Dreaming in Color – Details, episodes & analysis

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 bonus episode, Darren is joined by a dynamic panel of philanthropic leaders: Don Chen (President of Surdna Foundation) Flozell Daniels, Jr. (CEO of the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation), Mayra Peters-Quintero (Executive Director of Abundant Futures Fund), and Vanessa Mason (Principal at Omidyar Network), and . Recorded live at the Surdna Foundation offices in New York City, the group dives into an in-depth discussion about building a more equitable world through racial justice, cross-racial solidarity, and community-driven solutions.

Join the conversation as the panelists explore the role of relationships in movement building, the power of joy and imagination in sustaining hope, and the importance of investing in intergenerational leadership. They discuss the challenges of systemic change, the need for incremental wins, and how to create space for collective healing and repair.

Jump Straight Into:

• (00:22) Darren introduces the panel and sets the stage with a poem by Audre Lorde.
• (01:45) Flozell Daniels, Jr. reflects on his family history, his racial equity work, and what brings him sunshine.
• (07:28) Mayra Peters-Quintero shares her journey in immigrant rights advocacy and her hopes for creating a culture of belonging.
• (15:12) Don Chen discusses the critical role of cross-racial solidarity in achieving systemic change.
• (21:30) Vanessa Mason highlights the importance of joy and care in equity work and the necessity of dreaming together.
• (29:15) The panel reflects on the generational shift in leadership and creating space for younger leaders to thrive.
• (42:03) A forward-looking conversation about building a shared future and fostering collective imagination.

Episode Resources:

• Connect with Flozell Daniels, Jr., Don Chen, Mayra Peters-Quintero, and Vanessa Mason on LinkedIn.
• Learn more about the organizations they represent: Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, Surdna Foundation, Abundant Futures Fund, and Omidyar Network.
• Listen to past Dreaming in Color episodes 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. 

Today we welcome Mia Birdsong, a pathfinder, writer, and facilitator who engages the leadership and wisdom of people experiencing injustice to chart new visions of American life. As the Founding Executive Director of Next River, she nourishes communities toward a liberated future. 

In her book "How We Show Up" and the podcast miniseries "More Than Enough," she highlights community vitality and the guaranteed income movement. Previously, Mia was Co-Director of Family Story and Vice President of the Family Independence Initiative, promoting new narratives and leveraging data to support low-income families. 

Her public dialogues, TED talks, and other initiatives spotlight marginalized voices as leaders of change. A Senior Fellow at the Economic Security Project and a Future Good Fellow, Mia lives in Oakland, tending to bees, chickens, and plants on the occupied land of the Chochenyo Ohlone people.

In this episode, Darren and Mia discuss what constitutes something as radical, a future without poverty, and finding joy and optimism in activism. 

This is Dreaming In Color. 

Jump straight into: 

(00:22.7) Introduction of Mia Birdsong, Founding Executive Director of Next River.

(06:27.5) Cracked open: Mia shares her educational beginnings in Rochester and how an unexpected Public Enemy cassette tape on a school bus ignited her path to activism.

(09:19.9) Critical Resistance and Mia’s journey to becoming an abolitionist.

(12:04.2) The American dream vs. the collective dream. 

(13:43.1) Ending poverty is not a problem of lacking solutions, but of lacking belief. Mia Birdsong explores her initial efforts advocating for a guaranteed income.

(20:59.9) Dismantling power structures and moving beyond wealth and power hoarding. 

(22:51.2) We explore Mia’s work with Next River and her unwavering commitment to guaranteed income, guaranteed housing, education and universal healthcare.

(26:02.6) What is radical? Mia shares how many “unattainable radical beliefs” are actually being successfully performed all over the world and how discovering these stories of small communities implementing these systems for themselves inspires her work. 

(29:38.2) The path of least resistance: Mia discusses finding strength in vulnerability and staying optimistic vs. falling into cynicism. 

Episode Resources

• Keep up with Mia on Twitter, Instagram, & LinkedIn
• Learn more about Mia through her website.
• Order Mia’s book “How We Show Up” here. 
• Listen to Mia’s podcast “More Than Enough” here. 
• Watch Mia’s TEDX Talk “The Story We Tell About Poverty Isn’t True” 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, 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

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 sit down with Arlan Hamilton, a trailblazing investor and founder of Backstage Capital and HireRunner.co. Arlan is also a serial entrepreneur, author, and prolific speaker. 

In 2015 she started Backstage Capital to invest in founders who are people of color, women, and or LGBTQ. Since its inception, Backstage has raised nearly $30 million and invested in 200 startups led by underestimated founders. 

Arlan also authored the book “It’s About Damn Time” chronicling her entrepreneurial journey, and hosts the popular podcast “Your First Million.” She is also the first, non-celebrity Black woman to grace the cover of Fast Company magazine. If that wasn’t enough, Arlan’s latest book, “Your First Million: Why You Don’t Have To Be Born Into A Legacy of Wealth To Leave One Behind.” is now available at any major book retailer. 

Join us as Arlan details her triumphant ascent from homelessness to multi-millionaire venture capitalist and how being underestimated fueled her success.  

This is Dreaming in Color. 

Jump straight into: 

(0:30) Introduction of Arlan Hamilton: Founder, Author, Speaker, and a trailblazing Venture Capitalist. 

(2:21) From homelessness to venture capitalist - Arlan’s triumphant ascent to the top. 

(4:33) How being an underestimated LGBTQ woman of color inspired her to help others like her get their ideas off the ground. 

(13:23) Success as activism and the power of modeling success for others. 

(13:45) The perks of believing in the underestimated and the ripple effects of how one tiny seed planted can flourish in unexpected ways. 

(18:22) Advice to leaders: “be someone’s first yes.” 

(21:49) Success vs. fulfillment. Defining what fulfillment looks like to you. 

Episode Resources

• Keep up with Arlan on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram
• Read Arlan’s books, “It’s About Damn Time” and “Your First Million: Why You Don’t Have to Be Born Into A Legacy of Wealth to Leave One Behind.” 
• Learn more about Backstage Capital and HireRunner.co
• Listen to Arlan’s podcast, “Your First Million”
• Email Arlan at [email protected] 

Support Arlan’s portfolio companies

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 welcome Michael Tubbs, who at the age of 26 became the youngest mayor of any major city in American history when he took the helm of his hometown of Stockton, California. The former Mayor is the founder of End Poverty in California, or EPIC, which works to eradicate poverty by elevating the voices of people experiencing it and the data-driven policies shown to work. He is also the founder of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income. He is a Rosenburg Foundation Senior Fellow and also serves as the Special Advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom for economic mobility.

Join this conversation as Michael takes us on a journey towards prosperity for all. He talks about how growing up in Stockton, California helped him to better serve his community, the challenges he faced as mayor, and candidly shares how failure has shaped his success. 

This is Dreaming in Color. 

Jump straight into: 

(0:32) Introducing Michael Tubbs: Founder of End Poverty in California and Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, Rosenberg Foundation Senior Fellow and Special Advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom

(4:43) Storytelling as the fuel for change and de-radicalizing narratives for the greater good. 

(10:20) Challenging the narrative that exceptionalism is the key to success

(10:47) De-radicalizing the idea of guaranteed income for all. 

(14:35) Challenging myth of meritocracy 

(16:39) What are you willing to fail for? Overcoming failure and building courage. 

(18:17) Defining your personal metric of success, finding your north star and knowing that your purpose doesn’t need to be tied to your position. 

(23:48) Getting to know Michael Tubbs through rapid-fire questioning.

Episode Resources

• Keep up with Michael on Twitter and Instagram
• Learn more about Michael through his website
• Read Michael’s autobiography, The Deeper The Roots: A Memoir of Hope and Home
• Learn more about End Poverty in California

Watch the trailer for Stockton on My Mind, the HBO documentary about Michael’s journey as the Mayor of Stockton, California

Welcome to Dreaming in Color: Next Gen, 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. Join in on these candid, kitchen table conversations, where together, we can make a difference. We celebrate these leaders ingenuity, are inspired by their wisdom, and learn how collectively we can all strive to do and be better. This is Dreaming In Color: Next Gen.

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 journey down to New Orleans during Essence Fest for Bridgespan’s very first live episode recording, a panel highlighting Black women in philanthropy moderated by Tonyel Edwards, a partner at The Bridgespan Group.

Join us as Tonyel hosts a kitchen table conversation with a panel of Black women leading some of the most innovative thinking on equitable philanthropy: Morgan Dawson, co-CEO of Threshold Philanthropy, Tynesha McHarris, co-Founder of Black Feminist Fund, Carmen James Randolph, founding President / CEO at Women’s Foundation of the South, and Susan K. Thomas, president of Melville Charitable Trust. 

Listen as these remarkable women discuss their pathway into philanthropy, the unique assets that come from being a Black woman leading in the space, and all of the ways they have navigated and changed the landscape of giving in support of a more just, equitable and colorful future. 

This is Dreaming in Color. 

Jump straight into: 

(1:02) Starting things off with a James Baldwin Invocation 

(3:55) Darren brings the words of Donald L. Hollowell into the space 

(8:36) Introducing panel moderator Tonyel Edwards

(10:03) Learn about all the different hats our panelists are wearing as Black women 

(19:14) Carmen references writer Toni Morrison - "As you enter positions of power and influence, dream before you think."

(34:40) Tynesha emphasizes the philosophy of being a “principled” leader. 

(47:47) Power sharing, wealth redistribution and giving something up knowing that it’s not yours.

(51:45) “Hold your North,” and other thoughts on navigating the terrain of the philanthropic sector

(53:18) Best practices for building and leading in philanthropy.

(1:09:51) Rest as revolution

Episode Resources

• Connect with our panelists through LinkedIn: Tonyel Edwards, Morgan Dawson, Tynesha McHarris, Carmen James Randolph, Susan K. Thomas.
• Learn more about the organizations these panelists lead: Threshold Philanthropy (Morgan Dawson), The Black Feminist Fund (Tynesha McHarris), Women’s Foundation of the South (Carmen James Randolph), Melville Charitable Trust (Susan K. Thomas)
• Discover the historical contributions of civil rights attorney Donald L. Hollowell 
• Learn more about the work and contributions of the Black women in philanthropy named throughout the segment: Black Feminist Fund co-founders, Hakima Abbas and

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. 

Takema Robinson is a mother, entrepreneur, social justice strategist, and avid advocate for Black women and radical self-care. With more than two decades of experience in strategic philanthropy, policy, advocacy, and fundraising, she is the CEO and co-founder of Converge, a social justice consulting firm whose purpose is to accelerate the creation of a radically just new world where communities of color thrive. In addition, after the near-death experience of delivering a son at just 24 weeks, she also helped to form the National Birth Equity Collaborative, which works to decrease birth inequity for Black women across the US by raising awareness of Black infant prematurity and mortality and the growing Black maternal mortality crisis. 

Join this conversation as Takema explores her family’s distinguished legacy and talks about how that, coupled with her experiences at Howard and The Hill, has shaped her and the work she does through Converge. Listen as she discusses leadership, radical-self care as an act of revolution, and dreams of what a radically just new world looks like. 

Jump straight into: 

(0:28) Introducing Takema Robinson, CEO and Founder of Converge. 

(1:40) Takema offers up words from Toni Cade Bambara’s The Salt Eaters. 

(3:36) Takema and Darren reminisce about their time together at Howard and how her experiences there paved the way to building Converge. 

(5:09) Takema dives into her family’s legacy of activism and how the footsteps they’ve left behind have guided her activism. 

(10:18) Radical self-care as a revolutionary act. 

(13:01) How taking a sabbatical and moving out of the states were necessary in Takema’s self-care journey. 

(19:14) Lessons in leadership. 

(21:44) Motherhood, legacy, and maintaining optimism for the future. 

(25:14) Dreaming of a radically just new world. 

Episode Resources

• Connect with Takema through LinkedIn
• Explore Takema’s work and background though her website
• Learn more about Takema’s work with Converge for Change
• Check out Takema’s article for Inside Philanthropy on the Greater New Orleans Funders Network “Radically Reimaging Philanthropy Through a Restorative Justice Lens”
• Read Toni Cade Bambara’s The Salt Eaters