Risha Grant

We need to make spaces of belonging for EVERYBODY, especially in the workplace! As I coach executives and C-Suite leaders on DEI practices, I've been seeing more employees not just calling out microaggressions but incorporating MICRO-INCLUSIONS - small acts of kindness for diverse individuals. What can an employee who's not in a position of authority do to make a difference? It honestly doesn't require a lot, but the little things go a long way to making others feel valued in... the office. Introduce yourself, smile, and make eye contact! (It costs nothing to be kind!) . Decorate your desk letting team members know you’re an ally. Use and respect gender-inclusive language! Let's move beyond focusing solely on D&I and also start talking about equitable cultures, and doing the work to foster a sense of belonging. You don’t have to have absolute power to be powerful! You can make someone feel like they belong right now. Today. Let's start radically accepting each others differences and creating a space of belonging! #RishaTalks #inspiration #microinclusion #motivation #inclusivity #ThatsBS #Bias #Unbias #humanrights #racism #humanity #inclusion #equality #diversityandinclusion #culture #community #blacklivesmatter #diversitymatters #representationmatters #unity #equity #leadership #inclusionmatters #allyship

You're making decisions for your employees in the field. The problem is, you haven't worked with them for a while. Guess what time it is? Time to lace up those boots and get those hands dirty with them! Leadership is about connecting with people. They want to see if you and your upper and middle management are on board with the mission. They want to know if you're committed to everyone or just feeding them lines of "We're in this together!" as you sit in your Ivory Tower lord...ing over them. And I can tell you from experience - things will get messy! But that's the whole point! You're in the trenches talking to your colleagues, learning about their challenges, and sharing experiences with them. You're proving that you have their backs when it comes down to it, that when they call on their leaders, you and your executives are ready to put in the hard work to get it done! Work culture is about trust and empowering others. There should be no Ivory Towers obstructing the view. How are you encouraging inclusion and community in your workplace? #RishaTalks #inspiration #motivation #inclusivity #humanrights #racism #humanity #inclusion #equality #diversityandinclusion #culture #community #diversitymatters #unity #equity #leadership #inclusionmatters

Even if you're a leader trying to get it right and implement the correct DEI structures in the workplace, you will still encounter employees using racist language or colloquialisms. It's not so much overt racism these days that's the problem. It's the covert racism that permeates the work culture and can infect the entire office if you don't treat it immediately. Some examples:... Saying phrases like "I don't see color" that invalidates the experiences of BIPOC with racism Interrupting or excusing a colleagues of color as if their opinion isn't valid Promoting English-only in the workplace which discourages or harasses others for being "unAmerican" I could go on for a while, but I'm not working myself up. If you want to be a leader, it means you are serving and SEEING your people. A leader would not tolerate harmful behaviours that affect their colleagues. Let's root it out together. #RishaTalks #inclusivity #ThatsBS #Bias #Unbias #humanrights #racism #humanity #inclusion #equality #diversityandinclusion #culture #community #blacklivesmatter #diversitymatters #representationmatters #unity #equity #leadership #inclusionmatters #allyship

This article by Harvard Business ReviewBlack Women Are More Likely to Start a Business than White Men - sheds some light on the inspiring trend of the future of Black female entrepreneurs in America! According to the article, 17% of Black women start or run a business while 61% of them self-fund their start-up capital. This is encouraging news!... I lead in business because of the mentors I've had and the mentors I didn't have. I set out to be an example that it could be done. This article proves that black women are getting it done, especially when I read these words: "Black women are positioned to play an increasingly visible and important role in the United States' political and economic future...Never before have we seen such potential for Black women to elevate their voice and their careers, and to achieve social and economic equality." Read it for yourself, and let’s get done! #RishaTalks #inspiration #womenempowerment #motivation #inclusivity #ThatsBS #Bias #Unbias #humanrights #racism #humanity #inclusion #equality #diversityandinclusion #culture #community #blacklivesmatter #diversitymatters #representationmatters #unity #equity #leadership #inclusionmatters #allyship

I’m ready to begin the next season of Risha Talks...but I can’t do it without YOUR HELP! So we're putting out a call for guests. It's your very real stories that help us all learn and grow together! Have you overcome any biases in your life?... Has your kid come to you and admitted that they’re trans? Is your biracial child experiencing racism? Do you still think millennials are lazy and entitled? Have you recently discovered you’re attracted to the same sex but are confused about those feelings? If you answered yes to any of the above, slide into my DM and let’s book you on my show! Give me your stories! I want to hear YOUR truth! If you have a story related to diversity that you think can help someone else we want to hear from you. EMAIL [email protected] with the subject line RISHA TALKS GUEST #RishaTalks #inspiration #womenempowerment #motivation #inclusivity #ThatsBS #Bias #Unbias #humanrights #racism #humanity #inclusion #equality #diversityandinclusion #culture #community #blacklivesmatter #diversitymatters #representationmatters #unity #equity #inclusionmatters #allyship #leadership