Officer Vanessa Westley is a twenty-five year veteran of the Chicago Police Department. She has served in various positions within the Department’s Patrol Division and other units. She began her service in Community Policing in 2004 under now-retired First Deputy Dana V. Starks, as project manager in the Department’s CAPS Project Office. She later served as project manager for the Mayor’s Office of Faith Based and Community Partnerships. Currently she is the program manager for the Chicago Police Department’s and the Metro YMCA’s “Bridging the Divide” program. She is the special projects coordinator for the CAPS Revitalization effort launched in 2013. She leads the community engagement training program for the Department through DePaul University’s Center for Urban Education. Vanessa is a Restorative Justice and Art of Hosting practitioner and trainer.

In this episode Dr. Gaye Lang and Vanessa Westley discuss:

• What true equity is all about 
• Acknowledging the voice of the youth
• Honoring the voice of the community
• Collaboration rather than command 

Key Takeaways: 

• Equity is all about truly making everybody feel like they belong where everyone feels safe to share their ideas without fear of being judged or shut down. 
• The voice of the youth must be acknowledged, heard and validated. Make sure that you don’t have a judgement for what standard they have to live up to.
• Leaders of the government today must understand and honor the voice of the community. There exists a great need for dialogue between them and the people they supposedly serve. 
• Public safety can be achieved through collaboration between the system and the community. The community, however, has more stakes in the issue since they are the ones that are pretty much affected if not the most. 

“If you value the voices in that community, you would’ve probably went and asked them first.” - Vanessa Westley

Connect with Vanessa Westley:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-westley-98a4002b/ 

Connect with Dr. Gaye Lang:

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show, so that you don’t miss a single episode; and please leave a rating and review. I would greatly appreciate it. 

Follow our show on Facebook and check out our Website for more details and to engage with our podcast community. You can also follow Dr. Lang on LinkedIn.

Download Three Vital Practices to avoid a potential lawsuit for free by clicking this link: www.WorkplaceRestorativePracticesInc.com  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaye-lang-1735761b5/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gaye.lang.779/

KEY WORDS: 

Diversity, inclusion, equity, tolerance, racism, bias, implicit bias, and explicit bias.  

Show notes by Podcastologist: Justine Talla

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Welcome to Season 3 of the Workplace Diversity Podcast. This season, I and my guests will discuss equity in the workplace and around the world. Organizations that value equity understand that each employee has varying access to privileges, and they utilize this understanding by providing more assistance to those who have less access.

Connect with Dr. Gaye Lang:

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show, so that you don’t miss a single episode; and please leave a rating and review. I would greatly appreciate it. 

Follow our show on Facebook and check out our Website for more details and to engage with our podcast community. You can also follow Dr. Lang on LinkedIn.

Download Three Vital Practices to avoid a potential lawsuit for free by clicking this link: www.WorkplaceRestorativePracticesInc.com  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaye-lang-1735761b5/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gaye.lang.779/

KEY WORDS: 

Diversity, inclusion, equity, tolerance, racism, bias, implicit bias, and explicit bias.  

Show notes by Podcastologist: Justine Talla

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Thank you for joining us on Workplace Diversity  season two, see you in January for season three where we will talk about equity in the workplace and in the world.  

Purchase "Colorizing Restorative Justice", "Restorative Discipline Practices" and "Seven" by clicking on this link: https://www.workplacerestorativepracticesinc.com/store/ 

Connect with Dr. Gaye Lang:

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show, so that you don’t miss a single episode; and please leave a rating and review. I would greatly appreciate it. 

Follow our show on Facebook and check out our Website for more details and to engage with our podcast community. You can also follow Dr. Lang on LinkedIn.

Download Three Vital Practices to avoid a potential lawsuit for free by clicking this link: www.WorkplaceRestorativePracticesInc.com  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaye-lang-1735761b5/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gaye.lang.779/

KEY WORDS: 

Diversity, inclusion, equity, tolerance, racism, bias, implicit bias, and explicit bias.  

Show notes by Podcastologist: Kristen Braun

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Marissa Valentine began her career in public affairs in 2011 when she embarked on her journey in the United States navy as a mass communications specialist. In civilian terms, that would be a journalist providing public affairs support for United States Captains, Admirals and Foreign Dignitaries. After her service was completed, Marissa worked in the Municipal Government as an aid to the Mayor of Bay City and the city manager. Currently, Marissa is a business manager in the office of finance at a Liberal Arts College. Marissa enjoys crafting arts, writing poetry, reading and skateboarding with her son and crafting with her younger children. 

In this episode Dr. Gaye Lang and Marissa Valentine discuss:

• Facing exclusion in schools and the big difference with inclusive environments
• Exclusion experiences in athletics in rural areas
• Teaching the truth about racism and discrimination with your children 
• How you can respond to discrimnation against your child

Key Takeaways: 

• In more rural schools, there tends to be a hierarchy of who’s important and who isn’t - children of color unfortunately tend to receive that treatment. 
• In rural sports, people will choose based on popularity - the big difference can be really noticed when you come to big cities and play on more even fields. 
• Talk about the truth about racial bias and prejudice to your kids at an appropriate time but also talk about hope for change in the future and how they can find worth in their identity. 
• Ask your children how their day went, how teachers and students treated them today. Ask them how they were talked to and how it made them feel. 

“Advocate for your child. Know the handbook for the child’s school, know the area in which you live… talk to your child about bias, stereotypes and about what they can and can do… always be present.” - Marissa Valentine

Connect with Marissa Valentine:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-valentine-306786113/ 

Connect with Dr. Gaye Lang:

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show, so that you don’t miss a single episode; and please leave a rating and review. I would greatly appreciate it. 

Follow our show on Facebook and check out our Website for more details and to engage with our podcast community. You can also follow Dr. Lang on LinkedIn.

Download Three Vital Practices to avoid a potential lawsuit for free by clicking this link: www.WorkplaceRestorativePracticesInc.com  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaye-lang-1735761b5/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gaye.lang.779/

KEY WORDS: 

Diversity, inclusion, equity, tolerance, racism, bias, implicit bias, and explicit bias.  

Show notes by Podcastologist: Justine Talla

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Attorney Jon Powell is a law professor at Campbell University in North Carolina and serves as the director of the Restorative Justice Clinic which receives referrals from the juvenile justice system, adult criminal court and Wake County schools. The clinic involves law students in all aspects of restorative justice which includes victim-offender dialogue in school and court cases, as well as victim impact work through restorative circles in the prisons. Prior to working at Campbell University and the Restorative Justice Clinic, Jon practiced law in Wake and Harnett Counties. Jon’s primary focus was in criminal defense, he received his law degree from Campbell University in 1988. Prior to attending law school, Jon worked for Carolina Power and Light Company during which he received his bachelor of arts in communication from North Carolina state. 

In this episode Dr. Gaye Lang and Jon Powell discuss:

• Restorative justice in law and the difference of law and justice 
• The fault of zero-tolerance policies in schools
• Factors that contribute to inequality 
• Restorative justice and retributive justice

Key Takeaways: 

• Law and justice are different from each other. The law does not necessarily bring about justice. 
• We come closer to equality whenever privileged groups realize any inherent bias, especially the people in authority - like teachers and officers and admit that they must grow out of those biases. 
• There’s nothing wrong with making an error as long as you apologize and move on. 
• Punishment is the goal of retributive justice while healing is the goal of restorative justice. 

“Our legal system[retributive justice] is designed that we don’t admit wrongdoing. Restorative justice is designed that we can create a safe space that people can come into and we can admit when we’re wrong without fear of punishment.- Jon Powell

Connect with Jon Powell:

Email: [email protected]

Connect with Dr. Gaye Lang:

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show, so that you don’t miss a single episode; and please leave a rating and review. I would greatly appreciate it. 

Follow our show on Facebook and check out our Website for more details and to engage with our podcast community. You can also follow Dr. Lang on LinkedIn.

Download Three Vital Practices to avoid a potential lawsuit for free by clicking this link: www.WorkplaceRestorativePracticesInc.com  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaye-lang-1735761b5/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gaye.lang.779/

KEY WORDS: 

Diversity, inclusion, equity, tolerance, racism, bias, implicit bias, and explicit bias.  

Show notes by Podcastologist: Justine Talla

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Today’s guests are Retired military, powerhouse performers and motivational couple, Shawn 7 and Queen Kimmie executive producers of B.O.S.S. Effect for bold, outspoken, soulful, storytellers who want to increase their income, impact and influence.

In this episode Dr. Gaye Lang, Shawn 7 and Queen Kimmie discuss:

• The reality of joining the military as a minority
• One race, the human race 
• Experiences that nobody can take
• Discrimination in being self-employed

Key Takeaways: 

• We’ve come a long way but we still have a long way to go when it comes to diversity and inclusion.
• USA is not even close to being the standard when it comes to inclusivity and diversity with all the things that has happened recently, we can see how much bias people have against the oppressed. 
• Our hope for the future is the younger generation will be more educated on inclusivity and diversity, and that people will see race as being only one - the human race. 

“Until we look at each other as one race, the human race, and stop identifying as being separate from each other - only then are we gonna be able to make progress that’s actually gonna stick and move forward...” - Queen Kimmie

Connect with Queen Kimmie:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/queenkimmie101/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Queenkimmie101/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmiYThBVaio5OtUDw1m5wqg (ScatterBrain Kingdom) | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvfPyP8OUUUxqCpBi1y1YhQ (Queen kimmie 101)

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/queenkimmie101/ 

Website: https://www.queenkimmie.com/ 

Connect with Shawn 7:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gedalion 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawn7akaGedaLion/ 

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Shawn7akaGedaLion/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjg8Dl6T4dzvlQVvpLJxPPg 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/06mpfko3iMve32iVd44xsb 

iTunes: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/geda-lion/531362644 

Tidal: www.tidal.com/us/store/artist/4629689 

Website:  https://iamgedalion.com/ 

Connect with Dr. Gaye Lang:

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show, so that you don’t miss a single episode; and please leave a rating and review. I would greatly appreciate it. 

Follow our show on Facebook and check out our Website for more details and to engage with our podcast community. You can also follow Dr. Lang on LinkedIn.

Download Three Vital Practices to avoid a potential lawsuit for free by clicking this link: www.WorkplaceRestorativePracticesInc.com  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaye-lang-1735761b5/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gaye.lang.779/

KEY WORDS: 

Diversity, inclusion, equity, tolerance, racism, bias, implicit bias, and explicit bias.  

Show notes by Podcastologist: Justine Talla

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Christianne Paras is an Ilocona, originally from the Locos Region of the Philippines. She currently resides as an uninvited guest, an immigrant settler, Kwikwetlem people of British Columbia, Canada. With over 20 years of experience in the restorative justice field, she is an accomplished facilitator with expertise in a variety of practice models including victim-offender dialogue, family group conferencing and peacemaking circles. She is currently the executive director of Restorative Justice Association of British Columbia and the co-founder of ROOTS: Reclaiming Our Own Truths and Stories, an organization dedicated to anti-racism work and restorative justice in community space. She is a published researched and author, and has been involved in wide-variety of research projects on topics such as safety in senior living, spaces online gambling, race, criminal justice system, and restorative justice. Most recently, she is one of the authors of the newly published award-winning book, “Colorizing Restorative Justice: Voicing Our Realities”. 

In this episode Dr. Gaye Lang and Christianne Paras discuss:

• The romanticization of “The American Dream” 
• Discrimination even in restorative justice groups
• “Token” or technical inclusivity versus genuine restorative justice 
• The difficulty of “fitting in” and the truth about equitability 

Key Takeaways: 

• You could convey the discrimination you feel as politely and as concisely as you can and still be misunderstood. But you still have to try, even if it sucks that you have to initiate restoration even as the harmed party. 
• Don’t let people tell you that it’s your fault when they’re being discriminatory. It’s possible that your seeking of restorative justice can be weaponized against you but let your voice out nonetheless. 
• It takes humility to admit that one has done wrong, and genuine care to promise to do something about it. Most people, don’t have these two things. Instead, what they have is a desire to be “right” and their aversion to being called out for their mistakes. 
• The greatest challenge to equitability is the refusal of those who are in the dominant culture on top to give way for it. 

“What it felt like if I could summarize is, ‘yes, come to the table, Christianne, here’s a space for you.’ And once I sat down at the table, it was like ‘okay, Christianne, now we want you to be quiet and not be seen’. That’s how it felt and the reaction for when you do call things out is not in the spirit of restoration.” - Christianne Paras

Order the book, “Colorizing Restorative Justice: Voicing Our Realities”: https://www.amazon.com/Colorizing-Restorative-Justice-Voicing-Realities-ebook/dp/B08DWLW8H7 

Connect with Christianne Paras:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reclaimingourstories/ 

Website: https://rjabc.ca/ | 

Email: [email protected] 

Connect with Dr. Gaye Lang:

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show, so that you don’t miss a single episode; and please leave a rating and review. I would greatly appreciate it. 

Follow our show on Facebook and check out our Website for more details and to engage with our podcast community. You can also follow Dr. Lang on LinkedIn.

Download Three Vital Practices to avoid a potential lawsuit for free by clicking this link: www.WorkplaceRestorativePracticesInc.com  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaye-lang-1735761b5/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gaye.lang.779/

KEY WORDS: 

Diversity, inclusion, equity, tolerance, racism, bias, implicit bias, and explicit bias.  

Show notes by Podcastologist: Justine Talla

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Suzie Carter started out as a low-pay hairdresser trying to support two young girls so she decided whatever it took to create her own business. After much blood, sweat, and tears, she went on to create not one, but two ten million dollar companies. Her core genius is her ability to simplify complicated issues by creating simple, proven systems that are guaranteed to create dynamic growth. She has helped over 100,000 entrepreneurs increase their revenues by more than 3000% percent. 

In this episode Dr. Gaye Lang and Susie Carder discuss:

• Growing up in a racist family
• Perception of interracial marriages 
• The quest to find community and acceptance
• Tips for surviving exclusion when in an interracial marriage

Key Takeaways: 

• Racist points of views often begin in the family, but once one is old and has had opportunity to broaden their view, they can choose to do what’s right.
• Teach your children their innate worth and to not let anyone look down on them because of their color. 
• Raising children of color as a white single mom must not be done alone, seeking a wise role model for them that looks like them will help tremendously shape and strengthen their self-worth and love for their own culture. 

“...my quest to find community, to find women and men that looked like them so that they could see beauty in every shape and size, not just this white model.” - Susie Carder

Get Susie’s “Power Your Profits” Ebook by clicking on this link:  https://www.poweryourprofitsbook.com/ebook    

Connect with Susie Carder:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/susiecarder

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susiecarder/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susiecarder/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SusieCarder/ 

Website: https://susiecarder.com/ 

Connect with Dr. Gaye Lang:

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show, so that you don’t miss a single episode; and please leave a rating and review. I would greatly appreciate it. 

Follow our show on Facebook and check out our Website for more details and to engage with our podcast community. You can also follow Dr. Lang on LinkedIn.

Download Three Vital Practices to avoid a potential lawsuit for free by clicking this link: www.WorkplaceRestorativePracticesInc.com  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaye-lang-1735761b5/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gaye.lang.779/

KEY WORDS: 

Diversity, inclusion, equity, tolerance, racism, bias, implicit bias, and explicit bias.  

Show notes by Podcastologist: Justine Talla

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

About Amy Hardeman: Education was not a choice for her as a path or vocation but it was selected for her. She’s taught for 20 years, 10 years in elementary, 4 years in secondary, she also worked at an educational service center. Her journey in academia was first in the realm of special education. She taught special education as a resource teacher and as an inclusion teacher. As a special education teacher, she understood that she had to become an advocate for her students and parents. To navigate the world of education is difficult, but much more so when you’re coming from a deficit socio-economic position. She became a bridge for her parents and students to succeed in the academic realm. Switching to regular education was just as arduous, students who were struggling need extra attention and support that fosters caring and a safe place to learn. As a behavior specialist for highschool, the need for a safe place to speak their truth is duly important at this age of maturity. High School students face a world that does not afford them the slow pace of maturing academically and psychologically. Many of their challenges are adult challenges. Working with highschool students taught her how to create a safe space for meaningful conversations. 

In this episode Dr. Gaye Lang and Amy Hardeman Garcia discuss:

• Assumptions of others in minority interracial marriages 
• How minority interracial couples experience exclusion 
• Exclusion experienced by minority children 
• Strategies and recommendations in surviving a interracial marriage 

Key Takeaways: 

• Within minority groups, exclusion is often based on how well you can fit in. But with white people, exclusion is more socio-economic based. 
• When people ask stupid racist questions, ask them why they’re asking it. Don’t let them make you uncomfortable - make them uncomfortable. 
• In any relationship, you have to always have a strong sense of self and build it too in your children. 

“Being double minority, if you are doubtful of yourself and who you are in this world, the world will tear you down. You need a strong sense of identity... If you’re black and mexican, you come from two points of strength.” - Amy Hardeman Garcia

Connect with Amy Hardeman Garcia:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/amyeh_garcia 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-hardeman-garcia-333485104/ 

Connect with Dr. Gaye Lang:

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show, so that you don’t miss a single episode; and please leave a rating and review. I would greatly appreciate it. 

Follow our show on Facebook and check out our Website for more details and to engage with our podcast community. You can also follow Dr. Lang on LinkedIn.

Download Three Vital Practices to avoid a potential lawsuit for free by clicking this link: www.WorkplaceRestorativePracticesInc.com  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaye-lang-1735761b5/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gaye.lang.779/

KEY WORDS: 

Diversity, inclusion, equity, tolerance, racism, bias, implicit bias, and explicit bias.  

Show notes by Podcastologist: Kristen Braun

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

Kay Pranis started with Peacemaking Circles. Her initial teachers in the circle workplace was Barry Stuart, a judge from Yukon Canada; Mark Wedge; and Harold Gatsby. From 1994 to 2003, Kay held the position of Restorative Justice Planner at the Minnesota Department of Corrections. Since that initial exposure to the use of peacemaking circles in the justice system, Kay has been involved and developing the use of Peacemaking Circles in Schools, Social Services, Churches, Families, Neighborhoods, Museums, Universities, Municipal Planning and Workplaces. Kay has co-authored several books about circles, “Peacemaking Circles: from Conflict to Community”, “The Little Book of The Circle Process: A New/Old Approach To Peacemaking”, “Doing Democracy with Circles: Engaging Communities in Public Planning”, “Heart of Hope Resource Guide: Using Peacemaking Circles to Develop Emotional Literacy, Promote Healing and Build Healthy Relationships” and “Circle Forward: Building a Restorative School Community”. 

In this episode Dr. Gaye Lang and Kay Pranis discuss: 

• Partnering with allies to incite social change and transitioning from being a trained oppressor to becoming an empathetic and respectful ally. 
• How shame affects people and how to help others out of it
• Understanding people, showing humility and empathy to people of other cultures.
• Building allies with people at work 

Key Takeaways: 

• Most people don’t want to be oppressors and there’s a lot of shame involved with acknowledging that they’ve been trained to oppress. They need a safe space to discover the harm they cause and be able to change. 
• If you want to influence someone positively, you have to make them feel safe, listened to and understood. 
• Shame is the driver of behavior that’s hurtful to others, it’s a hard place to be. We try to layer it with anger or accusation of other people, pretending that we don’t care.
• For white people, in very big ways, humility is right now one of the most important things for us to be wearing that we need to be humble about how little we know about the structure that privileges us.

“Humility is not about being less than, but about understanding that we’re not ‘better than-’” - Kay Pranis

Connect with Kay Pranis:

Order Kay’s books: https://www.amazon.com/Kay-Pranis/e/B001K8T6Q0%3F 

Website: https://livingjusticepress.org/ 

Connect with Dr. Gaye Lang:

Don’t forget to subscribe to the show, so that you don’t miss a single episode; and please leave a rating and review. I would greatly appreciate it. 

Follow our show on Facebook and check out our Website for more details and to engage with our podcast community. You can also follow Dr. Lang on LinkedIn.

Download Three Vital Practices to avoid a potential lawsuit for free by clicking this link: www.WorkplaceRestorativePracticesInc.com  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaye-lang-1735761b5/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gaye.lang.779/

KEY WORDS: 

Diversity, inclusion, equity, tolerance, racism, bias, implicit bias, and explicit bias.  

Show notes by Podcastologist: Justine Talla

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.