The Empowerment Zone

Ladies, do we have the right mindset for success?

Elisa Lagrange: Empowering women to Achieve their Dreams
— Success is all about mindset. Elisa Lagrange is on a mission to help women to operate in their zone of genius. In this engaging discussion, Elisa teaches women strategies on managing their minds. Elisa is a multicultural marketer who helps entrepreneurs and individuals build profitable businesses and significant lives. A native of Argentina, Elisa lives in Atlanta with her husband and two daughters.
For more information about Elisa, connect with her on LinkedIn.
 

Are you tapping into your Emotional Intelligence?

Marlon Addison: The Four Pillars of Emotional Intelligence and Why They are Important to Your Success
— Emotional Intelligence (EI) is important to personal and professional success. According to Marlon Addison, EI is a learnable skill. Discover more about EI and how it can enhance your performance, relationships, and career. Marlon is a sales and marketing leader, who has trained sales teams and college students on Emotional Intelligence for over ten years. A proud husband and father of three, Marlin is a lifelong resident of New Jersey.
For more information about Marlon, connect with him on LinkedIn.

Inspiring children to dream BIG!

“Ari’s DreamWorld”: How to spark imagination in children
— Imagination is key to achieving your dreams. Eleven-year-old Ari Perrymond is sparking the imagination of children through “Ari’s DreamWorld.” Created to engage, excite and educate young learners all over the world, the YouTube show inspires children to embrace their visionary powers. Join Ramona as she talks to her niece Ari about her new creative venture. Ari also discusses her favorite subjects, travels, interests, and hobbies. As you will discover, Ari is a rising superstar who understands the power of imagination! Ari lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
Watch "Ari’s DreamWorld" on YouTube.

How Philanthropy Operates in Black and Brown Communities

Michelle DeGrate: Dispelling myths about philanthropy within diverse communities
– As recent studies have shown, the philanthropic sector lacks diversity. On top of that, there is a widely held belief that only rich white people engage in philanthropy. Contrary to popular belief, Black and Brown people give. In this episode, Michelle DeGrate explores the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in development and fundraising. Michelle contends that fundraising professional must expand their definition and understanding of philanthropy, recognize cultural differences, and address implicit bias in order to engage and tap into the resources of diverse communities. Michelle is Director of Development, University Priorities, at The University of Texas at Austin and lives in Austin, Texas.
For more information about Michelle, connect with her on LinkedIn.

How do you tap into your purpose?

Michelle Dionne Thompson: Learning How to Listen to and Embrace Your Inner Voice
As a professional coach, Michelle Dionne Thompson understands the value of bringing out the best in others. In her conversation with Ramona, Michelle provides specific strategies on how to determine your purpose in life—how to answer the question, “Why am I here on this earth.” Michelle is founder of Michelle Dionne Thompson Coaching and Consulting Services. Originally from Chicago, Michelle now lives in New York City.
For more information about Michelle, visit http://michelledionnethompson.com.

What is Servant Leadership?

Christine Ortega: Exploring the Principles and Practices of Servant Leaders
Having operated in multiple leadership roles for over three decades, Christine Ortega has created numerous impactful corporate and community partnerships. As one who truly believes in service, Christine talks to Ramona about her understanding of, appreciation for, and approach to servant leadership. In their conversation Christine explains how servant leaders engage all stakeholders, speak truth to power, and lead transformative change. After serving Southwest Airlines for over 23 years in multiple leadership capacities, Christine now uses her leadership talents as President and CEO of Co-Effect Enterprises. A native of San Antonio, Christine continues to make the city her home.

How can the African Americans and Latinx communities show up for each other?

Dr. Troy Harden: Black and Brown Racial and Social Justice Community Efforts
Professor Troy Harden discusses his work as an educator and community activist in the Black and Brown communities of Chicago. According to Troy, the African American and Latinx communities experience similar experiences in trauma and social trauma and must show up to support each other to create social change. Troy is the recently appointed Director of the Race and Ethnic Studies Institute and Professor of Practice in Sociology at Texas A&M University. Originally, from Gary, Indiana, and a long-time resident of Chicago, Troy now lives in metro-Houston, Texas.

African Americans, Embrace Your Power and Vote!

Ramona Houston on Why African Americans and - specifically - African American Men, Must Vote and Vote for Biden
As America enters the final days of the 2020 election season, many individuals and groups are engaged in get out to vote (GOTV) efforts. Voter turnout is key to winning in this election. Understanding this fact, Ramona is using her power and platform to push more people to vote. In this podcast Ramona reads two of her penned op-eds directed to African Americans. Ramona explains why African Americans in general and African American men, specifically, should vote and why they should vote for Joe Biden for President as well as down ballot. As host of the “Empowerment Zone” podcast, Ramona is excited to share these op-eds with her audience.

How do you fund your business?

Jesus Martinez: Understanding the Difference between Commercial Lending and Traditional Lending
Today Ramona talks to Jesus Martinez about his work in supporting small business owners. Quite simply, Jesus helps his clients to fund their businesses. As Jesus explains, business owners must understand the various types of lending. Jesus is Founder of Peach Tree Commercial Capital, a full service commercial loan brokerage firm. Raised in Queens, New York, Jesus lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
For more information about Peach Tree Commercial Capital, visit www.peachtreecap.com.

What does it take to be an effective leader in education?

Hector Montenegro, Ed.D.: The Four Threads of an Equitable Transformational Educational Leader
Today Ramona talks to Hector Montenegro, Ed.D., about educational leadership. Dr. Montenegro has a long history in education, having served as a math teacher, principal, Chief of Staff for the DC Public Schools and Deputy Superintendent and Superintendent of Schools for three school districts in Texas. Now retired, Dr. Montenegro talks about his current work with Transformative Educational Leadership (TEL) and the organization’s efforts to create a diverse group of purposeful and impactful educational leaders, who are committed to systemic transformation. Dr. Montenegro also discusses his experiences and perspectives on embracing cultural differences and creating a global community. A nationally and internationally recognized educator, Dr. Montenegro specializes in multicultural education, social emotional learning, and leadership development. A native of Los Angeles, California, Dr. Montenegro currently lives in Austin, Texas.
For more information about the Transformative Educational Leadership, visit www.teleadership.org.