629. A Call to Kinship: Reimagining Generosity + Connection (Birgit Smith Burton, and Mide Akerewusi, Nneka Allen)
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Overview
This is a conversation our hearts have been waiting for.
It’s a powerful gathering of voices answering a call that feels more timely—and more necessary—than ever: a call to kinship.
In this episode, we sit down with three extraordinary leaders: Birgit Smith Burton, Mide Akerewusi, and Nneka Allen. They bring deep wisdom, lived experience, and a global lens to a heartfelt conversation about what it means to lead with empathy. Together, we explore how we return to one another by centering relationships, rooting our work in love, and embracing our shared humanity.
This isn’t about checking a box or shifting strategy. It’s about reimagining generosity, reclaiming connection, and healing the soul of our sector through kinship that transforms.
Learn:
Why kinship is foundational to healing the sector
How to prioritize relationships over results
What it means to practice mutual care and shared responsibility
How generosity extends beyond money to spiritual and emotional connection
The power of radical love, curiosity, and truth-telling in philanthropy
Today’s Guests:
Birgit Smith Burton | Founder + CEO, African American Development Officers Network + Immediate Past Chair, AFP Global Board
Mide Akerewusi | Founder + CEO, AgentsC Inc.
Nneka Allen | Relationship Builder, Writer + Coach.
“It is my ability to nurture myself spiritually while also looking for opportunities to nurture the spiritual health of others. That is what we need to be dedicated to on a practical level as human beings. ”
Episode Transcript
Download Full Episode Transcript Here
Episode Highlights
Voices of Experience (05:26)
Radical Kinship in Action (13:40)
The Necessity of Kinship Today (19:39)
Activating Kinship in Everyday Life (28:54)
Radical Kinship and Dialogue (35:56)
The Power of Storytelling (38:19)
Mide, Birgit and Nneka’s One Good Thing (38:41)
Powerful Quotes
“Not everything is a one-way street. If I’m ideologically going in a certain direction, then I owe it to myself to understand what’s coming from the other direction.” - Mide Akerewusi
“I have to be curious about why that person thinks differently.” - Mide Akerewusi
“Imagine a sector where everybody gains.”- Mide Akerewusi
“We live in a very binary society. That mindset comes from a culture that says it’s either this or that - but that’s not true. We live our lives in the grey space.” - Nneka Allen
“I can rememebr being a girl, and my mother’s approach to generosity was so wise.” - Nneka Allen
“I am where I’m supposed to be.” - Birgit Smith Burton
“Things don’t happen in our lives simply by accident. I believe we are where we’re meant to be.” - Birgit Smith Burton.
Resources Mentioned:
Nneka’s first episode on the podcast: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/178
Birgit’s first episode on the podcast: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/121
Connect with Birgit
Connect with Mide
Connect with Nneka
Connect with Jon
Connect with Becky
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