Candid conversations with extraordinary Black women celebrating the untold stories of #BlackGirlMagic . On this podcast, we get real about the messy, authentic journeys of Black women in leadership who are rewriting their narratives of success and sharing the truths that lie underneath the shine you see.
Join us on this journey to challenge the ideals of perfection, discover the beauty in the chaos, and celebrate what's really behind our magic.
Liberation as Legacy: Carrying Our Stories Forward with Anneshia Hardy
Anneshia Hardy, narrative strategist, discusses resisting harmful narratives and using storytelling as a survival strategy to reimagine democracy in an interview about leadership and resilience.
16 Sept 2025
Resilience, Roots & Reinvention: A Conversation with Tarnia Gonzo
Tarnia Gonzo, T&S Consulting founder, recounts her experiences as a Black woman in male-dominated industries, discussing identity, community, and authentic leadership in this interview with the host.
6 Aug 2025
What If Choosing Yourself Was the Revolution? A Love Letter to Black Women with Ameshia Arthur
Author Ameshia Arthur discusses centering yourself in a world that tells you not to, sharing her healing journey and challenging generational expectations in this interview.
24 Jun 2025
DeUnna Hendrix: Leading, Healing, and Everything In Between
DeUnna Hendrix, leadership coach, discusses navigating leadership as a Black woman, confronting vulnerability, and rebuilding one's sense of self after high-pressure experiences in this interview.
27 May 2025
Brittany Buford: Refining Expectations and Pushing Forward
Brittany Buford, managing partner at Partners In Democracy, shares her experiences as a Black woman in democracy reform after the 2024 election, discussing resilience and redefining success in an interview.
6 May 2025
Finding Rest in the Revolution: Gabrielle Wyatt on Sustaining Black Women Leaders
In this episode, I sit down with Gabrielle Wyatt, founder of The Highland Project, to explore what it truly means to invest in the worth—not just the work—of Black women. Gabrielle shares the personal and professional journey that led her to build a movement rooted in sustainability, joy, and generational wealth for Black women leaders.
Guided by the belief that “abundance is the capacity and space to fully thrive,” she reflects on the moment she could no longer sacrifice her well-being for short-term wins. Instead, Gabrielle began to center rest, reflection, and community care as strategic tools for transformation. As she puts it, “sustainability is not about changing workplace culture—it’s about being free in your own body,” and she walks us through the restorative practices that now ground her leadership.
This episode is a powerful invitation to redefine success, reclaim your time, and imagine what becomes possible when Black women are deeply supported to thrive.
22 Apr 2025
Barbara Payne: What Was Meant to Break Me, Built Me
In this episode of Behind the Magic, I sit down with Barbara Payne, whose powerful journey from high school dropout to soon-to-be Doctor is nothing short of extraordinary. But it’s her courage to share the truth behind that transformation that truly moved me.
Barbara’s story is not just about surviving abuse – emotional, physical and sexual. It’s about breaking generational curses, finding light in the darkest moments, and choosing to keep going when giving up felt easier. In her story, I’m reminded of what happens when you stop asking “why me?” and start asking “how do I rise from this?”
From a nurse’s whisper at her lowest moment to founding Opportunities to Overcome, Barbara is the embodiment of faith, resilience, and the power of choosing healing—over and over again.
8 Apr 2025
Toni Johnson on Finding Your Voice and the Power of Being Seen
In this uplifting and thought-provoking episode, Toni Johnson, founder of Mission OutLoud, takes us through the stories of the highs and lows of her leadership journey. She shares how she found her voice - often as the “only one” in the room - and how those experiences fueled her passion for building spaces where Black women and others can thrive unapologetically.
Listen as we dive into the power of authenticity, resilience, and community, with real talk about Toni’s hard-earned wisdom and candid reflections on navigating leadership as a Black woman. This conversation is filled with gems of wisdom, laughter, and honesty about the challenges and triumphs of leadership and being seen.
So, tune in and get comfortable for a sister-to-sister heart-to-heart you won’t want to miss.
25 Mar 2025
Rewriting the Code: Shawna Curran on Leading Boldly in Tech and DEIB
What does it really take to shake up the tech world and build something that lasts? In this episode of Behind the Magic, I sit down with Shawna Curran, a visionary tech leader and founder of STEM ENRG, who’s making serious waves at the intersection of technology, DEIB, and operations. Shawna isn’t just advocating for diversity—she’s rethinking how systems work so equity and inclusion can actually take root and thrive.
In our conversation, we get into why most DEIB efforts fall short, the pushback she’s faced as a woman of color in leadership, and how she’s driving real change from the inside out. From breaking barriers in STEM to reshaping how tech leaders lead, Shawna shares the wins, the hard lessons, and why failing forward has been key to her success. Whether you’re in tech, leadership, or trying to own your space, this episode will leave you inspired to move differently—and lead boldly.
11 Mar 2025
The Heart of a Love Warrior with Dr. Tiffany Manuel
In this powerful episode of Behind the Magic, Dr. Tiffany Manuel, founder and CEO of The Case Made, invites us into her world as a self-proclaimed "love warrior." But love, as she describes it, isn’t just about warmth and kindness—it’s about fighting fiercely for our communities, even when the odds are stacked against us.
From her journey of corporate success to entrepreneurship, Dr. Manuel shares how she walked away from the prestige, the executive perks, and the "corner office" life to follow a calling rooted in community transformation. She gets real about the struggles Black women face in leadership, the hard-earned lessons of building a business from scratch, and the importance of embracing failure as fuel for success.
If you’ve ever felt the pull to step out on your own but fear is holding you back, this episode is for you. Dr. Manuel reminds us that true power lies in staying rooted in purpose, even when the world tells you otherwise. Tune in and be inspired to lead, love, and leap boldly into your next chapter.
25 Feb 2025
The Power of Being Fierce with Tori Fernandez Whitney
In this episode of Behind the Magic, I sit down with Tori Fernandez Whitney, founder & CEO of DC Focus, whose career as a nonprofit and public sector executive has been shaped by resilience, advocacy, and an unwavering commitment to doing the right thing. From her early experiences growing up in New Orleans to navigating the high-stakes world of D.C. politics and nonprofit leadership, Tori shares the lessons that have defined her journey—the unglamorous truth of the “glass cliff”, the scrutiny Black women face as they work to create change, and the emotional toll of fixing broken systems. With wisdom and humility, she shares her unfiltered, inspiring, and deeply personal story about the power of being fierce, the cost of making change, and the unstoppable force of Black women leading boldly.
10 Feb 2025
Leading the Fight: Jasmine Burney-Clark on Power & Liberation
In this episode of Behind the Magic, host Danielle Prendergast sits down with Jasmine Burney-Clark, founder of Equal Ground, to explore her journey from a first-generation college graduate to a powerhouse leader in Black voter empowerment. Jasmine shares how her mother’s resilience and entrepreneurialism shaped her leadership, the challenges of navigating white-led organizations, and the decision to create her own path.
Jasmine opens up about the fight against voter suppression in Florida, the resistance she faces—even from supposed allies—and the weight of carrying a legacy of Black women’s leadership. Through powerful storytelling, she reveals the realities of advocacy, the necessity of Black-led spaces, and her vision for lasting change.
A raw, inspiring conversation about resilience, justice, and redefining leadership.
Who has been a guest on Behind the Magic
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Anneshia Hardy
Tarnia Gonzo
Ameshia Arthur
DeUnna Hendrix
Brittany Buford
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 21 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
30
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
Contact Behind the Magic
Guest appearances
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