Welcome to "Connecting Awesome People," a groundbreaking podcast brought to you by Cinder, a leader in diversifying workforces and fostering inclusive cultures. This podcast is our answer to the urgent need for positive narratives and actionable insights in a world often overshadowed by challenging global politics and a focus on societal failures. In each episode, we engage with a diverse array of guests - from organizers and activists to thought leaders and influencers - who are not just envisioning a better future but are actively laying the groundwork for it. Our conversations delve deep into successful strategies for community organizing, cultural change, and building resilient, welcoming communities. "Connecting Awesome People" is more than a podcast; it's a platform for learning, inspiration, and community building. We go beyond the surface, sharing stories of real impact and exploring how every one of us can contribute to creating a more equitable and inclusive society. Whether you're deeply involved in community work, seeking to make a difference in your own sphere, or simply curious about the positive changes happening around us, this podcast is for you. Join us as we journey through inspiring narratives, uncovering the power of collective action and the spirit of innovation. Together, we can learn, grow, and contribute to the societal transformation we all aspire to see. Tune in, be inspired, and become part of a movement towards a better tomorrow.
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38 recent
January 17, 202541 min
Episode 37 (Season 1 Finale) - Preparing for the next 4 years (with Edgar J Palacios)
Book: Dying of WhitenessEdgar's LinkedIn profileEdgar J. Palacios is the President & CEO of the Latinx Education Collaborative (LEC), an organization that dutifully works to increase and retain the number of quality Latinx education professionals in K-12. Edgar previously owned a nonprofit consultancy (EJPKC, LLC) and has had the privilege of working with organizations such as Community Builders of Kansas City; Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City; El Centro, Inc.; Show Me KC Schools; and the Kauffman Foundation.
January 6, 202545 min
Episode 36 - From Cybersecurity to Social Justice: DEI, Political Advocacy, and Building Better Communities (with Barry Johnson-Smith)
Barry's LinkedIn ProfileBarry Johnson-Smith is the founder of BJS Consulting, a DEI-focused consultancy dedicated to helping businesses and organizations achieve their diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. He launched BJS Consulting after recognizing that many organizations genuinely want to cultivate diverse, equitable, and inclusive environments, but often struggle with effective implementation. Additionally, organizations are sometimes hesitant to fully invest in DEI efforts due to fear of making mistakes.Barry’s mission is to guide organizations in identifying and overcoming the obstacles that hinder their DEI progress, helping them gain confidence in knowing how to address these challenges. By the end of his engagements, Barry aims to shift organizations' approach to DEI work from one rooted in fear and guilt to one driven by joy and hope. BJS Consulting offers a variety of services, including DEI trainings, strategy assessments, and content creation, such as blogs and articles.A native of Lawrenceville, Georgia, Barry holds a B.S. in Computer Engineering with a minor in Computer Science from Georgia Tech. Since 2019, he has made Oregon his home, and when he’s not working, Barry enjoys practicing martial arts, playing trading card games, and spending time with friends.
December 20, 202447 min
Episode 35 - Building Inclusive, Multi-Generational Workplaces: Connection, Culture, and Change (with Shawna Rosenzweig)
Shawna on LinkedIn
December 9, 202442 min
Episode 34 - Navigating Tech, Identity, and Impact: Opening Doors for the Next Generation (with Tion Thomas)
Tion's LinkedIn profileTion Thomas is a software engineer with nearly 20 years of industry experience with a strong passion for gaming and empathy for consumers. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in computer science from Tufts University in 2004 and his Master’s degree in computer science from Purdue University in 2009 with a focus on computer graphics. Throughout his career, Tion has prioritized helping others and inspiring the next generation of leaders by dedicating his time towards career coaching and mentoring with a focus on increasing diversity within engineering disciplines. Tion often participates in diversity recruiting events, most recenty at Howard University and the University of Maryland, and has volunteered his time to deliver career talks on engineering and gaming to students at various schools including his alma matars Tufts University and Purdue University. While he loves the work that he does and all that he has achieved in his career, his first love is his family consisting of his beautiful wife Candice of 11 years, his amazing 6 year old son “Aston” and 8 year old daughter “Jayla”, and the 2 year old family golden doodle “Bella”.
December 2, 202441 min
Episode 33 - Building Equity and Empowering Communities Through Leadership (with Ulric Shannon)
Ulric's LinkedInJT Flowers LinkedInUlric currently serves as the Executive Director at Surge Chicago, drawing on more than 15 years of leadership in education management. His career in education began as a Chicago Public School teacher, and most recently, he held the position of Director of Purpose at LiberatED Way (AUSL). In this role, he led initiatives to dismantle systemic barriers, working towards providing equitable opportunities for K-12 students. Ulric's commitment to mission-driven leadership is evident in his efforts to develop and manage strategic partnerships on both local and national levels.As an alum of the Surge Institute (Class of 2020), Impact Fellow at the Chicago Urban League, Posse Scholar through the Posse Foundation, and Civic Leadership Fellow at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Ulric has consistently demonstrated a deep dedication to fostering positive collective impact. Chicago Scholars recognized his contributions, honoring him as one of the city's impactful professionals under 35. Academically, Ulric holds three Master’s Degrees in Political Science, Education, and Business Administration from the University of Illinois and National Louis University, showcasing his multidimensional expertise.Outside of his professional endeavors, Ulric embraces the spirit of Chicago, savoring the city's tavern-style pizza and upholding culinary traditions—no ketchup on hot dogs. He also immerses himself in the local dance scene, enjoying stepping and footworking. During moments of relaxation, Ulric's adventurous spirit comes to life through global travel and culinary explorations, complemented by the simple joys of Law and Order: SVU marathons. Ulric's impactful journey is defined by his dedication to education and a zest for life's diverse experiences.
November 18, 202432 min
Episode 32 - Advocacy, Leadership, and Amplifying Voices Across Communities (with CM Hall)
CM's LinkedIn profileCM manages several career positions in the fields of interpreting grant administration, teaching, and political campaign training. She is Co-Director for the Protactile Language Interpreting National Education Program and teaches DeafBlind Culture, Communication & Co-Navigating, as well as LGBTQ sociology courses at Western Oregon University. Among her professional accomplishments, CM co-created DiscoverInterpreting.com to encourage those considering a career in interpreting and she successfully ran the national campaign to convince the Unicode Consortium to add the ASL “I Love You” handshape to text emoji options on smart devices.CM is also the incoming Executive Director for Emerge Oregon, a nonprofit political organization dedicated to inspiring, recruiting, and training Democratic women to run for office. She is serving in her second term on the Newport, Oregon City Council and is host and producer of Her Own Wings, a podcast featuring Oregon women leaders in government.
November 12, 202452 min
Episode 31 - Embracing Empathy, Mental Health Advocacy, and Leadership in Tech (with Reggie Wideman)
Reggie's LinkedIn profileReggie Wideman is an extroverted introvert. He loves building relationships just as much as he loves the quiet after a job well done. He’ll often gleefully get his hands dirty, if only so that he can clean up and do it over again. He's had a lot of different roles, but mostly in tech and marketing for CPG brands. He focuses on the value he can bring into the lives of the people around him and the world at large. He is a leader and an advocate. He's a problem solver and friendly dissenter. He's great counsel and a quite good friend.Throughout his 23 year career he has worked with iconic brands and industry leaders including Activision, adidas, American Express, Caesars Entertainment, Caterpillar, Coca-Cola, Marvel Comics, Michelin, Nike, Proctor & Gamble and Toyota to achieve success through digital innovation. His professional tenure includes various agencies and start up’s as well as stints at WellsFargo and Cisco. The past 11 years have been dedicated to delivering digital transformation in martech and adtech spaces in data driven roles at Janrain, Salesforce, Lytics and now LiveRamp.He also serves as a co-board chair for the not for profit Write Around Portland, Co-Chair of the Technology Association of Oregon's Tech in Color community, and advocates for mental health through an annual video series during Mental Health Awareness Month (#MHAM) called One Minute for Mental Health. Reggie holds a BA in Philosophy from Goucher College, is an avid writer, and the best Dad in the world (according to his daughters). .
November 4, 202450 min
Episode 30 - Expanding Representation: Shaping Education and Identity for Latinx Youth (with Edgar J. Palacios)
Edgar's LinkedIn ProfileInventing Latino's by Laura E. GomezMexican-American War wikipediaEdgar J. Palacios is the President & CEO of the Latinx Education Collaborative (LEC), an organization that dutifully works to increase and retain the number of quality Latinx education professionals in K-12. Edgar previously owned a nonprofit consultancy (EJPKC, LLC) and has had the privilege of working with organizations such as Community Builders of Kansas City; Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City; El Centro, Inc.; Show Me KC Schools; and the Kauffman Foundation.
October 28, 202447 min
Episode 29 - Designing from the Margins: Radical Inclusion and Youth Development (with Shawna Rosenzweig)
Shawna's LinkedIn profileFor more than a decade, Shawna has worked in Positive Youth Development, bringing expertise in program innovation in out-of-school-time settings, organizational strategy, civic engagement, and scaling national partnerships. Shawna joined Camp Fire in June 2013; during her tenure, she has led culture change efforts and leadership transitions at the national office, as well as designed and launched diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA) efforts across the network, including creating an equity task force to address and end cultural appropriation in the organization. Previously, she worked at Thrive Foundation for Youth and Global Kids in New York City. Shawna also spent time in the Middle East, developing and facilitating educational material for various organizations promoting conflict resolution among teens in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, including Seeds of Peace, Just Vision, and Parents Circle-Families Forum. Shawna earned a master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction at University of Wisconsin-Madison. She holds a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Education and Applied Psychology from University of California Santa Barbara. She lives in Seattle with her wife, Stef, their two children, Raffi and Crosby, and their two dogs.
October 21, 202441 min
Episode 28 - Finding your gift and using it to make a difference for others (with Jenn Klotz)
Jenn's LinkedIn profileGoogle Pixel advertising about "the most inclusive camera" (from Nov 2021)CASA program detailsJenn Klotz is a dynamic accomplished leader focused on building relationships and forging connections to get work done together. She is the Senior Community Relations and External Communications Lead for Genentech in Oregon and has been at Genentech for over 15 years in various roles. During her time at Genentech Jenn has been a leader in creating and implementing strategies that impact the workforce, the community and Genentech’s patients through the lens of equity.Jenn is the Executive Sponsor for an employee led employee resource group focused on fostering belonging and transforming society. As a leader Jenn has specifically focused on mentoring women of color early in their career to provide representation that often was not available to her. She has extensive experience as a speaker, moderator and panelist on various topics. Jenn is a Portland native now residing in Hillsboro. She is a mom of two grown sons, a lover of all things wine country and a professional musician. Jenn has been a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate for foster youth through CASA for Children of Multnomah, Washington and Columbia counties since 2017 and a member of the CASA board since 2020. Jenn’s superpower is connecting ALL people to help improve their lives.
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