Corner Table Talk

"If you go back 500 years, West Africans knew hibiscus to be a powerful medicinal plant, full of antimicrobials, full of antioxidants, natural source of vitamin C. It's a natural aphrodisiac. They would make a tea from this flower, and this was part of their ceremony and their traditions. Then around 500 years ago, the transatlantic slave trade starts, and bodies and spices are stolen from the continent of Africa. This flower, the hibiscus flower, takes physical roots in the Caribbean islands, but the people who knew what to do with it were transported along with it in the bottom of ships."  Jackie Summers

A couple of years ago, I read an article about Jackie Summers being the first African American in the United States be granted a license in 2011 to make liquor, post-prohibition. Prohibition ended in 1933, almost 80 years ago. That is a story in and of itself, possibly for another day. After a cancer scare that turned out to be a benign tumor in his spine, Brooklyn-based Jackie quit his job as an advertising executive and with no formal training or background in the beverage industry, began to make Sorel Liqueur.

Jackie's story is inspirational, full of stops and starts, including 623 attempts to fine tune the recipe, a period of homelessness, a hurricane that destroyed his first distillery, reneged deals from investors that led to a several year shutdown for Sorel,  getting knocked down and having the determination to get back up, guided by the spirit of his ancestors, and a strong desire to bring Sorel, a widely known but never before, distilled and distributed beverage with its roots in Africa to people all over the world.

In 2021, Jackie took a major step towards realizing that goal when he teamed up with powerhouse Fawn Weaver, owner of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey and the Tennessee-based Nearest Green Distillery.

In less than a year back on the market, Sorel Liqueur is receiving glowing accolades and major beverage industry awards. Jackie himself was named among "Drink Innovators of the Year" (Food & Wine Magazine), several times "100 Most Influential Bar Industry Figures" (Drinks International Magazine), and included on the Imbibe 75 list. His writing has been published in various outlets, James Beard-nominated and winner of "Best Food Essay" (Association of Food Journalists).

Join me, your host, Brad Johnson, and Jackie for this inspirational conversation. on Corner Table Talk.

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Theme Music: Bryce Vine

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"Unapologetic in her due process, not waiting, not stopping, not pausing. If we don't do that, it won't get told. It won't get bought. We all know that we've submitted our various original pieces over the decades, mind you. Just sit down and do it ourselves, tell our stories and presume, not governed by the dollar but by the authenticity of the narrative, that there is an audience waiting."   Ambassador Shabazz              

Coming of age born smack in the middle of the baby boomer generation means growing up in America during and following the Civil Rights movement. The children of that time lived through a country in turmoil. Aside from the battle against the disenfranchisement of African Americans, war and assassinations wreaked havoc on the collective social consciousness while culture evolved as culture does, despite the growing pains along the way.

My guest, Toni Ann Johnson, is a baby boomer and award-winning author. Her latest work titled Light Skin Gone to Waste was awarded the 2021 Flannery O'Connor Award and features stories that “delve into how racist ideas burrow into black and white families and infect them for generations. This linked collection is inspired by Johnson's experience growing up in a middle-class black family, living in a white working-class town in mid-century upstate New York.”

The stories begin in 1962 amid the tumult of desegregation, while detailing the divide between class, race, gender, and how they affect this family. I related to this excellent book on multiple levels. Toni Ann's meticulous development of these characters and her recall of cultural touchstones are rich and spot on.

Previous works include the novel Remedy for Broken Angel, nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work, and Homegoing that won Accents Publishing’s inaugural novella contest. As a screenwriter, she is a two-time winner of the prestigious Humanitas Prize for her screenplays. Ruby Bridges and Crown Heights.

I have admired Toni Ann's work for some time. It gives me, your host Brad Johnson, great pleasure to welcome her to Corner Table Talk.

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Instagram: Corner Table Talk  and Post and Beam Hospitality

LinkedIn: Brad Johnson

E.Mail:  [email protected]

For more information on host Brad Johnson or to join our mailing list, please visit: https://postandbeamhospitality.com/

Theme Music: Bryce Vine

Corner Table™ is a trademark of Post & Beam Hospitality LLC

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"My only competition was myself. And I just kept saying, You just need one spot. You just need one scholarship. So, when it was my turn, I danced for Jesus, honey. I danced like I had never danced before."  Vanessa Bell Calloway   

Leaving her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio and following her dream, Vanessa Bell Calloway arrived in New York City in the late 70s with grit and determination to pursue a career in the arts. With $50 to her name, Vanessa spent a day of zigzagging the streets by foot starting at Times Square 42rd Street all the way to 95th Street, applying for jobs to support herself. Late that night, she landed her first job at The Cellar, my father's popular Upper West Side restaurant. The connections she made there opened opportunities that helped launch Vanessa's career. 

Fast forward more than a few decades and Vanessa Bell Calloway, as she is known since marrying prominent anesthesiologist Anthony Calloway 34 years ago, has enjoyed a career that spans the stage, both big and small.

She has earned eight NAACP Image award nominations and won the NAACP Theater Award for Best Actress for her critically-acclaimed role as Zora Neale Hurston in Letters from Zora. She was an original cast member in the Broadway hit, Dream Girls and her resume encompasses a screen career that begins with the daytime soap opera, All My Children, to roles in Coming to America, What's Love Got To Do With It, and Crimson Tide. along with several TV credits. Most recently, Vanessa stars in the BET mini-series, The Black Hamptons, as the shrewd matriarch, Carolyn Britton. Trust me, you do not want to mess with Vanessa's character! 

As busy as Vanessa is with work, she and her husband, Tony, find time to travel and recently spent time yachting in Italy at the invitation of Earvin "Magic" Johnson and his gracious wife, Cookie. We hear about that inspirational experience as will as their trip to Martha's Vineyard last summer and their strong team approach to marriage. As South LA residents and long-time commercial property owners in Leimert Park, Vanessa discusses the changes in the neighborhood over the past several years. 

Join me, your host Brad Johnson, at the corner table for a glimpse into the world of my lovely, long-time friend and her journey!

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LinkedIn: Brad Johnson

E.Mail:  [email protected]For more information on host Brad Johnson or to join our mailing list, please visit: https://postandbeamhospitality.com/

Theme Music: Bryce Vine

Corner Table™ is a trademark of Post & Beam Hospitality LLC

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An 'icon' is much more known than a celebrity. They are someone who leaves a mark on history. They have a strong depth of significance. They are a person who is well known, and who people look up to.

Jayne Kennedy Overton embodies that description breaking barriers when she became the first woman of color in the late 70s to host THE NFL on CBS, a national sports show, on what Bob Costas credited as being "the template for modern studio shows."

The ease of her manner as an interviewer, whether talking to a young Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Joe Namath, or Muhammad Ali, along with a sincere intimacy in her tone, body language, and steady eye contact, was completely disarming. Managing to demonstrate both knowledge of subject while projecting the ability to not take herself too seriously, this Ohio-raised former beauty queen is undeniably charismatic. 

Recently, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC inducted Jayne into the annuls of media pioneers, honoring her alongside luminaries, Diahann Carroll, Nat King Cole, Nichelle Nichols, The Supremes, and Don Cornelius. Next to the wall with the honorees is a quote from Oprah Winfrey “we used to gather around the tv and jump up and down, ‘colored people on tv, colored people on tv.'”

Raising her daughters, Jayne has been quiet for awhile but as she begins "Jayne 2.0", we sat down to reflect on Jayne's roots and journey as a trailblazer, her convictions, milestones, motherhood, as well as what's ahead.  Join me, your host Brad Johnson, at the corner table!

Instagram: Corner Table Talk  and Post and Beam Hospitality

LinkedIn: Brad Johnson

E.Mail:  [email protected]

For more information on host Brad Johnson or to join our mailing list, please visit: https://postandbeamhospitality.com/

Theme Music: Bryce Vine

Corner Table™ is a trademark of Post & Beam Hospitality LLC

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a monument but a standing memory? An artifact to make tangible the truth of the past. My body and blood are a tangible truth of the South and its past. The black people I come from were owned by the white people I come from. The white people I come from fought and died for their Lost Cause. And I ask you now, who dares to tell me to celebrate them? Who dares to ask me to accept their mounted pedestals?

You cannot dismiss me as someone who doesn’t understand. You cannot say it wasn’t my family members who fought and died. My blackness does not put me on the other side of anything. It puts me squarely at the heart of the debate. I don’t just come from the South. I come from Confederates. I’ve got rebel-gray blue blood coursing my veins. My great-grandfather Will was raised with the knowledge that Edmund Pettus was his father. Pettus, the storied Confederate general, the grand dragon of the Ku Klux Klan, the man for whom Selma’s Bloody Sunday Bridge is named. So I am not an outsider who makes these demands. I am a great-great-granddaughter.

Caroline Randall Williams "You Want a Confederate Monument? My Body Is a Confederate Monument"  NY Times Op-Ed (2020)

Such is the powerful, articulate, unabashed voice of guest, Caroline Randall Williams, whose family roots display an impressive cultural richness. She is the daughter of best-selling author Alice Randall, with whom she co-wrote the award-winning Soul Food Love cookbook and Avon Williams III, a well-known former diplomat who served as acting Principal Deputy Counsel of the Department of the Army, and first cousin to former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Caroline's grandfather was a prominent civil rights lawyer and former Tennessee state senator, Avon N. WIlliams Jr.. She is also the great-granddaughter of scholar Arna W. Bontemps, the African-American poet, novelist and noted member of the Harlem Renaissance. Yet this cultural royalty is juxtaposed against her DNA verified results. She is the great-great granddaughter of Edmund Pettus, US senator of Alabama, senior officer of the Confederate States Army and grand dragon of the Klu Klux Klan. 

A gifted writer, Caroline is able to bridge history with current conditions, articulating it in a way that causes you to sit there shaking your head and say, those are the right words. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Caroline is a multi-genre writer, educator, performance artist, and Writer-in-Residence at Vanderbilt University. As the host of the new Discovery+ show Hungry For Answers (produced by Viola Davis), Caroline travels the United States uncovering the fascinating, essential and often untold Black stories behind American food.

Join me, your host Brad Johnson , at the corner table for an explorative conversation with Caroline discussing her heritage, accomplishments and pursuits, along with acknowledgement of privilege, self-expectation and thoughts on contemporary issues, connecting the past with the present. 

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LinkedIn: Brad Johnson

Medium: Corner Table Media

E.Mail:  [email protected]

For more information on host Brad Johnson or to join our mailing list, please visit: https://postandbeamhospitality.com/

Theme Music: Bryce Vine

Corner Table™ is a trademark of Post & Beam Hospitality LLC

© Post & Beam Hospitality LLC

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"The massive challenges that Tommy has faced in life have been no match for his soaring talent and indomitable spirit. If he had lady parts, my search would be over."  Jim Carrey, comedian and actor

In preparing for this episode with Tommy Davidson, I read Tommy's memoir, Living in Color: What's Funny About Me, which recounts his personal triumphs having been abandoned as an infant, adopted and raised by a Caucasian family in Washington D.C. during the Civil Rights Movement, his sustainability in Hollywood and his experience with race in this country. 

I met Tommy some thirty years ago in NYC and in the years since, I'd run into Tommy here and there in Los Angeles. He was always warm and made me feel like he and I had a special bond. I think aside from his incredible ability to make people laugh, being kind is just a natural for him. What I didn't know was Tommy's life story and all I can say is you can't read his book and not come away with a profound appreciation for the gift that Tommy is to all of us.

A true showman from a young age, Tommy Davidson’s exceptional range – from stand-up comedy and acting to versatile music accomplishments – have earned him a reputation as an extraordinary performer. Best known as one of the stars of the hit television show In Living Color, his visibility allowed him to become a household name known for his innovative talent. 

Join me, your host Brad Johnson ,  at the corner table for an intimate conversation with Tommy Davidson that reveals the human dimensions of the man behind the name. 

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LinkedIn: Brad Johnson

Medium: Corner Table Media

E.Mail:  [email protected]

For more information on host Brad Johnson or to join our mailing list, please visit: https://postandbeamhospitality.com/

Corner Table™ is a trademark of Post & Beam Hospitality LLC

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"In Miami, all roads lead to Craig."  Virgil Abloh, fashion designer, artistic director of Louis Vuitton's menswear 

No one of our generation has played a more influential role in defining, redefining and shaping the culture in Miami than Craig Robins. Craig is a visionary in the truest sense of the word, nothing short of brilliant. However, it was his unpretentious personal warmth and willingness to engage with this unknown restaurateur in the 80s that established our connection, one that has endured through his astronomical rise over the past four decades. 

As the CEO and President of Dacra, the real estate development company he founded in 1987, Robins focuses on developing creative communities that integrate art, design and architecture to accelerate asset value creation and enrich urban life. Dacra has spearheaded some of the most successful and transformative commercial, residential and mixed-use projects in Miami’s history, including South Beach, the Lincoln Road area, Allison Island and the Miami Design District, an 18-square block neighborhood dedicated to fashion, design and art that incorporates the work of emerging and established architects, public art, Michelin restaurants and stores by the world’s most significant luxury brands. 

In 2005, the neighborhood’s rapid renewal inspired the creation of Design Miami/ (Jun) in Basel, Switzerland and subsequently Design Miami/ Basel (Dec) in Miami, design fairs that have evolved into the world’s premier global forum for collectible design. Robins is the Chairman of the show, which he owns in partnership with MCH Swiss Exhibition, the producers of Art Basel. 

Join me, your host Brad Johnson , and Craig as we discuss his family life growing up, how a year studying abroad in Spain broadened Craig's view of urban design and inspired his citizen-of-the-world perspective. We learn about the three mentors in his career, the importance of historical buildings in preserving and reflecting culture, and how Craig's love of art, design, architecture and sense of community melded into his business philosophy and storied journey. 

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LinkedIn: Brad Johnson

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For more information on host Brad Johnson or to join our mailing list, please visit: https://postandbeamhospitality.com/

Corner Table™ is a trademark of Post & Beam Hospitality LLC

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So why does what we eat matter? A growing body of science in the field of cognitive nutrition shows that the “food-brain connection is actually one of the most powerful drivers of our overall well-being. What we eat matters not only for our physical health but for our cognitive and mental health, affecting our risk of anxiety and depression. The science is clear: we can eat our way to better brain health,” says Arianna Huffington, Founder of the The Huffington Post and CEO of Thrive Global. 

Our guest, Tracye McQuirter, is a transformative leader in the field of plant-based nutrition and black women’s health, and has been helping people go vegan for more than 30 years. She is the founder and CEO of 10 Million Black Vegan Women, a public health intervention to help one million black women go vegan each year for the next ten years.

Based in Washington, DC, McQuirter is the author of Ageless Vegan and By Any Greens Necessary, the first vegan diet book for black women, as well as the creator of the first free African American Vegan Starter Guide. The New York Times cited her work as a key factor driving the rise in veganism among African Americans, who are the fastest growing vegan demographic. Tracye has a Master’s degree in Public Health Nutrition from New York University.
 
In this episode, host Brad Johnson explores with Tracye some fundamental questions about veganism such as the difference between vegan and plant-based, the benefits of veganism not just for self but for the planet, and the events that sparked her path to veganism.  Tracye elaborates on the grace and compassion necessary to give yourself in the process of eating more vegan understanding that it's not a sprint, it's your personal journey, but that every vegan meal counts.  We also learn about the program Tracye founded to support black women who want to learn more about veganism and move in that direction. Join us at the corner table!

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LinkedIn: Brad Johnson

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E.Mail:  [email protected]

For more information on host Brad Johnson or to join our mailing list, please visit: https://postandbeamhospitality.com/

Corner Table™ is a trademark of Post & Beam Hospitality LLC

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"With the recent stress of the environment and the virus, there's a great deal of hopelessness and a sense of a lot of insecurity around the future," says Sally Greig, our guest this week. Mental health affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. It is a part of physical well-being.

Sally is a psychotherapist and clinical social worker providing psychotherapy for adults and children. Her primary focus and specialty is treating and diagnosing symptoms associated with depression, anxiety, panic disorder, and PTSD. Her clientele is diverse, multicultural and from various ethnic communities. 

Born in Georgia, Sally moved to Los Angeles as a teenager. She received her Bachelor's degree from California State University and graduate degree from USC with clinical training and internships at USC and UCLA. Sally and her husband, Dr.
Lloyd Greig, are avid art collectors and their philanthropic endeavors and willingness to devote their time to issues affecting the community are well known.

Join host, Brad Johnson and Sally as they discuss mental health and its importance at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. With the alarming rise in child suicide rates, Sally explains the contributing factors, the trauma children experience, as well as how to watch for warning signs, and the importance of extra-curricular activities that give children a sense of joy. Sally also discusses why men can be reluctant to therapy and how practicing mindfulness, staying present and not futurizing negative outcomes help alleviate stress. Learn about one of Sally's other talents, her background vocals, specifically "gibberish vocals', on Lionel Richie's good time anthem, All Night Long (All Night). Join us at the corner table!

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In honor of Black Music Appreciation Month and singer, songwriter Phyllis Hyman, our guest is Glenda Gracia, the executrix for The Estate of Phyllis Hyman and the former founding Executive Director of the Black Music Association responsible, along with other music execs, for lobbying then President Jimmy Carter to launch the perennial celebration of Black Music Month and host an inaugural celebration on the White House lawn in June, 1979. 

As one of the people who knew her best, Glenda managed the uber-talented singer with the impeccable and distinguishable voice, Phyllis Hyman from 1985 until her untimely passing in June, 1995.  Glenda had a unique relationship with Phyllis who felt like she was always struggling to have her voice heard. "Phyllis was one of the most extraordinarily bright people that I know. I'm gonna say she was genius. She had very significant ideas about the way she wanted to do things and who she wanted to be." says Glenda "I wanted to always honor that."  

Today, Glenda continues to uplift Phyllis' legacy. In 2021, a little over four decades from the launch of Phyllis Hyman, the Old Friend: The Deluxe Collection 1976 - 1998,  a nine-disc box set that rounds up all of Hyman’s studio albums cut across the Buddah, Arista and PIR labels, was released.

Join host, Brad Johnson and Glenda as they reminisce about their personal experiences with Phyllis (including track interludes) who was a frequent visitor to Brad's late father, Howard's NYC's Upper West Side restaurant, The Cellar.  Glenda, an accomplished business woman, describes how she became Phyllis' manager and her shared experiences with the complex and troubled artist. We also hear about Glenda's deep dedication to personal transformation through the study of mysticism and sacred teachings on her way to a certification as a Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, learning that while paths are many – truth is one. Join us at the corner table!

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For more information on host Brad Johnson or to join our mailing list, please visit: https://postandbeamhospitality.com/

Corner Table™ is a trademark of Post & Beam Hospitality LLC

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.