awareness. From everyday phrases to systemic decision-making, this conversation reveals how deeply rooted these patterns are and...
Comfort Is Killing Your Growth
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/comfort-is-killing-your-growth-
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Today, Dr. Nsenga Burton, cultural critic, professor, and media strategist, breaks down a hard truth too many people avoid: comfort is the enemy of growth.
In this episode of Need to Know, Dr. Burton challenges the idea that stability and ease are signs of success. Instead, she reframes discomfort as a necessary condition for personal development, leadership growth, and long-term achievement.
From navigating political uncertainty to pushing past self-imposed limits in education and career, this...
Scholarships Are Disappearing. Now What?
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/scholarships-are-disappearing-now-what-
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Today, Jacqueline Powers, Vice President of Scholarships at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, breaks down a growing crisis that is not getting enough attention: scholarship funding for Black students is shrinking while demand continues to rise.
In this episode of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed explore how AI, data, and innovation are being used to expand access, identify gaps, and respond to declining funding streams.
With more than 60,000 applicants...
Corporate America Wasn’t Built for Black Women
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/corporate-america-wasnt-built-for-black-women-
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Today, Candice C. Jones, President and CEO of the Public Welfare Foundation, delivers a powerful and unfiltered perspective on what it truly takes for Black women to lead, grow, and succeed in corporate America.
In this episode of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed unpack the systemic barriers, microaggressions, and leadership challenges that often go unspoken. Candice shares real strategies for navigating environments that were not designed for you while still building...
AI Won’t Replace You… But Someone Using AI Will
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/ai-wont-replace-you-but-someone-using-ai-will
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Today, Johnny Austin, Founder and CEO of Recursive Funk, breaks down the truth about AI, productivity, and the future of work in a way most leaders are avoiding.
In this conversation recorded at Huston-Tillotson University, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed challenge the hype, fear, and misinformation surrounding artificial intelligence. What emerges is a clear takeaway: AI is not a shortcut. It is a multiplier, and those who learn to use it will quickly set themselves apart.<...
Oscars, DEI, and the Attack on Black Excellence
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/oscars-dei-and-the-attack-on-black-excellence-
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Today, Dr. Nsenga Burton, award-winning cultural critic and media scholar, breaks down the real story behind the Oscars, DEI backlash, and what’s really happening when Black success gets reframed, minimized, or attacked.
In this Need to Know episode, Dr. Burton unpacks the controversy surrounding Michael B. Jordan’s Oscar win, the misuse of DEI as a weapon, and why these conversations go far beyond Hollywood; they touch power, economics, and cultural accountability.
This is not...
AI Ethics, Power, and Bias Explained
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/AI Ethics, Power, and Bias Explained
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Today, Meme Styles, Founder of Measure and Chair of the HBCU AI Conference Training Summit, and Chris Hyams, former CEO of Indeed and AI educator, join Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed live from Huston-Tillotson University to break down AI ethics, bias, and power.
This conversation moves beyond the hype of artificial intelligence and into the reality of how these systems are built, who they represent, and who they leave behind.
<...Why Is Black History Being Erased Again?
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/why-is-black-history-being-erased-again-
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Today, Dr. Jewell Parker Rhodes, New York Times bestselling author and educator, joins A Black Executive Perspective Podcast for a powerful and necessary conversation on Black history, book bans, identity, and representation in education.
In this audio episode, Tony Tidbit and Dr. Rhodes unpack the reality that history is not just being forgotten, it’s being actively suppressed. From banned books like Ghost Boys to the psychological impact of not seeing yourself reflected in the classroom, this di...
Have We Been Undervaluing HBCUs?
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/have-we-been-undervaluing-hbcus
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Today, Dr. Melva Wallace, President and CEO of Huston-Tillotson University, joins Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed for a powerful and unfiltered conversation on leadership, HBCUs, and the uncomfortable truths shaping the future of Black communities.
Recorded live at the HBCU AI Conference, this episode challenges a critical question:
Have we been undervaluing HBCUs?
Dr. Wallace breaks down how perception, prestige, and internal biases impact how we view Black institutions, while also sharing...
Will AI Erase Black History or Empower It?
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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...
Did America Just Bite the Hand That Feeds It
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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...
Will AI Make Inequality Worse?
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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...
How Black Women Changed the Game in Rodeo
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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...
BAFTA Controversy: Did the Response Make It Worse?
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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...
Black Maternal Health Crisis
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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.
<...Victim Mentality or Truth Telling?
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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...
When Staying Informed Hurts Your Mental Health
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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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Why Black Women Build Ladders When Traditional Pathways Won’t
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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...
BAFTA Scandal: Was He Thinking the N-Word?
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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...
Who Will Carry the Torch After Jesse Jackson?
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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...
