The New York Times called George M. Johnson’s memoir and manifesto All Boys Aren’t Blue “An exuberant, unapologetic memoir infused with a deep but clear-eyed love for its subjects. Johnson lays bare the darkest moments of his life with wit and unflinching vulnerability.” Despite the praise, it’s also a book that has been banned in 8 states and 29 school districts for being what its vocal critics call sexually explicit, pornographic, and inappropriate for kids. It is a shocking story in many ways. George details being molested by a family member at 12 years old and how that colored their views of trust and intimacy throughout their life. What it was like to have their first consensual sexual encounters without the knowledge or preparation for what that meant physically and emotionally. The book is uncomfortable and unexpected for the reader at times. Does it cross over into pornography and inappropriateness? Definitely not. In the book and in our conversation, George paints different, nuanced possibilities for black boys, pulling us from the obscurity of self-erasure into a declarative existence. What does it look like if you get to define for yourself who you are? What if you find love and brotherhood and companionship with other black men, as opposed to just fearing one another? What if you get to paint with all the colors of the rainbow, not just blue?

“Should we attempt to foster meaningful, human connections and engagement in the workplace?” This is the core question of my conversation with author, keynote speaker and workplace belonging expert Smiley Poswolsky. But our conversation in many ways isn’t about work, or the devastating financial implications of the epidemic disengagement of the workforce today. At core, our conversation is about what type of world do we want to live in; do we want a world of connection and engagement, or do we not? Your perspective and views on this question impact everything in our society, from work to play, from church to school, from whom we choose to value to whom we choose to forget. It is THE animating question of our time and our ongoing question about what is good citizenship. What is good humanity? The answers will either bring us closer together or further stoke the flames of division and misunderstanding. On a basic, fundamental level it comes back to the "house divided" principle: we stand together, or we fall together.

Skyler Maxey-Wert has lived a life of highs and ovations. From the moment he left home at the age of 13 to study at the American Ballet Theater School in New York City to moving to Dresden, Germany to dance with the Semp’Oper Ballett four years later, he has lived a big life on some of the world’s preeminent stages. That bigness continued this year when he received a triple standing ovation and golden ticket to Hollywood from the “American Idol” judges with his version of “For All We Know.” Through it all he has remained thoughtful about the successes of his life and the complexities we face in the world today. As Skyler says, the most important thing that he has learned from all that he has been able to experience as person and as a creative artist, is to know his worth.

Dr. Johnny Parker is an executive coach, relationship architect and author of the book Turn the Page. His message is clear. No one has the right to write your narrative. It is in the quiet and disciplined hours of self-reflection, where we can discern the true purpose and story of our lives. He also reminds us, that our words have power. And that we should take care with how we speak to one another and to ourselves. His offers us common sense wisdom, spoken plainly from his life’s experiences where his mess has become his message and his pains his purpose.

Regina Bain is a woman of contrasts. Her life is about threading the needle between the world of the mind and the world of the heart. Above all, she is a woman willing to take the risks of speaking up and speaking out in a world that often requires conformity and alignment. Like Louis Armstrong, the man whose legacy she is tasked with protecting and expanding she says of herself, “I am thinking about the choices that I am making about where I will use my voice, and the repercussions of that. And what I am willing to risk. And for me, I choose to engage.”

As Lead Digital Strategist for President Obama’s political advocacy group OFA, Caleb changed how the public interacted with the President. In his new role as Co-Founder and Managing Director of 18 Coffees Consultancy and author of the newly released book No Point B, Caleb encourages us to think of constant change as a core competency of 21st Century leadership and personal growth. As Caleb says, we are living in the Zero Moment of Truth. And what we need to decipher the power of this moment is wisdom, critical thinking, and self-reflection.

In his own beautiful way, Charlie Davies - host of Morning Footy on CBS Sports’ Golazo Network - teaches us that each new day is a gift. Each sunrise is second chance. Each interaction we have is an opportunity to put a smile on someone’s face. Beyond his immense philanthropic efforts as the Director of The ‘Quin Impact Fund, and his expertise as a CBS Broadcast Analyst, Charlie’s legacy is that of creating hope from no hope, of creating a brilliant tomorrow, from an uncertain today.