In this episode of The Culture We Speak, I sit down with Ms. Maria Chisolm for an engaging conversation about the power of sharing our stories and its role in shaping how we understand and serve culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) populations. Together, we explore what it truly means to serve through intentional listening, authentic engagement, and equity-centered practice.
Ms. Chisolm shares powerful insights on how stories connect us, challenge bias, and affirm identity. We also discuss the recent shift away from DEI language within our professional spaces and what that means for those committed to justice, access, and representation. This conversation reminds us that every story matters—and that the way we tell and receive those stories can transform the future of our field.
Maria Chisolm, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a bilingual speech-language pathologist who operates a private practice serving culturally and linguistically diverse children and their families across Colorado, Wyoming, and New Mexico. With a specialization in early intervention and school-based settings, Maria is dedicated to providing comprehensive, culturally responsive, and linguistically appropriate assessments that honor the unique cultural and linguistic backgrounds of each child and family.
Beyond her clinical practice, Maria is passionate about mentoring private practitioners and supporting professionals and organizations working with multilingual families and learners. Through individual consultations, organizational training, and her online community, she offers tailored strategies for both optimizing business systems and enhancing service delivery to better meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse populations.
Maria regularly presents workshops and seminars on best practices for screening and assessing culturally and linguistically diverse populations, as well as effective strategies for starting, scaling, and managing private practices.
Connect with Ms. Chisolm:
https://linktr.ee/layersconsulting
https://www.layers.consulting/
https://www.instagram.com/layersconsulting/
https://www.facebook.com/layersmentor
https://www.linkedin.com/company/layersconsulting/
