Join several community leaders and activists as we discuss reparations - what they are, and what progress has been made in the movement to make the descendants of chattel slaves in America "whole". 

September is HBCU awareness month.  Through our National HBCU Initiative, The Links, Incorporated seeks to increase the retention and graduation rates of students attending HBCUs, which were founded in the face of discrimination and have a proud history and legacy of achievement.

For more than a century, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have produced a significant portion of the nation’s doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs, and political and religious leaders. Listen in on this conversation among members of The Arlington (VA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated as they share their experiences, why they feel HBCUs are so important, and what they hope for the future of HBCUs. With so many forces trying to tear our students and communities down, it makes us proud to support the institutions which are doing everything they can to hold our communities up. 

What is the future of DEI? Lately, there have been more and more media reports about a decreasing number of DEI officers, and a growing number are being asked to take on additional responsibilities outside of the DEI lens. The Supreme Court’s landmark decision to gut affirmative action has made it unlawful for colleges to take race into consideration as a specific factor in admissions like program at the two universities at the center of the case, Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. 

Attacks on Black history in our schools have become more common. Despite the ostensible desire for corporations, universities, organizations and other institutions to embrace diversity after the George Floyd murder, what many thought was too good to be true, may truly be a fad. Additional questions have arisen like how artificial intelligence can be discriminatory, how are our communities, philanthropy and workplaces adapting to demands of inclusivity and belonging. How do we measure our progress, and when will be know if we are indeed a diverse, equitable and inclusive society?

In this episode we speak with Samia Byrd, Chief Race and Equity Officer, Deputy County Manager for Arlington County and Diane Britt Smith, actor and model, about their experiences and thoughts about how we are embracing DEI today.

Reading is a pathway - to imagination, to growth, to learning. 

While dueling perspectives on parent rights, censorship and violations of 1st amendment rights are dominating conversations today, in this episode we chat with Tracie Hall, the first Black female Executive Director of the American Library Association, to discuss what communities can do to preserve a love and respect for reading and literacy and how we can celebrate books. She also shares with us our own bit of library history in Alexandria, VA.

Host Krysta Jones serves as one of the co conveners of the Black Women’s Roundtable Virginia, an organization focused on building intergenerational leadership, advocating for our rights, and prioritizing the wellness of Black women and girls. The Arlington (VA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated strongly believes that advocacy is 365 days year, no matter the election cycle or court decision, and our work is dependent on partnerships. Representatives of the Arlington (VA) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated recently met with several of the other area Black women’s organizations to strategize and discuss how we can work more effectively together. In this episode we spotlight the work of Deborah Foreman Speller, President of the National Council Negro Women, Northern Virginia section, and Sherelle Carper, the 24th National President & CEO, of The National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club, Incorporated. 

When we look at what is facing our community, racial equity, health disparities, economic injustice - its easy to get discouraged. These are complicated issues that will not be solved overnight, it takes leadership - often incremental. Since 1966, the The Arlington (VA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated has worked  to ensure that all community members have equal access to that leadership, those tables, and those "backrooms". In this episode we speak with three Black women leaders who have cracked the code-they lead, they serve, and they do it well. Alyia Gaskins serves on the Alexandria City Council, Amini Bonane is a champion for women and girls, and Charniele Herring is a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. Listen in to hear how they lead, and share their pearls of wisdom. 

In this episode, host Krysta Jones speaks with Joi Chaney, Founder/Principal, J.O.I. Strategies, and A’shanti Gholar, President of Emerge, an organization dedicated to recruiting and training women to run for office. They both provide great perspectives on how to engage our community - including getting youth involved, how they engage voters who are unlikely to vote, and the importance of running for office. 

According to the Women Business Coalition - In January 2023, women comprised nearly 33% of new appointments to the boards of public companies. Among the 36 of the 117 newly appointed women board members who chose to self-disclose their race, Asian/Pacific Islander women made up nearly 15% and Black women 9%.

Paula HJ Cholmondeley, a seasoned corporate director who has served on 10 public company boards shares her wisdom about the nuts and bolts of serving on a corporate board, and what you need to do to put yourself in the position to get that board seat. 

April is Minority Health Month, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) observes National Minority Health Month to highlight the importance of improving the health of racial and ethnic minority and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities and reducing health disparities. The theme for National Minority Health Month 2023 is "Better Health Through Better Understanding", focuses on improving health outcomes for racial and minority communities by providing them with culturally and linguistically competent healthcare services, information, and resources. 

As we think about eliminating health disparities, a part of that is making sure we are empowered as individuals to be advocates for ourselves. While we work on changing policies, we also have to make sure we are educated about our bodies, our minds, and our daily habits. Listen in to this conversation with Sandra Jenkins Clark, a certified yoga instructor and Dr. Nicholette Martin, a health and wellness coach and author, and former National Director, Health and Human Services for The Links, Incorporated - to give you some tips on the benefits of yoga, some commonly asked nutrition questions, and the importance of self-care.

How do you "love the skin you are in"? You may consider ways you can Reset, Rejuvenate, Reimagine, Resist, and Act, as your first steps. Self care (however you define it) is an important part of that journey.  One way we can do this is to start with the largest organ of our bodies, our skin. In this episode, we explore ways we can better care for our skin with Dr. Yolanda Holmes, a dermatologist in Washington, DC, and the chair of the Health and Human Services Facet of The Arlington (VA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.