Culture Clash: How to engage people who have a different worldview than you

Culture Clash: How to engage people who have a different worldview than you I was speaking to a large group of people last week about racial justice and the importance of learning about what we don’t know we don’t know. Many people in the room are leaning in, wanting more. They know what we all …

5 things to consider when you’re hiring a Diversity & Inclusiveness Consultant

How to avoid doing more harm than good, avoid potential disasters, and minimize resistance from organization members! Are you considering hiring a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusiveness (DEI) Consultant to help you manage the challenging conversations and discomfort that are affecting the productivity of your organization/campus/corporation? Before you do, consider these 5 questions that will help …

Transforming Self-Awareness

"Reacting to offensive comments is not simply a matter of course, where a comment is made and we just respond. These comments are typically fraught with an emotional charge. Thus, responding effectively depends in large part on our ability to recognize and acknowledge our own emotional reactions. Emotional intelligence, or EI (Goleman, 1995) is used …

Sharing Space Creates Community

These first few weeks have been devastating to U.S. civil rights. Those of us who believe in freedom for all are certainly under attack. As my friend, colleague, and partner in crime, Stephany Rose reminded me recently after she marched on Washington and visited the Holocaust Museum: It only took Hitler 6 months to become …

My Zion: Reflections on Denver’s MLK Day Marade 2017

I’m standing in the midst of thousands of people at Denver’s MLK Day Marade (March/Parade), which is known as the largest MLK Day gathering of any in the U.S., and we are in the middle of an intersection in front of the looming State Capitol, and we are chanting, “I believe (clap, clap, clap)… we …

The Pitfalls and Hope of Authenticity as the Answer to Social Injustice

At a retreat I recently attended at the Deer Park Retreat Center in Colorado, we were ringing in the new year with a discussion on the joy of authenticity. When we think about connecting with each other and building relationships across social differences, showing up and interacting from our authentic selves is critically important. Authenticity: …

Culturally-Inclusive, Trauma-Sensitive Yoga

At this time of transition (Solstice, New Year, presidential turnover, etc.), it’s a good time to let go of what no longer serves us and make room for hope and deep connection with others. This takes some self-reflection and what better place to start than in the yoga studio? In the new year, how about …

What’s the best antidote to systemic racism? Giving to POC-led orgs!

The best way to stand up for social justice and to disrupt the status quo this holiday season is to donate to People Of Color (POC)-led organizations. My favorite POC-led social justice org is The Privilege Institute (TPI). Year-end donations will directly contribute to: Continuing support of the White Privilege Conference, the award-winning annual social …

This is NOT a Drill!

I attended my first SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) meeting the other night. It was in a church that was completely packed by upwards of 400 people; almost all white folks, since SURJ’s mission is to engage white people in social justice activism. Although I had previously experienced some disturbing behavior from SURJ folks …

Moving Forward: Fired up! Ready to go!

After a long week of many, many discussions, reflection, and heavy emotion, I am ready to move forward. The question we must be asking ourselves is: “When push comes to shove (perhaps literally), do I really have your back?” This is not a question to ask in vain, for we all have some sort of …