エピソード

  • The Heart of a Love Warrior with Dr. Tiffany Manuel

    The Heart of a Love Warrior with Dr. Tiffany Manuel
    2025/03/11
    In this powerful episode of Behind the Magic, Dr. Tiffany Manuel, founder and CEO of The Case Made, invites us into her world as a self-proclaimed "love warrior." But love, as she describes it, isn’t just about warmth and kindness—it’s about fighting fiercely for our communities, even when the odds are stacked against us. From her journey of corporate success to entrepreneurship, Dr. Manuel shares how she walked away from the prestige, the executive perks, and the "corner office" life to follow a calling rooted in community transformation. She gets real about the struggles Black women face in leadership, the hard-earned lessons of building a business from scratch, and the importance of embracing failure as fuel for success. If you’ve ever felt the pull to step out on your own but fear is holding you back, this episode is for you. Dr. Manuel reminds us that true power lies in staying rooted in purpose, even when the world tells you otherwise. Tune in and be inspired to lead, love, and leap boldly into your next chapter.
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    44 分
  • Rewriting the Code: Shawna Curran on Leading Boldly in Tech and DEIB

    Rewriting the Code: Shawna Curran on Leading Boldly in Tech and DEIB
    2025/03/25
    What does it really take to shake up the tech world and build something that lasts? In this episode of Behind the Magic, I sit down with Shawna Curran, a visionary tech leader and founder of STEM ENRG, who’s making serious waves at the intersection of technology, DEIB, and operations. Shawna isn’t just advocating for diversity—she’s rethinking how systems work so equity and inclusion can actually take root and thrive. In our conversation, we get into why most DEIB efforts fall short, the pushback she’s faced as a woman of color in leadership, and how she’s driving real change from the inside out. From breaking barriers in STEM to reshaping how tech leaders lead, Shawna shares the wins, the hard lessons, and why failing forward has been key to her success. Whether you’re in tech, leadership, or trying to own your space, this episode will leave you inspired to move differently—and lead boldly.
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    53 分
  • Toni Johnson on Finding Your Voice and the Power of Being Seen

    Toni Johnson on Finding Your Voice and the Power of Being Seen
    2025/04/08
    In this uplifting and thought-provoking episode, Toni Johnson, founder of Mission OutLoud, takes us through the stories of the highs and lows of her leadership journey. She shares how she found her voice - often as the “only one” in the room - and how those experiences fueled her passion for building spaces where Black women and others can thrive unapologetically. Listen as we dive into the power of authenticity, resilience, and community, with real talk about Toni’s hard-earned wisdom and candid reflections on navigating leadership as a Black woman. This conversation is filled with gems of wisdom, laughter, and honesty about the challenges and triumphs of leadership and being seen. So, tune in and get comfortable for a sister-to-sister heart-to-heart you won’t want to miss.
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    58 分
  • Barbara Payne: What Was Meant to Break Me, Built Me

    Barbara Payne: What Was Meant to Break Me, Built Me
    2025/04/22
    In this episode of Behind the Magic, I sit down with Barbara Payne, whose powerful journey from high school dropout to soon-to-be Doctor is nothing short of extraordinary. But it’s her courage to share the truth behind that transformation that truly moved me. Barbara’s story is not just about surviving abuse – emotional, physical and sexual. It’s about breaking generational curses, finding light in the darkest moments, and choosing to keep going when giving up felt easier. In her story, I’m reminded of what happens when you stop asking “why me?” and start asking “how do I rise from this?” From a nurse’s whisper at her lowest moment to founding Opportunities to Overcome, Barbara is the embodiment of faith, resilience, and the power of choosing healing—over and over again.
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    51 分
  • Finding Rest in the Revolution: Gabrielle Wyatt on Sustaining Black Women Leaders

    Finding Rest in the Revolution: Gabrielle Wyatt on Sustaining Black Women Leaders
    2025/05/06
    In this episode, I sit down with Gabrielle Wyatt, founder of The Highland Project, to explore what it truly means to invest in the worth—not just the work—of Black women. Gabrielle shares the personal and professional journey that led her to build a movement rooted in sustainability, joy, and generational wealth for Black women leaders. Guided by the belief that “abundance is the capacity and space to fully thrive,” she reflects on the moment she could no longer sacrifice her well-being for short-term wins. Instead, Gabrielle began to center rest, reflection, and community care as strategic tools for transformation. As she puts it, “sustainability is not about changing workplace culture—it’s about being free in your own body,” and she walks us through the restorative practices that now ground her leadership. This episode is a powerful invitation to redefine success, reclaim your time, and imagine what becomes possible when Black women are deeply supported to thrive.
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    59 分
  • Brittany Buford: Refining Expectations and Pushing Forward

    Brittany Buford: Refining Expectations and Pushing Forward
    2025/05/27
    I sat down with Brittany Buford, managing partner at Partners In Democracy, the morning after the 2024 election loss—and the energy was heavy. We talked about that gut-punch feeling so many Black women had waking up like, WTF?” Brittany didn’t sugarcoat a thing. She reminded us that nobody is coming to save Black women—but we’ve never needed saving. We've always been the ones to rebuild, regroup, and get back in the fight. She shared her journey from being a young single mom to becoming a major voice for democracy reform. Her path wasn’t linear—it was messy, powerful, and real. Every detour made her who she is. She talked about redefining success, resisting other people’s expectations, and raising her daughter to live without bounds. One line that shook me? “I refuse to wallow while it burns.” That’s how she’s moving into what’s next. If you’re feeling exhausted but still determined—this episode is for you.
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    50 分
  • DeUnna Hendrix: Leading, Healing, and Everything In Between

    DeUnna Hendrix: Leading, Healing, and Everything In Between
    2025/06/24
    I had the pleasure of sitting down with a new friend, DeUnna Hendrix, former Division I head women’s basketball coach turned leadership coach for other coaches and founder of HendriX to Y Coaching. From the outside, her story looks like a lot of wins, titles, rising fast. But what we talked about? The truth underneath it all—what it means to be a Black woman navigating leadership, visibility, and vulnerability in spaces that weren’t built for us. DeUnna shared about coming out at 15, being the “only” in so many rooms, and having to learn early how to “fawn” to survive—say the right thing, keep the peace, make everyone comfortable, even when you’re unraveling on the inside. During our conversation, we talked about the R word - resilience - and what it costs when grace isn’t extended to you, especially in high-pressure roles where one loss erases years of wins. And what happens when you finally admit: I’m not okay. I don’t even know who I am anymore. What I walked away with is this: DeUnna is proof that it’s possible to rebuild—not just your career or reputation—but your sense of self. And not because someone saved her, but because she paused, got still, asked the hard questions, and started writing a new story from the inside out. This conversation is for any of us who’ve been labeled, boxed in, or told to shrink. For those doing the work, holding it all together, and wondering when we get to feel held, too.
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    1 時間 1 分
  • What If Choosing Yourself Was the Revolution? A Love Letter to Black Women with Ameshia Arthur

    What If Choosing Yourself Was the Revolution? A Love Letter to Black Women with Ameshia Arthur
    2025/08/06
    In this powerful and heartfelt episode, I sit down with licensed therapist and author Ameshia Arthur to unpack her new book, You Are Not Selfish (available on Amazon) — a love letter to Black women everywhere. Together, we dive into what it really means to center yourself in a world that constantly tells you not to. Ameshia shares her personal healing journey, growing up with a revolutionary mother in Oakland, and how the lessons of care, community, and self-prioritization led her to create work that challenges generational expectations. This episode is for every Black woman who has ever been told she was "too much" or "not enough" — for those carrying the weight of community, children, and change-making while being told to rest only once the fight is over. You’ll hear: Why the idea of being “selfish” is radical, necessary, and overdue How unlearning begins with allowing ourselves to take up space The deep tension between care for community and care for self And why reclaiming softness isn’t weakness, but wisdom Whether you’re a quiet observer, a fierce advocate, or somewhere in between, this episode is your reminder that wholeness is not a reward — it’s your right.
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    59 分