Inclusion Catalyst

29/04/2023

Today on the show, Julien speaks with Richard Mireles, the Director of Communications at the Oakland-based non-profit CROP Organization. CROP stands for Creating Restorative Opportunities and Programs and their mission is to reimagine (for justice-involved folks) through a holistic, human-centered approach to , , and skill development for the future of work. Richard’s story is a testament to the power of resilience, transformation, and dedication. After spending nearly two decades incarcerated, Richard was granted parole in 2019 and has since become a leading voice in the movement for criminal justice reform.

As the Director of Communications at CROP Organization and host of The Prison Post Podcast, Richard has dedicated his life to helping returning citizens transform their lives and stay free. He leads CROP’s transformational workshops for nonprofits, community college faculty and students, and provides leadership development to individuals through the Quest program at Solano State prison. Richard’s journey is a true inspiration to all those who seek to overcome adversity and make a positive impact in the world. His unwavering commitment to personal growth, education, and social change is a testament to the transformative power of the human spirit.

Welcoming Back Our Neighbors

29/04/2023

Join LeNaya Hezel, director of , , and at Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) as she chats with three alumni of the WSP program, Army veteran Chris Twigg, Navy veteran Desaree Edwards, and Marine Corps veteran Jessica Nelson. In this episode, they’ll discuss life after military service, the role higher education plays in transitioning to civilian life, owning the veteran narrative, and their plans to continue to serve and “make the world a better place.”

Veterans & Higher Ed, Part 2: Join LeNaya Hezel, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) as she chats with three alumni of the WSP program, Army veteran Chris Twigg, Navy veteran Desaree Edwards, and Marine Corps veteran Jessica Nelson. In this episode, they’l...

04/04/2023

Today on the Inclusion Catalyst: Join LeNaya Hezel, director of , , and at Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) as she chats with WSP’s director of education, Dr. Cassie Sanchez, about how the WSP program supports transitioning service members in their pursuit of higher education by meeting the student veteran community “where they are.” The two also discuss how using an assets-based approach ensures inclusivity is embedded in WSP’s culture.

Veterans & Higher Ed: Join LeNaya Hezel, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) as she chats with WSP’s director of education, Dr. Cassie Sanchez, about how the WSP program supports transitioning service members in their pursuit of higher education by meeting...

22/03/2023

Today on the show, Julien speaks with Maurice Jones, the CEO of the non-profit One10. OneTen is a coalition of leading chief executives and their companies who are coming together to upskill, hire, and promote one million Black Americans over the next 10 years who do not yet have a four-year degree into family-sustaining jobs with opportunities for advancement. Prior to joining OneTen, Maurice was the President and CEO of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), one of the country’s largest organizations supporting projects to revitalize communities and catalyze economic opportunity for residents.

A Skills-First Mindset: Connecting Black Talent to Family-Sustaining Jobs

01/02/2023

Today on the show, Julien speaks with Alana Beard. A philanthropist and entrepreneur, Alana utilizes the power of business and sports to shift how women and girls experience opportunities.

She is the Founder of Transition Play, a talent firm that specializes in helping women athletes live prolific lives across their personal, professional, and public domains beyond the game. Alana is the Founder and President of the 318 Foundation, a nonprofit committed to improving college, career, and life outcomes for young women in underrepresented communities through the 318 V.I.S.I.O.N mentorship program. Alana is also leading a bid to acquire the rights to a WNBA franchise.

Best known for her storied athletic career, Alana won Championships at every level, from high school to the WNBA and internationally. She was the first woman basketball player to have her jersey number retired at Duke University, a four-time All-Star, and an integral piece in leading the Los Angeles Sparks to a WNBA Championship in 2016. At the back end of her career, Alana won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year Awards in 2017 and 2018. She retired in January 2020 after 15 years.

During and after her time in the WNBA, Alana found success as a owner, start-up founder, mentor, and advocate for female athletes in corporate America. After her retirement in 2020, she served as a Senior Associate at Silicon Valley Bank.

Today we discuss:

* The resilience of elite and how their value on the court or field translates powerfully into value in corporate spaces.

* Seeing is believing—the importance of representation and setting the pace for those that follow after you.

* How inclusive leaders can support elite athletes in their transition and the power of instant feedback.

Thriving in Transition: During and after her time in the WNBA, Alana found success as a small business owner, start-up founder, mentor, and advocate for female athletes in corporate America. After her retirement in 2020, she served as a Senior Associate at Silicon Valley Bank.

19/01/2023

Today on the show, Julien speaks with Ashanti Branch. Ashanti is a key-note speaker, advisor to the US Surgeon General, a Fulbright Fellow and 4x TedX Speaker. His work with youth has been featured at SXSW, on CNN with Lisa Ling, on the Kelly Clarkson Show, and in the documentary about American masculinity ‘The Mask You Live In’, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival. He is the Founder and Executive Director of The Ever Forward Club (EFC), a non-profit organization that ensures underserved students graduate high school by addressing the underlying causes of dropout rates and youth violence, and providing grassroots solutions like mentorship, safe spaces and emotional tools.

Addressing Youth Mental Health

19/12/2022

Today on the show, Julien speaks with Jamey Harvey. Jamey is a technologist and white guy from Washington DC who in 1999, with a collective of multi-racial friends, founded the 2020 Project. Their goal and commitment to one another was to be accountable to each other for pursuing the end of racism in the United States by the year 2020. Though the group dissolved in the early 2000s, Jamey has successfully founded multiple tech organizations and the 2020 Project’s founding principles have underpinned his leadership and work. Today, we’re talking about the intersection of racism and technology and why white men, like Jamey, who benefit from compounding privilege and occupy many positions of power are instrumental in dismantling and sunsetting racism.

Today on the show, Julien speaks with Jamey Harvey. Jamey is a technologist and white guy from Washington DC who in 1999, with a collective of multi-racial friends, founded the 2020 Project. Their goal and commitment to one another was to be accountable to each other for pursuing the end of racism i...

27/10/2022

Today on the show, Julien is joined by James and Krista White, the father and daughter team behind the book Anti-Racist Leadership: How to Transform Corporate Culture in a Race-Conscious World (Harvard Review Press). Their book is based on the indisputable premise that every leader must be anti-racist, actively seeking opportunities to create more environments through both deed and word. Centering on James’ experience as a Black executive, CEO, and parent, and Krista’s perspective as a millennial, writer, and DEI practitioner, this collaborative endeavor is a testament to the power of intergenerational and to the actionable steps that leaders can take to advance cultures of greater inclusion.

Today we discuss:

* Why all leaders must embrace anti-racism work and how all stakeholders win when they do.
* Why CEOs are also Chief Diversity/Culture Officers, and what they can do to ensure their actual CDOs succeed.
* Practical steps that leaders, at all levels, can take to dismantle systemic racism in the workplace.

Anti-Racist Leadership

25/09/2022

Julien and Ruchika Tulshyan discuss their shared experience of being third-culture kids and how that relates to the importance of cultural humility in the workplace. Adults and children who qualify as third-culture have a unique and sometimes incomplete experience of cultural identity formation. While they might struggle with feeling a sense of true belonging in whichever of their home cultures they’re in, they are often incredibly adept at building bridges across difference and demonstrating the kind of cultural humility that is required of inclusive leaders. DE&I initiatives and programs are now more geared than ever towards building a true sense of belonging for employees—cultural humility plays a role in achieving this elusive but critical human experience.

Cultural Humility and Third-Culture Kids

13/09/2022

Today on the show, Julien and Bill Hawthorne discuss the evolution of diversity, equity, and inclusion in America and in the workplace. In recent years, the rise of the , , movements have forced Americans to reflect on the persistent social injustices in our country. The harsh and bitter truths of these inequities have repercussions in the corporate sphere. Companies are scrambling to implement effective DEI strategies and programming because employees and customers are demanding that companies abide by their stated values. Once considered to be a function of the human resources or talent departments, DEI has evolved into a core and strategic business function in which both large and small businesses are investing heavily. Greatheart Consulting

Evolution Of DEI: Today on the show, Julien and Bill Hawthorne discuss the evolution of diversity, equity, and inclusion in America and in the workplace.

05/08/2022

Today on the show, Julien and Rahimeh Ramezany discuss and deconstruct the bias and lack of inclusivity that Muslim Americans experience. Together, they’ll explore and give context to the issues that marginalized religious groups face, identify ways to ensure more equitable access for Muslim Americans in predominantly non-Muslim spaces, and discuss other issues affecting her .

Her experience as a visible minority tells her all too well what it’s like to be marginalized and othered by a society that places a high value on white privilege and conformity rather than and .

Today we discuss:

* Kennedy v. Bremerton School District public school prayer decision and the response of the American community.
* The evolution of Muslim Americans’ experience of discrimination in the workplace.
* Demystifying Islam, points of commonality amongst belief systems, and making space for these discussions in the workplace.

Avoiding Religious Bias In The Workplace

02/07/2022

Today on the show, we discuss and celebrate the beauty and resilience of the + community. In the wake of recent decisions made by the Supreme Court, Julien sits down with a prolific author, change-maker, and advocate of the q***r community to discuss issues that affect the trans community.

We’re excited to welcome to the show Lily Zheng (they/them), a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ( ) strategist and consultant who works with organizational leaders to turn their positive intentions into positive impact.

Discussing Resilience and Strength

30/03/2022

Chuck H. Shelton at Greatheart Consulting interviews Greg Gale in this episode of the Inclusion Catalyst. Gale is the creator of the DEI Global Fundamentals and Leading at Liberty Mutual Insurance, which ran for 5,000 US managers and 2,000 managers globally.

For over 25 years, Gale has held DEI leadership positions in Fortune 100 companies and non-profit organizations and implemented DEI solutions throughout the US and globally. He is skilled at developing DEI strategy, coaching leaders to build inclusion skills and creating insightful and actionable group learning experiences.

Greg continues to use his voice to break down barriers and authentically create inclusive environments for historically disadvantaged internal stakeholders at work. Today we are going to discuss the following:

* How Liberty Mutual implemented their DEI initiatives
* How to catalyze inclusive leadership at work
* How white men can use their voice for allyship

DEI Global Fundamentals: We are excited to have Greg Gale, the creator of the DEI Global Fundamentals and Leading at Liberty Mutual, which ran for 5,000 US managers and 2,000 managers globally.

04/03/2022

Shared from the Nonprofit SnapCast archives: David Jernigan is the President and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA). For many companies and organizations, the past year has provoked critical conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and inspired many to take necessary steps to address systemic racism. While the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA) has been advocating for racial equity for over 80 years, they too have been on their own DEI journey over the past year. With nearly 90% of BGCMA youth identifying as African American or Latinx and the large majority of BGCMA employees coming from racially diverse backgrounds, this past year has been a deeply introspective period for the organization. We talk at length about these things, learning that how BGCMA navigates this journey together matters and ultimately defines the organization that they will become.

Navigating the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Work of BGCMA

25/01/2022

Today on the show, we’re excited to have Robert Baker, the CEO of Potentia Talent Consulting Limited. There, Rob advises several companies on their approach to the D&I market. Rob has over 4 decades of the work culture for the betterment of historically disadvantaged employees.

Prior to starting Potentia Talent Consulting Limited, Rob was with Mercer as the Leader of Diversity & Inclusion Consulting for the International Region. Prior to that, Rob spent some 15 years as a Global Client Relationship Director, managing and developing several large multinational clients across all Mercer’s lines of business and geographies.

Disruptor In Residence, with Robert Baker

23/11/2021

Mickey visits with former Atlanta Mayoral Candidate Kirsten Elise Dunn to talk briefly about the mayoral race, and freedom from candidacy. Kirsten will continue to work to heal the city. Find more about her upcoming FREE seminar for all business owners...

I Don't Need A Title To Go To Work. Mickey visits with former Atlanta Mayoral Candidate Kirsten Elise Dunn to talk briefly about the mayoral race, and freedom from candidacy. Kirsten will continue to work to heal the city. Find more about her upcoming FREE seminar for all business owners: Recession-...

22/11/2021

On today’s first episode of a four-part miniseries, Chuck Shelton of Greatheart Consulting speaks with Mita Mallick, a corporate change-maker and the current head of inclusion, equity, and impact at Carta. Mita is a top LinkedIn voice of 2020 and the proud co-host of the Brown Table Talk Podcast with Dee C Marshall. In addition, she has led branding work with iconic products like AVEENO, AVON Color Cosmetics, Chapstick, and Dove.

Deconstructing DEI for Companies: On today’s first episode of a four-part miniseries, Chuck Shelton of Greatheart Consulting speaks with Mita Mallick, a corporate change-maker and the current head of inclusion, equity, and impact at Carta.

18/10/2021

Brian Jenkins has impacted thousands of youth and adults through his nonprofit, Entrenuity. Founded in 1999, Entrenuity began with direct youth services in education and then expanded to include adult and returning citizens, as well as training Facilitators to teach entrepreneurship.

We talk about the issues of , , and why supporting business is critically important to any thriving American community.

Intentional Disinvestment Requires Intentional Investment

29/09/2021

We think you're going to get a lot out of Jacquie Abram's personal tale of systemic racism in the workplace:

"Jacquie Abram had a career in higher education that she was very good at & that she enjoyed. A career that paid her an income, which as a single mother of two girls was the only income, that allowed her to not only provide for her family, but also pay her bills. ..."

Jacquie Abram Shares her Personal Story: Jacquie Abram had a career in higher education that she was very good at & that she enjoyed. A career that paid her an income, which as a single mother of two girls was the only income, that allowed her to not only provide for her family, but also pay her bil...

23/09/2021

Are you the next Inclusion Catalyst Guest Host?

Are You Our Next Guest Host?

09/09/2021

We're always happy to feature The Next Pivot Point on the Inclusion Catalyst.

This time, Julie and her guest Simone Morris discuss:

* How to bring our allies on the diversity journey with us
The mindset of inclusive leaders
* What inclusive organizations are doing to prioritize investing in diversity and inclusion
* How to celebrate black history beyond Black History Month
* Embracing brave conversations and creating space for real talk

Diversity and Inclusion is a Journey

02/09/2021

This episode of the Inclusion Catalyst is a production of the Possibility Project and the Nonprofit SnapCast .

After the racial justice reckoning we have experienced particularly in the last year at a national level, the new buzz word is ‘allyship’ or being an ‘ally.’ In this episode, we discuss what it really means and how to be radical in rethinking allyship. We explore going beyond performative allyship, and ask questions like, – What happens when folks get tired of doing the work?

Radical allyship: After the racial justice reckoning we have experienced particularly in the last year at a national level, the new buzz word is ‘allyship’ or being an ‘ally.’

31/08/2021

Mika'il Petin, Ph.D. did some solid work with this episode of the Inclusion Catalyst. He interviews Princess B. about her role in leading an effort to create consistent diversity, equity, and inclusion standards across the international nonprofit sector.

Building a Coalition with a Princess

02/08/2021

It's always good to hear good conversations from Next Pivot Point: Antiracism is a word being thrown around Corporate America all too often nowadays. In the wake of George Floyd and sustained racial equity conversations in 2020, my frequent collaboration partner, and advocate for , Ericka Young, and I discuss:

* Where we are at now personally and with our clients working on
* Antiracism books we are reading and how we are practicing self-care to manage our energy
* Calls to action for those that want to be allies for people of color

Unpacking Racism: Antiracism is a word being thrown around Corporate America all too often nowadays. In the wake of George Floyd and sustained racial equity conversations in 2020, my frequent collaboration partner, and advocate for racial equity, Ericka Young, and I discuss...

20/07/2021

This episode is an address from former GM (GSK, Allergan) and Leadership Author Omar L. Harris, who shares his inspiring Graduation Keynote: “From Servant Leadership to J.E.D.I. Leadership” (social justice, equity, diversity and inclusion) in May 2021 at the Leadership Harrisburg Area (LHA) Galactic Graduation Event at FNB Field in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Harris’ D.E.I. address is based on his new book, “Be a J.E.D.I. Leader, Not a Boss” (June 25, 2021) and 20+ years of leadership experience managing enterprise teams for global pharmaceutical companies on 4 continents. Harris highlights the importance of Servant Leadership, J.E.D.I. Leadership and how inclusion offers a sense of belonging. Harris also emphasizes that inclusion works best together with a positive strategy to address all 4 elements of J.E.D.I. Leadership. For more information about Harris and his new book, visit https://omarlharris.com

https://www.omarlharris.com provides inspiration, information, and application of Servant Leadership principles.

13/07/2021

How is it that the social sector, which prides itself on its mission to ensure that all communities have access to health, safety, and prosperity, can underpay, overwork, and endanger the very people who carry out the work? We all have either experienced or heard stories of beloved colleagues who are burned out or have left the sector because we can’t find a way that makes sense to stay, financially or spiritually.

Join another set of fantastic speakers who will talk about:

* Who can afford to work in the sector?
* Where accountability lies for equitable staff compensation and just treatment in the mission-driven workplace?
* How can we better align our values with our practices?

Talent Justice

06/07/2021

Robin Rosenberg, PhD, is a psychologist, CEO and Founder of Live In Their World. They use Virtual Reality to address issues of bias an incivility in the workplace. Robin’s professional curiosity and clinical practice drew her towards the burgeoning field of virtual reality (VR) about 25 years ago. Robin followed the psychology of virtual reality literature for years, and then collaborated on research about VR.

Live In Their World: Robin Rosenberg, PhD, is a psychologist, CEO and Founder of Live In Their World, using Virtual Reality to address issues of bias an incivility in the workplace.

01/07/2021

The Honorable Sylvester Turner, Mayor of Houston, discusses diversity and inclusion. This event is part of a series presented by the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues and the Department of African American Studies at UC Berkeley, as well as the Great Cities Institute at the University of Chicago at Illinois.

Black Mayors and Leadership in the United States, Diversity & Inclusion

22/06/2021

Highly acclaimed male ally experts, HBR contributors, and published authors of the newly released book “The Good Guys,” Brad Johnson and David Smith join the show to discuss:

* The why for men, especially white men, in the gender and diversity conversation
* Tangible ways to be a “good guy” and stand with women and underrepresented groups as an ally
* How gender allyship translates to racial allyship

How to be One of the Good Guys, Highly acclaimed male ally experts, HBR contributors, and published authors of the newly released book "The Good Guys," Brad Johnson and David Smith join the show to discuss:

21/06/2021

Jennifer Brown joins us to discuss her new book, “How to be an Inclusive Leader” and why white supremacy culture is still holding Corporate America back from achieving true diversity and inclusion.

Jennifer Brown joins us to discuss her new book, "How to be an Inclusive Leader" and why white supremacy culture is still holding Corporate America back from

29/04/2021

Leadership teams in Corporate America have awoken. They know is a problem, and they are not sure where to start. For those painfully behind on the diversity and inclusion journey, it is never too late to start.

In this episode, Julie Kratz of Next Pivot Point shares how to:

* Define what means to your organization
* Craft a compelling why this important now and in the future
* Build an intentional road map of inclusion to support the strategy

How to Build a Diversity and Inclusion Strategy: Leadership teams in Corporate America have awoken. They know diversity is a problem, and they are not sure where to start. For those painfully behind on the diversity and inclusion journey, it is never too late to start.

30/03/2021

Our latest episode, host Jess Cooper speaks with 2004 Olympic silver medalist Maritza McClendon to discuss diversity in sports. They break down how Maritza’s experience growing up as a black female athlete gave her a platform to help give athletes of this generation a voice.

In this episode, nonprofit consultant Jess Cooper sits down with 2004 Olympic silver medalist Maritza McClendon to discuss diversity in sports. They break

26/01/2021

The Inclusion Catalyst Podcast is seeking Guest Hosts:

Inclusion Catalyst brings leaders to the table to hear about current issues in diversity and inclusion, deconstructing complex social justice issues to showcase the best practices in our workplaces and our communities.

Are you an inclusivity consultant? D&I professional? Maybe an Environmental Scientist? Or an activist and advocate? We’re looking for specialists to join us as Guest Hosts. The specialist would wrangle one (or more) Inclusion Catalyst episodes (with some help from the producers). Please direct all interested parties to contact us via our website:

Inclusion Catalyst Invites Guest Hosts

20/08/2020

Nonprofit SnapCast gets to interview Idalia Fernandez, Monisha Kapila, and Angela Romans about their work coaching and supporting nonprofit leaders of color, and some key patterns they see emerging as many historically White-led organizations may be appointing leaders of color for the first time. Among the topics we cover:

* Connecting this work to current events.
* Identifying problematic organizational patterns.
* The issue of funding scarcity.
* Effectively supporting new leaders of color.

Supporting Leaders Of Color http://inclusioncatalyst.com/podcast-player/139/supporting-leaders-of-color.mp3Download file | Play in new windowSubscribe: iTunes | Stitcher | Google Play | Spotify Nonprofit SnapCast gets to interview Idalia Fernandez, Monisha Kapila, and Angela Romans about their work....

05/08/2020

Keep your eyes and ears peeled for another Inclusion Catalyst episode. In two weeks, we'll talk with Idalia Fernandez, Monisha Kapila, and Angela Romans about their work coaching and supporting nonprofit leaders of color, and some key patterns they see emerging as many historically White-led organizations may be appointing leaders of color for the first time.

2020 Chasing Diversity And Inclusion, with Olanike Ayomide-Mensah 29 Jun Inclusive Conversations with Mary-Frances Winters 14 May You Don’t Get To Call Yourself An Ally, with Julie Kratz of Next Pivot Point 30 Apr Scott Ayotte and Inclusive Talent Acquisition Through Behavior Change 5 Apr Fair Cou...

30/06/2020

This episode was recorded on May 27, 2020. Mickey visits with Olanike Ayomide-Mensah to talk about , and in the workplace; and how it intersects with .

10/06/2020

Congratulations to Dr. Tarece Johnson on her election to the position of Gwinnett County School Board Member representing District 5! We are so grateful that she was able to join us on a previous episode of the Inclusion Catalyst podcast. She is going to do incredible things for her community to advocate for policies that will ensure educational equity and justice. Listen to Episode 2 of the podcast to learn how she addresses issues of representation, equity and biases in the public education system.

Dr. Tarece Johnson on Diversity & Biases In Education http://inclusioncatalyst.com/podcast-player/33/dr-tarece-johnson-on-diversity-biases-in-education.mp3Download file | Play in new windowSubscribe: iTunes | Stitcher | Google Play | Spotify Dr. Tarece joins us to discuss her book, The Global Purpo...