Episode 1: Juanita Floyd

When we think of "leaders," we often think first of people who have titles and positions. But sometimes the leaders with the most impact have neither of those things. You might say that a leader is anyone who can inspire positive change in someone else.

In the inaugural episode of Ignitecast, we interview Juanita Floyd. She tells the story of thriving through adversity, largely crediting her mother for teaching and modeling important lessons about the power of relationships, how to prepare for and thrive through change, and the restorative power of forgiveness--lessons that are applicable to any personal or professional context.

Juanita was the first and only African-American student in her second grade class when public schools were integrated in 1969. Later, she became the first black employee of the CREATE Foundation (Tupelo, MS), a nonprofit with broad regional impact at which she still works today.

Ignitecast is the leadership podcast of the Ignite Leadership Conference, hosted by the Community Development Foundation of Tupelo, MS. Ignitecast is sponsored by CDF and GOinnovation, and co-hosted by Judd Wilson (Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce) and Rory Tyer (Co-founder, Facilitator, and Coach with GOinnovation). Ignitecast is recorded, edited, and produced by Rory Tyer.