Guests:
Dr. Akilah Cadet - Founder and CEO of Change Cadet, a DEI consulting and coaching firm.
Erica Lovett - Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Condé Nast.
During the recent racial reckoning that has overtaken the US since the murders of George Floyd it has become very common to see brands hoping to become part of the conversation. From black squares to messages of supporting Black Lives Matter, the corporate reflex to provide public-facing solidarity is often undermined by the very real, and very documented, internal struggles within the organization. The struggle of being Black in corporate America is not new, but the willingness to come forward with accounts of racist behavior and the receipts to back it up is, and many companies are dealing with unprecedented upheaval and deeply tarnished brands. How do you create space in these organizations to hear and support BIPOC employees while also being held accountable for racist policies and leadership that has genuinely harmed people? How do you show solidarity as a company with a racial justice movement when it seems like any misstep could result in "cancellation"?
We invited two amazing women whose job it is to help organizations navigate this terrain. Erica Lovett does it from within as the always excellent but suddenly in-demand head of Diversity and Inclusion at Condé Nast. Her work in this amazingly visible company whose struggles in this period have been well publicized, is crucial to the rebuilding of its brand. Dr. Akilah Cadet has been running her own consulting and coaching firm for years to help leaders and organizations build anti-racist organizations with leadership and employees, and has seen interest in her company skyrocket since late May. Her valuable perspective as an outsider asked to show up for companies who may or may not be willing to do the hard work is a perfect complement, and the conversation we had was very real and very insightful for companies and employees who want a better, more equitable, anti-racist place to work.
