Dimensions of Diversity Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney

On this episode of Dimensions of Diversity, host Lloyd Freeman is joined by Tiffany Obeng, employment attorney and principal author at Sugar Cookie Books. As a children’s book author, Tiffany focuses her books on teaching kids about potential careers, building their self-esteem, developing social-emotional learning skills, and exploring the seasons of the year. 

During their conversation, Tiffany and Lloyd discuss Tiffany’s journey from law school to becoming a published author. They explore her desire to inspire children, specifically Black children, to be whatever they want to be and how the lack of diversity in children’s literature can have impacts – subconscious or not – on children of color. Tiffany mentions how her books focus on many of the unique challenges that Black children face and how to understand and overcome them. The two round out the episode by talking specifically about representation in the legal industry and how exposing children to various professions at a young age can impact the talent pipeline in the years to come.

To find out more about Tiffany and her books or to purchase them, visit https://www.sugarcookiebooks.com/. 

Dimensions of Diversity is a podcast created by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, highlighting diversity in the workplace. Hosted by Lloyd Freeman, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, the podcast features meaningful conversations with industry and community leaders working to advance D&I.  

On the second half of this two-part episode of Dimensions of Diversity, host Lloyd Freeman is once again joined by Sonya Olds Som, global managing partner at Diversified Search Group, a top-10 executive search firm. In her role, Sonya leads the legal risk compliance and government affairs practice group for Diversified Search Group. 

Continuing their conversation, Sonya and Lloyd talk about the role of allies and advocates – specifically white men – in supporting their underrepresented colleagues’ growth and share of voice in the workplace. They also get into who the “lean in” movement was really for and share some actionable advice for women of color looking to progress in their careers and how to do it in the post-COVID era. 

If you haven’t yet listened, be sure to check out part one - https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/vSyipIBy6Eb - of their conversation, where Sonya and Lloyd talk about the specific challenges that women of color face in their ability to advance in the corporate world. 

Dimensions of Diversity is a podcast created by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, highlighting diversity in the workplace. Hosted by Lloyd Freeman, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, the podcast features meaningful conversations with industry and community leaders working to advance D&I.  

On this episode of Dimensions of Diversity, host Lloyd Freeman is joined by Sonya Olds Som, global managing partner at Diversified Search Group, a top-10 executive search firm, for a two-part discussion on the current workplace landscape for people of color. In her role, Sonya leads the legal risk compliance and government affairs practice group for Diversified Search Group.

In part one of their conversation, Sonya and Lloyd talk about the specific challenges that women of color face in their ability to advance in the corporate world. For many women of color, Sonya says, the ceiling isn’t glass; it’s concrete and seemingly impenetrable. The two also discuss the limited scope of some diversity and inclusion programs and how the “check-the-box” nature of many actually can do more harm than good, despite positive intentions.

During the second half of their conversation, Lloyd and Sonya will dive into the role of allies and advocates – specifically white men – in supporting their underrepresented colleagues’ growth and share of voice in the workplace.

Dimensions of Diversity is a podcast created by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, highlighting diversity in the workplace. Hosted by Lloyd Freeman, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, the podcast features meaningful conversations with industry and community leaders working to advance D&I. 

On this episode of Dimensions of Diversity, host Lloyd Freeman is joined by Buchanan colleague Dani Rosetti. As the firm’s Chief Talent Officer, Dani oversees all aspects of attorney and law student recruiting across Buchanan’s 15 offices and is in charge of the growth and training of the firm's lawyers.

During their conversation, Lloyd and Dani discuss the evolution of parental leave for attorneys and across the working world at large. They talk about the history of parental leave, the changing stigma surrounding taking parental leave in the legal field, how policies have evolved, and why there’s still change needed.

Dimensions of Diversity is a podcast created by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, highlighting diversity in the workplace. Hosted by Lloyd Freeman, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, the podcast features meaningful conversations with industry and community leaders working to advance D&I. 

On this episode of Dimensions of Diversity, host Lloyd Freeman welcomes Brentin Mock, writer and editor for Bloomberg CityLab, and Sabrina Saunders Mosby, President & CEO of Vibrant Pittsburgh, to discuss the disparities and living standards of minorities, specifically Black women in the city of Pittsburgh.

The conversation stems from Brentin’s 2019 Bloomberg article, which details data from a study that shows that despite its reputation as a fairly livable city, Pittsburgh does not deliver the same life outcomes for its White residents as it does for its Black residents, specifically Black women. These disparities range from healthcare outcomes to education to poverty rates and more. The group explores the history of racial disparities in the city, and how outcomes have evolved since the study was published.

Saunders Mosby sheds light on how Vibrant Pittsburgh is working to enact change in this arena and beyond. The organization provides resources and information for over 150 companies on workplace inclusion, and the team is focused on partnering with businesses to develop practices and policies that build more inclusive and diverse workplaces.

To round out the episode, Freeman is joined by colleague Shawnna Williams for a special segment of DEI Today to discuss a recent op-ed that explores the idea of whether or not doctors should wear body cameras to combat racism within the healthcare system.

Dimensions of Diversity is a podcast created by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, highlighting diversity in the workplace. Hosted by Lloyd Freeman, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, the podcast features meaningful conversations with industry and community leaders working to advance D&I.

On the second and final part of our two-part series of Dimensions of Diversity, host Lloyd Freeman is once again joined by Dr. Shaun Harper. Dr. Harper is a Provost Professor at the University of Southern California’s (USC) Rossier School of Education and the USC Marshall School of Business and is the founder and executive director of the USC Race and Equity Center. He is also a Forbes contributor, a sought-after speaker on a range of D&I topics, and serves as a go-to expert for corporations, firms, agencies and educational institutions.

During the first part of the conversation, Freeman and Dr. Harper discussed the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on affirmative action and the impact it would have on colleges. Take a listen to the first episode here. On the second episode, the pair continues the conversation by discussing the impact of the decision on the private sector. The duo explores issues such as the underinvestment in Chief Diversity Officers’ roles and the need for proper training and resources. To round out the episode, Dr. Harper provides advice for D&I professionals striving to make a meaningful impact within their organizations.

For more information on Dr. Harper, visit www.ShaunHarper.com.

Dimensions of Diversity is a podcast created by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, highlighting diversity in the workplace. Hosted by Lloyd Freeman, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, the podcast features meaningful conversations with industry and community leaders working to advance D&I.