Shows
A Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonWhere Voices Rise, Youth Lead, And Giving Turns Into ChangeSend us a textA neighborhood can change when one brave yes turns into many. That’s the heartbeat of this conversation as we spotlight local leaders who feed families, mentor girls into confident young women, bring step culture roaring back to San Antonio, and create real publishing opportunities for HBCU student artists.We kick off with Ronald Gordon of WSAN Radio, a community voice rooted in service. When Monique asked for help, Ronald committed to feeding 25 families for Thanksgiving before a single dollar was raised—and watched $1,100 arrive through everyday generosity, with clear accountability and...
2025-11-1436 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonEmbracing Change, Owning Purpose: A Playbook for Black Women Entrepreneurs and EducatorsSend us a textWhen change knocks you off balance, do you brace—or build? We sit down with Dr. Monique Robinson to map a clear path from disruption to purpose-driven momentum, tracing how a pandemic pivot became a nonprofit, a TV platform, and books that elevate student voices. The conversation moves from mindset to mechanics, showing how courage, clarity, and community turn an uncomfortable season into a strategy for growth.We unpack purpose as a daily operating system, not a slogan. Dr. Robinson shares how her mission—expanding access to HBCUs and championing minority scho...
2025-10-0118 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonThe Grambling-Prairie View Classic: Where Education Meets CelebrationSend us a textBuilding bridges that connect students to historically Black colleges and universities takes dedication, collaboration, and vision. This powerful conversation between Dr. Monique Robinson and board member Leon Frye unveils the critical work happening in San Antonio and beyond to create pathways for young scholars to discover HBCUs.At the heart of their discussion is the formation of the South Texas HBCU Alumni Alliance – a collaborative initiative bringing together graduates and supporters from various institutions to amplify their collective impact. "It's more strength if more people have it," explains Dr. Robinson, highlighting ho...
2025-09-0330 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonLegacy, Learning, and Letting Go: The HBCU Freshman ExperienceSend us a textThe college transition marks a pivotal moment for students and their families—a bittersweet blend of excitement, anxiety, and profound change. In this heartfelt episode, we witness the beautiful, sometimes emotional journey of exceptional young scholars who've reached our scholarship competition's top 20 while simultaneously beginning their HBCU experiences across the country.From Howard University's historic campus to "the highest of seven hills" at Florida A&M to Tuskegee's rich traditions, these students share their first impressions of college life with remarkable candor. We surprise them with virtual visits from their parents, cr...
2025-08-201h 06A Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonRattlers Gonna Rattle: Promys Smith's FAMU Adventure BeginsSend us a textWe explore the journey of P. Smith as she prepares to attend Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) with her mother, Nashika Thomas, by her side, highlighting their experience in the scholarship competition and the college preparation process.• P. Smith's has climbed from position #44 to #6 in the Takisha A Davis Scholarship Program• Nashika describes managing scholarship applications, essays, and deadlines while Promys balanced cheerleading commitments• Promys chose FAMU after participating in college tours during her freshman year, drawn to the cultural connection and community• Summer program attendance helped Promys a...
2025-08-1823 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonParents and Students Navigate the Final Days Before Campus Life BeginsSend us a textFour families prepare to send their HBCU-bound scholars to college in just six days, sharing their emotional journeys and hopes for the future as part of the Takesha A. Davis Scholarship competition.• Aniya Williams heads to FAMU to pursue orthodontics after being accepted to 50 schools and earning over a million dollars in scholarships• Paris Holiday, described as ambitious and a natural leader, chose Hampton University to prepare for a career in anesthesiology• Ja'Sean Boyd selected Prairie View A&M University to study childhood psychology with music therapy, focusing on mental...
2025-08-131h 01A Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonBehind Every Scholar Stands a Supportive ParentSend us a text"Every student deserves an opportunity, an opportunity for hope and a future," declares Dr. Monique Robinson as we dive into Round 3 of the Takisha A Davis Scholarship competition. Now in its fifth year, this scholarship program has transformed from a modest tribute to a late sister with a heart for young people into a significant platform celebrating exceptional student achievement.The competition has narrowed dramatically from 70 initial applicants to the top 20 contenders, with only the top 10 vote-getters by September 5th remaining eligible for one of five scholarships. What makes this round...
2025-08-1229 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonFrom Obstacles to Opportunities: Discovering Your Superpower as a Black Woman EntrepreneurSend us a textChange might feel uncomfortable, but it's where our greatest growth happens. Dr. Monique Robinson knows this firsthand, having launched a non-profit organization, television show, and written multiple books during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. What seemed like an impossible time became the fertile ground for her most meaningful work.As founder and CEO of A Better Chance For You Futures Incorporated, Dr. Robinson's mission burns bright: helping minority scholars access historically Black colleges and universities with minimal debt. Her passion is palpable when she speaks about education as a liberation...
2025-08-1018 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonWhat happens when tradition shapes your future?Send us a textWhat happens when family traditions shape your college choice? Zemyria Jones, a top 20 finalist in the Takisha A. Davis Scholarship Competition, stands at this pivotal crossroads as she prepares to attend Tuskegee University while continuing her family's rich HBCU legacy.This heartwarming conversation between host Monique Robinson and Zamyria's mother, Joletta Ellington, reveals the beautiful complexity of HBCU family traditions. As a first-generation college graduate herself, Joletta started the family's HBCU journey, which now continues through Zamyria's choice of Tuskegee over Alabama A&M (where other family members attended). Their story...
2025-08-1021 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonRoots and Wings: HBCU Dreams and Parental SupportSend us a textThe transformative power of educational opportunity takes center stage in this heartfelt exploration of parental pride, cultural connection, and academic excellence. As the Takesha A. Davis Scholarship Program enters its third round, we shift our focus to the remarkable parents supporting their HBCU-bound scholars.From suburban Washington DC to rural communities across America, these families share the emotional complexity of sending their children to college. "She's my only one," confesses one mother with a blend of pride and hesitation, while another fulfills her late husband's wish that their daughter attend an...
2025-08-0941 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonDrumbeats and Dreams: Navigating the HBCU ExperienceSend us a textThe profound impact of HBCUs stretches far beyond education, creating generational bonds and cultural legacies that shape families for decades. This heartwarming conversation between Howard alumna Marlena Powell and her daughter Sinclair, who's heading to North Carolina Central University, beautifully illustrates how the HBCU experience ripples through time.Sinclair's journey to NCCU wasn't just influenced by her mother's Howard connection but by witnessing the deep, decades-long friendships her parents maintained with fellow HBCU graduates. These relationships created an extended family of "play cousins" that showed Sinclair firsthand what makes the HBCU...
2025-08-0922 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonBand Camp, Chemistry, and Choosing Your Own LegacySend us a textFinding your people. Forging your own path. Making history in the hallways of your high school. These are the powerful stories emerging from this year's scholarship competition featuring exceptional students headed to HBCUs across the nation.Meet Liliana from San Antonio, whose decision to attend Howard University represents a profound search for cultural connection after years in predominantly white and Hispanic schools. Her mother reveals the moment that changed everything: "My daughter was the first one to hang an HBCU flag" in her school's hallways. This simple act of representation speaks...
2025-08-061h 00A Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonThe HBCU Journey: Family Support for College-Bound ScholarsSend us a textParents take center stage in this moving third round of the Takesha A. Davis Scholarship competition, where we meet the families behind our top 20 scholars heading to Historically Black Colleges and Universities.The Jones family opens up about their daughter Mia's acceptance to Spelman College—a milestone representing generational progress. "This is a monumental accomplishment," her father explains, revealing how neither parent had the opportunity to experience campus life when they were younger. Growing up in Newark during challenging times, college seemed an impossible dream. Now, watching their daughter achieve what th...
2025-08-041h 12A Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonThe HBCU Bond: From College Roommates to Lifelong SistersSend us a textDr. Monique Robinson welcomes her longtime friend and Wilberforce University sister Dr. Crystallyn Bargers to discuss HBCU friendships, alumni engagement, and supporting future generations of HBCU students. Their nearly 30-year friendship showcases the lasting bonds formed through shared experiences at historically Black colleges and universities.• Dr. Crystallyn Bargers serves as the first female chaplain for the Wilberforce University Alumni Association and leads the Pittsburgh HBCU Collaborative• The importance of finding your "tribe" on campus after establishing your academic foundation during freshman year• Reminiscing about traveling with the Wilberforce University Concer...
2025-07-2248 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonFrom Silence to Bestseller: A High Schooler's Remedy for BullyingSend us a text"If you've ever felt like you don't belong, Jalen Halpin's story will move you to tears—and action. This remarkable high school senior from Tulsa, Oklahoma has transformed her painful experiences of racial isolation into a powerful children's book that's capturing hearts nationwide.From the moment she joins host Monique Robinson, Jalen radiates wisdom beyond her years. As first chair in her orchestra and a student at both Booker T. Washington High School and Tulsa Technology Center, her achievements already impress. But it's her book "Mixed Feelings" that truly showcases her co...
2025-07-2230 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonBreaking Educational Barriers with TanishaSend us a textWhat happens when education fails to provide students with the tools they actually need to succeed? Tanisha's powerful journey from correctional officer to education reformer reveals the often-hidden connections between our school systems and the prison pipeline that disproportionately impacts Black and brown youth.Her story begins in the juvenile sector of an Indianapolis prison, where she witnessed teenagers—some as young as 15—serving decades-long adult sentences. Their common refrain still echoes in her work today: "If I had just known... if someone had just told me..." This experience launched Tanisha into...
2025-07-2229 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonFearless Parenting: The Emotional Rollercoaster of Sending Children to CollegeSend us a textDr. Tiffany Dent shares her experience as a parent navigating the college application process with her daughter Mia, addressing both the practical challenges and emotional journey while offering guidance on preparing students mentally for their transition to college life.• Creating organizational systems like trackers to manage college applications and scholarships• Balancing parental priorities during the intensive college preparation season• Preparing students for independence through "enviable exposure" before leaving home• Having candid conversations about dating, relationships, and consent in college environments• Understanding the permanent consequences of digital content and techno...
2025-07-2229 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonReducing Infant Mortality: A Cleveland Doula's Mission to Support MothersSend us a textWhat happens when a community discovers its infant mortality rate is more than four times the national average? For Resha Clinton, it became a call to action that transformed her life and the lives of countless mothers and babies in Cleveland, Ohio.This eye-opening conversation explores the critical difference between midwives and perinatal support doulas. While midwives focus on medical aspects of birth, doulas like Resha provide the emotional support that research shows dramatically impacts birth outcomes. She shares powerful insights into how stress, anxiety, and depression during pregnancy directly affect...
2025-07-2240 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonFrom Transformation to Empowerment: Black Women Entrepreneurs Finding Their VoiceSend us a textChange isn't just necessary—it's where true transformation happens. Dr. Monique Robinson takes us on a powerful journey exploring how embracing change becomes the catalyst for discovering our deepest purpose, especially for Black women entrepreneurs and educators. Through personal stories, including how she launched a nonprofit and television show during the height of COVID, she demonstrates how closed doors often lead to greater opportunities.Purpose stands at the center of this conversation. Not simply as a career goal, but as the "heartbeat of your life's mission." When you discover what truly ex...
2025-07-2218 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonTomorrow's Leaders Speak Their TruthSend us a textThe next generation of Black excellence takes center stage as remarkable young scholars compete for the prestigious Takisha A. Davis Scholarship Award. From an initial field of 66 talented students nationwide, these top 32 finalists share powerful, personal essays about their connection to Historically Black Colleges and Universities and their visions for continuing a proud legacy.Each essay reveals not just academic ambition but a profound understanding of how HBCUs have served as foundations for Black achievement throughout American history. One scholar, aspiring to become an orthopedic surgeon, speaks passionately about healthcare accessibility...
2025-07-2138 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonDorm Room Dreams: The HBCU Scholarship JourneySend us a textDreams, legacy, and Black excellence take center stage as ambitious young scholars compete for the prestigious Takesha A. Davis Scholarship Award. These remarkable students have already proven their exceptional abilities, advancing from an initial pool of 66 contestants to the top 32 finalists in a journey that showcases both academic prowess and passionate advocacy for historically Black colleges and universities.The heart of this episode features four outstanding students sharing their meticulously crafted essays about the profound significance of HBCUs and their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Each essay reveals not just...
2025-07-2138 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonMia's Mission: From Newark to Spelman CollegeSend us a textExceptional young scholars take center stage as the Takisha A. Davis Scholarship contest continues with powerful essays that showcase the bright future of Black excellence in higher education. This episode features Mia Jones, a Newark native with dreams of attending Spelman College, who articulates a compelling vision of why HBCUs remain vital institutions for developing tomorrow's leaders.Mia's essay resonates with conviction and clarity as she explains how HBCUs represent more than academic institutions—they're foundations for empowerment, leadership, and community impact. She eloquently observes that "HBCU graduates are built differently," wa...
2025-07-2114 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonFrom Dreams to Degrees: The Future Leaders' Scholarship JourneySend us a textThe journey from high school graduate to college student represents a pivotal moment in any young person's life, but for the finalists in the Takesha A. Davis Scholarship Stipend Award Program, it marks an opportunity to become part of a powerful legacy. As we witness these brilliant scholars present their essays and engage in dialogue, their passion for education and commitment to creating change becomes unmistakable.This scholarship competition has already narrowed down from 66 applicants to 32 finalists, with only 20 set to advance to round three. What makes this process unique is...
2025-07-2146 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonLegacy Makers: HBCU Students Carrying the TorchSend us a textThree exceptional scholarship finalists share powerful essays about the importance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities while competing in round two of the Takesha A. Davis Scholarship competition. Each contestant represents a different HBCU—Howard University, Florida A&M University, and Hampton University—bringing unique perspectives on how these institutions foster Black excellence.• J. Bruno from Hampton University discusses how HBCUs provide community, accessibility, and support for Black students• M. LaGronne from Howard University emphasizes HBCUs' role in diversifying healthcare and her goals to become an OB-GYN addressing Black maternal mortalit...
2025-07-2127 minA Better Chance TV with host Dr. Monique S. RobinsonBeyond Grades: The Students Redefining Academic AchievementSend us a textThree exceptional HBCU-bound scholars compete in the Takesha A Davis Scholarship Competition, presenting compelling essays about the value of historically Black colleges and universities in the 21st century. Each contestant shares personal connections to HBCUs and their plans to make an impact on campus through advocacy, cultural preservation, and community engagement.• Aniyah Faith Williams (Florida A&M University) discusses how HBCUs provide access to higher education for marginalized groups and preserve Black history and culture• Dontrell Martin (Southern University) shares his passion for mental health advocacy and plans to create spac...
2025-07-2133 min