Global Inclusion in Practice Podcast

“Talking with you about this feels like there's more shoulders coming next to each other saying, alright, we can carry this together. Let's do this.” - Salmaan Sana

Salmaan Sana is a curious, open person who loves connection. He is multifaceted, multitalented, and multidimensional.

Working as a facilitator, consultant, and trainer, he has been called a ‘process artist’ who spots and analyzes the culture in an organization. He looks at how to go from the culture that is there now to where you want to go, bringing in interventions and methodologies to get a team or organization to be more connected and grow a sense of belonging that is broadly felt.

He’s also busy being a proud father of an almost-one-year-old, board member of the TEDxAmsterdam Impact Program, creator of an online DEI course, speaker, and moderator for events. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging are core themes for him, as well as storytelling.

“I have a fascination with what it means to tell your story.” - Salmaan Sana

Challenges and frustration are things Salmaan draws positive energy from, turning them into constructive forces of motivation and new awareness. Noticing that there must be something bigger happening here because it wouldn’t bother you if it weren’t important.

“With the DEI fatigue that is happening, we need a different perspective, we need to look at this topic in a different way. And it's valuable that you are converting frustration into change so we can tackle that in a different way.” - Vivian Acquah

Salmaan is all about the long game, about the reason he’s doing this work, more than the operational cause and effect of daily tasks and interventions as a consultant. To him, what’s key about his work is his mission: What am I trying to create? What am I trying to bring into the world? 

“I care, and I care deeply” - Salmaan Sana 

The beauty Salmaan sees in the work being done around DEI is that everyone does it in their own way. That's amazing because it shows that there's enough to do for everyone working on it when it’s done from a place of integrity. 

What he sees is that, beyond working on policy change in areas like HR and Finance, there are more perceptive questions and conversations to work on that lead to more impactful actions and awareness. More subtle, almost invisible things to pick up on that can change the way people interact with each other, as they listen to each other’s real human stories. This is why Salmaan cares about facilitating new ways in which people can connect and create more inclusion. 

Talking about his daughter makes him emotional, as he realizes when looking at her that he wishes for her not to go through the struggles that he experienced himself. That really hits him, as he deeply wants to create a world where she will not experience any of the same.

At the same time he makes the effort to be self-aware about his own biases and write about his own learnings. This is him constantly keeping himself sharp as he recognizes how his own programming has to be relearned as well. That’s where consciousness and awareness come from: we are not bias-free, we are all biased through having been raised in this world.

The work won’t be done within our generation. That’s why Salmaan is happy that his partner keeps him sharp, energized, and motivated, and he deeply appreciates the beautiful friendships that he has around him.

“The thing is that we don't know in a few generations from now, what we planted today can become a tree later. We only see the ground or the really tiny sapling coming up. But the act of planting is essential in that tree being there.” - Marjolijn Vlug

Salmaan has recently launched an online DEI course to share his knowledge and experience more widely, which enables him to contribute to the bigger, broader movement for people who believe in this topic. 

What’s next for Salmaan, we ask him. He is aware that he’s growing in the way he connects with where people are when he starts working with them. And he’s aware that making small steps is also progress. Even if the penny drops weeks, months, or years later.

“To start where somebody else is, is my learning. Because if I try to start from where I think they should be, I'm going to be disappointed every time. 

But if I start from where they are, then we can get to a whole new space together.” - Salmaan Sana

And he wants to hear more stories. He wants our stories to be told. 

“The more stories everyone hears, the more insights we get.“ - Salmaan Sana

So do share your story with us in the comment section below, under our social post, or in a direct message. We appreciate you.

These are the wise words that came up in this episode from their original sources:

“The one who plants trees, knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life.” ― Rabindranath Tagore

“This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. 

I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it what I can. 

I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I cherish life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.” - George Bernard Shaw

About Salmaan SanaSalmaan Sana, executive consultant on Culture, People and Collaboration, is a multifaceted speaker and moderator, facilitator and connector. He helps companies build a more profound sense of belonging, and to connect and build more cohesion. He has created masterclasses and online courses. In addition, Salmaan is a member of the board of TEDxAmsterdam and the advisory board of Treesistance,

Connect with Salmaan via 

* Website

* LinkedIn

* Instagram

* Salmaan’s online courses in DEI

* Join Salmaan’s newsletter

Resources & references in this episode:

* Tristan Lavender, Neurodiversity Writer, Speaker & Global ERG Lead at Philips) on LinkedIn

* The 100-dollar race, a Youtube video - with a nuanced perspective on this from Salmaan in the interview

* TEDx Amsterdam Impact Program

* Treesistance

* Jeff Goldblum reciting George Bernard Shaw’s quote above

“I think we inspire each other, we learn from each other so much, because we open up as we get to know each other.” - Yuli Kim

Yuli Kim is the founder of Inclusion Sensei, a DEI consultancy, and the Director of Program Development at Workplace Pride. She specializes in LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the workplace and often also addresses race and culture. Originally from Japan, she’s been living in the Netherlands since 2010. 

Yuli opens us about her journey of gradual insights and growth. Prior to her career in DEI, she worked in business development, helping business organizations realize their financial goals. Focused on revenue, gross profit, net profit, and how to monetize services, she thought it was all about ‘the winner takes it all’: you have to be good at this, and you have to be strong just to suck it up and do it. That is until she started to notice that the people she worked with were getting seriously worn out. She also experienced personal incidents that really impacted her about how she felt in her workspace, where she was treated differently based on her personal characteristics, in terms of race and sexual orientation.  

“At that time, this was 10 years ago, I didn't quite know what psychological safety in the workplace was, but I felt something needed to change.” - Yuli Kim

After starting a family, Yuli’s priority definitely shifted to different goals. She quit her steady job, retrained, and started her own consultancy.  

“I left my very secure job and went back to school without knowing what would happen next. But I followed my heart, and this is the right thing.” - Yuli Kim

Nowadays, Yuli is committed - and equipped - to make workplaces better for our children before they enter the labor market.

Yuli talks about how she uses the privilege of her education and her space in the hierarchy of color to be an ally for others, stand up for others, and be in this together. She is becoming increasingly conscious of what she can offer to other people, “and sometimes I borrow a superpower privilege from my friends.”

“Even when you are an advocate specifically for gender inclusion, it doesn't mean that you have to look the other way when there is harm done upon other diversity levels.” - Vivian Acquah

This is also about paying it forward. Yuli is mindful of the fact that women in the past paved the way for us on matters like voting rights and marriage equality. And we, in turn, can pave the way for the next generation. Yuli makes this real through working with organizations and also by unexpectedly having become a role model for young professionals. 

“In my mind, I'm just a middle-aged person, a mom, who works in this DEI field. I've been out for over two decades, this is the way I live my life. But I didn't realize that to some people, I can be an inspiration.” - Yuli Kim

Young professionals approach Yuli and thank her for doing her job, for demonstrating that they can be like her, openly queer, and have a good life and a good job. And she’s starting to realize that it’s not only those young professionals that she is impacting.

Yuli addresses that by getting to know each other's work in this field, we get the opportunity to unlearn bits of bias that we've individually accumulated over the past decades. Connecting across specialties and identities makes us better and more inclusive DEI change makers.

“How do you keep your energy up when change comes slowly and roadblocks show up?” - Marjolijn Vlug

Being seen as a role model is turning out to be as much a motivation for Yuli as seeing the impact of her work in organizations, which she also really appreciates.

“What I love is to have a hard conversation and take on tough questions.” - Yuli Kim

Her approach is to say thank you to the person asking those tough questions and opening up to her. Because yes we're all different. It's okay to talk about this. And we have to talk about this. What Yuli loves about her job is that she is in a position to lead those conversations with the people she works with. Let’s talk about where you’re coming from and where I’m coming from, she says. 

“I try to open space for everybody so that they can ask those questions or share different viewpoints.”  -  Yuli Kim

Yuli’s aim is to become someone she’s proud of, paving the way for the next generation, for herself and others, to have a better experience in the workplace. 

As you’re reading and/or listening, Yuli has a message for you: you, too, are an inspiration to other people. You may be skipping over how much you give and contribute to family, work, and society. We acknowledge your accomplishment and contribution. People don't always say thank you, but you're an inspiration. Genuinely, thank you.

About Yuli KimYuli Kim believes a sense of belonging is a prerequisite for anyone to perform their best at work. Yuli’s from Tokyo, she moved to the Netherlands and earned an MBA at Rotterdam School of Management in 2011. Spanning 18 years in Japan and the Netherlands, her career focused on business development in IT consulting, advertising and market research. Yuli has witnessed and experienced non-inclusive workplace environments both in Japan and in the Netherlands, and now actively drives to change that.

Workplace Pride website

Inclusion Sensei website

Connect with Yuli Kim via 

LinkedIn

“I deal with it by being brutally honest about what I can do, what they have to do, and what is necessary in order to make it work.“

Dr. Marcia Goddard wants you to know that she’s not your average neuroscientist. What she really wants to do is break stereotypes and show not only how relevant neuroscience is for everything that we do but also that you don't have to be boring, old and grey - and male and white - to be a neuroscientist. It can be young and fun and engaging - and there’s so much value in understanding your brain.

Yes, she’s fascinating, and this is a conversation with so many surprising turns. Fasten your seatbelt and enjoy the ride! 

“I really want to show people that you can be like me, you can have my background, you can look the way I look and still be a scientist.” — Dr. Marcia Goddard 

Marcia is not only an advocate for women in STEM. She helps organizations with challenges related to mental health, well-being, and DEI, mostly in high-performance environments. She specializes in brain-behavior relationships and their impact on performance, team dynamics, and culture. What not everyone realizes is all of those things are interconnected, especially looking at the value of understanding the part your brain plays in behavior change.

A lot of DEI is about behavior change, and the brain is where that all starts. In particular, it's about changing your perspective, challenging your own biases, and self-reflection. And all of those things are easier when you understand, from neuroscience, why they are so difficult. 

“Make it easier for people to work on their own problems by making it easier to see why it's difficult.” — Marjolijn Vlug

Marcia’s way of navigating is by being brutally honest. She addresses the myth that what a consultant does is step in to magically fix all of your problems: “I can't. But I can help *you* fix your problems.” And she knows and addresses with us what that truly takes.

“I have been surprised about how little things can have a big impact in your work. How just saying, ‘I understand that that must be difficult for you’ can lead to major breakthroughs.” — Dr. Marcia Goddard 

We talked with Marcia about the pros and cons of being an external consultant versus an internal DEI manager as she considers becoming a Chief Diversity Officer in the future and the questions she would ask before taking on such a role. Still, instead of thinking and planning ahead too much, Marcia’s choice is to follow her heart. Currently in her third career, if you had told her two years ago that this is where she would be today, she would not have believed you.

In addition to science, Marcia’s heart is in a surprising place: Formula 1 racing. 

Vivian: “Lewis Hamilton, if you're listening, Marcia would like to interview you.”

Marcia: “Actually, Marcia would like to work for you and contribute to your charity mission.”

Marjolijn: “Well, anyone who's listening to this, who knows Lewis Hamilton, or who knows someone who knows Lewis Hamilton, tell them!”

That pitch aside, Marcia explains how successful Formula 1 racing offers a treasure trove of information about organizational culture. She also sees huge opportunities in AI when budgeted and leveraged well - and when we change our mindset about it. Then, she says, the results can be amazing. And the world can really be a better place.

“We need all parties to elevate the conversation and to celebrate inclusion.” — Vivian Acquah

Marcia talks about what inclusion is really about, and she shares a remarkable story of what can happen when we're able to (or guided to) challenge our own biases, sit down, and have a real conversation. And connect.  

About Dr. Marcia Goddard:

Dr. Marcia Goddard is a neuroscientist specialized in sustainable high performance. She is the founder of Contentment for Business and helps organizations with challenges related to well-being and DEI to create thriving cultures.

Website

Connect with Dr. Marcia Goddard via

LinkedIn  

Resources & references in this episode:

* Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst, a 2017 non-fiction book by neurobiologist Robert Sapolsky. (Book)

* The Best of Enemies, a 2019 American drama film directed and written by Robin Bissell (Movie) 

You may pick it up from our voices as you start listening in: we’re overjoyed about this episode with Matthew Reynolds (he/they).

He dives right into realness and authenticity. This conversation brought us tears from the realness of what he shares and laughs over silly stuff. Processing and listening as we talk together.

Based in Hawaii, Matthew currently works with groups of people (organizations and open groups) on developing their Equity Lens and Trusted Circles to develop humanity-led equity, connection, and thought in facilitated safe(r) spaces. He has wide-ranging talents and skills, with experience ranging from high school education to multimedia performance art, and he brings it all into his work in DEI.

“Over the last fear for four or five years, I should say, I've been called a change catalyst, an equity seeker, a belonging builder, a warrior of justice, a liberation and freedom guide, human spirit amplifier, but I think the one that I really have been embracing lately is that I'm a world creator, here to help create a world that is humanity led.” — Matthew Reynolds

The kind of person Matthew admires is the person who steps into their fear of looking into the mirror and really looks to find their authentic self beyond what’s been imposed on them by others.

“‘How much of my thinking is my thinking?’ The folks who are willing to unpack that are the people that I'm impressed with.” — Matthew Reynolds

What he’s focusing on is the four C’s: curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and connection. He’s intentional about including FAILs: first attempts in learning. He deeply cares about balancing mind, body, and spirit. 

The younger generation, and especially the queer community, Matthew notes, is challenging the binary mindset and embracing the complexity of identity beyond rigid labels. This shift dismantles oppressive systems and also fosters a deeper connection with the earth. 

“I’m in this so that seven generations from now they can look back and giggle a little bit about it and be like, ‘Oh wow, look how we used to treat each other’.” — Matthew Reynolds

"It's important to bring a story. It's important to craft your story in your own words, but also have a way to activate people."— Vivian Acquah

"The power of connection is immense. When we talk, read, and connect with each other, it's like a whirlwind of emotions and ideas."— Marjolijn Vlug

Be prepared to hear perspectives and ideas that you haven’t heard before. Get ready to listen to a warm, authentic human being and his views. Connect with this episode and learn much more about what Matthew believes in, what led him to where he is now, and how he inspires us to fill our cup to overflow.

About Matthew Reynolds, Speaker | Equity Consultant | Author:

With over 15 years as a teacher in secondary education, Matthew is passionate about disseminating knowledge. As a powerful speaker, consultant and author, Matthew helps audiences shift their consciousness, create belonging, and build a better world for all of humanity.

Website

Connect with Matthew Reynolds via

* LinkedIn

* Facebook

* Instagram

* Tiktok @matthewray1969 

* Clubhouse

Resources & references in this episode:

* Biggest Fullest and Brightest: Shifting the Consciousness of Humanity by Matthew Reynolds. Found on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

* Download The Five Steps To Crafting Your Equity Lens PDF and join Matthew’s email newsletter.

* The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story, a collection of essays from the journalism project created by Nikole Hannah-Jones, has also been turned into a six-part documentary series.

* Stamped From The Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, a non-fiction book about race in the United States by the American historian Ibram X. Kendi

* The danger of a single story, a TedTalk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

* The How: Notes on the Great Work of Meeting Yourself by Yrsa Daley-Ward, "a compilation of essays, poems, heartfelt musings, and earnest advice that provides a 'nudge toward' finding your voice" 

* Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience, a book by Brene Brown and accompanying list of emotions

Let’s get honest and personal right from the start. Not just our guests but your hosts as well. In this introductory episode, Vivian Acquah interviews her co-host Marjolijn Vlug.

Don't miss this lively conversation and share this channel with others who are passionate about building a more inclusive world.

“We know you as a DEI coach. What do we not know about you yet? What did I not know yet?” 

Marjolijn (she/her) is a professionally trained and certified coach who works with people who seriously care about DEI. Working with her, you will equip yourself to make a lasting impact. 

It’s frequently said about DEI work that it’s not a sprint but a marathon. It’s a long-term process. Growing you in authenticity and accountability, clarity and confidence, resilience and resourcefulness, Marjolijn coaches people to run this marathon. Coaching is an effective and human-centered tool to sustain yourself and be long-term successful and authentic in this work.

The Importance of Coaching for Long-Term Success in DEI work: "Coaching can be a great tool to be focused, to be authentic and confident, clear and resilient in this work." Marjolijn Vlug

The Importance of Activating Curiosity and Active Listening: "This is all about applying the growth mindset and learning from that, seeing everything as a lesson that can be learned from and allowing people to grow." Vivian Acquah

Marjolijn shares her journey with career setbacks that led to growth and discovering her true calling as a coach. She cares about being kind, being a good parent, noticing things, and speaking out in a gentle way. She has learned how to put her talent of being intuitive to good use.

Listen to pick up Marjolijn’s favorite productivity hacks as well as book recommendations.

Bringing in that signature Global Inclusion Podcast interview question about reading recommendations, there’s really no way Vivian can get around Marjolijn's passion for literature. She clarifies that when you read stories and immerse yourself in lived experiences, exploring powerful narratives that challenge and expand your perspective, you grow into a better DEI professional.

Books that Expand Perspectives: "When you read stories, you really immerse yourself in someone's lived experience, whether it's fictional or autobiographical, that helps you feel for a little bit what it's like to be them. And I think that really gets into your core. It makes you a better DEI professional, makes you understand other lived experiences better, makes you understand someone else's life is not yours. Let's get curious."— Marjolijn Vlug

Making Books Accessible: “For those who aren't speedy book readers like myself, or prefer to listen, most of these books that we have here are also audiobooks. So look into that as well.” — Vivian Acquah

Marjolijn, in turn, is inspired by how Vivian’s key ingredient in her work is having a growth mindset - inspiring that mindset in others and expanding it in herself. It allows people to grow and elevate.

Marjolijn has been working on aspects of inclusion for most of her life. In the social justice summer of 2020, she realized that what had been filed under different headers in her work up to that point had really been about inclusion and belonging all along.

With her personal journey, Marjolijn’s story is an example of the transformative potential of embracing your true self and serving others from there.

Reach out to Marjolijn if you have any further inquiries or would like to explore more.  🙂

And we’d love to hear your stories in the comments as well.

About Marjolijn:

Marjolijn Vlug, a certified coach from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, specializes in partnering with DEI professionals, advocates and allies to create positive change and sustain their journey. With clarity, integrity and warmth, she helps navigate the challenges of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion work, fostering inner drive and leveraging strengths for lasting impact.

Website

Book a chat

Connect with Marjolijn Vlug via

* LinkedIn

* Instagram

* Facebook

Resources & references in this episode:

* We Should All Be Feminists, an essay by Chimomanda Ngozi Adichie (and then read all of her books) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Should_All_Be_Feminists

* Girl, Woman, Other, a novel by Bernardine Evaristo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl,_Woman,_Other 

* She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement, a nonfiction book by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/She_Said_(book) 

* Colson Whitehead, American novelist (all of his books)

https://www.colsonwhitehead.com

Before we interview our guests, it’s only fair that we share about ourselves, too.

There’s lots to learn about your host Vivian, to get to know her better. Marjolijn asks her questions she didn’t expect to be asked and much more.

“This is me. Get to know more about me.”

Born and raised in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Vivian (she/her) is a proud mother, partner, and DEI coach/consultant. She brings a lot of soul and heart, a sense of humor, and food (carrot cake, anyone?) into creating inclusive environments where DEI is more digestible and where people can grow. 

When DEI can make people feel like being dropped in an ocean, Vivian is the swimming coach that starts people in the kiddie pool and accelerates to larger waters.

Essential to know about Vivian is that she is a Black woman and a DEI generalist who advocates for all kinds of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She is also someone with a neurodivergent brain that enables her to achieve things that not every average person is able to do. In addition to consulting and coaching, she has organized several editions of the online Amplify DEI Summit, with a wide array of DEI speakers and topics: sharing the mic in a global, inclusive journey.

"I am tapping into my uniqueness because I have created various Amplify DEI products." — Vivian Acquah

Vivian is continuously finding the best mix of recharging, JOMO, and getting energized by her work, to sustain her in doing this long-term. She shares how she grew from doubting herself and toning down her capabilities in order to ‘fit in’, to fully using her tech-savvy creativity and growth mindset. And she paints the future of who she is becoming.  

There are a plenty of resources available already about how-to’s and business cases in DEI. With this podcast, Vivian chooses to add a new resource: a podcast in which we talk about what it means to be a DEI professional and how we deal with challenges, connecting with each other’s personal stories. 

"We need to realize that we have to leave the Earth, the environment, and the workplace more sustainable than it is now. And I want to activate all of you to think about what you can do to make the world a little bit better. " — Vivian Acquah 

“Connect with others in this field and recognize each other's learning journeys.” - Marjolijn Vlug

We have some great guests lined up. Get empowered by the stories of amazing DEI changemakers and pick up different perspectives on what it means to be a DEI professional. Join this supportive podcast community to bring out the best in yourself.

Be strategic and don’t go it alone in this journey. It is a long-term thing and has to be sustainable for you.

Hear what Vivian is grateful for and how that sparks inspiration. Find out her recommendations for a particular book, two movies, and song to energize yourself and learn from.

We have brand new episodes coming up soon, with guests from around the world sharing about their lives in DEI. Subscribe and get a notification as soon as they’re available! 

Reach out to Vivian if you have any further inquiries or would like to explore more. 

And we’d love to hear your stories in the comments as well.

About Vivian:

Passionate and driven, Vivian Acquah CDE® is making an impact on the world of workplace wellness and DEI. As the Inclusive Workplace Wellness Advocate/ Certified Diversity Executive, Vivian is devoted to making the topics of workplace wellness and DEI more accessible for everyone. 

With a name that literally translates to 'water,' Vivian has become an extinguisher of fires related to DEI, providing clients such as Heineken, LinkedIn, Google, Indeed, Deloitte, TIBCO, Cargill, Swift, Acrolinx, KLM and Zalando with tangible strategies for embracing inclusive changes. 

Website

Ignite Amplify DEI™ (Self-) Leadership Journey

Connect with Vivian Acquah via

* LinkedIn

* YouTube

* X (formerly known as Twitter)

Resources & references in this episode:

* Amplify DEI Cards; the Amplify DEI card decks are designed to support you in creating more inclusive environments and encouraging conversation.

* Amplify DEI Summit 2020, an online DEI summit in 2020  

* AmplifyDEI The Leadership Edition, an online summit in 2021  

* Bigger, a song by Beyonce

* The Hate U Give, a YA novel by Angie Thomas and American drama film https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hate_U_Give and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hate_U_Give_(film) 

* Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, an American superhero film

* Sankofa (pronounced SAHN-Koh-Fah), a word in the Twi language of Ghana meaning “to retrieve; go back and fetch it”

* Let’s Humanize the Workplace, an online live-stream show hosted by Vivian Acquah 

You’re invited to connect with the stories of your fellow DEI people around the world.

Welcome to the first episode of the Global Inclusion in Practice Podcast.

We are Vivian Acquah and Marjolijn Vlug, DEI coaches and consultants. What we noticed is that there’s a big wish for more connection among DEI people, pretty universally and in a global context.

* What is it like to do Diversity, Equity & Inclusion work?

* What do we run into?

* What other lovely people are out there? 

Talking about this brings people together and makes a difference. The dynamic between us, your two hosts, adds a splash of depth and a sprinkle of smiles to each conversation.

This line of work often comes with a heavy feeling of responsibility. But DEI professionals are not Atlas, carrying the world on our shoulders. We can’t magically make problems disappear. Loneliness in this job can make you doubt yourself and trigger imposter syndrome.

The Importance of Discussing the Realities of DEI Work "What is it like to do this work as a person? What is it like for you to do this, to be you? What do you notice? What works for you, what doesn't? Let’s talk about that in a global context." Marjolijn Vlug

Loneliness: "Loneliness in this job can make you doubt yourself. It can make you trigger or activate your imposter syndrome."Vivian Acquah

Let’s demystify what it is really like to do this work from a personal level. Let’s talk about what it is like to face challenges and stay empowered to keep doing more good work. Let’s be honest about how to re-energize yourself and stick with what’s important to you.

Demystifying the Role of a DEI Change Maker: "Sometimes it seems romantic, right? It seems like it is definitely the right thing to do. And I don't want to share the negativity of this role, of this position, but it comes with a heavy task, right? It comes with a heavy responsibility that is often not shared or broadcasted." — Vivian Acquah

Inclusion Across the Diversity Wheel: "[This podcast] is about inclusion across the diversity wheel and all the many spokes that different versions of that wheel have in them. This can be about race, this can be about gender equity, this can be about disability, age, neurodiversity, gender, and so much more." —Marjolijn Vlug

Our guests will be showing up here to inspire you. You may hear them describe things you’re going through yourself. We invite our guests to share how they, and you, can empower yourself. We’re here to uplift you.

We’ll start by sharing a bit about ourselves, as your hosts and human beings, in the first episodes. Then we’ll have a diverse selection of guests with various perspectives and flavors share their stories. A season full of episodes with Diversity, Equity & Inclusion changemakers is coming up. 

You’ll hear from people with clever brains navigating challenges, with big hearts pushing boundaries, and with sparks of authenticity -  all creating meaningful change. 

Walking this journey together, we are all the stronger for it.