In this episode of This Conversation Matters, Emmy Award-winning actor, producer and WestBone Productions founder Leonard Searcy discusses how relationships create opportunities, why talented people are often overlooked, and how networking can open doors in film, business and beyond. Through his MegaMixer event, Searcy is helping connect creatives, entrepreneurs and professionals who might otherwise never meet. Plus, a special reading from Shayla Michelle Reaves' of her first children's book Echo in the Distance.

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In this promo clip, Barbara Brandon Croft discusses the groundbreaking work of the first Black women cartoonists and the representation of Black characters in mainstream newspapers.

Full episode on YouTube at ShereeCurryMedia

Takeaways

• Jackie Ormes: Groundbreaking cartoonist

Black faces weren't always part of the comic strips found in mainstream American newspapers. In this episode speaks with the first Black woman cartoonist to achieve national syndication in the United States, Barbara Brandon-Croft. With This Conversation Matters host Sheree R. Curry, Barbara reflects on the pioneering legacy of her father, Brumsic Brandon Jr., creator of Luther, and her own groundbreaking comic strip, Where I'm Coming From.

For video, follow on YouTube @ShereeCurryMedia

This Conversation Matters episode also discusses the evolution of Black representation in mainstream newspapers, the power of comics to reflect everyday life, and how a generation of cartoonists helped broaden who readers saw on the comics page. Barbara also shares her journey from fashion journalism and magazine publishing to becoming a syndicated cartoonist whose work centered the voices and experiences of Black women.

From Luther to Where I'm Coming From, this conversation explores family legacy, media representation, and the artists who helped draw a more complete picture of America.

Guest: Barbara Brandon-Croft
Host: Sheree R. Curry

#ThisConversationMatters #BarbaraBrandonCroft #ComicStrips #Comics #Journalism #BlackHistory #Representation #Storytelling

Chapters

• 00:00 Pioneering Black Cartoonists
• 07:16 Challenges in the Journalism Industry
• 15:24 Transition to Cartooning and Syndication
• 26:21 Breaking into the Syndicates
• 35:24 Historical Context and Impact
• 47:01 The Book and Retrospective Exhibit
• 53:34 Influence and Legacy
• BONUS: McCall Vickers "Beyond The Story" interview with Samantha HoangLong

What happens when students see Black men as teachers instead of stereotypes? Watch full episode.
In this clip, Black Men Teach CEO Markus Flynn explains how representation in classrooms can challenge unconscious bias and reshape how students see leadership, race and themselves.

For the full episode, follow on YouTube @ShereeCurryMedia

Takeaways

• Media portrayal of Black men
• Impact of Black male teachers

In this conversation, host Sheree Curry speaks with Markus Flynn, CEO of Black Men Teach, about the urgent need for more Black male teachers in elementary school classrooms and the lasting impact they have on students of all backgrounds. Flynn shares his own unexpected path from studying epidemiology to becoming a classroom teacher and education leader, while reflecting on the power of representation, mentorship and belief in young people. The conversation explores how Black Men Teach is building a pipeline of future educators, supporting current teachers and helping reshape the narrative around who belongs in the classroom.

Takeaways

• Diversity in the Classroom
• Impact of Black Male Teachers

Chapters

• 00:00 The Journey to Teaching
• 07:33 Building a Supportive Environment
• 13:00 The Importance of Black Male Teachers
• 34:21 Supporting the Mission of Black Men Teach
  
  Visit Black Men Teach on the web at https://www.blackmenteach.org/
  
  Subscribe to This Conversation Matters on YouTube @ShereeCurryMedia or follow where ever you find your podcasts.

In this conversation, host Sheree Curry speaks with her sister, Aisha Curry Magee, about the disappearance of their younger sister, Athena Curry, who has been missing since 2011. Together, they discuss domestic violence, the lack of attention often given to missing Black women, grief, trauma, and the hope that one day Athena’s unsolved case will finally be resolved.

Takeaways

• Impact of Athena's Disappearance
• Trauma of Reliving the Story
• Domestic violence warning signs
• The emotional impact of unresolved grief
• Raising King and Athena's Legacy
• Role of Law Enforcement
• Need for Legislative Change

Chapters

• 00:00 Role of Law Enforcement and Legislative Change

This short promo conversation with the host's Mother covers the experience Vera Curry-James had when there was segregation in Alabama schools. Hear her full story in Episode 7 "Integration Is Like a Salad: My Mom on Growing Up in the Segregated South."

Subscribe where you find your podcasts or follow on YouTube @ShereeCurryMedia

Takeaways

• Segregation in schools
• Impact of civil rights movement

In this conversation, host Sheree Curry speaks with her mom, Vera Curry James, who reflects on growing up Black in segregated Alabama during the Jim Crow era and later attending an integrated school in Chicago. Vera discusses how those experiences shaped her career as an educator, her life as a mother, and her deep belief in the importance of integration, equality and belonging.

Takeaways

• Diversity in Education
• The Importance of Integration