B2BxKGNU - January 2026

This episode of Back2Basics features Colorado Senate President James Coleman reflecting on leadership rooted in faith, service and the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. From winning his first race by just 84 votes to leading the Colorado Senate, Coleman reflects on equity, relationship-building, and why public service is a moral calling.

If you’re committed to community, leadership, and lifting as you climb, this one’s for you. We’re celebrating the power of giving and how investing in one another strengthens our communities for years to come. We reflect on the BRIC Fund’s 5th Anniversary Celebration with special guests Anthony Anderson. From resilience to representation, Tonoa Manuel, COO of the AYA Foundation, and B.J. Joyce, host of The Black Friday Show discuss why giving your time, talent and treasure matters now more than ever and how each of us has a role in shaping what comes next. Keep learning. Keep growing. Keep giving. #Back2Basics #BRICFund #CommunityPower #GivingSeason #ColoradoLeadership #InvestInEachOther #AYAFoundation #TheBlackFridayShow

This month on Back2Basics, we explore how connection builds community from health and leadership to culture and creativity featuring Kevin Patterson, Symone D. Sanders Townsend and Lecrae. Plus, introducing 5280Vibe.com. Denver’s community-driven ticketing and media platform that keeps your events local, affordable, and seen. f you’re the one bringing people together… the organizer, the creative, the connector, this is your vibe. Visit 5280Vibe.com to get started for free.

Get ready for an inspiring lineup of voices shaping history, equity and leadership. This month we hear from Kenneth B. Morris, Jr., the great-great-great-grandson of Frederick Douglass and great-great-grandson of Booker T. Washington, as he shares how he continues his family’s legacy of struggle and progress at the Colorado Trust Eight28 event. We then explore the meaning of economic inclusion with Kelli Kelly, and close with Sade Cooper’s bold vision for how Black women are rewriting the system. Special thanks to The Colorado Trust and the Economic Development Association for Black Communities (EDA) for hosting these conversations highlighting legacy, empowerment and the urgent call to build a better future for all.

This episode of Back2Basics is centered on the power of storytelling. From Joy-Ann Reid’s keynote at the Colorado Health Foundation Symposium on why storytelling is our most powerful tool, to celebrating 50 years of the National Association of Black Journalists and honoring Colorado pioneers Sandra Dillard and Greg Moore, to marking the first anniversary of the Colorado Ethnic Media Exchange, we explore how stories connect and change communities.

In this episode of Back2Basics, host Brittany Winkfield shares powerful reflections from a two-week international leadership journey to Senegal and Ghana with the Urban Leadership Foundation of Colorado. From the emotional visit to Gorée Island's Door of No Return, to meaningful conversations with Ghanaian leaders and scholars, we explore how reconnecting with African history and culture reshapes leadership and identity. We discuss shocking historical truths and the importance of storytelling and cultural awareness. This episode invites listeners to reflect, remember and lead with purpose featuring Ọbádélé Bakari Kambon, PhD.

This month we celebrate Black fatherhood and the power of presence. We reflect on the third annual Daddy Daughter Dance, hosted by Back2Basics and Al Your Pal, and hear powerful tributes from local fathers Nathan Roston and Tedmund Taylor. This episode also honors Juneteenth as a time of remembrance and joyful resistance, highlighting Black Music Month with a cultural experience abroad at Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour in London. A global tribute to Black country, Black womanhood, and reclaiming space with pride.

This month we celebrate graduates and the principles of perseverance and quality education. We hear from Carlotta Walls LaNier, one of the courageous Little Rock Nine students and get a history lesson from the 1950s. The episode also highlights the Collaborative Journalism Summit in Denver, showcasing Colorado's thriving collaborative media ecosystem and the important role of trusted messengers in community news featuring Vera Idam-Osuokwu from Afrik Digest Magazine and Adriana Lacy from Influencer Journalism.

This episode of Back2Basics focuses on the theme of "innovation and impact," defining them simply as the spark and the direction for positive change. We hear from Maxine Harris, founder of Maxx Impact Group, on her business journey. The Local Media Association Annual Summit in New York City highlights discussions around AI and a live demonstration of Google's NotebookLM. Announcing the Colorado Association of Black Journalists' annual Awards and Scholarship Reception on Saturday, May 3, 2025, celebrating excellence in journalism and introducing scholarship recipients.

There’s lots to celebrate in this episode of Back2Basics on Metro, including the 198th anniversary of the Black Press, and the future of media and storytelling. We hear from futurist, Crystal Washington, at Denver International Airport’s 30th-anniversary celebration and highlights from the Knight Foundation Media Forum, where leaders discuss shaping the future of our communities. Plus, we spotlight the Colorado Ethnic Media Exchange, a collaborative effort bridging information gaps for diverse communities across Colorado. As we honor the legacy of Black-owned media, we also hear from NNPA President and CEO Dr. Ben Chavis on the State of the Black Press and a celebration of women!