Chanda Smith Baker

Financial advisor and former pro basketball player, P.J. Hill, has deep roots in Minneapolis. After George Floyd’s murder in May 2020, P.J. was inspired to step up and help his community demand change. P.J. and Chanda got together to discuss what it takes to be change agents within institutions, the weight of leadership, and how we can move from protest to true reform.

As the Founder of Don’t Complain, Activate and President of the Minneapolis NAACP, Leslie Redmond is deeply involved in civil rights advocacy in Minneapolis. Leslie connected with Chanda to talk about the nuances of what it means to defund or disband the police, what white allies need to know to get involved, and why we all need to take advantage of this moment to transform our systems.

George Floyd’s murder has sparked outrage and change in Minneapolis and around the world. During this heavy, traumatic moment, how do Black leaders continue to drive change and take care of themselves? Nina Robertson, Step Up’s Youth Employment Program Director, and Brandon Williams, The Minneapolis Foundation’s Criminal Justice and Safe Communities Fellow, are living it. Chanda, Nina, and Brandon talk about their personal experiences with the police, their involvement with The Minneapolis Foundation’s Fund for Safe Communities, and the importance of fighting for transformational change – even at a time of exhaustion.

Larry McKenzie is an author, speaker, and six-time high school championship basketball coach in North Minneapolis. Larry connected with Chanda over Zoom to talk about what makes someone an effective leader, how to combat negative narratives in our communities, and the profound impact extracurricular activities have on our youth.

Shannon Smith Jones has more than a decade of experience in community development, housing justice, and community engagement. Today, she’s the Executive Director of Hope Community. She’s also Chanda’s sister. Chanda and Shannon got together to discuss what it’s like to lead during COVID-19, the complexities and ripple effects of the pandemic, and how foundations should be using their power right now.

Richard Rothstein is an academic, historian, and author of “The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America.” Together, Chanda and Richard talk about segregation and its connection to our nation’s disparities, how government policies can reinforce stereotypes, and why understanding our history can help us reconcile our past.

The COVID-19 outbreak has rapidly changed the lives of billions of people around the world. To better understand this pandemic, Chanda turned to two experts – Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick, a CDC-trained medical epidemiologist, and Natalie Davis, the Senior Director of Public Engagement at United States of Care. Chanda, Lisa, and Natalie discuss the damage of misinformation, why solutions need to be community-informed, and how philanthropy can best respond to this crisis.

Rev. Osagyefo Sekou is a Renaissance Man – a musician, organizer, theologian, author, and documentary filmmaker. He was on the ground during the Ferguson and Charlottesville protests. Chanda sat down with Rev. Sekou to talk about the many layers of civil disobedience, philanthropy’s role in activism, and how the fight for racial justice has evolved.

Andrea Jenkins is a politician, community leader, artist, and activist. She is known for being the first African American openly transgender woman elected to public office in the U.S. Chanda and Andrea discuss the importance of owning your truth, why representation and policy matters, and the struggles of navigating systems that were built on racism.

Jillian Peterson is the Co-Founder of the Violence Project — a nonpartisan think tank dedicated to reducing violence and improving policy and practice through research and analysis. Chanda and Jillian sat down together to talk about the psychology of mass shootings, the best ways to prevent this violence, and the power of human connection during times of crisis.

Rev. Curtiss DeYoung’s career is grounded in racial and social justice work. Today, he’s the CEO of the Minnesota Council of Churches and an author of books about activism, racism, and cultural diversity. During this conversation, Chanda and Curtiss discuss philanthropy’s role in conquering hate, the integrity problem in our organizations, and how getting to the roots of injustice is essential for reconciliation.

Tim Wise has spent decades committed to anti-racism activism and education. On March 4, 2020, Chanda spoke with Tim about how “Minnesota Nice” stands in the way of justice and how white privilege plays out in today’s systems and institutions.

For nine years of his life, Christian Picciolini was part of the neo-Nazi movement. Now, the former extremist runs the Free Radicals Project where he helps individuals, families, and communities disengage from hate- and violence-based extremism. Christian was in Minnesota in late 2019 for a community listening session on hate crimes with local faith and political leaders, including Attorney General Keith Ellison. Before the event, Chanda, Keith, and Christian sat down to talk about the rise of hate and intolerance, how trauma can lead to hate, and how we can best prevent extremism.

Chanda spoke with KARE 11 journalist Lindsey Seavert and Minneapolis Public Schools Media Relations Coordinator Dirk Tedmon about the powerful documentary, "Love Them First: Lessons from Lucy Laney Elementary." The conversation explores how a local journalist used her platform and curiosity to open a new window into a world few often see.

Bill George is a senior fellow at Harvard Business School and the former CEO and chairman of Medtronic. He’s also a founder of the George Family Foundation, which developed the Catalyst Initiative in 2014. Together, Chanda and Bill talked about the importance of finding a work culture that supports your authentic self, the pressures of leadership, and the connections between health, trauma, and growth.

James Forman, Jr. is a Professor of Law at Yale University and the author of the Pulitzer Prize winning book, “Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America.” James was the keynote speaker at The Minneapolis Foundation’s Bail Reform Summit on October 18, 2019. On that day, he sat down with Chanda to talk about how his parents influenced his life, how intentions don’t always match impact, and the lessons to keep in mind when reforming the criminal legal system.

Cherise Fanno Burdeen, the CEO of the Pretrial Justice Institute, has spent more than 20 years working to improve public safety policies and practices around the country. Chanda and Cherise talk about how Cherise’s understanding of her whiteness has impacted her work, the racial divides in our systems, and how the time is ripe to reform our nation’s pretrial practices.

Dr. Josie Johnson is a civil rights activist, civic leader, and author of “Hope in the Struggle.” At this live event, Chanda and Josie talked about Josie's legacy of activism, how to stay connected to the struggles in community, and why understanding our history is necessary to move justice and equality forward.

Dr. Yusef Salaam was just 15-years-old when he, along with four others, was wrongfully convicted in the 1989 Central Park jogger case. He spent nearly seven years in prison. Chanda sat down with Yusef for a one-on-one conversation about the power of owning your narrative, the scars of lost time, and how to get up and move forward after being knocked down.

10 years ago, Wanda Johnson’s son, Oscar Grant, was fatally shot by a police officer at a BART station in Oakland, California. Since his tragic death, Wanda has been fighting for police reform to ensure that all police officers are properly trained. Together with Ron Davis – a former police officer and Director of the Office of Community Oriented Police Services of the United States Department of Justice – she has been working to help bridge the gap between police and community. Chanda sat down with Wanda and Ron to talk about what’s broken in the justice system, what changes need to be made, and how anger can be turned into purpose.