This Week’s Big Takeaways

Missed this week’s episodes of A More Perfect Union podcasts powered by KBLA Talk Radio? We’ve got you covered.

“Win with Black Women” Founder on Joy Reid MSNBC Exit and Trump Response – “Win With Black Women” Founder Jotaka Eaddy talks with me about how she worked with “Win With Black Men” and others to bring nearly 25,000 folks together last Sunday night to organize in support and solidarity for Joy Reid following her unexpected exit from MSNBC.

[Listen now →] (link)

Livingstone College President on $10 Million Anonymous Gift and Kamala Harris Effect – Livingstone College President Dr. Anthony Davis to talk with me about the storied HBCU's recent $10 million anonymous gift, recent trends in Black student enrollment, pre & post-election Kamala Harris effect, and more. [Listen now →] (link)

Widow of Muhammad Ali on Keeping His Memory Alive Through New Compassion Study – Mrs. Lonnie Ali to talk about the Muhammad Ali Center's foremost study on compassion, surprising and not so surprising insights, and lessons we can draw in using compassion to combat injustice and bridge divides. [Listen now →] (link)

South Bronx Co-Founder & Docu Filmmaker Sparking Movement for Kids with Dyslexia – South Bronx Literacy Academy Co-Founder Naomi Pena and “Left Behind” Filmmaker Anna Toomey to talk about a new documentary about a cutting-edge public school creating renewed hope for students living with Dyslexia. [Listen now →] (link)

Tavis Smiley and Dr. Nii-Quartelai Launch “Fired but Not Forgotten: Testimony Project” – KBLA Chief Visionary Officer and nationally syndicated radio host Tavis Smiley talks with me about President Trump's Black History Month celebration, mass layoffs of federal workers, and our new "Fired but Not Forgotten: Testimony Project" intended to amplify the stories of Black federal workers. [Listen now →] (link)

Comedian George Wallace on New Show, Plus Experts Sound Off on State of U.S. Mass Deportations – Comedian George Wallace to talk about his new show "Clean Slate" with co-star and trans activist Laverne Cox. Later we learn from National Bar Association Immigration Chair Allen Orr and Shan Potts of the Law Offices of Shan Potts about the state of the Trump Administration's mass deportation efforts, why Black people should be concerned and more. [Listen now →] (link)

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Job Opportunities You Should Know About

We’re tracking opportunities in media, advocacy, and public service.

Here are a few to check out:

• U.S. Political Correspondent – The Guardian US [Apply here →] (link)

• Executive Director for the Center for Sports, Entertainment, Media & Technology – University of Southern California, Gould School of Law [Apply here →] (link)

• Manager, Public Engagement West – Door Dash [Apply here →] (link)

• Director of Communications – Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles – Apply here →] (link)

• Director of Digital Justice Initiative– Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law[Apply here →] (link)

• Director of Community & Strategic Partnerships –CBS News and Stations

  [Apply here →] (link)

Know of a job opening that aligns with our mission? Email me at nqq@smileyaudiomedia.com and I’ll share it with the AMPU community!

Behind the Scenes: @drniiquartelai Unfiltered - This week, I was invited to attend HBO Films premiere of “Eyes on the Prize” Part III at the Schomburg Center in Harlem and it’s exceptional! Hats off to Producer/Director Dawn Porter and talk back moderator Abby Phillips of CNN.

Anyone who knows me well, knows how often I reference the scene from “Black Panther” when King T’Challa is faces off with his rival M’Baku in ritual combat. When it looks like T’Challa is going to lose, Queen Mother yells out to him, “Remember who you are!” For me and so many of our fellow Americans, the “Eyes on the Prize” series has served as a reminder of who we are in the face of overwhelming circumstances. Watching a full episode in Part III of this storied series, didn’t miss. Dare I say, it left me inspired. I suspect you will, too!

Leadership Diary: In high stakes meetings remember getting loud doesn’t make you right, nor does it make your followers safer.

The Oval Office exchange between President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky will live in infamy the rest of our days. It’s hard to unsee what was supposed to be a bilaterial meeting between world leaders, appear to be a shakedown for U.S. government control over Ukraine’s rare earth minerals in exchange for “$350 billion and lots of equipment, military equipment, and the right to fight on” with Russia. Watch for yourself and be reminded that near or far, in high stakes meeting being loud and wrong doesn’t make your followers safer.

Follow me on Instagram/LinkedIn/SpillApp @drniiquartelai for more real-time updates.

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This week, I’ve been thinking about my transition from Fox Soul/Fox Television Anchorman to KBLA White House Correspondent.

Here’s what’s been on my mind: I am not my sister’s keeper—I am my sister. I am not my brother’s keeper—I am my brother.

In this clip, Oprah’s After the Show commentary serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle to be an empathetic Black voice on-air and to make our voices heard. When I reflect on the tradition of the Black press, I’m reminded that Black communities and other communities of color have a longer history in independent media than in corporate media—precisely because of the social, political, and economic challenges we continue to witness today.

While cable anchors like Joy Reid, Jonathan Capehart, Symone Sanders-Townsend, Ayman Mohyeldin, Katie Phang, Alex Wagner, Lester Holt, and even Oprah have had longer on-air tenures than mine, their time in those highly coveted anchor chairs has been just as fragile in an industry that’s evolving faster than anyone predicted. The hunt to find, keep, and grow an audience has never been more competitive. The chilling political headwinds pushing back against gains powered by excellence—gains supported by audience-driven corporate commitments to DEI—may seem to be winning with the ouster of outspoken journalist and industry leader Joy Reid.

But if we look closer, we might find a silver lining. The promotion of Symone Sanders-Townsend, Michael Steele, and Alicia Menendez to a primetime ensemble show. Jonathan Capehart expanding from a one-hour show to a three-hour weekend slot. White House Correspondents’ Association President and Politico Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels landing a cable news hosting opportunity. Their styles, approaches, and bodies of work may differ from Joy’s, but their voices still matter—especially considering the shoulders we all stand on. They deserve a chance to run the next leg of the relay in these turbulent times.

In his latest Washington Post op-ed piece, Capehart writes: “Black people make history in this country every day. Through loud protests and massive marches. Through powerful prose and stage performances that give voice to our experience. But more often than not, Black history is made more quietly…” To his point, the diversity of stories that make it into a show rundown, guest that are invited on-air, producers and production team hired, and experts summoned to provide their analysis are some examples of the quiet ways we fight to make history.

Losing our cable news sister—who challenged us to think, grow, and question assumptions—will not be easy. But my hope is that her rigor and commitment continue to inspire all of us to move forward, speak out, and fight another day.

What do you think? Email me at nqq@smileyaudiomedia.com or drop a comment—I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Don’t Miss Next Week

Coming up on A More Perfect Union:

• #OscarsSoWhite Creator and Senior Advisor to Spill App April Reign joins me for post Oscars analysis

• Founder & CEO of Center for Black Educators Sharif El-Mekki will join me to talk about the launch of an anti-DEI portal to solicit supposed discrimination claims at Trump’s Education Department

• Dr. Jean C. Accius, President & CEO of CHC: Creating Healthier Communities, joins me to unpack the possible far reaching consequences of Medicaid cuts to our fellow Americans

• Friday, February 28^th – March 2^nd – 2025 HBCU National Speech & Debate Tournament

• Sunday, March 2^nd – 97^th Academy Awards

• Tuesday, March 4^th – President Trump’s 2025 Address to Congress

Help us grow! Forward this to a friend or share on social media. Let’s build a more perfect union—together.

Stay Lifted,

Dr. Nii-Quartelai Quartey is a political journalist, Pepperdine University professor and prominent convener in the fields of dialogue and social change. Born into a Ghanaian-American family, Dr. Quartey is author of the bestselling memoir, "Kamala, The Motherland, and Me”—the first literary work to profile America’s historic First Black woman Vice President on a historic journey to Africa. He holds a doctoral degree in organizational leadership and a master’s degree in social entrepreneurship and change from Pepperdine University. He also holds a bachelor's degree in political science with a minor in critical approaches to leadership from University of Southern California. Throughout his career, he has been featured on various media outlets, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, MSNBC, CNN, NewsNation, SiriusXM, TheGrio and as a daily news anchor for Fox Television and FoxSoul. He currently serves as Host of “A More Perfect Union” Radio Talk Show and podcast produced by KBLA Talk 1580, owned and operated by Tavis Smiley.

From A More Perfect Union with Nii-Quartelai Quartey: Former U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commissioner on Life Altering 10:30 pm White House Email, Feb 18, 2025