Steve Grove, a former Google executive and current Star Tribune leader, joins Chanda Smith Baker on 'Conversations with Chanda' to discuss his new book, 'How I Found Myself in the Midwest.' Listen as Steve dives into his personal journey of reinvention, the challenges and triumphs faced in his career transitions, and the unique community dynamics in Minnesota. Discover how local stories of hope and innovation can inspire broader societal change.

Guests Danielle Mkali and Lavasha Smith of Nexus Community Partners, and recipient Tari Sudduth, join Chanda Smith Baker to unpack the $50K Open Road Fund. Seeded by a $50M Bush Foundation grant, it’s redefining wealth, honoring Black futures, and repairing harm through direct investment in descendants of the transatlantic slave trade.

https://nexuscp.org/
2025 applications are now open! Apply by July 21, 2025, 11:59 pm CT.

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 democracy. Flanagan also explores the challenges of motherhood and balancing personal and professional life while emphasizing collective action and storytelling.

Mentions:
Representative Esther Agbaje
Paul Wellstone
Trista Harris
Rena Moran
Senator Bobby Joe Champion
V3 Sports
Ascension Church
General Mills
Jim Wallace
Governor Walz

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 storytelling. She shares what it means to lead as a Black woman in corporate America, the importance of diverse mentorship, and key insights from her book The Myth of the Fearless Leader. This episode explores how acknowledging fear can strengthen leadership, build trust, and drive authentic growth.

To purchase book:
https://a.co/d/2BqlKM3

https://www.drtonyajackmanhampton.com/
IG @drtonyajackmanhampton_author

https://conversationswithchanda.com/
IG @chandasbaker & @conversationswithchanda

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 reflects on his decades-long career, the crisis of George Floyd’s murder, and the decisions that defined his legacy — including the extraordinary choice to testify against an officer in his own department.

Together, they explore the personal cost of doing what’s right, the limits of reform from within, and the role of moral clarity in moments of national reckoning. Drawing on their long-standing partnership in community, Chanda and Chief Rondo go beyond headlines to examine what it means to lead with humanity when everything is on the line.

To Pre-Order Book: Out on May 13th!
Chief Rondo: Securing Justice for the Murder of George Floyd

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IG @chandasbaker & @conversationswithchanda

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 and step boldly into their purpose. Girl Scouts River Valleys: https://www.girlscoutsrv.org/ Luvvie Ajayi Jones Books: https://luvvie.org/books/ https://conversationswithchanda.com/ IG @chandasbaker & @conversationswithchanda Twitter/X: @chandasbaker

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 can transform pain into profound social change. Discover radical strategies for healing, leadership, and reimagining government that will challenge everything you thought you knew about survival. Centre for Public Impact: https://centreforpublicimpact.org/ www.conversationswithchanda.com IG @chandasbaker & @conversationswithchanda Twitter/X: @chandasbaker