Inspiring Talks
MY TALKS
Power of Narratives
Stories have the power to bridge divides, challenge assumptions, and inspire action. Narratives are more than personal recollections. They are tools that shape culture, influence decision-making, and define how communities see themselves and the world. When we tell our stories with intention, we claim agency over our experiences and invite others to see through our lens. In leadership, advocacy, and innovation, the right narrative can shift conversations, mobilize resources, and ignite change.
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Stronger Together: The Blueprint for Resilient Teams
Resilient teams don’t just bounce back. They rise higher. In this session, we uncover the key principles that enable groups to weather challenges, adapt to change, and emerge stronger than before. Leaders will learn how to build trust, foster open communication, and create a culture where every member feels valued and supported. Through actionable strategies and real-world examples, participants will leave with a clear blueprint for cultivating resilience that fuels collaboration, innovation, and long-term success.
Building the Leadership Mindset:
Knowing Yourself
In this thought-provoking talk, I will share my experiences and insights on effective leadership. Drawing on my work with CEOs, executives,and community leaders, I will provide practical strategies for inspiring and leading teams to success.
MY ARTICLES
Empowering women: SMU professor brings people together through storytelling and mentorship
Dr. Bledsoe will continue to empowr women with the Collective, an oral history project that will “amplify the voices of women of color by recording their stories in hopes to inspire, engage and educate the next generation.”
Dr. Candice Bledsoe on The Collective, representation and entrepreneurship
In our nation’s current climate, representation of marginalized groups is more vital now than ever. A group of women of color is hoping to bring the stories of often less represented populations to the group.
In America, Being Young, Gifted, And Black Is Both Blessing And Burden
In 1963, James Baldwin gave a “Talk to Teachers” describing the peculiar experiences of Negro students in America. Although Baldwin gave that speech over 50 years ago, much of it is relevant to the black experience in America today.
How an SMU Professor Is Equipping Students of Color To Succeed in College
The Dallas Morning News reported that in 2016, only one college in Texas graduated more than 100 Black men who had started at the school as freshmen. Though more Black and Latino students are attending and graduating from college than a decade ago, their numbers still lag behind white students—a gap that Southern Methodist University’s Candice Bledsoe is trying to dissolve.
When Dr. Candice Lucas-Bledsoe realized that her annual Cutting Edge Youth Summit with over 300 students, parents, teachers, and community leaders would not take place this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, she decided to pivot. She decided instead to put the spotlight on the next generation of youth leaders during a virtual summit that would continue to motivate and energize youth leaders.
Silence Is Complicity: Why Every College Leader Should Know the History of Lynching
Institutions of higher education have authority over academic content and learning environments, which confers responsibility on them to produce anti-racist curricula, policies, and standards of educational practice.Absent an understanding of historical and contemporary manifestations of the White supremacist campaign of terror and control of Black bodies, educators will fail to effectively address racialized hate speech.
From Charleena Lyles To Sophia King, Black Women Are Uniquely Endangered By Police
The day before Juneteenth, a holiday on which blacks celebrate their freedom, the killing of Charleena Lyles by two Seattle police officers, reminded us that we are not as free as we think.
Dr. Candice Bledsoe: Sharing Stories with The Collective
Every month, the women of The Collective meet in a cozy, book-lined reading room on SMU’s campus to tell stories. Among the women are artists, activists, teachers, students, mothers, and scholars. They gather together to exercise the power of giving their stories a platform, of creating connections based on both shared and unshared experiences, and of listening.
Candice Bledsoe , founder and leader of the Action Research Center, which conducts research in schools, communities and nonprofits to advance student and community leadership development, created the one-day event. The program is designed to help middle and high school students with big dreams visualize a future powered by higher education. Community college transfer students planning to continue their education at a four-year institution are also welcome.