In this episode, I sit down with Junita Mushenko, a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Consultant, and a dear friend of over 20 years. Junita shares her journey growing up as a woman of colour in Australia, navigating the challenges and

We dive into the realities of unconscious bias, her impactful work helping leaders and organisations foster inclusivity, and the importance of turning what makes us different into our most valuable strength.

Junita also offers practical advice for listeners on how to feel more included—whether at work or in the community—and how to celebrate the unique perspectives that shape us.

Connect with Junita: https://www.linkedin.com/in/junita-mushenko-352a7514/

Short of time? Go straight to the point:

00:02:48 - Family transition to Australia

00:05:39 - Growing up as a woman of colour in Australia in the 70s

00:09:50 – Defining the colour of our skin

00:12:00 – Name and appearance biases

00:14:00 – Is there a “better” colour?

00:19:02 – Connecting with the Indian culture later in life

00:22:00 – The origin of the name Junita and stereotyping

00:26:20 – How Junita became interested diversity and inclusion in the workplace

00:31:15 – Imposter syndrome

00:33:16 – Number one mistake organisations make in D&I

00:34:10 – The biggest challenges of people of a migrant background

00:37:15 – Using language and accent to your advantage

00:39:20 – Introversion vs extraversion

00:43:32 – Being a brown outspoken person

00:49:20 – White feminism

00:50:10 – Celebrating D&I progress in Australia

00:54:15 – Junita’s top tip for individuals of diverse backgrounds

I hope you enjoy this episode and follow the show 😊