Ed Johnson AKA Dr. Love that’s Dr. the Real Deal LoveDr. Love - is a speaker, relationship coach, author of the book, “3 Things Every Woman Needs to Know About a Man” and founder of Love University. Dr. Love is quickly gaining credibility in the relationship industry and rapidly becoming one of the premier authorities on dating, love, romance, and marriage. In this episode Dr. Love shares that trust is the foundation of all relationships. If trust is broken, one of the most important ways to beg...
Sep 14, 2022•34 min•Season 2022Ep. 51
Dr. Sheena Lovia Boateng is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship at the University of Ghana Business School. She is a fellow of the Academy of Marketing Science. In order to have a successful business and expand beyond local markets, it is critical that you understand the various ways Marketing can help you. Without it, business success will be fleeting. The challenge is that many Ghanian entrepreneurs are simply living for the sale. They are focused on the trans...
Aug 03, 2022•48 min•Season 2022Ep. 50
Ever wondered what are some key habits of successful communicators? This episode of the Bridge To U podcast provides the blueprint that will make you an effective communicator and open you up to more impact.In this week’s episode I take a look at what previous guests had to say and give you the communication success blueprint to experience more fulfillment, joy and impact in black communities. The first habit is inspired by Okama Brook who appeared in the episode "Connect Without Causing Harm: U...
Jul 06, 2022•9 min•Season 2022Ep. 49
What do you need to be successful in relocating to a new country? How will you manage the complexities and challenges? What will you do to manage the various forms of challenges around your intersectionality? Anything is possible when you are relocating to a new country. The successes and problems you face where you currently are, are the ones that will go with you. Use your intuition and trust yourself. Understand your biases and perceptions and how they impact your experience. Start small, rig...
Jun 08, 2022•35 min•Season 2022Ep. 48
In this week’s episode of the Bridge To U podcast, we hear from previous guests on the frameworks, systems and mindset that are required to improve intergenerational impact around race. We also look at how our level of well being impacts the work that we do and the opportunities for change. First Dr. Charmaine Jackman, who appeared in the episode "Healing is Not a Luxury" - explains how the healthcare system continues to under serve the black community across America. This is as traditional psyc...
May 11, 2022•20 min•Season 2022Ep. 47
In this episode of the Bridge To U Podcast, I share the results from the listener survey and some upcoming changes to the podcast. First, I want to thank everyone who took the time to fill out the survey. The feedback was incredibly helpful and will be instrumental in shaping the future of the podcast. Connect with Monique Russell: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | Youtube Produced by Breadfruit Media Support the showConnect with Monique Russell: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | Youtube Produce...
Apr 13, 2022•13 min•Season 2022Ep. 46
When it comes to addressing victimhood and perpetration, narratives are powerful when facing and addressing trauma. Everything needs to be a part of the conversation, not just the good parts of it.Dr. Claudine Kuradusenge-McLeod is an academician, researcher, and head of the Ethics, Peace and Human Rights department at American University. She is a Conflict Resolution consultant and her work has been expressed in several countries in Europe, Africa and North America. She is a survivor of genocid...
Mar 30, 2022•30 min•Season 2022Ep. 45
Do we really understand the impact of internalized shame, and how it affects the way we live our lives as human beings? Sedruola Maruska had the unfortunate experience of losing a baby conceived in an extramarital affair. She felt devastated. She didn’t realize until many years later what the feeling of shame and embarrassment caused her to live her life from a place of default. As a first generation Haitian immigrant, she encountered other Haitian people who felt ashamed of who they were and wh...
Mar 16, 2022•37 min•Season 2022Ep. 44
Chicago native Michael Fosberg has spoken at nearly a thousand high schools, colleges, government agencies, corporations, law firms, and not-for-profits since 2005, utilizing his award-winning autobiographical story, told in the form of a one-man play, as an entry point for meaningful dialogues on race and identity. He has collaborated with a number of professional diversity practitioners on programs to foster deeper dialogue in corporate settings and at educational institutions. His work is res...
Mar 02, 2022•33 min•Season 2022Ep. 43
Dr. Charmain Jackman is an award winning psychologist who has trained at two of the top Harvard Medical School training hospitals in the country. She uses her 23+ years of mental health experience work towards normalizing mental health and therapy. Her mission is to increase access mental health resources for people who have historically not had access to quality, culturally-informed care. In this episode, Dr. Jackman states that healing is not a luxury. It is a necessity, and it is essential fo...
Feb 16, 2022•36 min•Season 2022Ep. 42
William Adams is a rare combination of engineering sage and empathetic change leader. He’s a pioneer in promoting diversity who believes technology exists to empower people. He's on a mission to help Blacks, women, and other underserved communities get an ownership stake in technology companies. Equally at home speaking geek to coders or sharing inspirational stories of leadership and personal transformation, William is an engaging, energetic speaker and an even better listener. Humorous and on-...
Feb 02, 2022•50 min•Season 2022Ep. 41
At just 25 years old, Korryn Williamson is breaking new ground in the staffing industry. As the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Insight Global, one of the nation’s largest staffing companies, Korryn is making great strides to change what the future of the workforce looks like in America. In this episode, Korryn shares that through her work, she is creating new opportunities for job seekers by having tough conversations with employers to change the way companies select job seekers ...
Jan 19, 2022•25 min•Season 2022Ep. 40
Andrena Sawyer is an author, consultant and strategist whose background includes surviving the civil war in Sierra Leone. Her authenticity and innovative business principles inspire audiences to take control of their lives and move toward success. In this episode we discuss resilience and perspective as two skills you need to thrive and bounce back from crises. As a kid, you learn ways of responding to crises from people you observe such as your parents, but as an adult, you have an opportunity ...
Jan 05, 2022•36 min•Season 2022Ep. 39
Have you ever given any thought to what is required to win in the new Global Economy? Living in a borderless world with an increase in remote work opportunities have afforded many the luxury to entertain relocating to new places in international territories. It has afforded many the opportunity to think about doing business in multiple locations, currencies and cultures. But if we are to get serious about sustainable and lasting impact, we must adopt a special curriculum...one that requires more...
Dec 08, 2021•27 min•Season 2021Ep. 38
In this episode, I discuss: Reflection and recommendations for business development and success now and in the future Development areas of Mindset > Reputation > Customer Experience and Communication Skills The Ultimate Speaker’s Guide Listen to the episode and share your biggest insight or learning moment. Connect with Monique Russell: LinkedIn | Instagram | Website Or email with feedback or questions: leadership@clearcommunicationsolutions.com Produced by Breadfruit Media Support the sho...
Nov 24, 2021•16 min•Season 2021Ep. 37
Stone Gye immediately takes us on a journey into nature and how it’s lessons have helped him to navigate his life. Stone Gye is an aggregation of Hypnotherapist, Strength Coach, Combat Veteran, Lomi Lomi Masseur, Business Coach, Digital Agency Strategist, Senior Landmark Worldwide Graduate, Business Automation Junkie, Dad and more. From this interview with Stone, we get a clear picture of how nature gives us lessons of how we are interconnected as human beings. We learn how to ward off attacks, ...
Nov 17, 2021•28 min
Without reflecting on our experiences and movement towards desired goals, we miss the lessons that will help us assess where we could improve and maintain what is already working. In this episode, I discuss: Reflections and observations on leading a niche podcast focused on Understanding and Black Unity Why we need to be intentional about our connections The importance of challenging the stories from mass media we consume and embracing new media Acknowledging the barriers and difficulties we fac...
Nov 10, 2021•14 min•Season 2021Ep. 36
Have you ever felt disenfranchised from your country of origin? Have you chosen to disconnect and disassociate with where you are from because of pain, and pressure? Many immigrants choose to disconnect from their origin country not realizing that it symbolizes a disconnection of self. When you become aware of your history and understand the impact of re-connecting, you can leverage the greatest gifts you have available. Clara Angelina Diaz, the founder of the ClaraFying Coaching and Consulting ...
Oct 27, 2021•28 min•Season 2021Ep. 35
Nick Nelson is an award-winning visionary Marketing and Brand Executive. As CEO of BRANDPRENUER Nick helps remarkable people who show up well in person show up just as well online by developing brand strategies, creating assets (photography, videography graphic design, web design), and teaching clients how to GET NOTICED by creating custom content across social media channels.How can I have more impact? This is a question many people ask. Nick Nelson tells us to perform a self-audit. Ask, “who a...
Oct 13, 2021•33 min•Season 2021Ep. 34
The process of releasing old and current wounds and traumas is not easy., Take it from Rahila Khan who has lived in South Africa under apartheid and the racial and social hierarchy of discrimination and racism. What helped her was learning how to love herself and learning how to re-program her DNA by auditing thoughts, behaviors, feelings, and emotions from herself and her ancestral lineage. Rahila Khan is an internationally accredited Journey Practitioner and a Specialist Facilitator in Emotion...
Sep 29, 2021•40 min•Season 2021Ep. 33
In the guest chair for this episode is Paula Okonneh. Paula Okonneh is a woman in Tech leader and entrepreneur. As a self described Tech lover, this baby boomer sees herself as an encourager to other women especially seasoned immigrant women who struggle to have a voice while at the same time being intimidated by technology. What do you do when you are an immigrant in another country? How do you plan to be successful and embrace the unknown? Cultural struggles are a standard part of immigrant li...
Sep 15, 2021•40 min•Season 2021Ep. 32
Perry Rhue is an Executive and Leadership Development Coach, and former internal Leadership Coach at IBM. Perry is also the founder of The Rising Awareness Journey, a social change movement equipping professionals with the skillset to effectively navigate through the “difficult and challenging” conversations about racism and social issues of the past, present, and future. In this episode, Perry and Monique explore questions like: How have you been influenced by white superiority coupled with rac...
Sep 01, 2021•45 min•Season 2021Ep. 31
Even if you grew up in a stable, supportive household, you can still find yourself in a position of unhealthy communication. You can find yourself not caring about others, but when family members support you consistently and persistently by telling you the truth about yourself, it can open the door to empathy, love, and lasting relationships. Learning how to agree to disagree takes time, self-awareness, and a recognition that you may be hurting those you love.Marlon Addison is a family 1st orien...
Aug 18, 2021•35 min•Season 2021Ep. 30
Unity does not mean uniformity or conformity. There is strength in our diversity. Where do we start when we cannot relate to someone we don’t share similar values with or have not had similar experiences to. We begin by sharing stories in a communal way. This leads to the aspect of relatability and empathy. For years, oral traditions and practices allowed us to leverage verbalizing wins and challenges as a way to foster mental and emotional wellbeing and healing. In this episode, I discuss: When...
Aug 04, 2021•14 min•Season 2021Ep. 29
Rob Howze teaches us the process he uses to maximize his individual performance: Self-reflection, self-correction and humility. Reflect daily on your decisions and choices. Correct any choices and decisions that were not good for you and remain humble. This process is a system youth can embrace. Many children struggle with the barrier and distraction of their identity and confidence. Not surprisingly, so do adults. Listen to the episode and share your biggest insight or learning moment.DOWNLOAD ...
Jul 21, 2021•33 min•Season 2021Ep. 28
P.S. Perkins is the Founder and Senior Consultant of the Human Communication Institute (www.hci-global.com). In this episode, P.S. Perkins discusses spirituality as a source of connection. Words are powerful and are units of energy. Examine to see whether the words and verbiage you use are uplifting to yourself AND others. Emotional contagion is very real and we need to be mindful of the communication climate we are exhibiting with our energies. If we long to truly be inclusive as Black people, ...
Jul 07, 2021•49 min•Season 2021Ep. 27
Dr. Terri-Karelle Reid is quite the multi-hyphenate. She is a bilingual Veterinarian-turned-Media Personality, TV Presenter, Event Host, Speaker, and Podcast host of 'Redirection with Terri-Karelle." “We are more than what we see” are the words Terri’s grandmother imprinted in her psyche from Day 1. This belief and the intentional actions to expose yourself to the world beyond your culture is what set Terri to be curious of people and places off the beaten path. In order to re-define ourselves a...
Jun 23, 2021•35 min•Season 2021Ep. 26
Melody Capote is the Executive Director of the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI). In this episode, Melody shared that arts, music, dance, and sacred practices are all forms of cultural expression that unite us as Black people. If we look at the drum, for example, and its many uses, we see the intersectionality of traditions and practices that unite us. Visual and musical forms of storytelling provide understanding and they are the traditional language of Black people....
Jun 09, 2021•42 min•Season 2021Ep. 25
Mayowa Adegoke (formerly Ogundele) is a multi-talented Nigerian journalist and news correspondent, based in Dubai, where she covers news, business, tech, entertainment and news stories from an African perspective. Mayowa has dedicated her life to impacting lives. "As a journalist, as a media personality, I have a brand. I also have a personality and social media presence. Using our personal social media and brand, or whatever we have control over, we need to use those platforms to create the rea...
May 26, 2021•33 min•Season 2021Ep. 24
Respecting your culture and becoming an advocate is an immersive learning experience. There is a time and a place for everything. Afro-centric education, and music are gateways to understanding knowledge about who you are as a Black person. "There are no psychological tricks to takeaway someone’s ability to choose. Modeling, choosing the right timing and advocating in bite size approaches will help you shift perspectives." Listen to the episode and share your biggest insight or learning moment. ...
May 12, 2021•34 min•Season 2021Ep. 23
