We Are All Connected...John Gibson

"We benefit as a society when we are quiet, but are listening to what each other has to say. Because I firmly believe there is much more that unites all of us than separates us."

--John Gibson, Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Director of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives, Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)

To hear John Gibson's entire quote and a clip of his upcoming #LeadershipTuesdays interview: click on the video below.

#LeadershipTuesdays: Creating Change...Shonda Rhimes

“Dreams are lovely. But they are just dreams. Fleeting, ephemeral, pretty. But dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It’s hard work that makes things happen. It’s hard work that creates change.” 

--Shonda Rhimes

Image: James White, Shondaland

On Tuesdays, womenatliberty.com presents #LeadershipTuesdays, a platform for a variety of voices and resources to develop, encourage and strengthen women leaders. Today we present the Queen of Thursday night television, the history making showrunner Shonda Lynn Rhimes. 

Shonda Rhimes is an award-winning American television producer, screenwriter and author. At the helm of Shondaland, her production company, she is responsible for #TGIT (Thank God It's Thursday) on the ABC Network and some of its most watched and popular shows on television today. Her Top 10 shows include Grey's Anatomy (starring Ellen Pompeo), Scandal (starring Kerry Washington), and How To Get Away With Murder (starring Viola Davis). She also produced and wrote the hit show Private Practice (starring Kate Walsh), a spin-off of Grey's Anatomy. 

Rhimes is first African American woman to create and executive produce a Top 10 network series (Grey's Anatomy). She recently made headlines when she signed a new multi-year deal with Netflix signalling an end to her 15 year relationship with ABC Television. The deal does not affect her current slate of shows now airing on the network.

In 2015, released her first book, "Year of Yes" and last year she received one of her most historic awards to date. Rhimes was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2017 and became the third Black woman to receive this honor. Oprah Winfrey and Diahann Carroll were the first and second Black women to receive this high honor before Rhimes. Oprah Winfrey paid tribute to Rhimes at the event calling her "currently the most powerful showrunner in television, period.”

She received her BA at Dartmouth and a MFA from USC. The Illinois native currently resides in Los Angeles, California. For more information on LeadershipTuesdays, go to womenatliberty.com. 

Who I Am...Ken Chenault

“When someone says to me, ‘When I look at you, Ken, I don’t see color,’ I say, ‘Then you’ve got a problem because I’m very proud about who I am. So, don’t deny I’m African-American. Accept me for who I am, engage with me, but don’t deny my heritage. That’s important because we don’t have enough honest discussions about race in this country.’”

--Ken Chenault, Chairman & CEO (retired*), American Express

*On February 1, 2018, Ken Chenault retired as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Express Corporation after 37 years with the company. He recently joined the boards of the Facebook and Airbnb. He is also now the chairman of venture capital firm General Catalyst.

I Am Breaking Through...Elaine M. Flake

"Faith will let you know that it doesn't matter where you started. What really matters is where God is taking you. Faith will tell you, 'I don't have to accept what others tell me about myself. I don't have to believe what society says about me because my faith tells me that my God is able and God has put something great in me'. He is renewing my mind everyday as I enter into new realms of spirtual breakthough. I decree faith over all of our lives because it is by faith that we shall experience breakthrough."

--Rev. Dr. Elaine Flake, Co-Pastor, The Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral, New York, NY

*This quote is an excerpt from the sermon, "I Am Breaking Though". To hear the entire sermon, go to: https://vimeo.com/122661063.

Following Your Own Path...Pam Oliver

"You don't have to be number one to land in a really, really good spot. The path that's meant for you will unfold. Even though I was a scared...I was a scaredy cat a couple of times. I sort of diverted off my path and then had to get right back on it. ...just don't worry about what other people have or what they're doing or start feeling less than... No one has their stuff as together as they'd like you to think."*

--Pam D. Oliver

Pam Oliver is a veteran journalist and sports reporter who has been with the NFL On Fox since 1995. As a respected sideline reporter, she has interviewed some of the NFL's greatest players and coaches and is one of the most recognizable women covering sports and America's most popular professional sport, the NFL. 

She is a graduate of Florida A&M (FAMU) where she was a broadcast journalism major and a student-athlete. She gained distinction as a NCAA and AIAW track and field All-American in both the 400 meters and the mile relay. Her Alma mater inducted her into the Florida A&M Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. In 2015, she was honored again when FAMU named its production hall in the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication after her. 

*This quote is an excerpt from an interview Pam Oliver participated in at FAMU with Jason Joseph of FAMUNOW in August 2015.

A Leader That Can Be Trusted...Tony Dungy

"The mentor leader gives his or her people a reason to stick around when things don’t go as planned. They can be trusted even in the midst of uncertainty."

--Tony Dungy, Super Bowl Winning NFL Head Coach, NFL Player, TV Sports Analyst

Coach Dungy was the first Black NFL Head Coach to win the Super Bowl. His Indianapolis Colts with Peyton Manning as the quarterback won Super Bowl XLI (41) in 2006 against the Chicago Bears who were coached by Lovie Smith. Both Dungy and Smith made history as the first black NFL Head Coaches to take their teams to the Super Bowl.

Photo: http://twitter.com/TonyDungy

Follow the @DungyFamilyFndn for more quotes and blogs from Coach Dungy
https://t.co/HNCKzKbYHJ

Be An Agent For Change...Kamala Harris

"...there is no limit to what you can do. And sometimes to make change, you got to change how change is made. So do not be constrained by tradition. Do not listen when they say it can't be done. And do not be burdened by what has been when you can create what should be."*

--Kamala Harris, U.S. Senator (California)

*This quote is taken from Senator Harris' speech for her alma mater, Howard University, at the May 2017 Commencement Ceremony in Washington D.C. To view the entire speech, click here.