Meet Director Thennie Freeman, the powerhouse behind the DC Department of Parks and Recreation, who most recently launched the innovative Youth Development Professional Certification Program in partnership with the GW Center for Excellence in Public Leadership. But first, how did she get to this point—where she’s empowering other leaders to inspire youth in the workforce today?

Director Freeman’s passion for community work started at Job Corps, and she has since dedicated herself to supporting children, young adults, and those who lead them today—many of whom have faced adversity. Having learned on the fly early in her career, she understands the challenges of navigating the workforce and has made it her mission to equip leaders with the tools they need to guide young people toward success. You’ll learn a lot from her three tools. Much of her life’s work focuses on shifting power back into the hands of youth, helping them build confidence and take control of their futures—ultimately leading to the launch of this program, which aims to equip future leaders with the skills needed to effectively mentor and support youth across various educational and community settings.

In this episode, Director Freeman also shares insights about her latest project—the newly launched Joy Evans Therapeutic Recreation Center. She tells the story of the facility’s namesake, Joy Evans, a young woman born with developmental disabilities who spent much of her short life in an institutional facility. Inspired by her family’s experience, advocates pushed for keeping families together while also supporting children of different abilities. That same vision led to the creation of this state-of-the-art center, which features outpatient therapeutic services, a temperature-controlled therapeutic pool, and comprehensive family support—all while fostering inclusivity. And it’s open to the public.

A key aspect of the facility is its unique biophilic design, which embraces the healing power of nature. Every detail has been thoughtfully crafted to accommodate individuals of all abilities, ensuring both accessibility and comfort for them and their families.

For someone who wears many hats in the community, you might be surprised by where Director Freeman spends much of her time thinking and reflecting. Hint: It may inspire you to jump in! She also teases some exciting upcoming projects focused on bringing learning beyond the classroom and into community spaces.

We hope you leave this episode feeling as inspired as we did after hearing Director Freeman’s story and her dedication to creating an inclusive space for all.

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Meet Gizem Salcigil White, aka the Turkish Coffee Lady! She is the Founder & CEO of Turkish Coffee Lady, the first and only authentic Turkish coffee brand in the U.S., dedicated to building a global community of coffee explorers and empowering women. With a brick-and-mortar coffee house in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, Gizem has created a space to share 500 years of Turkish coffee traditions—offering delicious coffee, cultural connection, and community.

Her journey began over fifteen years ago with a coffee truck and a mission to "bridge cultures over coffee conversations.” After studying Global Marketing Communications at Emerson University, she realized many people were unfamiliar with Turkish coffee culture. She started organizing social coffee events, which evolved into a “digital coffee house” with fellow entrepreneurs. While working at the Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C., she expanded her events into pop-ups, eventually launching her own coffee truck first at GWU and then around the world.

Gizem shares the history of Turkish coffee—how it's made, served, read (yes, read!), and enjoyed. In an era of to-go cups and laptop work sessions, she encourages guests to slow down, savor their coffee, and connect with one another. She also champions the concept of Culinary Diplomacy—bringing communities together over food and drink.

Despite facing personal challenges, including the pandemic, Gizem remained resilient, diving back into her business with renewed purpose. She founded The Turkish Coffee Lady Foundation, dedicated to community engagement, and has since launched her own coffee blend, opened her dream coffee shop, and continues to empower women to start their own businesses.

We know you’ll want to immediately go brew a cup after listening to this episode, or better yet, if you’re in the Alexandria area, stop by the Turkish Coffee Lady on King Street, where you will feel as though you’ve been transported to Turkey.

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With a clear vision for empowering women, we are joined on the podcast by author and speaker, Leslie Grossman, a trailblazer in leadership, gender equality, and women's empowerment. After decades of coaching and mentoring women leaders in America, Leslie is now largely focused on helping women gain sight of and reach their vision. Her interest in the topic of vision and vision formation stems from a study she once conducted as a researcher, asking women whether they had a vision within their role as leaders. More often than not, they did. It’s the next step, trying to get to their vision, where many often get stuck.

What Leslie has learned after years of working with women in business, is that a crucial step is often to simply get out of one's own way. Leslie describes a phenomenon where people become complacent when things are going "fine." Sometimes, it's only when we're pushed out of our comfort zone that we truly discover our vision, and where we want to get to. One important thing to keep in mind? No one reaches their vision alone. Having a “circle of collaboration” around you is vital in creating your vision.

Leslie provides tools for creating a vision, explains the difference between visions and goals, and discusses how visions can evolve over time. We left this conversation inspired to re-evaluate our own visions, and we believe you will too. You can read Leslie's latest book, "Start with Vision," to help you start considering your own vision.

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