July REPORT: "Alexandria's Adventures" The Monthly Bulletin of Alexandria J. Maloney
Tampa Adventures. Understanding Spaces of Black and White Belonging. Alfred Street Juneteenth Orlando Experience. UNCF. Olympians Mixer. Lessons from a Holocaust survivor. Energy and AI Forums.
Postcards from Tampa: Secret Watering Holes, Church Juneteenth Commemorations, and Rodeo Bull Bashes
This Juneteenth, I had the honor of attending Alfred Street Baptist Church’s “Experience” in Orlando, themed The Long Road to Freedom. It was my first time joining—and it left a lasting imprint. From spirit-filled worship to intergenerational testimony, the message was clear: liberation is a journey, not just a destination. Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley’s sermon challenged us with a sobering truth—“They didn’t know how to praise God for what He’d already done.” Surrounded by leaders like Val and Jerry Demings, Links National President Ethel Isaacs Williams, Ambassador Harriet Elam-Thomas, and Grant Hill, I was reminded that faith-based community is both sacred and strategic. I ended the month with a different kind of communion—off to the Tampa Rodeo to stay grounded in joy, culture, and Southern celebration.
After Orlando, I lingered in Tampa for what I’ll call a soft reset. I rented a car and ventured out to explore off-the-beaten-path nature trails and secret watering holes across Florida. I sang karaoke at a pirate bar in Ybor City with former CENTCOM colleagues—ironically, during breaking news about Iran—and ate far too much seafood. The Americana was vibrant, messy, and honest. That entire trip left me reflecting on a question I can’t quite shake: What does it mean to be American—right now, and where?
Reflections on the Tampa Bay Rodeo Bull Bash and Country Music Festival
I’ll admit, I arrived at the rodeo with a quiet unease. I wasn’t sure what the energy would be like—how I would be received, or if I’d even feel safe. But to my surprise, I was welcomed with warmth and curiosity. There’s something profound about being embraced in a space where you weren’t sure you belonged. It made me question our assumptions about who certain places are “for,” and what shared values still connect us as Americans. Beneath the cowboy hats and bull-riding bravado, I saw pride, hospitality, and community. We talk often about bridging divides—but sometimes, the bridge is already there if we’re willing to cross it. Belonging, it turns out, isn’t built on sameness—it’s forged through mutual respect, courageous presence, and the willingness to meet across difference.
If we don’t understand “the other,” what’s at stake is nothing less than our shared future. Without understanding, fear festers. Division becomes currency. And systems built on power imbalances remain untouched. When we choose not to see each other fully, the only ones who benefit are those invested in maintaining control through separation—those who profit from polarization, who build influence on distrust, who rely on our inability to unite.
Arts, Culture, & Philosophy
Imagine a room full of thinkers, each on the hot seat, fielding rapid-fire philosophical takes on some of the world’s deepest questions. Last month marked the final round of the season for the Spinoza Philosophy Society, and it opened with a bang: “What is real?” From metaphysical debates reminiscent of The Matrix to an exploration of Spinoza’s radical idea of a single, infinite substance—God or nature itself—we wrestled with knowing, truth, and perception. A surprise turn came with Malcolm X, who admired Spinoza not just for his ideas but for his outsider status as a “Black, Jewish” excommunicate—an intellectual who paid a price for truth-telling. And yet, Spinoza’s clarity doesn't always call us to act; he published anonymously, his Ethics released posthumously, leaving us with a legacy of survival more than strategy. We closed with a bold claim: religion is organized, applied philosophy—a social technology that structures belief like science does tech. And where does that leave me? Somewhere between the eternal and the urgent—drawn to clarity, but even more to action, because knowing what’s real still requires choosing how to respond.
This week, I asked ChatGPT a big question: What’s the one book every human should read? Without hesitation, it pointed to Viktor E. Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning. In just under 200 pages, Frankl—a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist—offers a life-affirming message: even in the worst conditions, we retain the freedom to choose our response and find purpose. It’s not just a memoir or a theory—it’s a spiritual survival manual for the soul.
Politics, Foreign Affairs, Democracy
In a time when the foundations of American democracy are being tested—through attacks on voting rights, institutional legitimacy, and public trust—the work of organizations like the Brennan Center for Justice feels more essential than ever. This year, the Kettering Foundation was honored to support the 2025 Brennan Legacy Awards Gala in New York, a powerful evening that reminded us democracy does not survive by inertia. It endures because people choose to fight for it. From grassroots advocates to elected leaders, the room was filled with individuals turning conviction into action. Congratulations to Maryland Governor Wes Moore on being honored—his leadership is a clear example of what is possible when service is guided by clarity, equity, and courage.
This past year has been a profound one for me at the Kettering Foundation as Director of External Affairs. I’ve had the privilege of representing our mission in rooms where democracy, diplomacy, and global cooperation are actively being shaped. From moderating civic forums and roundtables to standing up new engagement systems in our DC office, this work has deepened my understanding of what it means to lead in uncertain times. I’ve represented Kettering at Aspen Digital’s “Shared Futures: The AI Forum,” participated in energy diplomacy conversations at the Atlantic Council, and witnessed firsthand how technology, governance, and social trust intersect. Whether tackling misinformation, energy insecurity, or questions about how AI reshapes human life, I’ve seen that democracy is not just about voting—it’s about vision, strategy, and sustained public will. Here’s to a new year of advancing that work, with clarity and courage at the center.
Recents Commentary with Atlantic Council
Atlantic Council (June 3): “Experts react: How Sidi Ould Tah will shape the African Development Bank”
Atlantic Council (June 27): “Experts react: The DRC and Rwanda agreed to a US-backed peace deal. Can critical minerals help end this conflict?”
Philanthropy, Social, and Community
It’s official—BPIA Week 2025 is calling for sponsors and career fair exhibitors! As we prepare to celebrate 36 years of international excellence, your support will help us power a week of high-impact programs, global convenings, and cross-sector career advancement. From the private sector to public service, BPIA Week is where leaders across the diaspora connect, thrive, and chart the future together. Sponsor applications are open now through July 15, 2025 at iabpia.org/nationalbpiaweek.
We’re also inviting our members and network to join us for the President’s Townhall & Members Open House on July 23, 2025—a virtual conversation centered around the theme Charting Our Course. This will be an opportunity to reflect on our strategic priorities, share key updates ahead of National BPIA Week, and explore ways to get involved. Whether you're new to BPIA or a longtime supporter, this space is designed to connect, inform, and empower.
This month also included a special appearance at the UNCF Gala Noir, where I represented the Kettering Foundation alongside colleague Damien Conners. The evening was a powerful gathering of changemakers committed to education, access, and equity. From fellowship to fundraising, the Gala underscored how scholarship and strategic philanthropy remain critical to unlocking the next generation of Black excellence. The red carpet, the joy, the legacy—it was a reminder that when we invest in community, we multiply impact.
[June’s BPIA First Friday welcomed Black Olympians and influencers, many of whom I met while at Olympics Paris 2024].
Media Hits
CarvdNStone (June 2): “Meet A Trailblazer from the 2025 Lewis Latimer Fellowship Reshaping the Future with Diplomacy and Innovation”
Atlantic Council (June 3): “Experts react: How Sidi Ould Tah will shape the African Development Bank”
Atlantic Council (June 27): “Experts react: The DRC and Rwanda agreed to a US-backed peace deal. Can critical minerals help end this conflict?”
Upcoming Events
7/7 - Powell Closing Virtual Ceremony "Bridging Leadership: From Battlefield to Boardroom" ft. General Kip Ward and SAIC's Bernard Wille Height
7/14 - Aspen Security Forum
7/23 - BPIA President's Town Hall
7/25 - Alexandria’s Birthday!
If you haven’t already, sign up for the waitlist for my upcoming books! Each title is part strategy, part soul work. From I Said What I Said to Radical Reset and How to Become THAT Girl, this collection is an offering for anyone ready to remember who they are—and who they’re becoming.
The next season of our lives deserves language. These books might just help us find it.
Join the waitlist! www.alexandriamaloney.com/bookshop
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