Posts in diversity
Kae Burke: Co-Founder of House Of Yes on building inclusive culture.

How's the House Of Yes is intrinsically inclusive, because our creative culture has been inclusive art and collaboration has been inclusive. That was a part of our we were inclusive before it was intentional before it was a cultural buzzword. And it's actually been a very interesting cultural challenge to maintain the inclusivity while protecting and curating the vibe. There have been times when we've experienced like, wow, there's way too many bros way too many type, a type of person that isn't really tuned in or aligned with some of our values or some of our ways that we dictate that a good time is what we set out to be and so we've had to adjust one point we end up doing costumes mandatory. It's not mandatory any longer. But for while we're like, oh, if we want our parties to be the vibe that we are putting out there that are our highest self, this template expression that we set out to be, then our favorite parties are the ones where everybody's wearing costumes. So they know who hates wearing costumes is angry, insecure, homophobic, transphobic, there's something about wearing costumes that feels like too feminine for certain kind of person, especially especially a male identified person. So that became a good idea for a little bit. And then eventually, that became too exclusive because it wasn't accessible, like wearing a costume to a party is sometimes not accessible to certain people. And it actually wasn't being as inclusive as we intended. So it has been, I would say, it's been an experiment. And it's the journey that we are still on the path of just getting walking the line between inclusivity and creative curation of the audience.

Read More
Y-Vonne Hutchinson: The Author talks race, inequality, tourism, and securing our future.

Y-Vonne Hutchinson is an Author, former international human rights lawyer, and Silicon Valley serial entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Founder of ReadySet, a diversity and inclusion training firm that helps tech giants, political leaders, media outlets, and Fortune 500 companies speak more productively about racism and turn talk into action. Y-Vonne also hosts a podcast called Time To Act about Diversity and Inclusion.

On the show, we talk about her latest book HOW TO TALK TO YOUR BOSS ABOUT RACE: Speaking Up Without Getting Shut Down. This episode is a conversation on race, inequality, and how race is fluid. A candid discussion from a global perspective that leaves the viewer with concrete advice that they can use in their work life.

Part memoir, part actionable guidebook, this book equips employees with a framework to think about race at work, prepares them to have frank and effective conversations with more powerful leaders, helps them center marginalized perspectives, and explains how to leverage power dynamics to get results while navigating backlash and gaslighting.

Read More
Ben Curtis: On being a Creation Coach, the Dell Dude, and going after your dreams with abandon.

Ben Curtis is a magician, award-winning actor, musician, and public speaker. He is also a Creation Coach dedicated to creating more love, compassion, and permission to go after your dreams with abandon.

You also probably recognize Ben as the iconic "The Dell Dude” from the Dell commercials in the early 2000s. Dell recently brought him back to kick off a new campaign. I can’t help but feel like somehow this is the circle of life. It truly is magical.

Ben and I have been meaning to record this podcast for quite some time since we are neighbors in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. What most people don’t know about “The Dell Dude” is that Ben is a really talented actor. Having studied at the best institutions. He attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts on an acting scholarship based on his audition. He studied at Tisch's Experimental Theater Wing (both in America and Amsterdam). Ben also attended the Lee Strasberg Institute & the Atlantic Theater Company.

This podcast was really inspiring and happened right when his Dell spots went live. It was inspiring to speak about dreams past and present. Dream on and share this episode with someone who would appreciate it.

Read More
Jordan Marie Daniel: Professional runner and Activist bringing attention to the Missing Murdered Indigenous Womxn crisis.

Jordan Marie Daniel is a Lakota professional runner and Activist raising awareness about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Womxn, girls, two-spirits, and relatives. Through her running, Jordan is representing Indigenous athletes and relatives, and the BIPOC community. She is an advocate for diversity, inclusivity, and justice for Indigenous, Black, Brown folx within these spaces.

She is the Founder of Rising Hearts which was born out of Standing Rock and the fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline. She is also a producer on the film The Sacred And The Snake. Following three Water Protectors – Lauren, Cheryl, and Olive – through their transformative experiences at Standing Rock and beyond.

On the show, we talk about her experience of moving to DC to be an advocate for Indigenous people. We also talk running, running through pregnancy, and MMIW. Jordan is holding a run to honor MMIW on May 5 which is the day honoring MMIW. You can learn more about it by following her insta. I’ll run it and I hope you’ll join us as well.

Read More
Pebe Sebert: Singer and Songwriter on music, aliens, and her dog rescue Magic Mission.

Pebe Sebert is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who is also known for being Kesha’s mom. She started singing at the age of four and performing publicly at six. Pebe has written for Kesha, Miranda Cosgrove, Miley Cyrus, Pitbull, Riders in the Sky, and many more. Sebert co-wrote one of my favorite songs “Old Flames Can’t Hold A Candle To You Dear” with High Moffatt. It's been performed by Dolly Parton, Kesha, Joe Sun, and Brian Collins.

This is a really fun podcast. Pebe talks about music, aliens, Eckhart Tolle, and her love of animals. Recently Pebe launched Magic Mission dedicated to improving the lives of street dogs in Central America. Their goal is to help spread a culture of animal kindness. Eliminating suffering and overpopulation through the support of community education and sustainable, safe spay and neuter programs. The non-profit also helps the dogs get adopted in the US.

Read More
Anne Griffin: Founder of Griffin Product & Growth talks about building culturally inclusive tech.

On the podcast, Anne talks about building culturally inclusive tech products, hacking Neuralink, using blockchain for ethics, and adapting cultures into AI. It’s an engaging discussion about creating emerging tech for marginalized groups and global communities.

Read More
Meg Anderson: Comedian, Writer, Improver.

Meg Anderson is a comedian/writer/improver living in nyc. She studied improv at The People’s Improv Theatre and the Upright Citizens Brigade. She is the fourth woman to ever team improv at The Pit and was one of the founding members of The Baldwin’s, the theatres headlining house team.

Meg has performed nearly 1,000 improv shows (of varying funniness) and has appeared in numerous commercials, web series, indie films and television shows. She creates comedic content daily posted to her Instagram and is starring in a (homemade) sitcom with her husband Happy Anderson about their life during Quarantine. She wrote and starred in the web series, "SCOTUS and the City" where she portrays Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hitting the dating scene with her fellow female Justices.

Read More
Kevin Arbouet: Director, Writer, Producer.

Kevin started his career as a stunt man and martial arts choreographer. He is a Director, Writer, Producer and the Former Vice President of Lee Daniel’s Entertainment. Kevin’s is focused on expanding the idea of what diversity in filmmaking means. In his own words “It's important to me that the movie industry offers audiences a wide range of diverse voices telling stories.” Our conversation explores who gets to tell stories in the movie industry and the importance of representation in the writers room.

Read More
Gregory Stevens: Organizer, Former Baptist Pastor, GXDDESS.

Gregory Stevens moved to Palo Alto since he wanted to live and work in a Progressive town. This episode talks about a lot of very serious issues but it’s highly palatable (and delicious.)  Gregory is a bright and witty human who seems to never run out of energy. He became a Pastor at the First Baptist Church of Palo Alto — a Progressive Church. There he proceeded to question what Progress was and who gets to benefit from it. In a town filled with millionaires and billionaires, Gregory brought attention to the poor communities that are being displaced by gentrification, as well as Police Brutality. We talk about how we have to bring attention to dominant systems of power that are destroying our planet. Stevens says "Scream like hell when you see injustice. But don’t just scream — create. Your scream has to be a “doing". Create a space in which the world that you want is real. Do something that is not dominated by money. In the shell of this scary and dark world, we are creating a beautiful, bright, vibrant alternative. A heaven on earth.”  

Read More
Miki Agrawal: Entrepreneur, Inventor, Author, DJ, Seeker, Mama.

We talk about her new book Disrupt-Her. A Manifesto for the Modern Woman. We talk about Entrepreneurship, naivety, business, women in business, LOHAS, and social impact. Her advice on fundraising and meeting people halfway is incredible helpful. Especially when it comes to raising funds for taboo products. I breathe a little heavy into the mic and interject excitingly. Miki had so many incredible ideas to share. Miki also talked about animal instincts in women and diversity and how they contribute to competition and the abundance mindset. Fascinating discussions abound.

Read More
Savannah Em: Illustrator and MMA Fighter with One Championship.

Savannah Em is a MMA Fighter. What makes her unique is not the fact that she's won her first two fights through knockouts. Or that her first One Championship fight was won in 81 seconds. It's the fact that this quite, shy, Illustrator can get in the ring and perform like a true warrior.

Read More
Rafael Espinal: New York City Councilman from Brooklyn. Fighter for socioeconomic & climate issues.

Rafael is a Brooklynite who works really hard to make the borough a great place to live, work, and grow for all. If you’ve recently been dancing in an NYC bar, it’s all thanks to Rafael’s work. He is responsible for writing a bill repealing the notorious NYC Cabaret Law from 1926 that prohibited dancing in bars. We caught up to talk about his recent bill to ban plastic straws in NYC. On the show Espinal talks plastic pollution and how it affects our waterways, the environment, nutrition in Brooklyn's food deserts, high Asthma rates in many Brooklyn neighborhoods that correlate with high vehicle traffic areas, the L Train Shutdown and how it relates to climate change, and also a new bill that he's working on that gives New Yorkers the right to disconnect after work.

Read More
Claude Silver: Chief Heart Officer at Vayner Media and Gary V’s right hand woman.

People matter. That’s the most important thing. How do we go about making people feel good, and grounded? And that they belong? That’s our job. Then how do we take action on that? That’s what it’s about for me. Listening to people, then forward momentum. Forward motion.

Read More
Hawk Newsome: President of Black Lives Matter NY.

Hawk Newsome is the President of Black Matter of the greater NY area. He is an activist, working at the forefront of the New Civil Rights Movement. Throughout his life Hawk has engaged in protests and activities to combat injustice. Over the past few years, he has worked tirelessly leading protests and seeking justice for the families of those slain by police officers. Most recently Hawk created controversy by speaking at a Trump rally. Resulting in mixed reactions from both sides. On this episode we talked a lot about love and dreams.

 

Read More
Daniele Bolelli: Author, Martial Artist, Host of the History on Fire Podcast.

Daniele is an author, college professor, historian, martial artist, and host of the “History on Fire” podcast. As a huge history fan, I love Daniele’s show since it’s mostly about heroes, warriors, and leadership. Our conversation is focused on how we can become the best versions of ourselves. We talk about how to live a heroic life, bravery, wisdom, passion, discuss larger than life characters (like Crazy Horse, Jack Johnson, and the Pirate Queen) and more. This podcast is about overcoming adversity. As a historian we also touched upon how women have been left out of the pages of history books. In the words of Crazy Horse "Hokahey." Enjoy the podcast.

Read More
Andrea Berry: Founder of Fluidity Love and former CTO of Huff Post.

This episode is all about gender fluidity, love, fundraising, and overcoming fear. Andrea Berry launched a new website called Fluidity.Love - a company distributing narratives for people who like her, are gender fluid.

We also filmed this interview through Facebook Live. You can watch it at http://bit.ly/2jwerfD


Read More