In this powerful episode of Envision, Accelerate, Excel, host Karen Stanley sits down with Janice Elaine McKinney, Founder of Developments by J.E.M. and Executive Director behind faith-based community development initiatives transforming Buffalo and Niagara Falls, New York.

Janice shares her remarkable journey—from aspiring broadcaster to becoming a quiet builder of affordable housing, senior living, workforce development, and environmental justice projects rooted in faith, trust, and collaboration. Listeners will learn how vision evolves, how to accelerate impact through partnerships, and how to excel by serving people holistically—spiritually, economically, and socially.

This episode explores faith-based development corporations (CDCs), Brownfield redevelopment, homeownership education, community trust, leadership, and Janice’s work as Community Engagement Coordinator for the Buffalo Bills Stadium Project. A must-listen for leaders, nonprofit founders, developers, faith leaders, and anyone passionate about community transformation with purpose.

Topics Covered with Timestamps

ENVISION — Clarifying Purpose & Calling

1. (00:00:01 | The Mission of Envision, Accelerate, Excel & Telling the Backstory)

Introduction to the podcast’s focus on vision, leadership, faith, and impact.

2. (00:00:44 | Early Career Vision: Broadcasting Dreams & Changing Direction)

Janice reflects on her original career goals and how vision can evolve.

3. (00:02:19 | Discovering Transferable Skills Through Communications & Media)

How public communications prepared Janice for leadership and community building.

4. (00:04:17 | A Faith-Based Calling: Leaving Healthcare for Ministry Work)

Recognizing divine direction and stepping into the unknown.

5. (00:05:42 | Identifying the Gift of Administration as a Leadership Strength)

Understanding personal gifts and how they support collective vision.

ACCELERATE — Strategy, Trust & Momentum

6. (00:07:22 | Expanding the Church Beyond Four Walls into Community Impact)

Why community transformation must happen outside Sunday services.

7. (00:08:45 | Workforce Development Through Faith-Based Entrepreneurship)

Launching the first Subway restaurant inside a church to create jobs.

8. (00:10:32 | Unexpected Exposure: Undercover Boss & National Visibility)

How openness to opportunity accelerated credibility and impact.

9. (00:12:06 | The Power of Trust, Shared Vision & Leadership Alignment)

Why trust determines how fast organizations grow.

10. (00:13:57 | Environmental Justice as a Catalyst for Development)

Addressing toxic waste sites as a health-driven community priority.

EXCEL — Execution, Growth & Lasting Impact

11. (00:15:25 | From Brownfields to Affordable Townhomes)

Turning environmental cleanup into 30 units of quality housing.

12. (00:17:24 | Leveraging Partnerships, Policy & Government Support)

How collaboration made large-scale development possible.

13. (00:19:52 | Simultaneous Success: Townhomes & Senior Housing Development)

Breaking ground and cutting ribbon on multiple projects at once.

14. (00:27:02 | Homeownership Education, Financial Literacy & Equity)

Preparing families for sustainable ownership and generational wealth.

15. (00:34:17 | From Quiet Builder to Civic Leader: Buffalo Bills Stadium Project)

Applying community development expertise to major civic infrastructure.

In this powerful episode of Envision, Accelerate, Excel, host Karen Stanley sits down with Walter Frye, West Point graduate, Harvard Business School alum, U.S. Army veteran, and founder of Inkwell Tides, to explore how legacy, storytelling, and entrepreneurship intersect across generations.

Walter shares the extraordinary multi-generational journey of his family—from enslavement and survival in 1830s Virginia, to Black entrepreneurship on Martha’s Vineyard, to building a modern lifestyle brand rooted in cultural preservation. The conversation dives deep into Black migration, service-based businesses, leadership forged through military and corporate experience, and why stories—not products—must come first when building a legacy brand.

This episode is a masterclass in vision, resilience, Black excellence, and values-driven entrepreneurship, offering inspiration for founders, leaders, creatives, and anyone seeking to honor the past while building a future with purpose.

Topics Covered with Timestamps

1. 00:02:29 | Walter Frye’s Background: West Point, Harvard Business School & Legacy Leadership

2. 00:03:01 | Origins of the Frye Family: Enslavement, Survival & Freedom in 1830s Virginia

3. 00:04:33 | From Culpeper, VA to Washington, DC: Reclaiming Identity & Opportunity

4. 00:05:35 | Black Migration North & Establishing Roots on Martha’s Vineyard

5. 00:06:39 | The Fry Cobbler Shop: First Black-Owned Storefront on Circuit Avenue

6. 00:07:16 | Oak Bluffs, The Inkwell & Martha’s Vineyard as a Safe Haven for Black Americans

7. 00:10:02 | Service-Based Entrepreneurship & Community Trust as Economic Power

8. 00:12:23 | The Fry Cobbler Shop as a Community Hub & Cultural Beacon

9. 00:14:03 | The Meaning of “The Inkwell”: Reclaiming Identity & Cultural Pride

10. 00:16:16 | Founding Inkwell Tides: Reimagining Legacy in the 21st Century

11. 00:17:49 | Why Stories Come Before Products in a Values-Driven Brand

12. 00:24:45 | Military Service, Leadership & the Philosophy of “Keep It Moving”

13. 00:29:03 | Career Pivots: Harvard, Corporate Leadership & Nonprofit Entrepreneurship

14. 00:39:10 | Preserving Black History, Legacy & Resistance Through Storytelling

In this inspiring episode of Envision, Accelerate, Excel, host Karen Stanley sits down with lifelong educator Dr. Janice Ferguson to honor the visionary legacy of Dr. Anna Julia Cooper—a pioneering scholar, feminist, and advocate for education and equity.
Dr. Ferguson, Dean Emerita of Bryant & Stratton College and former Assistant Superintendent for Buffalo Public Schools, shares how Cooper’s life story—rising from slavery to become one of the first Black women in America to earn a Ph.D.—embodies the very spirit of resilience, faith, and excellence.
Together they explore Cooper’s vision for education as liberation, her strategy of “lifting as we climb,” and the timeless message of persistence that continues to inspire leaders, learners, and communities today.

Topics Covered with Timestamps

00:00 | Introducing Dr. Janice Ferguson, her educational leadership journey from Buffalo Public Schools to Bryant & Stratton College and how her experience connects to today’s theme of lifelong learning.

02:20 | The early life of Dr. Anna Julia Cooper, her rise from enslavement to educator, studies at Oberlin College, and role as one of the first Black feminists and scholars.

07:20 | Cooper’s experience at Oberlin College and her vision for expanding access to education for women and African Americans, emphasizing opportunity over circumstance.

09:45 | How Anna Julia Cooper overcame economic and social barriers through determination, faith, and the relentless pursuit of knowledge and self-empowerment.

12:30 | The M Street School in Washington, D.C., and how Cooper’s leadership turned it into a model of community-based education through innovation, family outreach, and high expectations.

15:30 | Insights from A Voice from the South and Cooper’s early articulation of intersectionality, exploring race, gender, and class equality and their continued relevance today.

17:50 | Cooper’s view of freedom as a human birthright, her legacy quoted in U.S. passports, and the ongoing struggle for faith, justice, and humanity.

20:15 | The connection between education and economic empowerment, highlighting Cooper’s use of work-study programs and parallels to modern community and career colleges.

23:40 | The role of faith and service in education, Cooper’s spiritual foundation, and the historic ties between the Black church and HBCUs.

26:40 | Cooper’s lifelong commitment to excellence, her doctoral journey at the Sorbonne, and the importance of continuing education and self-development.

28:20 | Applying Cooper’s lessons to modern leadership: defining your own path, building resilience, and mentoring others toward excellence.

31:00 | The power of persistence, illustrated through modern parallels like Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s story of perseverance and faith under pressure.

34:05 | Closing reflections on vision, strategy, and excellence as the cornerstones of progress for individuals and communities alike.