Melinda Jennis
– The Whinypaluza Podcast with Rebecca Greene Episode 114 Include Me
In the days of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter, inclusion has become the latest buzzword for many including workplace leaders. However, for Melinda Jennis, inclusion is much more than a hashtag. She has more than 20 years of leadership experience in diversity and inclusion that started when she was a single mother with a son with multiple disabilities. Influenced by legendary leaders including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Mother Teresa, she became passionate about inclusion of everyone from every walk of life.
In Include ME!, she shares her personal stories and ground-breaking tools to train on how to foster authentic inclusion, which she says begins by changing who we are on the inside. According to Melinda, wanting to be included is as essential as the air we breathe. It is a basic human need we all share but is lacking in many of our lives. In Include ME!, she paints a vivid picture for her readers of what it would look and feel like if we ALL would unite to ensure equity and inclusion for everyone!
Melinda inspires people to be mindful of inclusion in their daily lives. From topics like supremacy, empathy, and grassroots organizing, she shines a light on the barriers that are put in place to exclude. She shows how these barriers can be removed by getting to the emotional core of inclusion, how it hurts when we don't have it, and how rewarding it is when we do. She answers the question, where does exclusion derive, and how can we overcome it?
Melinda creatively uses personal and historical storytelling to share ways people can proactively bolster inclusion at every step from the individual to the business world. True to its title, Include ME! is not exclusive to individuals with disabilities. The tools and stories are intended to inspire people of all ages, races, gender identities, sexualities, and abilities.
Listen to this insightful Whinypaluza episode with Melinda Jennis about her book, Include ME!
Here is what to expect on this week’s show:
Why some people decide to choose exclusion over inclusion.
How people can empower themselves to become more inclusive.
How cultural and educational hierarchies promote supremacy over inclusion.
How there are many different ways to make sure everyone is included.
Why developing mentor programs for inclusion is important.
Connect with Melinda:
Links Mentioned:
pathwayskids.org
Purchase a copy of Include Me!
Twitter
@PathwaysKids
Facebook
facebook.com/PathwaysKids
Follow Rebecca Greene
Blog whinypaluza.com
Book bit.ly/WhinypaluzaBook
Facebook facebook.com/whinypaluzaparenting
Instagram @becgreene5
TikTok @whinypaluzamom
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