Gathering Ground – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of “Gathering Ground,” host Mary F. Morten engages with four distinguished leaders in arts and culture: Michelle T Boone, CEO of the Poetry Foundation; Gabrielle Lyon, Executive Director of Illinois Humanities; Jane M. Saks, President and Artistic Director for Project&/Monuments to Movements; and Daniel O. Ash, President of Field Foundation of Illinois. They explore how their work at the crossroads of art, culture, and social justice fosters community engagement, creative expression, and systemic change.

Episode Highlights

- Insights into grant-making strategies and community-centric philanthropy
- The transformative power of art in social movements
- Unique journeys and contributions of each guest’s organization

Links and Resources
- Poetry Foundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/
- Illinois Humanities: http://www.ilhumanities.org/
- Project&: http://www.projectand.org/
- Monuments to Movements: http://www.monumentstomovements.org/
- Field Foundation: http://www.fieldfoundation.org/

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READ THE FULL EPISODE 59 TRANSCRIPT

During this special LinkedIn Live event, Mary sat down with Imani Rupert-Gordon to continue the discussion from our May 8 episode, The Next Act: Succeeding a Longtime Leader.

Imani is the President of National Center for Lesbian Rights, her second role succeeding a longtime leader — earlier in her career she followed the founder of Affinity Community Services as their second Executive Director.

If you missed this conversation on July 16, now's your chance to listen in!

This time, the amazing Gina Torres joins Mary on "Gathering Ground"! This Afro-Latina powerhouse shares her inspiring journey, from juggling acting dreams and odd jobs to captivating audiences with iconic roles like Zoe from "Firefly" and Jessica Pearson. They delve into character development, casting struggles, and the fight for inclusive storytelling, leaving you empowered and ready to celebrate diverse voices. Tune in for a conversation that illuminates talent, challenges myths, and sparks change.

Dive into Gathering Ground’s best moments of 2023! Relive inspiring talks with Angelique Power and Tracie Hall, laugh with Gina Yashere's "Bob Hearts Abishola" journey, and learn about self-care as a radical act. Grab a drink, cozy up, and let's gather, listen, and make 2024 even better.

Visit the main podcast page: gatheringgroundpodcast.com

This time Mary is in conversation with Tonika Johnson, a native Chicago artist whose work intricately weaves societal observations into creative expression.

From daily commutes bridging the city's diverse neighborhoods to groundbreaking projects like the Map Twins and Folded Map projects, Tonika reveals how her art dismantles barriers and uncovers the historical layers of systemic racism.

Gain insight into the enduring effects of segregation on communities like Inglewood and discover the transformative power of art in reshaping societal perceptions.

On this episode of "Gathering Ground," Mary and her guests discuss The Leadership Institute, a game-changing event hosted by Morten Group, LLC, and The Care Plan. Mary welcomes Jacqueline Boyd, Victor Motherwell, and Jacob Frazier, three key figures making the event possible. They delve into the institute's objectives, their unique session contributions, and how leadership is evolving in the modern workplace.

Visit the podcast main page: gatheringgroundpodcast.com.

In August 2023, Mary moderated a panel with Kate Piatt-Eckert, Director of Forefront's Mission Sustainability Initiative, and Dr. Jennifer Madden, Dean of the School of Business at Linfield University. From their different lenses, they discussed the importance of collaboration and partnership between nonprofit organizations ahead of Axelson Center's upcoming conference, Synthesizing Strengths.

If you're listening before October 20, 2023, make sure you register for the conference by visiting Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management's website.

On this episode Mary sits down with stand-up comedian, writer, actor, and co-creator of "Bob Hearts Abishola" Gina Yashere. They discuss her experience with Chuck Lorre, the 2023 writers' strike, and her recently released book, Cack-handed: A Memoir.

Visit the main podcast page: gatheringgroundpodcast.com

Mary sits down again with Angelique and Tracie to talk rest, resilience, and renewal.

Visit the main “Gathering Ground” podcast page: http://gatheringgroundpodcast.com.

Mary, her co-host Monique Jones (President & CEO of Forefront), and her guests discuss trends in the social impact sector so far this year and what we can expect for the rest of 2023.

This time on "Gathering Ground," Mary and Monique were pleased to be joined by:

Vu Le
Founder of Nonprofit AF

Julianne Buck
Executive Director of Community Foundation of Grundy County