The Diversity Pivot Julie Kratz

Dr. Janice Gassam Assare has over 10 years of experience facilitating racial dialogue and educating others about equity and inclusion. The work that she does is inspired by her mom and her willingness to speak up and speak out against the oppressive systems that she had to navigate in her workplace. Through the strength and perseverance personified through her, she is invigorated to be the change I seek in the world and the workplace.
Dr. J centers her work around the liberation of Black people and more specifically, Black womxn. The reason for this is echoed in the words of the Combahee River Collective:"If Black women were free, it would mean that everyone else would have to be free since our freedom would necessitate the destruction of all the systems of oppression."
Together, we unpack:
The differences between white centering and white supremacy The stages of employee lifecycle and how to mitigate decenter whiteness in hiring, succession planning and meetings How to avoid white centering when over 70% of DEI practitioners are white Follow Dr. J at https://www.drjanicegassam.com/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/JaniceGassamPhD/ 
 

It goes without saying that autistic people are human. Yet, for the longest time, autism has been contextualized as robots or needing to be fixed.
Matt Lowry is an Autistic adult and Licensed Psychological Practitioner who works exclusively with Autistic clients, performing neurodiversity-affirming Autism evaluations and providing Autistic Centered Therapy (AuCT)--a form of therapy that he helped create.
Together, we cover:
Why intersectionality is critical to the future of autism False assumptions people make about autism How to make workplaces more inclusive to people with autism  Connect with Matt at https://www.mattlowrylpp.com and his work:
The Autistic Culture Podcast website: https://autisticculture.substack.com
TACP on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-autistic-culture-podcast/id1653171456  
Autistic Connections Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/619732285448185

Wema Hoover is a global executive and transformational leader of diversity, equity, & inclusion (DEI) and human resources and Principal & CEO of Wema Hoover Advisors, executive coaching firm and Be Limitless Consulting a DEI and Culture firm.
Wema has a proven track record of creating systemic change in organizational culture by embedding diversity and inclusion into people practices, processes, and product approach on a global scale. Wema is a former global Chief Diversity Officer and Head of Culture who has lived in four (4) countries and ran global teams in 26 countries for Google, Sanofi, Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb.
She has partnered with the United Nations and World Economic Forum on global sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Wema also serves as a contributing writer for Fast Company, Inc, NAMI and Diversity Magazine.
Together, we discuss:
The need to shift from “diversity recruiting to “inclusive recruiting”
How corporations can adapt their diversity programs including ERGs to comply with potential legislation while still maintaining their commitment to inclusion
How to move the pendulum and remove DEI from being a partisan football
What recent anti-DEI laws passed in Florida and Texas mean for corporate DEI efforts
Follow Wema at https://www.wemahoover.com/. and Next Pivot Point at nextpivotpoint.com
 

For folks who identify as non-binary or transgender, pronouns are essential to their identity. For folks who identify as cisgender (meaning you identify as the same gender you were assigned at birth where your gender generally corresponds to your biological sex), it may seem silly to share pronouns that may seem obvious to others. Sharing your pronouns is a way to lift the burden off others whose pronouns may not be as clear. 
Sharing pronouns creates a welcoming environment for individuals of all gender identities. It helps avoid assumptions based on appearance and ensures that everyone is addressed in a manner that affirms their identity. Different cultures and communities may have unique pronoun preferences. By sharing pronouns, individuals contribute to a more respectful and understanding environment, acknowledging and embracing the diversity of gender expressions.
Read more on Forbes and find Julie at www.Nextpivotpoint.com

Leaders are being tasked with managing a record level of change from politics to social issues due to the rapid pace of technological change. Those who embrace the human skills along with the technical skills will thrive.

AI cannot replace human skills. To establish a competitive advantage in a tight labor market, it's smart to balance these skills in the workplace. This balance boosts retention, productivity and the quality of work performance.
Learn more on Forbes and find Julie at www.Nextpivotpoint.com

In an era of cancel culture there is a fear of saying or doing the wrong thing that often leads to inaction. The dominant group could fear feeling less relevant, could be concerned about the reputation risk involved in speaking up and could have a zero-sum-game mentality (one person or group wins and one loses).
In my interview with Sandra Quince, CEO of Paradigm for Parity, she explained that “diversity is the next dirty word. What people don’t get is that DEI is not a replacement strategy. The goal of DEI is for everyone to feel valued. This is especially true for women and marginalized groups. We must focus on managers in organizations as they have the most impact on creating a place where women and others of all races and backgrounds can advance and be retained in leadership. Many managers are promoted because of their individual work performance, but as they continue to ascend in their careers, [their] companies need to be supportive and invest in the development of their inclusive-leadership skills.”
 Learn more on Forbes and find Julie at www.Nextpivotpoint.com