Impact Innovators with Felicia Ford

The life they taught her to build almost took her with it.

For decades, Katina Barnes poured into families, mentored girls, launched programs, led ministries, and moved mountains with two-person teams. The world clapped. But no one asked what it cost.

In this National Black Girl Month™ feature, Katina joins Felicia Ford and co-host Dr. Rikesha Fry Brown to name what many Black women are only starting to admit: that being “strong” i...

You're praised for your strength — but at what cost? You're taught to push through — but when do you finally get to breathe? You're carrying the weight of generations — but no one stops to ask: where do you go to put it down?

In the second of our three-part series on Superwoman Syndrome, mindfulness coach and TEDx speaker Asia Whittedsteps forward to share the truths many Black women have been forced to navigate in silence.

Through...

Dr. Michelle Hite on Mothering While Black, Everyday Courage, and the Power of Telling the Truth

What happens when the world sees your child as a threat before it sees them as human? What does it cost to raise a child while defending your right to grieve, to question, to be seen?

This conversation centers the weight—and the wisdom—of mothering while Black. In this featured National Black Girl Month™ 2025 episode, we’re joined by Dr...

You’re praised for the baby. But not asked about your body. You’re celebrated for becoming a mother. But rarely supported as you grieve the version of you that no one else seemed to notice disappeared.

This episode is for every Black woman who gave birth and then wondered where she went.

In this featured National Black Girl Month™ 2025 conversation, Dr. Phoebe Ajayi—a physician, maternal health advocate, and author of After Birth: ...

Why are Black women still expected to carry everything without complaint?

They keep telling Black women to be strong, to push through, to hold it all together. But what they never address is the damage that message leaves behind—mentally, physically, emotionally. The burnout, the silence, the pressure to succeed at the expense of our well-being.

If you've ever felt like you're doing everything right and still paying too high a pric...

This month, we’re centering the full spectrum of Black Motherhood—and this episode makes it clear: some of the most transformative mothering doesn’t begin with biology. It begins with presence.

As part of our special April series for National Black Girl Month™, Dr. Rikesha Fry Brown and I are joined by Dr. Brooke Jones—licensed psychologist, founder of Fresh Start for the Mind, and adoptive mother—for a conversation that redefines ...

Hey, friend. Hello, Change Makers. In the words of Dr. Rikesha Fry Brown—Hey, Black girl.

We often say it takes a village, but let’s be clear—villages don’t build themselves. They’re shaped, sustained, and often revived by Black mothers who know what it means to care, connect, and carry more than their share.

Today’s guest, Jetaun Woodley, didn’t just recognize the gap—she built something from it. As a veteran communications strate...

Special National Black Girl Month™ Series | Co-hosted by Dr. Rikesha Fry Brown

You may not remember her reading parenting books, but she knew how to raise a household and keep a family intact. Big Mama didn’t need a manual—she had instincts, routines, and an unshakable sense of responsibility. She didn’t just take care of you; she taught you what it meant to show up, even when nobody showed up for her. She built structure out of ve...

Movements don’t start in meetings. They start with lived experiences—the kind we normalize, dismiss, or bury until someone dares to say it out loud.

In this foundational conversation, Felicia Ford and Dr. Rikesha Fry Brown return to the moment they knew this work—National Black Girl Month™—had to exist. Not just as a celebration, but as structure. As strategy. As response.

“Our tired didn’t start in 2022. Our tired had a history.”

What happens when performance, people, and purpose collide.

Today, we’re joined by Dee Ntšala, founder of Nova Conxulting, whose work sits at the intersection of neuroscience, wellness, DIEB principles, and leadership strategy. Dee equips high-performing executives, founders, and teams with the tools to lead.

Every time I’ve been asked to fix a performance issue, it was actuall...

How do you navigate expectations and perceptions while showing up with confidence? What does it mean to align your presence with your purpose? And why does image matter beyond just fashion?

For many, the pressure to present themselves flawlessly in boardrooms, on stages, or even in everyday life is an unspoken challenge. It’s not just about style—it’s about identity, perception, and the impact of first impressions. But what if cura...

The idea of the starving artist shouldn’t be a rite of passage. There are ways for independent creators to build sustainable careers—but they need the right access, support, and infrastructure.

Insert Kacie Luaders. 

Kacie Luaders, founder of Could Be Pretty Cool and host of You Heard Me Right, is working to change the way indie artists and creatives navigate their careers. From her background in theater and sound design to being n...

Entrepreneurs create valuable content, but too many don’t realize they’re leaving it unprotected—until someone else profits from their work. Contracts, trademarks, and copyrights aren’t just legal formalities; they determine who truly owns what you build.

In this episode, Casey Handysmith, founder of C. Hardy Law, explains:

• The hidden risks in handshake deals and informal agreements. Business owners assume an email confirmatio...

Twelve hours in evacuation traffic. Uncertain of what would be waiting for him back home. And yet, Terryl Humphrey still showed up.

"Excuses are the tools of incompetence," Felicia says—a phrase that shaped how she approached this conversation. But what does it really take to keep moving forward when everything is stacked against you?

Terryl, a Marine Corps veteran turned media entrepreneur, shares how he built one of the most cons...

Hey Change Maker,

We're on the heels of the 50th episode with another conversation centered around collaboration - but this time, in exploring if you're ready for someone to manage those brand partnerships for you. And as we learn today, you want to ensure your brand is structured enough to hold its own first. If you’ve ever wondered how to bring strategy and creativity together, you’ll love this conversation

In this episode of Imp...

Let's Celebrate, Change Maker!

We're 50 Episodes in and you're growing, connecting and thriving! For this special episode, we're bringing three separate conversations centering collaboration. Grab your notebook, pull up a chair, you're in for a good one!

Your vision is clear, your momentum is strong, and the impact you’re creating is undeniable. But even the most powerful leaders know—growth at the highest level doesn’t happen al...

Barter Black: How Nicole Murphy is Reshaping Business Growth Without Cash

Scaling a business is hard enough—doing it alone makes it even harder. Enter Nicole Murphy, founder of Barter Black, a platform designed to help Black entrepreneurs exchange services, build networks, and grow without financial strain.

In this episode, Nicole shares:

• How the pandemic led to the creation of Barter Black
• The game-changing role of customer d...

Black wealth doesn’t start with a paycheck—it starts with who you build with.

For too long, Black women have been expected to carry it all—lead, build, and make it work, no matter the cost. But what if wealth, legacy, and long-term stability weren’t about doing more but about expecting more?

In this episode, D’Ionna Washington, The Kept Wife Strategist, joins me for a conversation that goes beyond relationships into exploring power...

Change Maker, this is a story that may leave you speechless. 

How Do You Open Doors That Were Never Built for You?

If you lead an organization, there’s a point where strategy alone isn’t enough—you need access. You need the right partners, funding, and a way to prove that your work isn’t just meaningful, but essential.

But what happens when traditional systems weren’t designed with you in mind? When the gatekeepers aren’t looking y...