Inclusion in Progress

#041 - In this episode of Inclusion in Progress, Kay is pleased to welcome Torin Ellis, diversity and human capital strategist focused on the art of recruiting diverse talent. 

Torin shares why diversity and inclusion solutions, especially in recruiting, is far from one-size-fits-all, and challenges companies to rethink where DEI falls on their priority list. 

He also gives plenty of actionable ideas for ways all of us — Black, brown, white, minority, non-minority, young or seasoned — to lean into our creative capital to lead DEI conversations at work.

#040 - In this episode, Kay Fabella stresses why the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategy must go beyond HR & Talent to succeed at a company.

Kay shares her cautious optimism about seeing more DEI roles being hired and in demand than ever — and why their work depends on aligning strategy, support and sustainability.

Finally, she walks you through three actionable ideas you can implement today as a leader to lay the groundwork for a more inclusive culture at your organization.

#039 - In this episode of Inclusion in Progress, Kay is pleased to welcome Jorge Quezada, DEI veteran, thought leader, and Granite Construction's VP of Diversity & Inclusion. 

Jorge talks about how he's seen diversity and inclusion evolve over the years as a Latino — and the philosophy behind how he's helped companies like AllState Insurance, Northwestern Mutual, and Kraft Foods Group before landing in the construction industry.

He also gives us three critical actions we can take today to lead the DEI conversation and build inclusion — no matter what our title or position is in our organization.

#038 - In this episode, Kay Fabella highlights where DEI initiatives have often failed and how to avoid watching the same thing happen at your organization.

Kay also discusses the importance of looking back to move forward — and why it's possible to learn from the mistakes of the past to truly move the needle on inclusion in our companies.

Finally, she walks you through the four key ways she's seen DEI fail in companies before and what you can do instead to lead the work effectively as a practitioner, ally or advocate.

#037 - In this episode of Inclusion in Progress, Kay is speaking to Michelle Kim, CEO of Awaken, to talk about inclusive language at work.

Michelle shares her story as an Asian American immigrant and member of the LGBTQIA+ community — and how she connected her tireless passion for social justice to her DEI work for startups and Fortune 500 companies.

She also invites us to consider how to be more intentional and inclusive as language evolves, and highlights the need to consider our impact when leading diversity, equity and inclusion at work.

#036 - In this episode, Kay Fabella walks you through the five must have questions to build your 5 Year DEI plan for your organization.

Kay also talks about why thinking about DEI as a one-off "tick box" exercise simply won't cut it — and why building diversity, equity and inclusion requires long-term investment and strategy.

Finally, she walks you through five critical questions to ask yourself to start and sustain a DEI plan, to help you lead these conversations at your own company.

#035 - In this special birthday episode, Kay Fabella shares what she's learned from eight months of podcasting in honor of the incredible listeners who've supported Inclusion in Progress.

Kay shouts out to a couple of her key mentors along the way, who've helped shape her approach to DEI, podcasting and storytelling.

Finally, Kay walks you through the four key lessons she's learned from eight months of podcasting as IIP has grown, and how making this show has helped make her a better DEI practitioner, facilitator and consultant.

#034 - In this episode of Inclusion in Progress, Kay is speaking to Nadia Z. Ismail, DEI Consultant and Senior Manager of People Growth & Inclusion at DoorDash. 

Nadia talks about her lived experiences as a Muslim and Arab woman — and how it shaped her activism and advocacy to champion the voices of underrepresented groups.

She also discusses her intersection between DEI and Learning & Development, and maps out the learning journey in allyship, antiracism, or any type of systemic solution for inclusion at work.

#033 - In this episode, Kay Fabella discusses how allies can keep their antiracism efforts and education going, at home and at work, even after the headlines fade.

Kay also shares the critical difference between racist and antiracist — and why it's important for the Black community to lead the conversation.

Finally, she gives three ways you can sustainably incorporate antiracism into your personal and professional life — and why being antiracist needs to be a more critical component of company's DEI efforts.

#032 - In this episode of Inclusion in Progress, Kay is speaking to Noemí Jiménez, co-founder of qb., a strategy and communications firm at the intersection of inclusion and sustainability. 

In this discussion, Noemí shares her experience growing up in a biracial, multicultural, inter-religious home across the U.S., Ecuador and Canada — and how her diverse upbringing and her experience as an "only" in ESG consulting led to her creating qb. with her business partner, Sam.

She also shares the importance of evolving allyship for non-minorities and minorities, and why humility is critical to helping organizations become truly people-first in their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.