The Chavis Chronicles

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.