Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Charisse M. Williams.
🎯 Purpose of the Interview
To explore Charisse Williams’ journey from law and nonprofit leadership to becoming a certified leadership and wellbeing coach. The interview highlights her work with women of color through her brand Everyday Yellow Sanctuary, her book The Joy of Thriving While Black, and her mission to help others reclaim joy, clarity, and purpose.
🧠 Interview Summary 1. Background & Career Path
- Charisse is a lawyer by training who transitioned into nonprofit leadership.
- Her coaching journey began after a donor offered to pay for her to receive coaching, which transformed her life.
- She now helps women of color overcome burnout and reconnect with their purpose.
Quote: “That coach was transformative for me… it planted the seed that maybe I would like to be the guide I wish I had.”
2. Everyday Yellow Sanctuary
- A community for trailblazing women of color to find joy and support.
- Inspired by her color-coded calendar where yellow represents joy and fun.
- Trademarked the brand after a branding expert recognized its potential.
Quote: “Every day there has to be yellow… even a moment of joy in every single day.”
3. Coaching Philosophy
- Coaching is a partnership to help clients achieve specific goals.
- Focuses on asking the right questions to help clients unlock their own answers.
- Emphasizes clarity, confidence, and joy as outcomes.
Quote: “Where are you now? Where do you want to be? What’s getting in the way?”
4. Mental Health & Social Justice
- 2020 was a turning point for Black mental health awareness.
- Her book was inspired by the trauma of witnessing police violence and the need for joy as resistance.
Quote: “I was literally having nightmares about encounters with the police… I saw the hashtag Black Joy… and I got a download: write a book called Thriving While Black.”
5. Age & Fear
- Charisse started her business at age 48 and encourages others not to let age be a barrier.
- Most of her clients are in their 40s and 50s, seeking transformation and fulfillment.
Quote: “It is not too late and you are not too old.”
6. Burnout & Overperformance
- Burnout is common among women of color due to societal pressure to overperform.
- Differentiates high performance (healthy ambition) from overperformance (driven by unworthiness).
Quote: “Overperformance is trying to outrun unworthiness… we need to do some unlearning.”
7. Dream in Color Visioning Framework
- A tool to help clients articulate what a meaningful life looks like across multiple dimensions: career, relationships, joy, spirituality, etc.
- Encourages intentional planning and action toward that vision.
Quote: “Pain pushes until the vision pulls.”
8. Community & Accountability
- The sanctuary offers weekly check-ins, goal setting, and accountability.
- Research shows that writing and speaking goals increases success rates dramatically.
Quote: “If you have a vision, a plan, and accountability, your success can go up by 95%.”
✅ Key Takeaways
- Coaching is transformative and helps unlock clarity and purpose.
- Joy is essential and should be intentionally cultivated daily.
- Mental health matters, especially for communities of color.
- Age is not a limitation—transformation can happen at any stage.
- Burnout is real, and overperformance is often rooted in deeper issues.
- Community support and accountability are powerful tools for growth.
- Intentional living through frameworks like Dream in Color can lead to lasting change.
📚 Resources & Links
- Website & Community: charissemwilliams.com/community
- Book: The Joy of Thriving While Black – available on Bookshop and other retailers.
#SHMS #STRAW #BEST
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