GBH’s All Things Considered Interviews Taneshia Nash Laird on Teaching the Business of Black Creativity
GBH’s All Things Considered Interviews Taneshia Nash Laird on Teaching the Business of Black Creativity
Boston, MA — February 26, 2025 — Taneshia Nash Laird, Associate Professor in the Africana Studies Department at Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory at Berklee, was recently featured on GBH’s All Things Considered in a wide-ranging interview about her innovative course, Entrepreneurship in Black Creative Expression.
In conversation with host Arun Rath, Laird shared how the course equips students with both the business fundamentals and the cultural frameworks necessary to thrive in the arts. From legal structures and intellectual property to branding, mission building, and team formation, the course is designed to empower Black artists to approach their work as entrepreneurs—and to own the systems behind their creativity.
“Black creative expression is at the root of multibillion-dollar industries, yet the original creators often lack ownership or infrastructure,” said Laird. “This course gives students the tools to build lasting legacies—rooted in culture, community, and business acumen.”
The interview also highlighted Laird’s appointment to the Massachusetts Cultural Policy Development Advisory Council and her perspective on leading in a time when inclusion initiatives face growing scrutiny.
🎧 Listen to the full interview here:
https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2025-02-26/this-berklee-course-navigates-entrepreneurship-and-black-creativity
Laird, who also serves as Executive Director of Project REAP—a national nonprofit advancing diversity in commercial real estate—continues to bridge cultural equity, economic development, and creative entrepreneurship through her teaching, public service, and thought leadership.
About GBH’s All Things Considered
All Things Considered is GBH’s flagship daily news program, hosted locally by Arun Rath. The show features conversations with newsmakers and cultural leaders throughout Massachusetts, offering regional context to national headlines.
