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Michael wraps up the 5th season of the podcast with some thoughts around the condition of DEI education in the United States today. He tells of how the pandemic and current political state of affairs has affected his business and that of others attempting to teach and speak out about identity.
Key Takeaways
In 2020 former president Donald Trump labeled any and all discussions of race, slavery or racism as CRT (critical race theory) and subsequently banned them from schools. This is still affecting DEI training and race conversations today.
The floodgates opened after the supreme court struck down affirmative action. Edward Blum is the anti-affirmative action warrior who is filing suits to stop organizations from offering opportunities to historically marginalized groups.
Volatile reactions to diversity and inclusion hurt everyone.
We’re all on the same team.
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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.
Editing and co-production of this podcast by Emma Yarger.
Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!
Eric Grant is the managing partner and financial adviser with Polaris Wealth Management a firm that specializes in insurance, investments and financial advisory services for individuals and businesses. Eric has over 35 years of experience and knowledge in personal and business financial services and is a speaker and lecturer on matters related to personal and business financial planning. He also expresses himself as the host of a two-hour weekly national radio show “The Family Meeting” on WCPT and has been a contributor to various media outlets including Black Enterprise, The Wall Street Journal and WVON Radio. He’s a proud Howard University alumn with a bachelor of business administration degree in finance and insurance. And most importantly a husband and father.
Key Takeaways
What is normal? Why do we accept things the way they are? — the word why is powerful
Collaboration comes from a high level of intellectual curiosity
Avoiding conflict avoids opportunities for understanding
In order to have good friends you have to be a good friend
Authenticity requires indifference to what other people think
Guest’s Media Recommendations:
“Caste” by Isabel Wilkerson (book)
“The Warmth of Other Suns” by Isabel Wilkerson (book)
“The Autobiography of Malcolm X” (book)
“Twisted Melodies” by Kelvin Roston Jr. (play)
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Find Guest’s work:
The Family Meeting: https://heartlandsignal.com/programs/the-family-meeting/
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For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay
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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.
Editing and co-production of this podcast by Emma Yarger.
Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!
John Noltner is an award winning photographer who is the founder and creator of A Peace of My Mind — a multimedia arts project, created by award-winning photographer John Noltner, that uses portraits and personal stories to bridge divides and encourage dialogue around important issues. Through exhibits, workshops, lectures, on-site studios, and distance learning, A Peace of My Mind leads transformative experiences that help a polarized world rediscover the common humanity that connects us. A gifted storyteller, Noltner has worked on four continents, gathering stories of human courage, grace, and resilience. He has produced projects for national magazines, Fortune 500 companies, and non-profit organizations. A Peace of My Mind reflects his belief that art and storytelling can help individuals, organizations and communities articulate their deepest values and encourage action toward building social capital and community connections.
Key Takeaways
Find the beauty and wisdom in everyone and everywhere
Reduce your filter and amplify the voices of others
Leave space for serendipity — no matter how well we plan the world sometimes has other ideas
When harms don’t get addressed they can never be healed
You don’t have to have it all figured out right now just start moving
Guest’s Media Recommendations:
“Hard Times” by Studs Terkel (book)
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Find Guest’s work:
Website: https://apomm.net/
Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/959767/13349345
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For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay
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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.
Editing and co-production of this podcast by Emma Yarger.
Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!
Chaazé P. Roberts, LMFT, is a licensed marriage and family therapist who over the last 16 years studied, trained, and worked at The Family Institute, Bette D. Harris Family and Child Clinic at Northwestern University. Mr. Roberts currently still works as a clinical lecturer and supervisor at the Family Institute for the MSMFT program at Northwestern University. Recently, he embarked on a new venture starting his own private practice, CPR Counseling. Mr. Roberts works with families, couples, individuals, adolescents, as well as conducting group therapy. He has a particular passion for and commitment to working with adolescent’s issues and men’s issues, including emerging adult males dealing with the stresses of life transitions. Mr. Roberts has worked clinically with diverse individuals and various combinations of cross-cultural couples and international families – from USA, Poland, Mexico, Colombia, Israel, Ecuador, Jamaica, Venezuela, Nigeria, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Greece, India, Spain, Philippines, Zimbabwe, France, Suriname and Pakistan, to name a few. He has a particular interest working with people of the African American community of which he is from.
Key Takeaways
Venture into the unknown and create something from nothing
Growth occurs when you step into discomfort
Be open, be honest, be vulnerable so you can heal
Drumming and music brings us together encourages engagement
None but ourselves can free our minds
Guest’s Media Recommendations:
“Redemption Song” by Bob Marley (song)
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Find Guest’s work:
Profile: https://mft.northwestern.edu/online-mft/leadership-faculty/chaaze-p-roberts/
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For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay
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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.
Editing and co-production of this podcast by Emma Yarger.
Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!
Greg Moisio is a longtime Waukegan resident, a father of three daughters, a graduate of Waukegan East and a graduate of the University of Illinois Champaign. He holds a masters degree in education leadership from Aurora University. He is a retired educator from the Waukegan school district with 34 years of service as a football coach, a basketball coach, a baseball coach, and a powerlifting coach. He is on the board of directors of the Illinois High School Powerlifting Association and he is also a retired 3rd ward Alderman in the city of Waukegan for 20 years where he served as the judiciary committee chairman, as the public works committee chairman and the economic development committee chairman.
Key Takeaways
Don’t get stuck in a loop of judging people
Everyone comes with biases but if you slow down and talk to people you can overcome them
Trust comes with time and listening
Don’t flunk reality tests — don’t be hypocritical and meet same standards you set for others
Guest’s Recommendations:
“Influencer” by Patterson et al (book)
Powerlifting (sport)
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For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay
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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.
Editing and co-production of this podcast by Emma Yarger.
Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!
Kevin Chan Bradley is the Vice President, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community for HUB International. Joining the organization in 2021, oversees the company’s overarching DEI strategy and provides coaching and consultation to ensure the execution of the strategy on all levels or the organization. Mr. Bradley is a seasoned Diversity & Inclusion practitioner with over 30 years in Human Resources. He has been a recruiter, business partner, EEO/AA Compliance leader and D&I leader. Bradley has worked in various industries including manufacturing, aerospace, fast food, and financial services. He is often asked to speak at events on the topic of diversity as a business driver and has received recognition for his work in advocating for diverse communities. He currently serves as Board Chair for Access Living, a nationally renowned disability advocacy organization. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Parents’ Alliance Employment Project an organization that finds gainful employment for individuals with disabilities and serves on the Board of Directors for the Chicago Philharmonic. He has been asked to serve on the Chicago advisory committee for St. Jude Children’s Hospital and is on the DEI Advisory Committee for his fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon.
Key Takeaways
Allyship must be an action, don’t be a bystander — speak up
Assess your environment and adjust your response accordingly
Meet people where they are
Diversity is about counting heads and diversity is about making heads count
When discussing DEI at companies speak to their heads, hearts and wallets
Guest’s Media Recommendations:
“The Medici Effect: Breakthrough Insights at the Intersection of Ideas, Concepts, and Cultures” by Frans Johansson (book)
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Find Guest’s work:
Access Living: https://www.accessliving.org/newsroom/teammember/kevin-bradley/
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For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay
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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.
Editing and co-production of this podcast by Emma Yarger.
Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!
Ed Thomson is the founder and CEO of Uptimize the leading neuro-inclusion training company whose mission is to help organizations embrace and leverage every type of thinker. Born and raised in London and educated at the University of Oxford, Ed founded Uptimize in 2016 recognizing the urgent need for greater understanding and appreciation of neurodiversity within the working world. His role with Uptimize has afforded him unique insights and connections with pioneers in the neurodiversity at work field across the world. And he is now a frequent speaker on the topic. He and Uptimize have been featured by outlets including LinkedIn, BBC, People Management magazine, HR.com and the Financial Times. Ed is the author of the recently released book titled A Hidden Force: Unlocking the Potential of Neurodiversity at Work.
Key Takeaways
Combining a social mission and a business approach creates good outcomes
Helping other people is the key to happiness
Everyone processes information differently — everyone has a different brain
Bring people back to the mission
Processes, people and technology can be exclusive if not used intentionally
Ed’s Media Recommendations:
“The Score Takes Care of Itself: My Philosophy of Leadership” by Bill Walsh (book)
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Find Ed’s work:
Uptimize: https://uptimize.com/
A Hidden Force: https://uptimize.com/a-hidden-force/
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For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay
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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify. Editing and co-production of this podcast by Emma Yarger.
Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!
Content warning: Please note this episode includes a brief discussion of gun violence at minute 16 and minute 19. Take care as you listen.
On this episode of INCOGNITO the podcast, Michael interviews Laura Coe. Laura was born in Chicago and found her calling in philosophy, which she studied at Brandeis as well as in graduate school at Tufts University. After realizing she didn’t want to pursue academia, she went on to become a healthcare tech entrepreneur.
When Laura came across the Akashic Records — a way to systematically deepen the connection to your authentic voice — she found that the wisdom of the Records changed the trajectory of her work, and she used it to author The Nature of series and to found The Little Soul School. Her writing has been featured in Forbes, The Huffington Post, Inc., Through Catalog, The New York Observer, and more.
Key Takeaways:
Own your identity, but know you’re not your labels
Find a balance between authentic passion and success
Sustained long-term happiness comes from a connection to self and something bigger than self
We are all interconnected
You are not your thoughts, your brain is just one tool at your disposal
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Laura’s Media Recommendations:
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle (book)
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz (book)
Spiritual teacher Adyashanti (author)
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Find Laura’s work:
Laura’s website: https://lauracoe.com/
The Art of Authenticity: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-authenticity/id1078757977
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For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay
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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify. Editing and co-production of this podcast by Emma Yarger.
Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!
On this episode of INCOGNITO the podcast, Michael interviews Billy Daniel, an episcopal priest and rector at Church of the Ascension in Knoxville Tennessee. Billy received his PhD in theology from the University of Nottingham, England and is the author of Inhabited by Grace and Christ the Liturgy. Billy has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in theology, ethics and the humanities and is the co-creator of Spiritus Knox, a center for spiritual practice and learning in Knoxville. He is currently working on a book of meditations and prayers on the matter of “Becoming,” as well as developing curriculum and retreat programs to help people develop skills and dispositions that enable them to thrive and flourish as humans in a world that is hungry for authenticity.
Key Takeaways:
External identity markers can cause questions or open conversations
Unifying people is a work in progress
Name a need, then brainstorm and collaborate a solution
Own your stuff
Authenticity is being whole, with yourself, with your community, with your environment
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Billy’s Media Recommendations:
Living Presence: A Sufi Way to Mindfulness & the Essential Self by Kabir Helminski (book)
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For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay
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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.
Editing and co-production of this podcast by Emma Yarger.
Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!
On this episode of INCOGNITO the podcast, Michael interviews Mark Wynn! Mark is a former police officer and consultant for the justice department. He served as an officer in Nashville for 21 years and worked to create the largest police domestic violence investigative unit in the United States. He trains professionals, from executives to officers to social workers and more, on how to address domestic violence in their work. Recently he was featured in the documentary “This Is Where I Learned Not to Sleep” about his life and his work.
Key Takeaways:
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Find Mark’s work:
This Is Where I Learned Not to Sleep: https://www.thisiswherefilm.com/ (documentary)
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For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay
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Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify.
Editing and co-production of this podcast by Emma Yarger.
Email [email protected] with questions or comments about the show!
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