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https://www.bonitahamptonsmith.com/books/

Bonita Smith is author of a new book "Dear White Women, Dear Black Women." A powerful collection of letters between Black and White women, interwoven with stories of pain, forgiveness, and the transformative power of compassion. This collection aims to bridge the divide between women and start the healing of a nation’s soul. Bonita is currently the Chief Operating Officer of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Change in Atlanta Georgia.

Bonita grew up in Mariana, Arkansas which appeared as a small, impoverished town to outsiders but to her and her community was to her a place "rich in love" where neighbors shared everything from food to childcare, embodying the beloved community concept before she even had words for it.

Smith's leadership philosophy draws from unexpected sources – her experience as a basketball point guard taught her the power of offensive strategy, while caring for her quadriplegic brother revealed how organizations become paralyzed when leadership disconnects from the team. Her stark metaphor of leaders as "the neck" of an organization provides a vivid understanding of how energy and vision must flow freely to create movement and impact.

The raw vulnerability Smith brings to this conversation is breathtaking. She shares a pivotal moment where she nearly chose a destructive path before finding her purpose through faith and prison ministry. This turning point led her to become the first female chaplain in DeKalb County Jail. Her approach to difficult conversations through storytelling demonstrates how leaders can create space for truth and reconciliation.

What sets Smith apart is her radical reimagining of leadership as fundamentally rooted in love. She provocatively challenges conventional thinking about diversity and inclusion, arguing they are merely outcomes of love-conscious leadership, not standalone solutions. "If you are constantly dealing with outcomes that you're trying to dismantle, that's not the problem. You have to get to the root causes," she explains. Her call for leaders to do their inner healing work first turns leadership development inside out, focusing on wholeness before strategy.

Smith's declaration that she's "not opening doors for anyone - I'm taking the hinges off" perfectly captures her approach to creating fluid opportunities rather than gatekeeping. Her vision for women discovering their power to transform families, organizations, and societies offers hope for healing our deepest divisions. Whether you're a seasoned leader or just beginning your journey, this conversation will challenge you to lead from love and build a legacy that truly matters.

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Ralph Smithers Jr., journey from northeast Columbus through Mifflin High School and Ohio State University reveals the power of unexpected paths. Despite being a self-described "C student" and late bloomer physically (just 5'3" and 103 pounds in 9th grade), Ralph found his calling through service and relationship-building. Now leading inclusion, belonging and community engagement at Encova Insurance, he demonstrates how cultivating authentic connections creates ripple effects far beyond what we might imagine.

The conversation takes us through Ralph's foundational influences—parents dedicated to public service, a strong church community that anchored his faith, and the life-changing scholarship that allowed him to graduate debt-free and later create the "Bucking the Trends" scholarship for others.

What happens when your name is mentioned in a room you're not in? For Ralph Smithers Jr., this question represents the essence of personal legacy. "I hope that you know if my name is spoken in a place that I'm not at, it'll at minimum bring a smile to someone's face or it'll bring like 'hey, that's someone we can trust,'" he shares in this deeply reflective conversation on building a lasting impact.

What truly distinguishes this episode is Ralph's reflections on legacy-building beyond accolades. His approach to board service intentionally stretches him beyond comfort zones, allowing him to discover new passions while bringing diverse perspectives to each table. "I hope that people would say he saw things in me that I didn't see in myself, and as a result, my life is better," he says, capturing the essence of servant leadership.

Ready to rethink how you're building your own legacy? Join us for this conversation that will challenge you to consider: What will people say when your name is mentioned after you've left the room?

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Send us a comment about the Be a Baller Podcast Episode. Thanks for support.

Angela Pace powerful story weaves through the nurturing community of Columbus's historic Poindexter Village (the "Blackberry Patch") where three generations of women taught her about determination and sacrifice. With candid warmth and infectious humor, she shares how her grandmother and mother instilled in her a love of learning, proper English, and unwavering faith that would become the foundation of her broadcasting career.

One teacher's belief changed everything. When Angela Pace's sixth-grade teacher drove her home and told her mother, "This girl needs to go to college," a new path opened for a young girl from Poindexter Village who had never imagined higher education as part of her future.

The journey wasn't smooth. Angela reveals the heartbreaking challenges she faced – from her mother's death during her high school years to experiencing blatant racism as a young reporter in Newark, where police officials deliberately withheld stories from the "little Black girl with a teeny weeny 'fro." Yet for every obstacle, Angela encountered champions who recognized her talent and created opportunities, including former teachers who literally drove her to Capital University to help her re-enroll after she had to drop out to support her siblings.

Her broadcasting career brought extraordinary experiences – covering Princess Diana's funeral, reporting from the Nagano Olympics, and even meeting Nelson Mandela. But Angela's greatest pride comes from connecting with the Columbus community and inspiring younger journalists who tell her, "I want to be Angela Pace." Now honored as one of Columbus's Top 50 Icons, Angela doesn't see herself as a trailblazer but as "encouragement and maybe hope" for all the other kids from neighborhoods like hers.

What does legacy mean to Angela Pace? It's "doing something that somebody will remember, hopefully for all the right reasons." Listen now to discover how faith, mentorship, and perseverance shaped a broadcasting legend whose grandmother "prayed her through college" and whose story continues to inspire generations.

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