Carlton Ford is an innovative changemaker, nonprofit sector leader, and fundraiser for the arts. A native of southside Chicago, he found his calling for music early and pursued a successful career as an operatic baritone, performing at the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, and beyond before taking his talent and vision to nonprofit leadership. Today he serves as Chief Effective Philanthropy Officer at The Taproot Foundation, which drives social change by connecting social good organizations with skilled volunteers. In this conversation, we hear about the trajectory of his career as an artist and leader, the gift, and the inheritance. We begin with his earliest memories of finding his way to music.