Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show hosted by Darren Isom, a partner with The Bridgespan Group, that provides a space for social change leaders of color to reflect on how their life experiences, personal and professional, have prepared them to lead and drive the impact we all seek.

In this episode, our guest host, Jasmine Reliford, a Manager at Bridgespan, welcomes Rukaiyah Adams, a distinguished financier from Portland and CEO of 1803 Fund.

Listen as Rukaiyah talks about navigating her career and the challenges of investing in community wealth. Rukaiyah shares her reflections on the unique history of Portland's Albina neighborhood, the effects of systemic racism, and the importance of building a beloved community. Emphasizing the contributions and resilience of Black women, the conversation explores the creation of the 1803 Fund, a venture designed to empower Black Portlanders through strategic investment, advocacy, and inclusive planning. They also discuss the personal sacrifices and triumphs involved in leading such an initiative, underscoring the significance of collective achievement over individual success.

This is Dreaming In Color.

Jump Straight To:

(01:05.2) Introduction of Rukaiyah Adams, CEO of 1803 Fund.

(03:18.6)) Water In Motion: Rukaiyah discusses her love for Portland and how her family came to set roots in the city that, like water in motion, is always in motion.

(09:16.5) Rukaiyah discusses being an example of policy outcome and the excellent education she experience attending school in Portland’s Albina neighborhood.

(14:00.6) Money as a measure of energy: Rukaiyah explains the different forms of capital and how she strives to be the capitalist that teaches the next generations to convert creative or socia captial into financial capital for collective benefit.

(19:00.9) “Woe is me” vs. “whoa, it’s me.” Rukaiyah embraces her struggle and reflects on the heroism of Black women in the industry and the sacrifices they endure to reach career and life milestones.

(22:09.9) Rukaiyah explores the difference between working for freedom vs. working for liberation.

(37:09:9) We learn the origin story behind 1803 Fund.

Episode Resources:

• Connect with Rukaiyah on LinkedIn
• Learn more about 1803 Fund through their website
• Learn about the history of Portland’s Albina neighborhood here.
• Learn more about Albina Vision Trust through their website.
• Watch Rukaiyah’s TEDx Talk “A Love Letter to Portland.”
• Watch Rukaiyah’s TEDx Talk “Homegirls’ Guide to Being Powerful”
• Explore the Alvin Ailey Dance theatre Rukaiyah references here.

Listen to the Dreaming In Color Spotify Playlist here.

Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show hosted by Darren Isom, a partner with The Bridgespan Group, that provides a space for social change leaders of color to reflect on how their life experiences, personal and professional, have prepared them to lead and drive the impact we all seek.

In this episode, we welcome Frankie Miranda, the first openly gay President and CEO of the Hispanic Federation. During Frankie’s tenure at the Hispanic Federation, he has expanded operations to several states and Puerto Rico, launched disaster relief projects after Hurricanes Maria and Irma, and established the ACT Initiative to support Latinx LGBTQ+ communities. He also oversees their annual gala, raising over $3 million each year. Previously, he held senior roles at New York Univision TV stations and worked on several political campaigns. Frankie serves on the New York State MTA Board, Comcast's Corporate DEI Advisory Council, and is a trustee of Fundación Banco Popular.

Join us for an engaging conversation with Frankie Miranda as he shares his personal and professional journey. Raised in a small town in Puerto Rico and educated at NYU, Frankie reflects on his upbringing, his family's sacrifices, and his experiences with his queer identity, and how these have shaped his work at the Hispanic Federation.

Tune in to hear about the importance of culturally competent voter outreach and the vital role of grassroots organizations in supporting Latinx communities. Frankie's story of perseverance, human rights advocacy, and his vision for an inclusive America underscore this insightful discussion.

This is Dreaming In Color.

Jump straight into:

(00:22.1) Introduction of Frankie Miranda, President and CEO of Hispanic Federation.

(01:54.2) Frankie starts the conversation with an invocation in Spanish and English.

(04:03.0) Frankie takes us back to his humble beginnings in a small mountain town in Puerto Rico.

(10:21.8) From Puerto Rico to New York: how Frankie’s background in theatre led him to one of the best theatre programs in the nation, NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

(15:50.7) Post-grad life: the year is 1998 and Frankie lands a position as Production Coordinator for the Hispanic Federation where his queer identity is embraced and utilized to support their AIDS prevention and education program.

(17:13.2) Frankie delves into the deportation of his life partner and how the Hispanic Federation encouraged him to fight back, leading him to the Supreme Court.

(21:35.9) Frankie and Darren discuss the importance of mentorship in bringing about impactful change for generations to come

(26:32.3) Frankie discusses beauty in the complexity of Hispanic cultures and identities and how embracing those differences helps the organization promote civic engagement within the Latinx community.

Episode Resources:

• Connect with Frankie on LinkedIn.
• Learn more about Hispanic Federation at their website.
• Learn more about United States vs. Windsor here.

Listen to the Dreaming In Color Spotify Playlist here.

Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show hosted by Darren Isom, a partner with The Bridgespan Group, that provides a space for social change leaders of color to reflect on how their life experiences, personal and professional, have prepared them to lead and drive the impact we all seek.

In this episode, Nithin Iyengar, Partner at Bridgespan and head of the San Francisco office, sits down with longtime friend, Liz Thompson, the President, Co-founder, and CEO of The Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education Group (The CAFE Group), which supports leaders of color through financial and programmatic aid. The CAFE Group aims to create a pathway from college intern to established leader, leveraging community genius to drive systemic change.

Liz's nonprofit career began in 1993 as the founding Executive Director of City Year Chicago, influencing the AmeriCorps Program's development. She later expanded the Early Head Start program at Family Star Montessori School in Denver as its Executive Director. Before her nonprofit work, Liz had a successful decade-long career with Ameritech Corporation.

In this intimate conversation, Liz Thompson discusses her journey from growing up in Cabrini Green to becoming a transformative figure in philanthropy. Liz and Nithin explore themes of radical love, leadership, and service. Liz shares her experiences with challenging philanthropic relationships, her dedication to supporting Black educational visionaries who she likes to call Luminaries, and the founding of the CAFE Group. She guides us through the significance of authentic relationships, collective action, and the joy of giving. Liz reflects on her mentors, the future of education, and the emotional weight of her work before giving insights on self-care, the essence of freedom, and the power of love in her life and work.

This is Dreaming In Color.

Jump Straight Into:

(1:14:3) Introduction of Liz Thompson, CEO of CAFE Group

(4:52:2) Liz reflects on growing up in her beloved Cabrini Green community in Chicago.

(11:28:9) Liz shares the origin story of how she Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education with her husband.

(12:58:7) We explore the inspiration behind the origins of the 1954 Project.

(16:59:5) Liz and Nithin discuss creating strategy that changes the philanthropic landscape.

(27:30:6) Liz paints a picture of how she imagines the future of education.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Liz on LinkedIn here
• Learn more about CAFE Group here.
• Learn more about the 1954 Project here and read Bridgespan’s case study about it here.

Listen to the Dreaming In Color Spotify Playlist here.

Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show hosted by Darren Isom, a partner with The Bridgespan Group, that provides a space for social change leaders of color to reflect on how their life experiences, personal and professional, have prepared them to lead and drive the impact we all seek.

In this episode, we welcome Erika Alexander, an actress known for iconic roles like Maxine Shaw in Living Single, Detective Latoya in Get Out, Cousin Pam in The Cosby Show and many others. Outside of acting, Erika wears many hats including activist, entrepreneur, creator, producer, and director.

In 2017 Erika founded Color Farm Media, a media company dedicated to building an ecosystem that fosters greater equity, inclusion, and diversity in media and that empowers and elevates voices who are underrepresented, overlooked, and undervalued. Some of Color Farm’s social impact films include John Lewis: Good Trouble and The Big Payback, about the reparations movement.

Join this conversation as Darren and Erika discuss the significance of her iconic character Maxine Shaw from Living Single and how that led to the so-called “Maxine Shaw Effect” which inspired many young women to pursue careers in leadership and law.

Listen as we explore the intersection of storytelling and electoral politics and examine how narratives shape public perception and policy reinforcing the need for philanthropy and the social sector to support storytellers and create spaces for diverse narratives to thrive.

This is Dreaming In Color.

Jump straight into:

(00:25.7) Introducing Erika Alexander: Actress, Producer, Director, and Founder of Color Farm Media.

(03:36.4) Erika’s early beginnings in the Southwest.

(05:25.9) We explore the early ideas of futurism spreading through the words of pastors, clergy & teachers.

(06:08.5) The Maxine Shaw Effect - how Erika’s portrayal of Maxine Shaw inspired leaders like Stacey Abrams, Ayanna Pressley, and Mayor de Blasio

(9:58.1) American Fiction and creating complex narratives for Black characters in media.

(12:14.6) Erika delves into the work of ColorFarm Media.

(13:48.8) We dive into the influence of storytelling in politics and Erika’s work on Capitol Hill.

(18:33.5) Architecting the third reconstruction: building new narratives and shedding old ones.

(20:46.4) Building a society around the sustainability of storytellers.

(22:27.6) Fusion politics, people being oppressed simultaneously and how we have the power to retell stories of the past through a different lens.

(23:16.5) Erika references the dark underbelly of the silent investors in media.

(25:36.7) Going within, how coping mechanisms turned darkness into light, into Black Futurism.

Episode Resources

• Keep up with Erika on Twitter, Instagram, & Facebook
• Learn more about Erika through her website
• Learn more about Color Farm Media at their website
• Listen to Erika’s podcast “Reparations: The Big Payback” on Apple Podcasts

 Y'all, I'm back! Welcome to Dreaming in Color, where we sit down with social change leaders of color to learn how their unique life experiences have prepared them to lead and drive the impact we all seek.

I'm your host, Darren Isom, and this season I'm lucky to have a few of my Bridgespan colleagues dropping in to join me as guest hosts.

Join us for Dreaming in Color, available every Thursday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show hosted by Christian Celeste Tate and Anum Qadir from The Bridgespan Group, that provides a space for social change leaders of color to reflect on how their life experiences, personal and professional, have prepared them to lead and drive the impact we all seek.

In this episode, Christian interviews Robert Rooks, CEO of REFORM Alliance, founded after the unjust re-imprisonment of recording artist Meek Mill. Robert is one of the nation’s premier criminal justice reformers with over two decades of experience as a grassroots organizer, strategist, and movement leader.

Under Robert’s leadership, REFORM has won major legislative reforms to transform probation and parole systems in California, Georgia, and Mississippi and has lifted up the experiences of people on supervision to educate the public and build support for broader change.

Robert co-founded the Alliance for Safety and Justice before joining REFORM, expanding it to eight states with high incarceration rates and leading advocacy efforts for criminal justice reform nationwide, resulting in legislative wins like the Neighborhood Safety Act in Illinois. He directed successful campaigns such as Yes on Proposition 47 and Yes on Proposition 57 in California, which reduced incarceration rates and increased parole eligibility. Additionally, Robert played a key role in fundraising for Florida's Amendment 4, restoring voting rights for over one million individuals with past convictions.

Join this conversation as Robert paints a picture of what our society can look like if we “educate not incarcerate.”

This is Dreaming in Color.

Jump straight into:

(0:32) Introduction of Robert Rooks: CEO of REFORM Alliance.

(2:22) Robert shares how his upbringing inspired his passion for prison reform.

(7:26) Robert discusses how reform legislation in the last 20 years has made strides toward a better justice system and dreams about what the next 20 years will bring.

(9:03) We visit the story of Meek Mill’s unjust incarceration and how that spurred the beginnings of REFORM Alliance.

(13:53) Robert illustrates a picture of society with true reform.

(20:38) Abolition vs. reform

(22:10) We need everybody and how investing in community organizers is the pathway to change.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Robert Rooks on LinkedIn and Instagram
• Learn more about the REFORM Alliance through their website
• Follow the REFORM Alliance on X, LinkedIn and Instragram
• Read about Robert’s work in Bridgespan’s report on philanthropy and the criminal legal system
• Learn more about Alliance for Safety and Justice through their website

Read Robert’s interview with

Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show hosted by Christian Celeste Tate and Anum Qadir from The Bridgespan Group, that provides a space for social change leaders of color to reflect on how their life experiences, personal and professional, have prepared them to lead and drive the impact we all seek.

In this episode, Anum sits down with Rebecca Dixon, President and CEO of the National Employment Law Project. Before taking the helm in 2020, Rebecca served on NELP’s Executive Management team as Chief of Programs. Since joining NELP in 2010, she’s advanced NELP’s growth and impact while serving in several positions, including policy analyst and senior staff attorney. During the Great Recession and its aftermath, Rebecca was a leader in winning unprecedented unemployment insurance coverage expansions in 20 states and multiple extensions of federal emergency unemployment insurance benefits for long-term unemployed workers.

In 2012, Rebecca was selected by the State of New York for its Empire State Leadership Fellows program and served in the Office of the Governor in its Labor and Civil Rights Division. She is a member of the Mississippi Bar Association; a board member of The American Prospect, Americans for Financial Reform, the Coalition on Human Needs, the Hope Enterprise Corporation, and the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation; and a member of the Economic Analysis and Research Network in the South, the 2020 Aspen Institute SOAR Leadership Fellowship, and the 2021 National Academy of Social Insurance’s Unemployment Insurance Reform Working Group and COVID-19 Task Force.

Join us as Rebecca shares how her commitment to advancing workers’ rights is inspired by her lived experience growing up in rural Mississippi at the intersection of race, class, and gender.

This is Dreaming in Color.

Jump straight into:

(0:32) Introduction of Rebecca Dixon: President and CEO of the National Employment Law Project

(3:24) Rebecca illustrates how being a descendant of sharecroppers and her upbringing in rural Mississippi shaped her views on labor and fueled her passion for creating a standard of dignified work for all.

(12:39) Rebecca defines an equitable labor market.

(16:40) We explore how interest-based problem-solving is a great solution for creating a balanced workplace democracy.

(22:40) The importance of multi-generational support in the workplace.

(24:41) The dangers of occupational segregation.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Rebecca Dixon on LinkedIn
• Learn more about the National Employment Law Project through their website
• Follow the National Employment Law Project on Twitter and LinkedIn
• Read Rebecca’s article Reversing Labor Laws Rooted In Slavery.
• Read more of Rebecca’s writing here.

Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show hosted by Christian Celeste Tate and Anum Qadir from The Bridgespan Group, that provides a space for social change leaders of color to reflect on how their life experiences, personal and professional, have prepared them to lead and drive the impact we all seek.

In this episode, we speak with Brea Baker, a Freedom Fighter and Writer working on the frontlines for nearly a decade. She began as a student activist, contributing to #NextYale, a movement to address the legacy of white supremacy on Yale’s campus, the Women’s March of 2017 where she was the youngest national organizer, and the 2018 student walkouts against gun violence. In her professional career, Brea has contributed to dozens of electoral and advocacy campaigns. She advises storytellers, celebrities, and industry leaders on building our collective imagination and responding thoughtfully to social justice movements.

To add to that, Brea’s book, Rooted: The American Legacy of Land Theft and the Modern Movement for Black Land Ownership is set to release on June 18th. Rooted traces the experiences of Brea’s own family’s history of having land violently taken from them and explores historic attacks on Black land ownership to better understand the racial wealth gap.

Join this conversation as Brea takes us on her family’s tumultuous journey of land ownership ultimately leading to the “Baker Acres”—a haven for her family, and a palace where they are surrounded by love, sustained by the land, and wholly free. Listen as she paints a picture of a world post-reparations.

This is Dreaming in Color.

Jump straight into:

(0:32) Introduction of Brea Baker: Freedom Fighter and Author.

(3:13) Land theft as the original sin that makes colonialism possible.

(4:18) Brea shares her origins as a student organizer.

(10:03) Brea’s delves into her family’s history and how the violent theft of her family’s land led to her activism.

(18:31) Brea paints a picture of reparations in its different forms—the physical, as in the restatement of land and wealth but also the emotional and spiritual, like holding space for grief and rage.

(27:20) Brea speaks on her role as an artist and writer and the responsibility of being society’s truth teller and recorder of history.

(30:52) Holding space for radical love.

Episode Resources

• Keep up with Brea on Twitter and Instagram
• Learn more about Brea through her website.
• Order Brea’s book Rooted here and read her writing in Elle, Refinery29, Harper’s Bazaar, and Sweet July

Learn more about reparations through Bridgespan’s special collection