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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real people. real stories. real progress. Hosted by Myra Reneé

What does it mean to be a successful single Black woman in Madison, Wisconsin? In this special live episode "Heels and Feels," Myra sits down with five incredible women who are redefining success on their own terms while navigating life as "unicorns" in the Midwest.

From therapy practices to wellness companies, these women have built empires while staying true to themselves. But success isn't just about titles and accolades—it's about peace, alignment, authenticity, and the freedom to show up as your whole self. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, they share what it's really like being single Black professional women in predominantly white spaces, the importance of deep friendships, and how they maintain their light when the world tries to dim it.

Featured Guests:

• Afra Smith - Founder & CEO, The Melanin Project
• Delonda Jackson - Director of Operations, Anesis Therapy
• Bobbie Briggs - Community Mental Health Outreach Specialist & Psychotherapist
• Vanessa Statam - CCS Program Director & Psychotherapist
• Keena Atkinson - Founder & CEO, Rougey Wellness

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

Produced by Puente Creative Studios

#makingprogress #makingprogresspodcast #heelsandfeels #blackwomen #singleandsuccessful #madisonwi #blackexcellence #authenticity #friendship #womeninbusiness #blackprofessionals #selfdefinition #community #identity #wellness #mentalhealth #entrepreneurship #leadership

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real people. real stories. real progress. Hosted by Myra Reneé

What does it mean to be a successful single Black woman in Madison, Wisconsin? In this special live episode "Heels and Feels," Myra sits down with five incredible women who are redefining success on their own terms while navigating life as "unicorns" in the Midwest.

From therapy practices to wellness companies, these women have built empires while staying true to themselves. But success isn't just about titles and accolades—it's about peace, alignment, authenticity, and the freedom to show up as your whole self. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, they share what it's really like being single Black professional women in predominantly white spaces, the importance of deep friendships, and how they maintain their light when the world tries to dim it.

Featured Guests:

• Afra Smith - Founder & CEO, The Melanin Project
• Delonda Jackson - Director of Operations, Anesis Therapy
• Bobby Briggs - Community Mental Health Outreach Specialist & Psychotherapist
• Vanessa Statam - CCS Program Director & Psychotherapist
• Keena Atkinson - Founder & CEO, Rougey Wellness

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

Produced by Puente Creative Studios

#makingprogress #makingprogresspodcast #heelsandfeels #blackwomen #singleandsuccessful #madisonwi #blackexcellence #authenticity #friendship #womeninbusiness #blackprofessionals #selfdefinition #community #identity #wellness #mentalhealth #entrepreneurship #leadership

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real people. real stories. real progress.

Hosted by Myra Reneé

Mandela Barnes sits down with Myra for an unfiltered conversation about Wisconsin politics, the Democratic Party's disconnect with everyday people, and why he's considering another run for office.

Named after Nelson Mandela while the South African leader was still imprisoned, Barnes shares his journey from Milwaukee mayor's office receptionist to Wisconsin's first Black Lieutenant Governor. He opens up about losing the 2022 Senate race by just one point despite being outspent by $26 million, and why that experience taught him that traditional political playbooks are broken.

Featured Guest: Mandela Barnes

- Former Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin (2019-2023) Founder
- Power to the Polls & Forward Together Wisconsin
- 2022 Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate

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

Produced by: Puente Creative Studios → https://puentestudios.com/

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real people. real stories. real progress.
Hosted by Myra Reneé

As Chief Diversity Officer at TruStage and one of Black Enterprise's most powerful diversity executives, Angela shares the real cost of being the messenger and why every DEI practitioner needs therapy.

In this conversation, you'll hear how Angela uses her Apple Watch to monitor stress during heated conversations, why she wears Harriet Tubman around her neck as a reminder, and the moment she realized people don't understand the difference between equality and equity.

What You'll Learn:
- The real definition of diversity, equity, and inclusion (and what it's NOT)
- How to handle resistance and heated conversations in DEI work
- The historical context most people in corporate America are missing
- Why community and mental health are non-negotiable for this work
- How to navigate being a Black woman leading change in predominantly white spaces

Featured Guest:
Angela Russell
Chief Diversity Officer, TruStage
Host of the Black Oxygen Podcast

Angela has nearly 20 years of professional experience in diversity and inclusion, with a master's degree in Population Health from UW-Madison. Named one of the nation's most powerful diversity executives by Black Enterprise magazine in 2018, she leads DEI strategy at TruStage while breaking down complex concepts with refreshing honesty.

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Sara Alvarado went to Mexico in 1999 to heal from trauma and accidentally fell in love. Today, she's dismantling racist practices in real estate and helping Black and brown families achieve homeownership through Own It: Building Black Wealth.

In this deeply personal episode, Sara shares her journey from writing about "all the sh*tty things" in her life on Facebook to creating innovative solutions for systemic problems. From spiritual awakening on a Puerto Vallarta beach to getting 18 families into their first homes, Sara reveals the power of doing justice work right where you are.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

How personal healing became the foundation for systemic change Why "once you see systemic racism, you can't unsee it" and how to act on that awareness How traditional down payment assistance actually perpetuates modern-day redlining The innovative approach to creating "family money" for communities denied generational wealth How to trust your spiritual intuition in business, even when it challenges conventional wisdom Why perfectionism is part of white supremacy culture and how to move beyond it The importance of showing up authentically, regardless of whether it fits your business model

Featured Guest: Sara Alvarado - Author & Co-Founder, Own It: Building Black Wealth. Sara is the author of the memoir "Dreaming in Spanish: An Unexpected Love Story in Puerto Vallarta" and co-founder of Own It: Building Black Wealth. After her profound healing journey in Mexico, she returned to Madison, Wisconsin, where she now works to dismantle racism within the real estate industry. Through innovative private funding that functions like family money, Sara has helped 18 Black and brown families purchase their first homes, bypassing traditional barriers that perpetuate the racial wealth gap. She describes herself as "spiritual as f*ck" and advocates for trusting your intuitive path.

Connect:

Host Myra Reneé: www.myrarenee.com www.instagram.com/therealmyrarenee

Sara Alvarado: www.sarahalvarado.com Own It: Building Black Wealth: www.ownitmadisonorg "Dreaming in Spanish" available in bookstores and online

Making Progress is a podcast where we talk to Real People, Doing Real Things, and Making Real Progress.

Produced by Puente Creative Studios.

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