Intentional Conversations Nika White Consulting

Welcome to Intentional Conversations, where we intersect diversity, equity, and inclusion with leadership and business.
This week we welcomed Dr. A.C. Fowlkes to Intentional Conversations! Right at the beginning of the podcast, Dr. F said, "It is hard to hate up close." That struck us all deeply and the rest of the podcast was full of so much wisdom.
So, grab your headphones 🎧, press play, and let the conversation begin!
Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our channel because we're all about keeping the great conversations flowing.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
It is hard to hate up close.
When we engage with people who are not like us, we give ourselves the opportunity to learn and grow and become better people. There is beauty in not being just like other people.
My goal is no longer assimilation, it was at one point, but now it is I want to show up 100% as myself and for that to not just be ok, but valued and honored.
Not all trans people, transition.
Medical, legal and social transition - 3 recognized forms of transition
Medical transition is what the media promotes, social transition is what we experience the most, legal transition is the change of your name, etc… People will transition in some of the ways, but not all. And sometimes they don’t transition in any of the ways, but it doesn’t make them any less trans.
Dispel the myth that trans folx are trans… trans is about gender not about transitioning.
More important than that is being a good human being. We do that by holding space for everyone.
It is important to ask the question, does this need to be gendered? There are so many things we gender that don’t need to be gendered.
It’s very important for us to understand that transgender folx, although they experience a lot of maltreatment in the workplace, what we know from research, is they don’t report it.
We need to stop relying on our employees to teach us. We need to invest in education and subject matter expertise. We need to compensate people for their expertise.
We have to normalize the sharing of pronouns. Honor a person’s chosen name. Not all trans people transition.
Dont’ just talk about it, be about it.
CONNECT WITH DR. A.C.:
On LinkedIn
Visit the website
CONNECT WITH DR. WHITE & NWC:
Connect on LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X
Subscribe to the NWC YouTube channel (New tips, vodcasts and more!)
Visit the NWC website
Get your copy of Inclusion Uncomplicated

Welcome to Intentional Conversations, where we intersect diversity, equity, and inclusion with leadership and business.
This week we welcomed Dr. Shinika McKiever to the Intentional Conversations co-host chair and just wow! Dr. Shinika has shared so much wisdom in our time together. We wanted to share a couple of quotes that really resonated with our community:
"My light warms, it doesn’t burn!"
"Confidence is a stain that can’t be wiped off. Know who you are and be confident in that!"
If you are an entrepreneur and working daily to realize your dreams or maybe you haven't quite gotten there yet, this intentional conversation will encourage and inspire you to keep going!
So, grab your headphones 🎧, press play, and let the conversation begin!
Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our channel because we're all about keeping the great conversations flowing.
RESOURCES:
Empower Her Summit
The Brown Girl Collective
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
What happens when you wait? Everything you thought you were gonna do, the complete opposite of that happens... The journey of Plan B! When you’re supposed to move, you become uncomfortable. Where are you feeling stuck? Awareness of self, awareness of culture, awareness of how you’re showing up in your community; what is the purpose of your business, alignment which is around aligning your purpose and passion with your individual talents.You have to have passion around business, it cannot be motivated by making money. People don’t leave jobs, people leave people.Lead in a way that feels comfortable for you as an individual. You have to learn you're not always gonna be everybody’s cup of tea, but you still have to respect it. With white women glass can be broken, but with women of color, concrete has to be penetrated. Community is important to be around like-minded people you can trust and bounce ideas off of. If the space doesn’t exist, create your own. Perfection is unattainable in entrepreneurship. As women entrepreneurs, we hold ourselves to crazy standards; learn to give yourself some grace. If you’re not willing to make the investment in your business, it’s gonna show up! You have to be willing to take the risk on yourself. Everybody is not made for a management role. Recognize there is a big difference between leadership and management. Seeking to make a meaningful impact? Show up and be willing to take a risk. What we think are challenges are often our biggest opportunities. Know who you are and fall in love with yourself. It is very hard to be an imposter in a system that wasn’t designed for you. GO where you are celebrated, not tolerated. You have to learn and value what you bring to the table. Know your worth and don’t compromise. If you're the big fish in the pond, you can only adapt and expand so much, but when you’re the big fish in the ocean, you’ve got all the room in the world! Recognize that you were called to do something, nobody else on earth has the talent or ability to do what you were called to do. 

CONNECT...

Welcome to Intentional Conversations, where we intersect diversity, equity, and inclusion with leadership and business.
This week we welcomed Yvonne Alston to the Intentional Conversations co-host chair.
So, grab your headphones 🎧, press play, and let the conversation begin!
Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our channel because we're all about keeping the great conversations flowing.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
We should normalize difficult conversations.Arizona upholding an 1864 abortion ban has many implications. 1864 ruling brings us back to the last century when women couldn’t vote and slavery was upheld.There is a regression. Many people are using their privilege and power to create boundaries and limitations.We need to keep our foot on the pedal with a brick to keep DEI going.We are experiencing modern-day civil rights.Working in corporate America showed me that people (with awareness) are doing harm to others through bias or lack of self-confidence.The best version of us is the most innovative and empathetic - creating change takes that of us.I am an unapologetically authentic amplifier of DEI. Took me several years to get here because I was accustomed to code-switching and assimilating. I don’t diminish myself to make myself more palatable to others.We all have power and privilege. We need to acknowledge our shared history and level set. How does power and privilege show up… it’s not an “always” and “in always” thing.It’s uncomfortable to address inequality happening at the moment. Allyship should cost something.People are afraid to do the wrong thing, so they do nothing. We must do something to make a change.DEI can be a tool for meaningful change.
CONNECT WITH YVONNE:
On Instagram | LinkedIn
CONNECT WITH NIKA WHITE CONSULTING:
Connect on LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X
Subscribe to the NWC YouTube channel (and never miss new content! Coming weekly!)
Visit the NWC website
Get your copy of Inclusion Uncomplicated

Welcome to Intentional Conversations, where we intersect diversity, equity, and inclusion with leadership and business.
This week we welcomed Tara Turk-Haynes to the Intentional Conversations co-host chair.
So, grab your headphones 🎧, press play, and let the conversation begin!
Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our channel because we're all about keeping the great conversations flowing.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
When you are in the room, how are you creating access for other people? Companies need to think about how to embed equitable practices in a practical way. Your customer base, which is your candidate base, is going to look very different in 20 years. We talk a lot about middle managers, but we don’t talk to them directly. Middle managers are winging it. Of course they’ll be terrified, they don’t even know if they’re saying the right things. How can we expect them to embed DEI into their meeting structure. Must have a mindset of continuous learning and it starts with middle managers. Manager training is asking how can you allow people to show up at the workplace so people show up and be their best selves? We need to standardize the training we’re doing so people are set up for success! Don’t roll your eyes when you have a company that cares. Data tells the story of what’s going on in your company! (ie. engagement surveys, talking to HR business partners, who is getting hired, etc.)Belonging means "Do I feel like I belong and contribute, and do I have a path forward?" People should not only look at their consultant partners as auditors, but look at them as partners for success. We can be automatically guarded, but they are not trying to show us what’s wrong. We are regressing in our conversations about equity and politics… it is important for company’s to be able to hold space. If you’re a people leader or a company, be mindful how you are taking care of people to be their best at work. What are you doing to help people exhibiting high amounts of stress in this political world? How are we taking care of each other?
CONNECT WITH TARA:
On LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter
CONNECT WITH NIKA WHITE CONSULTING:
Connect on LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter / X
Subscribe to the NWC YouTube channel (We ever miss new content! Coming weekly!)
Visit the NWC website
Inclusion Uncomplicated by Dr. Nika White

Welcome to Intentional Conversations, where we intersect diversity, equity, and inclusion with leadership and business.
This week we welcome Tiffany Castagno to the Intentional Conversations co-host chair.
So, grab your headphones 🎧, press play, and let the conversation begin!
Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our channel because we're all about keeping the great conversations flowing.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
I don’t want people to fear HR. Leaders leaning into their own vulnerability and admitting they don’t have all the answers is important. You can’t just post and ghost as a leader. Getting to the root of things, hearing feedback, having hard conversations, and feeling not equipped, can cause leaders to shy away, but we need to do the hard things... We have to get to the root of things, or it will continue repeating itself. Privilege does not have to be a dirty word. Talent benchmarking and succession planning are important - the higher you go in an organization; the less diverse it becomes. Recognition and awareness are great places to start! Take a step back and understand who you want to be. Start with little things… asking questions and getting curious. My work is always about people! Just because you’re different doesn’t mean you have to treat people different. The power of community and the power of collectiveness is the strength as DEIB continues to be under threat. You don’t have to do it alone; we elevate it together.
CONNECT WITH TIFFANY:
On LinkedIn
On Facebook
On Twitter / X
Visit her website
CONNECT WITH NIKA WHITE CONSULTING:
Connect on LinkedIn
Be Facebook friends
Engage on X
Connect on Instagram
Subscribe to the NWC YouTube channel (and never miss new content! Coming weekly!)
Visit the NWC website
Get your copy of Inclusion Uncomplicated

Welcome to Intentional Conversations, where we intersect diversity, equity, and inclusion with leadership and business.
This week we welcome Abenaa Hayes to the Intentional Conversations co-host chair.
So, grab your headphones 🎧, press play, and let the conversation begin!
Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our channel because we're all about keeping the great conversations flowing.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Even among the noise, there are people who still want to do this work of DEI. Communication is a discipline that helps us accomplish so many things. It helps to create communities and can drive and power movements. Communication has the power to unite people. You need to communicate in a truly inclusive way to reach and touch the people we want to engage. Words have the power to harm, but also uplift and empower. You have to be intentional around the words you use. DEI is in need of a reframe and a redefinition. The work of DEI is so much more than the sum of its parts.It is a pivot around servant leadership and truly collaborative approaches to helping people with their careers. DEI needs to be a part of the company and brand, it should be part of who you are… your vision, mission and values. We’ve lost the art of civil discourse, but we’re coming into a time where we are going to need to lean into this again. How are you supporting your people? Be ruthlessly focused on what your programs are… as much as BRG / ERG leaders carry the water on the work, the only way it’s impactful is if the executives are locking arms and supporting it. This helps to embed the work so that not a singular group of people is doing the work. If you want to amplify people, be sure you do it in an authentic way!
CONNECT WITH ABENAA:
On LinkedIn
Visit her website
CONNECT WITH NIKA WHITE CONSULTING:
Connect on LinkedIn
Be Facebook friends
Engage on X
Connect on Instagram
Subscribe to the NWC YouTube channel (and never miss new content! Coming weekly!)
Visit the NWC website
Get your copy of Inclusion Uncomplicated