Bernadette Smith 10/22/21 Bernadette Smith 10/22/21

5 Things / the “full self” fallacy

Inclusion at its core, is about creating spaces where everyone feels safe to be authentically themselves, to "bring their full selves to work." And we're told (and frankly, I tell others) that the true rewards of DEI (creativity, innovation, profit, etc) come when employees bring their full selves.

Bernadette Smith 10/16/21 Bernadette Smith 10/16/21

5 Things / Spellcheck

When a system is redesigned so that inclusion is the default, there's less risk of human bias. (That's why Inclusive 360 is so focused on systems change.) But in order to change the systems, we have to identify the areas of opportunity. That's of the reasons I've been so impressed by Geena Davis's Institute for Gender in Media and its Spellcheck for Bias program, developed in partnership with USC. The program uses artificial intelligence to analyze film and television scripts for diversity (originally gender diversity).

Bernadette Smith 10/9/21 Bernadette Smith 10/9/21

5 Things / community

This week my friend Rhodes Perry invited me to join in conversation with his Belonging Membership Community. Rhodes is a fellow DEI consultant who's built an incredible community of DEI practitioners (internal and external) who learn together, share with each other, and uplift one another. It was wonderful to spend an hour with that community, and a reminder for me that this work cannot be done alone. Changing the world can sometimes feel lonely.

Bernadette Smith 10/1/21 Bernadette Smith 10/1/21

5 Things / found on TikTok

Here’s a real-life example of why diversity and inclusion is important. I don’t go on TikTok. Maybe I’m too old. But I have a team full of people who are different than me, and one of those people, October, is a Millennial and is non-binary. They sent me a link to a TikTok video in which user Star_Sama13 discovers that Old Navy has gender neutral clothes integrated throughout the store.

Bernadette Smith 9/30/21 Bernadette Smith 9/30/21

5 Things in 15 Minutes / sharing hope with Daniel Downer

Daniel Downer, Associate Facilitator of Equality Institute joins Bernadette this week as they talk about messages of hope presented by several leaders in DEI. The speakers came on as guests during Bernadette’s virtual book launch on September 21st and answered the question “What DEI trends or initiatives are inspiring you these days?”