Épisodes

  • Finding the Funny & Redefining Black Masculinity

    Finding the Funny & Redefining Black Masculinity
    Nov 12 2025
    In this episode of The Bridge to U Podcast, I sit down with the amazing Kiara “Kiki” Walker — a powerhouse producer, storyteller, and podcast host. Kiara is the co-host of the wildly popular CockTales: Dirty Discussions, a sex-positive comedy show turned national tour, and the host and producer of XO Man, a groundbreaking podcast exploring Black masculinity through the voices of celebrity Black men. We talk about how humor became her healing tool, what it takes to create authentic conversations in podcasting, and how she uses curiosity to go beyond assumptions and make her guests feel truly seen. From her stories about CockTales to the behind-the-scenes of XO Man, Kiara shows us what it looks like to hold space for vulnerability, laughter, and cultural truth. You’ll walk away with insights on: How finding the funny helps us heal and grow. Why too many voices can lead to “manufactured authenticity.” The gap XO Man is filling for Black men and their stories. What performance vs. message means when interviewing high-profile guests. The reality of building, scaling, and touring a podcast from scratch. About My Guest: Kiara “Kiki” Walker Host & Producer of XO Man Co-host of CockTales: Dirty Discussions Digital strategist and storyteller with 6+ years of experience Graduate of Howard University, background in media and journalism Cookbook author (Klassy-Baste), book club founder, and group travel host Follow Kiara here: CockTales Podcast Instagram: @kikisaidso XO Man on all podcast platforms If you loved this conversation, please share this episode with your community and on your favorite platforms. Don’t forget to subscribe to The Bridge to U Podcast and leave a review so more people can discover these transformational conversations. Listen to the episode and share your biggest insight or learning moment. Connect with Monique Russell: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | Youtube Or email with feedback or questions: leadership@clearcommunicationsolutions.com Produced by Breadfruit Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    57 min
  • What Black Families Teach Us About Leadership — If We Question the Question

    What Black Families Teach Us About Leadership — If We Question the Question
    Oct 1 2025
    What would happen if you stopped building teams and started building connections? In this powerful episode, Nikki Pounds, speaker, Goldman Sachs alum, founder of HR Unequivocally, and author of The Leader Who Cares teaches us that teams that are connected have more fun. And fun is the fruit of trust. When Nikki Pounds told me about her siblings, I was instantly inspired. Six siblings. 60+ years of unity. Never once estranged. Not one falling out. Nikki brings her signature warmth and wisdom as she shares how family, unity, and intentional connection shape her leadership and business philosophy. Together, we explore: Family as Strategy. Her father built a business with $32 and her mother’s support at 2am. That blueprint, persistence + partnership is the same one we need in business. Money is not the foundation. Connection is. Boundaries are Love. In her family, siblings ask permission before giving advice. “Can I share something with you?” That’s a model for psychological safety because boundaries create belonging and when they aren’t supported with accountability, they are rarely enforced. Question the Question. Nikki’s TED Talk reminds us: assumptions show up in the smallest phrases. “When are you getting married?” “When’s the next child?” We do the same in the workplace: “When will you get promoted?” “Why aren’t you leading yet?” These narrow questions push people into boxes. The better question? “What’s exciting for you right now?” Open questions unlock authentic leadership. Black Cultures Are Not a Monolith. Even twins aren’t identical in their experiences. The same is true across African, Afro-Latin, Caribbean, and African American communities. Leaders who flatten us into “sameness” miss the richness of legacy and difference. Here’s the deeper connection: The way you honor your family is the way you build your culture at work. If you celebrate birthdays with intention, celebrate wins at work with intention. If you don’t cross boundaries at home, don’t cross them at work. If you check assumptions at the dinner table, check them in your boardroom. Nikki’s story of her entrepreneurial family, her insights on HR strategy, and her call to laugh more and take ourselves less seriously remind us all that connection is the foundation of care, culture, and transformation. Listen to the episode and share your biggest insight or learning moment. Connect with Monique Russell: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | Youtube Or email with feedback or questions: leadership@clearcommunicationsolutions.com Produced by Breadfruit Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    44 min
  • The Right to Be Forgotten: Preserving Black Memory with Dominique Luster

    The Right to Be Forgotten: Preserving Black Memory with Dominique Luster
    Sep 3 2025
    In this powerful episode, I interview archival consultant and memory worker Dominique Luster to explore the sacred responsibility of preserving Black stories. From the emotional complexity of storytelling to the importance of naming our grandmothers, this conversation dives into legacy, lineage, and the radical act of remembrance. You’ll walk away with deep insight into how personal history shapes identity—and how to become an active participant in your own story. Key Takeaways: Why “intent doesn’t equal impact” in storytelling The spiritual and emotional power of knowing your ancestors by name How family naming patterns and inherited roles shape our identities The archival process of deciding what is preserved—and what is forgotten What Dominique learned from a 90-year-old WWII veteran about legacy and courage Listen to the episode and share your biggest insight or learning moment. Connect with Dominique Luster: LinkedIn | Instagram Connect with Monique Russell: ⁠⁠LinkedIn ⁠⁠| ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠| ⁠⁠Youtube⁠ Or email with feedback or questions: ⁠leadership@clearcommunicationsolutions.com⁠ Produced by Breadfruit Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    40 min
  • Anger Is Not the Enemy: Healing, Boundaries & Emotional Truth

    Anger Is Not the Enemy: Healing, Boundaries & Emotional Truth
    Aug 6 2025
    In this powerful and heartfelt episode, we're joined by Karimah Cornelius-Stith, Certified Sex Therapist, Anger Management Specialist, and CEO of New Reflections Therapeutic Services. Hailing from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Karimah brings deep cultural insight, spiritual grounding, and clinical expertise to a topic that’s often misunderstood: anger. We explore the emotional, spiritual, and physical costs of unprocessed anger—especially within Black and Caribbean communities. From her faith-based beginnings in St. Croix to her work with trauma survivors and couples, Karimah breaks down why anger is a signal, not a sin. We talk about the shame and guilt often connected to intimacy and emotion, the difference between venting and healing, and how suppressed feelings can show up in our relationships, bodies, and communities. You’ll also learn: The difference between expressing anger and weaponizing it Why therapy is not the same as talking to friends The right (and wrong) way to apologize What "shake therapy" is and how it helps you release tension How to identify emotions when language feels out of reach If you’ve ever been told you’re “too much,” if you’re navigating a legacy of silence, or if you're ready to feel without judgment—this episode is your invitation to begin. Listen to the episode and share your biggest insight or learning moment. Connect with Karimah Cornelius - Stith: LinkedIn | Website Connect with Monique Russell: ⁠LinkedIn ⁠| ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Facebook ⁠| ⁠Youtube Or email with feedback or questions: leadership@clearcommunicationsolutions.com Produced by Breadfruit Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    40 min
  • Coaching Without the Fluff: What It’s Really Like to Work With Me

    Coaching Without the Fluff: What It’s Really Like to Work With Me
    Jul 9 2025
    If you’ve ever wondered what coaching with me is actually like, this episode is for you. I break down my process, my frameworks, and why the transformations my clients experience aren’t surface-level hype, but deep, embodied shifts. From emotional intelligence to cultural healing, from executive presence to releasing shame, you’ll hear how we do the real work, and why it lasts. Whether you're a high-achieving leader, a mother in transition, or someone tired of performative change, this episode invites you to cross the bridge from overwhelm to integration. Listen to the episode and share your biggest insight or learning moment. Connect with Monique Russell: LinkedIn | Instagram | Website Or email with feedback or questions: leadership@clearcommunicationsolutions.com Produced by ⁠Breadfruit Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    23 min
  • Redefining What’s Possible for Black Women in Work and Life

    Redefining What’s Possible for Black Women in Work and Life
    Jun 11 2025
    I sat down with powerhouse strategist, scholar-practitioner, and cultural architect Dr. Kerry Mitchell Brown to explore what it truly takes to lead with equity, dismantle harmful leadership models, and redefine what’s possible for Black women at work and in life. Dr. Kerry pulls back the curtain on the quiet (and not-so-quiet) systems that block progress—and how Black executive women can lead, not just by climbing the ladder, but by redesigning it. She shares her personal story of navigating a finance-driven career path, the moment she realized there was no clear lane for someone like her, and how that discovery sparked a lifelong mission to challenge systems from the inside out. Key Takeaways: Organizations are perfectly designed to get the results they get, but they can be redesigned for justice and inclusion. Black women in America face systemic erasure masked as opportunity. Many were hired during the post-2020 equity surge, and are now disproportionately being let go. Quiet disruptors exist. You don’t need to shout to make change; you need strategy, timing, and courage. Privilege exists even in struggle. Recognizing our relative privilege is key to building braver spaces rooted in trust and equity. Financial literacy = personal power. Listen to the episode and share your biggest insight or learning moment. Connect with Dr. Kerry Mitchell-Brown: LinkedIn | IG: @DrKerryMBrown Connect with Monique Russell: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | Youtube Or email with feedback or questions: leadership@clearcommunicationsolutions.com Produced by Breadfruit Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    40 min
  • Core Values: How to Align Your Life, Build Trust, and Lead with Integrity

    Core Values: How to Align Your Life, Build Trust, and Lead with Integrity
    Feb 5 2025
    Knowing your values is the key to building trust, creating meaningful connections, and maintaining integrity in everything you do. In this episode, I explore: How to identify your core values using simple reflection questions. Why living in alignment with your values builds confidence and peace of mind. How values strengthen trust and collaboration in teams, families, and communities. Practical strategies to help your team, organization, or family clarify and live by shared values. Challenge for the Week: Take time to reflect on your core values. Ask yourself: What do I want to be known for? When have I felt most proud or out of alignment? How can I live my values more consistently in my daily actions? Listen to the episode and share your biggest insight or learning moment. Connect with Monique Russell: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | Youtube Or email with feedback or questions: leadership@clearcommunicationsolutions.com Produced by Breadfruit Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    13 min
  • The Power of Consistency: Sustaining Growth in 2025

    The Power of Consistency: Sustaining Growth in 2025
    Jan 8 2025
    Welcome to the first episode of Bridge to U in 2025! In this episode, I explore: Why Consistency Matters The Role of Habits Systems That Reinforce Habits The Power of Community Key Takeaways: “The connections you have are part of the solution.” Showing up for others creates a ripple effect of trust, healing, and progress. Habits are quiet yet powerful, compounding over time into extraordinary outcomes. Systems reduce pressure, making it easier to maintain consistency and avoid burnout. Community is the ultimate catalyst for transformation—don’t try to thrive in isolation. Your Challenge for 2025: Identify one person in your life who might need support. Reach out to them—not with advice or solutions, but with presence. Say, “Take your time,” or “I’m here if you need me.” Let them know they’re not alone. This episode will inspire you to: Recommit to small habits that drive lasting change. Build systems that make success inevitable. Lean into community as a source of strength and accountability. Let’s make 2025 the year we show up fully—for ourselves, for others, and for the communities we’re building. Listen to the episode and share your biggest insight or learning moment. Connect with Monique Russell: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | Youtube Or email with feedback or questions: leadership@clearcommunicationsolutions.com Produced by Breadfruit Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    26 min