Think Bigger Actors Podcast with DaJuan Johnson

Special Edition Episodes of DEI Training

I wanted to tackle DEI -- Diversity Equity and Inclusion -- training from its roots. I decided to start with me and like any other normal person share it on a podcast.

I can't show up effectively, the way I want to as a leader, mentor, coach, friend, Think Bigger Tribe member without also doing my work. So here we are.

In these 5 episodes, you will see ME, DaJuan Johnson, become the STUDENT as I learn about my roots and how they affect my experience as a person of color. I sat down with Dr. Maisha Beasley, a DEI expert, and dove in head first.

What you're about to hear is me at my core...vulnerable, raw, and here for it all.

Through the podcast I want you to imagine a TREE. Roots, Trunk and the Leaves...this is how we will tell the beginning of my DEI story. I say beginning, because I am clear that there is more work to be done.

Episode 1 - We talk about my ROOTS. How growing up in a home where all I wanted to do was get away from the violence, but always had to be home before the streetlights came on, subconsciously shaped my earlier DEI experience. A time where I didn't fully see color and thought of my friends -- white, latinn, mixed -- as my siblings. A time that changed quickly...

Episode 2A + 2B: We get into the "TRUNK" of my experience of DEI and talk about how I learned to "CODE SWITCH" to survive. To get ahead. To be successful. How being bused into a new high school that needed to fill a "black quota" changed my life. How my family made it clear, there were certain people -- in my family -- I was not supposed to be like.

Episode 3A + 3B: We finish it off with the "LEAVES" of the tree and how I gave myself the "golden ticket" when I stopped trying to be someone else and stepped into DaJuan.

Here is where we tie in all of the traditional DEI terms and apply them to my story as a whole.

My highest intention here was to learn. And through sharing MY STORY, I hope you see YOUR STORY in it too. I hope that you see that DEI is truly about relationships at its core. I'm sure I stepped in poop on this podcast a couple of times, but what I know for sure is sometimes you have to step in poop to become the leader you are meant to be. My hope is it becomes less and less poop because...I'm here to lead.

Connect with DaJuan Johnson:

Official Website: www.thinkbiggercoaching.com & www.dajuanjohnson.com

Instagram: @thinkbiggercoaching & @dajuanjohnson

Youtube Channel

Facebook:

Twitter

Join the Think Bigger Tribe Facebook Group: where a Tribe of like minded actors come to take their career to the next level. #SeeYouOnSet

Special Edition Episodes of DEI Training

I wanted to tackle DEI -- Diversity Equity and Inclusion -- training from its roots. I decided to start with me and like any other normal person share it on a podcast.

I can't show up effectively, the way I want to as a leader, mentor, coach, friend, Think Bigger Tribe member without also doing my work. So here we are.

In these 5 episodes, you will see ME, DaJuan Johnson, become the STUDENT as I learn about my roots and how they affect my experience as a person of color. I sat down with Dr. Maisha Beasley, a DEI expert, and dove in head first.

What you're about to hear is me at my core...vulnerable, raw, and here for it all.

Through the podcast I want you to imagine a TREE. Roots, Trunk and the Leaves...this is how we will tell the beginning of my DEI story. I say beginning, because I am clear that there is more work to be done.

Episode 1 - We talk about my ROOTS. How growing up in a home where all I wanted to do was get away from the violence, but always had to be home before the streetlights came on, subconsciously shaped my earlier DEI experience. A time where I didn't fully see color and thought of my friends -- white, latinn, mixed -- as my siblings. A time that changed quickly...

Episode 2A + 2B: We get into the "TRUNK" of my experience of DEI and talk about how I learned to "CODE SWITCH" to survive. To get ahead. To be successful. How being bused into a new high school that needed to fill a "black quota" changed my life. How my family made it clear, there were certain people -- in my family -- I was not supposed to be like.

Episode 3A + 3B: We finish it off with the "LEAVES" of the tree and how I gave myself the "golden ticket" when I stopped trying to be someone else and stepped into DaJuan.

Here is where we tie in all of the traditional DEI terms and apply them to my story as a whole.

My highest intention here was to learn. And through sharing MY STORY, I hope you see YOUR STORY in it too. I hope that you see that DEI is truly about relationships at its core. I'm sure I stepped in poop on this podcast a couple of times, but what I know for sure is sometimes you have to step in poop to become the leader you are meant to be. My hope is it becomes less and less poop because...I'm here to lead.

Connect with DaJuan Johnson:

Official Website: www.thinkbiggercoaching.com & www.dajuanjohnson.com

Instagram: @thinkbiggercoaching & @dajuanjohnson

Youtube Channel

Facebook:

Twitter

Join the Think Bigger Tribe Facebook Group: where a Tribe of like minded actors come to take their career to the next level. #SeeYouOnSet

Special Edition Episodes of DEI Training

I wanted to tackle DEI -- Diversity Equity and Inclusion -- training from its roots. I decided to start with me and like any other normal person share it on a podcast.

I can't show up effectively, the way I want to as a leader, mentor, coach, friend, Think Bigger Tribe member without also doing my work. So here we are.

In these 5 episodes, you will see ME, DaJuan Johnson, become the STUDENT as I learn about my roots and how they affect my experience as a person of color. I sat down with Dr. Maisha Beasley, a DEI expert, and dove in head first.

What you're about to hear is me at my core...vulnerable, raw, and here for it all.

Through the podcast I want you to imagine a TREE. Roots, Trunk and the Leaves...this is how we will tell the beginning of my DEI story. I say beginning, because I am clear that there is more work to be done.

Episode 1 - We talk about my ROOTS. How growing up in a home where all I wanted to do was get away from the violence, but always had to be home before the streetlights came on, subconsciously shaped my earlier DEI experience. A time where I didn't fully see color and thought of my friends -- white, latinn, mixed -- as my siblings. A time that changed quickly...

Episode 2A + 2B: We get into the "TRUNK" of my experience of DEI and talk about how I learned to "CODE SWITCH" to survive. To get ahead. To be successful. How being bused into a new high school that needed to fill a "black quota" changed my life. How my family made it clear, there were certain people -- in my family -- I was not supposed to be like.

Episode 3A + 3B: We finish it off with the "LEAVES" of the tree and how I gave myself the "golden ticket" when I stopped trying to be someone else and stepped into DaJuan.

Here is where we tie in all of the traditional DEI terms and apply them to my story as a whole.

My highest intention here was to learn. And through sharing MY STORY, I hope you see YOUR STORY in it too. I hope that you see that DEI is truly about relationships at its core. I'm sure I stepped in poop on this podcast a couple of times, but what I know for sure is sometimes you have to step in poop to become the leader you are meant to be. My hope is it becomes less and less poop because...I'm here to lead.

Connect with DaJuan Johnson:

Official Website: www.thinkbiggercoaching.com & www.dajuanjohnson.com

Instagram: @thinkbiggercoaching & @dajuanjohnson

Youtube Channel

Facebook:

Twitter

Join the Think Bigger Tribe Facebook Group: where a Tribe of like minded actors come to take their career to the next level. #SeeYouOnSet

Special Edition Episodes of DEI Training

I wanted to tackle DEI -- Diversity Equity and Inclusion -- training from its roots. I decided to start with me and like any other normal person share it on a podcast.

I can't show up effectively, the way I want to as a leader, mentor, coach, friend, Think Bigger Tribe member without also doing my work. So here we are.

In these 5 episodes, you will see ME, DaJuan Johnson, become the STUDENT as I learn about my roots and how they affect my experience as a person of color. I sat down with Dr. Maisha Beasley, a DEI expert, and dove in head first.

What you're about to hear is me at my core...vulnerable, raw, and here for it all.

Through the podcast I want you to imagine a TREE. Roots, Trunk and the Leaves...this is how we will tell the beginning of my DEI story. I say beginning, because I am clear that there is more work to be done.

Episode 1 - We talk about my ROOTS. How growing up in a home where all I wanted to do was get away from the violence, but always had to be home before the streetlights came on, subconsciously shaped my earlier DEI experience. A time where I didn't fully see color and thought of my friends -- white, latinn, mixed -- as my siblings. A time that changed quickly...

Episode 2A + 2B: We get into the "TRUNK" of my experience of DEI and talk about how I learned to "CODE SWITCH" to survive. To get ahead. To be successful. How being bused into a new high school that needed to fill a "black quota" changed my life. How my family made it clear, there were certain people -- in my family -- I was not supposed to be like.

Episode 3A + 3B: We finish it off with the "LEAVES" of the tree and how I gave myself the "golden ticket" when I stopped trying to be someone else and stepped into DaJuan.

Here is where we tie in all of the traditional DEI terms and apply them to my story as a whole.

My highest intention here was to learn. And through sharing MY STORY, I hope you see YOUR STORY in it too. I hope that you see that DEI is truly about relationships at its core. I'm sure I stepped in poop on this podcast a couple of times, but what I know for sure is sometimes you have to step in poop to become the leader you are meant to be. My hope is it becomes less and less poop because...I'm here to lead.

Connect with DaJuan Johnson:

Official Website: www.thinkbiggercoaching.com & www.dajuanjohnson.com

Instagram: @thinkbiggercoaching & @dajuanjohnson

Youtube Channel

Facebook:

Twitter

Join the Think Bigger Tribe Facebook Group: where a Tribe of like minded actors come to take their career to the next level. #SeeYouOnSet

Special Edition Episodes of DEI Training

I wanted to tackle DEI -- Diversity Equity and Inclusion -- training from its roots. I decided to start with me and like any other normal person share it on a podcast.

I can't show up effectively, the way I want to as a leader, mentor, coach, friend, Think Bigger Tribe member without also doing my work. So here we are.

In these 5 episodes, you will see ME, DaJuan Johnson, become the STUDENT as I learn about my roots and how they affect my experience as a person of color. I sat down with Dr. Maisha Beasley, a DEI expert, and dove in head first.

What you're about to hear is me at my core...vulnerable, raw, and here for it all. I give you permission to bounce around and trust that you will get exactly what you need where ever you start. Want to skip right to the end and just get the DEI traditional definitions, cool. Want to hear a story about code switching, cool too. Do you through this process and constantly check in with yourself.

Through the podcast I want you to imagine a TREE. Roots, Trunk and the Leaves...this is how we will tell the beginning of my DEI story. I say beginning, because I am clear that there is more work to be done.

Episode 1 - We talk about my ROOTS. How growing up in a home where all I wanted to do was get away from the violence, but always had to be home before the streetlights came on, subconsciously shaped my earlier DEI experience. A time where I didn't fully see color and thought of my friends -- white, latinn, mixed -- as my siblings. A time that changed quickly...

Episode 2A + 2B: We get into the "TRUNK" of my experience of DEI and talk about how I learned to "CODE SWITCH" to survive. To get ahead. To be successful. How being bused into a new high school that needed to fill a "black quota" changed my life. How my family made it clear, there were certain people -- in my family -- I was not supposed to be like.

Episode 3A + 3B: We finish it off with the "LEAVES" of the tree and how I gave myself the "golden ticket" when I stopped trying to be someone else and stepped into DaJuan.

Here is where we tie in all of the traditional DEI terms and apply them to my story as a whole.

My highest intention here was to learn. And through sharing MY STORY, I hope you see YOUR STORY in it too. I hope that you see that DEI is truly about relationships at its core. I'm sure I stepped in poop on this podcast a couple of times, but what I know for sure is sometimes you have to step in poop to become the leader you are meant to be. My hope is it becomes less and less poop because...I'm here to lead.

Connect with DaJuan Johnson:

Official Website: www.thinkbiggercoaching.com & www.dajuanjohnson.com

Instagram: @thinkbiggercoaching & @dajuanjohnson

Youtube Channel

Facebook:

Twitter

Join the Think Bigger Tribe Facebook Group: where a Tribe of like minded actors come to take their career to the next level. #SeeYouOnSet

Today is a HUGE ONE -- I sit down and talk to veteran actress and my good friend Justina Machado. You might know her as the lead of ONE DAY AT A TIME or from the critically acclaimed show SIX FEET UNDER or Queen of the south, Jane the Virgin...her credits seriously go on and on. Final Destination, The Purge, she does VO...I'm just sitting there with my kids watching cartoons and I'm like, wait is that Justina?

We talk about:

Not beating yourself up anymore

Landing her FIRST LEAD of a show. #1 on the callsheet

How Justina altered my acting career with some on set advice

Taking control of your social media from the beginning

The roles that Justina says NO to

Her very special relationship with her manager

Why Justina feels you have to make peace with Hollywood

And so much more…

Instagram @justinamachdo

Think Bigger Tribe: @DaJuan Johnson

www.thinkbiggercoaching.com

Follow me on the 'gram! @thinkbiggercoaching

Join the Think Bigger Tribe Facebook group – where a Tribe of like minded actors come to take their career to the next level. #Skiptheline

All dajuan social media handles.

In this Episode, I share my "I don't know, felt cute, might delete later" moment, plus I sit down with Dylan Mooney. Actor and Co-Founder of the Actor app Actor Trade.

We discuss:

Getting his Series Regular show and it not being renewed

Why he doesn't feel there's a "making it" in the industry

Your main job on a set -- that will get you another job

The messages he got from Hollywood being a person of color,

Building an App that actors can use across the world -- funded from a craigslist post!

Link to Actor Trade App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/actor-trade/id1260291254

Follow me on the 'gram! @thinkbiggercoaching

Join the Think Bigger Tribe Facebook group – where a Tribe of like minded actors come to take their career to the next level. #Skiptheline

All dajuan social media handles.

In this episode, I sit down with LaNisa Frederick and Danielle Pinnock, the creators of the comedy instagram sketch series Hashtag Booked. We talk about creating a series based on their misfortunes of being actors of color in showbusiness. With 28K followers and growing on instagram, mentions in Forbes, Essences and Shondaland -- these ladies are on fire! The career and life nuggets they drop in this episode are priceless.

How their stop talking and start doing it attitude helped them build a brand

How they used to film their series on a cracked iPhone

Creating a show while continuing to work on network TV

Their THRIVING VO careers -- 1st black female in Call of Duty! & Thundercats!

and more! Check out their series on instagram: @hashtagbooked #hashtagbooked

Follow me on the 'gram! @thinkbiggercoaching

Join the Think Bigger Tribe Facebook group – where a Tribe of like minded actors come to take their career to the next level. #Skiptheline

In this episode, I chat with Jeffrey Todd in Casting about the entire casting process for actors. Jeffrey has been a casting assistant in major offices that have cast shonda rhimes shows like Grey's Anatomy, Station 19, Scandal to offices like Fox's 911, The Walking Dead, The Society and Schooled. Some of the highlights:

• What blew his mind when he first went into casting

• His mission for every actor that he brings into the audition room

• What being an actor before getting into casting has taught him

• Why he retired from acting

• The entire casting process

• Why the actor has more Power than he thinks

• What an actor should NEVER bring into a room

• What booking actors are doing that you might not be doing

This episode is FIRE! Don't forget to Follow me on the 'gram! @thinkbiggercoaching

Join the FREE Think Bigger Tribe Facebook group – where a Tribe of like minded actors come for support, community and to uplevel their careers! #Skiptheline #TribeTalk #GetitGetit

PART TWO of my chat with actor Keston John (@kestonjohn) we dive more into the theatrical side of his career. From the pain of this industry - not getting the roles, how he handles pilot season, and how he booked IN THE DARK...by passing on it at first.

Don't forget to stick around for the D-12 shot at the end

Follow me on the 'gram! @thinkbiggercoaching

Join the Think Bigger Tribe Facebook group – where a Tribe of like minded actors come for support, community and to uplevel their careers! #Skiptheline #TribeTalk #GetitGetit