The Inclusion Solution LIVE

At this year's Forum on Workplace Inclusion, The Winters Group, Inc hosted a live podcast recording event to explore the question:
What would it mean to decolonize diversity, equity, and inclusion work? Put differently, what would it mean to reimagine a DEI industry that centers humanity, justice, and dismantling systems of inequity and oppression in all forms? What can we, as practitioners, advocates, and leaders, be doing differently to sharpen our own toolkit, do the work more effectively, and ultimately dismantle inequitable systems. To our own, our work’s, and broader society’s detriment, we worry that we have been the proverbial “choir” for far too long. In this episode you will hear from:

• Mary-Frances Winters, President and CEO of The Winters Group, Inc.
• Brittany J. Harris, Vice President of Learning & Innovation
• Chevara Orrin, Principal Strategist for The Winters Group, Inc.
• Amazing Audience Members!

If you haven't read the Decolonizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Work series on the Inclusion Solution, check it out here. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/TheWintersGroup/message

Julie Cassidy has been teaching for nearly three decades, and she's a single mom living during this global pandemic. In our conversation, Julie shares what it's been like transitioning from the classroom environment to a distance learning environment. As a teacher of over XX students, she even shares a little bit about how this environment has impacted her senior year students and their parents. Julie talks about the challenges of working from home, being available to her students AND supporting her own daughters during this time. She recommends teachers "grade with grace," and invites parents to simply "chill." She even offers some perspective to leaders, encouraging them to think about the students who are most in need during this time as they re-imagine education after COVID-19. *We do not own the rights to the music in this episode. Song: People Everyday by Arrested Development* --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/TheWintersGroup/message

Meaghan Shiffler is a teacher living in Detroit and a newlywed navigating the US immigration system with her wife during this global pandemic. She shares more about the pivots she's had to make in her life -- from rescheduling her wedding to a small kitchen ceremony; navigating the emotional toll of supporting her wife through unfair immigration policies and systems; and adapting her middle school students to the distance learning environment. Meaghan talks about the digital divide, access to technology, and the state of education from her perspective in Detroit, and shares her thoughts on what she'd like to come from this pandemic: Radical Change in Education and Unity among Parents and Teachers. *We do not own the rights to the music in this episode. Song: People Everyday by Arrested Development* --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/TheWintersGroup/message

Dr. Calvin Smith, III is an Atlanta-native hailing from Westlake HIgh School, Morehouse College, and Meharry Medical College's School of Medicine. He is a Black man and advocate working in Nashville, TN at COVID-19 testing centers--and of course, he's an "everyday person" experiencing this Global Pandemic. During our talk, Dr. Calvin shared more about his experience serving and engaging with patients and communities impacted by COVID-19. We talked about how racism and politics have huge implications for our health and well-being, specifically Black and African-American communities. At the time of recording, we'd learned about Amy Cooper, the white woman who lied to police about a Black man who asked her to leash her dog in a park, Joe Biden's offensive comments about Black people voting for Trump, and the untimely deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd at the hands of police and white vigilantes, so we discussed it all! Dr. Calvin positions racism and police brutality as a public health crisis and we talk candidly about the role of white people and allies in dismantling these systems. We also talk about what to expect from a COVID-19 test and what it means to be 'compassionate' during this time, specifically how something as simple (yet impactful) as wearing a mask is a practical way to show care for your fellow humans. Email Dr. Calvin Smith, III - [email protected] Visit the Meharry Internal Medicine Clinical Facility webpage here. *We do not own the rights to the music in this episode. Song: People Everyday by Arrested Development* --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/TheWintersGroup/message

Ryan is a father, educator, advocate, and son living during a global pandemic. In our talk, he shares what it has been like grieving the loss of his dad and being a co-parenting father during this time. We talk about a recent post he wrote for the Inclusion Solution, The Public Education Pandemic, and he expands on how Black and Brown children have and will continue to be impacted by the current education system. During our conversation, we are also reminded of the importance of connection and honoring one's feelings while grieving and adapting to this new environment. Ryan shares some advice for those grieving and offers dads some considerations for staying connected with their kids amidst social distancing. Read Ryan's posts in The Inclusion Solution here. Contact Ryan by email - [email protected] Follow Ryan on Instagam Follow The Black Father Family on Facebook and Instagram. *We do not own the rights to the music in this episode. Song: People Everyday by Arrested Development* --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/TheWintersGroup/message

Aisha Ghori Ozaki is a Muslim-American, mom, partner, equity & inclusion leader living during a global pandemic. In our conversation, she shares what life has been like for her multi-racial family and how their holy observance of Ramadan has been impacted by COVID-19. She underscores the power of service, and importance of fostering community and gratitude particularly during times when we're inclined to care for ourselves and our own. We talk about self AND communal care, and discuss some of the silver linings we've experienced while practicing physical distancing, as well as ways we can continue to use our power and privilege. Aisha shares more about her hopes for a re-imagined world post-COVID--a world where we embody new ways of being. *We do not own the rights to the music in this episode. Song: People Everyday by Arrested Development* --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/TheWintersGroup/message

Sajdah is a mom, wife, educator, consultant living abroad in the British Virgin Islands during a global pandemic. She offers a glimpse into how the British Virgins Islands' response to COVID has differed from her home country, the United States. We talk about cultural differences and make some bold connections to white supremacy cultural norms like individualism, and how they have influenced the United States' approach to addressing COVID. We are reminded of how much there is to be learned from cultural communities within the Black Diaspora. Sajdah offers some wonderful takeaways for teachers, parents, and everyday people dealing with the challenges that have come during this moment in time. Watch the recording of the conversation on our Youtube Channel here. Learn more about the George Diverse Learning Center here. Follow Sajdah on Facebook here. Follow Sajdah on Twitter here. *We do not own the rights to the music in this video. Song: People Everyday by Arrested Development*
--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/TheWintersGroup/message

"This is The Inclusion Solution Live! The Winters Group's podcast for all things diversity, equity and inclusion. I am your host Brittany J. Harris, Vice President of Learning and Innovation, and I am excited to leverage this medium as yet another opportunity to facilitate dialogue, shift perspectives, and empower action in service of equity, justice, and inclusion." --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/TheWintersGroup/message

Valda Valbrun and Brittany J. Harris explore the common stereotype of the Angry Black Woman and how it perpetuates marginalization and oppression. All too often Black women who dare to express legitimate anger about microaggressions or worse treatment are subjected to the “tone police” who dismiss their concerns because of the delivery. Valda and Brittany share their lived experiences as professional Black women who have encountered criticism for their expressiveness, even when it is not anger. They raise awareness of this often subtle phenomena that impedes Black women’s progress in the world and how to address it. Read Brittany's original piece written for The Inclusion Solution Blog. Learn more about Brittany J. Harris here. Learn more about Valda Valbrun here. Follow The Winters Group on: Instagram: @thewintersgroupLinkedIn: The Winters Group, Inc.Twitter: @TheWintersGroup --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/TheWintersGroup/message

Leigh Morrison shares how attending a women's college helped her in understanding the ways in which she internalized sexism and gender oppression in very subtle ways. She challenges us to consider the ways in which we might harbor negative messages about our own identities--even those identities we are proud to be part of. Leigh reminds us that none of us are immune to internalized oppression and offers strategies for overcoming and challenging those messages in our day to day lives. Read Leigh's original piece written for The Inclusion Solution Blog. Learn more about Leigh here. Follow The Winters Group on: Instagram: @thewintersgroupLinkedIn: The Winters Group, Inc.Twitter: @TheWintersGroup --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/TheWintersGroup/message