What happens when the organization that once spoke truth to power… goes quiet?

In this candid and courageous conversation, host L. Michelle Smith sits down with her friend and media powerhouse Errin Haines to talk about the urgent state of Black journalism, the legacy (and future) of NABJ, and what leadership must look like when both journalism and democracy are under attack.

Errin shares deeply personal stories—from reporting in Ferguson to launching The 19th—and outlines her bold vision for NABJ’s next 50 years. They discuss press freedom, AI, innovation, media accountability, and the hard truth about corporate sponsorship and advocacy.

This isn’t just a conversation.

It’s a call to action.

Welcome to the kickoff of the Leadership Revival—a new series on The Culture Soup Podcast that takes you behind the scenes of Call & Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church.

In this premiere episode, host L. Michelle Smith sets the stage with the “Front Matter”—a soulful introduction to the journey ahead. She reflects on how the book came together not just through writing, but through living. And how its three foundational pillars—history, science, and leadership research—form a scaffolding that holds it all together.

This episode features:

• A clip from a past interview with Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., whose work anchors the historical context of the book.
• The debut of our Footnotes segment, exploring how enslaved people worshipped in secret, building the spiritual and cultural foundation of what would become the Black Church.
• A personal behind-the-scenes look at the transformational journey of writing Call & Response.