As an NBC News and MSNBC contributor, a Harvard Institute of Politics 2020 fellow, and the host and executive producer of the podcast “Undistracted,” change is at the forefront of everything Brittany Packnett Cunningham does. And with her new book, “We Are Like Those Who Dream,” on the way her engagement with civic activism is far from slowing down.
Showing up is an act that has no finish line. It is a day-to-day task as much as it is a big-picture responsibility. And Cunningham’s role in what she’s deemed “impact media” means consistently standing up for what needs to change. This also entails looking inward and checking in with her own purpose, acknowledging it, and taking the steps to affirm it.
Cunningham’s ability to drive change and empower marginalized voices starts with reflecting the changes she wants to see in the world. In finding confidence through therapy, redefining the relationship between productivity and success, and not conforming to the world around her, ahead, she speaks about the value in nurturing the journey to reach the destination.
You’re an NBC News and MSNBC contributor, as well as a Harvard Institute of Politics 2020 Fellow, and you recently launched a new news podcast, “Undistracted,” to host conversations with some of the most captivating changemakers of our time. What was the lightbulb moment for “Undistracted” and what inspired you to pursue this project?
Cindi Leive, the former editor in chief of Glamour Magazine and the co-founder of The Meteor, approached me about the project. The Meteor is a new feminist media company, and they wanted the podcast to be their premiere project. My lightbulb moment came when I said to her that I wanted to be more than a host: I wanted to be a full partner, and she loved that idea even more! Working with people who value your leadership and want to approach work through the lens of equity and impact will always appeal to me. So I’m not just a host—I’m an executive producer. And expressing my own creativity while bringing in a diverse perspective matters a great deal to me.
Throughout your wide-ranging career, you’ve used your platforms to amplify, educate, and activate everyday people to take transformative action against every form of injustice. How are you making a difference and pushing your industry forward?
I try my best not to just to speak transformative words but to engage in transformative actions. It is in the doing that we change things. As a Black woman diving deeper into what I call “impact media,” how I show up matters just as much as what I have to say. For example, at “Undistracted,” I created a spotlight series. Our sponsors, like Chambord, donate a portion of their advertising inventory to BIPOC women, femme, and gender non-conforming owned brands. I was incredibly serious and intentional about co-creating a project where I could protect my own intellectual property and creative control, secure my financial stake, and most importantly, define our desired impact through the platform. I’m learning so much from the process of building this with Cindi and our incredible teams at The Meteor and Pineapple Street Studios about shaping concepts and conversations, and I love how it’s taking shape. We keep tweaking and evaluating and working to take it from good to great to excellent. Not for our sake, but so that we are adding to the conversation. There is a lot of noise in the world. We want to be a place that empowers, challenges, and activates. That’s good for all of us.
You’re an accomplished social justice activist, educator, and writer. But going after what you deserve in life takes confidence and guts. Does confidence come naturally to you or did you have to learn it? What advice can you share for women on cultivating confidence and going after their dreams?
Oh, I absolutely had to learn confidence. Truth be told, I’m still learning it. Like I shared in my TED Talk, for some of us, confidence is a radical act. That’s because the confidence of marginalized people is rarely encouraged—and often seen as a threat. If you are a woman, woman or person of color, LGBTQ+, disabled, or more, we are socialized to be less confident in our authentic selves and encouraged to conform to white, male-dominant archetypes of excellence. When I finally understood how my confidence had been discouraged and how it affected my life, I knew that it was my job to rebuild it. My socialization wasn’t my fault, but healing it was my responsibility--that is if I wanted to live the life I desired. And I do. My ambition isn’t ugly and my passion for justice isn’t tangential. I deserve to have the confidence that supports my purpose in life.
My best advice to other women is THERAPY! It helped me to identify the dream killers and the life-givers in my life. People, places, things, apps, all of these things have the power to encourage or discourage us. Having a consistent therapeutic relationship helped me get clear on what had to go, and what I needed to invest in more. It helped me learn how to speak to and about myself in ways that affirmed me and how to silence negative self-talk. It gave me the language to express what I need when I’m not at my best and equipped me with the skills to go out and get it. My old therapist, Anita, used to always say, “nothing changes until you change it.” I think about that every day.
2020 presented everybody around the globe with new, unprecedented challenges. How did you #FindNewRoads + switch gears towards your new version of success?
I am still learning this, but I finally learned to stop equating productivity to success. My worth is not measured in how many emails I’ve sent, how many hours I was on TV, how much money I raised, or a bottom line defined by anybody else. I am more than the labor I provide, and I have been far more intentional about ensuring the labor I do provide is aligned with my purpose. All else is extraneous busyness: an addiction that doesn’t feed my soul or my dreams.
When you separate yourself from your job title and the bells and whistles of your business or career, who are you and what do you like to do?
I’m a nurturer, and a partner to my mother, my brother, my husband, my friends, and my neighbors. I try my level best to be someone who is a help and support to the people I love. I love cooking for my friends or sending random encouraging texts. I love giving them a shout out on my social media or in our group chats. I can sometimes be forgetful, but I’m learning to remember to reach out to someone when they cross my mind and to tell my people I love them while we have the chance.
How have you remained true and authentic to who you are and what advice can you share for women who are struggling with that?
My faith has helped me remain grounded in the most powerful ways. I don’t do anything for my own glory; I’m simply a vessel for God’s purpose in my life and here to help make the world more just. I work incredibly diligently to be led by my values and my purpose. If it’s not aligned, I say no. I went on a two-day self-retreat with myself this year writing out my values, mission, and purpose. I shared those with my entire team and weaved them into a “vetting” document that we use together to determine my position on opportunities that come my way. It includes everything from whether or not a brand or platform has diverse leadership and banking investments, to questions about the impact the opportunity can have on the most marginalized. Everyone is clear on what I value and how I move. It’s the only way to work.
It’s easy to celebrate the wins, but how do you handle failure or when something hasn’t worked out for you?
Oh, there has been MUCH failure and loss this year and throughout my career. I do my best to let myself be human, but at the end of the day, perspective helps. Nelson Mandela said, “I never lose. I either win or I learn.” Losing is a blessing, failure is a teacher, and every turnaround is a reminder of just how strong I am. I’ve got a 100% survival rate. I can handle what life throws at me, and not despite my failures, but because I’ve taken the time to learn from them.
With success comes opportunity, but that also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?
There are so many people who have made far greater sacrifices than I have. The victims of police violence. The families who lost them. The protestors who lost their jobs because of their beliefs. The folks around the globe who have important voices that struggle to be heard. My ancestors, who did far more with far less, are a constant reminder of my responsibility. If Harriet and Fannie and Maya and Rosa could keep going, I have no excuse. I care for myself in order to—as Audre Lorde says—preserve myself for the fight ahead.
What is the #1 book you always recommend and why?
“The Pedagogy of the Oppressed.” It’s essential reading to infuse everything you do with an eye toward justice. And for me, there is nothing else.
If you could go back to the beginning of your career journey—with the knowledge you have now— what advice would you give yourself?
I’d tell myself that, “no one who ever changed the world fit in it.” Conformity is the death of creativity, and assimilation, while expected of marginalized people, it does not benefit me or the issues I care about. I’d tell my younger self to stop spending so much time trying to fit in when standing out is my superpower to create the change I seek.
Fill in the blanks:
When I feel fear, I…
Do it scared.
The best career advice I always give is…
You had a purpose before anyone had an opinion.
The three qualities that got me to where I am today are…
Integrity, tenacity, and faith.
The change I’d like to see in my industry is…
That we do more for the world than we do for ourselves.
My perfect day begins with…
A kiss from my husband, Reggie.
