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GLOBAL I AM CONVERSATIONS (ARCHIVE SERIES)

Clifton L. Taulbert

From the Mississippi Delta to Black Wall Street: Building Communities That Endure

Long before "purpose-driven leadership" became fashionable, Clifton L. Taulbert was living it.

Born in the Mississippi Delta during the era of segregation, Taulbert transformed the lessons of a small rural community into a global philosophy of leadership, entrepreneurship, and human dignity. His Pulitzer Prize-nominated memoir, Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored, introduced millions to a world where character, resilience, and community were the greatest forms of wealth.

In this timeless Global I AM Conversation, Taulbert reflects on the values that built not only families, but businesses, neighborhoods, and nations. Drawing from his celebrated work Eight Habits of the Heart, he reminds us that trust, generosity, accountability, and service remain the true currencies of lasting success.

Today, as President and CEO of Freemount Corporation and Roots Java Coffee, Taulbert continues to demonstrate that commerce and conscience can walk together—connecting African coffee growers to global markets while helping organizations cultivate stronger leaders and stronger communities.

His journey—from the Mississippi Delta to Tulsa's historic Black Wall Street—offers an enduring blueprint for entrepreneurs, executives, educators, and anyone seeking to build a life of significance rather than mere success.

This archival conversation is more than an interview—it is a masterclass on resilience, values, and the quiet power of principled leadership.

The Culture. Our Capital.

The Culture. Our Capital.

Global I AM Conversations is an ongoing and archived podcasts of the world's builders, artists, entrepreneurs, thinkers, innovators, public servants, and cultural architects whose lives remind us that people—not capital—remain our greatest investment.

Hosted by Patrick A. Howell, Founder & CEO of Global Market Intelligence & Media (GMIQ). Co-hosts include Max Rodriguez of the Harlem Book Fair, Bill Huston of Crowd Max and Tara Frater, a wealth advisor and attorney in Barbados.

Discover more conversations, articles, podcasts and global stories at GMIQ.

"The future belongs to those who invest in humanity."

Global I AM Conversations
The Culture. Our Capital.
© Global Market Intelligence & Media (GMIQ). All Rights Reserved.

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Roots & Vines: Growing Beauty, Business & Belonging

Some businesses sell products.

Others cultivate experiences.

For entrepreneur Ena Jones, founder of Roots & Vines, every bouquet tells a story, every customer interaction is an opportunity to serve, and every business is ultimately about nurturing people.

In this heartfelt archival Global I AM Conversations, Ms. Jones shares the remarkable journey of building a purpose-driven business rooted in beauty, wellness, hospitality, and authentic human connection. Drawing upon more than two decades of entrepreneurial experience spanning food service, retail, client care, health and wellness, and nonprofit leadership, she demonstrates that success is not simply measured by revenue, but by the relationships we cultivate along the way.

A natural leader with an unwavering commitment to excellence, Jones reflects on the challenges of entrepreneurship, the discipline required to build lasting organizations, and the emotional intelligence necessary to lead both teams and customers with compassion and integrity.

As founder of Roots & Vines, she has transformed floral design into something far greater than decoration. Flowers become symbols of celebration, healing, remembrance, reconciliation, and hope—reminding us that beauty itself has the power to strengthen communities and enrich everyday life.

Host Patrick A. Howell explores how entrepreneurship is often an act of faith, requiring resilience, creativity, and the courage to build something meaningful from the ground up. Together they discuss leadership, customer care, innovation, technology, and why the businesses that endure are those that never lose sight of the people they serve.

Whether managing complex logistics, leading teams, or designing unforgettable experiences, Ena Jones reminds us that true success begins with service and flourishes through authenticity.

The Culture. Our Capital.

This Week on Global I AM Conversations

• Building a purpose-driven business through beauty and service
• The entrepreneurial journey behind Roots & Vines
• Why emotional intelligence is one of today's greatest leadership skills
• Creating memorable customer experiences that become lasting relationships
• Lessons from more than twenty years in business, wellness, nonprofit leadership, and hospitality
• Leadership, resilience, and growing a company rooted in community
• How beauty, creativity, and entrepreneurship can become acts of healing

The Culture. Our Capital.

Global I AM Conversations is an ongoing and archived podcasts of the world's builders, artists, entrepreneurs, thinkers, innovators, public servants, and cultural architects whose lives remind us that people—not capital—remain our greatest investment.

Hosted by Patrick A. Howell, Founder & CEO of Global Market Intelligence & Media (GMIQ). Co-hosts include Max Rodriguez of the Harlem Book Fair, Bill Huston of Crowd Max and Tara Frater, a wealth advisor and attorney in Barbados.

Discover more conversations, articles, podcasts and global stories at GMIQ.

"The future belongs to those who invest in humanity."

Global I AM Conversations
The Culture. Our Capital.
© Global Market Intelligence & Media (GMIQ). All Rights Reserved.

Send us Fan Mail

What makes a moment sacred? How do memory, ancestry, and spirit converge in a single image?

In Part II of our extraordinary conversation with acclaimed photographer and visual historian Chester Higgins Jr., we journey deeper into the spiritual and emotional dimensions of photography and human experience. A longtime photographer for The New York Times and one of the most important chroniclers of the African diaspora, Higgins has spent more than five decades documenting the beauty, dignity, and sacredness of Black life around the world.

Joined by host Patrick A. Howell, Higgins reflects on the moments that transcend journalism and become acts of witness—capturing not simply what people looked like, but who they were, what they believed, and the unseen forces that connected them to their ancestors and to one another.

Together, they explore the meaning of sacred memory, the responsibility of artists as cultural stewards, the enduring influence of Gordon Parks, and the profound idea that every human being carries within them a divine story waiting to be seen.

This is not merely a conversation about photography. It is a meditation on spirit, purpose, remembrance, and the timeless power of seeing ourselves—and each other—with grace.

Global I Am. Wisdom & Grace.

The Culture. Our Capital.

Global I AM Conversations is an ongoing and archived podcasts of the world's builders, artists, entrepreneurs, thinkers, innovators, public servants, and cultural architects whose lives remind us that people—not capital—remain our greatest investment.

Hosted by Patrick A. Howell, Founder & CEO of Global Market Intelligence & Media (GMIQ). Co-hosts include Max Rodriguez of the Harlem Book Fair, Bill Huston of Crowd Max and Tara Frater, a wealth advisor and attorney in Barbados.

Discover more conversations, articles, podcasts and global stories at GMIQ.

"The future belongs to those who invest in humanity."

Global I AM Conversations
The Culture. Our Capital.
© Global Market Intelligence & Media (GMIQ). All Rights Reserved.