Haywood Burns Institute

06/15/2026

06/15/2026

Today we celebrate Haywood Burns birthday one of the giants whose shoulders we stand upon! We know that James and Haywood are together in the ancestral realm watching over us, guiding us, and providing the motivation to keep on moving!

06/03/2026

Check out Future on Deck episode 2!

https://futureondeck.buzzsprout.com/

How do we unlock our greatest human potential? Integrity is our key.

In this episode, Sam Mellerson and Tshaka Barrows of the Haywood Burns Institute return to the value that anchors everything else: integrity. They explore why integrity is not just a personal virtue but the foundation of trust, consistency, innovation, and the difficult conversations this moment demands. From the quiet compromises people make to protect themselves in hierarchical systems, to a powerful exchange with Taller Salud in Puerto Rico that reframed maternal health around the safety of sons, Samantha Mellerson and Tshaka Barrows unpack and explore the many angels that needs to be considered when creating real community centered solutions. Because the future we are reaching for will require the full humanity of every voice to be at the table, and the courage

05/06/2026

It’s launch day 🎉
Episode 1 of Future on Deck is now live and accessible at the link in bio and anywhere you get your podcast!

What if the future isn't something that happens to us, but something we build together? In this debut episode, Sam Mellerson and Tshaka Barrows of the Haywood Burns Institute introduce Future on Deck — a space where social innovation, human potential, and radical imagination collide. This is their first conversation, their first question, and an open invitation to dream out loud and co-create a world not yet built. The future cannot wait! Check it out here https://futureondeck.buzzsprout.com

05/05/2026

T-Minus 2 days until the official launch of our podcast, Future on Deck, which premieres Wed. May 6th!
The podcast where human potential meets social innovation.
Are you ready to journey with us?

04/29/2026

Happy Wellness Wednesday!
We are just 1 week away from the official premiere of our new podcast, Future on Deck!

Mark your calendars and get ready to join us on this journey where human potential meets social innovation.

04/15/2026

Strap in! We’ve got an exciting announcement coming in at warp speed!

The BI’s official podcast, Future on Deck, is releasing on Wednesday, May 6th!

Mark your calendars and make sure you are following us on social media, where we will be posting updates, snippets, and more every !
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03/05/2026

Today, on James Bell’s birthday, we honor our founder and friend.

His vision continues to guide our work toward a more just and equitable future. We celebrate his legacy and all who carry it forward.
Support BI, today.

Together, we continue the work.

02/20/2026

Everyone is a storyteller. But that doesn’t mean that you are telling your own stories.

(Plot Twist: In fact, you are likely repeating stories that you have merely inherited from authority figures and power structures).

The BI’s Co-Executive Directors, Sam and Tshaka, were special guests on The Overloaded podcast hosted by Luke Waldo.
Listen to the insights they had to offer about the stories we tell ourselves…

Link in Bio ↗️

02/14/2026

The BI is rooted in LOVE.
Today, tomorrow and always.