Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed George Lambert.
President and CEO of the Greater Washington Urban League, to discuss economic empowerment, diversity, and the ongoing fight for equity in Black communities.
With decades of leadership in the nonprofit and civil rights space, George shares insights on gentrification, financial inclusion, Black entrepreneurship, and the need for corporate accountability in DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) efforts. He highlights how the Urban League is actively working to remove economic barriers by supporting Black businesses, advocating for fair banking practices, and providing career development opportunities.
Whether you're an entrepreneur, community leader, or someone looking to understand the business of social change, this episode is packed with game-changing insights on how to push forward in the fight for financial and political empowerment. Tune in to learn how to be part of the movement for true economic equity!
#STRAW
#BEST
#SHMS
Steve Harvey Morning Show Online: http://www.steveharveyfm.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Money Making Conversation Masterclass. I'm your host,
ra Sean McDonald. My theme is there there is no
perfect time to start following your dreams because I recognize
that we all have different definitions of success. For you,
it may be the size of your paycheck. Minds inspire
you to accomplish your goals and live your very best life.
It's time to stop reading other people's success stories and
really start writing your own. People always talk about the
(00:22):
purpose of gift. If you have a gift, leave with
your gift. You know that your friends, family, or coworkers
stop you from planning your dreams. If you want to
be a guest oh my show, please visit our website,
Moneymaking Conversations dot com and click the be a guest button.
Chris submit and information will come directly to me. Now,
let's get this show started. My guest it is George Lambert.
(00:44):
He's the president's CEO of Greater Washington Urban League. The
League is on the mission to increase the economic and
political power historically disenfranchised and excluded blacks. He's on the
show to talk about. Please welcome the Money Making Conversation Masterclass.
George Lambert.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
How you doing, George, I'm doing good. Thank you so much.
Delighted to be a conversation of the day.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Well, you know, first of all, Alater when I want
to heard the word Urban League and a lot of people,
you know, you hear about the NAACP. You hear about
a lot of autenticies like what exactly is the Urban League.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
We are a civil rights social service organization, been around
since nineteen ten. Certainly if you mentioned the NAACP, have
had a number of partnerships with the NAACP over the years.
They preceded us in terms of the work that we do.
They certainly came on the forefront of nineteen on that.
But we do a lot of work in collaboration together.
We have ninety two Urban League affiliates around the country.
(01:39):
We have certainly five pullars that we all operate from
in terms of supporting the communities that we're in and
in Washington, d C. Our foot print is Washington, d C,
Prince George's County, Maryland and Montgomery County, Maryland.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Wow, you know they've nicknamed oft the times you've heard
the name Chocolate City d C.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
That whole area it's now Cappuccino City.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Now why you say that, George, Why you say that?
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Is it the demographics have changed and the landscape has shifted.
I'll leave it there.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Well, you know, Tee, it's not shocky. I grew up
in Fifth Ward, which is in Houston, Texas, all predominant
black neighborhood. I would have to say ninety nine or
nine percent of that neighborhood was black. Now in Houston,
tex is Hispanic. And so you see these transitional things happening.
Is that good or bad for black? For the black community?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
You know, gentrification has been a real issue, particularly in
the DMV. So that gon't include Washington, d C in particular. Uh,
And so I guess it really kind of depends on
your lens from which you look at it. You know,
the the the scope for us at the Greater Washington
of League. Can communities coexist? And that's the conversation I
often leave with, can we coexist as a community? And
(02:55):
that's you know, part of their work, the strength that
we really kind of work from. There are some who
really to this area, come to the city and come
for a spirit of wanting to coexist, wanting to support
the communities that they're coming into and wanting to see,
you know, certainly how they can bring U strengts and
assets and uh and be a part of the community.
But there's all those perhaps that you know, as I'm
(03:16):
sure you well know that come of a different mindset.
So again it underscores can we coexist?
Speaker 3 (03:22):
We know?
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Really is is a you know, there was there was
a proud moment in the African American community, you know
in President Obama, which I know in my lifetime I
never thought I would see an African American to be
recognized as the president of this United States.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
We're back to back terms. Even when he.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Was president, there was a lot of volatility when it
became to uh, we don't know if we really made
any strides in the black community and the workforce in
social justice under his leadership. And I'm not pouring to
figure out President Obama, but when he left, there seemed
to be a very negative tide for the worst.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Can you expound on that?
Speaker 2 (04:05):
So first of all, let me talk a little about
the tenure President Obama became our president. I think it
was beginning in two thousand and eight or so. And
what I've always said is, while we were excited about
getting an African American president, but I would submit that
the country perhaps was not ready for an African American
(04:27):
president all that throughout his tenure, and certainly what you've
already alluded to as well, we clearly saw it after
he left the White House. It was almost like a
turning around and undoing so many of the changes progress
legislation that he put in place. So that was very
clear to all of us as well. I think the
other thing is to keep in mind we should never
(04:49):
forget this. While he did become president to summricent, while
we as African Americans were very proud and while we
were there, so to speak, but we were never really there, right, Yeah,
And in other words, we still have a long way
to go before we really get there. So we should
never lose sight of that for sure.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Well, you know, it's interesting, did you say that, because, like,
you know, when the when we was emancipated free and
during the Civil War, we were offered forty acres in
the mirror. That was when President Lincoln was still president,
and then when he was assassinated that was taking away
a lot of people don't realize that the forty acres
in the mirror was like a very short window. Some
(05:30):
African Americans, or some blacks and some negroes at the
time of color people they called us at that time
did receive it. And then but as soon as he
was assassinated, it was everything went back. It was like
a correction, a racial correction, I guess someone can call it.
And so it felt like it was the same way
that happened to us. When President Obama left the office,
(05:50):
there seemed to be a need to create a racial correction.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
You know. Strang just to mention that because it gives
me an opportunity to just to do a brief bit
of a segue. The National Lague released the State of
Black American. You know, it's a document that you've very
familiar with and which really kind of, you know, talk
a lot about our democracy and pearls our democracy under attack.
In other words, we are losing some man of those
hard one games that we fought for over the years.
(06:17):
And that is very true. I mean, there's been an
onslaught in terms of really trying to silence our voice
with regard to the voting, silence our voice in so
many areas as well, our history, really trying to erase
our history to some extent, and so we are stilled
very much, you know, fighting many of the messages of
the old, fighting many of those issues. We have to
(06:38):
keep pushing. That is the work of the Urban League.
I mean, that's the boots on the ground as much
as we are very much at the tip of the
sphere and in the fight of the civil rights side
of it. We also, you know, really work hard every
day are to provide services to folks who we work
on behalf of as well.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Well.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Here here's something interesting, George, I'm speaking to George Lambert,
the president and CEO involved in pally try to charge
our community economically and politically to write a lot of wrong.
I don't think you can ever right a lot of wrong,
but at least you can move forward and try to
make some corrections. And that's really and things when I
when I look at a person like you, how did
(07:13):
you get involved actively? You know, because you seem corporately
structured and a corporate mindset. How did you get into
the nonprofit civil rights approaches trying to make a difference
in this world?
Speaker 2 (07:26):
You know, I'm someone who've always had a passion for
serving How people are folks who to speak when I
on board new folks who come to work for the
Credit Washore. I tell them all so you know, before
I get to your skill set, your talents, all those
great things you want to tell me about who you are,
what you've done and all that. First of all need
to understand your calling. And so your calling is that
(07:49):
you were called to come to do this work. Both
my parents were for Baptist ministers, and so I grew
up in a househol used to wake up one morning
on a whim, and you're going to go side to
preach the gospel you are. And I believe that folks
who come to work for the Greater Washington Alage need
to be no less than called to do this work
because the people that we serve need people of that
calling as well. So it has always been my passion
(08:12):
to do this work, and I want to surround myself
of others who come to work for us as well
to do this work. I did take a bit of
a heat as many years ago I left the nonprofit
arena went to the for profit arena, and my wife
will probably be the first one to tell you I
was never happy because it was more than about the.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Money, right right.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
I did work my way back to the Airpen League
into the nonprofit RANA and I've enjoyed it, and as
I said, I'm still still having fun.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
But before I get into what exactly a president and
CEO does at the Greater Washington Urban League, I want
to ask you this. I'm an entrepreneur and I've been
in the media. I managed Steve Harvey's Who a number
of years of Steve harry Morning Show. I co created
that with him, and so I'm very familiar with black
advertisement and the black opportuity, the black dollars that were
(09:02):
set aside for they would specifically.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Say it black.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
They said black marketing dollars, and then they transition to
the word multicultural, and then they started sliding the black
dollars over to the Latino community because they say that
was the fastest growing community, so they wanted to focus
I'm talking about when I say day, I'm talking about advertisers.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Now.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
As an entrepreneur, you have all these RFPs and they
said they use cold words now and then co words
that frustrate me. They'll say minority and minority is now.
If you don't know this, listen to my show or
watching my show, is white women. White women is minority.
(09:47):
That's what they're talking about. They're not talking about people
of color. They're not talking about black people. They've shifted
that word and made sure that they say minority now
because they're really not talking about trying to give the
slices of the pie that they say they are to
the actual people of color. Am I correct when I
say that? Because that's what I'm seeing industriets.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
I think there's clearly marriage in terms of what you're saying.
I mean, I will tell you that we are very
intentional at the Great Washington I'd be about trying to
make a difference and grab those resources for the folks
that you're talking about, folks of color, yes, look like
you and me who are black folks. We have a
entrepreneurship program. We'll be doing it for a number of
years now. While we do support those who are starting
(10:31):
businesses into sweet spot to us of those who are
in business been around for a while, you know, they
may have capital. Now they're looking to double down and
to scale in terms of the business, and so we
really kind of help them to do that. Here is
one thing I will mention to you that I think
was a bit of a tragedy when we went into
COVID and the PPP, the Payroll Protection Program. It was
a very critical lesson learned out of that, I think
(10:53):
for all of us, because what we saw was that,
you know, many businesses, larger businesses got those loans, many
of our African American small businesses did not. And so
when we began to reach out circle back talk with me,
that what many of them said to us as well,
we had a relationship with our bank. They did not
have a relationship with their bank. They had a transaction
(11:15):
that occurred every month. That's banking relationship. So inasmuch as
we've helped me in the pivot, but we've also now
very intentional about helping them, to many of them, to
develop a bona fide relationship with their bank, not just
a transaction that happens every month, but you go into
deposit or cash checks. That is the intentionality of what
(11:35):
we do. That's where we have to be in terms of,
as you said, you know, really breaking in those barriers
and getting those doors, getting businesses, getting business for folks
to look like us.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
We know that really and just when I get fired up, George,
I'm just when I start talking about with you, because
you know, George, I'm there, I see it, and it
makes me mad. I go to these RFP meetings and
it's supposed to be a walk in the room, and
I'm just gonna tell everybody is predominantly white women just
sitting in there. And then they offer opportunities. And so
(12:06):
then they offer the opportunity really in the construction area,
in the area of products, and so where blacks are
making in rows is in the media and the marketing
and the graphic design. We're completely shut out. We're completely
shut out because those deals are going to the big
marketing firms, and the way they keep it in the
(12:26):
big marketing firms, they'll tell you, what are you doing
differently that we can't do? And so when they make
that statement to you, you really sitting at the back
of the line. And so for the last few years,
my goal has been able to create my own database
and that's been a lot of hard work.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Charge but that's what we have to do.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
Yeah, yeah, Well, even though you know they're a leg
I mean, we're a small business, but we are a
business as well. Properly we are a business. We also
are very intentional about who we use to support us
in our marketing. We make sure that you know our
resources go to folks who look like us, who can
help to tell our stories, who can help to really
kind of push our brand out there, sir, and get
(13:06):
the kind of results that we want. So again, I
think it's all about intentionality and then of course about
breaking down barriers where we see barriers and going at
that very strong, and we do that work as well.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Well, here's the thing we movies slide.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
I've basically been lying up my questions to the black
and white summer that you have coming up here. Tell
us about that and the importance of it. We can
take our time because I really want to get a
clear understanding of it. It was brought to my attention
and they started saying, you got to talk to George,
got to talk to Joe.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
He's the man. So I got the man on my show.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
So if the man don't talk too fast, maybe we
all can learn something and also be participants in a
summit that can also change our life.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Well, I will leave us saying that the man is
talking to the man as well.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
Thank you, But let me.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Just give you a little bit of background and say this.
When we went into the beginning of COVID, so many
needs reached out to me. Corporate you know, major corporations
reached out and said, you know, George as president, you
know what is it we can do? We want to help.
This was at the around the murder, I will not
say killing, but really the murder of George Ford. What
can we do? What can we how can we help?
(14:16):
And I sent it to all of them then and
I still lead my conversation now by saying the same thing,
if you are interested in going beyond the metaphor, I'm
happy to have a conversation, okay, And it's still there.
And so that really kind of led to our first
equity summit.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Right after the COVID, right king.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Right after killing the murder of George Floyd. Actually okay, cool, yeah,
right up to me and when we were moving into COVID,
but right after the killing of George Floyd, murder George Ford,
and so really again, uh, if you're interested in going
beyond the metaphor, happy to have the conversation. So many
of them did engage. And what we decided to do
because there's a major issue in so many companies about equity,
(14:57):
particularly when you kind of look at many companies recognize
that they are under you know, they're under index, I
will say, in terms of having folks of color and
where their equity lenses inside the company, right, And we
wanted to begin to have some conversations around that. We
initially curated the Equity Summit as a safe space for
(15:18):
top of house in terms of corporate CEOs, to come
do some sharing of best practices, what other companies are doing,
what their colleagues are doing, particularly in areas, for example,
how you move the needle in their talent acquisition strategy.
So many times, you know, folks look like you and I.
We can get into companies and we can come in
at perhaps a senior level, but we don't get the
(15:40):
coaching and we don't get the mentoring. So we can
move forward in terms of at some point that there's
a pathway for us to become president and see over
that company as well. And if that's not there, that's
a problem, okay, And that's a blind spot. And let
me tell you what I'm talking about in terms of
trust and equity, because many companies do get it. First
(16:00):
of all, clearly recognize that there's a business imperative for
so many companies here. I tend to talk now more
about the emerging majority. The emerging majority are really folks
who look like you and I. That's what a lot
of the political battles about in this country because how
numbers are certainly spiking and increasing, And so when we
(16:24):
kind of take a look at that, we have to
be very clear that companies now having imperative as they
you know, bring various things to market, that they need
to be certainly positioning to folks who look like us,
you know, get any brands in front of us, making
sure that there's something we have an interest in it.
(16:45):
So there's a whole batch of research and surveys and
studies out there now that suggests that you may love
a particular brand, but in as much as you love
that particular brand, if you don't trust that brand, you
will stop buying it, all right. Companies get it, They
understand that, and so really kind of changing in terms
of how they're reaching out and marketing the folks who
(17:08):
look like us. So that's about the trust in companies.
Folks will make decisions now about not going to work
for a particular company because they don't trust them. They're
going to do the right thing. And that's the conversation
that we're having to really unpack it to it to
kind of understand it. So the folks that look like us,
we understand it, but how do we help companies to
(17:30):
understand it? And how do we help take down barriers
in terms of many of the systematic racism barriers that
are in some companies to somebody saying, and then those
who get it, but they're really trying to move the
needle forward in terms of how they do better as well,
and how do we support them.
Speaker 4 (17:43):
Absolutely, please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with
more Money Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to the Money
Making Conversations Master Class, hosted by Rashaan MacDonald.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
I'm speaking to George Lambert. He is the president's CEO
of the Greater Washington Urban League.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
They're on I mention everybody to strengthen the economic and
political power of black population in their region. It's two
things I'm asking, Okay, cool, When George Floyd, unfortunately was
murdered in Minnesota and lived, a groundswell of civil injustice
social change swept this country. You know, you had a
massive amount of donations to HBCUs Jobs was.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Saying, we've done wrong, we have to do better. We've
done wrong, we have to do better to DEI diversity,
equit inclusion. That phrase was thrown out there more times.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
If I had a dollar for every time, I wouldn't
be here interviewing you, sir, because I would be rich.
I feel that that energy and the desire to do
right has changed. I feel there's no need. Why is
that happening?
Speaker 2 (18:55):
So here's what I would say to you. I am
of the strong belief and I think they're there are
companies out there that certainly get it as well, that
the George Floyd moment, so to speak, was not just
a moment in all honesty. In other words, sometimes we
subscribe to form, and then sometimes we subscribe to substance.
(19:16):
And here's what I mean by that. When we subscribe
to form, what we're saying is that, you know, we
certainly will continue to state the course, so to speak,
with the status quote. But when we subscribe to substance,
we are very intentional about aligning strategies that will succeed
in It will certainly make a difference in terms of
(19:37):
taking down barriers and all those things that I talked
about earlier in terms of how we address systemic racism
or how we address that, there is clearly equity across
the board and companies. That's the difference between form and substance.
And so we are very clear really want to work
with companies who are about the substance of making change,
(19:58):
not so much just about perform. In other words, it's
going beyond as I mentioned earlier, going beyond the beyond
the status quo. But really, how do you bring that
that that read everything line with your actions as well?
That's the key thing.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Well you know that, And because I'm frustrated again.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
You know at two first rations you got out of me, George,
you know, the minority really being the white woman, and
now the versus the equing inclusion is being is taking
on on lukewarm temperature in twenty twenty three. So when
you go to the black white summer, what are you
trying to gavin at it?
Speaker 3 (20:36):
How are you gonna get Rashan McDonald energized? Get me
fired up again? Because right now I'm kind of lukewarm, sir.
I'm thinking M and C. I'm sinking INM and C.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
Well, so a couple of things so first of all,
it is about sharing best practices and so you know,
iron shopping's iron so to speak, and so having companies
in the room where they can hear best practices, what
others are doing. We also bring in subject matter experts
are in this space who are really doing a lot
of this work. For example, we have a great lineup,
(21:05):
but one of the ones that we'll mention is done
Gambrell used to be with the Treasury Department, but it's
doing a lot of work in this space, particularly the
work in terms of you know, financial and financial inclusion
and also economic empowerment as well. And so we're really
kind of talked about things that we can all do,
(21:27):
how we can really change the lens with regard to
where we are now. But again two things, one subject
matter experts in the room, two best practices about iron
shopping iron in terms of listening what others are doing
as well.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Right, you know, as we go through this whole process.
And first of all, I want to thank you for
taking the time to get on this call just to
hear my side of the store, because my side of
the store is heard by a lot of people.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Because I'm an.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Entrepreneur, I feel I employ people, but I'm also frustrated
by the process when people say they got an opportunity
over here. And this is where these RFPs or these
summit can lead to frustration from a person like me,
especially when I because I'm a member of the National
Minorities SIFIRE, the Development Council as well as the Georgia
Minority Developing Council as well down here in Atlanta, Georgia,
(22:16):
and you make these phone calls, they set up these
one on ones, and then at the end of the
one on one, you're excited, and then they tell you
that magic word that you know is going to go nowhere,
We're going to pass your information to another department. And
it almost seems like they're just checking off a box.
Say they've done this, and there's gonna be no results.
(22:36):
I know as a as a person who's frustrated, and
I'm not pointing any fingers, But how can I push it?
Just don't give up, Just keep trying. George, Is that's
the mantra I should have in my pocket. Is that
the mantra I should be telling all my fellow entrepreneurs,
that's part of the system. Don't let one off stop
you there make it be many many offs, and there's
(22:56):
many offs will eventually lead to success.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
Well, so a couple of things I'll say to you.
First of all, that was the lesson we learned from
the ancestors. Okay, persevereriance, we learned that lesson from the ancestors.
The second thing I will say to you is that
the in the District of Columbia, I know, the mayor
did to prove a disparity study for folks who in business,
you know, who have businesses or whatever, to just kind
of see with the District of Columbia their spend in
(23:21):
terms of, you know, how many of the folks like
yourself and others who are in business who can provide
services or whatever, how much businesses that the city is
really doing with them. And so as you, as your
listeners are listening, then I would encourage other communities and
other of local governments to take a look that well,
because it is a tremendous spin and you and I
(23:42):
both know that we have more than the capability of
delivering on a lot of those services and delivering on
a lot of those needs in terms of you know,
what the what the demands are. So again, we have
to be, you know, just like what the ancestors did,
continue to just stay in the space to persevere, but
(24:03):
also work with organizations like OL very much about the
business of taking down barriers, and we will help you
in that fight to take down those barriers as well. Well.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
I want to thank you for coming on Money Making
Conversation Master Class. Again, I'm speaking to George Lambert, the
CEO and president of the Greater Washington Urban League. Close
us out by giving us a little bit more detail
and how we can get in touch with you all
your organization so we can participate.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
Well, first of all, just google us, go to our
website this Greater Washing Herban League or g w u L,
and you will find us. And thank you so much.
This is the master talking to the master.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
I would say, humble, I'm just trying to get people
to follow me. But again I really appreciate you. And
again this is Money Making Conversation masteric Class. The show
is put here in place so individuals like you and
people around the country can and expose themselves the Information show.
It's about upper mobility. The only way you can have
upper mobility is through information and information. I try to
(25:06):
give well on this show is absolutely free and if
you participate, I assure you it'll make your life, and
your family's life, and your friend's life and the region
a lot stronger in the black community.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
Thank you for coming on my show.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Thank you, sir, appreciate it. Have a good one.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
This has been another edition of Money Making Conversation Masterclass
posted by me Rashaun McDonald. Thank you to our guests
on the show today and thank you listening to audience now.
If you want to listen to any episode I want
to be a guest on the show, visit Moneymaking Conversations
dot com. Our social media handle is money Making Conversation.
Join us next week and remember to always leave with
(25:44):
your gifts.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
Keep winning.
Welcome to the Money Making Conversation Masterclass. I'm your host,
ra Sean McDonald. My theme is there there is no
perfect time to start following your dreams because I recognize
that we all have different definitions of success. For you,
it may be the size of your paycheck. Minds inspire
you to accomplish your goals and live your very best life.
It's time to stop reading other people's success stories and
really start writing your own. People always talk about the
(00:22):
purpose of gift. If you have a gift, leave with
your gift. You know that your friends, family, or coworkers
stop you from planning your dreams. If you want to
be a guest oh my show, please visit our website,
Moneymaking Conversations dot com and click the be a guest button.
Chris submit and information will come directly to me. Now,
let's get this show started. My guest it is George Lambert.
(00:44):
He's the president's CEO of Greater Washington Urban League. The
League is on the mission to increase the economic and
political power historically disenfranchised and excluded blacks. He's on the
show to talk about. Please welcome the Money Making Conversation Masterclass.
George Lambert.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
How you doing, George, I'm doing good. Thank you so much.
Delighted to be a conversation of the day.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Well, you know, first of all, Alater when I want
to heard the word Urban League and a lot of people,
you know, you hear about the NAACP. You hear about
a lot of autenticies like what exactly is the Urban League.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
We are a civil rights social service organization, been around
since nineteen ten. Certainly if you mentioned the NAACP, have
had a number of partnerships with the NAACP over the years.
They preceded us in terms of the work that we do.
They certainly came on the forefront of nineteen on that.
But we do a lot of work in collaboration together.
We have ninety two Urban League affiliates around the country.
(01:39):
We have certainly five pullars that we all operate from
in terms of supporting the communities that we're in and
in Washington, d C. Our foot print is Washington, d C,
Prince George's County, Maryland and Montgomery County, Maryland.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Wow, you know they've nicknamed oft the times you've heard
the name Chocolate City d C.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
That whole area it's now Cappuccino City.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Now why you say that, George, Why you say that?
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Is it the demographics have changed and the landscape has shifted.
I'll leave it there.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Well, you know, Tee, it's not shocky. I grew up
in Fifth Ward, which is in Houston, Texas, all predominant
black neighborhood. I would have to say ninety nine or
nine percent of that neighborhood was black. Now in Houston,
tex is Hispanic. And so you see these transitional things happening.
Is that good or bad for black? For the black community?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
You know, gentrification has been a real issue, particularly in
the DMV. So that gon't include Washington, d C in particular. Uh,
And so I guess it really kind of depends on
your lens from which you look at it. You know,
the the the scope for us at the Greater Washington
of League. Can communities coexist? And that's the conversation I
often leave with, can we coexist as a community? And
(02:55):
that's you know, part of their work, the strength that
we really kind of work from. There are some who
really to this area, come to the city and come
for a spirit of wanting to coexist, wanting to support
the communities that they're coming into and wanting to see,
you know, certainly how they can bring U strengts and
assets and uh and be a part of the community.
But there's all those perhaps that you know, as I'm
(03:16):
sure you well know that come of a different mindset.
So again it underscores can we coexist?
Speaker 3 (03:22):
We know?
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Really is is a you know, there was there was
a proud moment in the African American community, you know
in President Obama, which I know in my lifetime I
never thought I would see an African American to be
recognized as the president of this United States.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
We're back to back terms. Even when he.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Was president, there was a lot of volatility when it
became to uh, we don't know if we really made
any strides in the black community and the workforce in
social justice under his leadership. And I'm not pouring to
figure out President Obama, but when he left, there seemed
to be a very negative tide for the worst.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Can you expound on that?
Speaker 2 (04:05):
So first of all, let me talk a little about
the tenure President Obama became our president. I think it
was beginning in two thousand and eight or so. And
what I've always said is, while we were excited about
getting an African American president, but I would submit that
the country perhaps was not ready for an African American
(04:27):
president all that throughout his tenure, and certainly what you've
already alluded to as well, we clearly saw it after
he left the White House. It was almost like a
turning around and undoing so many of the changes progress
legislation that he put in place. So that was very
clear to all of us as well. I think the
other thing is to keep in mind we should never
(04:49):
forget this. While he did become president to summricent, while
we as African Americans were very proud and while we
were there, so to speak, but we were never really there, right, Yeah,
And in other words, we still have a long way
to go before we really get there. So we should
never lose sight of that for sure.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Well, you know, it's interesting, did you say that, because, like,
you know, when the when we was emancipated free and
during the Civil War, we were offered forty acres in
the mirror. That was when President Lincoln was still president,
and then when he was assassinated that was taking away
a lot of people don't realize that the forty acres
in the mirror was like a very short window. Some
(05:30):
African Americans, or some blacks and some negroes at the
time of color people they called us at that time
did receive it. And then but as soon as he
was assassinated, it was everything went back. It was like
a correction, a racial correction, I guess someone can call it.
And so it felt like it was the same way
that happened to us. When President Obama left the office,
(05:50):
there seemed to be a need to create a racial correction.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
You know. Strang just to mention that because it gives
me an opportunity to just to do a brief bit
of a segue. The National Lague released the State of
Black American. You know, it's a document that you've very
familiar with and which really kind of, you know, talk
a lot about our democracy and pearls our democracy under attack.
In other words, we are losing some man of those
hard one games that we fought for over the years.
(06:17):
And that is very true. I mean, there's been an
onslaught in terms of really trying to silence our voice
with regard to the voting, silence our voice in so
many areas as well, our history, really trying to erase
our history to some extent, and so we are stilled
very much, you know, fighting many of the messages of
the old, fighting many of those issues. We have to
(06:38):
keep pushing. That is the work of the Urban League.
I mean, that's the boots on the ground as much
as we are very much at the tip of the
sphere and in the fight of the civil rights side
of it. We also, you know, really work hard every
day are to provide services to folks who we work
on behalf of as well.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Well.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Here here's something interesting, George, I'm speaking to George Lambert,
the president and CEO involved in pally try to charge
our community economically and politically to write a lot of wrong.
I don't think you can ever right a lot of wrong,
but at least you can move forward and try to
make some corrections. And that's really and things when I
when I look at a person like you, how did
(07:13):
you get involved actively? You know, because you seem corporately
structured and a corporate mindset. How did you get into
the nonprofit civil rights approaches trying to make a difference
in this world?
Speaker 2 (07:26):
You know, I'm someone who've always had a passion for
serving How people are folks who to speak when I
on board new folks who come to work for the
Credit Washore. I tell them all so you know, before
I get to your skill set, your talents, all those
great things you want to tell me about who you are,
what you've done and all that. First of all need
to understand your calling. And so your calling is that
(07:49):
you were called to come to do this work. Both
my parents were for Baptist ministers, and so I grew
up in a househol used to wake up one morning
on a whim, and you're going to go side to
preach the gospel you are. And I believe that folks
who come to work for the Greater Washington Alage need
to be no less than called to do this work
because the people that we serve need people of that
calling as well. So it has always been my passion
(08:12):
to do this work, and I want to surround myself
of others who come to work for us as well
to do this work. I did take a bit of
a heat as many years ago I left the nonprofit
arena went to the for profit arena, and my wife
will probably be the first one to tell you I
was never happy because it was more than about the.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Money, right right.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
I did work my way back to the Airpen League
into the nonprofit RANA and I've enjoyed it, and as
I said, I'm still still having fun.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
But before I get into what exactly a president and
CEO does at the Greater Washington Urban League, I want
to ask you this. I'm an entrepreneur and I've been
in the media. I managed Steve Harvey's Who a number
of years of Steve harry Morning Show. I co created
that with him, and so I'm very familiar with black
advertisement and the black opportuity, the black dollars that were
(09:02):
set aside for they would specifically.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Say it black.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
They said black marketing dollars, and then they transition to
the word multicultural, and then they started sliding the black
dollars over to the Latino community because they say that
was the fastest growing community, so they wanted to focus
I'm talking about when I say day, I'm talking about advertisers.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Now.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
As an entrepreneur, you have all these RFPs and they
said they use cold words now and then co words
that frustrate me. They'll say minority and minority is now.
If you don't know this, listen to my show or
watching my show, is white women. White women is minority.
(09:47):
That's what they're talking about. They're not talking about people
of color. They're not talking about black people. They've shifted
that word and made sure that they say minority now
because they're really not talking about trying to give the
slices of the pie that they say they are to
the actual people of color. Am I correct when I
say that? Because that's what I'm seeing industriets.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
I think there's clearly marriage in terms of what you're saying.
I mean, I will tell you that we are very
intentional at the Great Washington I'd be about trying to
make a difference and grab those resources for the folks
that you're talking about, folks of color, yes, look like
you and me who are black folks. We have a
entrepreneurship program. We'll be doing it for a number of
years now. While we do support those who are starting
(10:31):
businesses into sweet spot to us of those who are
in business been around for a while, you know, they
may have capital. Now they're looking to double down and
to scale in terms of the business, and so we
really kind of help them to do that. Here is
one thing I will mention to you that I think
was a bit of a tragedy when we went into
COVID and the PPP, the Payroll Protection Program. It was
a very critical lesson learned out of that, I think
(10:53):
for all of us, because what we saw was that,
you know, many businesses, larger businesses got those loans, many
of our African American small businesses did not. And so
when we began to reach out circle back talk with me,
that what many of them said to us as well,
we had a relationship with our bank. They did not
have a relationship with their bank. They had a transaction
(11:15):
that occurred every month. That's banking relationship. So inasmuch as
we've helped me in the pivot, but we've also now
very intentional about helping them, to many of them, to
develop a bona fide relationship with their bank, not just
a transaction that happens every month, but you go into
deposit or cash checks. That is the intentionality of what
(11:35):
we do. That's where we have to be in terms of,
as you said, you know, really breaking in those barriers
and getting those doors, getting businesses, getting business for folks
to look like us.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
We know that really and just when I get fired up, George,
I'm just when I start talking about with you, because
you know, George, I'm there, I see it, and it
makes me mad. I go to these RFP meetings and
it's supposed to be a walk in the room, and
I'm just gonna tell everybody is predominantly white women just
sitting in there. And then they offer opportunities. And so
(12:06):
then they offer the opportunity really in the construction area,
in the area of products, and so where blacks are
making in rows is in the media and the marketing
and the graphic design. We're completely shut out. We're completely
shut out because those deals are going to the big
marketing firms, and the way they keep it in the
(12:26):
big marketing firms, they'll tell you, what are you doing
differently that we can't do? And so when they make
that statement to you, you really sitting at the back
of the line. And so for the last few years,
my goal has been able to create my own database
and that's been a lot of hard work.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Charge but that's what we have to do.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
Yeah, yeah, Well, even though you know they're a leg
I mean, we're a small business, but we are a
business as well. Properly we are a business. We also
are very intentional about who we use to support us
in our marketing. We make sure that you know our
resources go to folks who look like us, who can
help to tell our stories, who can help to really
kind of push our brand out there, sir, and get
(13:06):
the kind of results that we want. So again, I
think it's all about intentionality and then of course about
breaking down barriers where we see barriers and going at
that very strong, and we do that work as well.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Well, here's the thing we movies slide.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
I've basically been lying up my questions to the black
and white summer that you have coming up here. Tell
us about that and the importance of it. We can
take our time because I really want to get a
clear understanding of it. It was brought to my attention
and they started saying, you got to talk to George,
got to talk to Joe.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
He's the man. So I got the man on my show.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
So if the man don't talk too fast, maybe we
all can learn something and also be participants in a
summit that can also change our life.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Well, I will leave us saying that the man is
talking to the man as well.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
Thank you, But let me.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Just give you a little bit of background and say this.
When we went into the beginning of COVID, so many
needs reached out to me. Corporate you know, major corporations
reached out and said, you know, George as president, you
know what is it we can do? We want to help.
This was at the around the murder, I will not
say killing, but really the murder of George Ford. What
can we do? What can we how can we help?
(14:16):
And I sent it to all of them then and
I still lead my conversation now by saying the same thing,
if you are interested in going beyond the metaphor, I'm
happy to have a conversation, okay, And it's still there.
And so that really kind of led to our first
equity summit.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Right after the COVID, right king.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Right after killing the murder of George Floyd. Actually okay, cool, yeah,
right up to me and when we were moving into COVID,
but right after the killing of George Floyd, murder George Ford,
and so really again, uh, if you're interested in going
beyond the metaphor, happy to have the conversation. So many
of them did engage. And what we decided to do
because there's a major issue in so many companies about equity,
(14:57):
particularly when you kind of look at many companies recognize
that they are under you know, they're under index, I
will say, in terms of having folks of color and
where their equity lenses inside the company, right, And we
wanted to begin to have some conversations around that. We
initially curated the Equity Summit as a safe space for
(15:18):
top of house in terms of corporate CEOs, to come
do some sharing of best practices, what other companies are doing,
what their colleagues are doing, particularly in areas, for example,
how you move the needle in their talent acquisition strategy.
So many times, you know, folks look like you and I.
We can get into companies and we can come in
at perhaps a senior level, but we don't get the
(15:40):
coaching and we don't get the mentoring. So we can
move forward in terms of at some point that there's
a pathway for us to become president and see over
that company as well. And if that's not there, that's
a problem, okay, And that's a blind spot. And let
me tell you what I'm talking about in terms of
trust and equity, because many companies do get it. First
(16:00):
of all, clearly recognize that there's a business imperative for
so many companies here. I tend to talk now more
about the emerging majority. The emerging majority are really folks
who look like you and I. That's what a lot
of the political battles about in this country because how
numbers are certainly spiking and increasing, And so when we
(16:24):
kind of take a look at that, we have to
be very clear that companies now having imperative as they
you know, bring various things to market, that they need
to be certainly positioning to folks who look like us,
you know, get any brands in front of us, making
sure that there's something we have an interest in it.
(16:45):
So there's a whole batch of research and surveys and
studies out there now that suggests that you may love
a particular brand, but in as much as you love
that particular brand, if you don't trust that brand, you
will stop buying it, all right. Companies get it, They
understand that, and so really kind of changing in terms
of how they're reaching out and marketing the folks who
(17:08):
look like us. So that's about the trust in companies.
Folks will make decisions now about not going to work
for a particular company because they don't trust them. They're
going to do the right thing. And that's the conversation
that we're having to really unpack it to it to
kind of understand it. So the folks that look like us,
we understand it, but how do we help companies to
(17:30):
understand it? And how do we help take down barriers
in terms of many of the systematic racism barriers that
are in some companies to somebody saying, and then those
who get it, but they're really trying to move the
needle forward in terms of how they do better as well,
and how do we support them.
Speaker 4 (17:43):
Absolutely, please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with
more Money Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to the Money
Making Conversations Master Class, hosted by Rashaan MacDonald.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
I'm speaking to George Lambert. He is the president's CEO
of the Greater Washington Urban League.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
They're on I mention everybody to strengthen the economic and
political power of black population in their region. It's two
things I'm asking, Okay, cool, When George Floyd, unfortunately was
murdered in Minnesota and lived, a groundswell of civil injustice
social change swept this country. You know, you had a
massive amount of donations to HBCUs Jobs was.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Saying, we've done wrong, we have to do better. We've
done wrong, we have to do better to DEI diversity,
equit inclusion. That phrase was thrown out there more times.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
If I had a dollar for every time, I wouldn't
be here interviewing you, sir, because I would be rich.
I feel that that energy and the desire to do
right has changed. I feel there's no need. Why is
that happening?
Speaker 2 (18:55):
So here's what I would say to you. I am
of the strong belief and I think they're there are
companies out there that certainly get it as well, that
the George Floyd moment, so to speak, was not just
a moment in all honesty. In other words, sometimes we
subscribe to form, and then sometimes we subscribe to substance.
(19:16):
And here's what I mean by that. When we subscribe
to form, what we're saying is that, you know, we
certainly will continue to state the course, so to speak,
with the status quote. But when we subscribe to substance,
we are very intentional about aligning strategies that will succeed
in It will certainly make a difference in terms of
(19:37):
taking down barriers and all those things that I talked
about earlier in terms of how we address systemic racism
or how we address that, there is clearly equity across
the board and companies. That's the difference between form and substance.
And so we are very clear really want to work
with companies who are about the substance of making change,
(19:58):
not so much just about perform. In other words, it's
going beyond as I mentioned earlier, going beyond the beyond
the status quo. But really, how do you bring that
that that read everything line with your actions as well?
That's the key thing.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Well you know that, And because I'm frustrated again.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
You know at two first rations you got out of me, George,
you know, the minority really being the white woman, and
now the versus the equing inclusion is being is taking
on on lukewarm temperature in twenty twenty three. So when
you go to the black white summer, what are you
trying to gavin at it?
Speaker 3 (20:36):
How are you gonna get Rashan McDonald energized? Get me
fired up again? Because right now I'm kind of lukewarm, sir.
I'm thinking M and C. I'm sinking INM and C.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
Well, so a couple of things so first of all,
it is about sharing best practices and so you know,
iron shopping's iron so to speak, and so having companies
in the room where they can hear best practices, what
others are doing. We also bring in subject matter experts
are in this space who are really doing a lot
of this work. For example, we have a great lineup,
(21:05):
but one of the ones that we'll mention is done
Gambrell used to be with the Treasury Department, but it's
doing a lot of work in this space, particularly the
work in terms of you know, financial and financial inclusion
and also economic empowerment as well. And so we're really
kind of talked about things that we can all do,
(21:27):
how we can really change the lens with regard to
where we are now. But again two things, one subject
matter experts in the room, two best practices about iron
shopping iron in terms of listening what others are doing
as well.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Right, you know, as we go through this whole process.
And first of all, I want to thank you for
taking the time to get on this call just to
hear my side of the store, because my side of
the store is heard by a lot of people.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Because I'm an.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Entrepreneur, I feel I employ people, but I'm also frustrated
by the process when people say they got an opportunity
over here. And this is where these RFPs or these
summit can lead to frustration from a person like me,
especially when I because I'm a member of the National
Minorities SIFIRE, the Development Council as well as the Georgia
Minority Developing Council as well down here in Atlanta, Georgia,
(22:16):
and you make these phone calls, they set up these
one on ones, and then at the end of the
one on one, you're excited, and then they tell you
that magic word that you know is going to go nowhere,
We're going to pass your information to another department. And
it almost seems like they're just checking off a box.
Say they've done this, and there's gonna be no results.
(22:36):
I know as a as a person who's frustrated, and
I'm not pointing any fingers, But how can I push it?
Just don't give up, Just keep trying. George, Is that's
the mantra I should have in my pocket. Is that
the mantra I should be telling all my fellow entrepreneurs,
that's part of the system. Don't let one off stop
you there make it be many many offs, and there's
(22:56):
many offs will eventually lead to success.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
Well, so a couple of things I'll say to you.
First of all, that was the lesson we learned from
the ancestors. Okay, persevereriance, we learned that lesson from the ancestors.
The second thing I will say to you is that
the in the District of Columbia, I know, the mayor
did to prove a disparity study for folks who in business,
you know, who have businesses or whatever, to just kind
of see with the District of Columbia their spend in
(23:21):
terms of, you know, how many of the folks like
yourself and others who are in business who can provide
services or whatever, how much businesses that the city is
really doing with them. And so as you, as your
listeners are listening, then I would encourage other communities and
other of local governments to take a look that well,
because it is a tremendous spin and you and I
(23:42):
both know that we have more than the capability of
delivering on a lot of those services and delivering on
a lot of those needs in terms of you know,
what the what the demands are. So again, we have
to be, you know, just like what the ancestors did,
continue to just stay in the space to persevere, but
(24:03):
also work with organizations like OL very much about the
business of taking down barriers, and we will help you
in that fight to take down those barriers as well. Well.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
I want to thank you for coming on Money Making
Conversation Master Class. Again, I'm speaking to George Lambert, the
CEO and president of the Greater Washington Urban League. Close
us out by giving us a little bit more detail
and how we can get in touch with you all
your organization so we can participate.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
Well, first of all, just google us, go to our
website this Greater Washing Herban League or g w u L,
and you will find us. And thank you so much.
This is the master talking to the master.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
I would say, humble, I'm just trying to get people
to follow me. But again I really appreciate you. And
again this is Money Making Conversation masteric Class. The show
is put here in place so individuals like you and
people around the country can and expose themselves the Information show.
It's about upper mobility. The only way you can have
upper mobility is through information and information. I try to
(25:06):
give well on this show is absolutely free and if
you participate, I assure you it'll make your life, and
your family's life, and your friend's life and the region
a lot stronger in the black community.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
Thank you for coming on my show.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Thank you, sir, appreciate it. Have a good one.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
This has been another edition of Money Making Conversation Masterclass
posted by me Rashaun McDonald. Thank you to our guests
on the show today and thank you listening to audience now.
If you want to listen to any episode I want
to be a guest on the show, visit Moneymaking Conversations
dot com. Our social media handle is money Making Conversation.
Join us next week and remember to always leave with
(25:44):
your gifts.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
Keep winning.
Hosts And Creators
Steve Harvey
Shirley Strawberry
Thomas "Nephew Tommy" Miles
Carla Ferrell
Kier "Junior" Spates
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.