Season II of the Lead with Empower Podcast keeps rolling along with a wonderful, thought-provoking conversation with Mr. James Lightfoot III. James currently serves as the Director of Youth and Education Programs for the Urban League of Springfield, Inc. In his role, James is responsible for the design and delivery of in-school and out-of-school programming for teens and young adults in Springfield, MA. James' passion for youth and community development is evident in our conversation and in his involvement in local youth development organizations beyond his work with the Urban League of Springfield, Inc. Here are some highlights from our discussion:

02:45: James shares a story about his "personal challenge" to improve his ability to commit and change the tide of how his college experience was going - "If I can commit to growing my hair out, I can commit to anything!"

04:30: Another quick personal story from James about the danger of assumptions based on the physical qualities of a person.

11:50: We learn about James' journey from Detroit, MI. to Grand Valley State University and eventually to Springfield College.

33:30: James shares some insight into his work mentoring youths and young adults at the Urban League of Springfield, Inc. Helping students identify a vision, plan accordingly, and live with purpose ("Get what you can out of every situation!")

46:00: We learn about the foundation of James' passion for educating, leading, inspiring, and mentoring youths.

53:50: James discusses his work with the One Hundred Males to College Initiative and shares his insight into the impact of racial injustice on the youths and young adults he serves. "I want to help them learn to play chess, not checkers."

01:24:30: We learn about James' passion for performing/creative arts - how he got started, how he currently stays involved, and how he leverages the arts in his mentorship and leadership of the youths and young adults he serves.

Musical Credit to Matt Jaskot matthewjaskot.com