In this episode of From Chains to Links, entrepreneurs Rahama Wright and Danielle Toussaint bring valuable insights on what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur in today’s political climate. An empowering dialogue with best practices and real-life experiences, Rahama and Danielle stress the importance of working across the African diaspora to build Black wealth and economic independence—and why it’s important we get out of our own way. It’s gems on gems on gems.

In this heartfelt episode of From Chains to Links, Kelly Burton and Ifeoma Ike are joined by Erin Horne McKinney and Cici Battle to tackle the unique challenges of being Black women founders and entrepreneurs. A raw, honest reflection into the costs of leadership, each guest shares tips on how to prioritize self-care, establish boundaries, and put oneself first while still standing in the gap for others. This vulnerable conversation is the perfect pillow for all those who need a safe place to rest and remind themselves of their power.

How do we ensure Black people don’t miss out on yet another industrial revolution? In this episode of From Chains to Links, technologist and startup advisor Tyrome ‘Ty’ Smith drops invaluable insights on what startup founders need to understand today for success tomorrow. He breaks down the biggest mistakes founders often make and highlights the urgent needs and pressing opportunities for Black entrepreneurs and technologists. Tune in for an episode packed with practical advice and forward-thinking strategies to help Black innovators thrive.

In this episode of From Chains to Links, Ify sits down with innovation support leaders LaKisha Greenwade, Alisha Gordon, and Dr. LaTanya White, who each invests in ensuring entrepreneurs are equipped with the tools to thrive. Together, they explore how we need to reimagine wealth creation, see the wealth is rest and village, and unpack the obstacles standing in our way. It’s a rich, powerful conversation about the state of Black entrepreneurship and the real case studies of economic empowerment and building with community.

In this episode of From Chains to Links, Kelly Burton and Ifeoma Ike welcome pioneering startup founder Tiffany Norwood and Jaret Riddick, a research engineer with over 20 years in the defense industry. Together, we dive into the evolution of Black people in tech, the relationship between racial equality and national security, and the vital role of imagination and dreaming in ensuring that Black people fully embrace our divine right to innovate.

In this episode of From Chains to Links, Kelly Burton and Ifeoma Ike sit down with Katrina Gamble, a political and movement strategist and social scientist, to explore what research reveals about how Black people view the state of our political systems. We explore what Black voters want and need, how to keep political momentum going after elections, and the critical importance of investing in movements beyond just “get out the vote” efforts. It’s a powerful conversation about the future of Black political power and strategy that you absolutely don’t want to miss.

Join Kelly and Ify in a lively, fast-paced episode of From Chains to Links, where they go back and forth with podcast regular political commentator and NYT bestseller Bakari Sellers. The trio dives into everything, from the crucial difference between pepper sauce and hot sauce to serious discussions about the U.S. Supreme Court, elections, and civil rights. Along the way, they tease, laugh, and unapologetically talk shit. It’s a perfect blend of humor and hard-hitting conversations you won’t want to miss!

In this Bonus Episode, uncover the origin story behind a podcast that’s more than just conversations—it’s a transformative space for Black voices to discuss healing, innovation, and community. Dive into the powerful journey of going from “chains to links,” where storytelling becomes a tool for collective growth and discourse. Explore the complexities of Black Excellence, entrepreneurship, and the unique challenges faced by the Black community. Join Kelly Burton and Ifeoma Ike as they invite trailblazers who are redefining innovation and reclaiming spaces, all while navigating the fullness of their identities. This season is a celebration of resilience, creativity, and the power of coming together.

The Civil Rights Movement is not the only Black movement, but it stands out with distinction for many reasons, including the way activism was more visible, thanks advancements in television usage and access which made the realities of segregation and brutality towards Black lives hard to ignore. Movements have proven to be both inspiring and have yielded some gains, but debates around how effective they are can prove to be emotional and tense. As with the rise of modern Black movements since the fatal tragedy of the murder of Trayvon Martin, questions around the purpose of sustainability of racial justice movements continue to spark passion and differences in theory and goals within Black spaces.  

Season 1 of From Chains to Links concludes with a spirited conversation with attorney, political commentator and New York Times bestseller, Bakari Sellers, exploring the following questions: Do we need a modern day civil rights movement, and if so, how do we build it? Who leads the movement? And how do we tap into a sense of unified purpose to continue the progress of past movements?

The Digital and Innovation Economy is in the midst of a technological revolution—one in which Black people have the best chance of not only getting in the water, but on the front side of the wave. Emerging Black technologists face new terrains as pioneers among pioneers, as well as old habits and beliefs which aren’t welcoming to the possibilities of an inclusive digital landscape. Nevertheless, breakthroughs happen, thanks to trailblazers committed to not being the only Black visionary in a still very undiversified world. 

Digital creator and Glow Up Games co-founder, Latoya Peterson, shares with the From Chains to Links her pioneering journey in new media and gaming provides major keys for how rising talent can succeed in the digital economy while still being authentic to themselves and the culture.

The height of the COVID-19 pandemic made folks aware of a very rare fact: our modern understanding of vaccines is because of an underknown man named Onesimus. Sold into slavery and gifted to a Puritan Minister, it was observed that Onesimus was unscathed by ravenous smallpox taking the lives of colonizers in the late 1700s. Onesimus shared how in his home country on the Continent of Africa they administered an inoculation, which shielded him from the disease. This precursor to the modern day vaccine would ultimately save countless lives through the American colonies…and that knowledge is still saving lives today.

From medicine to fashion, violence, theft and erasure has resulted in Black contributions being intentionally invisible, treating Black communities as foreigners to their own innovations. To add insult to injury, Black culture and indigenous and native ways of being—often an offspring of being and survival—are praised when others adopt and appropriate with no attribution to Black genius. Sustainability influencer, writer, and environmental justice educator Dominique Drakeford explores with From Chains to Links how we ensure that the current and future generations of innovators are able to make their mark—and possess it.

We’re celebrating the middle of our launch season with a special conversation with our very own co-host Ifeoma Ike, author of The Equity Mindset. Ifeoma shares why she developed a gumbo of interviews, practical tools, and disruptive strategies to support those invested in building spaces where marginalized communities are ignored and harmed. Providing a vulnerable account of writing with a disability, maneuvering the publishing world, and creating space for underlooked equity architects, Ifeoma’s journey is a must for visionaries and entrepreneurs alike seeking to use words to spark change.

Society makes it hard for Black people to imagine liberation or freedom outside of our experience in White America. Because so much of our existence is a product of resistance and survival, even our creative spaces consciously and subconsciously speak to a relationship with oppression or designing solutions to issues Black people didn’t create. But if we could imagine a “state of nature” outside of racism or white supremacy—one that does not limit our fullness to narrow, exoticized or romanticized tropes of our African origins or American journey, but rather pays homage to and embodies them—what might that look like? And how might we reverse-engineer back (or forward) into a fresh and compelling vision for ourselves? From Chains to Links sits with the brilliant Intelligent Mischief team – Aisha Shillingford, Artistic Director and Terry Marshall, Founder & Executive Creative Director who share how imagining whole, well Black beings is a crucial part of visioning and world building.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) has been a staple of corporate America for the past several decades, with peak attention at the height of movements challenging the lack of safety of Black lives post the murder of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in 2020. At an unprecedented rate, Black leadership was visible across industries and as a result, institutions began confronting generations-old practices which created barriers for marginalized communities. But as power concedes nothing, “anti-woke” efforts conspired assaults all the way up to the Supreme Court. Furthermore, many racial justice advocates have long called out the shortcomings of DEI and its cousin affirmative action—neither of which have remedied the second-class citizenry of Black people in America. Thus, our first episode tackles the real question: “what’s next for racial justice advancement?”

From Chains to Links kicks off with policy expert, professor and Senior Fellow at Brookings Institute, Dr. Andre M. Perry, author of the book Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America’s Black Cities.