Ep. 111 Creating More Magic: How Jae Henderson Builds Businesses and Community, One Connection at a Time.
Release Date: 08/14/2026
Ep. 111 Creating More Magic: How Jae Henderson Builds Businesses and Community, One Connection at a Time.
Black Men Speak Podcast
Over the past 15+ years, Jae Henderson has built products alongside food chemists, cowboys, software developers, designers, and politicians — a career path that's taken him from Capitol Hill to Sweden to a Nevada distillery. He calls it magic: people of different expertise and different starting points, all arriving somewhere together. He's the person people call when they have an idea and no clue how to bring it to life — because ideas are a dime a dozen; it's all in the execution. He was a founding product leader at the Bloomberg Philanthropies–funded Black Wealth Data Center and...
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Ep. 110 Beyond Survival: Walter Pryor's Story of Resilience
Black Men Speak Podcast
What began as a collection of handwritten letters from his beloved grandmother became an extraordinary journey through family history, race, resilience, and the enduring power of love across generations. Walter shares how his grandmother's unwavering faith, quiet strength, and simple words of encouragement helped shape his identity and inspired him to preserve a story that is both deeply personal and profoundly American. Together, we explore the sacrifices that built future generations, the hidden heroes whose names may never appear in history books, and why preserving our family stories is...
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Ep. 109 The Power of the Citizen: Leading Change from the Ground Up
Black Men Speak Podcast
In this podcast episode, , Executive Director of The Citizen Service, shares how everyday people can become catalysts for change and why civic engagement is more important than ever. Rashawn Davis is a nonprofit leader, writer, and public speaker focused on strengthening democracy, advancing civic technology, and inspiring public leadership. A Newark native, he made history at 21 years old as one of the youngest candidates to qualify for the city’s municipal election ballot. Rashawn has led national initiatives at The Andrew Goodman Foundation and Change.org. He has served on Newark’s...
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Ep. 108 Brotherhood, War and Liberation! A conversations with Steven A. Holmes
Black Men Speak Podcast
What does courage look like when the world refuses to see your humanity? In this powerful episode, Steven A. Holmes discusses Black masculinity, family, race, love, and liberation through the lens of World War II and his gripping novel Black Messiahs
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Ep. 107 Black Men Are Missing This 15 Minutes—And It’s Costing Us
Black Men Speak Podcast
In this powerful episode of Black Men Speak, we sit down with Aaron Johnson, founder of The Chronically Undertouched Project, to unpack a silent crisis affecting Black men—the lack of safe, intentional human touch. Drawing from his viral TED Talk and documentary Dark and Tender, Aaron shares how years without platonic connection can lead to isolation, depression, and emotional disconnection, and why something as simple as a hug can be life-changing. Together, we explore how cultural conditioning, trauma, and systemic oppression have shaped the way Black men experience touch—and how...
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Ep. 106 From Hustle to Legacy: Shifting from Short-Term Grind to Long-Term Wealth
Black Men Speak Podcast
Too many of us are grinding… but not building. On this Pinnacle of Color episode of Black Men Speak, we’re talking about the shift from hustle to legacy — what it really takes to move from short-term money to long-term wealth. We sit down with Joe Coleman and Vernon Garret, founders of in Richmond, Virginia — breaking down how a vision becomes a brand, and how a brand becomes something that lasts. If you’re tired of the grind and ready to build something meaningful… this episode is for you.
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Ep. 105 Raised Without a Village: Biracial Black Men, Identity and Isolation in the Pacific Northwest
Black Men Speak Podcast
In this episode of Black Men Speak, we explore the lived experiences of biracial Black men raised in environments where Black culture, community, and mentorship were limited—or completely absent. From identity confusion to delayed self-discovery, we unpack how isolation impacts confidence, masculinity, and belonging. is an Industrial-Organizational Psychologist based in West Seattle and founder of , an independent consulting practice that blends organizational development with diversity, equity, and inclusion to help organizations build more inclusive, effective, and resilient workplaces....
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Ep. 104 The Broken King - When Power Meets Pain
Black Men Speak Podcast
In this episode, we sit down with Michael Thomas, the acclaimed novelist behind Man Gone Down and winner of the International Dublin Literary Award, to discuss his powerful memoir The Broken King. In a raw and deeply personal conversation, Thomas reflects on fatherhood without the polish often found in parenting narratives, confronting the trauma, racism, and family history that shaped his upbringing in 1970s Boston and resurfaced as he tried to become a different kind of father to his own sons. Drawing inspiration from a line in Little Gidding, The Broken King explores the lives of the men...
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Ep. 103 Do Black Men Have To Be Twice As Polished? - The Unspoken Rules of Power and Presentation
Black Men Speak Podcast
With a recent tik-tok video about Black Men's appearance at a Ruth Chris Steakhouse going viral, it would be a perfect time to talk about Black Male etiquette. In a world where perception can open doors—or quietly close them—Black men often find themselves navigating an unspoken standard: be excellent, but also be exceptional. Be confident, but not intimidating. Be authentic, but not “too much.” So the question becomes: Are we required to be twice as polished just to receive half the opportunity? We will discuss this important topic with James B Wingo, author of “The Manners...
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Ep. 102 Grief Without A Roadmap_ When Strength is Expected But Support is Absent
Black Men Speak Podcast
In this episode of Black Men Speak, we sit with Ryan K Brown Jr., who confronted loss head-on—and discovered how unprepared our systems are to care for grieving families once the hospital lights dim. What began as a medical crisis exposed deeper emotional and systemic gaps, where strength was assumed, silence followed, and support was scarce. Through his grief, Ryan Brown Co-Founded , a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing research, education, and compassionate support for families affected by pregnancy and infant loss. Ryan’s work is deeply shaped by personal experience. After...
info_outlineOver the past 15+ years, Jae Henderson has built products alongside food chemists, cowboys, software developers, designers, and politicians — a career path that's taken him from Capitol Hill to Sweden to a Nevada distillery. He calls it magic: people of different expertise and different starting points, all arriving somewhere together.
He's the person people call when they have an idea and no clue how to bring it to life — because ideas are a dime a dozen; it's all in the execution. He was a founding product leader at the Bloomberg Philanthropies–funded Black Wealth Data Center and helped launch three award-winning spirits brands as a member of the founding team at Bently Heritage Estate Distillery.
Today he's the Co-Founder & CEO of DC Urban Oasis. This hospitality studio uses food, drink, and storytelling to deepen human connection and expand ownership and agency for Culinary Creators. It's a natural extension of something he learned growing up in South Central Los Angeles, watching his great-grandmother turn her house into a gathering place for anyone who walked through the door: that community doesn't just happen, someone has to build it.
Jae worked on Capitol Hill for the late Congressman John Lewis and later spent time reimagining inclusive tourism with urban planners in Sweden. A former college rugby player, he now lives in Washington, DC, with his wife and their dog, Cleopatra. He believes the most powerful technology is the kind that brings people together, builds wealth, and leaves the world with a little more magic.