Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show hosted by Darren Isom, a partner with The Bridgespan Group, that provides a space for social change leaders of color to reflect on how their unique life experiences personal and professional, have prepared them to lead and drive the impact we all seek. This season, we travel to Africa to highlight African leaders and the continent’s role as a key driver of global innovation and leadership.

Today we welcome Semhar Araia, CEO of the Diaspora Academy. A globally recognized thought leader, strategic advisor and policy expert, Semhar has over 25 years of experience, shaping diaspora engagement, African Affairs, women's leadership and global development. Growing up in the U.S. in a politically active Eritrean family during the country's war for independence shaped Semhar’s global identity and commitment to advocacy.

In this episode Semhar discusses the transformative power of diasporic life—from visiting Eritrea as a teenager to working there professionally—highlighting the emotional and political significance of being both from a place and apart from it. She shares the story behind her name, revealing a powerful lineage tied to Eritrea’s struggle and resistance.

The conversation delves into the complexities of diasporic identity, particularly for Black and Brown communities, and the challenges of belonging in a world that often forces assimilation. Semhar advocates for diasporic unity grounded in love, mutual recognition, and feminist values, arguing that the diaspora holds immense potential to reimagine global leadership and collective liberation. In recognition of the power of the diaspora we purposely start our journey through Africa with this conversation with Semhar in her home in DC.

This is Dreaming in Color, Africa.

Jump straight into:

00:00:45… Introduction of Semhar Araia

00:02:35… Semhar opens the conversation with an Invocation honoring her

00:03:55… Semhar’s early beginnings in an activist home in 1970’s New York

00:09:04… The importance of community – Semhar shares about her deep connection to Eritrean Diaspora community and how that sense of community has evolved

00:12:03… Going “home”, to Eritrea, at 13

00:14:20… Going back again, professionally, as a diasporan

00:16:12… Naming: the role of Semhar’s highly politicized name, and its connection to Eritrea’s struggle for independence, in her sense of “taking up space”

00:21:05… on deep impact of separation from homeland, and of connection…

00:25:47… The power of the diaspora movement, and how it is at once a feminist and a liberation movement

In our fifth season, host Darren Isom and guest host Elisabeth Makumbi travel throughout Africa to spotlight extraordinary leaders from across the continent, from South Africa to Tunisia, with stops in Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Senegal along the way. These conversations highlight Africa as a key driver of global innovation and leadership, where bold, values-driven leadership is shaping a more equitable future.

Welcome to Dreaming in Color, a show hosted by Darren Isom, a partner with The Bridgespan Group, that provides a space for social change leaders of color to reflect on how their life experiences, personal and professional, have prepared them to lead and drive the impact we all seek.

In this bonus episode, Darren is joined by a dynamic panel of philanthropic leaders: Don Chen (President of Surdna Foundation) Flozell Daniels, Jr. (CEO of the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation), Mayra Peters-Quintero (Executive Director of Abundant Futures Fund), and Vanessa Mason (Principal at Omidyar Network), and . Recorded live at the Surdna Foundation offices in New York City, the group dives into an in-depth discussion about building a more equitable world through racial justice, cross-racial solidarity, and community-driven solutions.

Join the conversation as the panelists explore the role of relationships in movement building, the power of joy and imagination in sustaining hope, and the importance of investing in intergenerational leadership. They discuss the challenges of systemic change, the need for incremental wins, and how to create space for collective healing and repair.

Jump Straight Into:

• (00:22) Darren introduces the panel and sets the stage with a poem by Audre Lorde.
• (01:45) Flozell Daniels, Jr. reflects on his family history, his racial equity work, and what brings him sunshine.
• (07:28) Mayra Peters-Quintero shares her journey in immigrant rights advocacy and her hopes for creating a culture of belonging.
• (15:12) Don Chen discusses the critical role of cross-racial solidarity in achieving systemic change.
• (21:30) Vanessa Mason highlights the importance of joy and care in equity work and the necessity of dreaming together.
• (29:15) The panel reflects on the generational shift in leadership and creating space for younger leaders to thrive.
• (42:03) A forward-looking conversation about building a shared future and fostering collective imagination.

Episode Resources:

• Connect with Flozell Daniels, Jr., Don Chen, Mayra Peters-Quintero, and Vanessa Mason on LinkedIn.
• Learn more about the organizations they represent: Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, Surdna Foundation, Abundant Futures Fund, and Omidyar Network.
• Listen to past Dreaming in Color episodes here.