Conversations with Chanda

Conversations with Chanda

By Chanda Smith BakerSociety & Culture
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Conversations with Chanda episodes

  • Tearing Down Barriers: A Conversation with Kim Foxx
    Kim Foxx made history when she was elected to be the first African American woman to lead the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in Illinois. Chanda connected with Kim to talk about how her upbringing informs her leadership, the struggles of representing institutions, and the support systems that keep her grounded.
    48 min
  • The Modern Classroom: A Conversation with Kareem Farah
    Kareem Farah is an educator and Co-Founder of the Modern Classrooms Project – a nonprofit that empowers educators to meet student needs through blended, self-paced, mastery-based instruction. In this episode, Chanda and Kareem talk about the 21st-century skills that need to be taught in the classroom, the importance of trauma-informed teaching, and how COVID-19 has affected education.
    1 hr 3 min
  • Transforming Systems: A Conversation with Elizer Darris
    Elizer Darris is the Co-Executive Director of the Minnesota Freedom Fund – an organization that disrupts the predatory practices of criminal bail and immigration bonds. Chanda sat down with Elizer to talk about the trappings of the criminal justice system and what it takes to be a changemaker.
    1 hr 1 min
  • Healing Through Stories: A Conversation with Jim Bear Jacobs
    Jim Bear Jacobs is dedicated to bringing to light the Indigenous stories of Minnesota. This includes his “Healing Minnesota Stories” work at the Minnesota Council of Churches. In this episode, Chanda and Jim discuss how storytelling can spark consciousness, the ways philanthropy has shifted strategies over the past decade, and how trauma can resurface in unexpected ways.
    1 hr 11 min
  • Building Trust: A Conversation with Drew Evans
    Drew Evans is the Superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). Chanda met Drew in 2019 when she was a part of a state-led working group on police-involved deadly force encounters. In this episode, Drew and Chanda talk about the BCA’s role in the criminal justice system, the laws and circumstances that can prevent justice, and how the BCA is trying to build community trust and transparency in its work.
    46 min
  • Changing the Narrative: A Conversation with Ibram X. Kendi
    Dr. Ibram X. Kendi is an award-winning author and anti-racist scholar. His latest book, “Four Hundred Souls,” is a collaborative effort that showcases the history of African Americans from 1619 to 2019. Chanda and Dr. Kendi connected to talk about the importance of anti-racist education, the struggles of reimagining public safety, and why we need to invest in narrative change work.
    27 min
  • Turning Anguish into Action: A Conversation with Scott Hagan
    As President of North Central University in Minneapolis, Scott Hagan found himself propelled into the national spotlight last year when the university was asked to host George Floyd’s memorial. Chanda sat down to talk to Scott about that experience, his journey to understanding racism on a systemic level, and how he’s trying to use his platform for good.
    1 hr
  • In the Midst of Madness: A Conversation with Eddie Glaude Jr.
    As a scholar and author, Eddie S. Glaude Jr. writes about the complexities of race and the American experience. His latest book is “Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own.” Chanda and Eddie connected to talk about the intersection of greed and racism, the pitfalls of symbolic representation, and how to prevent burnout while working toward justice.
    43 min
  • Breaking Hate: A Conversation with Christian Picciolini and Keith Ellison (Re-Release)
    For nine years of his life, Christian Picciolini was part of the neo-Nazi movement. Now, the former extremist runs the Free Radicals Project where he helps individuals, families, and communities disengage from hate- and violence-based extremism. Christian was in Minnesota in late 2019 for a community listening session on hate crimes with local faith and political leaders, including Attorney General Keith Ellison. Before the event, Chanda, Keith, and Christian sat down to talk about the rise of hate and intolerance, how trauma can lead to hate, and how we can best prevent extremism.
    35 min
  • The Levers of Leadership: A Conversation with Isaiah Oliver
    Isaiah Oliver is the President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint. In this conversation, Chanda and Isaiah discover that they share similar paths to their roles in philanthropy. They discuss the support systems that help them lead, the national and local issues affecting the work, and how philanthropy needs to evolve to stay relevant and effective.
    1 hr

About Conversations with Chanda

From the publisher's feed

Conversations with Chanda isn’t just a podcast — it’s a movement. Hosted by powerhouse CEO, philanthropist, and unapologetic truth-teller Chanda Smith Baker, this award-winning show cuts through the…