November 17, 2025 • 59 mins
This week on The Black Perspective, Andrea Coleman sits down with acclaimed ABC journalist Deborah Roberts to discuss her deeply personal new book, Sisters Loved and Treasured: Stories of Unbreakable Bonds, which explores the complexity, joy, and resilience of sisterhood.
BIN's Esther Dillard speaks with James D. White and Krista White, co-authors of Culture Design: How to Build a High-Performing, Resilient Organization with Purpose, about navigating corporate life and building an intentional, inclusive culture.
Alexandria Ikomoni chats with Fabrice J. Armand, co-founder of the Creole Food Festival, about its return to Atlanta (November 22–23), celebrating the flavors and heritage of the Creole diaspora.
And Doug Davis goes in-depth with R&B legend Will Downing, a voice known as “The Prince of Sophisticated Soul,” reflecting on his storied career and artistic journey.
Tune in for stories about family, culture, food, and music — from some of the most powerful voices in Black media.
Listen now!
BIN's Esther Dillard speaks with James D. White and Krista White, co-authors of Culture Design: How to Build a High-Performing, Resilient Organization with Purpose, about navigating corporate life and building an intentional, inclusive culture.
Alexandria Ikomoni chats with Fabrice J. Armand, co-founder of the Creole Food Festival, about its return to Atlanta (November 22–23), celebrating the flavors and heritage of the Creole diaspora.
And Doug Davis goes in-depth with R&B legend Will Downing, a voice known as “The Prince of Sophisticated Soul,” reflecting on his storied career and artistic journey.
Tune in for stories about family, culture, food, and music — from some of the most powerful voices in Black media.
Listen now!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's Sunday, November sixteenth, and On today's show, Andrea Coleman
talks to distinguished ABC Black journalists Deborah Roberts about her
new book, Sisters Loved and Treasured Stories of the Unbreakable Bond.
The Black Information Networks Ester Dillar talks to authors James
and Christa White about their new book Culture Design, talking
about navigating the corporate world. Alexandria Icimoni talks to Fabrice
(00:24):
Armand about the Creole Food Festival Coming Back to the
atl November twenty second and twenty third, and Doug Davis
speaks with one of the greatest voices in R and B.
Will Downing. These stories and more are coming your way
on today's program, Welcome to the Black Perspective. I'm your host,
Mike Island.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Welcome to the Black Perspective, a weekly community affairs program
on the Black Information Network featuring interviews and discussions on
issues important to the Black community.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Good Sunday, and Welcome to the Black Perspective. For those
of us who have sisters, we know how they can
influence our lives, often for the better. In a new book,
distinguished Black Network journalist Deborah Roberts explores the role sisters
play in each other's lives and the impact their relationship
has on their well being. Roberts, who co hosts twenty
(01:12):
twenty ABC's award winning news magazine, recently talked about the
book as well as her career with The Black Information
That Works. Andrea Coleman.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Yeah, so let's talk a little about the book. Sisters
loved and treasured stories of unbreakable bonds. What's it all about.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
It's all about the sister connection. This is a collection
of essays and it's the kind of thing that I
like doing. I like interviewing people. So rather than just
tell my story, which is part of the book, because
I grew up in a family of six sisters, nine children,
seven girls, two boys, So I grew up with a
lot of sisters around the household. And it's a subject
(01:51):
that I think I knew, or I thought I knew
very well, and I've discovered that maybe I didn't know
as much as I thought. Because when I started interviewing
other women about their sisters and their bonds and their
connections and their challenges and their differences and their struggles,
I just thought this was something that was so fascinating
(02:12):
and worth exploring in a deeper way.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
What did you find well?
Speaker 4 (02:16):
I found that the sister connection is not necessarily an
easy one, but it's an important one. I also had
read that there were a couple of studies that showed
that having a sister can be good for your emotional
well being, that essentially a sister is kind of good
for your mental health. But I do know that there
are lots of sisters who don't necessarily get along that well.
(02:39):
They don't see the world in the same way. Maybe
they had bumps as they were growing up, but there
is something remarkable about that bond that holds them together
even in their difficult times. There is something they can
point to, a shared history, shared memories, something that holds
(03:00):
them together unlike any other relationship with other people in
your life, that.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Is so powerful. Especially you know, it seems like you're
offering us, are maybe introducing a way to reframe that
relationship so that it doesn't what could be negative can
be turned into something good at least give it a
new perspective.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Absolutely, and I think this was sort of born of
my own journey and my own search. Again, I grew
up with a lot of sisters and I remember just
a very close, warm bond when we were growing up,
but as we grew older, we kind of went in
different directions, you know, scattered all over the country, you know, geographically,
in different directions. Some of us had children before others,
(03:40):
did you know. I embarked on this big career that
took me all over the world, and I began to
feel like a little bit of a distance with my sisters.
And I discovered that other women had shared some of
the same kinds of feelings with me, and I thought, well,
maybe I'm not a good sister, Maybe I should be
doing more. Maybe my relationship isn't as strong as I
(04:02):
thought it was with my sisters. And what I discovered
is it's just normal. It's normal to have ebbs and
flows in your relationship with your sisters. It's normal not
to necessarily see them as like a best buddy that
you get along with about everything, or that you see
the world in the same way. But it doesn't mean
(04:24):
that you don't have something special that kind of guides
you or that centers you and that you can hold
on to and that makes you feel a little bit
happier in the world. When you really reflect on what
you have together, and so that was something that I
discovered and it really sort of renewed not only my
faith in my sisterhood with my sisters, but also kind
(04:44):
of I think spurred us to connect a little bit
more and to hold on to each other, but to
explore each other and to forgive, be compassionate, to kind
of just really think about each other and reframe the relationship.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
As you said, oh, I love that. I love that.
Now you talked to just a wide variety of sisters
from the Bush Sisters, Jenna Bush Hager and her twin sister, Barbara, Michaels,
Drahan's daughters Isabella and Sophia's Strayhan, Octavia Spencer and her
sister Grendel. I mean, it just goes on and on.
(05:20):
What was it like, I mean, were they open and
willing and ready to talk about this relationship that some
people may feel it's a bit personal in private.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
What really surprised me more than anything else was just
how open these women were when they would sit down
and talk with me, and I interviewed them all through
zoom because it made it a lot easier to be
able to count, you know, connect with Octavia Spencer who's
in California, or Jenna bush Hager and her sister Barbara,
who both live in New York, but they're you know,
(05:49):
busy and doing all kinds of other things. So it
was in my own sisters who lived in Texas and
Florida and Georgia, I you know, sat down for all
of them for what I promised would be about a
thirty four even in conversation, and to my surprise, they
all came just ready to play and embrace and you know,
(06:09):
and just really talk honestly about their bonds. Some people
shared bonds that had doing some difficulty and some problems
over the years, and yet they were just so willing
to be honest and open to the point that there
were tears that were shed. Sometimes they were just tears
of joy and emotion and how much they love each other.
(06:30):
And sometimes there were tears of I went through some
big struggles and you were there, and nobody can actually
be in my corner, nobody has my back in the
same way you do. I'll save you. Spencer shared how
she and her sisters have all had like fights and
bumps and so forth, but yet there is this expectation
that we are family and we're going to sort this out,
(06:50):
and they would talk about how they how they deal
with that, or there's one in the family who would
be the one who's not only the keeper of all
the memories and the secrets put all so sort of
the keeper of the order to say, Okay, enough of this,
you two are going to you know, work this out,
sort this out. Those kinds of things. It's kind of
real life really that they were willing to share, and
(07:11):
that was really special to me that they were able
to let down their guard and just really talk about
sort of the meat and potatoes of what it means
to be sisters.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
I just love that it sounds like it could be
a guide for some of us too who may be
looking to re engage relationships and make them something even
more promising and meaningful.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
That's my hope. My hope is that this is not
just a kind of skipping through the meadow and you know,
a book that just only celebrates those who are happy,
but sort of also hopefully encouragement for those who have
maybe had some difficulties that maybe you can re engage,
maybe you can actually take this book and you know,
send it to your sister as a little bit of
a gift or maybe a peace offering, or maybe just
(07:53):
you know, an acknowledgment that you know we have something
here and whether we're as close as we used to
be or not, that there is something special about having
a sister in this world. And I want you to
know that, I know that, and I want to honor that. So, yeah,
I think that there are going to be plenty of
sisters who will see this as maybe antithetical to who
(08:14):
they are. Maybe people, you know, some women don't really
see the world in the same way that their sister does,
But that doesn't mean that she's not a treasure in
your life. And somebody who you at the end of
the day can count on, even if nothing else, just
to understand you and know you a little bit and
maybe care about you in a deeper way than you
(08:35):
know your BFF does.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Yeah, that's beautiful. And now you also touch some on
your own journey in your book, and I'd like to
just kind of I mean, when we think about Deborah Roberts,
especially in the time of you know, the past few decades,
and I guess your career in general, you were one
of the very first prominent black women we saw on
(08:57):
the network level. Talk a little bit about your journey.
How did you accomplish sex success in the in the
journalism industry, broadcast journalism at that especially at the time
when it was you know kind of I guess coming
through the the nineties and into the two thousands.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Well, I mean I actually had my dreams of going
into television when I was a little kid growing up
in small town Georgia in the late sixties and seventies,
and there were only a handful of you know, black
faces on air, as you say, and that was something
that was just really hugely aspirational but maybe could have
felt like, you know, out of reach. But what was
(09:37):
sort of interesting is talking with my sisters about what
their perceptions were of me. And I was this kid
who just you know, aimed high, I had big ambitions,
and I had, you know, some teachers who really believed
in me. I wrote a book a couple of years
ago about a teacher in your life, and I had
an English teacher who really inspired me. So my sisters
(09:59):
talked a lot about how they knew from an early
age they could see that I had great ambitions and
that I was very interested in you know, maybe public speaking,
not to say that I came out of the womb
this way because I was like a little bit shy.
I went through my years and my awkwardness like everybody else.
But by the time I was in high school, I
probably have begun to find a little bit of a
(10:21):
voice and certainly an inspiration. So when I went off
to the University of Georgia, and again this is post segregation,
so I grew up in small town Georgia kind of
in the shadow of what had been, you know, a
dark period there. But yet I had such i don't know,
optimism and excitement for the future and what I wanted
to do. And so I did get some encouragement along
(10:44):
the way. And when I was at the University of
Georgia and I took some journalism courses and got really
excited about this career. I had teachers who could see
the fire burning in me and pointed me in the
way of internships. And I think it was really just
sort of this undying desire to accomplish and to be
(11:04):
something in this field that I just revered. I watched
Barbara Walters on television breaking down barriers. I watched Carol
Simpson on Network television beginning to tear down barriers too,
and so I wanted that. And I guess my sisters
would probably say to you, I was kind of single focused.
(11:25):
I mean amongst my family and certainly amongst a lot
of my sisters. You know, they kind of had I
would say, maybe ideas and dreams that were probably tempered
by the time that we were living in and many
of them got married pretty soon, either out of college
or you know, built careers that were satisfying to them,
(11:46):
but probably not as ambitious. And so they saw me
with this real ambition and you know, moving from one
place to the other, to the next job, and the
next job in local news and making my way up
the last or and making connections and meeting people and
deciding that this is something I wanted to do. So
(12:06):
that was kind of what my trajectory was like. But
also just having that support and that enthusiasm not only
of my parents but if my siblings, my sisters, was
really something that was that was just you know, it
was it was sort of beyond anything I could have
probably imagined. They have been so proud over the years,
(12:27):
so excited and most important to me, after writing this book,
I've lost some sisters over the years. But the four
sisters I have who are remaining had a chance to
come to New York and share in the press and
the publicity and get a chance to sort of renew
our connections that way, also while celebrating sisterhood with this book.
(12:48):
So it kind of was a full circle moment in
a way of all of them having seen me, I guess,
with the big desires and setting my sights on certain things,
and then they got a chance to sell Braided a
little bit with me, which was so so wonderful.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
I think that's just exceptional. And you know, one of
the things too that we celebrate in your life and
in your journey is your marriage to Al Roker, who
is of course everyone's favorite network weather person, right, but
you touch on that a little bit as well in
your book, and how I think it's just beautiful, how
it seems the two of you really do support each other.
(13:24):
And this success, where it could be very challenging for
a lot of married couples, is something actually that you
guys both vie for to make certain that you stay
whole and complete. How have you managed to do that
so beautifully?
Speaker 4 (13:38):
Well, just somehow just pure luck but you know, I
just loved his radio show that he does after he's
finished with the Today Show. He does this show on
weekly called Off the Rails. So he invited me to
come on and talk about the book, which was a
lot of fun, you know all. And I just we
support each other. I mean, we became friends in this industry.
(14:01):
I worked at NBC alongside him many many years ago,
and we became friends, and you know, he supported me
and I supported him. And over the years, as my
career flourished and I went off and pursued other, you know,
other assignments and wound up over at ABC News, we
just we I think we just sort of took great
(14:23):
pride in the fact that we both are kids from
you know, humble means. I mean I grew up in
Queens and a big family. I grew up in the
South and a big family, and yet we had these
ambitious dreams of making our way through the television industry.
He was, you know, excited about weather. I was just
excited about journalism in general. So there was a there
(14:43):
was a foundation there, I think, with a lot of
just excitement about what we do for a living, but
also too, I think, you know, to be corny about it.
I mean, he kind of sees my success is a
little bit of his success, and vice versa. When I
see him doing something thing that is remarkable and successful,
I'm proud for him. So it's not always been easy
(15:06):
because you know, we both have these NonStop hours and
and we fly all over the place for our reporting,
and you know, it takes us away from family sometimes.
But we've been able to kind of manage it and
to figure it out over the years and to try to,
you know, juggle so that you know, we obviously make
(15:27):
time for our children and our family and that's our
big focus. So, you know, have we had a little
competitive spirit every now and again, of course we have.
There've been a couple of times when maybe there was
a story he wanted to pursue that I was interested in,
or vice versa. We've had a couple of little moments,
but not often. At the end of the day, it's
(15:49):
all about supporting each other and we keep our eye
on that ball and.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
No matter who gets to when the family does. For sure,
that's true.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
We try to remember that.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
I've a little saying on the mirror, right, just remember
exact that's very good So I have to ask you,
for any young listener or any woman in the industry
that is listening today, what some of the pointers do
you could give us, what's key to a success in
broadcast journalism.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
Well, it certainly has changed a lot since I entered
the industry. You know, it was a little bit more linear,
and it was pretty clear that you either worked in
local news or maybe you worked at an owned and
operated big station in a Chicago or New York or
Los Angeles, and then if you were fortunate and you
wanted that you can make your way maybe to network television.
Now there's so many platforms, you know, online people are
(16:42):
doing web shows and YouTube shows, and you know, we
have streaming which is a big part of our industry
now at ABC News. So it's changed a lot. I
think it might be a little bit more open in
some ways, but confusing in other ways, because how do
you know where you you can land and how do
you really get your foot in the door. It's it's
(17:04):
a little bit harder for I think kids coming out
of school these days. But I think for me, the
key remains you just have to have a burning desire,
you have to have a keen interest in the world,
and and and society, and and a curiosity about you
(17:24):
know what, what what is happening around us. I think
number one that is what feeds you as a journalist.
You have to have curiosity and interest in and passion
about telling stories. So there's that, and I think also
to to sort of understanding that it's a complex world.
It's it's not always easy. You have to keep going
when I when I tell stories that even whether they're
(17:47):
conferences or in schools to other people, I talk about
a lot of the failures that I've had. Barbara Walters,
who was a mentor of mine, talked about, you know,
failure really being a great teacher. I think that is
absolutely true. If I look back at some of the
times where I just blew it on air early on,
rather than just sort of, you know, give up and
(18:09):
think that I was a you know, a failed reporter,
I of course would lick my wounds. But then I
would come back and decide I'm going to learn and
grow from this and try to be stronger and try
to be better and vow to make this something that
can make me a little better at what I do.
So I think that there's a lot of discouragement in
(18:29):
this kind of business, and you have to make up
your mind not to be completely discouraged and to keep
going and to keep trying, and also to to seek
out mentors, to seek out people who are doing what
you want to do, and to see if you can
get some direction and get some guidance on how to
make your way through. It's not easy, and particularly I
(18:50):
think as women. It's definitely better than it was when
I started in this business. But it's still a very
tough business. But if you really love it and you
really want to do it, and you really have a
desire to tell stories and to get out there and
to do it, I think there's room. You just said,
and you can't give up.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
That's beautiful. That's beautiful. And now you co anchor twenty twenty,
I mean, one of the premiere network shows on television
and has been for so so many.
Speaker 4 (19:20):
Years, forty forty eight years.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
Wow, that is just tremendous. What is it like? I mean, really,
when you think of when I think of twenty twenty,
it's just one of those that's right up there. It's
one of the sixty minutes of the world. I mean,
you guys do such consistent work in such an excellent manner.
It just seems as though it would be extremely demanding,
but it's so rewarding and even for us to receive
(19:46):
and look at what is it like now to co
anchor that show.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
Well, I have to start by saying I grew up
watching twenty twenty. I remember just on Friday Night's Appointment
television watching Barbara Walters and Hugh Downs. Sister Janet loved
twenty twenty, and I think at one point when I
was younger, I said to her, I want to work
on a show like that one day. Of course, we
all saw that as one of the gold standards of
(20:11):
network magazine reporting, and so it was sort of a
goal of mine to work on a program like this
as I made my way through the industry. It was
a great, great moment for me to get to join
the program many years ago with Barbara Walters and to
work alongside her and Hugh and to sit on the
(20:31):
set with them. I mean, that was just a dream
come true for a little kid from Georgia. So that
was already just the realization of a dream. And to
still be with this program, you know, all those years later,
I came to ABC thirty years ago to work on
twenty twenty and to have continued that legacy now sitting
(20:53):
in the I will say the chair because we David
Muir and I actually anchor outside on a rooftop now.
But to occupy the space on this program that was
occupied by the great iconic Barbara Walters is it's a
great honor and it's a great privilege for me to
be able to be there. David Murr is a great
(21:15):
partner to work with and to keep the brand going.
So it's not lost on me that it's a great
moment in my life and a great honor. And I
hope that I do Barbara and all the predecessors who
came before me proud as I continue to carry on
the legacy of twenty twenty.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
Oh, we just love it, and you do it with
such style and such knowledge and such posh and so
it's just beautiful, beautiful, beautiful to see you there. We
just celebrate your success and all that you're doing. It
has truly been a joy and a pleasure and an
honor to speak with you today. And yeah, I want
to remind our listeners that twenty twenty airs on ABC
on Friday's nine pm Eastern, and also you can pick
(21:58):
up her book, Sisters Loved and Treasured Stories of Unbreakable Bonds.
Pardon me, and again, this is Deborah Roberts, the Deborah Roberts,
the pre eminent journalist of our times, and we just
thank you so much for joining us today.
Speaker 4 (22:13):
Anyth you, ayma think throughout too. There's also an audible
version of the book too, which is available, and it
is so great. I hope your listeners will also consider
picking that up or just downloading it.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Do you narrate? Are you narrating?
Speaker 4 (22:25):
I'm one of the narrators, Okay, of multiple narrators.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
Very good, very good. Thank you again so much for
joining us, and thank you for this interview. Congratulations on
all your success.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
That was the black information that works, Andrea Coleman with
Deborah Roberts. You can pick up Robert's book, Sisters Loved
and Treasured Stories of the Unbreakable Bond at any major bookseller,
and you can catch her on twenty twenty every Friday
night at nine Eastern on ABC. In this era of
uncertainty and job loss, comes a book by a father
daughter team which addresses corporate culture, our own Esther Dillard
(22:58):
sits down with authors Aimes and Krystal White this week.
They share how executives share advice on how to make
workplace culture thrive in a positive direction. It's all in
their new book Culture Design.
Speaker 5 (23:10):
Every company has culture, you either have it by designer
to fall.
Speaker 6 (23:15):
So our thesis is that leaders need to be.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Thoughtful and intentional and in this moment actually need to
manage and cultivate and refine their cultures.
Speaker 6 (23:29):
In this moment.
Speaker 7 (23:30):
In this edition of The Color Between the Lines, I'm
speaking with James and Krista White, a father daughter duo
who's helping leaders rethink how they build company culture in
their new book, Culture Design, How to build a high performing,
resilient organization with Purpose explores how to intentionally create a
(23:50):
workplace where people feel valued, included, and inspired. We'll talk
about empathy, generational change, and what it really takes to
design culture on purpose, not by default.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
Well, James, your.
Speaker 7 (24:04):
First book, Anti Racist Leadership, it really challenged executives to
confront bias in business, and now Culture Design, it kind
of feels like the next step focused on what comes
after awareness. What made this the right time to write
this and what changed in the leadership conversation since your
first book came out.
Speaker 5 (24:26):
I think there's a couple things Esther, and I think
you summed it up perfectly. This book two is really
a zoom to a bigger picture, you know that embodies
all the foundational principles of our book one, and book
two was really an outcome of all the hundreds of
(24:47):
conversations and thousands of people that we talked about completing
the first book, and we said, one of the things
that is missing, especially in this really complex, very challenging moment,
is leaders that are intentionally thinking about the culture they create.
(25:08):
The premise of our book Culture Design is really every
company has culture. You either have it by design or
to fall. So our thesis is that leaders need to
be thoughtful and intentional and in this moment actually need
to manage and cultivate and refine their cultures in this moment.
Speaker 8 (25:34):
Christa, we're really excited to get to share this book
with audiences. I mean, we have already gotten such great
feedback on culture design and both and how accessible it
is to a wide range of leaders at different levels
(25:55):
and cross functionally, but also that it is jam pack
of all these frameworks and real world examples from Dad's career,
from the amazing CEOs and other executives that we interviewed
for the book, from colleagues in the past. We're yeah,
(26:21):
we just think that culture is just going to be
something that is a huge differentiator going forward. In this
time of really so much turnover, so so much difficulty
attracting or retaining great candidates, it's going to be more
(26:43):
important than ever for the longevity of people's organizations.
Speaker 7 (26:48):
Well, I'm going to follow up Krista with someone who
may not understand what that those two words culture design,
what that means, because it almost sounds like architecture, you know,
like it's a architectural book. Culture design, Now what would do?
How would you explain what it means to intentionally design
culture inside an organization?
Speaker 8 (27:10):
Yeah, So, like Dad said, we are kind of premise
for the book is that culture exists no matter what.
It's either by define, by design, or by default. Who
do you want creating your culture within your organization? Uh,
the leaders, the CEOs, the senior leadership, or it exists
(27:32):
in a vacuum. It's created by what you are not
doing intentionally. So we really do think of culture design
as that architecture point or as uh you know, a
design thinking product design. We do think about those frameworks
of how do you think of culture iteratively? How do
(27:58):
we think of it as not some sort of separate
check the box activity, but as integrated fully throughout the
organization and with the strategy. Culture should always tie back
to strategy. And one of the things we really think
about a lot, and this relates to our interests in
(28:20):
design thinking is starting with empathy always, and that's how
we create these people first companies is by starting with empathy,
starting with the people who make the company run. The
company doesn't exist without your employees. So getting back to
(28:43):
basics and then finding ways to create to routinize systems
and rituals that continuously drive culture top to bottom and
across the organization.
Speaker 7 (29:00):
Can I follow that up with that? Because you talked
about empathy and James, you right that empathy is not
just about being soft, it's about being strong enough to
kind of lead with understanding. How do you model that
kind of empathy while still holding people accountable for results.
Speaker 5 (29:19):
Yeah, I'd make a couple of points. Esther, I think
we talk a lot about listening with an open heart.
You bring an open mind, and I think from a
leadership perspective, it's really about humanizing yourself as as as
(29:42):
a leader, which we believe creates even greater followership. So
we've got lots of examples in the in the book.
You know, one personal example that we share, we do
this exercise with executives where they will take a white
sheet paper and kind of draw a line horizontally and
(30:02):
if you think about and if as or even if
you thought about for yourself the highs and lows in
a career or a life, and what's similar and different
the highs and the lows and sharing that in way.
We have executives to do that collectively, and you and
(30:22):
I might share dancing in common, or love for jazz,
or a loss of a family member or some illness.
But anything that humanizes the executives and teams, it creates
an environment where there are just much greater opportunities to
for us to bring our full selves to the to
(30:44):
the job and then do our really our best work.
But we view empathy as a core capability of this
next generation of leaders, and we think the best companies
epitomize that. Yeah, empathy critically important. The book is kind
of anchored around that as a key premise for the book.
Speaker 7 (31:10):
Well, Chris, I want to follow that up with, you know,
we can't ignore the elephant in the room, which is
DEI and the current climate around it, and how there's
really like a big pushback right now, especially in terms
of we'res like woke. I used to dismiss anything that's
tied to inclusion. Two in belonging, were you concerned that
(31:34):
this book might be facing I guess resistance just because
of that topic, and how did you talk about culture
design in a way that really just keeps people from
being kind of boxed into politics.
Speaker 8 (31:48):
Yeah, I mean that was one of our biggest reasons
for broadening our purview on culture, and at a systemic level,
we do feel that this pushback against DEI or world
anti racism is noise. We always encourage clients and people
(32:13):
we work with to just get down to what matters
to you as a company. What are your values? Have
those changed? How you think about people? Has that changed?
We hope to get people to focus on and it's
back to this point about humanizing each person and humanizing
(32:35):
yourself as a leader, and that also ties to the
importance of strategy and systems. So one of the things
that we have seen in culture, be it in the
specific initiatives or other types of culture transformations, is that
(32:58):
the culture work is almost siloed and like, Okay, HR
is doing this this thing. And that's one of the
things that we really strongly believe is culture must be
led by the CEO. This work doesn't get cascaded throughout
the organization without that senior level, an executive level buy in,
(33:24):
you won't have the capacity as an organization to really
embed this work. Without that, I think that's a piece
that's missing, is this cross functionality of culture design.
Speaker 7 (33:41):
James, I'm wondering if you had anything to add to that,
especially since there's you know, a word that there's thousands
of black women who have lost their jobs in the
corporate world and many of them are you know, expressing,
especially when you look on LinkedIn, just they're toired and
(34:01):
they don't feel connected and they feel like the leadership
has pretty much failed them. What's your response.
Speaker 5 (34:08):
I think the main thing for me is I'm certainly
understanding and have heard that issue. Most of what I
spend my time on, you know, kind of post my
operating career, is to level playing fields and create opportunities
(34:32):
where we all can do best work, whether it is
my support of black women on boards, I've got my
own nonprofit director's academy.
Speaker 6 (34:42):
This culture work or.
Speaker 5 (34:43):
Writing is really all about creating systems and environments and
companies that really.
Speaker 6 (34:50):
Work for all of them. We think with this work
on this book Culture.
Speaker 5 (34:55):
Design, it allows us to zoom out. Really important to
the work is this idea of you know, companies and
cultures kind of have to live in the three D.
So we had an executive group that we interviewed Tony
Wells that describes culture is the software that.
Speaker 6 (35:18):
The company runs on, and if you kind of think.
Speaker 5 (35:21):
About it a bit from that perspective and making sure
that that software that the company runs on, which is
culture and values and the rituals, making sure it works
for all.
Speaker 7 (35:35):
You can hear my full conversation with James and Krista
White about their new book Culture Design on the Color
Between the Lines podcasts available now on iHeartRadio, YouTube or
wherever you get your podcasts. You can also pick up
the book Culture Design on Amazon or wherever books are sold,
and you can learn more about their work at Culturedesign
lab dot com. I'm Esther Dillard.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
Thanks Esther, James and Chris. The Creole Food Festival is
coming back to Atlanta, bringing many cultures together for a
one of a kind and delicious experience. Vii in News
anchor Alexandria Ecimoni spoke with the co founder of the event.
Speaker 9 (36:13):
This is Alexandria Icamoni with the Black Information Network and
I'm here speaking with fabreze armand the co founder of
the Creole Food Festival. How are you today, Yes.
Speaker 10 (36:23):
I'm doing pretty well. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 9 (36:26):
Yes, I'm happy to have you as well. Although I'm
a little hungry already. I love me some good Creole
food and this festival sounds like it's going to be amazing.
So tell us more about this food festival and what
people can expect.
Speaker 11 (36:41):
First and foremost, we are extremely excited to actually be
back in Atlanta for a thirty year. In addition to
being back in Atlanta for a thirty year, we also
have an incredible lineup of chefs.
Speaker 10 (36:54):
So we are right now have a lineup of about
eighteen chefs that are confirmed, ranging from.
Speaker 11 (37:01):
Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, South America, and the South
of the US. In addition to that, besides the incredible
food that's experience, we also have two incredible DJs that
are based in Atlanta, DJ Magic Kenny and DJ Nani. Last,
and definitely not least, we have a performance by Stephanie
(37:23):
Saint Cum who's going to be singing some of the
tools that she's recorded, showcasing Caribbean culture.
Speaker 4 (37:31):
I love that.
Speaker 9 (37:32):
Okay, So let's talk about the food, right. We mentioned
the plethora of chefs giving a variety of options. What
are some of I guess the dishes people can probably
expect when they do come.
Speaker 11 (37:45):
Well, the great thing about us is that when we
call Creole, it's not only New Orleans and Haiti. So
it's a mixture of Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, South
America and the South you guys, So think about a
Zebu Jen, think about folio, think about Julie Cooley, think
about Mike Mullin, think about Adoscono.
Speaker 10 (38:10):
So it is literally, how can I.
Speaker 11 (38:13):
Say this a salad or an amalgasin of everything that
you can expect from food from all these different incidents.
Speaker 10 (38:22):
I love that.
Speaker 9 (38:23):
As a Jamaican and Nigerian myself, I know the flavor
combinations and what you guys have presented, it's gonna be amazing.
So this is really exciting stuff that we're talking about.
And you mentioned, you know, coming back to Atlanta for
the thirty year, but you've also hosted this in New
York City?
Speaker 8 (38:39):
Is that right?
Speaker 10 (38:40):
Very correct?
Speaker 11 (38:41):
Our last event that we hosted in New York City
was September twenty seventh and twenty eight and it was,
how can I say this, a very big mouthson for
US US first and foremost, it was a partnership with
Timeout Market.
Speaker 10 (38:56):
In addition to that, we were right.
Speaker 11 (38:58):
Underneath the Brooklyn Bridge and dumb where we had over
fifteen hundred and twelve people. So again, New York City
is in the past, Atlanta is in the forefront, and
we are excited to be in Atlanta, a city that
is full of culture, that loves food, and that loves creativity.
Speaker 3 (39:18):
I love that.
Speaker 9 (39:19):
And you're talking about culture, and that's actually my next question.
Why is it necessary to have an event like this,
especially since it blends different backgrounds and cultures together.
Speaker 11 (39:30):
I think in particular, especially in the environment that we
are where it seems that immigrants of color are being
seen as though they are the issue and a time
where the federal government has taken away from the EYE
programs and.
Speaker 10 (39:49):
Funding for it.
Speaker 11 (39:50):
It is very important for us to showcase our culture,
our identity, and who we are as a people.
Speaker 10 (39:57):
And I think the.
Speaker 11 (39:58):
Creates Food Selvice festival celebrates that and make sure.
Speaker 10 (40:02):
That people understand that.
Speaker 11 (40:05):
Our culture, our food is beyond anything that is.
Speaker 10 (40:11):
Normal.
Speaker 11 (40:12):
It is exquisite, it is lovely and is something to
be celebrated.
Speaker 9 (40:18):
It is, it definitely is, and we're talking about celebration
of cultures. Now, you yourself far from the Islands, I'll
let you explain a little bit more, so talk to
me more about why you specifically wanted to create a
festival like this, especially since you have Caribbean background.
Speaker 11 (40:37):
Well, yes, definitely from the Islands, born in and raised
in Haiti myself, but I think it was beyond me
because my business partner's from Sudan, so he's African at
the same time, and a lot of the members of
our team are representative of the islands. So I think
it was very important for us not only to actually
create a platform or sets of color are celebrated, because
(41:01):
one of the things that people don't understand is that
chefs of color have to work five times. That's hard
to gain the notoriety of their white counterparts.
Speaker 10 (41:09):
So that was the first thing that motivated us.
Speaker 11 (41:11):
It was also true for us to actually really educate
people about Creole because there's this big misconception that.
Speaker 10 (41:20):
Creole is only Haiti or New Orleans.
Speaker 11 (41:23):
As much as I can take credit for Haitian food
being great, but at the same time, the islands in itself,
the diasport in itself, shares great food, so that was
very important for us too. But it's also important for
us to bring people together around food and culture. And
being from the islands, you know that brotherly love sisterly
(41:45):
love is very important and bringing people together around for
and culture is what celebrates us.
Speaker 9 (41:52):
I love that one hundred percent. So when people are
gathering to celebrate together, remind us one more time, when
is it and where where can people get tickets?
Speaker 11 (42:02):
Well, the Creole for Festival is happening November twenty second
to the twenty third. Everybody can actually go to Creolefood
Festival dot com to be able.
Speaker 10 (42:12):
To get the tickets.
Speaker 11 (42:14):
Our first event is going to be our Creole Brunch,
and our Creole Brunch is going to be at Aubred Angel,
which actually just opened recently, and it is a concept
by chef Robert Butts that everybody in Atlanta knows has
a son of Atlanta that studied under Mashama.
Speaker 10 (42:34):
Bailey and so forth. But it's not only that.
Speaker 11 (42:37):
Our grand tasting event is going to be at the
Not Music House, the Not Music House which is actually
in Buckheat. So all that information tickets can be found
at Creolefood Festival dot com.
Speaker 9 (42:51):
Love it, love it okay for brese armand any last
words there anything you want to cover before we get.
Speaker 8 (42:57):
Out of here.
Speaker 10 (42:58):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 11 (43:00):
First and foremost, I would like to make sure that
everybody in Atlanta comes in support. The reason why they
need to come in and support is that not only
are we celebrating the diaspora, but this is a festival
that is black owned and black celebrated. So it is
very important for us and for the chefs to see
(43:20):
the support of the Creole Festival. In addition to that,
for me, we also have a community component. So the
festival in itself begins at six o'clock, but from six
to seven we are having a free community component, meaning
(43:42):
if you don't have a ticket, and you're still on
the fence.
Speaker 10 (43:45):
In regards to the Food.
Speaker 11 (43:46):
Festival, we want you to come from six to seven
to be able to get in for free.
Speaker 10 (43:52):
But please understand though, that is based on.
Speaker 11 (43:57):
Its first enter and first around, so meaning if people
already have tickets, we're gonna let.
Speaker 10 (44:03):
Them in first. But if you come and you're still.
Speaker 11 (44:07):
On the fence and you want to check it out yourself,
I would want youized to be there at the free
community component, which is from six to seven. Lastly, and
definitely not least, one of the things that made Atlanta
famous for us for the Crew Freescival is that we
had we created a Creole Food Festival karaoke that is
(44:29):
an extremely fun component that we do with DJ Magic
Kenny in my Mistress of Ceremonies Tiko armand where you
guys are gonna be able to have Creole Karria yoke
at the same time. Trust me, you do not want
to miss It is incredible, It is stunning.
Speaker 10 (44:47):
It's also a celebration of who we are.
Speaker 9 (44:50):
Hi, I love it. I'm waiting for you to get
on the karaoke mike yourself, so we'll be looking out
for that part. But thank you so much for Breeze
armand for the first weekend with all speaking with us.
Excuse me about the Creole Festival and thank.
Speaker 10 (45:04):
You for having me.
Speaker 11 (45:05):
I look forward to seeing you and make sure you
become hungry because that is one of the things that
we ask and also to our Creole for festil cop
fails will knock you off your feet.
Speaker 1 (45:16):
Thanks Alexandria and Fabrice. The Creole Food Festival returns to
Atlanta for its third edition November twenty second and twenty third.
For more information, go to Creofood Festival dot com. Doug
Davis speaks with one of the greatest voices in R
and B, Will Downing. He shares his perspectives on the
state of R and B and the importance of romance
(45:38):
in music, something we don't hear too much of in
today's music.
Speaker 12 (45:41):
Doug, Hey, Thanks Mike.
Speaker 2 (45:43):
This past Friday, I spoke with one of the greatest
R and B voices of our era, Will Downing. We
spoke about his new EP dropping on November twenty ninth,
Still in love with his new single called back to
Us Dreaming right Now on all major platforms. Will's back
with us to talk more about his musical journey from
yesteryear to today. So we'll also discuss, you know, details
(46:05):
about today's music scene, our young new artists and how
they can learn from our rich history that sometimes feels
like it's not being honored as it should be, and
that our art form is in jeopardy of extinction if
we don't protect the true foundations that make R and
B what it is, and why we need to protect
black love through the art of music. Will Downing, Welcome
(46:27):
back to the Black Information Network.
Speaker 12 (46:29):
Whether now, we.
Speaker 2 (46:30):
Spoke about your debut album in nineteen eighty six, but
you actually were recording professionally before your first album dropped.
Speaker 12 (46:38):
I had a bunch of twelve inch records out under
different names long before it became a solo. Really, what
were some of the names. Let's see. I was Envy
on Sire Records, literally just the initials Envy. I was
Pilot on Prelude Records. I was Wiley Jump Junior on
Criminal Records. Well, I swear to actually the full name
(47:02):
of the group was While They Jump Junior and the
Criminal Element on Criminal Records. There was a movie called
The Goonies. They released the soundtrack. I was one of
the groups on the soundtrack called The Goon Squad. I
was RT and the Rockman Unlimited. So I had about
five or six singles out long before I became a
(47:23):
solo artist. So we're going back to like nineteen eighty
one eighty two. So yeah, and then my first solo
record came out nineteen eighty eight. How we got my
solo deal was based on the answer record to Gwynn Guthries,
Ain't nothing going on but the rent. Yeah we're here.
We released a record called Ain't Gonna Pay You one
red cent? I remember that. I remember that. That was
(47:47):
me Wow.
Speaker 2 (47:49):
So let me ask you this, where does your confidence
come from when it comes to staying alive in this
industry today? You know, I mean there's a lot of
challenges out here. What did I teach you today about
the industry and talent that you can share with our audience?
Speaker 12 (48:06):
Well, that a good song last forever. And I'm very
fortunate to have come up in this business when the
business was the way it was, especially looking at today's marketplace.
Probably one of the greatest inventions ever is the Internet,
bar none, but the one of the worst inventions ever
made is the Internet. You know, we made it accessible
(48:27):
for everyone to kind of participate in this process where
it used to be almost like like you had like
a club, like a fraternal sort of a thing where
you had to earn your way in. And you know
now you know, like somebody across the street is a
recording artist. You know, run a recording I'm a recording artist.
(48:48):
It's like, what did you be for? Like, I want
to know, I just started when I came up. You
recorded a record, you released the record, you toured, you
did what you did sales wise, and if you did enough,
you did another one, and then you did another one,
and you did another one, you know, and there was
artists development. I'm very fortunate that I came up in
a time where I have hits that I can go
(49:11):
back to that have helped me sustain my career.
Speaker 2 (49:14):
You know, you've seen Saul music evolved, you know, your
early beginnings. What's something about today's R and B that
makes you smile? Or does it make you smile? And
you know, what do you kind of miss from the
old school?
Speaker 12 (49:26):
I think I missed the old school elements that we
all used to incorporate into our music. So I don't
hear a lot of that in today's young artists that
are you know, supposed to be you know, maintaining the
flag or waving the flag for real R and B.
I think the definition of real R and B has
(49:46):
changed like dramatically to the point where I don't even
recognize it, to be honest with you. There's a lot
of very unbelievably talented artists out there, but they're just
doing R and B in the way that they hear it.
You know. I'm liking it to a story that you know,
when I was a kid, when you know, when I
sit in the car with my parents, and my parents
(50:07):
would put the radio on and I remember something coming
on and I was say, oh, oh, Dad, you know,
play that song. I want to hear that song. And
he was like, the dude can't sing. I said, no
that He's like he's a new thing. He's like the
new high thing. And he's like, well, you know he
didn't know David Ruffin, right, and so you know, I'm
(50:31):
sure I kind of sound like him. You know. At
this point, I hear some new singers and I kind
of go, you know, he ain't Gregory, you know, you
know Jerald Bird. You know, I go on and on,
but they don't recognize us, just the way I didn't.
You know, I did recognize the artist that he was
talking about, but I couldn't relate to it.
Speaker 2 (50:51):
So do you hope that your music can hopefully influence?
They need to know what true romance is today. They
need to know what candlelights roses? Yeah, making dinner for
your lady and rubbing her feet, you know, like you know,
they need to know that. Man, what are your thoughts
about today's generation?
Speaker 12 (51:12):
Man? It's funny, man, I always I sound like you
when I'm talking to younger people sometimes, and I always say, man,
do you even know what it's what it feels like
to hold a woman in your arms while the slow
song is going on? Dance like you do you even
know that sensation? It's like, you know, I see you know,
(51:33):
young people doing that thing. They're doing that two step
or whatever it is, and they're not even there's no connection,
there's no physical connection, and there's no greater feeling than
holding a person that you love in your arms while
you're dancing. Hearing too, as listening to a slow song
say the words that you may not be able to
(51:54):
physically say or put together poetically, But the song is
saying you know always in forever, you know, like you know,
like like they've just listened to this song, this is
how I feel about you. You know, I'm not poetic
like that. I can't say it like that, but like
this brother said that exactly the way I feel. And
just to have a whole woman in your arms. So
(52:16):
I think that young people look at the habits that
we have and they may not be excited to see
it at that moment, but deep down inside, like they
want to get up in line dance, they want a
sold trade, they want to do the soul train line.
But it's kind like, yeah, I don't want to not
(52:36):
be cool, but it's like, man, they look like they're
having some fun. So we got to leave. By example, when.
Speaker 2 (52:41):
I was growing up in the eighties, listening to the radio,
you heard kolm O, d Ruther vandros I need a Baker,
you know, full force, all in one set, whereas today
you turned on radio and you don't hear that. But
one thing I do know is that if we felt
it back then, then I know they have the ability
to feel it too.
Speaker 12 (53:02):
What kind of advice would.
Speaker 2 (53:03):
You give to young Let's just speak to the young
men today when we're talking about dealing with our beautiful
sisters man and giving them the respect that they deserve.
Despite what again the media or today's current music, hip
hop or whatever says about our women.
Speaker 12 (53:20):
Well, you know what it's you can talk to the
young men, and you can talk to young ladies as well.
I mean, the one thing that used to make me
accountable when I was much younger and trying to get
with a young lady was she would make me accountable.
You know, when you and I were coming up, Like
we didn't curse around you know, whether you're trying to
give whether it was someone's mother or whether it was
(53:42):
you know, your mom or your sister, Like we didn't curse,
you know what I mean, you know, or if someone did,
you know, you tap it like yo, man's a young
ladies that's gone completely, it is completely gone. But the
thing is I had a women talking just as harsh
as the men, and we got to get back to
(54:03):
like referring to each other like as to what we
are man with kings and queens, you know what I mean.
So it'd be here, it'd be good to hear like
you know, young brothers kind of approaching you know, hey sister,
you know, and she approached them as hey brother, you
know what I mean. The mentality is that's the main thing.
But even dressing better, like I want to look the
best that I can. If I was going someplace, I
(54:25):
wanted to meet a young lady. I wanted her to
see that I was about something. You know, I was
going somewhere. I had a dream, you know, I'm to
you and she would make me work, you know, in
order to kind of be the best meat that I
can be and to be the best meat that I
could be for her, right And okay, well you know
you pass the test. I so we can go to
the next level. We can go to the next level.
(54:45):
We can go to you know what I mean. So
it's like it's almost like today it's so raw, like
they get right to the point you know you ain't
about it. You know, maybe so and so is and
you know, so it's like, man, ain't no slickness, No
no women making sure their brothers are accountable for acting
or treating them a particular way or you know, we'll
(55:07):
see what it will say.
Speaker 2 (55:09):
Though, is I think as and I'm maybe I'm singling
out young black women in their twenties going into their thirties,
is that they're starting to recognize it. And so I
think when they look at older guys, you know, maybe
in their forties or fifties, someone like us, they see
that hoping that they can get that from a young man,
(55:30):
but I think they come up empty a lot of times.
Speaker 12 (55:33):
Sorry, brothers. And this might not even make the air right,
So I don't even know. I mean, it's it's like
finding like the you know, the rare coin or the
kneel and the haystack. I mean, what any of these
old phrases that you would like to to to conjure up.
But the bottom line is it's like we're becoming like
a rarity. So yeah, man, you know, you got to
(55:56):
put in the work. You got to be patient, you
got to know what you want. You have to make
people accountable, all of that in order to find like
that special person well downling.
Speaker 2 (56:04):
I have enjoyed this conversation, brother. Check out his new
EP dropping on November twenty ninth, Staling Love new single
Back to Us, available right now on all major platforms.
Speaker 12 (56:15):
Check it out.
Speaker 2 (56:15):
This is Doug Davis on the Black Information Network and
the Black Perspective.
Speaker 1 (56:19):
Thank you Doug and the legendary Will Downing. That's our
program for this week. For more on these stories, listen
to the Black Information Network on the free iHeartRadio app
or log on to binnews dot com for all of
the latest news impacting the black community. We would love
to hear from you about the Black Perspective. Simply log
on to bion's Talkback Live feature on the iHeartRadio app
(56:43):
and share your feedback. Also, be sure to follow us
on social media at Black Information Network and on X
and blue Sky at black Info Net, and make the
Black Information Network first on your car radio and iHeartRadio
app presets. I'm Mike Island. Have a great Sunday, and
be sure to tune in next week at this time
for another edition of the Black Perspective right here on
(57:04):
the Black Information Network.
Speaker 13 (57:07):
The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed in this commentary are
those of the author and do not necessarily represent those
of b I N and its founding partners and employees.
Speaker 14 (57:18):
I'm James Harris, and I have something to say.
Speaker 10 (57:20):
D L.
Speaker 14 (57:21):
Hughey just proved that his moral compass spends faster than
the DJ's turntable. The man who claims to defend black
women's dignity recently dragged a black conservative woman's name through
the mud.
Speaker 15 (57:32):
I got a chance to watch the goubernatoro deby in
Virginia between Avgail Spanberger and Winston ERL. Sears, and the
first thing I thought is, I didn't know James Brown
was trying to be governor of Virginia. And I know
that Candida Sears knows something about discrimination that is fairly obvious,
and she discriminates against the hot holm.
Speaker 14 (57:51):
This is the same man who claims to stand for
black unity, yet monks Virginia's Lieutenant governor with some seers
a strong, accomplished black woman by saying she looks like
James Brown and needs a hot comb. Maybe if when
some seers wore horsehair and culturally appropriated European women, DL
would find her acceptable, because that's the twisted standard. A
black woman is celebrated only when she mirrors white liberal ideas.
(58:15):
When some seers needed a hot comb, let that sink in.
That's not comedy, that's contempt, that's self hatred dressed up
as social commentary.
Speaker 10 (58:24):
And it's not just DL.
Speaker 14 (58:26):
The same establishment that praises every white liberal who parrots
their talking points, like the NAACP's endorsement of Abigail Spanberger
over Win some series turns right around and ridicules any
black conservative who dares to think independently. There is no
racial utopia. These folks are chasing their unity ends the
moment you step off their ideological plantation. They preach empowerment
(58:49):
but practice exclusion. They hurl racial slurs that those who
defy them and use the same stereotypes they claim to
despise when it suits their agenda. These self appointed black
lackavists don't want dialogue, they want domination.
Speaker 12 (59:03):
So when d L.
Speaker 14 (59:03):
Euglian companies near at winsome sers, what they're really mocking
is their own reflection of people who traded principle for politics.
I'm jmciras for the Black Information Network.
Speaker 16 (59:14):
Hi, this is Tammy Eswick with the Black Information Network.
Every year, during and shortly after pregnancy, at a time
that should be filled with some of life's most rewarding
and joyous experiences, hundreds of black women die. Join the
Black Information Network as we take a look at the
issue and explore answers to the problem. In our special
public awareness campaign, Saving Black Moms a Maternal health Crisis,
(59:39):
because every mom and every life is worth saving. Learn
more at bionnews dot com.
It's Sunday, November sixteenth, and On today's show, Andrea Coleman
talks to distinguished ABC Black journalists Deborah Roberts about her
new book, Sisters Loved and Treasured Stories of the Unbreakable Bond.
The Black Information Networks Ester Dillar talks to authors James
and Christa White about their new book Culture Design, talking
about navigating the corporate world. Alexandria Icimoni talks to Fabrice
(00:24):
Armand about the Creole Food Festival Coming Back to the
atl November twenty second and twenty third, and Doug Davis
speaks with one of the greatest voices in R and B.
Will Downing. These stories and more are coming your way
on today's program, Welcome to the Black Perspective. I'm your host,
Mike Island.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Welcome to the Black Perspective, a weekly community affairs program
on the Black Information Network featuring interviews and discussions on
issues important to the Black community.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Good Sunday, and Welcome to the Black Perspective. For those
of us who have sisters, we know how they can
influence our lives, often for the better. In a new book,
distinguished Black Network journalist Deborah Roberts explores the role sisters
play in each other's lives and the impact their relationship
has on their well being. Roberts, who co hosts twenty
(01:12):
twenty ABC's award winning news magazine, recently talked about the
book as well as her career with The Black Information
That Works. Andrea Coleman.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Yeah, so let's talk a little about the book. Sisters
loved and treasured stories of unbreakable bonds. What's it all about.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
It's all about the sister connection. This is a collection
of essays and it's the kind of thing that I
like doing. I like interviewing people. So rather than just
tell my story, which is part of the book, because
I grew up in a family of six sisters, nine children,
seven girls, two boys, So I grew up with a
lot of sisters around the household. And it's a subject
(01:51):
that I think I knew, or I thought I knew
very well, and I've discovered that maybe I didn't know
as much as I thought. Because when I started interviewing
other women about their sisters and their bonds and their
connections and their challenges and their differences and their struggles,
I just thought this was something that was so fascinating
(02:12):
and worth exploring in a deeper way.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
What did you find well?
Speaker 4 (02:16):
I found that the sister connection is not necessarily an
easy one, but it's an important one. I also had
read that there were a couple of studies that showed
that having a sister can be good for your emotional
well being, that essentially a sister is kind of good
for your mental health. But I do know that there
are lots of sisters who don't necessarily get along that well.
(02:39):
They don't see the world in the same way. Maybe
they had bumps as they were growing up, but there
is something remarkable about that bond that holds them together
even in their difficult times. There is something they can
point to, a shared history, shared memories, something that holds
(03:00):
them together unlike any other relationship with other people in
your life, that.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Is so powerful. Especially you know, it seems like you're
offering us, are maybe introducing a way to reframe that
relationship so that it doesn't what could be negative can
be turned into something good at least give it a
new perspective.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Absolutely, and I think this was sort of born of
my own journey and my own search. Again, I grew
up with a lot of sisters and I remember just
a very close, warm bond when we were growing up,
but as we grew older, we kind of went in
different directions, you know, scattered all over the country, you know, geographically,
in different directions. Some of us had children before others,
(03:40):
did you know. I embarked on this big career that
took me all over the world, and I began to
feel like a little bit of a distance with my sisters.
And I discovered that other women had shared some of
the same kinds of feelings with me, and I thought, well,
maybe I'm not a good sister, Maybe I should be
doing more. Maybe my relationship isn't as strong as I
(04:02):
thought it was with my sisters. And what I discovered
is it's just normal. It's normal to have ebbs and
flows in your relationship with your sisters. It's normal not
to necessarily see them as like a best buddy that
you get along with about everything, or that you see
the world in the same way. But it doesn't mean
(04:24):
that you don't have something special that kind of guides
you or that centers you and that you can hold
on to and that makes you feel a little bit
happier in the world. When you really reflect on what
you have together, and so that was something that I
discovered and it really sort of renewed not only my
faith in my sisterhood with my sisters, but also kind
(04:44):
of I think spurred us to connect a little bit
more and to hold on to each other, but to
explore each other and to forgive, be compassionate, to kind
of just really think about each other and reframe the relationship.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
As you said, oh, I love that. I love that.
Now you talked to just a wide variety of sisters
from the Bush Sisters, Jenna Bush Hager and her twin sister, Barbara, Michaels,
Drahan's daughters Isabella and Sophia's Strayhan, Octavia Spencer and her
sister Grendel. I mean, it just goes on and on.
(05:20):
What was it like, I mean, were they open and
willing and ready to talk about this relationship that some
people may feel it's a bit personal in private.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
What really surprised me more than anything else was just
how open these women were when they would sit down
and talk with me, and I interviewed them all through
zoom because it made it a lot easier to be
able to count, you know, connect with Octavia Spencer who's
in California, or Jenna bush Hager and her sister Barbara,
who both live in New York, but they're you know,
(05:49):
busy and doing all kinds of other things. So it
was in my own sisters who lived in Texas and
Florida and Georgia, I you know, sat down for all
of them for what I promised would be about a
thirty four even in conversation, and to my surprise, they
all came just ready to play and embrace and you know,
(06:09):
and just really talk honestly about their bonds. Some people
shared bonds that had doing some difficulty and some problems
over the years, and yet they were just so willing
to be honest and open to the point that there
were tears that were shed. Sometimes they were just tears
of joy and emotion and how much they love each other.
(06:30):
And sometimes there were tears of I went through some
big struggles and you were there, and nobody can actually
be in my corner, nobody has my back in the
same way you do. I'll save you. Spencer shared how
she and her sisters have all had like fights and
bumps and so forth, but yet there is this expectation
that we are family and we're going to sort this out,
(06:50):
and they would talk about how they how they deal
with that, or there's one in the family who would
be the one who's not only the keeper of all
the memories and the secrets put all so sort of
the keeper of the order to say, Okay, enough of this,
you two are going to you know, work this out,
sort this out. Those kinds of things. It's kind of
real life really that they were willing to share, and
(07:11):
that was really special to me that they were able
to let down their guard and just really talk about
sort of the meat and potatoes of what it means
to be sisters.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
I just love that it sounds like it could be
a guide for some of us too who may be
looking to re engage relationships and make them something even
more promising and meaningful.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
That's my hope. My hope is that this is not
just a kind of skipping through the meadow and you know,
a book that just only celebrates those who are happy,
but sort of also hopefully encouragement for those who have
maybe had some difficulties that maybe you can re engage,
maybe you can actually take this book and you know,
send it to your sister as a little bit of
a gift or maybe a peace offering, or maybe just
(07:53):
you know, an acknowledgment that you know we have something
here and whether we're as close as we used to
be or not, that there is something special about having
a sister in this world. And I want you to
know that, I know that, and I want to honor that. So, yeah,
I think that there are going to be plenty of
sisters who will see this as maybe antithetical to who
(08:14):
they are. Maybe people, you know, some women don't really
see the world in the same way that their sister does,
But that doesn't mean that she's not a treasure in
your life. And somebody who you at the end of
the day can count on, even if nothing else, just
to understand you and know you a little bit and
maybe care about you in a deeper way than you
(08:35):
know your BFF does.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Yeah, that's beautiful. And now you also touch some on
your own journey in your book, and I'd like to
just kind of I mean, when we think about Deborah Roberts,
especially in the time of you know, the past few decades,
and I guess your career in general, you were one
of the very first prominent black women we saw on
(08:57):
the network level. Talk a little bit about your journey.
How did you accomplish sex success in the in the
journalism industry, broadcast journalism at that especially at the time
when it was you know kind of I guess coming
through the the nineties and into the two thousands.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Well, I mean I actually had my dreams of going
into television when I was a little kid growing up
in small town Georgia in the late sixties and seventies,
and there were only a handful of you know, black
faces on air, as you say, and that was something
that was just really hugely aspirational but maybe could have
felt like, you know, out of reach. But what was
(09:37):
sort of interesting is talking with my sisters about what
their perceptions were of me. And I was this kid
who just you know, aimed high, I had big ambitions,
and I had, you know, some teachers who really believed
in me. I wrote a book a couple of years
ago about a teacher in your life, and I had
an English teacher who really inspired me. So my sisters
(09:59):
talked a lot about how they knew from an early
age they could see that I had great ambitions and
that I was very interested in you know, maybe public speaking,
not to say that I came out of the womb
this way because I was like a little bit shy.
I went through my years and my awkwardness like everybody else.
But by the time I was in high school, I
probably have begun to find a little bit of a
(10:21):
voice and certainly an inspiration. So when I went off
to the University of Georgia, and again this is post segregation,
so I grew up in small town Georgia kind of
in the shadow of what had been, you know, a
dark period there. But yet I had such i don't know,
optimism and excitement for the future and what I wanted
to do. And so I did get some encouragement along
(10:44):
the way. And when I was at the University of
Georgia and I took some journalism courses and got really
excited about this career. I had teachers who could see
the fire burning in me and pointed me in the
way of internships. And I think it was really just
sort of this undying desire to accomplish and to be
(11:04):
something in this field that I just revered. I watched
Barbara Walters on television breaking down barriers. I watched Carol
Simpson on Network television beginning to tear down barriers too,
and so I wanted that. And I guess my sisters
would probably say to you, I was kind of single focused.
(11:25):
I mean amongst my family and certainly amongst a lot
of my sisters. You know, they kind of had I
would say, maybe ideas and dreams that were probably tempered
by the time that we were living in and many
of them got married pretty soon, either out of college
or you know, built careers that were satisfying to them,
(11:46):
but probably not as ambitious. And so they saw me
with this real ambition and you know, moving from one
place to the other, to the next job, and the
next job in local news and making my way up
the last or and making connections and meeting people and
deciding that this is something I wanted to do. So
(12:06):
that was kind of what my trajectory was like. But
also just having that support and that enthusiasm not only
of my parents but if my siblings, my sisters, was
really something that was that was just you know, it
was it was sort of beyond anything I could have
probably imagined. They have been so proud over the years,
(12:27):
so excited and most important to me, after writing this book,
I've lost some sisters over the years. But the four
sisters I have who are remaining had a chance to
come to New York and share in the press and
the publicity and get a chance to sort of renew
our connections that way, also while celebrating sisterhood with this book.
(12:48):
So it kind of was a full circle moment in
a way of all of them having seen me, I guess,
with the big desires and setting my sights on certain things,
and then they got a chance to sell Braided a
little bit with me, which was so so wonderful.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
I think that's just exceptional. And you know, one of
the things too that we celebrate in your life and
in your journey is your marriage to Al Roker, who
is of course everyone's favorite network weather person, right, but
you touch on that a little bit as well in
your book, and how I think it's just beautiful, how
it seems the two of you really do support each other.
(13:24):
And this success, where it could be very challenging for
a lot of married couples, is something actually that you
guys both vie for to make certain that you stay
whole and complete. How have you managed to do that
so beautifully?
Speaker 4 (13:38):
Well, just somehow just pure luck but you know, I
just loved his radio show that he does after he's
finished with the Today Show. He does this show on
weekly called Off the Rails. So he invited me to
come on and talk about the book, which was a
lot of fun, you know all. And I just we
support each other. I mean, we became friends in this industry.
(14:01):
I worked at NBC alongside him many many years ago,
and we became friends, and you know, he supported me
and I supported him. And over the years, as my
career flourished and I went off and pursued other, you know,
other assignments and wound up over at ABC News, we
just we I think we just sort of took great
(14:23):
pride in the fact that we both are kids from
you know, humble means. I mean I grew up in
Queens and a big family. I grew up in the
South and a big family, and yet we had these
ambitious dreams of making our way through the television industry.
He was, you know, excited about weather. I was just
excited about journalism in general. So there was a there
(14:43):
was a foundation there, I think, with a lot of
just excitement about what we do for a living, but
also too, I think, you know, to be corny about it.
I mean, he kind of sees my success is a
little bit of his success, and vice versa. When I
see him doing something thing that is remarkable and successful,
I'm proud for him. So it's not always been easy
(15:06):
because you know, we both have these NonStop hours and
and we fly all over the place for our reporting,
and you know, it takes us away from family sometimes.
But we've been able to kind of manage it and
to figure it out over the years and to try to,
you know, juggle so that you know, we obviously make
(15:27):
time for our children and our family and that's our
big focus. So, you know, have we had a little
competitive spirit every now and again, of course we have.
There've been a couple of times when maybe there was
a story he wanted to pursue that I was interested in,
or vice versa. We've had a couple of little moments,
but not often. At the end of the day, it's
(15:49):
all about supporting each other and we keep our eye
on that ball and.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
No matter who gets to when the family does. For sure,
that's true.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
We try to remember that.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
I've a little saying on the mirror, right, just remember
exact that's very good So I have to ask you,
for any young listener or any woman in the industry
that is listening today, what some of the pointers do
you could give us, what's key to a success in
broadcast journalism.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
Well, it certainly has changed a lot since I entered
the industry. You know, it was a little bit more linear,
and it was pretty clear that you either worked in
local news or maybe you worked at an owned and
operated big station in a Chicago or New York or
Los Angeles, and then if you were fortunate and you
wanted that you can make your way maybe to network television.
Now there's so many platforms, you know, online people are
(16:42):
doing web shows and YouTube shows, and you know, we
have streaming which is a big part of our industry
now at ABC News. So it's changed a lot. I
think it might be a little bit more open in
some ways, but confusing in other ways, because how do
you know where you you can land and how do
you really get your foot in the door. It's it's
(17:04):
a little bit harder for I think kids coming out
of school these days. But I think for me, the
key remains you just have to have a burning desire,
you have to have a keen interest in the world,
and and and society, and and a curiosity about you
(17:24):
know what, what what is happening around us. I think
number one that is what feeds you as a journalist.
You have to have curiosity and interest in and passion
about telling stories. So there's that, and I think also
to to sort of understanding that it's a complex world.
It's it's not always easy. You have to keep going
when I when I tell stories that even whether they're
(17:47):
conferences or in schools to other people, I talk about
a lot of the failures that I've had. Barbara Walters,
who was a mentor of mine, talked about, you know,
failure really being a great teacher. I think that is
absolutely true. If I look back at some of the
times where I just blew it on air early on,
rather than just sort of, you know, give up and
(18:09):
think that I was a you know, a failed reporter,
I of course would lick my wounds. But then I
would come back and decide I'm going to learn and
grow from this and try to be stronger and try
to be better and vow to make this something that
can make me a little better at what I do.
So I think that there's a lot of discouragement in
(18:29):
this kind of business, and you have to make up
your mind not to be completely discouraged and to keep
going and to keep trying, and also to to seek
out mentors, to seek out people who are doing what
you want to do, and to see if you can
get some direction and get some guidance on how to
make your way through. It's not easy, and particularly I
(18:50):
think as women. It's definitely better than it was when
I started in this business. But it's still a very
tough business. But if you really love it and you
really want to do it, and you really have a
desire to tell stories and to get out there and
to do it, I think there's room. You just said,
and you can't give up.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
That's beautiful. That's beautiful. And now you co anchor twenty twenty,
I mean, one of the premiere network shows on television
and has been for so so many.
Speaker 4 (19:20):
Years, forty forty eight years.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
Wow, that is just tremendous. What is it like? I mean, really,
when you think of when I think of twenty twenty,
it's just one of those that's right up there. It's
one of the sixty minutes of the world. I mean,
you guys do such consistent work in such an excellent manner.
It just seems as though it would be extremely demanding,
but it's so rewarding and even for us to receive
(19:46):
and look at what is it like now to co
anchor that show.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
Well, I have to start by saying I grew up
watching twenty twenty. I remember just on Friday Night's Appointment
television watching Barbara Walters and Hugh Downs. Sister Janet loved
twenty twenty, and I think at one point when I
was younger, I said to her, I want to work
on a show like that one day. Of course, we
all saw that as one of the gold standards of
(20:11):
network magazine reporting, and so it was sort of a
goal of mine to work on a program like this
as I made my way through the industry. It was
a great, great moment for me to get to join
the program many years ago with Barbara Walters and to
work alongside her and Hugh and to sit on the
(20:31):
set with them. I mean, that was just a dream
come true for a little kid from Georgia. So that
was already just the realization of a dream. And to
still be with this program, you know, all those years later,
I came to ABC thirty years ago to work on
twenty twenty and to have continued that legacy now sitting
(20:53):
in the I will say the chair because we David
Muir and I actually anchor outside on a rooftop now.
But to occupy the space on this program that was
occupied by the great iconic Barbara Walters is it's a
great honor and it's a great privilege for me to
be able to be there. David Murr is a great
(21:15):
partner to work with and to keep the brand going.
So it's not lost on me that it's a great
moment in my life and a great honor. And I
hope that I do Barbara and all the predecessors who
came before me proud as I continue to carry on
the legacy of twenty twenty.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
Oh, we just love it, and you do it with
such style and such knowledge and such posh and so
it's just beautiful, beautiful, beautiful to see you there. We
just celebrate your success and all that you're doing. It
has truly been a joy and a pleasure and an
honor to speak with you today. And yeah, I want
to remind our listeners that twenty twenty airs on ABC
on Friday's nine pm Eastern, and also you can pick
(21:58):
up her book, Sisters Loved and Treasured Stories of Unbreakable Bonds.
Pardon me, and again, this is Deborah Roberts, the Deborah Roberts,
the pre eminent journalist of our times, and we just
thank you so much for joining us today.
Speaker 4 (22:13):
Anyth you, ayma think throughout too. There's also an audible
version of the book too, which is available, and it
is so great. I hope your listeners will also consider
picking that up or just downloading it.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Do you narrate? Are you narrating?
Speaker 4 (22:25):
I'm one of the narrators, Okay, of multiple narrators.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
Very good, very good. Thank you again so much for
joining us, and thank you for this interview. Congratulations on
all your success.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
That was the black information that works, Andrea Coleman with
Deborah Roberts. You can pick up Robert's book, Sisters Loved
and Treasured Stories of the Unbreakable Bond at any major bookseller,
and you can catch her on twenty twenty every Friday
night at nine Eastern on ABC. In this era of
uncertainty and job loss, comes a book by a father
daughter team which addresses corporate culture, our own Esther Dillard
(22:58):
sits down with authors Aimes and Krystal White this week.
They share how executives share advice on how to make
workplace culture thrive in a positive direction. It's all in
their new book Culture Design.
Speaker 5 (23:10):
Every company has culture, you either have it by designer
to fall.
Speaker 6 (23:15):
So our thesis is that leaders need to be.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Thoughtful and intentional and in this moment actually need to
manage and cultivate and refine their cultures.
Speaker 6 (23:29):
In this moment.
Speaker 7 (23:30):
In this edition of The Color Between the Lines, I'm
speaking with James and Krista White, a father daughter duo
who's helping leaders rethink how they build company culture in
their new book, Culture Design, How to build a high performing,
resilient organization with Purpose explores how to intentionally create a
(23:50):
workplace where people feel valued, included, and inspired. We'll talk
about empathy, generational change, and what it really takes to
design culture on purpose, not by default.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
Well, James, your.
Speaker 7 (24:04):
First book, Anti Racist Leadership, it really challenged executives to
confront bias in business, and now Culture Design, it kind
of feels like the next step focused on what comes
after awareness. What made this the right time to write
this and what changed in the leadership conversation since your
first book came out.
Speaker 5 (24:26):
I think there's a couple things Esther, and I think
you summed it up perfectly. This book two is really
a zoom to a bigger picture, you know that embodies
all the foundational principles of our book one, and book
two was really an outcome of all the hundreds of
(24:47):
conversations and thousands of people that we talked about completing
the first book, and we said, one of the things
that is missing, especially in this really complex, very challenging moment,
is leaders that are intentionally thinking about the culture they create.
(25:08):
The premise of our book Culture Design is really every
company has culture. You either have it by design or
to fall. So our thesis is that leaders need to
be thoughtful and intentional and in this moment actually need
to manage and cultivate and refine their cultures in this moment.
Speaker 8 (25:34):
Christa, we're really excited to get to share this book
with audiences. I mean, we have already gotten such great
feedback on culture design and both and how accessible it
is to a wide range of leaders at different levels
(25:55):
and cross functionally, but also that it is jam pack
of all these frameworks and real world examples from Dad's career,
from the amazing CEOs and other executives that we interviewed
for the book, from colleagues in the past. We're yeah,
(26:21):
we just think that culture is just going to be
something that is a huge differentiator going forward. In this
time of really so much turnover, so so much difficulty
attracting or retaining great candidates, it's going to be more
(26:43):
important than ever for the longevity of people's organizations.
Speaker 7 (26:48):
Well, I'm going to follow up Krista with someone who
may not understand what that those two words culture design,
what that means, because it almost sounds like architecture, you know,
like it's a architectural book. Culture design, Now what would do?
How would you explain what it means to intentionally design
culture inside an organization?
Speaker 8 (27:10):
Yeah, So, like Dad said, we are kind of premise
for the book is that culture exists no matter what.
It's either by define, by design, or by default. Who
do you want creating your culture within your organization? Uh,
the leaders, the CEOs, the senior leadership, or it exists
(27:32):
in a vacuum. It's created by what you are not
doing intentionally. So we really do think of culture design
as that architecture point or as uh you know, a
design thinking product design. We do think about those frameworks
of how do you think of culture iteratively? How do
(27:58):
we think of it as not some sort of separate
check the box activity, but as integrated fully throughout the
organization and with the strategy. Culture should always tie back
to strategy. And one of the things we really think
about a lot, and this relates to our interests in
(28:20):
design thinking is starting with empathy always, and that's how
we create these people first companies is by starting with empathy,
starting with the people who make the company run. The
company doesn't exist without your employees. So getting back to
(28:43):
basics and then finding ways to create to routinize systems
and rituals that continuously drive culture top to bottom and
across the organization.
Speaker 7 (29:00):
Can I follow that up with that? Because you talked
about empathy and James, you right that empathy is not
just about being soft, it's about being strong enough to
kind of lead with understanding. How do you model that
kind of empathy while still holding people accountable for results.
Speaker 5 (29:19):
Yeah, I'd make a couple of points. Esther, I think
we talk a lot about listening with an open heart.
You bring an open mind, and I think from a
leadership perspective, it's really about humanizing yourself as as as
(29:42):
a leader, which we believe creates even greater followership. So
we've got lots of examples in the in the book.
You know, one personal example that we share, we do
this exercise with executives where they will take a white
sheet paper and kind of draw a line horizontally and
(30:02):
if you think about and if as or even if
you thought about for yourself the highs and lows in
a career or a life, and what's similar and different
the highs and the lows and sharing that in way.
We have executives to do that collectively, and you and
(30:22):
I might share dancing in common, or love for jazz,
or a loss of a family member or some illness.
But anything that humanizes the executives and teams, it creates
an environment where there are just much greater opportunities to
for us to bring our full selves to the to
(30:44):
the job and then do our really our best work.
But we view empathy as a core capability of this
next generation of leaders, and we think the best companies
epitomize that. Yeah, empathy critically important. The book is kind
of anchored around that as a key premise for the book.
Speaker 7 (31:10):
Well, Chris, I want to follow that up with, you know,
we can't ignore the elephant in the room, which is
DEI and the current climate around it, and how there's
really like a big pushback right now, especially in terms
of we'res like woke. I used to dismiss anything that's
tied to inclusion. Two in belonging, were you concerned that
(31:34):
this book might be facing I guess resistance just because
of that topic, and how did you talk about culture
design in a way that really just keeps people from
being kind of boxed into politics.
Speaker 8 (31:48):
Yeah, I mean that was one of our biggest reasons
for broadening our purview on culture, and at a systemic level,
we do feel that this pushback against DEI or world
anti racism is noise. We always encourage clients and people
(32:13):
we work with to just get down to what matters
to you as a company. What are your values? Have
those changed? How you think about people? Has that changed?
We hope to get people to focus on and it's
back to this point about humanizing each person and humanizing
(32:35):
yourself as a leader, and that also ties to the
importance of strategy and systems. So one of the things
that we have seen in culture, be it in the
specific initiatives or other types of culture transformations, is that
(32:58):
the culture work is almost siloed and like, Okay, HR
is doing this this thing. And that's one of the
things that we really strongly believe is culture must be
led by the CEO. This work doesn't get cascaded throughout
the organization without that senior level, an executive level buy in,
(33:24):
you won't have the capacity as an organization to really
embed this work. Without that, I think that's a piece
that's missing, is this cross functionality of culture design.
Speaker 7 (33:41):
James, I'm wondering if you had anything to add to that,
especially since there's you know, a word that there's thousands
of black women who have lost their jobs in the
corporate world and many of them are you know, expressing,
especially when you look on LinkedIn, just they're toired and
(34:01):
they don't feel connected and they feel like the leadership
has pretty much failed them. What's your response.
Speaker 5 (34:08):
I think the main thing for me is I'm certainly
understanding and have heard that issue. Most of what I
spend my time on, you know, kind of post my
operating career, is to level playing fields and create opportunities
(34:32):
where we all can do best work, whether it is
my support of black women on boards, I've got my
own nonprofit director's academy.
Speaker 6 (34:42):
This culture work or.
Speaker 5 (34:43):
Writing is really all about creating systems and environments and
companies that really.
Speaker 6 (34:50):
Work for all of them. We think with this work
on this book Culture.
Speaker 5 (34:55):
Design, it allows us to zoom out. Really important to
the work is this idea of you know, companies and
cultures kind of have to live in the three D.
So we had an executive group that we interviewed Tony
Wells that describes culture is the software that.
Speaker 6 (35:18):
The company runs on, and if you kind of think.
Speaker 5 (35:21):
About it a bit from that perspective and making sure
that that software that the company runs on, which is
culture and values and the rituals, making sure it works
for all.
Speaker 7 (35:35):
You can hear my full conversation with James and Krista
White about their new book Culture Design on the Color
Between the Lines podcasts available now on iHeartRadio, YouTube or
wherever you get your podcasts. You can also pick up
the book Culture Design on Amazon or wherever books are sold,
and you can learn more about their work at Culturedesign
lab dot com. I'm Esther Dillard.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
Thanks Esther, James and Chris. The Creole Food Festival is
coming back to Atlanta, bringing many cultures together for a
one of a kind and delicious experience. Vii in News
anchor Alexandria Ecimoni spoke with the co founder of the event.
Speaker 9 (36:13):
This is Alexandria Icamoni with the Black Information Network and
I'm here speaking with fabreze armand the co founder of
the Creole Food Festival. How are you today, Yes.
Speaker 10 (36:23):
I'm doing pretty well. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 9 (36:26):
Yes, I'm happy to have you as well. Although I'm
a little hungry already. I love me some good Creole
food and this festival sounds like it's going to be amazing.
So tell us more about this food festival and what
people can expect.
Speaker 11 (36:41):
First and foremost, we are extremely excited to actually be
back in Atlanta for a thirty year. In addition to
being back in Atlanta for a thirty year, we also
have an incredible lineup of chefs.
Speaker 10 (36:54):
So we are right now have a lineup of about
eighteen chefs that are confirmed, ranging from.
Speaker 11 (37:01):
Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, South America, and the South
of the US. In addition to that, besides the incredible
food that's experience, we also have two incredible DJs that
are based in Atlanta, DJ Magic Kenny and DJ Nani. Last,
and definitely not least, we have a performance by Stephanie
(37:23):
Saint Cum who's going to be singing some of the
tools that she's recorded, showcasing Caribbean culture.
Speaker 4 (37:31):
I love that.
Speaker 9 (37:32):
Okay, So let's talk about the food, right. We mentioned
the plethora of chefs giving a variety of options. What
are some of I guess the dishes people can probably
expect when they do come.
Speaker 11 (37:45):
Well, the great thing about us is that when we
call Creole, it's not only New Orleans and Haiti. So
it's a mixture of Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, South
America and the South you guys, So think about a
Zebu Jen, think about folio, think about Julie Cooley, think
about Mike Mullin, think about Adoscono.
Speaker 10 (38:10):
So it is literally, how can I.
Speaker 11 (38:13):
Say this a salad or an amalgasin of everything that
you can expect from food from all these different incidents.
Speaker 10 (38:22):
I love that.
Speaker 9 (38:23):
As a Jamaican and Nigerian myself, I know the flavor
combinations and what you guys have presented, it's gonna be amazing.
So this is really exciting stuff that we're talking about.
And you mentioned, you know, coming back to Atlanta for
the thirty year, but you've also hosted this in New
York City?
Speaker 8 (38:39):
Is that right?
Speaker 10 (38:40):
Very correct?
Speaker 11 (38:41):
Our last event that we hosted in New York City
was September twenty seventh and twenty eight and it was,
how can I say this, a very big mouthson for
US US first and foremost, it was a partnership with
Timeout Market.
Speaker 10 (38:56):
In addition to that, we were right.
Speaker 11 (38:58):
Underneath the Brooklyn Bridge and dumb where we had over
fifteen hundred and twelve people. So again, New York City
is in the past, Atlanta is in the forefront, and
we are excited to be in Atlanta, a city that
is full of culture, that loves food, and that loves creativity.
Speaker 3 (39:18):
I love that.
Speaker 9 (39:19):
And you're talking about culture, and that's actually my next question.
Why is it necessary to have an event like this,
especially since it blends different backgrounds and cultures together.
Speaker 11 (39:30):
I think in particular, especially in the environment that we
are where it seems that immigrants of color are being
seen as though they are the issue and a time
where the federal government has taken away from the EYE
programs and.
Speaker 10 (39:49):
Funding for it.
Speaker 11 (39:50):
It is very important for us to showcase our culture,
our identity, and who we are as a people.
Speaker 10 (39:57):
And I think the.
Speaker 11 (39:58):
Creates Food Selvice festival celebrates that and make sure.
Speaker 10 (40:02):
That people understand that.
Speaker 11 (40:05):
Our culture, our food is beyond anything that is.
Speaker 10 (40:11):
Normal.
Speaker 11 (40:12):
It is exquisite, it is lovely and is something to
be celebrated.
Speaker 9 (40:18):
It is, it definitely is, and we're talking about celebration
of cultures. Now, you yourself far from the Islands, I'll
let you explain a little bit more, so talk to
me more about why you specifically wanted to create a
festival like this, especially since you have Caribbean background.
Speaker 11 (40:37):
Well, yes, definitely from the Islands, born in and raised
in Haiti myself, but I think it was beyond me
because my business partner's from Sudan, so he's African at
the same time, and a lot of the members of
our team are representative of the islands. So I think
it was very important for us not only to actually
create a platform or sets of color are celebrated, because
(41:01):
one of the things that people don't understand is that
chefs of color have to work five times. That's hard
to gain the notoriety of their white counterparts.
Speaker 10 (41:09):
So that was the first thing that motivated us.
Speaker 11 (41:11):
It was also true for us to actually really educate
people about Creole because there's this big misconception that.
Speaker 10 (41:20):
Creole is only Haiti or New Orleans.
Speaker 11 (41:23):
As much as I can take credit for Haitian food
being great, but at the same time, the islands in itself,
the diasport in itself, shares great food, so that was
very important for us too. But it's also important for
us to bring people together around food and culture. And
being from the islands, you know that brotherly love sisterly
(41:45):
love is very important and bringing people together around for
and culture is what celebrates us.
Speaker 9 (41:52):
I love that one hundred percent. So when people are
gathering to celebrate together, remind us one more time, when
is it and where where can people get tickets?
Speaker 11 (42:02):
Well, the Creole for Festival is happening November twenty second
to the twenty third. Everybody can actually go to Creolefood
Festival dot com to be able.
Speaker 10 (42:12):
To get the tickets.
Speaker 11 (42:14):
Our first event is going to be our Creole Brunch,
and our Creole Brunch is going to be at Aubred Angel,
which actually just opened recently, and it is a concept
by chef Robert Butts that everybody in Atlanta knows has
a son of Atlanta that studied under Mashama.
Speaker 10 (42:34):
Bailey and so forth. But it's not only that.
Speaker 11 (42:37):
Our grand tasting event is going to be at the
Not Music House, the Not Music House which is actually
in Buckheat. So all that information tickets can be found
at Creolefood Festival dot com.
Speaker 9 (42:51):
Love it, love it okay for brese armand any last
words there anything you want to cover before we get.
Speaker 8 (42:57):
Out of here.
Speaker 10 (42:58):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 11 (43:00):
First and foremost, I would like to make sure that
everybody in Atlanta comes in support. The reason why they
need to come in and support is that not only
are we celebrating the diaspora, but this is a festival
that is black owned and black celebrated. So it is
very important for us and for the chefs to see
(43:20):
the support of the Creole Festival. In addition to that,
for me, we also have a community component. So the
festival in itself begins at six o'clock, but from six
to seven we are having a free community component, meaning
(43:42):
if you don't have a ticket, and you're still on
the fence.
Speaker 10 (43:45):
In regards to the Food.
Speaker 11 (43:46):
Festival, we want you to come from six to seven
to be able to get in for free.
Speaker 10 (43:52):
But please understand though, that is based on.
Speaker 11 (43:57):
Its first enter and first around, so meaning if people
already have tickets, we're gonna let.
Speaker 10 (44:03):
Them in first. But if you come and you're still.
Speaker 11 (44:07):
On the fence and you want to check it out yourself,
I would want youized to be there at the free
community component, which is from six to seven. Lastly, and
definitely not least, one of the things that made Atlanta
famous for us for the Crew Freescival is that we
had we created a Creole Food Festival karaoke that is
(44:29):
an extremely fun component that we do with DJ Magic
Kenny in my Mistress of Ceremonies Tiko armand where you
guys are gonna be able to have Creole Karria yoke
at the same time. Trust me, you do not want
to miss It is incredible, It is stunning.
Speaker 10 (44:47):
It's also a celebration of who we are.
Speaker 9 (44:50):
Hi, I love it. I'm waiting for you to get
on the karaoke mike yourself, so we'll be looking out
for that part. But thank you so much for Breeze
armand for the first weekend with all speaking with us.
Excuse me about the Creole Festival and thank.
Speaker 10 (45:04):
You for having me.
Speaker 11 (45:05):
I look forward to seeing you and make sure you
become hungry because that is one of the things that
we ask and also to our Creole for festil cop
fails will knock you off your feet.
Speaker 1 (45:16):
Thanks Alexandria and Fabrice. The Creole Food Festival returns to
Atlanta for its third edition November twenty second and twenty third.
For more information, go to Creofood Festival dot com. Doug
Davis speaks with one of the greatest voices in R
and B, Will Downing. He shares his perspectives on the
state of R and B and the importance of romance
(45:38):
in music, something we don't hear too much of in
today's music.
Speaker 12 (45:41):
Doug, Hey, Thanks Mike.
Speaker 2 (45:43):
This past Friday, I spoke with one of the greatest
R and B voices of our era, Will Downing. We
spoke about his new EP dropping on November twenty ninth,
Still in love with his new single called back to
Us Dreaming right Now on all major platforms. Will's back
with us to talk more about his musical journey from
yesteryear to today. So we'll also discuss, you know, details
(46:05):
about today's music scene, our young new artists and how
they can learn from our rich history that sometimes feels
like it's not being honored as it should be, and
that our art form is in jeopardy of extinction if
we don't protect the true foundations that make R and
B what it is, and why we need to protect
black love through the art of music. Will Downing, Welcome
(46:27):
back to the Black Information Network.
Speaker 12 (46:29):
Whether now, we.
Speaker 2 (46:30):
Spoke about your debut album in nineteen eighty six, but
you actually were recording professionally before your first album dropped.
Speaker 12 (46:38):
I had a bunch of twelve inch records out under
different names long before it became a solo. Really, what
were some of the names. Let's see. I was Envy
on Sire Records, literally just the initials Envy. I was
Pilot on Prelude Records. I was Wiley Jump Junior on
Criminal Records. Well, I swear to actually the full name
(47:02):
of the group was While They Jump Junior and the
Criminal Element on Criminal Records. There was a movie called
The Goonies. They released the soundtrack. I was one of
the groups on the soundtrack called The Goon Squad. I
was RT and the Rockman Unlimited. So I had about
five or six singles out long before I became a
(47:23):
solo artist. So we're going back to like nineteen eighty
one eighty two. So yeah, and then my first solo
record came out nineteen eighty eight. How we got my
solo deal was based on the answer record to Gwynn Guthries,
Ain't nothing going on but the rent. Yeah we're here.
We released a record called Ain't Gonna Pay You one
red cent? I remember that. I remember that. That was
(47:47):
me Wow.
Speaker 2 (47:49):
So let me ask you this, where does your confidence
come from when it comes to staying alive in this
industry today? You know, I mean there's a lot of
challenges out here. What did I teach you today about
the industry and talent that you can share with our audience?
Speaker 12 (48:06):
Well, that a good song last forever. And I'm very
fortunate to have come up in this business when the
business was the way it was, especially looking at today's marketplace.
Probably one of the greatest inventions ever is the Internet,
bar none, but the one of the worst inventions ever
made is the Internet. You know, we made it accessible
(48:27):
for everyone to kind of participate in this process where
it used to be almost like like you had like
a club, like a fraternal sort of a thing where
you had to earn your way in. And you know
now you know, like somebody across the street is a
recording artist. You know, run a recording I'm a recording artist.
(48:48):
It's like, what did you be for? Like, I want
to know, I just started when I came up. You
recorded a record, you released the record, you toured, you
did what you did sales wise, and if you did enough,
you did another one, and then you did another one,
and you did another one, you know, and there was
artists development. I'm very fortunate that I came up in
a time where I have hits that I can go
(49:11):
back to that have helped me sustain my career.
Speaker 2 (49:14):
You know, you've seen Saul music evolved, you know, your
early beginnings. What's something about today's R and B that
makes you smile? Or does it make you smile? And
you know, what do you kind of miss from the
old school?
Speaker 12 (49:26):
I think I missed the old school elements that we
all used to incorporate into our music. So I don't
hear a lot of that in today's young artists that
are you know, supposed to be you know, maintaining the
flag or waving the flag for real R and B.
I think the definition of real R and B has
(49:46):
changed like dramatically to the point where I don't even
recognize it, to be honest with you. There's a lot
of very unbelievably talented artists out there, but they're just
doing R and B in the way that they hear it.
You know. I'm liking it to a story that you know,
when I was a kid, when you know, when I
sit in the car with my parents, and my parents
(50:07):
would put the radio on and I remember something coming
on and I was say, oh, oh, Dad, you know,
play that song. I want to hear that song. And
he was like, the dude can't sing. I said, no
that He's like he's a new thing. He's like the
new high thing. And he's like, well, you know he
didn't know David Ruffin, right, and so you know, I'm
(50:31):
sure I kind of sound like him. You know. At
this point, I hear some new singers and I kind
of go, you know, he ain't Gregory, you know, you
know Jerald Bird. You know, I go on and on,
but they don't recognize us, just the way I didn't.
You know, I did recognize the artist that he was
talking about, but I couldn't relate to it.
Speaker 2 (50:51):
So do you hope that your music can hopefully influence?
They need to know what true romance is today. They
need to know what candlelights roses? Yeah, making dinner for
your lady and rubbing her feet, you know, like you know,
they need to know that. Man, what are your thoughts
about today's generation?
Speaker 12 (51:12):
Man? It's funny, man, I always I sound like you
when I'm talking to younger people sometimes, and I always say, man,
do you even know what it's what it feels like
to hold a woman in your arms while the slow
song is going on? Dance like you do you even
know that sensation? It's like, you know, I see you know,
(51:33):
young people doing that thing. They're doing that two step
or whatever it is, and they're not even there's no connection,
there's no physical connection, and there's no greater feeling than
holding a person that you love in your arms while
you're dancing. Hearing too, as listening to a slow song
say the words that you may not be able to
(51:54):
physically say or put together poetically, But the song is
saying you know always in forever, you know, like you know,
like like they've just listened to this song, this is
how I feel about you. You know, I'm not poetic
like that. I can't say it like that, but like
this brother said that exactly the way I feel. And
just to have a whole woman in your arms. So
(52:16):
I think that young people look at the habits that
we have and they may not be excited to see
it at that moment, but deep down inside, like they
want to get up in line dance, they want a
sold trade, they want to do the soul train line.
But it's kind like, yeah, I don't want to not
(52:36):
be cool, but it's like, man, they look like they're
having some fun. So we got to leave. By example, when.
Speaker 2 (52:41):
I was growing up in the eighties, listening to the radio,
you heard kolm O, d Ruther vandros I need a Baker,
you know, full force, all in one set, whereas today
you turned on radio and you don't hear that. But
one thing I do know is that if we felt
it back then, then I know they have the ability
to feel it too.
Speaker 12 (53:02):
What kind of advice would.
Speaker 2 (53:03):
You give to young Let's just speak to the young
men today when we're talking about dealing with our beautiful
sisters man and giving them the respect that they deserve.
Despite what again the media or today's current music, hip
hop or whatever says about our women.
Speaker 12 (53:20):
Well, you know what it's you can talk to the
young men, and you can talk to young ladies as well.
I mean, the one thing that used to make me
accountable when I was much younger and trying to get
with a young lady was she would make me accountable.
You know, when you and I were coming up, Like
we didn't curse around you know, whether you're trying to
give whether it was someone's mother or whether it was
(53:42):
you know, your mom or your sister, Like we didn't curse,
you know what I mean, you know, or if someone did,
you know, you tap it like yo, man's a young
ladies that's gone completely, it is completely gone. But the
thing is I had a women talking just as harsh
as the men, and we got to get back to
(54:03):
like referring to each other like as to what we
are man with kings and queens, you know what I mean.
So it'd be here, it'd be good to hear like
you know, young brothers kind of approaching you know, hey sister,
you know, and she approached them as hey brother, you
know what I mean. The mentality is that's the main thing.
But even dressing better, like I want to look the
best that I can. If I was going someplace, I
(54:25):
wanted to meet a young lady. I wanted her to
see that I was about something. You know, I was
going somewhere. I had a dream, you know, I'm to
you and she would make me work, you know, in
order to kind of be the best meat that I
can be and to be the best meat that I
could be for her, right And okay, well you know
you pass the test. I so we can go to
the next level. We can go to the next level.
(54:45):
We can go to you know what I mean. So
it's like it's almost like today it's so raw, like
they get right to the point you know you ain't
about it. You know, maybe so and so is and
you know, so it's like, man, ain't no slickness, No
no women making sure their brothers are accountable for acting
or treating them a particular way or you know, we'll
(55:07):
see what it will say.
Speaker 2 (55:09):
Though, is I think as and I'm maybe I'm singling
out young black women in their twenties going into their thirties,
is that they're starting to recognize it. And so I
think when they look at older guys, you know, maybe
in their forties or fifties, someone like us, they see
that hoping that they can get that from a young man,
(55:30):
but I think they come up empty a lot of times.
Speaker 12 (55:33):
Sorry, brothers. And this might not even make the air right,
So I don't even know. I mean, it's it's like
finding like the you know, the rare coin or the
kneel and the haystack. I mean, what any of these
old phrases that you would like to to to conjure up.
But the bottom line is it's like we're becoming like
a rarity. So yeah, man, you know, you got to
(55:56):
put in the work. You got to be patient, you
got to know what you want. You have to make
people accountable, all of that in order to find like
that special person well downling.
Speaker 2 (56:04):
I have enjoyed this conversation, brother. Check out his new
EP dropping on November twenty ninth, Staling Love new single
Back to Us, available right now on all major platforms.
Speaker 12 (56:15):
Check it out.
Speaker 2 (56:15):
This is Doug Davis on the Black Information Network and
the Black Perspective.
Speaker 1 (56:19):
Thank you Doug and the legendary Will Downing. That's our
program for this week. For more on these stories, listen
to the Black Information Network on the free iHeartRadio app
or log on to binnews dot com for all of
the latest news impacting the black community. We would love
to hear from you about the Black Perspective. Simply log
on to bion's Talkback Live feature on the iHeartRadio app
(56:43):
and share your feedback. Also, be sure to follow us
on social media at Black Information Network and on X
and blue Sky at black Info Net, and make the
Black Information Network first on your car radio and iHeartRadio
app presets. I'm Mike Island. Have a great Sunday, and
be sure to tune in next week at this time
for another edition of the Black Perspective right here on
(57:04):
the Black Information Network.
Speaker 13 (57:07):
The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed in this commentary are
those of the author and do not necessarily represent those
of b I N and its founding partners and employees.
Speaker 14 (57:18):
I'm James Harris, and I have something to say.
Speaker 10 (57:20):
D L.
Speaker 14 (57:21):
Hughey just proved that his moral compass spends faster than
the DJ's turntable. The man who claims to defend black
women's dignity recently dragged a black conservative woman's name through
the mud.
Speaker 15 (57:32):
I got a chance to watch the goubernatoro deby in
Virginia between Avgail Spanberger and Winston ERL. Sears, and the
first thing I thought is, I didn't know James Brown
was trying to be governor of Virginia. And I know
that Candida Sears knows something about discrimination that is fairly obvious,
and she discriminates against the hot holm.
Speaker 14 (57:51):
This is the same man who claims to stand for
black unity, yet monks Virginia's Lieutenant governor with some seers
a strong, accomplished black woman by saying she looks like
James Brown and needs a hot comb. Maybe if when
some seers wore horsehair and culturally appropriated European women, DL
would find her acceptable, because that's the twisted standard. A
black woman is celebrated only when she mirrors white liberal ideas.
(58:15):
When some seers needed a hot comb, let that sink in.
That's not comedy, that's contempt, that's self hatred dressed up
as social commentary.
Speaker 10 (58:24):
And it's not just DL.
Speaker 14 (58:26):
The same establishment that praises every white liberal who parrots
their talking points, like the NAACP's endorsement of Abigail Spanberger
over Win some series turns right around and ridicules any
black conservative who dares to think independently. There is no
racial utopia. These folks are chasing their unity ends the
moment you step off their ideological plantation. They preach empowerment
(58:49):
but practice exclusion. They hurl racial slurs that those who
defy them and use the same stereotypes they claim to
despise when it suits their agenda. These self appointed black
lackavists don't want dialogue, they want domination.
Speaker 12 (59:03):
So when d L.
Speaker 14 (59:03):
Euglian companies near at winsome sers, what they're really mocking
is their own reflection of people who traded principle for politics.
I'm jmciras for the Black Information Network.
Speaker 16 (59:14):
Hi, this is Tammy Eswick with the Black Information Network.
Every year, during and shortly after pregnancy, at a time
that should be filled with some of life's most rewarding
and joyous experiences, hundreds of black women die. Join the
Black Information Network as we take a look at the
issue and explore answers to the problem. In our special
public awareness campaign, Saving Black Moms a Maternal health Crisis,
(59:39):
because every mom and every life is worth saving. Learn
more at bionnews dot com.
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