Can better leadership unlock a trillion-dollar opportunity?

Organizations say they value inclusion, but why are so many still losing talented people? Leadership consultant Merary Simeon argues the answer isn't another diversity statement. It's sponsorship, accountability and leaders willing to create workplaces where everyone can thrive.

In this episode of This Conversation Matters, Merary shares her own journey from a first-generation college student from Puerto Rico to a corporate leader at PepsiCo and now co-founder of Zera Consulting and the What Rules?! podcast. We discuss the hidden rules of corporate America, why sponsorship matters more than mentorship, how organizations can retain diverse talent, and what leaders get wrong about building an inclusive culture.

Whether you lead a team, hope to advance your own career, or want to understand what great leadership looks like, this conversation offers practical insights for today's changing workplace.

Bonus video on Youtube @ShereeCurryMedia. Other episodes wherever you find your podcasts.

In This Conversation Matters promo clip, Dr. Ronnie Gladden, author of "White Girl Within," discusses the research revealing how transracial identities may be more nature than nurture. When Rachel Dolezal exploded onto the scene as someone who identifies as Black although born to white parents, he says the issue was reduced to a meme.

For the full episode, visit @ShereeCurryMedia on YouTube or wherever you find your podcasts.

Dr. Ronnie Gladden describes being transgender and transracial and writes about having a "white girl identity" in the book White Girl Within: Letters of Self-Discovery Between a Transgender and Transracial Black Man and His Inner Female.

In this episode of This Conversation Matters, Ronnie and host Sheree Curry discuss race, identity, belonging and self-definition. The conversation explores how Ronnie came to identify as white and female despite being born Black and male, the concept of transracial identity, and how identity can be shaped by culture, experience and personal understanding.

We also discuss Rachel Dolezal, Jessica Krug and Raquel Evita Saraswati, whose stories sparked national conversations about race and identity.

While published for Pride Month, at its heart, this conversation asks a larger question: Who gets to define who we are?

For more episodes, subscribe @ShereeCurryMedia on YouTube or follow where ever you find your podcasts.

This episode promo clip highlights the challenges faced by people of color and women in the film industry. It emphasizes the importance of building relationships and overcoming barriers to entry.

Find the full episode on YouTube @ShereeCurryMedia or on podcast platforms. Search for This Conversation Matters.

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.

Follow This Conversation Matters on YouTube @ShereeCurryMedia or wherever you find your podcasts

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