Shift Out Loud with Tracy Spears
Hosted by Tracy Spears, speaker, co-author of two best selling leadership books, founder of The Leader Lab, coach, and head cheerleader for anyone trying to play bigger. Shift Out Loud is a podcast designed to inspire you to play bigger. You'll hear from real live people sharing what their shift was, when it happened, and why it was out loud. What you think is true, and when you move from the external locus of control to the internal locus of control, your shift can happen and anything becomes possible. This podcast is your invitation to listen to others who have made the shift, and also serve as a catalyst for you to play bigger.
Shift Out Loud with Tracy Spears
Helping Communities Play Bigger with Onikah Asamoa-Caesar
When you decide to play bigger, you can create positive impact that ripples far and wide and empowers others to play bigger, too. In this episode of Shift Out Loud, I speak to someone who has built the heart of her community — and works every day to keep it beating strong.
Onikah Asamoa-Caesar is the founder and owner of Tulsa-based Fulton Street Books & Coffee, which she created as a safe space for Black and Brown folks to build community, change their city through civic discourse, and increase intergenerational literacy. Before opening this incredible space, Onikah worked on criminal justice policy initiatives under the office of Colorado state senator Mike Johnston, then helped to launch the George Kaiser Family Foundation’s Birth through Eight Strategy, which focused on creating a cycle of opportunity for Tulsa’s most vulnerable families.
During this conversation, we dig into the importance of inclusive spaces, the nuances of effective allyship, and the beauty of loving your identity.
Ready to play bigger? Listen now to discover:
- Why Onikah chose to return to the United States after falling in love with traveling
- Why she decided to open a bookstore in the middle of the pandemic — and how her space vitally serves her community
- How Onikah will continue to shift out loud and create amazing impact in Tulsa and beyond
Guest bio: Onikah Asamoa-Caesar is the founder and owner of Fulton Street Books & Coffee in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Fulton Street Books & Coffee was created to center the stories, narratives, and lived experiences of Black folks, Brown folks, and marginalized communities.
Timestamps:
01:41 Intro
03:05 Meet Onikah Asamoa-Caesar
05:28 Loving Black identity
07:04 Traveling as a Black woman
10:44 Returning to the States & Teach for America
15:59 Evolving life’s work
19:23 Why open a bookstore?
25:53 Expanding in Tulsa International Airport
27:15 The Ally Box & Book Club For a Cause
30:55 What’s next?
33:34 Family history
38:38 Little & Lit
Links:
Onikah Asamoa-Caesar
https://www.fultonstreet918.com
Instagram: @fultonstreet918
Discover your tactical leadership toolkit: https://www.exceptionalleaderslab.com
Interested in working with me or having me speak at your event? Find more information at https://tracyspears.com
Want tools and insights that will help you play bigger in your life, at work, and in your community? Visit my resource library: https://tracyspears.com/blog
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Connect with me:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracylspears
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TracySpearsSpeaker
Twitter: @tracylspears
Instagram: @tracylspears
If you love the podcast, please consider leaving a rating and review — this will help others discover how to play a bigger game and step into their fullest potential! Watch these episodes on Youtube! Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel, and ring the bell for notifications so you never miss an episode!
