Essence CEO Carolyn Wanga interviews Chanda Smith Baker, exploring purpose, leadership and culture.

“We believe that Black women are the chief executive officers of culture, home and community. This column, Chief to Chief, focuses on helping every Black woman recognize the “chief” that already exists within her—by introducing her to the chiefs who live among us. Chanda Smith Baker has more than 20 years of experience anchored in sharing, identifying and responding to the multiple narratives that exist within our community. In 2017, Baker joined the Minneapolis Foundation as the Chief Impact Officer and Senior Vice President, where she oversees the foundation’s grant-making programs, providing strategic direction to community initiatives and multi-sector partnerships. She’s also the podcast host of Conversations with Chanda and is a fifth generation North Minneapolis—a historically Black area—native.”

To read the full conversation, click here or visit Essence.com.