John Graham Jr. is VP of Global Employer Branding, Diversity and Culture at Shaker Recruitment Marketing and an HBCU graduate. He is dedicated to improving the lived experiences of marginalized employee populations and is the author of Plantation Theory: The Black Professional's Struggle Between Freedom and Security.

José Ochoa is the Founder of The Chicago School for the Arts (ChiArts) and now the President of ChiArts Foundation. He is determined to break down barriers in the arts which have historically held back people of color. In this week’s show, José talks about why ChiArts was founded, and what challenges it faced at its inception. He discusses how they became the most diverse arts school in the country and the inequalities that artists of color face in the industry.

Andrea Smith-Morgan is founder and CEO of Mindful Awareness Academy for Children (MAAC). Andrea has over 26 years of experience in teaching and is highly certified as an educator of English, Special Education, LDTC, and K-8. In this week’s show, she discusses the disparities and inequalities in education, the origin of change, and the benefits of introducing mindfulness to children, especially children of color.

Laura Burgos is Director of Marketing and Communications at Oregon Shakespeare Festival. She specializes in marketing and business strategy, data analysis, and community outreach.

“I’ve always worked with women in engineering, but what I’ve been trying to do in the past few months is talk to girls as they’re exploring what they want to be when they grow up.” Reem Jaghlit says. There are lots of examples that demonstrate amazing careers for women, but none that highlight women in engineering, so she decided to start those conversations with girls to see what they think about programming.

Kevin McFall is a Diversity and Inclusion expert focused on dismantling systems that hold back people of color in tech. He is also a co-host, interviewer, and music journalist at Vintage House. Kevin is the Managing Director and founder of Red Clay Digital, and an adjunct instructor at City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College.

Megan McCann is CEO and founder of McCann Partners. The co-founder of ARA (Attract, Retain and Advance) a national organization focused on helping women navigate and advance in tech. Megan is dedicated to advancing diversity and cultivating talent across the technology industry, and is an expert in recruitment, HR, and gender equality. In this week’s episode, she discusses her passion for expanding the influence and impact of women in technology. Megan also candidly shares her insights on what it means to be a true ally.

Stephanie Hicks is the founder and director of Yoga for Black Lives, a series of donation-based yoga classes to support Chicago organizations resisting state violence against Black people. She is a lecturer at The Program on Intergroup Relations and a faculty affiliate of the Institute for Research on Women and Gender at U-M. Using her platform, Stephanie has managed to carve an intersection between social justice, yoga, and mindfulness.

According to Saba Bondo, since change comes from within, a coach should inspire transformation rather than just tell you that you need to change. Saba Bando is a certified life and leadership coach and positive psychology practitioner. She uses her experience in personal development, psychology, spirituality, and neuroscience research to guide her clients towards the future they want to create in their own lives.

When leaders model their vulnerability...it encourages employees to do the same which positively impacts workplace culture, says Claudia Richman, Founder, Principal, and Change Artist at We Grow Forward and my guest this week on the podcast.

This week I’m talking to Dr. Eleanor Gil-Kashiwabara, who is the founder and CEO of Luminosa Psychology Services. Eleanor is a licensed psychologist and has done extensive work in tribal communities. She also conducts training on diversity, equity, inclusion, and racism.

May is Mental Health Awareness month and one thing I know for sure is that doing the work of DEI and social justice can be emotionally draining. Finding ways to nurture yourself is critical. Which is why, on this week's episode, I'm honored to speak with Taylor Elise Morrison.