I met this week’s guest, Derrick N. Ashong, earlier this year in Nairobi at the Charter Cities Institute, 2025 New Cities Summit. At the summit, we connected as storytellers that share Ghanaian heritage and formative years spent in Brooklyn, New York. In a glocal citizenship twist, we later came to find that we met virtually years prior through mutual connections in the media and arts spaces. Derrick’s work leverages his international upbringing which informs his company’s vision for Turning Culture into Currency for creators and fans worldwide. He does this as founder and CEO of TBTM, a media fintech that uses content to onboard global audiences to inclusive financial solutions, with partners like Mastercard. While still a student at Harvard, he played a supporting role in Steven Spielberg’s Amistad, and went on to top charts with his band, winning a Billboard Songwriting Award. As a host and producer, he pioneered multi-platform interactive content with Oprah Winfrey, and major media platforms including ABC-Disney and Univision, earning three Emmy nods and a Royal Television Society Award. His original Take Back the Mic television series has won seven major international awards and achieved 1.1 Billion media impressions worldwide. He has delivered electrifying speeches on issues of Youth Culture and Tech for UK Parliament, the United Nations, and the world’s most elite business schools, including Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Wharton, Cambridge and London School of Economics. He has interviewed celebrities and global luminaries ranging from Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Kofi Annan, to Zoe Saldaña, Kevin Hart and Steven Wozniak, among others. Most recently, he has delivered keynote speeches for Mastercard, Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and Kigali, as well as SuperReturn Africa--the continent’s top investment forum. In this conversation we get to know even more about the next phase of Derrick’s vision for flipping the script on creative industry infrastructure in Africa. #Listenandlearn more!

Where to find Derrick?
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On YouTube

What’s Derrick reading?
Isaac Asimov’s Foundation Series
Lord of the Rings by J.J.R Tolkien

Other topics of interest:
About Larteh in Ghana
Where are Dansoman and Adabraka in Accra?
What was music streaming like in the early 2000’s?
Soulfege performs Sweet Remix
About Uechi-Ryū Martial Arts

Special Guest: Derrick N. Ashong.

Click the and check out Vamba’s Pa Gya! session centering his latest book The Emperor's Son.

Where to find Vamba?
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On Facebook
On X

Vamba’s essential Pan-African activism reading list:
[The Radience of the King)(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Radiance_of_the_King) by Camara Laye and excerpt to the introduction by Toni Morrison

Other topics of interest:
Who was Samori Touré?
Kolahun, Liberia
Liberia’s First Civil War
About Edward Wilmot Blyden, father of Pan-Africanism
About the Gulf War
Senegalese filmmaker, Ousmane Sembène
About Groningen
Why lekker is so sweet…
The Comet by W.E.B Dubois

I met this week’s guest in Accra at a Women Wellness Africa breakfast early this year and was happy to be able sync our travel schedules to reconnect in one of the places she calls home, London. Marielle Legair is a speaker, certified NLP and hypnotherapy Coach, LinkedIn Top Voice, and LinkedIn Learning Instructor. She's leading career empowerment through cutting-edge neurological research and behavioural science. Her expertise goes beyond coaching, focusing on arming audiences with the tools to break barriers, overcome limiting beliefs, and thrive in their careers. With a background in corporate storytelling, executive visibility, and entrepreneurship, Marielle offers unmatched guidance to individuals and companies seeking to excel and leave a lasting impact. Global giants like Amazon, BP, Diageo, EY, LinkedIn, Macquarie, Microsoft, and Yale University have sought her for inspiring talks and workshops that drive transformative change.

Before founding her company, Marielle honed her skills on both sides of the Atlantic, spearheading impactful C-suite publicity campaigns in London and New York for corporate giants such as Deloitte Global, Grant Thornton, Experian, and Golin. Her strategic acumen in elevating CEOs and senior leaders has earned acclaim in top-tier media outlets like the BBC, CNBC, Forbes, Financial Times, and Glamour.

As you’ll hear, Marielle’s roots are in St. Vincent and the Grenadines which was hard hit by Hurricane Beryl last summer. Follow the links below to connect with Marielle about continuing efforts to support those impacted.

Where to fine Marielle?
marielelegair.com
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On YouTube

What’s Marielle reading?
Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One by Dr. Joe Dispenza
Steal the Show: From Speeches to Job Interviews to Deal-Closing Pitches, How to Guarantee a Standing Ovation for All the Performances in Your Life by Micheal Port

Other topics of interest:
About Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
About Nottingham, home of Robin Hood
Historic Clinton Hill, Brooklyn
30 Rock aka 30 Rockerfeller Plaza
Toastmasters
About Neuro-Linguistic Programming
Creatures of Passage by Morowa Yejidé

Special Guest: Marielle Legair.

This week we’re going full circle with Zimbabwean-American, Vimbo Watson. Born in Zimbabwe, Vimbo’s family relocated to the US before she spoke her first words. Nonethless, her mother tongue has remained in her heart and has been a foundational part of fullfilling a life-long passion to uplift people and especially those in need back home. After a career in education as a teacher and principal, she’s now applying her administrative talents as the Director of Development for Kuda Vana Partnership an American-Zimbabwean non-profit operating a children's home and school in Zimbabwe. A passionate speaker and professional development provider she often translates her enthusiasm for learning and education into teaching others how to make time for wellness and self-care in their daily lives.

Where to find Vimbo?
[vimbowatson.com](link https://vimbowatson.com/)
On LinkedIn
On Instragram
On Facebook
On Youtube

What’s Vimbo reading?
Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make--and Keep--Friends by Marisa G. Franco PhD
[Atomic Habits](lin https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits ) by James Clear
Drowning and other books by T.J. Newman
Books by Brené Brown
The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker
The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi

Other topics of interest:
Mutare, Zimbabwe
Clans and Totems in Zimbabwean Culture
On Trauma-focused Therapy

Special Guest: Vimbo Watson.

Thank you to all that land here with us weekly to #listenandlearn about #DynamicDiasporans living, working and playing worldwide. I look forward to a new year of conversations that will include taking deeper dives into the whys and ways of reimagining global impact economics alongside continuing to travel far and wide with our guests. Stay tuned!
This week, I’m joined by Monroe France the inaugural Vice Provost for Institutional Inclusive Excellence Tufts University and a professor of practice at the Jonathan Tisch College of Civic Life. Previously, Monroe served as the Senior Associate Vice President for Global Engagement and Inclusive Leadership in the Office of Global Inclusion, Diversity, and Strategic Innovation at New York University (NYU). Monroe’s career at NYU spanned nearly 20 years and he has 25 years of progressive experience in higher education, non-profits, corporate sectors, arts and creative industries, as well as social responsibility, humanitarian, and philanthropy initiatives as an educator, professor, professional trainer, consultant, strategist, and keynote presenter.
Monroe has provided DEI, leadership and strategic consulting for executive managers across the globe at organizations such as the American Eagle Outfitter (AEO) and Unilever Global, the executive team for American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University, and the management team at the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) in Washington DC. He works regularly with UN Women and has served as a consultant to a number of United Nations affiliates globally. Monroe has written articles and given lectures across the globe on the future of higher education and work. When he was at NYU, he founded and was the primary principal for the Global Inclusive Leadership and Management Institute and NYU’s Environmental and Justice Institute.
Monroe’s background spans higher education, non-profits, corporate sectors, arts and creative industries, as well as social responsibility, humanitarian, and philanthropy initiatives. Monroe currently serves on the board for Global Black Pride and the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy where he serves as lead strategist for DEI. Monroe is a member of Future Talent Council where he serves on their DEI Task Force, Talent Acquisition and Employer Branding, and Future Skills think tanks. Monroe is also a professor at NYU Abu Dhabi J-term and a visiting thought leader for Woxsen University in India. He was most recently a visiting scholar for the University of Southern Maine’s school of business. Often described as a change maker, innovator, global thought leader, strategist, visionary, and a life-long learner I think you’ll agree once you have a listen.

Where to find Monroe?
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On Facebook

What’s Monroe watching?
HGTV
Investigation Discovery TV

Other topics of interest:
NYU Accra Labone Dialogues
University of Free State, South Africa
About the 2003 Northeast Blackout
About Occupy Wall Street
Lambda Legal
Posse Foundation

I thoroughly enjoyed this insightful conversation with Stacy, from a serious discussion about the business of techpreneurship on a global scale to tips for successful start-up and a lots of laughs long the way,
I'm sure you too will learn something new (with a smile)!

Where to find Stacy?
@ Posture
@ Quality Works Consulting Group
On LinkedIn
On Twitter
On Instagram

What's Stacy reading?
The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish
Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
I Can't Make This Up: life Lessons by Kevin Hart

What's Stacy listening to?
Revisionist History Podcast

Other topics of interest:
About Radio Shack
About Windsor Hills, California
Jamaica's Technology Innovation Centre
"..we tallawah"
About the Dot-Com Bubble

Special Guest: Stacy Kirk.

Where to find Hasira?
www.righteousrageinstitute.org
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On Facebook

What's Hasira reading?
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
The 5 Principles: A Revolutionary Path to Health, Inner Wealth, and Knowledge of Self by Khnum "Stic" Ibomu
You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience by Tarana Burke and Dr. Brené Brown

What's Hasira watching?
Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am

Other topics of interest:
About Denver Black Panther Party Founder Lauren Watson
The meaning of Oborɔnyi
YFM Ghana
About Reggie Rockstone
One Africa Health Resort
About Blue Zones
About the Sloth and Pura Vida in Costa Rica
About Buckminster Fuller

On African Stateswomen
On Marcus Aurelius
On Freedom Schools

*When you click and purchase books using the link(s) above, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support!

Special Guest: Hasira Soul Ashemu.