Black Woman Leading

This episode officially kicks off our season two theme -- Looking Back to Look Forward. In this episode, we are joined by researcher and historian Dr. Crystal M. Moten. Dr. Moten is the curator of African American History in the Division of Work and Industry at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History where she specializes in African American business and labor history. 

In this episode, we learn about the legacies of some of our Black Woman Leading ancestors, and Dr. Moten helps us to extract powerful lessons from their experiences that we can carry with us on our leadership journey.

Dr. Moten speaks the names of these powerful women, and shows the history that illuminates enduring themes of radical collaboration, using personal influence to pull others up, community building, and self-advocacy that are STILL assets that we draw on today as Black women leaders.  She highlights the then-and-now aspects of Black women’s work and advocacy for their own economic justice, independence, and autonomy; including some of the challenges that still persist for Black women leaders.

Dr. Moten also shares her powerful insights on the double-edged sword of being the only Black woman leader in a space and the “glass ceiling” metaphor from a historical perspective. 

These historical narratives from our professional foremothers give us the courage to keep going, keep advocating, and keep leading on our professional journey today. 

Guest Bio 

Dr. Crystal M. Moten is curator of African American History in the Division of Work and Industry at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History where she specializes in African American business and labor history. Previously, she has been an assistant professor of history in small liberal arts colleges on the east coast and in the upper Midwest. Her current research centers on the intersection of race, class, and gender and specifically Black women’s economic activism in the civil rights era Urban Midwest. Her work has appeared in the Journal of Civil and Human Rights and a special issue of Souls, which focuses on the Black women’s work, culture, and politics. She has a chapter in The Strange Careers of Jim Crow North (NYU Press, 2019). At the National Museum of American History, she has co-curated an exhibit: The Only One in the Room: Women Achievers in Business and the Cost of Success Her forthcoming book is entitled Continually Working: Black Women’s Economic Activism in Postwar Milwaukee.

Resources:

• Connect with Crystal:
• • Web: https://www.crystalmoten.com/
  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/cmmphd
  • LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmmoten/
  • Podcast: https://www.blackherstory101.com/

• Resources mentioned during the episode:
• • The Nap Ministry

Credits:

Learn more about the Black Woman Leading™ learning experience at http://blackwomanleading.com/

Learn more about our consulting work with organizations at https://knightsconsultinggroup.com/

Email Laura: [email protected]

Instagram: @blackwomanleading

Podcast Music & Production: Marshall Knights 

Graphics: Olayinka Ajibola

Listen and follow the podcast on all major platforms:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Stitcher
• iHeartRadio
• Podbay

This episode officially kicks off our season two theme -- Looking Back to Look Forward. In this episode, we are joined by researcher and historian Dr. Crystal M. Moten. Dr. Moten is the curator of African American History in the Division of Work and Industry at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History where she specializes in African American business and labor history. 

In this episode, we learn about the legacies of some of our Black Woman Leading ancestors, and Dr. Moten helps us to extract powerful lessons from their experiences that we can carry with us on our leadership journey.

Dr. Moten speaks the names of these powerful women, and shows the history that illuminates enduring themes of radical collaboration, using personal influence to pull others up, community building, and self-advocacy that are STILL assets that we draw on today as Black women leaders.  She highlights the then-and-now aspects of Black women’s work and advocacy for their own economic justice, independence, and autonomy; including some of the challenges that still persist for Black women leaders.

Dr. Moten also shares her powerful insights on the double-edged sword of being the only Black woman leader in a space and the “glass ceiling” metaphor from a historical perspective. 

These historical narratives from our professional foremothers give us the courage to keep going, keep advocating, and keep leading on our professional journey today. 

Guest Bio 

Dr. Crystal M. Moten is curator of African American History in the Division of Work and Industry at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History where she specializes in African American business and labor history. Previously, she has been an assistant professor of history in small liberal arts colleges on the east coast and in the upper Midwest. Her current research centers on the intersection of race, class, and gender and specifically Black women’s economic activism in the civil rights era Urban Midwest. Her work has appeared in the Journal of Civil and Human Rights and a special issue of Souls, which focuses on the Black women’s work, culture, and politics. She has a chapter in The Strange Careers of Jim Crow North (NYU Press, 2019). At the National Museum of American History, she has co-curated an exhibit: The Only One in the Room: Women Achievers in Business and the Cost of Success Her forthcoming book is entitled Continually Working: Black Women’s Economic Activism in Postwar Milwaukee.

Resources:

• Connect with Crystal:
• • Web: https://www.crystalmoten.com/
  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/cmmphd
  • LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmmoten/
  • Podcast: https://www.blackherstory101.com/

• Resources mentioned during the episode:
• • The Nap Ministry

Credits:

Learn more about the Black Woman Leading™ learning experience at http://blackwomanleading.com/

Learn more about our consulting work with organizations at https://knightsconsultinggroup.com/

Email Laura: [email protected]

Instagram: @blackwomanleading

Podcast Music & Production: Marshall Knights 

Graphics: Olayinka Ajibola

Listen and follow the podcast on all major platforms:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Stitcher
• iHeartRadio
• Podbay

Welcome to Season 2 of Black Woman Leading, the podcast!  We are so excited to be back!  This podcast is an extension of the Black Woman Leading learning experience.  

The theme for season two is “Looking Back to Look Forward.”  We will pull on our stories and collective experiences to extract wisdom to guide us forward as leaders at work, home, and in our communities. 

In keeping with our core pillars, the episodes will continue to have a holistic focus on three core areas--leadership development, mental wellness, and relationship management. We’ll explore these areas through the lens of our theme for season two in both solo and guest episodes.

We invite you to join us on this journey of reflection, learning, and growth.  Our hope is that you feel seen, heard, validated, and loved.  And, that you leave your time with us with new perspectives, insights, tools, and strategies to support you along your leadership journey.

About Laura
Laura Knights is the Creator of Black Woman Leading™ and host of the podcast. She is an executive coach, speaker, facilitator, and licensed clinical social worker with 18+ years of experience creating personal and professional development programs that have touched leaders worldwide.

Her expertise and background in business, human resources, adult education, and social work uniquely equip her to teach others how to deal with both the "head work" and "heart work" required to succeed at work and in life.  She is the Founder and CEO of Knights Consulting LLC,  a leadership development consultancy that provides customized training and coaching programs to create more confident leaders and high-performing teams.

Laura has always been dedicated to supporting Black women to survive AND thrive in their personal and professional endeavors. Black Woman Leading™ is the latest iteration of her efforts and a genuine passion project that combines all the best of her professional experiences and skills.

Learn more at blackwomanleading.com.

Credits:

Learn more about the Black Woman Leading™ learning experience at http://blackwomanleading.com/

Learn more about our consulting work with organizations at https://knightsconsultinggroup.com/

Email Laura: [email protected]

Instagram: @blackwomanleading

Podcast Music & Production: Marshall Knights 

Graphics: Olayinka Ajibola

Listen and follow the podcast on all major platforms:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Stitcher
• iHeartRadio
• Podbay

We are celebrating the completion of our first season! A unifying theme emerged from this season - ALIGNMENT. The central message of this season was about acting in integrity towards ourselves, identifying our true needs and desires, and moving forward with intention to create that reality in both our professional and personal lives.

Tune in to this special bonus episode, as Laura provides a recap and shares her personal highlights and takeaways from the season. 

Credits:

Learn more about the Black Woman Leading™ learning experience at http://blackwomanleading.com/

Learn more about Laura’s consulting work at http://knightsconsultinggroup.com

Email Laura: [email protected]

Instagram: @blackwomanleading

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackwomanleading

Podcast Music: Marshall Knights Music

Podcast Production: JourneyGurl Magic Productions

Graphics: Olayinka Ajibola

Listen and follow the podcast on all major platforms:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Stitcher

Welcome back to a new episode of Black Woman Leading, the podcast! Today we are joined by inner wellness expert Kanesha Baynard. In today's episode, we will be discussing activating our creativity helps our inner and outer wellness.

Kanesha enlightens us on how tapping into our creativity can create a safe haven, an opportunity to pause, be a source of healing, and provide a path towards making the right decisions. While providing an inspirational perspective of creativity as a source of power, Kanesha also provides practical strategies and protocols to infuse more creativity into our productivity, time management, leadership style, and overall professional life.  She also shares insights on some of the tangible benefits that we can experience when we implement the information she shares.

Kanesha shares her professional journey that led her to her current work as a wellness expert and creativity coach, and gives us a peek into some of her personal creativity strategies that have added more joy and balance to her life. She challenges Black women to turn our resourcefulness and ingenuity inward in service of ourselves, just as we have used it to serve and nurture others.  And, she helps us to reframe our creativity as a source of equity and freedom that is accessible to all. 

Guest Bio 

Kanesha Baynard is an inner wellness expert, creativity coach, productivity strategist, and author who has been featured on the Dr. Oz Show. She is the founder of the Bold Living Today community focused on helping members disrupt unfulfilling patterns through creativity and navigate transition with confidence and boldness. Kanesha has created several card decks designed to help busy professionals, caregivers, and teens reconnect with activities and behaviors that foster imagination, joy, creativity, and space to refuel.

Resources:

• Connect with Kanesha:
  • Web: https://www.boldlivingtoday.com/
  • IG: https://www.instagram.com/kaneshabaynard/
  • FB: https://www.facebook.com/KaneshaBaynardCoaching
  • LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaneshabaynard/?locale=en_US
  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaneshaBaynard

• Resources mentioned during the episode:
  • Creativebug.com - Online video arts and crafts workshops

Credits:

Learn more about the Black Woman Leading™ learning experience at http://blackwomanleading.com/

Learn more about Laura’s consulting work at http://knightsconsultinggroup.com

Email Laura: [email protected]

Instagram: @blackwomanleading

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackwomanleading

Podcast Music: Marshall Knights Music

Podcast Production: JourneyGurl Magic Productions

Graphics: Olayinka Ajibola

Listen and follow the podcast on all major platforms:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Stitcher

Welcome to Episode 13 of Black Woman Leading, the podcast!  In this solo episode, we explore the topic of ‘Strengthening Your Influence in the Workplace.’

As Black women, we are natural influencers.  From our families and communities, to popular culture, to beauty and fashion, to politics and so on…. we often set the tone as real tastemakers. And this extends into our roles as workplace leaders as well.  

To make sure we are on the same page, here is what we mean by “influence” in this episode: 

Influence is the ability to shape behaviors and opinions of others without force or coercion and with the goal of attaining a win-win outcome for all parties involved.  Influence is about driving action and results and is an important tool for a leader.

Get out a pen and paper and use this episode as a time of reflection as Laura shares the components of influence and insights on how you can strengthen your influence for strategic impact in the workplace.  

Credits:

Learn more about the Black Woman Leading™ learning experience at http://blackwomanleading.com/

Learn more about Laura’s consulting work at https://knightsconsultinggroup.com

Email Laura: [email protected]

Instagram: @blackwomanleading

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackwomanleading

Podcast Music: Marshall Knights Music

Podcast Production: JourneyGurl Magic Productions

Graphics: Olayinka Ajibola

Listen and follow the podcast on all major platforms:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Stitcher

“Wellness perks don’t get rid of wellness problems.” 

Welcome back to another episode of Black Woman Leading! In today’s episode, we are joined by psychotherapist and Workplace Wellness Champion, Farah Harris. We will be discussing how women can take better care of themselves at their workplace and what workplace trauma looks like. 

Farah talks about work-life alignment, a term that differs from “work-life balance” because alignment is possible by setting your values straight and by working to reach your goals throughout these values. Farah explains that a workplace alignment has 4 key points: authenticity, intentional living, relationships, and overall satisfaction. 

Other topics discussed in this episode are:

• Recurrent wellness themes in the workplace.
• How 2020 and COVID have made us see how much we’ve neglected workplace wellness.
• Signs of a toxic workplace
• Steps to heal from workplace trauma
• What organizations and leaders can do to create healthier workplaces

Guest Bio:

Farah Harris

Farah Harris is a psychotherapist and a Workplace Wellness Champion dedicated to disrupting toxic work environments. She is the owner of WorkingWell Daily, a company committed to addressing work-life alignment, equity and mental wellness.

Her personal mission is to help individuals and organizations decrease symptoms of stress and burnout, elevate their emotional intelligence, and improve morale by implementing strategies to create healthier work culture. As a mental health practitioner and consultant, Farah is aware of the intersectionality between wellness, equity, and inclusion. She is a sought-after expert on topics related to mental wellness, workplace culture, emotional intelligence and self-care.

Her clients consist of CIBC Bank US, CISCO, Bloomberg GOV, LiveNation, Ferrara Candy Company, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Practicing Law Institute. Her work has been featured in media and podcast platforms such as: Forbes, Fast Company, Huffington Post, Essence, Bustle, Inside Edition, Martha Stewart, Thrive Global, and Therapy for Black Girls.

Resources:

• Learn more about Farah Harris at www.workingwelldaily.com. You can also follow her on Facebook and LinkedIn @farahharrislcpc, on Instagram @workingwelldaily, and on Twitter @workingwelldai1
• (Book referenced) - The State of Black Girls: A Go-To Guide for Creating Safe Spaces for Black Girls by Marline Francois-Madden, LCSW https://www.amazon.com/State-Black-Girls-Go-Creating/dp/0578495155
• (Book referenced) - The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Derk Kolk, MD

Credits:

Learn more about Laura’s consulting work at https://knightsconsultinggroup.com

Email Laura: [email protected]

Instagram: @blackwomanleading

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackwomanleading

Podcast Music: Marshall Knights Music

Podcast Production: JourneyGurl Magic Productions

Graphics: Olayinka Ajibola

Listen and follow the podcast on all major platforms:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Stitcher

In today’s conversation with Simply Training Solutions leader and founder Summer Alexander, we will be discussing the importance of personal brand and how it tends to have both an internal and external perception. Summer explains that a black woman leading starts with each of us, looking past our limitations, fears, anxieties, and doubts. Only then, by owning who you are, will you be able to help others.  Like most Black Women Leading’s episodes, we will also be speaking about the head-work and heart-work that needs to be done for our personal brands. What tactical, skill, and self-awareness work must we do upon ourselves to change our branding and how others perceive us? 

Other subjects discussed during this episode are the pressure of being a black women leader and having a personal brand when we must fight micro-aggressions, racism, among others. 

Guest Bio:

Summer Alexander is a learning and development leader and founder of Simply Training Solutions where she provides soft skills workforce development training, curriculum development, strategic planning, and community outreach for governments, corporations, non-profits, and educational organizations. She is also an Equity & Belonging facilitator and the current Director of Community Relations for the Collin County Black Chamber of Commerce.

To connect with Summer, visit www.simplytrainingsolutions.com, or find her on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/summerjalexander/

Resources:

• So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport (you can find it on Amazon)

Credits:

Learn more about Laura’s consulting work at https://knightsconsultinggroup.com

Email Laura: [email protected]

Instagram: @blackwomanleading

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackwomanleading

Podcast Music: Marshall Knights Music

Podcast Production: JourneyGurl Magic Productions

Graphics: Olayinka Ajibola

Listen and follow the podcast on all major platforms:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Stitcher

In this intimate discussion, four alumni participants of the Black Woman Leading program (Tiffany McClinton, Jhmira Alexander, Tameka Patterson, and Nadia Simmons) share the stories of their growth in self-awareness as Black women leaders working in both corporate and non-profit spaces.

For the purposes of this episode, we use these definitions of self-awareness from this Harvard Business School article:

Internal self-awareness, represents how clearly we see our own values, passions, aspirations, fit with our environment, reactions (including thoughts, feelings, behaviors, strengths, and weaknesses), and impact on others. 

External self-awareness, means understanding how other people view us, in terms of those same factors listed above. 

The guests share their truths, their experience in the Black Woman Leading program, and the power of collective healing on their leadership journey.  Additionally, they provide insights on the obstacles they had to overcome and the supports they had to access to strengthen their self-awareness.

Tune in and find yourself in their stories as the universal themes of overcoming limiting mindsets, transforming negative self-talk, seeking community, showing vulnerability, redefining relationships, finding balance, and setting boundaries are explored in our conversation.

Guest Bios:

Tiffany McClinton

Tiffany McClinton is a Regional Sales Director for Dell Technologies. She is responsible for leading 7 Account Executives who deliver innovative and practical solutions to state and local government, higher educational institutions, and healthcare accounts in the Atlanta metro area.  She is considered a thought leader by advising customers on Dell’s strategic business and technology plans, as a result of her keen focus on driving internal processes to exceed customer’s expectations. She has spent 13 years  developing talent and creating an environment of inclusion and growth for her sales team. She thrives and is passionate about advocating for the advancement of women in the technology industry. Connect with Tiffany on LinkedIn.

Jhmira Alexander

Jhmira Alexander is the President and Executive Director of Public Narrative (formerly Community Media Workshop). Jhmira is a trained journalist who is not only a storyteller but a strategist committed to improving community health and well-being through media and civic engagement. Under her leadership, Public Narrative uses storytelling to implement narrative change strategies related to public safety, health, and education. Connect with Jhmira on LinkedIn or on Instagram @jhmiralatrice

Tameka Patterson

Tameka Patterson is an advocate who is passionate about giving voice to the voiceless.  Tameka is currently the Social Services Department Manager at the University of Illinois at Chicago Center for Literacy where she oversees case management, career transitions, and professional learning trainers.  She has over 12 years of experience working in social services across a variety of settings, which includes; case management, adult education, domestic violence, transitional housing, supporting pregnant and parenting teens, and early learning sectors.  As an agent of support and guidance, Tameka has extensive experience in developing communities of practice, designing service delivery models for professional development, implementing continuous improvement cycles that strengthens service delivery for diverse populations, and developing and deepening partnerships with community-based organizations and the City of Chicago.

Nadia Simmons 

Nadia is the Supervisor of Data Engineering at RELX. She has several years of professional experience in the Data & Technology field with a niche for research and investigation. She is also the passionate creator of a business designed specifically for motivating students to excel academically. Connect with Nadia @uniquelymeservices

Resources:

We are now enrolling for The Black Woman Leading™ learning experience that starts in August 2021.  Learn more at http://blackwomanleading.com/

Credits:

Learn more about Laura’s consulting work at https://knightsconsultinggroup.com

Email Laura: [email protected]

Instagram: @blackwomanleading

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackwomanleading

Podcast Music: Marshall Knights Music

Podcast Production: JourneyGurl Magic Productions

Graphics: Olayinka Ajibola

Listen and follow the podcast on all major platforms:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Stitcher

In this intimate discussion, four alumni participants of the Black Woman Leading program (Tiffany McClinton, Jhmira Alexander, Tameka Patterson, and Nadia Simmons) share the stories of their growth in self-awareness as Black women leaders working in both corporate and non-profit spaces.

For the purposes of this episode, we use these definitions of self-awareness from this Harvard Business School article:

Internal self-awareness, represents how clearly we see our own values, passions, aspirations, fit with our environment, reactions (including thoughts, feelings, behaviors, strengths, and weaknesses), and impact on others. 

External self-awareness, means understanding how other people view us, in terms of those same factors listed above. 

The guests share their truths, their experience in the Black Woman Leading program, and the power of collective healing on their leadership journey.  Additionally, they provide insights on the obstacles they had to overcome and the supports they had to access to strengthen their self-awareness.

Tune in and find yourself in their stories as the universal themes of overcoming limiting mindsets, transforming negative self-talk, seeking community, showing vulnerability, redefining relationships, finding balance, and setting boundaries are explored in our conversation.

Guest Bios:

Tiffany McClinton

Tiffany McClinton is a Regional Sales Director for Dell Technologies. She is responsible for leading 7 Account Executives who deliver innovative and practical solutions to state and local government, higher educational institutions, and healthcare accounts in the Atlanta metro area.  She is considered a thought leader by advising customers on Dell’s strategic business and technology plans, as a result of her keen focus on driving internal processes to exceed customer’s expectations. She has spent 13 years  developing talent and creating an environment of inclusion and growth for her sales team. She thrives and is passionate about advocating for the advancement of women in the technology industry. Connect with Tiffany on LinkedIn.

Jhmira Alexander

Jhmira Alexander is the President and Executive Director of Public Narrative (formerly Community Media Workshop). Jhmira is a trained journalist who is not only a storyteller but a strategist committed to improving community health and well-being through media and civic engagement. Under her leadership, Public Narrative uses storytelling to implement narrative change strategies related to public safety, health, and education. Connect with Jhmira on LinkedIn or on Instagram @jhmiralatrice

Tameka Patterson

Tameka Patterson is an advocate who is passionate about giving voice to the voiceless.  Tameka is currently the Social Services Department Manager at the University of Illinois at Chicago Center for Literacy where she oversees case management, career transitions, and professional learning trainers.  She has over 12 years of experience working in social services across a variety of settings, which includes; case management, adult education, domestic violence, transitional housing, supporting pregnant and parenting teens, and early learning sectors.  As an agent of support and guidance, Tameka has extensive experience in developing communities of practice, designing service delivery models for professional development, implementing continuous improvement cycles that strengthens service delivery for diverse populations, and developing and deepening partnerships with community-based organizations and the City of Chicago.

Nadia Simmons 

Nadia is the Supervisor of Data Engineering at RELX. She has several years of professional experience in the Data & Technology field with a niche for research and investigation. She is also the passionate creator of a business designed specifically for motivating students to excel academically. Connect with Nadia @uniquelymeservices

Resources:

We are now enrolling for The Black Woman Leading™ learning experience that starts in August 2021.  Learn more at http://blackwomanleading.com/

Credits:

Learn more about Laura’s consulting work at https://knightsconsultinggroup.com

Email Laura: [email protected]

Instagram: @blackwomanleading

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackwomanleading

Podcast Music: Marshall Knights Music

Podcast Production: JourneyGurl Magic Productions

Graphics: Olayinka Ajibola

Listen and follow the podcast on all major platforms:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Stitcher