The Giving Black Podcast

Olumide Akerewusi

The Giving Black Podcast promotes Black philanthropy and spotlights generosity in all its forms in the global Black community.  Listen to interviews that honour the culture and tradition of giving among Black people from the African continent, to the Caribbean, Europe, the Americas and across the globe. I am your host, Olumide Akerewusi. Here's a bit about me: I am Founder and CEO of agentsC Inc., an international company delivering fundraising, philanthropy, and social change solutions to organizations across the world.  I've spent 30 years working with major philanthropists, corporations, and grant-making foundations as well as charities to grow their impact. I am also a Black philanthropist.  I hope you enjoy this podcast, which will serve as an archive of wonderful and inspiring stories about Black generosity. You can learn more about Giving Black by visiting our website at: www.givingblack.ca.  Philanthropy Is The Heartbeat Of The World!

  1. 1D AGO

    Olumide Akerewusi: How and Why I Became a Fundraiser

    In this Episode of The Giving Black Podcast, you host Olumide Akerewusi explains how he entered into fundraising as a career and what he has learned about generosity along the way. This podcast is about the importance of using ones voice to speak out against injustice and overcoming hardship with a determination to do good. The podcast is also available on video: https://youtu.be/a-1T2IhsQ_U?si=DhJ6xdTpQ5WPyRiz

    30 min
  2. The Producers Gleaux and Tell Series: Betting on Ourselves - Building Empires, Co-creating the Future, and Transforming Criticism Into Fuel. Dorian Spears.

    1D AGO

    The Producers Gleaux and Tell Series: Betting on Ourselves - Building Empires, Co-creating the Future, and Transforming Criticism Into Fuel. Dorian Spears.

    Hi Giving Black Family, We hope you enjoy this amazing episode of The Giving Black Podcast, with Queen Jade, your Host of The Producers Series: Gleaux & Tell.  In this episode, Queen Jade speaks with our friend and member of The Giving Black Family, Dorian Spears. Dorian appeared as a Spotlight Guest at The Giving Black Conference, 2024 where she spoke about the New Era of Black Philanthropy – Shaping the Future of Black Generosity. Dorian is an entrepreneur, strategist, and leader, building the empire of her dreams, known for her brilliance, and a bold commitment to creating a future rooted in equity and possibility. Dorian inspires us by consistently betting on herself, navigating work and life transitions, and redefining success on her own terms. In this conversation, Dorian and Queen Jade celebrate Black women’s power in shaping what comes next, especially during uncertain and unpredictable times. Curiosity, learning, and freely sharing knowledge are gifts that shape our legacy. Legacy isn’t what we leave behind, it’s what we give now. Queen Jade and Dorian explore what it means to move boldly toward the goals that matter. Raised in the South, Dorian learned how assumptions shape lives. Her travels across the U.S. and the world sharpened her ability to see humanity clearly while navigating life as a Black woman. After years of working with billionaire philanthropists and gathering their insights, she is now focused on building her own initiatives. She brings her gifts forward through powerful questions and collective action. Her inspiring quote to women: “You are the one you’ve been waiting for. Everything you need is already within you.”, leaves us with a powerful ethos to live by.

    46 min
  3. The Producers Gleaux and Tell Series: Empathy as Strategy - How Centering Empathy Unlocks Innovation, Equity, and Sustainable Impact. MIchael Tennant

    1D AGO

    The Producers Gleaux and Tell Series: Empathy as Strategy - How Centering Empathy Unlocks Innovation, Equity, and Sustainable Impact. MIchael Tennant

    Hi Giving Black Family, We are glad to share another brilliant episode of The Giving Black Podcast, with Queen Jade, your Host of The Producers Series: Gleaux & Tell.  In this Episode, Queen Jade speaks with Michael Tennant, the founder of Curiosity Lab and creator of the card game Actually Curious™ and The Five Phases of Empathy™, an award-winning brand strategist, he has worked with P&G, Coca-Cola, Google, Oatly, and Delta, and has spoken on empathy at NASA, IDEO, Johns Hopkins, and Lincoln Financial Group. Michael is also the author of The Power of Empathy (named one of Inc.’s Best Business Books of 2024) and a contributing writer for Oprah Daily and Inc. Magazine. Through his frameworks, Michael helps teams build trust, uncover opportunities, and reframe challenges as roadmaps for innovation. This is a deep conversation about the importance of knowing ourselves, shifting power, reframing challenges, and building trust as the foundation for generational wealth. People who pride themselves on working hard often sacrifice their own well-being. Yet offering ourselves grace and meaningful self-care can sharpen our awareness of what is truly happening around us. As Michael notes, fundraising requires lowering our egos enough to really see and hear others. Michael shares his observation that there are genuine gaps in how philanthropy and fundraising pursue their missions and how they relate to the people they aim to support. We must take time to understand what sits behind the numbers, the hesitation, or the silence built into systems of counting and measuring fundraising and philanthropy. This is a conversation that all social change agents must listen to.

    49 min
  4. The Producers Gleaux and Tell Series: Jason Teeters - Rest as Resistance: Redesigning Leadership, Reclaiming Balance, and Reimagining the Systems that Shape Us.

    11/28/2025

    The Producers Gleaux and Tell Series: Jason Teeters - Rest as Resistance: Redesigning Leadership, Reclaiming Balance, and Reimagining the Systems that Shape Us.

    Giving Black Family, Thank you for listening to this episode of The Giving Black Podcast with Queen Jade, your Host of The Producers Series: Gleaux & Tell.  Queen Jade speaks with an inspiring Black social entrepreneur,  Jason Teeters. He's a visionary innovator, emergent strategist, and founder of Jet Set State (JSS) — a people-centered design company reimagining leadership for the modern world. Through his work, Jason helps organizations break silos, nurture creativity, and drive systemic change rooted in empathy and intention. His approach draws on principles of human-centered design, challenging leaders to decenter ego, honor interdependence, and build systems where rest and reflection are as vital as action. From boardrooms to grassroots initiatives, Jason’s work reminds us that innovation is born from stillness, and true leadership begins with self-restoration. Jason’s reminder is both simple and profound — that rest is design. It’s how we restore balance, resist systems that demand constant motion, and reclaim our right to breathe, build, and belong. The world will always ask for more. But we have the power to redefine what “enough” looks like — to lead from fullness, not fatigue. Queen Jade reminds us, Rest is Resistance. Stillness is strength. And in your quietest moments — you gleaux!

    58 min
  5. The Producers: Gleaux & Tell Series With Queen Jade

    11/17/2025

    The Producers: Gleaux & Tell Series With Queen Jade

    Giving Black Family It's the time of year when I find myself listening more intently to my body and my mind. Both of which are telling me it is time to take a break.  It has been a long and arduous six months that I have devoted to producing Series Two of The Giving Black Podcast, planning and delivering The Giving Conference, organizing The Giving Black Soirée, and researching and releasing the Fundraising While Black report. I am taking time to replenish. Rather than put away the podcast mic, as I have done in the past, I am passing it on. The very first person who came to my mind to receive the mic was, Queen Jade - a dear Sister-Friend, a dynamic social-entrepreneur, and an incredible advocate for Afrocentric philanthropy. Queen Jade first joined us in Series One, Episode 11 of The Giving Black Podcast and also co-hosted The Giving Black Conference in 2024. She's not a  stranger to Giving Black and most importantly, she has a lot to share about Black philanthropy. In this Episode of the Giving Black Podcast, Queen Jade speaks about coalescing within Black community, reminding us to value ourselves and each as a form of honouring our ancestors and their work in resisting oppression and seeking freedom.  Queen Jade and her guests will Gleaux & Tell about Black Philanthropy for the next three episodes of The Giving Black Podcast.

    17 min
  6. Sankofa: Remember, Reclaim, Rise - Let's Talk About Boards and Governance

    11/13/2025

    Sankofa: Remember, Reclaim, Rise - Let's Talk About Boards and Governance

    Hey Giving Black Family Here is the closing interview of Series Two of The Giving Black Podcast.  This conversation is with Christal M. Cherry Founder of Board Pro a consulting firm that supports non-profit governance boards to adopt new skills and tools for non-profit leadership.  Christal is a nationally recognized nonprofit consultant, speaker, fellow co-author of Collecting Courage, and board leadership expert with almost three decades of experience igniting change across higher education, human services, and faith-based organizations.  Christal serves on the boards of several Atlanta-based nonprofits and is the proud Founder and Chair of F3: Fabulous Female Fundraisers Inc., a collective that supports Women of Colour in fundraising to achieve personal and professional support.  Christal was a guest on this year's Giving Black Conference, as we spoke about agentsC's latest research, Fundraising While Black.  I learned so much about the ins-and-outs of board governance from Christal and I hope you will too. My key takeaway was an intriguing question for boards and frankly, all gatherings - the question: "What are you carrying into this space that we need to honour?"  As well as our richly engaging conversation, this question still sits with me in relation to what I bring to gatherings that I believe need to be honoured, and how I honour those who contribute to my gatherings. #givingblack

    45 min
  7. The Giving Black Conference 2025 - Sankofa: Remember, Reclaim, Rise. Jason Glover

    09/23/2025

    The Giving Black Conference 2025 - Sankofa: Remember, Reclaim, Rise. Jason Glover

    Greetings, Giving Black Family, In this episode of The Giving Black Podcast, we return to our archives to share a previously unreleased conversation originally recorded for the Black Canadian Fundraisers Collective Capacity Building Academy. We bring it forward now to celebrate The Giving Black Conference 2025, as we continue to spotlight the power and impact of Black philanthropy. This recording is supported by a special essay I’ve written on Black Immigrant Philanthropy in the Global North, which will be published in the Giving Black Conference Program on October 9, 2025. I am joined by my friend, church brother, and philanthropist, Jason Glover. Jason is an active alumnus of the University of Toronto Scarborough, where he serves on the University Council. In 2024, he was appointed to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board. He also holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. Before beginning his post-secondary education, Jason served as an Armoured Crewman with the Canadian Forces Primary Reserve. Like many Black people who engage in philanthropy, Jason does not view himself as a “philanthropist.” As he puts it: “I feel I’m just a member of the community giving back to the community in ways that benefit other people.” Together, Jason and I reflect on how the word “philanthropist”, equally belongs to everyday people like him, as well as multi-millionaires like his friend, Sam Ibrahim, who made a $25 million donation to UofT Scarborough. Our conversation explores Jason’s motivations for making a major donation to his alma mater, where he established the Jason G. Glover Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award, after SAm Ibrahim's donation. Jason's endowed fund supports Black and Indigenous students facing financial hardship. His journey started as a student who depended on loans to pay his university education. He then became a volunteer, then a donor at the university. During the Black Lives Matter movement and the Reconciliation movement for Indigenous communities, Jason then decided to establish his fund by making a major donation.  Jason's story reminds us that Black philanthropy is not solely built on wealth—it’s about vision, responsibility, and a commitment to community that transforms lives. Jason quotes Jonathan Winters: "I couldn't wait for success, so I went ahead without it!".

    20 min
  8. The Black Philanthropy Month Series - Sankofa: Remember, Reclaim, Rise. Christopher Beck

    09/01/2025

    The Black Philanthropy Month Series - Sankofa: Remember, Reclaim, Rise. Christopher Beck

    Hello Giving Black Family,  Here is our final series of conversations to honour Black Philanthropy Month 2025 and celebrate our theme: Sankofa: Remember, Reclaim, Rise!  I sit down with my dear friend, Brother Christopher Beck, Associate Director of Individual and Planned Giving at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia—one of a few Black male fundraisers that I know, and a Member Spotlight of African American Development Officers Network (AADO).  As I often reflect, every time I speak with Brother Christopher, I never want the conversation to end. His knowledge is deep, his perspective wide, and his generosity and love for Black philanthropy is palpable.  Brother Christopher shares powerful insights on Black philanthropy as both tradition and strategy. He highlights the need to recognize our everyday acts of generosity as philanthropy. Education about wealth-building tools, including investments and land ownership, combined with sophisticated philanthropic vehicles such as Charitable Remainder Trusts and Charitable Lead Trusts are necessary and  important philanthropic resources and tools within the African American landscape of generosity. Black philanthropy through the lens of Sankofa: is about building stronger communities.  Drawing from the example of his father’s daily acts of sharing, Brother Christopher reminds us that wealth is deeply connected to generosity: “We’ve gotta get dirt in our name" to be secure in our philanthropy.  This conversation is both a celebration and a call to action—an inspiring close to our Sankofa series. To Connect with Christopher Beck you can reach him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisbeckone/  Philanthropy Is The Heartbeat Of The World! #blackphilanthropymonth #givingblack #backblack

    30 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Giving Black Podcast promotes Black philanthropy and spotlights generosity in all its forms in the global Black community.  Listen to interviews that honour the culture and tradition of giving among Black people from the African continent, to the Caribbean, Europe, the Americas and across the globe. I am your host, Olumide Akerewusi. Here's a bit about me: I am Founder and CEO of agentsC Inc., an international company delivering fundraising, philanthropy, and social change solutions to organizations across the world.  I've spent 30 years working with major philanthropists, corporations, and grant-making foundations as well as charities to grow their impact. I am also a Black philanthropist.  I hope you enjoy this podcast, which will serve as an archive of wonderful and inspiring stories about Black generosity. You can learn more about Giving Black by visiting our website at: www.givingblack.ca.  Philanthropy Is The Heartbeat Of The World!

Information

  • Creator
    Olumide Akerewusi
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Giving Black Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Giving Black Podcast