The Freedom Forum with Angela B. Freeman

The Freedom Forum: Angel Henry, author of ’Dents in the Ceiling’

In this month's episode, host Angela B. Freeman talks with Angel Henry, author of "Dents in the Ceiling: Tools Women & Allies Need to Breakthrough," which tells the stories of 30 women of color who have survived and thrived in tech and corporate America. 

Henry—who is the senior director of professional services and the diversity, equity and inclusion chief of staff at tech firm Genesys—talks about her own experiences as a Black woman climbing the corporate ladder and about the all-too-common challenges that women of color face in the workplace. And she explains how writing the book helped her make sense of her own experiences.

The Freedom Forum: Lamont Hatcher, founder of tech firm AIS

After working in IT for several years for various organizations, Lamont Hatcher got an unexpected itch to start his own company. So in 2012, he launched Apex Infinite Solutions—now called AIS—to provide IT solutions to other companies. In 2020, the company landed on IBJ's Fast 25 list.

He talks to host Angela B. Freeman about the challenges of being an entrepreneur and how he's had to push through his introverted nature to become a leader.

Hatcher credits his success to diverse founders who came before him and talks with Freeman about the need to help future generations continue celebrating those trailblazers.

IBJ's The Freedom Forum with Angela B. Freeman is sponsored by Cummins Inc.

The Freedom Forum: Attorney, author and speaker Dawn Rosemond

Dawn Rosemond is the first African American woman to make equity partner at Barnes & Thornburg and is now diversity partner, in charge of activating the firm's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. She's also an author, a keynote speaker and the founder of Reign, a company aimed at helping people find their greatness.

But success hasn't been an easy road. Dawn tells podcast host Angela B. Freeman about her experiences blazing a trail for Black women in law, her journey to finding herself and how she's changed since the death of George Floyd.

"I'm a 180-degree different Dawn than I was before 2020," Dawn tells Angela during the podcast. "I just refuse now to downplay my Blackness, to downplay my Black womanness, to apologize for not liking your joke, to apologize for you not seeing me."

 

IBJ's The Freedom Forum with Angela B. Freeman is sponsored by Cummins Inc.

 

The Freedom Forum: Jessica Gendron, The Center for Leadership Excellence

In this week's podcast, host Angela B. Freeman talks with Jessica Gendron, CEO of The Center for Leadership Excellence, about the challenges that women face in life and their careers.

And they discuss why those challenges are even more daunting for women of color, plus what non-minority women can do to help.

IBJ's The Freedom Forum with Angela B. Freeman is sponsored by Cummins Inc.

The Freedom Forum: Netlogx‘s Audrey Taylor and The Darden Group‘s Akilah Darden

Host Angela B. Freeman talks with two central Indiana women who started their own companies in the male-dominated fields of technology and construction.

Audrey Taylor, co-founder of Netlogx, explains her firm's self-funded model for growth, while Akilah Darden, founder of The Darden Group, details what it was like to start a company during a pandemic.

They share what other women need to know about banking, marketing and business certifications before they start their own companies.

 

IBJ's The Freedom Forum with Angela B. Freeman is sponsored by Cummins Inc.

 

The Freedom Forum: Venture capitalist Kelli Jones

In the inaugural episode of IBJ's The Freedom Forum with Angela B. Freeman, Kelli Jones—co-founder of Sixty8 Capital and Be Nimble—talks about the importance of investing in diverse founders. And she explains why venture capitalists who ignore companies helmed by Black leaders and other people of color are missing out on big opportunities. 

IBJ's The Freedom Forum with Angela B. Freeman is sponsored by Cummins Inc.

Introducing IBJ's The Freedom Forum with Angela B. Freeman

IBJ’s The Freedom Forum with Angela B. Freeman will explore the intersection of business, race and gender in a monthly series that begins Aug. 25.

Freeman, an attorney, will talk with business leaders about how the corporate community can advance equity in the way companies hire and promote employees, choose vendors and contractors and fund new companies and ideas.

Freeman, who specializes in intellectual property at Barnes & Thornburg and is a former president of Women & Hi Tech, will also explore the challenges and opportunities companies and leaders face as they try to create a more inclusive culture.