Black Like Me

Dr. Gee welcomes Nolan Dunham, one of the founders of the Madison chapter of the Black Motorcycle Club. They connected while Nolan was working in the community. He explains the history of why the original Black motorcycle clubs were formed. Nolan also talks about misrepresentations of motorcycle groups with the club’s commitment to the community and the community service work they do. Don't miss Dr. Gee trying to convince Nolan into allowing him to have honorary membership in the Black Motorcycle Club. alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme

Justified Anger had drastically shifted the experiences and thinking of the white people who have become connected through the educational opportunities. Andrea Dearlove was an early attendee of Justified Anger's Black History for a New Day course and it drastically transformed her personal and professional priorities. She discovered that when white people step back in their power and influence, they are actually enriched and enlarged in their personal life. Andrea's allyship journey has led her to a new perspective on racial dynamics in her community and also the state of DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) efforts in civic and organizational arenas. Dr. Gee discusses the system change efforts of Justified Anger and his experience with systemic racism. Learn more about Justified Anger's leadership development. alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme

Dr. Gee talks with the experienced consultant, Jim Bower, about empowering visionary leaders to actually create the social change that they envision. Listen in on the ongoing conversation these two men have about how to approach the cross-cultural work of addressing racism in a local community, in particular through their work in developing The Center for Black Excellence and Culture. Jim responded to the call to get to work on improving racial disparities in the community as a result of the original Justified Anger article. He helped approach the issues in the community as Complex Adaptive problems compared to technical problems. Racism is a problem that without a quick fix and eliminating racism requires a multi-layered approach, not just addressing one factor of the issue. alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme

Sandi Reinardy discusses how she and the Court Observer team have developed the program with the goal of holding the court accountable and advocating for a just system. Hear how it is unavoidable to see the impact of race in the courtroom and sentencing process. Sandi shares how the data they collect is used and how the system responds to information they gather. She also explains some of the biggest issues for those encountering a courtroom and what changes she would mandate for judges. Aaron informs the conversation with his experience of being in front of a judge and having the decision impact the rest of his life. He shares passionately about the disparity in how bail is used to maintain class and race lines, where some are privileged over others. They also brainstorm how they can all build on what they are already doing and use their resources and networks to create systemic change. Learn more about the Court Observers Learn more about the Justified Anger Black History for a New Day Course alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme

What was it like to try to create systemic change after the release of Dr. Gee's Justified Anger article? Hear how the article was encroaching on white people’s territory with pushback to maintain the system from guests Rev. Lilada Gee and Harry Hawkins. Mr. Hawkins provides perspective on the release of the Justified Anger article from someone who had just moved to Madison and was seeing the environment with fresh eyes. They also discuss how language matters in race relations because it frames the issues and who has the power. Dr. Gee breaks down why he got labeled a “Black” leader and not just a community or civic leader. Read Justified Anger's Our Madison Plan The Center for Black Excellence and Culture alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme

Dr. Karen Reece explains Justified Anger's innovative research and strategic approach to Justice centered systems change work. As Justified Anger took off as a movement, Dr. Reece gives insight into the funding of Black-led organizations and the struggle to create long term solutions and change. Dr. Reece clarifies the difference between quantitative vs qualitative analysis for the kind of work that Justified Anger does. Though it can be harder capture the data, qualitative data gives a deeper understanding of the change that is accomplished. Dr. Reece explains how she considers Ripple Effects as a way to show the impact of Justified Anger's work. Ripple Effects looks at how people who are learning and being changed by contact with the Justified Anger initiative are enacting change in their spheres of influence, whether it is at the interpersonal, business, or community level. Learn more: Justified Voices: What we've learned about racial justice in Madison Justified Anger's Our Madison Plan Article: Disparities in Funding for Leaders of Color Leave Impact on the Table Collection of reports on racial equity in philanthropy NCRP Report: Too Many Local Community Foundations Still Underinvesting in Black Communities alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme

On this special episode, Dr. Alex Gee and his sister Lilada Gee reflect on the passing of their mother, Ms. Verline Gee. They celebrate her memory with stories and insights from her life. For decades, Ms. Verline created a profound impact in the Madison community as a mentor to young leaders, social worker, poet, published author, family therapist, faith community leader, and, above all, a cherished mother and grandmother. Through their mother’s experiences, Dr. Gee and Rev. Lilada are able to explore historical and racial conditions in the period of her life. They reflect on the strength of her character and the lessons they learned, as well as her great intellectual sense of humor. Don't miss the heartfelt and honest conversation around the life of a powerful Black community mother. Learn more about Ms. Verline Gee's story Dr. Gee and Rev. Lilada invite you to make a donation to The Center for Black Excellence and Culture, allowing us to share Verline Gee's incredible story and continue her legacy of community building through a senior space and senior programming dedicated in her honor: https://givebutter.com/xieAH6 alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme

Dr. Gee is joined again by his friend Kaleem Caire to look at the atmosphere around Justified Anger in the early years and how the initiative has created change over the last 10 years. They reflect on having breakfast together on the day that the original Justified Anger article was released and talked about how the truth of the article would be received in the community. The two thought leaders in the Madison community consider what it is like to speak boldly and be visionaries for racial justice. Kaleem is a champion of educational change that needs to happen to address disparities. Kaleem Caire is the founder and CEO of One City Schools, the operator of One City Preschool and One City Elementary School. Both schools are focused on getting young children ready for school success. Prior to One City, Kaleem was the President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison in Madison, WI and chair of the National Urban League's Education Committee. In 2001, Kaleem commissioned the nation's first comprehensive study of high school graduation rates in the United States, which resulted in graduation rates being embedded in the nation's No Child Left Behind law and forever becoming a measurement of the productivity of American education. In 2002, he was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige to serve on the Independent Rules Panel that advises the U.S. Congress on the evaluation and implementation of Title I (then referred to as No Child Left Behind). From 2002-2004, he led a coalition of education, business, philanthropy and community leaders in Washington, DC to secure the passage of landmark legislation that created the nation's first federally funded school voucher program and has since provided more then $900 million net new federal funding for school reform efforts encompassing DC's traditional public, public charter and private schools. In 2009, he was appointed by the administration of President Barack Obama to serve as an expert reviewer for his signature ""Race to the Top"" national education reform initiative. Photo of Black Leaders at Justified Anger Event Read Justified Anger's Our Madison Plan alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme

Dr. Gee welcomes Renee Moe (President & CEO at United Way of Dane County) and Joe Parisi (Dane County Executive) to dicsuss how they experienced the release of the Justified Anger article and aftermath. They reflect on how the original article caused a stir in some of the civic and community arenas, displaying the racial disparity alive in these systems. Dr. Gee contemplates the cost of stepping into certain civic spheres and often feels like the desire gets quenched by his experience as a Black man. Hear how the Justified Anger article gave a human face to the statistics of Race to Equity report that made people face the reality in their community. Together the group explore how we continue to address the racial justice present in their county. Read the original Justified Anger article. alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme

Dr. Gee considers his career, relationships, and community impact as he reaches the age of 60. His life-long friend David Smith joins the conversations as they recall stories of their youth, beginning as community leaders, and how the world has changed in their shared 60 years. You can be sure that they bring plenty of stories, funny anecdotes, and real talk about their life experiences. alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme

Dr. Gee welcomes Paul Fanlund, editor and publisher of The Capital Times, and journalist Phil Haslanger to the show to discuss the publication of Dr. Gee's article, entitled Justified Anger. Hear the inside story of how Dr. Gee’s groundbreaking articles changed the community and changed The Capital Times newspaper itself. The three men talk about the environment around the first Justified Anger town hall as a result of the response to the original article. Dr. Gee explores Black voices in journalism and how Black leaders shouldn't be expected to fix injustices themselves. Read Dr. Gee's Justified Anger at 10 Years Article: Cap Times: Alex Gee says Black Madison is tired of fixing injustices itself Read Dr. Gee's original Justified Anger Article: Cap Times: Justified anger: Rev. Alex Gee says Madison is failing its African-American community Cap Times: Opinion | Assessing race in Madison 10 years after ‘Justified Anger’ alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme

Dr. Gee returns to the original article that started the Justified Anger initiative, as he reads the article in his own voice. Season 9 is exploring the ten years of system transformation that has resulted from the wake up call to the racial disparities present in Dr. Gee's local community of Madison, WI. This reading and Dr. Gee's introduction set the tone for the season and explore the impact of systemic change. Justified Anger is an initiative of Nehemiah that cultivates innovative Black and non-black leaders through culturally grounded programs, dynamic educational experiences and collaborative partnerships that lead to transformational relationships, equitable systems and just solutions. JustifiedAnger.com Justified Anger Article

Are you ready for Season 9? Dr. Alex Gee is starting the season off with another mic check to set the tone for what is to come. Get a glimpse into what is on Dr. Gee's mind and heart for the new season. alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme

Dr. Gee welcomes his friends and fellow podcast host, Henry Sanders, back to the show for a honest conversation about real leadership. Dr. Gee explores how leadership vision is not a sprint, but a marathon from his own experience. They cover the value of visionary integrity over time, the mentorship of community elders, and investing in new partners. Henry Sanders asks tough questions such as: Is the Black church still the conscious of the Black community? What would be the name of the book written about Dr. Gee’s life? For nearly twenty years, Henry Sanders Jr. (CEO and Publisher) has been a force for community development, economic development and entrepreneurship in the Madison area, in Wisconsin and throughout the Midwest.He worked for the City of Madison and then-Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin before joining the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce as Vice President. In that capacity he started the Small Business Advisory Council, Latino Chamber of Commerce and the African wAmerican Black Business Association. Sanders is also the founder of the young professionals organization Madison Area Growth Network (MAGNET), Madison Network of Black Professionals, and Capacity 360, a government relations firm that brought more than $15 million to Wisconsin businesses. Henry ran a statewide campaign for Lieutenant Governor in 2010 and in 2011 joined the Obama Administration as the Small Business Administration’s Region V Advocate, speaking up for small businesses across six states. In 2018, Henry was named InBusiness Magazine’s 2018 Startup Company Executive of the Year, was given the Amigo Award by LaMovida Radio and was named Outstanding Experiential Learning Host by the Madison Metropolitan School District for allowing students to attend the Wisconsin Leadership Summit. Henry is currently is Publisher and CEO of Madison365. alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme

Dr. Gee welcomes Annette Miller to the show to discuss Black leadership and equitable community development in their local community. They have an in-depth discussion around the development and impact of Justified Anger's Our Madison Plan among the Black community. The early years of Justified Anger opened the door to the wider community to receive a convergence of attention on the state of the Madison Black community. The Black leaders had been seeing the state of things for awhile, but it wasn't until that moment that the non-Black community was ready to lean in. Our Madison Plan highlights so many of the Black leaders in Madison who are still doing the work and making it happen. Dr. Gee and Annette reveal how navigating the community as a Black leader is a balancing act, because really they are leaders who are Black. Annette Miller is the CEO and founder of EQT By Design, LLC. Miller’s passion is ensuring inclusion and engagement are front and center in her work. She brings 25 years of strong professional policy and analytic skills, and a wide network of community, government, and business relationships, especially with Dane County’s diverse populations. Miller previously worked for Madison Gas & Electric as the Emerging Markets and Community Development Director, where she built partnerships in energy, sustainability, and inclusion of their emerging customer markets. Formerly, she was an aide to the City of Madison Mayor. alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme

Dr. Gee brings Dr. Karen Reece back to the show to discuss the complexity of leading a Black focused organization in a majority white community. Dr. Reece brings first hand knowledge of working with white women in the non-profit sector with race relations involved. They talk about if you want different results in their kind of work, you need to try something different. Don't miss this insightful and honest conversation. alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme

Tyler Nylen and Joel Ballivian return to the show to ask Dr. Gee how white men can face the accountability of their history and move forward. Dr. Gee works to help people understand that we are all broken, not saviors, and then we can start to get work done. The three of them dig deep into understanding the place of white men in the current racial reckoning in American society. They try to model the space white men need to process the new reality of a multicultural society, race relations, and white supremacy. Dr. Gee sheds light on how racism has done damage to everyone in America. Hear more: 7 Observations For White People During This Historic Moment alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme

Dr. Gee continues his Season 8 focus on leadership with one of the greatest highlights of his career, interviewing his first grade teacher, Alice E. Turner. Mrs. Turner is a vibrant 103 and has so much wisdom to pass along. In their conversation they cover Mrs. Turner's influence on Dr. Gee, the experience of being a Black teacher through so much history, and inspiring Black youth to greatness. This conversation is so vital to capturing the excellence and experience of our elders.

Dr. Gee welcomes his friend and fellow pastor, Peter Ahn back to the show to talk about authenticity in leadership development. They speak about different moments of crisis, such as the Pandemic, that bring new roads, roles, and rules. These two leaders bring a unique perspective on cross-cultural relationships and empowering others to live into their leadership abilities. Their partnership has been about bringing communities together to be allied against racism and the important of understanding the history between communities. Don't miss this conversation about leading with clarity of vision over popularity and comfort. Peter reinforces the need for empowering a multicultural leadership approach in local communities. He has demonstrated raising up local leaders and resourcing them to make change on their own in the Englewood community of New Jersey. Check out Peter's podcast Weak Pastor for more of his insights. alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme

Dr. Gee speaks to a group of Black students from the University of Wisconsin that formed the Black Power Coalition in response to a video of a UW student using racial slurs and language that appeared online in May, 2023. The students from the coalition organized several marches on the UW campus as call to action demonstrations, including presenting a list of demands to the UW Chancellor to address the racist incident. The conversation with the students covers their personal experiences and what they each brought to addressing the racism on campus. There was a Black student solidarity that grew out of this incident and Dr. Gee calls out the excellence and leadership of these student organizers. Read the letter of demands that the coalition sent to the UniversityRead more about the demonstrations around the event alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme