Lissa Jones, host of “Black Market Reads,” joins Dr. Weaver to discuss the role of Black authors and literature in the current racial reckoning in her hometown of Minneapolis and across the country.

 In this Episode

• The impact of poet Amanda Gorman
• The origin of “Black Market Reads”
• The role of literature in the Black experience
• How Black authors and literature have influenced Lissa’s approach to diversity and inclusion. 
• How the racial reckoning in Minneapolis has shaped “Black Market Reads”
• How “Black Market Reads” has shaped the national conversation about race

 Resources

• Lissa Jones
• Dr. Vanessa Weaver
• Black Market Reads
• Alignment Strategies
• “The Hill We Climb” by Amanda Gorman
• The Givens Foundation for African-American Literature
• Claudia Rankine
• SHARE
• “Why Some People Be Mad at Me Sometimes,” by Lucille Clifton

Follow Us on Social Media

Alignment Strategies

• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Diversity and Inclusion Television

• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Reema Elghossain, vice president, talent, equity and inclusion at the 4A’s Foundation, joins Dr. Vanessa Weaver to discuss diversity in the advertising industry. Reema shares insights about why people of color are underrepresented within advertising agencies, the challenges people of color working at these agencies face, how a lack of diversity impacts the success of advertising campaigns, and how the 4A’s Foundation is helping agencies address their diversity challenges.

In this Episode

• About Reema Elghossain
• About the 4A’s and the 4A’s Foundation
• Did You Know?…Data about diversity in the advertising industry
• Why people of color are underrepresented in advertising agencies
• What advertising agencies need to do to be more inclusive of people of color
• The 4A’s Foundation programs that are helping create opportunities for aspiring and current advertising professionals of color
• How corporations and brands are influencing the way advertising agencies address diversity and inclusion
• How a lack of diversity within agencies impacts the effectiveness of advertising campaigns
• Imposter syndrome and other challenges advertising professionals of color face
• Three tips for people of color who want to break into the advertising agency world

Resources

• Reema Elghossain
• Dr. Vanessa Weaver
• 4A'S Foundation
• Alignment Strategies
• MAIP (Multicultural Advertising Intern Program)
• Vanguard
• The P.I.E. Model 
• The Equity & Inclusion Congress
• ANA (Association of National Advertisers)

Follow Us on Social Media

Alignment Strategies

• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Diversity and Inclusion Television

• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Michael Collins, Chief of Staff to the Chief Diversity Officer at Google, joins Dr. Vanessa Weaver to talk about the experiences of LGBTQ professionals in the workplace; the intersectionality of sexual orientation, race and gender; how companies can create safe workspaces for LGBTQ employees and more.

In this Episode

• About Michael Collins
• Did you know…? Data about LGBTQ professionals
• Stories of the lived experiences of Black gay men in the workplace
• Why many LGBTQ people of color feel an overwhelming pressure to excel professionally
• How Google supports its LGBTQ employees
• Why the LGBTQ community has reclaimed the term “queer”
• The role and importance of intersectionality in the LGBTQ community
• Opportunities for increased LGBTQ inclusion in communities of color and by those who identify as cisgender
• The rise in Black and Brown trans advocacy
• Three tips for how companies can create safe spaces for LGBTQ employees

Resources

• Michael Collins
• Dr. Vanessa Weaver
• Google
• Alignment Strategies
• A Workplace Divided: Understanding the Climate for LGBTQ Workers Nationwide
• Movement Advancement Project Nondiscrimination Laws
• LaSaia Wade
• Intersectionality

Follow Us on Social Media

Alignment Strategies

• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Diversity and Inclusion Television

• LinkedIn
• Facebook 

Deborah Owens, financial expert and founder of WealthyU, joins Dr. Vanessa Weaver to discuss the challenges Black women face in building wealth and share advice on how they can achieve financial health.

In this Episode

• Data about Black women and wealth
• Why Deborah is committed to helping Black women with their finances
• The challenges Black women face in building wealth
• Four myths Black women have been told about financial success
• The role of systemic racism in hindering wealth generation
• Three things Black women can do to achieve financial health and build wealth

Resources

• Deborah Owens
• Dr. Vanessa Weaver
• WealthyU
• Alignment Strategies
• A Purse of Your Own: An Easy Guide to Financial Security

Follow Us on Social Media

Alignment Strategies

• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Diversity and Inclusion Television

• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Robert Schimmenti, Senior Vice President of Electric Operations for Con Edison, joins Dr. Weaver for a revealing discussion about why diversity, inclusion and belonging are key in improving employee engagement and creating culture change.

In this Episode

• Employee Engagement defined
• How Robert Schimmenti increased Employee Engagement at Con Edison
• Con Edison’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on employee performance
• How Con Edison improved wellness scores during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Tips for creating a more engaged workforce

Resources

• Robert Schimmenti
• Dr. Vanessa Weaver
• Consolidated Edison
• Alignment Strategies
• Gallup study about employee engagement

Follow Us on Social Media

Alignment Strategies

• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Diversity and Inclusion Television

• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Dr. Weaver is joined by Janet Wigfield, Alignment Strategies' VP, Media & Virtual Events, to discuss why white women grapple with the concept of white privilege and why their understanding and acknowledgement of this privilege is essential to the advancement of diversity, equity and inclusion. White privilege is a recurring topic of the Same Race/Cross Race Conversations Weaver and Wigfield designed together for Working Mother Media's annual Multicultural Women’s National Conference.

In this Episode

• Defining white privilege
• The value of same-race and cross-race conversations
• The challenges in recognizing white privilege
• White privilege and the Karen stereotype
• The relationship between white women and women of color in the workplace
• Misconceptions about affirmative action and access

Resources and Links

• Janet Wigfield
• Dr. Vanessa Weaver
• Working Mother Media
• Alignment Strategies
• White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism
• Multicultural Women's National Conference
• The American Non-Dilemma: Racial Inequality without Racism

Follow Us on Social Media

Alignment Strategies

• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Diversity and Inclusion Television

• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Terry Morris, President of BDPA (Black Data Processing Associates) joins Dr. Vanessa Weaver to talk about the racial digital divide, the challenges people of color face in the technology industry and how BDPA is working to increase access and inclusion from the classroom to the boardroom.

In this Episode

• The numbers behind the racial digital divide 
• About Terry Morris
• How Eli Lilly is addressing racial justice
• Terry's entry into information technology
• The evolution of data processing
• BDPA's mission and its work from the classroom to the boardroom
• How tech firms are supporting BDPA's efforts to close the digital divide
• Challenges people of color face in the tech industry and how companies are responding
• Why diversity is critical to building the talent pipeline in tech
• Three tips for young people who are considering careers in technology

Resources

• Terry Morris
• Dr. Vanessa Weaver
• Alignment Strategies
• BDPA (Black Data Processing Associates)
• Florida A&M University

Follow Us on Social Media

Alignment Strategies

• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Diversity and Inclusion Television

• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Dr. J. Bruce Stewart, founder and CEO of Small World Solutions, joins Dr. Weaver to discuss the origins of systemic racism in America, the brain science behind unconscious bias and why unequal treatment diminishes the ability of both individuals and organizations to achieve their goals.  

In this Episode 

• The reasons segregation persists 
• The brain science behind unconscious bias 
• The origins of systemic racism 
• The importance of racial reconciliation 
• Tips for addressing race and racism in the workplace 

Resources and Links 

• Dr. J. Bruce Stewart 
• Dr. Vanessa Weaver 
• Small World Solutions Consulting 
• Alignment Strategies 
• Cultural Leadership: The New Chemistry of Leading Differently by Dr. J. Bruce Stewart 
• NPR Poll about America’s attitudes about race 
• Thomas Schelling’s chessboard exercise 
• Harvard’s employee association test 

 Follow Us on Social Media 

Alignment Strategies 

• LinkedIn 
• Facebook 

Diversity and Inclusion Television 

• LinkedIn 
• Facebook  

Michael Millegan, Founder and CEO of Millegan Advisory Group 3 LLC and a member of several boards, joins Dr. Vanessa Weaver to discuss the current state of Blacks on boards, the benefits of having a diverse board and what can be done to increase the inclusion of Blacks and other under-represented groups on boards.

In this Episode

• About Michael Millegan
• The role and responsibilities of a board member
• Statistics about Blacks on boards
• Why there are few Blacks and members of other under-represented groups on boards
• How boards benefit from having diversity in their membership
• Three tips for People of Color and women who want to join a board

Resources

• Michael Millegan
• Dr. Vanessa Weaver
• Alignment Strategies
• BoardProspects Board Diversity Report

Follow Us on Social Media

Alignment Strategies

• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Diversity and Inclusion Television

• LinkedIn
• Facebook

INROADS is a proud Workin’ It Out podcast partner. For more than 50 years, INROADS has provided students of color with leadership development training and paid internship opportunities with the country’s leading corporations.

Barron Witherspoon, Senior Vice President, Global Industry Affairs & Corporate Race Initiative at Procter & Gamble, talks to Dr. Weaver about why Corporate America must disrupt racism and the role of P&G’s multicompany Take on Race initiative in this process.

In this Episode

• An overview of the current racial disparities in the U.S.
• How Corporate America is responding our country’s racial disparities
• What is Take on Race and how is it helping corporations address racial disparities?

Resources

• Barron Witherspoon
• Dr. Vanessa Weaver
• Proctor & Gamble
• Alignment Strategies
• Take on Race
• Census Bureau: Current Population Survey

Follow Us on Social Media

Alignment Strategies

• LinkedIn
• Facebook

o   Diversity and Inclusion Television

• LinkedIn
• Facebook