09/19/2022
We enjoyed our last conversation with Emily Bopp about the fear of having workplace conversations about race so much that Norm and I eagerly invited her back. This time, she brought reinforcements! Aundre Blasingame is a chef, entrepreneur, and Emily's partner in helping black and white executives have frank conversations about racial realities in America. In the process, we learn how people bring different perspectives to the same facts, why we should fear nothing more than fearing anything, and why you shouldn't bring potato salad consisting of just potatoes and mayonnaise to any self-respecting cookout unless you have a Michelin star. It's a rollicking hour we think you'll find unforgettable.
ASQ TWEF website: Community Home - myASQ
Guest Bio:
Aundré Blasingame is the CEO of Heavenly Catering International (HCI) and serves on its board of directors. Before being named CEO in January 2008, Aundre was HCI’s Executive Chef and was responsible for all of the company's sales and operations, including end-to-end management of HCI’s supply chain, sales activities, service and support in all markets and countries. He is also founder of Heavenly Consulting, the coaching and consulting division of HCI and plays a key role in the continued development of strategic growth, helping C-level executives and small businesses find their purpose, exceed their goals and build relationships, ensuring flexibility in response to an increasingly demanding marketplace.
Aundré also sits on the board of Black Culinary Alliance Global, an organization built on bringing awareness and equity to race, food and social justice. In addition, he is the COO of SOAR Hospitality and Travel (letssoarnj.org) and president of Old School to Nu Skool (OS2NS.org), both of which are non-profits centered on helping youth become future change agents.
Aundre is also a WorldFoodChampionships.com Food champ with 3 teams in this year's 10th anniversary of the biggest stage in Food Sport!
Social media info:
Fb: https://www.facebook.com/CoachDreBlas
IG: , ,
Twitter:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aundreblasingame
Websites:
Bcaglobal.org
Letssoarnj.org
Os2ns.org
Heavenlycateringdfw.com
Podcast: Menu Mondays with Chef Dre Blas
An inspiring leader with the ability to take on tough topics and encourage learning among groups – Emily Bopp is the creator and facilitator of a six-month program called Enable Executives: Racial Realities in America, otherwise known as EERRA. In this program she guides leaders from disparate organizations through a journey reflective of her own, a journey where, in her own words, she chose to actively “see what I didn’t know to look for” when it comes to lived realities of people of color. Convinced that the shadow of the leader is the culture of the company, Emily launched EERRA as a way to invite white leaders to engage a similar journey for a specific purpose: to lead in alignment with racial realities, not ignorant of them. Past cohort participants say the safe space Emily created in these groups was unlike anything they’d experienced. "Open, safe, powerful and transformative."
Emily's LinkedIn profile (she welcomes followups through LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilycbopp/
Application for the next EERRA cohort launching in September: https://forms.gle/U6DjbCvnw2MzJo4U6
