Ask JBH with Janice Bryant Howroyd

What if the distance between you and your goal is not the goal, but the way you see it?Dr. Emily Balcetis, Associate Professor of Psychology at NYU and TEDx speaker viewed by millions, studies how perception shapes performance. Her research has been featured in Forbes, Time, and Scientific American.In this Ask JBH episode, she reveals why focus is about perspective, how to turn fear into fuel, and when to look back versus look ahead to stay motivated.

On this episode of Ask JBH, Arian Simone shares a fearless journey shaped by faith, grit, and purpose. From early lessons in entrepreneurship at Florida A&M University to rebuilding her life after homelessness in Los Angeles, she reflects on the moments that clarified her calling.Those experiences led her to found the Fearless Fund, the first venture capital fund built by women of color for women of color, reframing access to capital not as charity, but as strategy. The conversation explores sisterhood, resilience, venture readiness, and what it takes to stay grounded when leadership is tested in both public and private ways.This episode is for anyone figuring out how to keep going when the path forward feels unclear.

Jensine Larsen, award-winning digital entrepreneur, international journalist, and the former founder of World Pulse, recognized the internet's potential as a lifeline long before social platforms were seen as mere tools for influence or profit. She saw it as a space where women without access to traditional power could still be seen, heard, and connected.This episode explores how digital empowerment, citizen journalism, and collaborative leadership can accelerate gender justice when technology is built with intention. We take a closer look at who gets amplified, how inequitable data shapes outcomes, and what responsibility looks like when voices finally have a platform.This conversation dives into the concepts of power, voice, and the quiet revolution that unfolds when people are trusted to speak for themselves. Discover the transformative impact of Jensine's work and the untapped potential of technology to create a more just and inclusive world.

Shaka Senghor joins Ask JBH for a thoughtful exchange about freedom, accountability, and the inner work required to change the direction of your life. A bestselling author and resilience expert, Shaka’s perspective is shaped by lived experience, including a childhood marked by instability and 19 years of incarceration.Author of How to Be Free and Writing My Wrongs, Shaka shares how literacy, journaling, and self-examination helped him rebuild his life from the inside out. Together, the discussion explores the unseen prisons many people live in, including fear, anger, shame, and unresolved pain that quietly shape decisions long after circumstances change.It is a reminder that freedom is an inside job and that every prison has a door.

Pastor Greg Ford, Lead Pastor of One Church, joins Ask JBH for a thoughtful conversation on faith, leadership, and building community in a divided world.From planting a church while working five jobs to leading with humility and courage, Pastor Greg shares how presence, love, and listening shape meaningful leadership. Together, we explore how faith shows up in work, culture, and moments of uncertainty without fear, judgment, or division.This episode challenges us to rethink how faith is lived, not just spoken, in everyday life.