I So Appreciate You!

Why Allyship Isn’t Enough

In Season 3 Episode 3 of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert talk to Seena Hodges, Founder and CEO of The Woke Coach, about why it’s not enough to be an ally and how we go from being allies to being accomplices. 
Seena Hodges is in the business of discomfort, and she wants people to get comfortable with it. Her company, The Woke Coach, works with businesses ranging from small nonprofits to Fortune 500 companies, all of which share a desire to make their workplaces more equitable and just spaces. Seena knows that fear is the one thing that stops us from growing and she’s not afraid to work with people on tapping into their fears, biases and discomfort.  
When working with clients, Seena asks them two things:  
1) What is something that they care about implicitly? 
2) What is something that angers them more than anything? 
From there, Seena says that you can find what spurs you to action. She implores her clients, and people in general, to do the work – a critical step for going beyond allyship.  
“The moment that you’re exposed to something that you haven’t been exposed to before, it is your inherent responsibility to research that – to continue to develop your awareness around that thing or construct or reality for specific people. That’s the responsibility I think people have when it comes from trying to move from ally to accomplice.”
Seena also shares her insights on current DEI workforce trends, whether these efforts are working, and why now is the time to continue investing in DEI work. She offers wisdom and words of advice to all people, not just leaders in the workforce, on how to grow and become true accomplices to our fellow humans
Links 
The Woke Coach 
Follow Seena on: 
Facebook 
Instagram 
LinkedIn

Investing in Diversity

On this episode of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert discuss mission-based investing and the values of a diverse team in the investments industry with Chief Investment Officer for the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, Shannon O’Leary.
In her role, Shannon and her staff help steward the Foundation’s $1.7 billion in assets, ensuring that those dollars aren’t invested and/or supporting any issues or causes that may detour our grantmaking work. Shannon is one of few women spearheading an investment team in a predominantly white male-dominated industry.
As a result of this lack of diversity, Shannon has made it her mission to meet with managers in the industry and advocate for change.
“One of the most dangerous things in this industry that leads to problems and leads to additional risk is the lack of diversity on these teams leading to group think,” she says. 
In addition to her work advocating for change in the investments space, Shannon also pens a bi-weekly newsletter to share her experiences working in a male-dominated industry and sharing advice for readers wanting to create change themselves.
 
Links
Our Investment Approach
Follow Shannon on LinkedIn
Say It Out Loud LinkedIn newsletter

Cultivating New Food Entrepreneurs

In the first episode of Season 3 of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert chat with Allison Hohn, executive director of Naturally Minnesota, about what it takes to establish a thriving and equitable ecosystem for food-based entrepreneurs in our state.
Naturally Minnesota is an initiative to support and accelerate Minnesota's ecosystem for food and agriculture entrepreneurship and innovation. Through her work, Allison provides venues for new food and agriculture business owners to connect with like-minded people, find support for their ventures, and learn how to access resources like investment capital.
When establishing a product for distribution, Allison says food entrepreneurs must keep the following things in mind.
“Your product has to taste good, you have to have a good brand and you have to have a point of differentiation.” 
Allison also shares her insights on creating greater access and equitable opportunities for entrepreneurs in the food and agriculture space, what she hopes is here to stay after the pandemic shook up the industry, and how someone can take their product from idea to shelf.
Links
Naturally Minnesota

Season 3 Trailer

I So Appreciate You! is back for its third season starting September 19! Listen along as co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert continue their sometimes raw, sometimes funny and always uniquely insightful discussions with some of today’s changemakers from a variety of industries. 

Why Creative People Need Rest

Co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert take a Seinfeld approach to their final episode of the season by unwinding and talking about nothing; well, nothing in particular and “doing” nothing. 
Instead of tackling sometimes tough and complex issues that arise in the workplace and philanthropy, they take time to address the commonalities their guests had this season. One theme that emerged is the pressing need for creative people to create time to rest and decompress.

Healing the Harms of Cultural Appropriation

In this episode of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert discuss cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation with Anishinaabe artist, advocate and cultural educator Adrienne M. Benjamin. In addition to Adrienne, they also take time to discuss this complex topic with another surprise guest, Dr. Eric Jolly, president & CEO of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation.
As Reconciliation Advisor for Minnetonka, Adrienne is working to bridge the gap between the Indigenous community and a white-owned business by internally shifting its culture.
As a result of her work, the company is creating opportunities for Indigenous artists among several other restorative actions.
Links
Adrienne Benjamin’s Website
Follow Adrienne on Instagram
Follow Adrienne on Facebook
Minnetonka Website

Changing Dominant Media Narratives

In a time when the information we consume is often curated or reinforced by what we like on social media or the news outlets we follow, Mukhtar Ibrahim is working to shift the narrative by giving immigrants and communities of color the kind of committed, responsive news coverage that we all deserve. 
In this episode of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert explore the complexities of journalism and the importance of intentionally changing the dominant narrative with the publisher and CEO of the Sahan Journal.
“The way you shape and frame a story really matters. And who tells the story matters. That’s why I founded the Sahan Journal, so we won’t have to have that tension or questioning of how we put together a story, because as long as we’re following the basic journalistic skills and principles, everything will just move on.” - Mukhtar Ibrahim
 
Links
Sahan Journal website
Sahan Journal on Facebook
Sahan Journal on Twitter
Sahan Journal on Instagram
Mukhtar Ibrahim on LinkedIn
Mukhtar Ibrahim on Twitter
Mukhtar Ibrahim on Instagram

Finding Balance with Social Media

In season 2, episode 5 of I So Appreciate You!, we discuss the value social media has as a tool for connection while also having implications on private life. Our special guest is Sarah Edwards, CEO of Some Great People and co-founder/CEO of Fashion Week Minnesota.
Sarah is obsessed with the word “sonder” – the profound feeling of realizing that everyone has a life as vivid and complex as one’s own – and it makes sense given that she loves community and bringing people together. As a connector, a creative, a storyteller, an influencer and a self-described empath, Sarah uses her skills to bridge people together. She views social media as her main tool to stay connected, all while sharing her life — the good and the bad — with countless followers. But making herself so approachable and accessible has its drawbacks. 
In this episode, Sarah and co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert discuss the pros and cons of being a public figure on social media, the lure of connection and even the power that fashion has to start conversations.
Links
Follow Sarah on Instagram
Some Great People website
Follow Some Great People on Instagram
Fashion Week MN website

The Genius of Black-led Change

Lulete Mola’s passion for activism and social justice stems from her love of her family and community. Before co-founding the Black Collective Foundation MN as a result of the pandemic and social uprising in Minnesota, Lulete started her own youth-led organization, worked for the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota and participated on many boards including Minnesota Council of Foundations and the VoteRunLead National Advisory.
In episode 4 of I So Appreciate You!, co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert chat with this special guest and Facing Race Award recipient about her roles as an activist, organizer and philanthropic leader in the community.
With the Black Collective Foundation MN, Lulete and fellow founders Chanda Smith Baker and Repa Meka are shifting the landscape of philanthropy by creating a space for Black-led change.
“The reality is that when Black people lead, all people benefit,” said Lulete. “There is nothing that reassures me more than the work Black folks have done across this globe, time and time and time again. And if someone asks me what is my theory of change, my theory of change is the brilliance of Black people.”
 
Links
Black Collective Foundation MN
Facing Race Awards

Using Technology for Social Change

What makes a brilliant app? Is it entertainment value, offering a critical service or something that has social impact? For Andre Creighton, co-founder and chief financial officer of the groundbreaking app TurnSignl, it’s providing drivers with real-time legal guidance from an attorney during traffic stops while a camera records the interaction.
Co-hosts Nadege Souvenir and Melanie Hoffert discuss entrepreneurship and the importance of using technology for social change with the co-founder and Chief Financial Officer Andre Creighton.