real people. real stories. real progress.

Guest Host: Isaiah Oby

In this special rapid-fire Q&A episode, Isaiah Oby flips the script on Myra Reneé to uncover the unfiltered truths behind building Wisconsin's largest Black-owned mental health clinic.

Myra discusses not doing well in school and the isolating reality of being "the villain" in leadership, She shares lessons that social media doesn't show you. She opens up about 2023's hardest moments, why getting over herself was the biggest obstacle to growth, and the advice she hates but knows is true.

Featured Guest:
Myra Reneé
CEO & Founder, Anesis Therapy
Host, Making Progress Podcast

Connect:
🎙️ Host: Myra Reneé
→ https://anesistherapycenter.com/
→ https://www.myrarenee.com/
→ https://www.instagram.com/therealmyrarenee

Produced by Puente Creative Studios

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real people. real stories. real progress.

Hosted by Myra René

When Kim Young became the "Dope Black Social Worker," she got mad about the gaps in mental health care for Black communities and started talking about it. Now she's leading a movement to transform social work licensure and reclaim helping professions for the communities they're meant to serve.
From San Diego to Richmond, Virginia, Kim shares her journey of professional identity crisis to becoming one of the most influential voices in social work reform. She breaks down why the exam-based licensure system is broken, how fashion becomes resistance, and why Black folks already have the playbook for surviving what others are just now experiencing.

What You'll Learn:
Why social workers are the "middle child" of mental health professions
How the Black Panther Party's community care work was actually social work
The three key lessons: you're only an expert in your own life, build intergenerational bridges, and never make a job your identity
Why licensure exams are barriers that don't measure competence or ethics
How 2018's tragedies shaped Kim's approach to the work and self-care
Why eliminating barriers to dreaming is central to liberation
How making progress means reclaiming freedom of time and choice

Featured Guest:
Kim Young
Founder, Dope Black Social Worker
Host, Revolutionary Hood Rat Podcast
Named in Essence Magazine's Essential Heroes list

Connect:
🎙️ Host: Myra René
→ https://www.myrarenee.com/
→ https://www.instagram.com/therealmyrarenee

🔗 Kim Young
→ Instagram: @dope_black_socialworker
→ Threads: @dope_black_socialworker
→ Podcast: Revolutionary Hood Rat
→ Website: https://dopeblacksocialworker.com

Produced by Puente Creative Studios

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real people. real stories. real progress.

Hosted by Myra Reneé

Why is Black hair always a hot topic? In this conversation, Myra sits down with two Madison salon owners to unpack the complex relationship between Black identity and hair. From the historical policing of our hair to creating safe spaces for authentic expression, LaTanya and Harper share how they've built businesses that go far beyond styling hair.

What happens when salons become more than service providers? They transform into community hubs, safe spaces, and platforms for entrepreneurship. Through candid conversation, these stylists reveal the unexpected ways their businesses have become pillars in the Madison Black community – creating networks, supporting families, and fostering authentic expression along the way.

What You'll Learn:

• Why Black hair has been historically politicized and what that means today
• How children are now proudly embracing their natural hair after generations of stigma
• The role salons play as community hubs and extension of family
• What it really costs to run a Black salon (including $1,800 for a 4-hour class!)
• The hidden challenges of being both a skilled professional and a business owner

Featured Guests:

LaTanya Webb - Salon owner since 2005 who specializes in short hair cuts and hair restoration, carrying on her family's legacy in hair care

Harper Cox - Owner of Harper's Hair Culture, specializing in natural curly hair from loose waves to tight coils, passionate about helping clients embrace their natural texture

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