Being the First | How does identity shape the way we lead?

In this episode of the the Power of Possible: Leadership Edition, Dr. Tashion Macon and Chanda Smith Baker explore the often unspoken weight and responsibility of legacy in leadership. This is a conversation about what it means to lead as your full self in spaces that weren’t necessarily built with you in mind. As the first Black CEO at the Foundation, Chanda reflects on what being “the first,” carries: not just visibility, but expectation, complexity and a deep responsibility to open doors wider for those coming next. At the same time, she reframes leadership in a powerful way — moving away from having all the answers, and toward being grounded in community, where answers already exist if you’re willing to listen.  

Chanda shares the daily practices that make leadership sustainable, including music, stillness, reflection, sisterhood and staying connected to herself beyond her role. She speaks openly about identity, representation and the reality of navigating race, class and gender in leadership spaces. For Chanda, leadership isn’t about perfection or control, rather it’s about staying present, staying grounded and continuing to evolve. Legacy, in this sense, isn’t just what you leave behind; it’s how you show up, every day, in the work and with the people around you.