Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Jotaka Eaddy.
She is an award-winning strategist, advocate, host and connector who Forbes Magazine describes as the“Olivia Pope of Silicon Valley.” Jotaka is the Founder and CEO of Full Circle Strategies and the Founder of #WinWithBlackWomen, an intergenerational, intersectional group of Black women leaders representing business, sports, movement, politics, entertainment, and beyond who come together within their personal capacities to stand united in support of Black women. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
Company Description *
Win With Black Women (WWBW) is a collective of intergenerational, intersectional Black women leaders from across the nation—spanning business, politics, tech, faith, labor, academia, the arts, and social movements. We come together in our personal capacities to stand united in support of Black women, driven by a shared commitment to justice, equity, and representation.
Our network has grown to over 200,000 members, and our impact spans elections, judicial appointments, and cultural shifts. From championing the nomination and confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to advocating for Black women in the Senate to supporting the first Black woman nominated by a major party for the presidency of the United States, WWBW has grown into a powerful force advancing the leadership, visibility, and policy priorities of Black women nationwide.
Talking Points/Questions *
1. I believe one person can create a wave of change: My mother taught me that you can be a pebble that makes a ripple, that creates a wave, that becomes a tsunami. That belief grounds everything I do—personally, professionally, and politically.
2. I’ve spent my career connecting worlds that were never meant to stay separate: Whether it’s politics, tech, or movement work—my work is about uniting people, building bridges, and turning moments into movements.
3. Win With Black Women didn’t start as a campaign—it started as a declaration: We came together in 2020 to reject a toxic narrative about Black women in power. What started as one call became a community, a coalition, and a cultural force.
4. WWBW is proof that when Black women organize, we don’t just participate—we transform: From helping confirm Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to pushing for Brittney Griner’s release—we’ve seen what’s possible when we move in unity.
5. WWBW is a force. But it’s also a family: We gather on Sundays. We raise millions. We elevate each other. What we’ve built is bigger than any election—it’s a sisterhood ready to shape the future.
6. The 2024 election changed history—again: Two Black women serve in the U.S. Senate for the first time. That matters. It’s not just symbolic. It’s strategic. It’s structural. It’s overdue.
7. This is a defining moment—not just for the country, but for us: A second Trump presidency threatens our rights, our communities, and our progress. But we’ve never waited for someone to save us. We organize. We show up. We lead.
8. The question is not ‘what now?’ The question is ‘what are we willing to do?’: This moment is asking something of all of us: to vote, to stay engaged, to hold power accountable—not just once every four years, but every day after.
9. Leadership isn’t about position—it’s about motion: Sometimes leadership looks like being out front. Other times, it looks like building space for others to shine. Either way, it’s movement. It’s momentum. It’s power.
10. Connection is my superpower: I’ve built my work—and my success—on authentic relationships. No
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
I am Rashan McDonald, a host of weekly Money Making
Conversation Masterclass show. The interviews and information that this show
provides are for everyone. It's time to stop reading other
people's success stories and start living your own. If you
want to be a guest oh my show, please visit
our website, Moneymaking Conversations dot com and click to be
a guest. Button press submit and information will come directly
(00:23):
to me. Now let's get this show started. Welcome to
Money Making Conversations Masterclass. As you know, I'm the host,
I'm gonna show y'all a quote a friend of mine
gave me. I said when I went and visited his
conference recently. This quote moved me because I was just
speaking from the heart. When I was speaking to his conference.
(00:46):
He said, Rashan, you said this, and they moved a
lot of people when you said it. If you don't
start dreaming about what you want today, you won't get
it tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
If you don't start dreaming about what you want today,
I won't get it tomorrow. Basically, what I'm saying is
that they're twenty four hours of the day. Learn to
take advantage of each hour. Basically, what I'm saying is
that when you go to bed and have a plan
as to why you should wake up, this snooze button
is a snooze button is not your friend, it's your enemy.
You can't be a person who says I'm not a
(01:19):
morning person when the stock market closes it three, So
that means that if you don't start early trying to
plan on making money, then guess what you're gonna miss
out on money. So you have to work hard, ladies
and gentlemen to be a winner. And I guess I
bring on my show they educate me. I'm just a storyteller.
My next guest is a person that I wanted to
(01:41):
bring on a show because she is changing the game.
She's from the University of South Carolina. I gotta bring
that because you know, you know, they doing it out
there in the women's basketball world. You know, but they
didn't win this year. A guess what they'll be back.
My next is an award winning strategy as an advocate
who founded When with Black Women that's WWBW. It's the
(02:04):
collective of intergenerational intersectional of more than two hundred thousand
black women leaders from across the nation. That's two hundred
thousand members and growing. She works with corporations, nonprofits, technology
and government organizations by helping the bridge the gap between Washington,
d C. And Silicon Valid. We got a lot to
(02:26):
talk about. Please work with the money making. Please work
with the money making Conversation Master Class. Joe taka Edie,
how you dog? You taker? Did I get the name right? I?
Speaker 1 (02:36):
You did? You did? My brother, It's so great to
be with you.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
You know, Teylorbody, the name is spelled j O T
A K E e A D D wise, so you know.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Is a person.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
You have to really dance with that name a little
bit to make sure you got it right. So I
want to give you much respect. Then, first of all,
welcome to coming on Money Making Conversation master Class. And
the reason I brought up your or the school University
of South Carolina is that you are student body president.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
I was. I was the first black woman student by president.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
And now I went to University of Houston, which is
in Houston, Texas. I was a student and vice president,
you know. And so but I know, and the guy
asked me to run with him. But to accomplish that task,
Let's talk about you as a person. You know, because
obviously your personality resonates and you have a lot of
(03:32):
confidence to be in a college, to have that type
of confidence, to feel that you could lead a school
in the South University of South Carolina and feel that
you can be a student vice president who injected this
this excitement, this confidence in you.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
You know, I, when I think about you, ask who
I am? And I recently lost my mother. Today actually
marks four month anniversary three of her burial. And you know,
when you lose a parent, especially your mother, it forces
you to rethink every aspect of who you are, your life,
every decision you ever made, what path you're on. And
(04:13):
I've been doing a lot of that over the last
four months. And so to ask me that question, I think,
particularly on this day, a day that I've been thinking about,
that I really appreciate because at first, I am a
I am Leonora Abraham Edy and im and Edie's daughter.
I am a black woman that grew up on a
(04:35):
dirt road in a very small town in South Carolina,
And a lot of who I am really comes from
how I grew up. It really comes from the people
that poured into me, mostly people who didn't have a lot,
but they had a lot of love, They had a
lot of a vision for young people like me in
(04:57):
the community. And so my life growing up, and you
know when you ask like, how would you think that
you would go on to University South Carolina and run
for student body president. You know, USC only became integrated
in nineteen sixty three. And it was really because I
grew up around people who told me that I could
(05:18):
do and be anything I wanted to be, and they
cheered me on whether I was doing that Easter speed
we all know about those Eastern speeches growing up, whether
or not I was, you know, in a local oratorical contest.
They made me believe that when I was getting up there,
that I was standing before the un so that when
(05:38):
I fast forward some twenty something years later, when I
am speaking before the un while I may have just
a little bit of nervousness, I don't have fear. And
that's really who and what has inspired me and continues
to inspire me. It started with my parents and my
family and really a strong community of people who took
(06:00):
very little and poured into young people to really try
to grow and help those young people see things that
they only wish that they could see in their life.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Wow, let me ask you this to take them. You know,
when with Black Women, like I said earlier, is a collective, intergenerational,
intersectional or more than two hundred thousand members these are
black women? Why did you create that organization and basically
give us a global perspectives of its purpose?
Speaker 1 (06:34):
So when with Black Women started, a lot of people
are more familiar with the Historic Call where there were
forty four thousand people on zoom and I think it's
probably another one hundred thousand people watching that zoom because
they couldn't get on the zoom. But we had actually
started in twenty twenty, and it was around the time
(06:54):
when we were experiencing the presidential election and there was
a big debate and conversation on who was going to
be the next vice president and then Vice President Joe
Biden had made a commitment that he was going to
select a woman, and as a part of that conversation,
(07:15):
several black women, many of them who were people that
I knew former colleagues and friends, were named as potential
vice presidential running mates. And as we always see, there
was this following of ad hominal, racist, sexist attacks against
every last black woman, not on her merit, not on
(07:35):
her policies, but just on her ambition. And I remember
just being outraged. And it was during the pandemic and
I was at home in South Carolina, and I reached
out to a dear friend, Mignon More, and I said, Mignon,
what are we going to do? What are you going
to do? Meaning like, what is your generation, you know,
the anti political, anti generation is going to do? And
(07:57):
I'll never forget. She said, well, what are you going
to do? And I was very convicted by that, you know,
And what she meant was not necessarily what was huge
or take is going to do, but what is your
generation going to do in this moment? And I put
the phone down, and I think it was maybe thirty
minutes later, I picked up my phone and I wrote
(08:18):
an email on my phone and sent it about sixty
five friends and it ranged from everyone from you know,
my good friend Angela Rai and Tamika Mallory to Donna
Brazil and Yolanda Carroway and so many others, and just
put an all call and said we need to come
together as black women in this moment and say not
(08:39):
on our watch. And that night, ninety women got on
a call and we decided to pind an open letter.
Forty eight hours later, we had more than two thousand
black women from across the country signed this open letter,
and then from there we kept fighting and growing and
today When with Black Women has grown to where it
has where it is today, and we focus on three goals.
(09:02):
One making sure we continue to speak out against racism
and sexism against black women. Two, working in our individual
capacities to elect black women up and down the ballot
because representation matters. The third making sure that we uplift
the power and the image of black women. And that's
also about our economic power. So we've done everything from
(09:23):
help support along with other Black women organizations the nomination
and election of the maation's first black woman vice president
or our first US Supreme Court justice, but also when
we saw the backlash against the fact that the Little
Mermaid was cast as Hallie Bailey, that we needed to
show that our economic power mattered as well, and so
(09:45):
we did one hundred theater buy out the opening weekend
to show that representation matters in our dollarge matter. And
that's been the work of Women with Black Women for
the last now almost five years, and We've continued to
grow and really lead in on the collective power of
black women because I think when we're connected, there's nothing
that could stop us. And I think America wins when
(10:07):
black women are winning.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
You can talk. You know that you can talk. You
can talk. I was trying to dance my way in
and say to us, and no, she got it. She
got she knows how to connect the word after another
word after another word. You know when you say about
the perception of black women, and I have six sisters,
and I have a daughter, and that matters to me.
(10:30):
My financial planner, she's a female and she's an African American.
What do you think the perception of America's version of
what a black woman is? Since you are at the forefront,
you have an organization called Women with Black Women, so
it means that you are only in a positive light
of what black women are capable of, capable of accomplishing.
(10:52):
What do you think the perception of black women is
in America today?
Speaker 1 (10:58):
What was sean, It's what we know the reality of
black women. But to your question, what is the perception?
And sadly, the perception of black women is that we're
not fill in the blank. Enough, we're not smart enough.
We're not you know, we aren't capable of leading, we
(11:19):
aren't capable of being elected. That we can't nor do
we have the ability to manage financial institutions and or
large corporations. All of these negative stereotypes that get cast
upon on black women, and largely it's in the media.
It's reinforced over and over again. But all of those
(11:43):
perceptions are far from the reality. When you look at
black women, we're the most educated demographic in this country.
We start businesses at fast rates that any other demographic
in this country, very highly successful. Black women are leading
across this country. When you look at major cities right now,
(12:04):
across the country country, whether it's Saint Louis, whether it's
Los Angeles, Washington, d C, Philadelphia, New Orleans, all led
by Black women. And we continue to see black women thriving,
whether it's in sports and entertainment. You mentioned my beloved
University of South Carolina. When you look at Don Staley,
she's the highest paid uh female coach that is in
(12:29):
college basketball and a capable, amazing leader. But the perception
that even someone like a Don Staley gets is that
you know, she's too much when she's absolutely enough and
and and more than qualified for the work that she does.
And so I think that it's a continuous struggle for
(12:52):
black women too, sadly, to have to root out the
miss and information about who we are, and also the
work that we have to do with ourselves to cast
out the self doubt that is built in us from
the time that we're born.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more
money Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to the Money Making
Conversations Masterclass hosted by Rashaan McDonald. Money Making Conversations Masterclass
continues online at Moneymakingconversations dot com and follow money Making
(13:32):
Conversations Masterclass on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Now let me ask you this because stereotypes carry us
a lot, you know, and we talked off air. I
would like to talk to my guests prior to a
phone call. We talked about Silicon Valley, which you know,
in technology, and so when you talking about the perception
of African American women, the perception of black people when
it comes to technology is My degree is in mathematics
and my miners in sociology. So I know whenever I
(13:59):
tell us about it I got math degree, I get
two things. I get a stare and I get really,
I get that, I get a stare and I get
to work. Really when I tell people I have a
degree in mathematics, I get that sometime too, because people
will stereotype you and tell you, Okay, you're different. That's
not normal. And we talked about Silicon Valley. You play
(14:26):
a major role, like we said, from Washington to Wall
Street to Silicon Valley, talk about how you are trying
to bridge that gap of opportunity for African American men
and women in Silicon Valley.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
First of all, I think it's absolutely amazing that you
have a mathematics degree. And I say, as you said,
you know, the perception is that black men and black
people that we can't excel in STEM and that's the
furthest thing from the truth. We just don't have opportunity.
I believe that talent is the street equally, but opportunity
(15:01):
is not. And I think that is the reality when
we think about Silicon Valley and what really drove me
to dive deeper into Silicon Valley. I mean, my story
is unique in that I had spent years in politics
and advocacy had been at the NAACP, and I was
recruited in the Silicon Valley. So this was around twenty thirteen,
(15:25):
So this was at a time where people kind of
was talked about Silicon Valley but not really. But there
had been a large number of black folks that had
been existing in Silicon Valley for many, many years, that
had been in the valley been very successful, but you
hadn't really heard about it, you know, folks like Eric
Moore who had been very successful investors. And so when
(15:50):
I went into Silicon Valley though, there had not been
a lot of people like me that had went in,
so folks that had worked in policy or politics or
advocacy that went into the industry. And I remember, quite
honestly having imposter syndrome. Despite the fact that I had
helped win a US Supreme Court case, or I had
(16:12):
lobbied before the un that I had been a senior
advisor to the president of the NAACP, I just did
not see myself in that industry because there was not
a large reflection of black women or people who did
not have a traditional coding background in Silicon Valley. And
so I remembered being very reluctant to take the job.
(16:37):
I remember sitting on the offer for eight months and
the company it really wanted me, and they said, we'll
hold this offer for eight months and when and if
you're ready, you know, we want you to be here.
And this is a company with a financial technology company.
I would have been the first black employee in that company.
I was going in on the executive team. And it
(16:57):
was a company that had been marketing very heavily a
product that heavily relied on adoption from consumers from you know,
black and brown communities, but yet had not any black employees.
And so when I finally took the job and I
went into the industry, what I realized is that my
(17:18):
hesitancy was around this this this preconceived notion that there
wasn't a place for me. But once I got into industry,
what I realized is that not only was there a
place for me, there was a need for me, and
people liked me. And so it became very much a
mission for me to really demystify Silicon Valley for others
(17:42):
because I was like, I'm the type of person my
good friend Donna Brazil often says, is when we walked
through doors. It's important for us to walk through a
door and keep it open and if we can remove
the hinges so the door.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
Never to take a eat it or it is an
edi eddie. Edie is edie correct? It got to take
an edie e A d d y to take an
ed Let me recap. Let everybody know who I'm talking to. Okay,
I'm talking to an award winning strategist and advocate, very
smooth talking, very confident. I just love the way you
(18:18):
talked to take a you know, because it was something
interesting when you was talking about when I got my
math degree. You know, as you go through college, you know,
you start out with a bunch of people, and as
you go up, that's I call it the pyramid effect
because it's less and less people as you get to
that point of graduation. I can remember I was in
the class. It wasn't a black person in the class
(18:40):
with me, So that means that I really had enough.
I couldn't relate. I couldn't go to anybody, couldn't go
to my friends, I couldn't go to anybody. So I
understood what you were worried about. It's like who do
you talk to? It's called That's why organizations like your
organization is very powerful. That's why our mentorship is very powerful.
(19:01):
Because my father was a truck driver. My mom, you know,
she graduated from high school, so she could motivate me,
but she couldn't share any experiences with me that could
enable me to understand that Rushan, you belong. You belong
and IBM Rushan, you belong in anything you've done. Look
at your accomplishing in life, and I think that when
I hear you talk, that story you just told reminds
(19:23):
me of why it's important that we share your story
and for people to hear your story so young minds
and young people can understand when that opportunity is presented
to them, don't hesitate, it's yours because you've earned it.
Am I correct when I say that?
Speaker 1 (19:38):
To take her? You're absolutely correct in that because society
will try to tell us that we're not enough, that
we don't belong, and we will often like in my
own situation, I was overqualified. Yes you were to be
in Silicon Valley, but I was waiting for this magical notion,
(20:02):
for this idea of what I was supposed to be.
When I was enough with just who I was, and
I think that anybody, particularly a young person that's listening
to this. I grew up on a dirt road in
a town with fourteen hundred people, and I found my
way to the C suite in Silicon Valley at some
(20:24):
of the most successful companies, companies that now have multi
billion dollar valuations. And if I would have just listened
to society, or I would have listened to that high
school guidance council teacher who tried to convince me that
I shouldn't go to the University of South Carolina, where
I ended up becoming the first black woman Sudermighty president,
(20:48):
graduating and going on to do all the things that
I did in my career, I wouldn't be here today.
And I think we have to note that there are
people who are going to try to distract us. But
what we have to recognize and understand is that who
we are and whom we are, and if we can
always remember that and have that purpose and that north star,
(21:10):
there's nothing that can stop us. And I think that's
what's so important in this day and age, particularly when
there are so many detractors, particularly on social media and
other places that lead us to believe that we're not
enough when we are exactly who we are, and we
are more than enough in most cases.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
You know what I hear you talk, it's really a
profound You had a question here that says leadership is
it about positions? About motion? Sometimes leadership looks like being
out front of the time, it looks like building space
for others to shine. Either way, it's movement, it's momentum,
it's power. Expound on that for us, Please no.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
I think it's a very powerful notion that I think.
Positional leadership is often type of leadership that society focuses on.
But true leadership is your ability to tap into someone
their best self, their sense of unlocking the greatness in themselves,
(22:14):
your ability for other people to see their power, and
for you to really create a platform for that power
to be forced multiplied. I think also that leadership continuously
is motion. It's evolution. I wake up. One of the
things that I say every morning when I wake up
(22:35):
and I tell myself, I said, jo taking, you have
a choice. You're either going to evolve or repeat. Evolve
or repeat, and not every day is it that I
hit that revolve that evolved button. Some days I'm going
to repeat, and we all are human. We're all human.
But my prayer is that I evolve more than I repeat.
(22:57):
And if I can evolve more than I can than
I repeat, that I'm always going to be moving forward.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Wow. You know when you how can we get in
touch with you? I know the organization is UH is
out there, but other ways to reach out to your websites.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Absolutely, you can always go to www. Dot win with
Black Women dot org. I'm also on all socials at
show taka E j O t A k A. I'm producer.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
That's unusual. I'm pretty sure it's not a bunch of
joe take us out there. That's another story about how
you got that name. Because I need to meet those parents.
You know, unfortunately your mom has passed away. But when
you when you look at the world that we live in,
to take a I have to say, you have a
personality that that is really very motivating. You grab a person,
(23:51):
you want to hear more from you, you want to
find out. Can I just tag along because something special
is going to happen with you and for you.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
I'm pretty sure.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
You've heard that a lot, but I just wanted to
remind you that sometimes you need to be reminded how
great you are, even though I'm pretty sure you're aware
of your success. But I have a lot of people
I interview on this show, and you're definitely one of
these motivators, natural motivators that when you wake up, yeah,
you inspired to live a better life for yourself, but
(24:25):
you know that everything you do in your life will
positively impact other people. That's my takeaway from this interview.
And I rarely have said this on this show, but you,
my friend, are very very special.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
Thank you, my brother. I truly appreciate that those words
they mean a lot to me, particularly on this day,
on this day, they mean a lot. They mean a
lot of it, and I just hope that I can
just live my life in a way that you know,
it's an old cliche saying I grew up in the church,
but if I can just help somebody along the way,
(25:01):
that my living will not ever be in vain. I
appreciate your words.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
Thank you, Thank you for coming on Money Making Conversation
master Class and we will talk to the Okay, thank you.
This has been another edition of Money Making Conversation Masterclass
hosted by me Rashaun McDonald thank you to our guests
on the show today, and thank you our listening audience now.
If you want to listen to any episodes or want
to be a guest on the show, visit our website,
(25:26):
Moneymakingconversation dot com. Our social media handle is money Making Conversation.
Join us next week and remember to always leave with
your gifts. Keep winning.
Hi.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
I am Rashan McDonald, a host of weekly Money Making
Conversation Masterclass show. The interviews and information that this show
provides are for everyone. It's time to stop reading other
people's success stories and start living your own. If you
want to be a guest oh my show, please visit
our website, Moneymaking Conversations dot com and click to be
a guest. Button press submit and information will come directly
(00:23):
to me. Now let's get this show started. Welcome to
Money Making Conversations Masterclass. As you know, I'm the host,
I'm gonna show y'all a quote a friend of mine
gave me. I said when I went and visited his
conference recently. This quote moved me because I was just
speaking from the heart. When I was speaking to his conference.
(00:46):
He said, Rashan, you said this, and they moved a
lot of people when you said it. If you don't
start dreaming about what you want today, you won't get
it tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
If you don't start dreaming about what you want today,
I won't get it tomorrow. Basically, what I'm saying is
that they're twenty four hours of the day. Learn to
take advantage of each hour. Basically, what I'm saying is
that when you go to bed and have a plan
as to why you should wake up, this snooze button
is a snooze button is not your friend, it's your enemy.
You can't be a person who says I'm not a
(01:19):
morning person when the stock market closes it three, So
that means that if you don't start early trying to
plan on making money, then guess what you're gonna miss
out on money. So you have to work hard, ladies
and gentlemen to be a winner. And I guess I
bring on my show they educate me. I'm just a storyteller.
My next guest is a person that I wanted to
(01:41):
bring on a show because she is changing the game.
She's from the University of South Carolina. I gotta bring
that because you know, you know, they doing it out
there in the women's basketball world. You know, but they
didn't win this year. A guess what they'll be back.
My next is an award winning strategy as an advocate
who founded When with Black Women that's WWBW. It's the
(02:04):
collective of intergenerational intersectional of more than two hundred thousand
black women leaders from across the nation. That's two hundred
thousand members and growing. She works with corporations, nonprofits, technology
and government organizations by helping the bridge the gap between Washington,
d C. And Silicon Valid. We got a lot to
(02:26):
talk about. Please work with the money making. Please work
with the money making Conversation Master Class. Joe taka Edie,
how you dog? You taker? Did I get the name right? I?
Speaker 1 (02:36):
You did? You did? My brother, It's so great to
be with you.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
You know, Teylorbody, the name is spelled j O T
A K E e A D D wise, so you know.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Is a person.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
You have to really dance with that name a little
bit to make sure you got it right. So I
want to give you much respect. Then, first of all,
welcome to coming on Money Making Conversation master Class. And
the reason I brought up your or the school University
of South Carolina is that you are student body president.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
I was. I was the first black woman student by president.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
And now I went to University of Houston, which is
in Houston, Texas. I was a student and vice president,
you know. And so but I know, and the guy
asked me to run with him. But to accomplish that task,
Let's talk about you as a person. You know, because
obviously your personality resonates and you have a lot of
(03:32):
confidence to be in a college, to have that type
of confidence, to feel that you could lead a school
in the South University of South Carolina and feel that
you can be a student vice president who injected this
this excitement, this confidence in you.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
You know, I, when I think about you, ask who
I am? And I recently lost my mother. Today actually
marks four month anniversary three of her burial. And you know,
when you lose a parent, especially your mother, it forces
you to rethink every aspect of who you are, your life,
every decision you ever made, what path you're on. And
(04:13):
I've been doing a lot of that over the last
four months. And so to ask me that question, I think,
particularly on this day, a day that I've been thinking about,
that I really appreciate because at first, I am a
I am Leonora Abraham Edy and im and Edie's daughter.
I am a black woman that grew up on a
(04:35):
dirt road in a very small town in South Carolina,
And a lot of who I am really comes from
how I grew up. It really comes from the people
that poured into me, mostly people who didn't have a lot,
but they had a lot of love, They had a
lot of a vision for young people like me in
(04:57):
the community. And so my life growing up, and you
know when you ask like, how would you think that
you would go on to University South Carolina and run
for student body president. You know, USC only became integrated
in nineteen sixty three. And it was really because I
grew up around people who told me that I could
(05:18):
do and be anything I wanted to be, and they
cheered me on whether I was doing that Easter speed
we all know about those Eastern speeches growing up, whether
or not I was, you know, in a local oratorical contest.
They made me believe that when I was getting up there,
that I was standing before the un so that when
(05:38):
I fast forward some twenty something years later, when I
am speaking before the un while I may have just
a little bit of nervousness, I don't have fear. And
that's really who and what has inspired me and continues
to inspire me. It started with my parents and my
family and really a strong community of people who took
(06:00):
very little and poured into young people to really try
to grow and help those young people see things that
they only wish that they could see in their life.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Wow, let me ask you this to take them. You know,
when with Black Women, like I said earlier, is a collective, intergenerational,
intersectional or more than two hundred thousand members these are
black women? Why did you create that organization and basically
give us a global perspectives of its purpose?
Speaker 1 (06:34):
So when with Black Women started, a lot of people
are more familiar with the Historic Call where there were
forty four thousand people on zoom and I think it's
probably another one hundred thousand people watching that zoom because
they couldn't get on the zoom. But we had actually
started in twenty twenty, and it was around the time
(06:54):
when we were experiencing the presidential election and there was
a big debate and conversation on who was going to
be the next vice president and then Vice President Joe
Biden had made a commitment that he was going to
select a woman, and as a part of that conversation,
(07:15):
several black women, many of them who were people that
I knew former colleagues and friends, were named as potential
vice presidential running mates. And as we always see, there
was this following of ad hominal, racist, sexist attacks against
every last black woman, not on her merit, not on
(07:35):
her policies, but just on her ambition. And I remember
just being outraged. And it was during the pandemic and
I was at home in South Carolina, and I reached
out to a dear friend, Mignon More, and I said, Mignon,
what are we going to do? What are you going
to do? Meaning like, what is your generation, you know,
the anti political, anti generation is going to do? And
(07:57):
I'll never forget. She said, well, what are you going
to do? And I was very convicted by that, you know,
And what she meant was not necessarily what was huge
or take is going to do, but what is your
generation going to do in this moment? And I put
the phone down, and I think it was maybe thirty
minutes later, I picked up my phone and I wrote
(08:18):
an email on my phone and sent it about sixty
five friends and it ranged from everyone from you know,
my good friend Angela Rai and Tamika Mallory to Donna
Brazil and Yolanda Carroway and so many others, and just
put an all call and said we need to come
together as black women in this moment and say not
(08:39):
on our watch. And that night, ninety women got on
a call and we decided to pind an open letter.
Forty eight hours later, we had more than two thousand
black women from across the country signed this open letter,
and then from there we kept fighting and growing and
today When with Black Women has grown to where it
has where it is today, and we focus on three goals.
(09:02):
One making sure we continue to speak out against racism
and sexism against black women. Two, working in our individual
capacities to elect black women up and down the ballot
because representation matters. The third making sure that we uplift
the power and the image of black women. And that's
also about our economic power. So we've done everything from
(09:23):
help support along with other Black women organizations the nomination
and election of the maation's first black woman vice president
or our first US Supreme Court justice, but also when
we saw the backlash against the fact that the Little
Mermaid was cast as Hallie Bailey, that we needed to
show that our economic power mattered as well, and so
(09:45):
we did one hundred theater buy out the opening weekend
to show that representation matters in our dollarge matter. And
that's been the work of Women with Black Women for
the last now almost five years, and We've continued to
grow and really lead in on the collective power of
black women because I think when we're connected, there's nothing
that could stop us. And I think America wins when
(10:07):
black women are winning.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
You can talk. You know that you can talk. You
can talk. I was trying to dance my way in
and say to us, and no, she got it. She
got she knows how to connect the word after another
word after another word. You know when you say about
the perception of black women, and I have six sisters,
and I have a daughter, and that matters to me.
(10:30):
My financial planner, she's a female and she's an African American.
What do you think the perception of America's version of
what a black woman is? Since you are at the forefront,
you have an organization called Women with Black Women, so
it means that you are only in a positive light
of what black women are capable of, capable of accomplishing.
(10:52):
What do you think the perception of black women is
in America today?
Speaker 1 (10:58):
What was sean, It's what we know the reality of
black women. But to your question, what is the perception?
And sadly, the perception of black women is that we're
not fill in the blank. Enough, we're not smart enough.
We're not you know, we aren't capable of leading, we
(11:19):
aren't capable of being elected. That we can't nor do
we have the ability to manage financial institutions and or
large corporations. All of these negative stereotypes that get cast
upon on black women, and largely it's in the media.
It's reinforced over and over again. But all of those
(11:43):
perceptions are far from the reality. When you look at
black women, we're the most educated demographic in this country.
We start businesses at fast rates that any other demographic
in this country, very highly successful. Black women are leading
across this country. When you look at major cities right now,
(12:04):
across the country country, whether it's Saint Louis, whether it's
Los Angeles, Washington, d C, Philadelphia, New Orleans, all led
by Black women. And we continue to see black women thriving,
whether it's in sports and entertainment. You mentioned my beloved
University of South Carolina. When you look at Don Staley,
she's the highest paid uh female coach that is in
(12:29):
college basketball and a capable, amazing leader. But the perception
that even someone like a Don Staley gets is that
you know, she's too much when she's absolutely enough and
and and more than qualified for the work that she does.
And so I think that it's a continuous struggle for
(12:52):
black women too, sadly, to have to root out the
miss and information about who we are, and also the
work that we have to do with ourselves to cast
out the self doubt that is built in us from
the time that we're born.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more
money Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to the Money Making
Conversations Masterclass hosted by Rashaan McDonald. Money Making Conversations Masterclass
continues online at Moneymakingconversations dot com and follow money Making
(13:32):
Conversations Masterclass on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Now let me ask you this because stereotypes carry us
a lot, you know, and we talked off air. I
would like to talk to my guests prior to a
phone call. We talked about Silicon Valley, which you know,
in technology, and so when you talking about the perception
of African American women, the perception of black people when
it comes to technology is My degree is in mathematics
and my miners in sociology. So I know whenever I
(13:59):
tell us about it I got math degree, I get
two things. I get a stare and I get really,
I get that, I get a stare and I get
to work. Really when I tell people I have a
degree in mathematics, I get that sometime too, because people
will stereotype you and tell you, Okay, you're different. That's
not normal. And we talked about Silicon Valley. You play
(14:26):
a major role, like we said, from Washington to Wall
Street to Silicon Valley, talk about how you are trying
to bridge that gap of opportunity for African American men
and women in Silicon Valley.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
First of all, I think it's absolutely amazing that you
have a mathematics degree. And I say, as you said,
you know, the perception is that black men and black
people that we can't excel in STEM and that's the
furthest thing from the truth. We just don't have opportunity.
I believe that talent is the street equally, but opportunity
(15:01):
is not. And I think that is the reality when
we think about Silicon Valley and what really drove me
to dive deeper into Silicon Valley. I mean, my story
is unique in that I had spent years in politics
and advocacy had been at the NAACP, and I was
recruited in the Silicon Valley. So this was around twenty thirteen,
(15:25):
So this was at a time where people kind of
was talked about Silicon Valley but not really. But there
had been a large number of black folks that had
been existing in Silicon Valley for many, many years, that
had been in the valley been very successful, but you
hadn't really heard about it, you know, folks like Eric
Moore who had been very successful investors. And so when
(15:50):
I went into Silicon Valley though, there had not been
a lot of people like me that had went in,
so folks that had worked in policy or politics or
advocacy that went into the industry. And I remember, quite
honestly having imposter syndrome. Despite the fact that I had
helped win a US Supreme Court case, or I had
(16:12):
lobbied before the un that I had been a senior
advisor to the president of the NAACP, I just did
not see myself in that industry because there was not
a large reflection of black women or people who did
not have a traditional coding background in Silicon Valley. And
so I remembered being very reluctant to take the job.
(16:37):
I remember sitting on the offer for eight months and
the company it really wanted me, and they said, we'll
hold this offer for eight months and when and if
you're ready, you know, we want you to be here.
And this is a company with a financial technology company.
I would have been the first black employee in that company.
I was going in on the executive team. And it
(16:57):
was a company that had been marketing very heavily a
product that heavily relied on adoption from consumers from you know,
black and brown communities, but yet had not any black employees.
And so when I finally took the job and I
went into the industry, what I realized is that my
(17:18):
hesitancy was around this this this preconceived notion that there
wasn't a place for me. But once I got into industry,
what I realized is that not only was there a
place for me, there was a need for me, and
people liked me. And so it became very much a
mission for me to really demystify Silicon Valley for others
(17:42):
because I was like, I'm the type of person my
good friend Donna Brazil often says, is when we walked
through doors. It's important for us to walk through a
door and keep it open and if we can remove
the hinges so the door.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
Never to take a eat it or it is an
edi eddie. Edie is edie correct? It got to take
an edie e A d d y to take an
ed Let me recap. Let everybody know who I'm talking to. Okay,
I'm talking to an award winning strategist and advocate, very
smooth talking, very confident. I just love the way you
(18:18):
talked to take a you know, because it was something
interesting when you was talking about when I got my
math degree. You know, as you go through college, you know,
you start out with a bunch of people, and as
you go up, that's I call it the pyramid effect
because it's less and less people as you get to
that point of graduation. I can remember I was in
the class. It wasn't a black person in the class
(18:40):
with me, So that means that I really had enough.
I couldn't relate. I couldn't go to anybody, couldn't go
to my friends, I couldn't go to anybody. So I
understood what you were worried about. It's like who do
you talk to? It's called That's why organizations like your
organization is very powerful. That's why our mentorship is very powerful.
(19:01):
Because my father was a truck driver. My mom, you know,
she graduated from high school, so she could motivate me,
but she couldn't share any experiences with me that could
enable me to understand that Rushan, you belong. You belong
and IBM Rushan, you belong in anything you've done. Look
at your accomplishing in life, and I think that when
I hear you talk, that story you just told reminds
(19:23):
me of why it's important that we share your story
and for people to hear your story so young minds
and young people can understand when that opportunity is presented
to them, don't hesitate, it's yours because you've earned it.
Am I correct when I say that?
Speaker 1 (19:38):
To take her? You're absolutely correct in that because society
will try to tell us that we're not enough, that
we don't belong, and we will often like in my
own situation, I was overqualified. Yes you were to be
in Silicon Valley, but I was waiting for this magical notion,
(20:02):
for this idea of what I was supposed to be.
When I was enough with just who I was, and
I think that anybody, particularly a young person that's listening
to this. I grew up on a dirt road in
a town with fourteen hundred people, and I found my
way to the C suite in Silicon Valley at some
(20:24):
of the most successful companies, companies that now have multi
billion dollar valuations. And if I would have just listened
to society, or I would have listened to that high
school guidance council teacher who tried to convince me that
I shouldn't go to the University of South Carolina, where
I ended up becoming the first black woman Sudermighty president,
(20:48):
graduating and going on to do all the things that
I did in my career, I wouldn't be here today.
And I think we have to note that there are
people who are going to try to distract us. But
what we have to recognize and understand is that who
we are and whom we are, and if we can
always remember that and have that purpose and that north star,
(21:10):
there's nothing that can stop us. And I think that's
what's so important in this day and age, particularly when
there are so many detractors, particularly on social media and
other places that lead us to believe that we're not
enough when we are exactly who we are, and we
are more than enough in most cases.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
You know what I hear you talk, it's really a
profound You had a question here that says leadership is
it about positions? About motion? Sometimes leadership looks like being
out front of the time, it looks like building space
for others to shine. Either way, it's movement, it's momentum,
it's power. Expound on that for us, Please no.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
I think it's a very powerful notion that I think.
Positional leadership is often type of leadership that society focuses on.
But true leadership is your ability to tap into someone
their best self, their sense of unlocking the greatness in themselves,
(22:14):
your ability for other people to see their power, and
for you to really create a platform for that power
to be forced multiplied. I think also that leadership continuously
is motion. It's evolution. I wake up. One of the
things that I say every morning when I wake up
(22:35):
and I tell myself, I said, jo taking, you have
a choice. You're either going to evolve or repeat. Evolve
or repeat, and not every day is it that I
hit that revolve that evolved button. Some days I'm going
to repeat, and we all are human. We're all human.
But my prayer is that I evolve more than I repeat.
(22:57):
And if I can evolve more than I can than
I repeat, that I'm always going to be moving forward.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Wow. You know when you how can we get in
touch with you? I know the organization is UH is
out there, but other ways to reach out to your websites.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Absolutely, you can always go to www. Dot win with
Black Women dot org. I'm also on all socials at
show taka E j O t A k A. I'm producer.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
That's unusual. I'm pretty sure it's not a bunch of
joe take us out there. That's another story about how
you got that name. Because I need to meet those parents.
You know, unfortunately your mom has passed away. But when
you when you look at the world that we live in,
to take a I have to say, you have a
personality that that is really very motivating. You grab a person,
(23:51):
you want to hear more from you, you want to
find out. Can I just tag along because something special
is going to happen with you and for you.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
I'm pretty sure.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
You've heard that a lot, but I just wanted to
remind you that sometimes you need to be reminded how
great you are, even though I'm pretty sure you're aware
of your success. But I have a lot of people
I interview on this show, and you're definitely one of
these motivators, natural motivators that when you wake up, yeah,
you inspired to live a better life for yourself, but
(24:25):
you know that everything you do in your life will
positively impact other people. That's my takeaway from this interview.
And I rarely have said this on this show, but you,
my friend, are very very special.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
Thank you, my brother. I truly appreciate that those words
they mean a lot to me, particularly on this day,
on this day, they mean a lot. They mean a
lot of it, and I just hope that I can
just live my life in a way that you know,
it's an old cliche saying I grew up in the church,
but if I can just help somebody along the way,
(25:01):
that my living will not ever be in vain. I
appreciate your words.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
Thank you, Thank you for coming on Money Making Conversation
master Class and we will talk to the Okay, thank you.
This has been another edition of Money Making Conversation Masterclass
hosted by me Rashaun McDonald thank you to our guests
on the show today, and thank you our listening audience now.
If you want to listen to any episodes or want
to be a guest on the show, visit our website,
(25:26):
Moneymakingconversation dot com. Our social media handle is money Making Conversation.
Join us next week and remember to always leave with
your gifts. Keep winning.
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Steve Harvey
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Thomas "Nephew Tommy" Miles
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Kier "Junior" Spates
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