The Work

Black History Month may have ended but the work NEVER STOPS!

This week on The Work, Chloe and Brandon welcome Malcom Brogdon, Indiana Pacers starting point guard and Vice President of the NBPA.

Having been named after social justice icon, Malcolm X, Brogdon was entrenched in the fight for equality since birth. As a kid, him and his family took mission trips to Africa to provide aid and relief to those in need. He witnessed firsthand the lack of accessibility families had to water and he knew something needed to be done. Those experiences early on shaped Malcolm into the man he is today.

It's not just about basketball for Brogdon. It's about providing an equitable future to disadvantaged communities and the less fortunate. In the NBA bubble, Brogdon was a leading voice not only to encourage athletes to play but also use their platform to highlight the injustices that Black people in this country face today. He uses his status as an NBA player as an engine to drive his passions and further accomplish his goals.

Check out this episode of The Work to learn more about how Brogdon is facilitating change in our country and abroad. Then head to brogdonfamilyfoundation.org to see how you can get involved too!

February is Black History Month, but every month and every day should celebrate black history and black greatness. History continues to be made every day, and Coach Penny Collins is making history in the basketball world. Today on “The Work,” Chloe and Brandon spoke with Coach Penny Collins. Coach Penny is the Head Coach of Tennessee State University, an HBCU. He is the most inspirational speaker and person!Penny's goal is to be the first person to take an HBCU to the Final Four. He wants to carve a path for all HBCU's and make history. He wants to be the next Glory Road. The next Fab Five. Penny is determined to create the next MOMENT that shows up in your history books. Penny says all it takes is ONE athlete willing to try something new to CHANGE THE WORLD! Coach goes into discovering your blackness and his son's realization that he was black from a worksheet passed out in his class. Black history shouldn't be learned from a worksheet, “equality is not written on a worksheet.”Finally, Coach Penny ended with a MIC DROP... “you are not selling blackness, you are selling us.” Blackness is “WHO WE ARE.” Make sure to tune into this episode! You do not want to miss it.

Today we have Romola Ratnam, SVP of Social Impact at Endeavor on The Work. And she is a force!

Romola constantly creates a changing impact in the sports and entertainment industry. She works across athletes and celebrities to make a difference across the world!

Romola talks to us about the first time she realized that she was not white and how it made a strong impact on her childhood and upbringing.

She discusses her work with the SEED Project and Endeavor… and did you know she worked closely with MICHAEL B JORDAN!

Tune in to find out how you can make a change while also working in a field that you are passionate about!

This week on "The Work," Chloe and Brandon talk to NBA star Harrison Barnes. Harrison not only puts in “The Work” on the court, but he is one of the most active players off the court!

We talked to Harrison about his mom and how she inspired him to make a difference in the world.

Harrison has done so much for the community and was awarded the NBA Cares Community Assist Award in 2019-2020. Among all of the highlights in Harrison's career, from NBA champion and more, Barnes ranked the NBA Cares Community Assist Award among his top accolades!

He is also on the NBA Foundation's Board of Directors, along side MJ and MORE, AND did ya'll know that he is on the Board of Directors at the First National Bank!

Harrison talked about the NBA bubble and his response the the tragic deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Harrison and his wife zoomed the families impacted by police brutality to hear their stories. He discusses the importance of “continuing to stay relevant, continuing to force issues and continuing to Say Their Names!”

Make sure ya'll tune in! You do not want to miss this one!

This week on The Work, Chloe and Brandon talk to Orlando Magic Point Guard Michael Carter-Williams.

Did ya'll know that Michael is named after his grandfather? His grandfather changed his name from LeRoy to Mike, having to assimilate to get more business as a black man in America. Michael talks about his legacy and gives us an insight to his family story.

Michael dives into Syracuse and his experience as a student on campus. Still today, he is heavily involved with the Athletic Department at Syracuse. Michael helped their Athletic Director re-craft his statement on Black Lives Matter after the death's of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

We learn more about the Bubble and Michael's experience protesting. He fights so hard for his daughter and future kids so that they can grow up in a better world.

A key message from Michael is to spread the word of social injustice. Educate yourself. Talk to your friends and family. It is important!

And for more information on the The Social Change Fund visit: https://www.thesocialchangefund.org/.

Troy Brown Jr. reflects on how his parents raised him as a black man in America.

Growing up, Troy was determined to make it out of Las Vegas as a kid. Now, as an NBA player, he feels a responsibility to give back to his local communities and to be an inspiration to younger kids.

In high school, Troy was saddened to see other students who were homeless, and he has made it a point to help the unhoused youth population in Vegas through Project 150.

Troy has also been very active with the Special Olympics since high school. His goal is to show kids in the Special Olympics community that they can achieve anything and that NBA players are “normal people."

Troy is also involved in the Black Lives Matter movement. Along with Bradley Beal and Natasha Cloud, Troy recently participated in and supported a BLM protest in the DC area.

TOMORROW is Election Day. Everyone PLEASE use your voice and make yourself heard! It is your RIGHT! Go out and Vote!

This week on “The Work,” WNBA Minnesota Lynx star talks to Chloe and Brandon about her childhood being raised as a black woman and discloses the difficulties that she had a child in a predominantly white school.

Lexie recounts on the first time that she realized she was black and remembers not understanding why all of the her friends had boyfriends but not her. She recalls being “Different.”

The WNBA is at the forefront of social justice movements and Lexie Brown uses her platform to fight for what is right. She is heavily involved in the Black Lives Matter and Say Her Name movements.

Listen to this podcast to learn more about how to support Breonna Taylor's family and the "Say Her Name" Movement.

On this episode of “The Work” Addisu Demissie tells us what it was like to be in a room with LeBron and Maverick Carter for the first time EVER.

Addisu takes us through his political career and discusses the hardships that he overcame and THE WORK that he put in to how he got to be in that room with LeBron and Mav! He started from the bottom and now is making a massive impact across the country.

More Than A Vote is an organization complied of more than 32 professional athletes, who all utilize their platforms to encourage registering and casting a ballot come Nov 3rd.

What is next for More Than A Vote? Tune in to find out.

Don't forget to cast those ballots. Every vote counts! And for more information on More Than A Vote got to https://www.morethanavote.org/.