On Episode 41 of Rich Lessons, Sevetri Wilson Taylor (Instagram.com/sevetriwilson) and Sheena Allen(Instagram.com/whoisSheena) talk with Karen Freeman-Wilson, former Indiana Attorney General, the first Black woman mayor of Gary, Indiana, and now President & CEO of the Chicago Urban League.

Karen opens up about growing up in Gary’s industrial heyday, witnessing its economic collapse, and leading through a $26 million budget loss on her first day as mayor. She breaks down the realities of running a predominantly Black city, confronting systemic bias, and rebuilding trust between citizens and government.

From redirecting Indiana’s tobacco settlement funds entirely to health initiatives to reshaping Chicago’s community narrative, Karen shares how leadership grounded in empathy and accountability can change outcomes. The conversation dives into today’s political climate, the quiet rollback of DEI, and her warning against what she calls “legislative genocide.”

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Show Notes:

(00:00) Intro & welcome

(01:18) Mini bio & firsts (AG; first Black woman mayor; now CUL CEO)

(02:47) Gary’s boom → decline snapshot

(04:44) Bias toward Black-majority cities explained

(07:12) Day-one $26M budget hit; “expect more” leadership

(11:06) AG wins: nursing homes reform; 100% tobacco funds → health

(14:17) Harvard story: grit & “finish what you start”

(18:30) Loss → Chicago Urban League; narrative + cross-sector work

(22:49) “Show up twice”: block + boardroom approach

(25:32) Today’s climate: values, DEI retreat, bill impacts (SNAP, schools, health, environment)

(33:19) Nonprofit response; job fair surge (3K in-person / 5K online)

(41:01) Rich Lesson: treat people how you want to be treated

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Rich Lessons Podcast // hosted by Sevetri Wilson Taylor and Sheena Allen

• Subscribe to Rich Lessons on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rich-lessons/id1787798124) and Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/40jGSUvVrMbxKcJ1ghE8kl)

• Watch and subscribe to Rich Lessons on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@richlessonspodcast)

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On Episode 40 of Rich Lessons, Sevetri Wilson Taylor (Instagram.com/sevetriwilson) and Sheena Allen(Instagram.com/whoisSheena) sit down with Takema Robinson, executive producer of Netflix’s top-streaming documentary The Perfect Neighbor, to talk about justice, storytelling, and the movement behind one of the most powerful films of the year.

Takema, an activist, producer, and founder of Standing in the Gap Fund, shares how a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request turned into a #1 Netflix film and a catalyst for change in the wake of AJ Owens’ killing. She opens up about transforming hours of police body-cam footage into a gripping, artful story that sparked national conversations on race, justice, and “Stand Your Ground” laws.

From advocacy to art, Takema breaks down the emotional journey of turning grief into purpose, the importance of storytelling as a tool for healing, and the power of keeping a promise—ensuring the world will always know AJ Owens’ name.

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Show Notes:

(00:00) Intro — Meet Takema Robinson, executive producer of The Perfect Neighbor

(02:30) Movement in Her DNA — Growing up in New Haven’s Black Power era

(04:15) From Howard to Healing — Studying art, politics, and culture as tools for justice

(06:10) The First Film — How advocacy led her to documentary storytelling

(07:18) FOIA to Film — Using public records to uncover AJ Owens’ story

(11:18) The Perfect Neighbor — Inside the footage, the verdict, and the emotional response

(14:30) Mobilizing for Justice — The call at dawn and activating national support

(22:16) The Power of Truth — Staying inside body-cam footage and trusting the audience

(25:06) Beyond “Trauma Porn” — Why this film is activism, not exploitation

(33:33) The Children — Healing, therapy, and the legacy AJ left behind

(41:01) The Aftermath — #1 on Netflix, a national impact tour, and Standing in the Gap Fund

(45:13) Rich Lesson — Purpose is the bridge between pain and power

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Rich Lessons Podcast // hosted by Sevetri Wilson Taylor and Sheena Allen

• Subscribe to Rich Lessons on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rich-lessons/id1787798124) and Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/40jGSUvVrMbxKcJ1ghE8kl)

• Watch and subscribe to Rich Lessons on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@richlessonspodcast)

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On Episode 39 of Rich Lessons, Sevetri Wilson Taylor (Instagram.com/sevetriwilson) and Sheena Allen (Instagram.com/whoisSheena) sit down with twin sisters Kiara and Christy Muse, board-certified nurse practitioners and founders of Muse Medical Aesthetics & Laser in Baton Rouge, LA, to talk about beauty, confidence, and building a million-dollar med spa from the ground up.

Kiara and Christy share how they went from bedside nursing to entrepreneurship, why they chose to bet on themselves instead of working for someone else, and how they turned a $10,000 family investment into a fast-growing aesthetics practice serving women (and men) across the South. They open up about being shut out by banks, navigating gatekeeping in the aesthetics industry as Black women, and what it takes to build a luxury brand that still feels personal, safe, and culturally aware.

From injectables and “facial balancing” to GLP-1 weight loss shots and medical-grade skincare, the Muse Twins break down what’s real, what’s hype, and why preventative care is the new standard. They also talk about the pressure on women to look “natural,” the stigma Black women still face around cosmetic treatments, and why the beauty industry is actually a path to ownership, wealth, and freedom for women in healthcare.

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Show Notes:

(00:00) Intro — Meet twin sisters Kiara and Christy Muse, founders of Muse Medical Aesthetics & Laser in Baton Rouge

(02:15) From RN to Owner — Leaving bedside nursing to build something of their own

(04:10) “We Just Signed the Lease” — Launching during COVID and creating their own lane in a gatekept industry

(06:20) Brand Before Doors Opened — Building demand early and coining their mantra, “Be your own muse”

(07:48) The Muse Experience — Luxury meets comfort; making aesthetics feel safe and inclusive

(12:12) Money Said No — Getting denied by banks and turning a $10K family loan into $1M+ in a year

(15:18) Scaling Up — 400% growth, expansion plans, and building on their own terms

(17:33) Skincare Facts — Why sunscreen is key and most products miss melanin-rich skin

(22:22) Facial Balancing 101 — Botox, filler, and why “natural” doesn’t mean “nothing done”

(30:04) Beyond BBLs — Non-surgical contouring, collagen boosters, and body balancing

(33:17) GLP-1 Truth — Weight loss shots, hormone balance, and breaking the “cheating” myth

(45:13) Rich Lesson — Confidence, resilience, and believing in your vision when no one else does

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Rich Lessons Podcast // hosted by Sevetri Wilson Taylor and Sheena Allen

• Subscribe to Rich Lessons on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rich-lessons/id1787798124) and Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/40jGSUvVrMbxKcJ1ghE8kl)

• Watch and subscribe to Rich Lessons on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@richlessonspodcast)

• Follow Rich Lessons on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/richlessonspodcast/) and TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@richlessonspodcast)