LWC Studios Expands ‘How to Talk to’ Franchise -about Professional Challenges Black/Brown High Achievers Face

LWC Studios has launched a new biweekly podcast called How to Talk to [High Achievers] about Anything, the first expansion of its successful ‘How to Talk to’ franchise started two years ago with the premiere of How to Talk to [Mamí & Papí] about Anything.

“I want people to get to a place of radical acceptance of self, where they are confident in themselves and their abilities despite imperfection,” says first-time podcast host Stevon Lewis, who connected with LWC Studios as an expert guest on How to Talk to [Mamí & Papí] about Anything. The team was so moved by his candor, brilliance, and keen observations that they invited him to host a show on the spot.

“Stevon is the real deal. He is empathetic with just enough edge that you sit up and pay attention. He creates space for you to speak but also to listen to yourself, often for the first time, in ways that are transformative,” executive producer Juleyka Lantigua said.

“It’s important for professionals of color to receive the feedback I am offering because they often exist in spaces that aren’t a rming of their worth,” Lewis said. “These environments frequently judge them negatively and make it di cult for them to recognize their own worth because the messages they receive are inconsistent with what they accomplish.”

Much of what is known about professional attainment and work satisfaction among high achieving people of color comes from anecdotal experiences shared in industry magazines like Fortune, which summarized the state of ‘working while Black’ thusly: “Only 3.2% of executives and senior manager–level employees are black, and only five Fortune 500 CEOs are. Black men are paid 13% less than white men; black women are paid 39% less than white men and 21% less than white women, according to another study. They ask for promotions and raises at about the same rate as white women, but get worse results.”

LWC Studios is eager to deepen the national conversation about the obstacles and pitfalls of being a person of color with high aspirations. “We’re comfortable being uncomfortable. It’s one of our core strengths as a team. We seek opportunities to stretch intellectually while living up to our commitment to overserving our main audience, rising-majority populations,” Lantigua said.

And the need for such uncomfortable conversations is ever more apparent. A 2019 LeanIn.org and McKinsey & Company report found that “45% of women of color have been the only person of their gender in corporate rooms, and the [percentage] is even higher for women in STEM fields.”

“It is my hope that listeners will use the perspective I provide to engage in some introspection, taking time to think critically about how they feel, to evaluate why there is a personal-professional disconnect, and to examine what they can do about it,” Lewis said. How to Talk to [High Achievers] about Anything will begin publishing biweekly episodes on April 4. Subscribe on all major platforms. Virginia Lora is the producer. Kojin Tashiro is the sound designer. Paulina Velasco is the managing producer.

Stevon Lewis is a licensed psychotherapist, public speaker, and executive coach. In his private practice, he specializes in working with professionals who struggle with impostor syndrome. He has been a featured expert on major television and media platforms, including the Oprah Winfrey Network, Bustle, Thrive Global, and Entrepreneur. He has facilitated discussions about a range of topics forTory Burch, Scotch Porter, The Creative Collective NYC, and Deluxe Media.

LWC Studios, an award-winning digital media studio, is home to Latina to Latina, among the leading shows for Latino audiences, and 70 Million, which received a Peabody Award nomination and won “The Director’s Prize” at Third Coast. In 2021, “Driving the Green Book,” which the company produced for Macmillan Podcasts, earned the inaugural Ambie for Best History Podcast. They have also produced original shows for Marvel Entertainment, The Globe & Mail, Facebook, and Aspen Institute. LWCStudios.com