CHAVIS CHRONICLES, THE Season 5
#501 - Dana White – Senior Managing Director Ankura
Dr. Chavis speaks with Dana White, Senior Managing Director at Ankura, a leading global strategic advisor about the impact of geopolitical events such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that caught a number of businesses unprepared for the fallout. The two also discuss political flashpoints such as China’s relations with Taiwan and the fallout in the Middle East from the deadly Hamas attack on Israel.
#502 – Gabriel Groisman – Partner, LSN Partners
Dr. Chavis talks to Gabriel Groisman, attorney, global government relations expert and a senior advisor to the human rights organization, “Combat Antisemitism Movement” to discuss strategies to fight the global rise in antisemitism.
#503 - American Cancer Society
Dr. Chavis interviews American Cancer Society researchers, Dr. Alpa Patel and Dr. Lauren McCullough about their groundbreaking health disparities study, VOICES of Black Women, described as the largest-ever study of cancer risk and outcomes in Black women in the United States. The groundbreaking study will focus on lived experiences to address health disparities for the next generation.
#504 - Janice L. Mathis Esq., NCNW
Dr. Chavis talks to, Executive Janice L. Mathis Esq. Director of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) to discuss the historic organization’s current strategies to empower African American women through economic justice, voting rights, health equity, and women's rights.
#505 - Terrence Hayes - Press Secretary Department of Veterans Affairs
Dr. Chavis talks to Terrence L. Hayes, the Veteran Administration’s, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs about top priorities and new programs for veterans including mental health, homelessness and the most recently adopted PACT Act, a law expanding VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances.
#506 - Urban Conservation Fund
Dr. Chavis talks to Phillip Howard, and Tony Richardson with The Conservation Fund, one of the largest conservation groups in the country. Howard and Richardson lead the effort to conserve, restore, and protect African American heritage sites in Alabama and Mississippi.
#507 Dominque Calhoun – 81st President National Bar Association
Dr. Chavis talks to Dominique D. Calhoun, 81st President of the National Bar Association. Attorney Calhoun talks about how the Black experience has evolved and where there is still a need for drastic change regarding major issues such as civil rights, social justice and protecting voting rights.
#508 – Clifton Johnson – Empower Series/Financial Expert
Dr. Chavis talks to money guru Clifton Johnson, creator of the 501(c) 3 organization the EMPOWER Series about financial literacy. The non-profit encourages communities of color to plan for wealth. The educational series has educated over 150,000 students and adults about increasing financial literacy.
#509 – Armstrong Williams
Dr. Chavis talks to Armstrong Williams, media mogul, conservative political commentator, entrepreneur, nationally syndicated newspaper columnist and host of a daily radio show about politics, entrepreneurism and striving for excellence in the Black community.
#510 - Roger Gore + Lance London
Dr. Chavis interviews two serial entrepreneurs, brand mogul Roger Gore and restaurateur Lance London. Both businessmen share insights on how they learned to prosper during and after the pandemic.
#511 - Chris Thomas and Sir Frank Cooper (Comedians)
Dr. Chavis interviews veteran comedians Chris Thomas and Sir Frank Cooper about the African American Humor Awards (AAHAs) and the history of Black comedy in America.
#512 – Charles “Shorty” Garris & Mark Gusakov
Dr. Chavis talks to international radio host Charles “Shorty” Garris about “Go-go” music, a subgenre of funk created by Black musicians in the mid-60s. Also, Dr. Chavis interviews Mark Gusakov, digital infrastructure expert and board member of Nomad Futurist Foundation, regarding innovative technologies that will open new careers for the next generation.
#513 - Professor Herb Boyd
Dr. Chavis talks to Herb Boyd, a journalist, activist, teacher, and author of twenty-three books, including his latest, The Diary of Malcolm X, edited with Ilyasah Al-Shabazz, Malcolm X’s daughter.
#514 – Ayanna Gregory
Educator, activist and singer Ayanna Gregory, daughter of legendary comedian and activist Dick Gregory, shares with Dr. Chavis her unforgettable journey as a child of the civil rights movement and the powerful, historic events that lift the human spirit.
#515 – Calvin Butler – CEO Exelon
Dr. Chavis talks to Calvin Butler, CEO of Exelon, the nation's largest utility company by customer count. As the first African American to serve as CEO of a major utility company, Butler discusses climate change, the need for diversity, equity and inclusion in corporate America.
#516 – Tony Wyllie, CEO of The Collective Engine talks to Dr. Chavis about managing star athletes, his prior work as regional president and managing director for Special Olympics North America and the power of giving back to the community.
#517 - Dr. Russell Wigginton – Civil Rights Museum
Dr. Chavis talks to Dr. Russell Wigginton, President of the National Civil Rights Museum. The museum is one of the nation's premier heritage and cultural institutions. The National Civil Right Museum was established in 1991. It is located at the former Lorraine Motel, where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968.
#518 – Margaret Seidler, Journalist and Author
Dr. Chavis talks to journalist and author Margaret Seidler, about her book “Payne-ful” Business: Charleston’s Journey to Truth that follows Seidler’s mission to learn and process her family’s genealogical past as slave owners. Using extensive research and personal experience, Seidler discusses the realities of Charleston’s racial history while acknowledging a more complete truth about our past.
#519 – Dr. Tshaka Cunningham, PhD Molecular Biologist, Co-Founder & CSO, Polaris Genomics, Inc.
Geneticist Dr. Tshaka Cunningham talks to Dr. Chavis about the critical need for a broad spectrum of ethnic diversity in genetic research. Dr. Cunningham shares how people of African ancestry have been historically underrepresented in genomic studies and in order to create medicines of the future more people of color need to participate in genetic research.
#520 - Wright Thompson, New York Times Best-Selling Author
New York Times best-selling author Wright Thompson talks to Dr. Chavis about his latest book “The Barn: The Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi.” Thompson says the brutal murder of Emmitt Till still matters because so many facts have remained buried. The book examines the tragedy, while shedding light on an artifact hiding in plain sight: the barn where Till was beaten and killed.
#521 – Samantha Tweedy
Samantha Tweedy, CEO of the Black Economic Alliance (BAE), joins Dr. Chavis to discuss the powerful coalition of Black business leaders and allies working to accelerate economic progress within the Black community. Tweedy emphasizes advancing policy solutions to enhance work opportunities, increase wages, and build generational wealth for African Americans.
#522 - LeBron James I Promise Foundation
Superstar basketball player LeBron James’ mother and other family members discuss the partnership between the LeBron James Family Foundation, Akron Public Schools and the I PROMISE program. I PROMISE aims to improve educational outcomes for underprivileged students. The project's goals also include breaking the cycle of generational poverty and ending the school-to-prison pipeline.
#523 – Dr. Shari Rogers, CEO Spill The Honey
Dr. Shari Rogers, CEO of Spill The Honey Foundation in Michigan talks to Dr. Chavis about the historical and cultural connections between the African American and Jewish communities, emphasizing shared struggles and collective resilience. The foundation focuses on creating impactful programs, initiatives, and dialogues that inspire unity and drive progress toward equality and mutual respect.
#524 – Wole Coaxum, Founder and CEO of MoCaFi
Wole Coaxum, Founder and CEO of MoCaFi, joins Dr. Chavis to discuss transformative strategies for empowering excluded communities by improving access to public, private, and social capital and solutions to address the needs of the 50 million unbanked and underbanked Americans.
#525 – Amanda Costa
Dr. Chavis talks to global environmentalist Amanda Costa, founder of Perifa Sustentável, a youth-driven institute championing climate justice in Brazil. As a United Nations Youth Ambassador Amanda’s mission is to inspire marginalized communities to tackle climate challenges while amplifying their voices within the international climate movement.
#526 – Everett Sands, CEO Lendistry
Dr. Chavis talks to Everett Sands, CEO Lendistry, a leading Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) focused on providing access to capital for underserved small businesses and nonprofit organizations. The CDFI prioritizes minority-owned businesses and those in economically distressed areas, offering loans that support long-term sustainability and community development.