020 | Son of a Saint

On January 1, 2022, the mentoring organization, Son of a Saint, celebrated its 11th anniversary. It came from the vision of Bivian “Sonny” Lee, III who wanted to help young men without fathers in their homes. Lee's vision resulted in one of New Orleans’ most respected nonprofit organizations.
On the old Eddie Francis Podcast Show a few years back, Halima and I had a chat with Sonny about Son of a Saint’s work and the road that he personally traveled to change the lives of the young men his team serves. What started as Sonny simply doing what he thought was right has grown into a fully functioning nonprofit with a diverse staff of case managers, finance people, mental health specialists, marketing professionals, etc. as well as a diverse class of mentees.
Want to see where Son of a Saint is headed? Enjoy this video.
The views expressed on "For Our Edification" do not reflect the views of any entity with which the hosts or guests are affiliated.

011 | What Is a Philanthropic Identity?

WRITE TO BEAR ALMS
August is Black Philanthropy Month, so that means it's Halima time! With such a great celebration, there are many who get into the spirit of giving. One's giving should have purpose, however (thus the supporter of "For Our Edification", the Purposeful Philanthropy Foundation). For this edition of the Write to Bear Alms segment, Halima breaks down how having a philanthropic identity can lead to more meaningful giving.
Halima breaks down the philanthropic identity. She defines it, how it feeds into one's reputation, what it means to protect a philanthropic identity, the difference between influence and power in philanthropy, and how to establish a philanthropic identity.

008 | Understanding Black Philanthropy

WRITE TO BEAR ALMS
It's a throwback on For Our Edification! On this episode, we're going back to the old "Eddie Francis Podcast Show" when Halima had a conversation about Black philanthropy. Her guests were Darryl Lester and Vince Bayyan. The conversation defined Black philanthropy, discussed trends, and the importance of empowering everyday people to be strategic in their giving.
About Darryl Lester
A leading voice in philanthropy, Darryl is the director of Service Year at North Carolina State University's Institute for Emerging Issues. He is also the founder of HindSight Consulting and the Community Investment Network. Darryl had also served as the director of Community Leadership and Programs at the Triangle Community Foundation (NC) and as Trustee of the Warner Foundation. An alumnus of Wofford College(B.A., Economics) and North Carolina State University (M.Ed. in Counselor Education and minor in Psychology), Darryl is a brother of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
About Vince Bayyan
Vince is a former development official at Claflin University and St. Augustine's University. He also has non-profit experience as a former executive director of the YMCA Clarence E. Lightner Youth Leadership Academy in North Carolina. Also a dedicated artist, Vince is the principal partner of Bayyan Ventures and the Arts Conference Event Center. Vince holds a B.A. in Mass Communications from Hampton University.

004 | Mental Health Benefits of Giving

WRITE TO BEAR ALMS
In this first installment of Halima's Write to Bear Alms segment, we take a look a the mental health benefits of giving. To do that, we're taking it back to her old "Write to Bear Alms" radio show which aired on the Dallas-based Radio Azad.
Halima's guest was Leslie Brown, a mental health professional who is pursuing her Ph.D. in Counseling. Leslie's mental health work includes stress reduction workshops for various groups and counseling military veterans. She explains the neuroscience behind the feelings of satisfaction that come from giving and how an attitude of gratitude relieves stress. Halima and Leslie also discuss the importance of leveraging giving to help youth develop their mental health.
Not only is Leslie a great friend but she also serves on the board of the Purposeful Philanthropy Foundation.

001 | Introducing For Our Edification featuring Write to Bear Alms

Welcome to For Our Edification!
This podcast is about identity and value--who we are and how we influence those around us. The foundation for the podcast's message is the practice of personal branding which was popularized by Tom Peters' 1997 essay "The Brand Called You". While we are not diving directly into the waters of personal branding, For Our Edification promises to deliver guests and commentaries designed to empower you to articulate your identity and value.
For Our Edification's co-pilot, Halima Leak Francis, is the host of the Write to Bear Alms segment which provides insights and information about how giving can build sustainable communities. Being the fundraising mastermind she is, Halima will also sprinkle some helpful fundraising tidbits along the way. Also, check out the Write to Bear Alms blog.
Want to learn more about me and Halima (or just Halima)? CLICK HERE.