Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dominique Leonard.

Founder of Jus' Free, a parole package provider. Here are some key highlights and themes from the conversation:

🔑 Key Themes & Takeaways 1. From Incarceration to Inspiration

• Dominique Leonard was sentenced to life in prison for a non-aggravated robbery.
• He discovered that “life” sentences can vary, and his was eligible for parole after 5.5 to 6 years.
• He was denied parole initially, which led him to take control of his own legal journey.

2. Birth of “Jus' Free”

• After being denied parole, Dominique created his own parole package with the help of his family.
• He realized many inmates are unaware of how they are presented to the parole board.
• This inspired him to found Jus' Free, a service that helps inmates humanize themselves through custom parole packages.

3. Faith, Family, and Redemption

• Dominique credits his faith and family for his transformation.
• He emphasizes that making a bad decision doesn’t make someone a bad person.
• His story is a testament to second chances and the power of self-advocacy.

4. Entrepreneurial Journey

• After release, he started with humble jobs and gradually built Just Free into a business.
• He took a paralegal course to deepen his legal knowledge.
• He began by contacting inmates directly and now boasts an 82% success rate in helping clients secure parole.

5. Impact and Legacy

• Dominique’s work not only helps inmates but also supports their families.
• His story is a reminder of the importance of empathy, support systems, and believing in redemption.

#AMI

#STRAW

#BEST

#SHMS

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Kevin Cohee.

Purpose of the Interview

The interview aimed to:

• Highlight OneUnited Bank’s mission as the largest Black-owned and first Black-owned internet bank in America.
• Educate listeners on financial literacy, technology-driven banking, and economic empowerment in underserved communities.
• Promote OneUnited Bank’s products and services as solutions for financial challenges faced by Black Americans and others lacking access to traditional banking.

Key Takeaways

1. Historical Context & Mission

   • The concept of a national Black-owned bank dates back to leaders like Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Martin Luther King Jr., who emphasized economic empowerment.
   • OneUnited Bank was formed through acquisitions and later pivoted to technology-driven banking.

2. Technology & Innovation

   • OneUnited embraced AI and data aggregation over a decade ago to create products that help customers understand assets, liabilities, and net worth in real time.
   • Banking has shifted from physical branches to digital platforms, enabling nationwide access.

3. Financial Literacy Crisis

   • 90% of Americans lack financial literacy, largely because it’s not taught in schools.
   • Cohee advocates for mandatory K–12 financial literacy education, citing studies showing it can add $126,000 to lifetime net worth.

4. Products Designed for Real Needs

   • CashPlease: Short-term emergency loans at affordable rates.
   • Second Chance Checking: Helps rebuild credit.
   • Savings Programs: Often in collaboration with employers.
   • These products address real-life challenges like low emergency savings and predatory check-cashing fees.

5. Accessibility & Reach

   • OneUnited offers nationwide banking via oneunited.com, surcharge-free ATMs, and partnerships with major networks.
   • Customers can deposit checks online and access services without visiting physical branches.

6. Economic Empowerment

   • Technology enables entrepreneurship without owning physical products—leveraging branding and e-commerce.
   • Cohee draws parallels between today’s tech opportunities and the historical wealth-building of Black Wall Street.

Notable Quotes

• “We are FDIC insured, commercial bank like them. The only difference is we’re smarter and we have better technology.”
• “Technology and AI allow anyone to make decisions like they were an expert.”
• “If we taught financial literacy in schools, it would create over $100,000 in net worth per person over their lifetime.”
• “You don’t have to go to check cashers and get ripped off. Just go to oneunited.com.”
• “We’ve been working on AI for over a decade. We’re not coming to the party—we are the party.”
• “Our generation has technology and communication skills. We can change society.”

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Crystal Hughes.

🎯 Purpose of the Interview

To spotlight Crystal Hughes’ entrepreneurial journey, her resilience through adversity, and her innovative contributions to the beauty industry and nonprofit work. The interview aims to inspire listeners by showing how personal challenges can fuel impactful ventures.

🗝️ Key Takeaways 1. Early Entrepreneurship & Adversity

• At age 21, Crystal opened her first wig and natural hair salon in a flea market.
• Shortly after, she was incarcerated for bank fraud—a decision she made out of desperation to fund her business dreams.
• She wrote a book titled Money and My Daughter while in prison, inspired by her experiences and authors like Wahida Clark.

2. Wig Capital Foundation

• Founded to donate medical wigs to cancer patients and others in need.
• Crystal collected and donated over 5,000 wigs in the first year.
• Partnered with beauty supply stores and hospitals (e.g., Howard University Hospital, MedStar).
• Schools helped refurbish wigs in exchange for community service hours.

3. Mobile Glam Squad

• A tech-driven initiative likened to “Uber for beauty services.”
• Connects licensed beauty professionals with clients, especially those who are immobile or in hospitals.
• Aims to provide group health insurance for stylists and expand to college campuses.

4. Personal Healing & Resilience

• Survived a serious car accident resulting in chronic pain.
• Opted out of surgery and explored “sexual healing” as a form of pain management.
• Worked in a Nevada brothel during recovery, combining physical therapy with alternative healing.

5. Land Development in Utah, Alabama

• Inherited one acre of land from her grandparents.
• Plans to build an adult living facility and raise funds through seasonal events like scavenger hunts.
• Noted signs of economic growth in the area (new gas station, dialysis center, Dollar General).

6. Use of Technology

• Embraced tech tools like ChatGPT for legal and business support.
• Shares tech resources with cosmetology students during marketing tours.

💬 Notable Quotes

• “I always wanted to have my own beauty supply store… I figured out a way to do it.”
• “I wasn’t the brains in the operation… but I knew I had to stay confident.”
• “Anything over $1,000, they had to kind of question it.”
• “I wrote my book in prison… it’s fiction based on true events.”
• “I didn’t want to lose myself… I had to figure out a way.”
• “You are a genius.” — a compliment she received from a mentor after promoting her nonprofit.
• “You can’t stop yourself sometimes… you don’t let the system stop you.” — Rushion McDonald on Crystal’s entrepreneurial spirit.

📌 Final Thoughts

Crystal Hughes’ story is one of resilience, reinvention, and resourcefulness. From incarceration to innovation, she has turned personal pain into purpose, creating platforms that empower others—especially women facing medical and financial challenges.

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

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