Money Making Conversations Master Class Rushion McDonald

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer interviewed Chef Marcus Samuelsson.   

When you hear someone utter the words “Culinary History of America”, the phrase “Black Excellence” is not the first thing that comes to mind. While Black cooks have played a major role in shaping the landscape of America’s culinary culture, their history and accomplishments continue to be told in the dark, underrecognized by the wider world. Well, here to shed some light on this hidden history is Red Rooster’s very own Head Chef, Chef Marcus Samuelsson, through his book, The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food: A Cookbook. Make sure to bring your good eating pants and your academia caps to this episode of Money Making Conversations Master Class as we do a deep dive into the culinary history of America and the role that the African diaspora played in shaping it.

The James Beard award-winning chef says his flagship restaurant, Red Rooster, became his "haven" during the height of pandemic. Working with José Andrés' World Central Kitchen organization, Samuelsson converted the restaurant to a community kitchen. Over the course of six months, Red Rooster served more than 200,000 meals to first responders and others in need.

"It was a place for me when our world was so ripped apart and no one knew what to do," he says.

Samuelsson says feeding the community during the pandemic also changed the way he thought about his industry. "The word 'restaurant' actually means to restore your community. And in the worst of times, I think that the restaurant, the hospitality industry really stepped up," he says.
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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald, interviewed Dr. Artesius Miller.  

Dr. Artesius Miller is recognized as a visionary leader in K-12 public education in Georgia who has dedicated his career to providing high quality educational options for families in low-income communities.He founded Georgia’s first state-approved, arts-focused charter school, Utopian Academy for the Arts, a decade ago to serve families in Clayton County when arts programs were being removed from the curriculum. The school was since named "Charter School of the Year" in 2023.

Under Dr. Miller's leadership, the Utopian Academy Charter School Network now includes an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school in Clayton County, and a new satellite middle school in Fayetteville, Ga. that opened in August 2023 with statewide attendance zones.

In addition to his role as CEO and Founder of the Utopian Academy Charter Network, Dr. Miller also serves as a leader in higher education. In 2024, he became the first African American to chair the state board of the Technical College System of Georgia. He most recently served as vice chair of the board after being appointed in 2019 by Gov. Brian Kemp.

Dr. Miller also serves as an adjunct professor of education at Morehouse College, his alma mater. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics from Morehouse, and has a master’s degree in Education Leadership from Columbia University, and a doctoral degree in Educational Administration and Policy from the University of Georgia.

He is a member of several organizations and has won numerous accolades, including the “Champion for Children” Award presented by the Georgia Charter Schools Association and the "Avante Garde Economic Development Award" from the Development Authority of Clayton County.
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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Chairman and C.E.O. Dennis Earls and Vice President Mikåel Pyles of the Haltere Group.  Haltere Group offers access to high-value real estate assets once reserved for large investors.  They are committed to reshaping real estate opportunities for Black communities.  The interview explores Haltere Group's distinctive approach to empowering Black communities in cities nationwide.


Share sophisticated insight into real estate investments within dynamic markets.
We uncover Haltere Group's unique company culture and unwavering commitment to empowering minority communities through financial education and real estate investment opportunities tailored for experts and novices.
Discuss the impact of the "H.O.W. With Haltere" Podcast, an extension of the company's mission and vision, and the transformative potential of real estate syndication through exclusive conversations with successful individuals from pro sports, business, and entertainment.
HBCU connection – Tuskegee University project, some founders and team members are HBCU alums, and some attended an HBCU for one or more years.
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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald, interviews Yolanda Adams.  She is an award-winning gospel singer, actress, and small businesswoman.  Entrepreneur Yolanda Adams discusses why she started her line of affordable handbags and skin care products and details the importance of taking care of yourself while staying within budget.  She is one of the best-selling gospel artists of all time, having sold over 10 million albums worldwide. In addition to achieving multi-platinum status, she has won four Grammy Awards, four Dove Awards, five BET Awards, six NAACP Image Awards, six Soul Train Music Awards, two BMI Awards, and sixteen Stellar Awards. She was the first Gospel artist to be awarded an American Music Award.  
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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviews Dr. Virgie Bright Ellington, MD, an internal medicine physician and medical billing expert. After practicing for more than 20 years in primary care and psychiatric settings and as a health insurance executive, Dr. Virgie now helps patients understand complex medical procedures, communicate effectively with their healthcare providers, and avoid financial devastation from crushing medical bills through her "What Your Doctor Wants You to Know" series.
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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Cedric Walker.  UniverSoul is a highly interactive combination of circus arts, theater, and music that spans genres including Pop, Classic R&B, Latin, Hip Hop, Jazz, and Gospel. It embraces and celebrates the unique and familiar aspects of pop culture globally by bringing them center stage with a cast of international performers. UniverSoul is rated as one of the top live family acts in America along with Cirque du Soleil. UniverSoul’s fresh approach to family friendly live entertainment has garnered it a coveted spot as one of Ticketmaster’s top ten most requested family events. UniverSoul was created 30 years ago as the brainchild of Atlanta concert and theater producer Cedric Walker.

Cedric Walker, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, showed an entrepreneurial spirit from a young age, starting with his shoe shine business at six years old. His love for the circus grew as he and his brother would re-create the spectacles they witnessed, with Cedric even dreaming of running away with the circus to work as a maintenance man. In the 1970s, Walker's passion for entertainment led him to work with the Commodores and later become a promoter for the Jackson Five.

In the 1980s, he organized the Fresh Festivals, the world's first Rap music tour in large arenas, featuring iconic rappers. By the mid-1990s, Walker and his team sought new family entertainment ideas, leading to the creation of The UniverSoul Circus in 1994, an urban family entertainment event under the big top. This groundbreaking venture showcased a variety of talents from black performers, ranging from hip-hop musicals to vaudeville acts, and animal performances, setting a new standard in live entertainment. Walker's dedication to this vision inspired performers worldwide to join the unique and successful circus venture.

 
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