How can art serve as an act of resistance?
In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Jamila Ponton Bragg, founder of JamRock Productions and a leader named to the Broadway Women’s Fund “Women to Watch” list. After 20 years in the nonprofit world, Jamila pivoted to theater, co-producing hits like Passover (2021), Death of a Salesman (2022), Tony Nominated Best Play Fat Ham (2023), The Whiz (2024), Gypsy (2024) and Soul Train (2025).
A proud African American woman, Jamila is on a mission to ensure women’s stories have depth and aren’t confined to tropes. She shares how she stayed true to her values while navigating the high-stakes world of Broadway.
She shares lessons for leading in art and beyond:
Art is Resistance. In a world that often marginalizes women of color, telling our stories is a powerful way to fight back.
Trust Your Instincts. Surround yourself with “your people”—those whose values and tastes align with your mission.
The Power of Showing Up. Leadership isn’t always big gestures; it’s the follow-up email, the check-in, and being present for others.
Find Your Mentors. Don’t be afraid to send that “cold email.” People are often more willing to help than you think.
Keep Your Message Consistent. Reliability and a clear mission build the trust needed to fundraise and lead through tough climates.
Jamila’s story is a reminder that when we stand in our identity and support one another, we can change the narrative on the world’s biggest stages.
Women of Color Rise - Analiza Quiroz Wolf
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How do you build a legacy that lasts five generations?
In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Cheryl McKissack Daniel, Former CEO of McKissack & McKissack, the oldest minority and woman-owned design and construction firm in the U.S. A family-owned business for more than 120 years, McKissack has been a leader in planning, design, and construction of more than 6,000 projects, including the JFK Airport and Columbia University.
As a fifth-generation builder, Cheryl didn’t always plan to run the family firm. She once dreamed of being an airline stewardess! But she realized that rather than climbing a corporate ladder where few looked like her, she could chart her own destiny.
Cheryl recently wrote shares her “5 Ps” for building a lasting legacy:
Persistence: Show up in rooms where you aren’t expected. Your presence is resistance.
Preparedness: Excellence erases doubt. Always be the most prepared person in the room.
Perseverance: Stay the course when progress feels slow. Legacies aren’t built on a single win.
Productivity: Let your results speak for themselves. Quality is undeniable.
Prayer: Center yourself. Clarity and peace are your competitive advantages.
Cheryl’s story models what it means to stand on the shoulders of ancestors and open doors for the next generation.
17/06/2026
Wow—what an incredible group of Unleashing Potential social impact leaders who bring genuine heart, care, and dedication to real-world impact!
Over the past four months, this cohort has worked on building visions, forming strategic partnerships, and developing collaborative initiatives to take their organizations to the next level.
For our culminating event, the cohort participated in a pitch contest. The partnerships and presentations were creative, inspiring, and what our communities need right now!
Huge congratulations to our Unleashing Potential pitch winners: Luz Maria Mack, Charity Reeves, Melanie "Mel" Martinez, and Sulma Arzu - Brown!
A special thank you to:
- Our fantastic judges, Anna Zak, MPA, PhD Candidate (The City University of New York SLU), Gina Ramcharan (New York Urban League), and Will Schneider (Nonprofit Strategy Consultant), for their time and expertise.
- Most of all, thank you to Jerry Posman and the Unleashing Potential Foundation for your unwavering belief and investment in all of us!
I could not be prouder to have facilitated this journey.
Celebrating UP leaders: Ayodele Saromi, Beth Fertig, Charity Reeves, Isabel Ching, LMSW, Franslee Thomany, Ph.D., George Espinal, Hetal Jani, Judi Desire, Karen Annette Francois, Kwesi McDavid, Kyesha Ruffin M. S. Ed., Laci Chisholm, Luis Jimenez, Luz Maria Mack, Shawnique Woolfalk, Sulma Arzu - Brown, Suzanne LaGasa.
11/06/2026
Great retreat with AARP New York! As a member of the Executive Council, I had the privilege of seeing this hard-working, mission-oriented team—led by the incredible Beth Finkel—in action.
We spent a focused few days this week diving deep into our core priorities:
- Protecting Social Security for current and future generations.
- Advancing caregiving support for our elderly loved ones.
It’s energizing to collaborate on solutions that matter to our community.
Grateful to serve alongside my fellow Executive Council members: Alvaro Carrascal, Cindy Morris, Elizabeth Colon, Ron Roel, Karen Nicolson (she/her), and Catherine Georges.
08/06/2026
Joy is an act of resistance.
In high-pressure environments, it is so easy to forget that we are whole people beyond our job titles. But preserving who we are outside of a crisis is exactly what allows us to lead through one.
I had an incredible time joining Angelina Darrisaw, Founder and CEO of C-Suite Coach, to talk about faith, boundaries, and why wholeness is a critical leadership strategy in today’s volatile landscape.
Thank you, C-Suite.Coach, for the LinkedIn Live feature and for creating space for these essential conversations!
03/06/2026
Excited to share my partnership with Desander Más, founder of SMLR, Inc.
Together, we are delivering consulting, workshops, and webinars designed to motivate teams, build capabilities, and drive social impact.
As a fellow US military veteran, I am proud to collaborate with Des and his team. We look forward to continuing our service by supporting non-profits and government agencies throughout NYC and New York State.
Check out SMLR and see how we can support your organization: https://www.smlr.net
02/06/2026
Thank you to Sheryl Palmer, Pete Lane, and the entire Taylor Morrison Board and management team for an incredible board fellowship experience!
Anissa Dhoubi and I started this journey in 2024 and have learned immensely throughout our time. Beyond the complexities of board governance, we witnessed firsthand what truly makes a great company: it isn't just strong business practices, but a powerful, thriving culture that starts at the very top. What an incredible opportunity to learn from the best in the industry.
We are also deeply grateful to Roosevelt Giles and the Stakeholder Leadership Governance Institute (SLGI) for the foundational board governance training and for partnering with Sheryl and the TMHC team to create this opportunity.
As we look to the future, we hope to continue our board service journeys carrying forward the invaluable lessons and support we received here. Thank you all!
How can we move from fearing equity to championing it?
In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Celeste Warren, former Vice President and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Merck and author of The Truth About Equity. With nearly three decades of experience, Celeste has been recognized by Black Enterprise’s “Top Executives in Global Diversity and Inclusion.”
Celeste’s father was the first black teacher and principal in western Pennsylvania. She shares how her “dinner table lessons” taught her that while obstacles are real, they are never an excuse to stop succeeding. She opens up about the internal struggle of stepping into a DEI role as a woman of color and how she learned to stop “putting her blackness to the back.”
She shares powerful lessons for leaders championing equity:
The Rocks and the Fence. Equity isn’t about taking things away; it’s about providing the “rocks” needed to see over systemic fences while we work to tear those fences down.
Boil Your Own Pot. You don’t have to save the world alone. Impact starts by influencing the two or three people immediately around you.
Growth vs. Fixed Mindset. View opportunity as a bar graph that can rise infinitely, rather than a finite pie where one person’s gain is another’s loss.
Balance Your Energy. Learn to balance your drive with a “servant leadership” heart that nurtures and protects your team.
Celeste’s journey to global DEI leader is a model of authenticity and intentionality.
Listen here:
Apple - podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/boss-mamas-podcast/id1589971670
Spotify - open.spotify.com/show/4m8xR89eSwgOwQT9tiG8m6
Youtube - youtube.com/user/analizawolf
Website - analizawolf.com/womenofcolorrise
20/05/2026
So wonderful to reconvene with the Redemptive Leadership Project cohort for our second retreat this week in Cornwall, CT.
It was a beautiful opportunity to continue to build community and support with fellow education and faith leaders.
Thank you to the leadership team: Traci Dove, Tina Fernandez, Bill Kurtz, Jeff Nelson, Irvin Scott, Mindy Flach, and Jimmy Villanueva.
Also much thanks to my small group—BreOnna Clanton, Althea Holford, Greg Richmond, and Jeff Nelson—for their continued care and support.
And gratitude to our cohort of leaders: Amy Black Curcio, Bryan Contreras, James Encinas, Christina Grant, Christopher Stewart, Dominique Lee, Elizabeth Raji-Greig, Hudson Baird, Ian Rowe, J.B. Schramm, Judy Touzin, Kenya Bradshaw, Lesley Poole, Linda Chen, Ed.D., Matt Cheek, Matthew Salvatierra, Dr. Natalie C. Neris, and Simone Wright, Ed.L.D.
19/05/2026
Thank you to Squeaky Moore for delivering an excellent pitch presentation to the Unleashing Potential leadership cohort. It is a privilege to lead this incredible, inspiring group of leaders.
Squeaky shared actionable strategies on how entrepreneurs and organizational leaders can collaborate to build compelling pitches that increase impact and reach. I'm excited to see our UP leaders apply these insights to their presentations for the upcoming pitch competition next month!
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