Female Leaders Episodes

How does one help to embed equity into the DNA of a major philanthropic institution like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation? In this episode of Black Philanthropy: Our Stories, host Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv, speaks with Maisha Simmons, Associate Vice President of Equity and Culture at RWJF. Together, they discuss how Maisha leads efforts to operationalize equity, diversity, and inclusion across RWJF's programs and policies. Maisha reflects on her journey from grassroots community development...

How can small nonprofits build sustainable revenue, access philanthropic data, and stay rooted in community? In this episode of Black Philanthropy: Our Stories, host Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv, sits down with Francesca Axam Frederick, a fundraiser, strategist, and tech entrepreneur whose journey from dance to data is reshaping how grassroots organizations engage with philanthropy. Francesca shares how her early experiences in the arts led her to fundraising, why she transitioned into human ser...

What does it mean to center Black women's healing, challenge philanthropy's contradictions, and reclaim joy as a radical act? In this episode of Black Philanthropy: Our Stories, host Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv, sits down with Dr. Yanique Redwood—author, strategist, and former foundation CEO—to explore the emotional, structural, and spiritual dimensions of Black women's experiences in philanthropy. Dr. Redwood shares the journey behind her powerful book White Women Cry and Call Me Angry, a mem...

What does it mean to be called to philanthropy "for such a time as this"? In this episode of Black Philanthropy: Our Stories, host Michelle Renee Jackson, MDiv, sits down with Yvonne Moore—strategist, founder of Moore Philanthropy, and truth-teller in the sector—to explore the tension between comfort and courage in Black philanthropy. Yvonne opens up about the "golden handcuffs" that keep many professionals from taking bold action, the ancestral legacy that fuels her work, and why she believes ...

Think your messy past disqualifies you from a career in philanthropy? Think again. Your past isn't a liability. It's an asset. Brianna Rogers, at the San Francisco Foundation, once in foster care and formerly incarcerated, demonstrates how you can (and must) turn your lived experience into leadership currency in the industry of philanthropy to transform the communities you love. More resources at blackphilanthropypodcast.com. Follow @blackphilanthropyourstories & @michelle.renee.jackson (host)

You may feel shut out of philanthropy, told you need elite credentials, polished language, or "the right pedigree." C'Ardiss "CC" Gardner-Gleser, Founder of Black Ivy Collective, shows you how to break past gatekeeping, reject elitism, and use your lived experience as power. Learn how to step in boldly, disrupt harmful norms, and lead unapologetically. More resources at blackphilanthropypodcast.com. Follow @blackphilanthropyourstories & @michelle.renee.jackson (host)

Philanthropy and black culture are inextricable. Always. Every time. Everywhere. My father, Solomon Neal Jackson III, is an example of what it is for us to love through our giving. The industry of philanthropy often ignores philanthropists like him. Not us. This show is dedicated to our dad, Solomon, a man known for how big he loved. He is black philanthropy. More resources at blackphilanthropypodcast.com. Follow @blackphilanthropyourstories & @michelle.renee.jackson (host)