Conversations with Chanda
Conversations with Chanda isn’t just a podcast — it’s a movement. Hosted by powerhouse CEO, philanthropist, and unapologetic truth-teller Chanda Smith Baker, this award-winning show cuts through the noise to confront the issues that shape our world: race, power, leadership, justice, and philanthropy. With a fearless voice and a deeply personal lens, Chanda brings listeners into raw, unfiltered conversations with national changemakers like, Robin DiAngelo, PhD, Luvvie Ajayi Jones, Caroline Wanga, and Ibram X. Kendi, as well as the bold Twin Cities leaders shaking up business, community, and culture. Whether it's pushing past politeness or unpacking the quiet power behind real change, Conversations with Chanda is where leadership gets real — and personal. This is not just a listen. It’s a call to lead. Subscribe and download now — your next breakthrough starts here.
Show episodes
In this episode, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan shares her inspiring leadership journey and discusses the influences of her upbringing by strong women. She highlights the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in public service, the power of community, and the role of hope and activism in sustaining democra
Join Chanda Smith Baker in a powerful conversation with Dr. Tonya Jackman Hampton—a seasoned HR executive, author, and transformational leader. Raised in Minnesota, Tonya reflects on her family legacy, including her grandfather’s founding of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, and how it shaped her belief in the power of
In this powerful episode of Conversations with Chanda, former Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria “Rondo” Arradondo joins Chanda Smith Baker for an unflinching and deeply personal conversation about leadership, justice, and the weight of public service. As the first Black police chief in Minneapolis, Chief Arradondo refle
Unleash Your Inner Troublemaker: A Conversation with Marisa C. Williams and Luvvie Ajayi Jones
In this episode of Conversations with Chanda, Girl Scouts River Valleys CEO Marisa C. Williams and four-time bestselling author Luvvie Ajayi Jones shatter the myths of perfectionism and self-doubt. They dive into the transformative power of borrowed courage, revealing how women and girls can silence their inner critic
Sharon Bush, President of Grand Victoria Foundation, joins Chanda Smith Baker to challenge leadership norms. She reveals why sometimes the most radical act is choosing stillness over noise. Learn how an introverted leader transforms communities by listening deeply, building strategic power, and centering Black abundanc
Pierre Berastaín, Regional Director of CPI Center for Public Impact, is a Harvard-educated, gay Latino immigrant who turns personal barriers into blueprints for social transformation. In this raw, powerful conversation, he dismantles systemic barriers through personal resilience, revealing how marginalized communities
