A Mixed Executive Perspective

Grace Fooden Correy
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Society & Culture

A Mixed Executive Perspective Podcast, hosted by Grace Fooden-Correy, explores identity, leadership, and belonging through the lived experience of a biracial woman navigating corporate America. Drawing from her personal life and career as a senior fashion executive, Grace shares honest stories and lessons about showing up authentically in spaces not built for you. This series offers visibility, validation, and real perspective for biracial professionals and anyone striving to lead, grow, and stay true to themselves.

  1. 2d ago

    When does “cultural fit” become corporate code for race

    Grace Fooden-Correy recounts helping a mostly white executive search firm recruit a leader for a Black-owned wellness brand. She immediately understood that “cultural fit” meant a Black candidate. But the deeper reckoning came when Grace caught herself repeating the same coded phrase. In this candid episode of A Mixed Executive Perspective, Grace explores mixed identity, executive hiring, workplace bias, belonging, and the pressure to mirror corporate language that does not tell the truth. She also confronts what it means to participate in a system you recognize as flawed, especially when challenging it could threaten your professional reputation. Audio Chapters and Time Codes 00:00 Mixed identity and belonging at work 01:10 A leadership search reveals the hidden assignment 02:13 What “cultural fit” really meant 03:36 When Grace repeated the coded language 04:42 Reputation, complicity, and corporate pressure 06:08 Choosing honesty and breaking the pattern

  2. Jul 22

    Why Pretending to Be Perfect Is Hurting Your Career

    What does pretending to be perfect cost you professionally and personally? In this episode of A Mixed Executive Perspective, Grace Fooden-Correy explores the pressure many mixed professionals, Black women, and women of color experience to appear more prepared, polished, and composed than everyone else. After several things went wrong before an important client meeting, Grace made a different choice. Instead of pretending everything was fine, she told the truth. The meeting still went well, and she discovered that acknowledging an imperfect moment made her feel more human and connected. Grace also reflects on being praised as “the exception” early in her corporate career and how that recognition created a standard of perfection that followed her for years. This candid conversation examines workplace perfectionism, mixed identity, authentic leadership, professional vulnerability, and the difference between being prepared and performing a false version of yourself. Because authenticity is not unprofessional. Pretending you never struggle can be. Audio Chapters 00:00 Welcome to A Mixed Executive Perspective 00:34 The Pressure to Perform Perfection 01:30 Choosing Honesty When Things Go Wrong 02:38 The Hidden Cost of Being “The Exception” 04:28 Why Authenticity Builds Connection 05:50 Progress Without Perfection

  3. Jul 15

    The Burden of Seeing Both Sides

    What does it cost emotionally to see multiple sides of a divided world? In this episode of A Mixed Executive Perspective, Grace Fooden-Correy shares the complex reality of being a mixed woman raised in white culture yet perceived by the world as Black. A photograph of a young Black woman surrounded by masked members of a white supremacist group forces Grace to confront two truths at once: the fear she feels as a Brown woman and her belief that even people whose views she rejects have the right to peacefully assemble. Grace connects that moment to childhood accusations that she thought she was white, her efforts to fit into white corporate culture, and the realization that parents may not always know what their mixed children are experiencing. This candid reflection explores mixed identity, racial belonging, allyship, corporate culture, systemic racism, and why seeing both sides can feel like both a gift and a burden. CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome to A Mixed Executive Perspective 00:46 The Photograph That Stayed with Grace 01:39 Holding Fear and Freedom at the Same Time 02:12 “She Thinks She’s White” 03:05 Fitting into White Corporate Culture 03:48 The Myth of a Post-Racial America 05:02 The Gift and Burden of Seeing Both Sides 06:00 Final Reflection: You Belong A Mixed Executive Perspective is a space for mixed people across race, ethnicity, nationality, and culture, as well as parents raising mixed children who are navigating identity, belonging, and how society perceives them. Listen, reflect, and share this episode with someone who needs a powerful reminder: You belong.

  4. Jul 8

    Changing Course Is Not Failure

    In this episode of A Mixed Executive Perspective, Grace Fooden Correy reflects on the pressure many people feel when they need to change direction in life. Through a powerful mentoring story, Grace explores family expectations, cultural identity, shame, and the courage it takes to admit that the path you are on may no longer be the right one. This conversation reminds listeners that changing schools, changing majors, or changing course does not mean failure. Sometimes it means growth. Sometimes it means self-awareness. And sometimes it means finally giving yourself permission to stop pretending that a path still fits when it no longer does. Grace also highlights the importance of mentorship and the quiet power of Black women supporting one another as they make decisions that may not follow the so-called perfect plan. Audio Chapters & Timecodes 00:00 Introduction 00:32 Understanding Mixed Identity Beyond Race 01:10 Mentoring Through Fear and Family Expectations 02:05 Grace’s Personal Experience Changing Schools 02:55 A Surprising Discovery About Her Mother 03:43 The Shame Around Changing Direction 04:35 Why Changing Course Is Human 05:20 Black Women, Mentorship, and Support 06:00 Closing Message: You Belong

  5. Jul 1

    Who Told You How to Belong?

    Who taught us what it means to fit in? In this episode of A Mixed Executive Perspective, Grace Fooden Correy examines how collective expectations can shape identity, success, and belonging. Drawing on ideas from Dr. Todd Rose’s Collective Illusions and her own career in fashion, Grace explores how style, status, and professional image can become tools for navigating corporate culture, especially for mixed-race professionals. This is a candid conversation about workplace belonging, identity at work, executive confidence, authenticity, and letting go of the pressure to perform for rooms that may never fully see you. What You’ll Learn How collective expectations influence workplace behavior and identityWhy professional image can become a strategy for belongingWhat changes when you choose authenticity over approval Audio Chapters & Time Codes 00:00 Welcome to A Mixed Executive Perspective 00:43 The collective illusion of fitting in 01:38 Fashion, identity, and belonging 03:22 Status symbols in corporate culture 04:48 Letting go of performative success 06:11 Experience reveals the pattern 07:20 Authenticity, confidence, and belonging 08:20 Closing, you belong

  6. Jun 24

    Are You Being Seen for Your Work, or Just Your Identity?

    In this episode of A Mixed Executive Perspective, Grace Fooden Correy examines what it feels like when people begin to see identity before they see your career, experience, and body of work. Grace shares a candid reflection on mixed identity, workplace perception, hair, fashion, authenticity, and the pressure professionals can face when moving between different cultural and professional spaces. This is not simply a conversation about appearance. It is about being recognized as a whole person, preserving your professional range, and refusing to let other people’s assumptions define the opportunities available to you. A necessary listen for mixed professionals, Black and multicultural leaders, allies, parents, and anyone navigating how identity is read in the workplace. What You’ll Learn: How identity-based assumptions can lead to professional pigeonholing Why personal presentation can become a strategic workplace decision How to protect authenticity without losing professional visibility or opportunity Audio Chapters & Timecodes 00:00 Introduction 01:05 When Identity Starts Overshadowing Experience 02:08 Hair, Fashion, and Workplace Perception 04:42 Why “Just Be Yourself” Is Not Enough 06:12 Protecting Your Full Professional Identity 07:06 Closing

  7. Jun 17

    Can AI Help Mixed Leaders Be Heard?

    In this episode of A Mixed Executive Perspective, Grace Fooden-Correy examines how AI can help leaders communicate with clarity without surrendering their voice, identity, or lived experience. Through the lens of mixed identity, corporate culture, and belonging, Grace reflects on the pressure to translate yourself in professional spaces and how technology can support communication when used with intention. What You’ll Learn: • How AI can become a tool for communication, not a replacement for thought • Why does corporate culture often force mixed leaders to adjust how they are heard • How to protect your original idea while making your message more accessible Audio Chapters and Timecodes: 0:00 Introduction to A Mixed Executive Perspective 0:45 AI, Identity, and Translation 1:20 Corporate Culture and Learning to Soften the Edges 2:10 The Cost of Being Misread 2:50 How Grace Uses AI as a Communication Tool 3:35 Protecting the Original Idea 4:05 Translation as the Last Mile 5:00 Closing: You Belong

  8. Jun 10

    Why Are Mixed Executives Still Invisible at Work?

    In this episode of A Mixed Executive Perspective, Grace Fooden-Correy explores why mixed-race celebrities, athletes, and politicians are often publicly recognized, while mixed-race executives and business professionals remain far less visible. Grace reflects on corporate assimilation, workplace safety, leadership, belonging, and the pressure mixed professionals can feel hiding parts of their identity in order to advance. She also looks at how younger mixed-race communities are using social media to talk openly about hair, identity, culture, and the questions they still face. This episode challenges corporate culture to make room for difference, not just tolerate sameness. Audio Chapters 00:00 Welcome 00:50 Famous mixed-race visibility 01:35 Where are the mixed executives? 02:10 Public identity versus corporate silence 02:40 Assimilation at work 03:20 Safety and advancement 04:15 Social media and the next generation 05:00 Identity questions that still remain 06:05 Mixed identity around the world 07:00 Normalizing difference at work 07:43 Closing reflection 08:20 You belong

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

A Mixed Executive Perspective Podcast, hosted by Grace Fooden-Correy, explores identity, leadership, and belonging through the lived experience of a biracial woman navigating corporate America. Drawing from her personal life and career as a senior fashion executive, Grace shares honest stories and lessons about showing up authentically in spaces not built for you. This series offers visibility, validation, and real perspective for biracial professionals and anyone striving to lead, grow, and stay true to themselves.

Information

  • Creator
    Grace Fooden Correy
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2024 A BLACK EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this podcast may be reproduced without prior written permission. For permissions, email tt@tonytidbit.com
  • Show Website
    A Mixed Executive Perspective