Talk! with Audrey

“I left corporate America after my own experiences with systemic racism traumatized and nearly destroyed me,” says Abram. “Now, I spend my time trying to heal from my experiences by writing books that shine a light on systemic racism in the workplace to help others.” She joins me now to talk about her novel, HUSH MONEY: How One Woman Proved Systemic Racism In Her Workplace and Kept Her Job. The book is a group effort by Abram and her two daughters, Deborah and Delilah Harris, and unveils the horrors of modern-day systemic racism in corporate America and chronicles the five-year journey of Ebony Ardoin, an ambitious, young, Black woman in search of a fulfilling and rewarding career path that allows her to live the American Dream.

From skinny-dipping presidents to toxic tooth fillings to hit singing groups that can’t carry a tune, authors Michael N. Smith and Eric Kasum  wrote 100 of the Worst Ideas in History. It's a celebration of humanity’s historical, hysterical stinkin' thinkin'—thundering brainstorms that turned into blundering brain farts, and the astonishing impact they carry to this day. Michael Smith is my guest.

As of 2020, nearly 1.8 million electric vehicles (EV's) were registered in the U.S., more than three times as many as in 2016, according to the International Energy Agency. Battery-electric vehicles were noted as the fastest-growing category soaring from fewer than 300,000 in 2016 to more than 1.1 million last year. With electric-powered vehicles on the rise, what do you need to know about the cars of the future? Co-Founder of #LatinaGeeks LaLa Castro  joins me with information about the latest trends and what the future holds.

Events over the last year have pushed companies to be more agile and thoughtful in their customer experience approach. Consumers have reevaluated their personal and financial priorities and enhanced their expectations of the brands they support. to celebrate National Customer Service Week (October 4-8, 2021), Ashley Ross, Client Care Executive at Bank of America, joins me to talk about how the customer experience will forever be changed in a post-pandemic world.

In October of 2013, Bew White was at the pinnacle of his career and success, Chairman of the Board of Gabriella White and its brands, Summer Classics, Gabby and Wendy Jane found himself in the emergency room, fighting for his life. It was that moment when he thought his life would end that led him to want to share his story with the world. His biography, A Summer Classic: The Bew White Story written by Christopher Taunton, is an Entrepreneur's Tale of Love, Life and Business.

According to Mark Lazar, a Certified Financial Planner, wealth advisor, “Contrary to what you may hear from friends, family, teachers, the government, or the media—regardless of your race, color, religion, where you grew up, or current social status, you have the power to change your life in ways you never believed possible,” and he wrote a book to help you get there, Pathway to Prosperity, to take the mystery out of money.

Ask any parent some of the things they do to keep their children safe and you’re likely to hear car seats, helmets and knee pads for bicycle riding. But when it comes to the Internet, parents often don’t know where to start in order to protect their children online.  Crystal Pichon, Children’s Safety Expert and CEO of The Safety Place talks with me about the importance of internet safety for children, especially during the back-to-school season.

Due to COVID-19, the need for lung transplantation is growing. Approximately 20-30 percent of patients who get COVID-19 can result in some form of lung damage. Lung transplantation is the last resort for patients with end-stage lung disease. However, there is currently a global shortage of donated lungs which sadly results in deaths among patients on the waitlist. And . . . many donated lungs are deemed unsuitable for transplantation and go un-utilized. Dr. Kalvin Lung - Thoracic Surgeon at Northwestern Medicine with information about a new device to help rescue potentially viable lungs, and those initially deemed “unacceptable” for transplant.

Alongside grammar and world history, another important subject to teach our kids is financial literacy. From budgeting and saving paychecks from a summer job to responsibly using a credit card, finances should be part of the curriculum starting at a young age through young adulthood. Erin McCullen, Head of Deposit Products at Bank of America has tips for parents to help their kids develop financial skills to set them up for post-grad financial independence.

As a result of the pandemic, 86% of Hispanic small business owners reported significant negative impacts, including complete closure, and were only half as likely as their white counterparts to receive PPP loans. Esperanza Teasdale, VP and GM of Hispanic Business at PepsiCo will be joined by Lupillo Ramirez, President of the Latino Food Industry Association  join me information about Juntos Crecemos (Together We Grow).Their partnership to raise awareness about Juntos Crecemos, which will invest more than $50 Million in strengthening Hispanic owned businesses.