Kitchen Table Talk Louisiana
Kitchen Table Talk Louisiana
This program addresses and teaches social and emotional learning (SEL) which is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

Moreover, Kitchen Table Talk Louisiana (KTT LA) an"intergenerational public square" that offers underserved adults and youth the opportunity to engage community leadership in meaningful dialogue about how to "Live, Learn, and Change the World." This life changing experience offers the participants the opportunity to: 
• Hear inspiring stories from community champions as they share how they overcame adversity and succeeded.
• Learn social and emotional learning (SEL) which is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. 
• Enjoy a wholesome meal and nurturing dialogue about creating a quality life. 
• Learn how Southern States Scholars & Scholars Laboratory is making a difference in the lives youth and families.

Kitchen Table Talk was created by John G. Daniel who is the founder, President and CEO of the “bookend organizations”, Southern States Scholars and Scholars Laboratory. It is designed to reflect the values, intellect and character training that he received from his parents who had only four years of formal education collectively. 

John’s parents, Thomas and Eula Mae Daniel who were born in 1897 and 1913 respectively, found creative ways to imbue thirteen children with experience and exposure to build quality lives based on a positive and growth mindset. 

Kitchen Table Talk Format

The format of Kitchen Table Talk is simple and nurturing.  

A community leader utilizes the cozy and nurturing setting of a kitchen table to share the “glory and real story” of his/her life’s triumphs and challenges in education, career and relationships with youth scholars, parents and stakeholders.

Topics of Discussion:

In general, we ask community leaders to share their life lessons in a framework that includes the value of: 

  • Free time
  • Friends
  • Reading, watching, and listening materials that create a fund of knowledge
Specifically, we request community leaders to share information concerning:

  • Occupation
  • Self-leadership and agency
  • Value of college education
  • Mastering a college prep curriculum
  • What college students need to know to be successful at completing college
  • Managing change
  • Culture and education
  • Value of vocational education and career potential and other things they deem relevant and important
  • Lastly, following and/or during the community leaders’ presentation, the youth scholars are free to ask questions or make comments to fuel and enrich the dialogue. 

Community leaders that have participated in Kitchen Table Talk include:

  1. Tina Holland, PhD, President and CEO, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University
  2. Judith Roberson, VP, Advancement, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University
  3. George Bell, President, CEO, Capital Area United Way
  4. Warren O Birkett, President, WYBIRK & Associates
  5. Roland Mitchell, Dean, Associate Director and Associate Professor of School of Education, LSU
  6. Thomas Clemons, Director Community Affairs, Louisiana Healthcare Connections
  7. Bryan Moore, Under Secretary, Office of Workforce Development for Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC)
  8. Loretta Ovueraye, Dean, STEM Division, BRCC
  9. Captain Rodney Walker, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office
  10. Lee Meredith, General Manager, WAFB TV
  11. Devin Lemoine, President, Success Labs
  12. Sandra Holub, Executive Director, Albemarle Foundation
  13. Janet Pace, President & CEO, Volunteers of America Greater Baton Rouge
  14. Rev. Monteic Sizer, PhD, Executive Director of Northeast Delta Human Services Authority
  15. Eric Dexter, Business Development Director, Civil Solutions Consulting Group
  16. Penny Leduff, Director, EmployBR
  17. Margaret I King, President Student Affairs, & Professor, University of Alabama
  18. Rene Taylor, Executive Director, Family Services of Greater Baton Rouge
  19. Josh Coleman, Attorney, Kean Miller
  20. Damona Barnes, Corporate Learning Specialist, Albemarle Corp
  21. Gail Grover, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer, Office of the Mayor President, City of Baton Rouge
  22. Kredenna L Beverly, Board Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and owner of Twinkling Smiles
  23. Sebastian Brazelton, Architect, Owner, Brazelton and Brazelton Inc
  24. Mawe Takyi, Certified Financial Planner, Dent Asset Management
  25. Gregory Payton, Esquire, Founder, Law Offices of Gregory Payton
  26. Gloria Thomas, Office of Strategic Initiatives, LSU
  27. Philippe Veeters, Founder/Owner of Dutch Physical Therapy
  28. Raoul Manalac, M.D., OLOL Hospital, Pennington Bio-medical Research
  29. Ronald Andrews, Physician/Owner Pediatric and Internal Medicine
  30. Minister Joseph Stewart, Owner, KJ Custom Cycles
  31. Justin Maclin, Masters Student, LSU and Graduate Fellow, LSU Athletics
  32. LSU Cox Communications School of Excellence and LSU Athletes
  33. Michelle McCalope, author, motivational speaker, former WAFB TV journalist
  34. LSU Diversity Ambassadors
  35. Frankie George Robertson, Regional Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs-Southeastern US March of Dimes.
  36. Audra Collett, Owner of Competitive Edge, LLC, Chair, Treasurer, Vice President, Scholars Laboratory
  37. Carol Patin, MD, Owner, Center for Women’s Healthcare, Baton Rouge
  38. Troy J. Prevot PA-C ATC, Executive Vice President, at LCTA Workers’ Comp, Baton Rouge, Louisiana Area Insurance
  39. Glenda Minor, Retired senior level executive with progressive leadership experience in controlling, finance, accounting, treasury and audit at Fortune 100 companies
  40. Judge Freddie Pitcher, Attorney, Mediator, Arbitrator, former Chancellor, South University Law Center, Senior Partner with the Baton Rouge office of Phelps Dunbar, LLP.
  41. Tim Barfield, President, CSRS Inc.
  42. Regis Prograis, World Champion Professional Boxer
  43. Vidal Prograis, Father of Regis Prograis
  44. Ken Miles, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs at Louisiana State University Louisiana State University
  45. Brent Sumler, Manager, Shaquille O’Neal Life Skills Program – Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes at LSU, Louisiana State University
  46. Brenda Nixon, PhD, Co-Director, Cain Center for STEM Literacy at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge
  47. Roger Cador, Retired Head Baseball Coach, Southern University and Agricultural and Mechanical College 
  48. Phil Smith, Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement / Executive Director, Baton Rouge Community College
  49. Sid J .Gautreaux III, Sheriff, East Baton Rouge Parish
  50. Rodney Walker, Captain Rodney Walker, SCAT Commander, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office
  51. George Bell, President & CEO at Capital Area United Way
  52. Tom Eldringhoff, Academic Assistant Principal at Catholic High School, Program Chair Scholars Laboratory
  53. Hugh McKintosh, Head of School at Episcopal School of Baton Rouge
  54. John Brown, Senior Vice President – Chief Human Resources Officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana
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