Determine Our Future

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@LParkerPierce
#determineourfuture
I think we are all familiar with what discrimination is; but did you realize that we’re looking from the outside in, when we talk about it? How about discrimination of women, by women? In this episode, I look at both types of discrimination, White feminism versus, you know, just feminism, and the use of nicknames to call out women who have used their White privilege in the worst ways.
Fighting discrimination from all angles? It’s a big job. Let’s get started.

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https://determineourfuture.com/
Determine Our Future’s Facebook group page
@LParkerPierce
#determineourfuture
Hi Determine Our Future listeners! I am excited to talk more about diversity and inclusion in our workplaces and in our lives. I’m especially excited to introduce Dr. Justin Goldston, PhD as my special guest on the podcast. Dr. Goldston is a Professor of Project and Supply Chain Management at Penn State University, and works closely with The Penn State Sustainability Institute to blend technology into organizational sustainability efforts. I did not realize the sheer size and scope of Penn State: total annual enrollment is over 97,500 graduate and undergraduate students in person and online, and offers more than 160 majors.
Justin has over 20 years of experience working with organizations around the world on business performance improvement, organizational change, and enterprise-wide digital transformation initiatives. Dr. Goldston is also a five-time TEDx speaker.
So what started out as a very planned episode on my part, of scripted questions that I wanted Justin to answer, quickly became a free-wheeling discussion with lots of laughter and also lots of information shared. I’m so glad that our talk went in this direction, because it was so much more fun. Let’s jump in!

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https://determineourfuture.com/
Determine Our Future’s Facebook group page
@LParkerPierce
#determineourfuture
In this past year, 2020, we’ve all seen a lot of things. What scares me just as much as catching COVID or having my family suffer a loss from the disease, which is scary enough, is watching our country splinter and crack into two. Our country is divided, Democrat vs. Republican, mask wearing vs. not, COVID is real vs. COVID does not exist, Biden won vs. Trump won. I started to wonder why… aren’t we all getting the same information?
But the truth is, we’re not. Our news sources, the places we look at on the Internet, in newspapers, on podcasts, in magazines… we’re not looking in the same places to get our information. And that is leading to different truths, different conspiracies, different allegiances, different everything.
How do we possibly solve this problem? It’s a big job. Let’s get started.

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https://determineourfuture.com/
Determine Our Future’s Facebook group page (search “Determine Our Future”)
@LParkerPierce
#determineourfuture
I’m excited to kick off only my second interview for my DOF podcast. I would like to introduce Jennifer, who is a personal friend and also an incredible professional, spouse and mother of 3. Jennifer is the Director of Enterprise Programs for a Fortune 500 company, with over 20 years of experience and an MBA to boot! Jennifer and I have talked a lot about our kids, and I’ve been able to benefit from her experiences because her kids are older than mine. It’s been comforting for me to see a great set of parents raise truly incredible children through their teen years and into adulthood.
I’m excited to continue the subject of life lessons that I want to teach my children, as I did previously in Episode 11. It’s such an important job for all parents. Let’s get started.

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https://determineourfuture.com/
Determine Our Future’s Facebook group page (search “Determine Our Future”)
@LParkerPierce
#determineourfuture
For this episode, I wanted to find out more about foreign aid. How much does the US give other countries? Is it more or less than other countries? Why do we do it? I mean, I wish I could assume it was just to be nice, but… yeah, I’m sure the government has at least justified foreign aid with reasons that benefit the US. Should we spend more or less than we do now?
Understanding foreign aid? It’s a big job, but actually not too big, for once. Let’s get started.

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https://determineourfuture.com/
Determine Our Future’s Facebook group page (search “Determine Our Future”)
@LParkerPierce
#determineourfuture
Mary McLeod Bethune is an incredible historical figure; she was the child of former slaves, born just after the Civil War had ended. She became an educator, a Civil Rights activist and women’s rights activist, and an advisor to President FDR. She is known as “The First Lady of the Struggle” because of her early efforts to level the playing field for Black people and women. While I might not present a specific issue in this episode that asks for recommendations, I will still ask a question: what is the best way to honor Mary McLeod Bethune’s life? As we hear about her accomplishments and trials, let’s think about that.
Learning about and honoring her life? It’s a big job. Let’s get started.

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Episode 15: Cancel culture- What does it mean?
https://determineourfuture.com/
Determine Our Future’s Facebook group page (search “Determine Our Future”)
@LParkerPierce
#determineourfuture
What does cancel culture mean? According to multiple sources, it’s defined as either withdrawing support for, or actively speaking against, a public figure of some kind that has said or done something offensive. Or at least, it used to be just public figures. Now, it seemingly could affect anyone- like Amy Cooper, the dog-walker in Central Park in New York, who called the police on a Black man as a form of intimidation. Or, it could apply to Harvey Weinstein, whose allegations of sexual misconduct toward women are wide and span his career of 30 years, and include 80 alleged victims, some of whom are famous themselves. We’ll talk more about this and other examples of cancel culture in this episode. Basically, I’m afraid of where this type of action is going, and how it could get out of control pretty quickly.
Understanding cancel culture and all its consequences? It’s a huge job. Let’s get started.

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Episode 14: LGBTQ+ discrimination- How to be an ally and create an inclusive workplace
https://determineourfuture.com/
Determine Our Future’s Facebook group page (search “Determine Our Future”)
@LParkerPierce
#determineourfuture
In past episodes of DOF, I’ve touched on how to talk to kids about LGBTQ+ issues, and I think those strategies can help adults too. But I also think that more needs to be said and taught in companies and in public groups and organizations, about how to be an LGBTQ+ ally and support that community. It is not a choice for anyone to be anywhere along the identity spectrum. But it is a choice for those of us who identify as cisgender and heterosexual, to be an ally and to support the LGBTQ+ community. I am proud to have made that choice, and I also know that there is always more work I can do, to understand more and help more.
Becoming an LGBTQ+ ally? It’s a big, and important, job. Let’s get started.

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Episode 13: The Boston Tea Party- was that a peaceful protest?
https://determineourfuture.com/
Determine Our Future’s Facebook group page (search “Determine Our Future”)
@LParkerPierce
#determineourfuture
I’ve heard a lot of people say this year of 2020, about the protests and the Black Lives Matter movement, that “Protests and violence are not the right way to effect change.” And it sounds like that makes sense, doesn’t it? There are legislative ways to make change, like introducing new bills to the US Congress or filing a lawsuit; there are grass-roots movements like petitions, it seems like there are so many ways to effect positive change. But then I thought: how have Americans created change in the past? How did the United States declare independence from Britain? Was that peaceful? How about the Civil War, to abolish slavery? Not very peaceful.
In this episode, I decided to dig into the history of the Boston Tea Party in particular, to try to find the difference between that event, which is praised as one of the defining moments in our country’s history, and what makes that different from the protests happening around the world in response to George Floyd’s murder in May of 2020. I have a feeling that there is not much difference at all, but only in our minds and in our old stereotypes, biases and prejudices.
Looking at our current protests for what they really are, necessary calls for social change? It’s a huge job. Let’s get started.

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This episode contains descriptions of violence.
https://determineourfuture.com/
Determine Our Future’s Facebook group page (search “Determine Our Future”)
@LParkerPierce
#determineourfuture
On May 31st and June 1st of 1921, the largest incident of racial violence occurred in the United States. It is most commonly called the Tulsa Race Massacre. 300 Black people were killed, 10,000 Black people were left homeless, and property damage amounted to more than $2M dollars. We don’t learn about this in schools, and we really should. By learning about it and realizing just how wrong it was, we can work together to try to prevent it from happening again. Let’s get started.

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