Susan Pierce Jacobsen is a community connector and advocate who has worked in many different positions. Through several of Susan's roles she has supported The Center for Black Excellence and Culture. Dr. Gee shares about Susan's support and their relationship in development projects in the community. They discuss some of the various connections that Susan helped bring together with The Center from architects, community organizers, and company leaderships. alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme Join the Black Like Me Listener Community Facebook Group

How did the vision for The Center for Black Excellence and Culture find its shape? Dr. Gee talks to Jim Bower about how their collaboration helped shape the vision for what was valuable for the Black community in Madison. Jim's role was to continually clarify Dr. Gee's vision and find a way to make it a reality. He saw Dr. Gee as a social innovator, who had something important he wanted to change in society that needed to have a track for the project to move forward on.  Dr. Gee explains how the cross-cultural partnerships involved coalesced around the vision despite issues that the community and country were facing. The project is a rare example of a team of people unified around the vision that they invested so much of their skills and heart in. alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme Join the Black Like Me Listener Community Facebook Group

Hear about the long term relationship with Hiebing for marketing services for The Center for Black Excellence and Culture with Dave Floran, CEO, and Dana Arnold, Chief Growth Officer. Dr. Gee discusses how Hiebing helped articulate the story of The Center and share this visionary cultural space with the community. The team partnered in bringing the language and image of The Center to clarity and the public. alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme Join the Black Like Me Listener Community Facebook Group

Dr. Gee tells the story of how The Center for Black Excellence and Culture was actually built with Jim Yehle, the President and CEO of Findorff Construction. Denzel Bibbs, Findorff Construction Project Manager, fills in the details of the building process. He discusses his role in maintaining the vision of the Black aesthetic laid out by the team. Hear how the design and physical building exemplify the multi-dimensionality of the African Diaspora and the African American communities. The relationship of this team demonstrates the cross cultural innovation that strengthens the accomplishments of The Center for Black Excellence and Culture. Jim Yehle contributed to the process by making strategic community introductions and creating enthusiasm around fundraising to create a debt free construction. Denzel Bibbs talks about the atmosphere of the construction project that speaks to the positive energy and environment that will be taken onto other projects.   alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme Join the Black Like Me Listener Community Facebook Group

ow do you share a vision that has never been seen before? Mark Schmitz shares how ZebraDog acted as a conduit for the vision of The Center for Black Excellence and Culture. Zebradog knew how to tell stories through a space and The Center team knew the stories of the Black community, and they came together to bring these stories to life. Dr. Gee and Mark discuss the importance of storytelling, especially right now, where history and storytelling are in danger. Mark works on projects all over the world but he has been changed by the this hometown project that is a part of his shared community. They explore together how we are the embodiment of our history and how you become the buildings that you inhabit. The space of The Center is a hopeful vision of what we want to see for the Madison community.  Mark has been in the visual design and storytelling world since 1985. About 35 years ago, he started shaping what would become ZEBRADOG with a simple but bold idea: combine traditional visual communication design thinking with emerging technologies to create environments that engage all the senses. He wanted to build places that tell stories, connect people to brands in authentic ways, and invite them to linger a little longer—to learn, to touch, to feel. Today, that idea has grown into a world-class experiential design consortium that brings visual brands to life within built environments around the globe. The ZEBRADOG team is made up of exhibit architects, interior and graphic designers, producers, programmers, and software developers, all sharing one thing in common: they're passionate thinkers who love what they do. Mark travels across the country speaking about "Dynamic Environments" and "The Human Experience of a Brand." He's a frequent keynote speaker for groups like the American Institute of Architects, the International Interior Design Association, and the American Marketing Association. As a Certified Experience Economy Expert (CEEE), he helps clients understand how to design experiences that feel personal and memorable. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for Taliesin Preservation, Inc., where he's helping shape design programs that elevate the industry and celebrate creative heritage. And when he's not deep in a ZEBRADOG project, you might find him rating golf courses for Golfweek Magazine, lending a hand at Taliesin, or tearing up the mogul fields in Summit County—still smiling on his 62 year-old knees. alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme Join the Black Like Me Listener Community Facebook Group      

Hear about the revolutionary vision and community development of The Center of Black Excellence and Culture. Amanda White's fund development experience and Rick Phelps community development expertise brought a cross-cultural dynamic to the project that reflected and modeled the reality of the community The Center was built in. Cross-cultural fund development is complicated when race and new ideas are in the mix. The trust that was earned and formed between this project team was important to the process, allowing for amazing results and life-long friendships. Also, because there was a commitment to the project being truly Black-led, there was a trust felt by the Black community that brought their investment in The Center. The cross-cultural dynamic brought some new dimensions of this kind and size of a project, so that the broader community could see the relevance of The Center's vision. From focusing on having the investment of the Black community first, prioritizing Black women, and seeing an unprecedented number of supporters at every level. Also, the way people saw the project team  work together brought others on board to contribute to the project. Rick Phelps is the former Dane County Executive and chaired redevelopment of East Washington Ave/Capitol East District in Madison, WI. He is currently serving as an integral part of the advisory council for The Center for Black Excellence and Culture. Amanda White has been working to advance nonprofits and small businesses in Madison for 25 years. She has directly raised millions of dollars to support local nonprofit missions, including coaching over 50 clients, including 25 capital campaigns. Unique from other consultants, Amanda is fortunate to have worked in a variety of capacities within the small business and nonprofit sectors. While fundraising and storytelling is her passion, Amanda also has strong experience in financial forecasting, statewide program development, media relations, and even lobbying. These experiences give Amanda a complete understanding of non-profit management, enabling her to create a fundraising strategy that supports an organization's mission and operations. alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme Join the Black Like Me Listener Community Facebook Group

The Center for Black Excellence and Culture's development is groundbreaking in so many ways and now the staff are inspired to build a movement of excellence. Jason Fields, Chief Strategy Officer, and Janine Stephens Hale, Chief Operating Officer, talk about infusing the Black space with the potential for Black excellence  because of the empowering process and the intentionality of the space itself. Hear about the personal value of The Center and the value for the whole community. The visionary standard set by Dr. Gee has extended to the staff who experience the creative energy everyday in the Black space. As Chief Strategy Officer at The Center for Black Excellence, Jason brings nearly a decade of leadership experience in leadership, finance, nonprofit management, economic development, and organizational growth. In this role, Jason focuses on advancing the organization's mission of empowering communities and fostering cultural advancement by leveraging innovative strategies and fostering impactful collaborations. Jason's expertise in nonprofit leadership and team management allows him to effectively implement the vision and drive strategic initiatives that create lasting economic and social impact.   Previously, as President and CEO of Madison Region Economic Partnership, Jason led initiatives to strengthen regional economies by fostering business growth and cultivating talent pipelines. His commitment to financial literacy and community empowerment has been a consistent thread throughout his career, including his work at The Financial Promise Co., where he championed financial education to promote individual and community wealth-building. Janine Stephens serves as Chief Operations Officer of The Foundation for Black Women's Wellness. Her wealth of experience includes over 10 years in fund development, operations, marketing and communications, and events management. Her talents and leadership have helped grow the success of organizations in the local Madison Community including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County where she most recently served as Chief Development Officer, helping to expand the Club across three locations over her nine year tenure. Janine also served as Chief Operating Officer of Building Brave, a non-profit women's empowerment platform. Janine has served on many community committees to further the mission of agencies serving youth and families in Dane County. A Milwaukee native, Janine is an active and proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the largest African American women's organization in the world. theblackcenter.org alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme Join the Black Like Me Listener Community Facebook Group

Dr. Alex Gee gives a preview of the new season of the Black Like Me podcast. It is the big moment as Dr. Gee's vision of The Center for Black Excellence and Culture is revealed to the community. This season shares conversations with the key people that brought this innovative Black space to life. Not only do these conversations highlight the meaningful relationships in all spheres of the process but also show how this project has already inspired individuals involved personally. Hear about how this season will bring together those that invested in the Black aesthetic and culture of The Center and the non-Black allies who leaned into partner on the vision of the project. alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme Join the Black Like Me Listener Community Facebook Group

Dr. Alex Gee welcomes two of the most important creatives in the development of The Center of Black Excellence, Rev. Lilada Gee and Rafeeq Asad. They discuss their roles in the innovative design and aesthetic of the building. Rev. Lilada is the co-founder and interior decorator, and Rafeeq is the chief architect that worked to infuse a visceral Blackness into the building design.  Hear about the deep cultural thought and feeling that went into the design, including the fight needed for keeping Blackness in the visual aesthetic. It was important to infuse the space with the Black excellence that The Center claims and make sure that is felt by those in the Black community. The building and its vision needed to express to the Black community that they mattered once they entered the space.  theblackcenter.org alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme

Dr. Gee ends Season 11 with his deep and thoughtful reflections on the season and the times we are living in, as a Black man. His mic drop episodes don't hold back but speak from an honest place, making sense of our world.  This episode is a special conversation as Jeremy Holiday reflects on being a part of the show from the beginning as a producer and engineer. He discusses the evolution of the show alongside his own ongoing racial justice journey. Dr. Gee talks to Jeremy about the lessons he has learned from being involved in the show and who were the guests that stuck out to him through the years. Don't miss this insightful look behind the scenes of the podcast in this milestone in the show's history. Jeremy is a digital media producer and documentary filmmaker who has taught and supported at all educational levels. His own creative output as Atwoodland Productions includes a media focussed podcast for two seasons called Extratextual. Jeremy is now working on a new podcast called Just Around the Corner - a podcast about place, where we are, and what's next. alexgee.com Support the Show: patreon.com/blacklikeme Join the Black Like Me Listener Community Facebook Group