Is Everyone in the Room?

Episode 26 - Navigating the Shifting Tides—What’s Next?

As the landscape of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) continues to shift, we find ourselves at a crossroads. With increasing resistance, funding cuts, and political backpedaling, what does the future of DEI in workplaces and society look like? How do we move forward strategically while staying true to the principles of equity and justice?Join us for an engaging and thought-provoking session on Navigating the Shifting Tides—What’s Next?, where we will explore:Understanding the global shifts impacting DEI in workplaces and beyondStrategies for sustaining equity work amidst political and corporate resistanceNavigating the tension between moral integrity and financial realitiesHow we organize and communicate effectively in this climateOur speakers, Jeff Kwasi Klein & Chisom Udeze will explore the complexities of the current climate, the evolving language of DEI, and practical strategies for resilience, adaptation, and collective action. This conversation will not shy away from the hard truths—it will be a space to grapple with the challenges, reflect on what’s at stake, and chart a path forward.

Episode 25 - Bridging the Generational Gap

In today’s evolving workplace, five generations are working side by side—each shaped by different historical, social, and technological contexts. While generational diversity can be a source of innovation and strength, it can also lead to misunderstandings, biases, microaggressions and communication gaps that hinder collaboration.Join us for an engaging and thought-provoking session on Bridging the Generational Gap, where we will explore:Intergenerational Dynamics: How different generations perceive work, leadership, and inclusion—and how these perspectives shape workplace culture.🔹 Challenging Assumptions: The pitfalls of generational labeling and how to foster dialogue that respects lived experiences rather than reinforcing biases.🔹 Bridging the Divide: Practical strategies for building workplaces where knowledge-sharing, mentorship, and psychological safety allow individuals across generations to thrive.🔹 The Future of Work: How organizations can create inclusive policies and cultures that respond to shifting generational expectations, from career development to flexibility and purpose-driven work.Join us for this discussion featuring Chisom Udeze, Charlie Fonda and Sarah Campbell.

Episode 24 - Cross-Cultural Communication

Episode 23 - Is DEI dead? Rationale For and Against

Our 'Is Everyone in the Room?' podcast is a global platform dedicated to fostering open conversations and learning around equity, and inclusion in workplaces and communities worldwide. Since 2020, these monthly sessions have brought together professionals, leaders, and advocates from across the globe to explore best practices, share personal experiences, and discuss actionable strategies for creating more inclusive environments. These sessions serve as a space for collective growth, critical reflection, and meaningful dialogue in society. We are beginning 2025 with a topic that is more relevant than ever: Is DEI Dead? Rationale For and Against As organizations across industries grapple with changing societal expectations, economic pressures, and political polarization, the relevance and future of DEI initiatives are under scrutiny on a global scale. In this climate of increasing pushback against DEI initiatives, from budget cuts to critiques of their effectiveness, the question looms large: is DEI as a framework for change still relevant? Critics argue that DEI has become a checkbox exercise, stripped of its transformative potential, while advocates contend that it’s more critical than ever as organizations navigate systemic inequities and social tensions. This month, we confront the hard truths and polarizing opinions around DEI: ✔ Is DEI failing, or are we failing DEI? ✔ How do organizations strike a balance between accountability and impact? ✔ What does the future of workplace equity look like in the face of resistance and fatigue? This session is designed to provoke thought, spark dialogue, and inspire action. Join our speakers Chisom Udeze and Dr. Poornima Luthra as they tackle these critical issues head-on, offering space for constructive debate and shared learning.

Episode 22 - Intersectionality & Privilege

Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is imperative for a sustainable, competitive and innovative company and society at large. Diversity also goes beyond the outward perception of a company – it includes how the internal structures work and signal the value systems of an organization’s management or leadership team. This series is designed by Diversify to centre Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace.Intersectionality is a term coined by Professor Kimberley Crenshaw. It is an analytical framework for understanding how a person’s social or political identity such as ethnicity, race, social class, gender identity, sexual orientation, and other facets of social stratification combine to create different modes of privilege and discrimination. Speakers: Chisom Udeze (she/her) and Miguel A. Leyva S. (He/him)

Episode 21 - Anti-racism

Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is imperative for a sustainable, competitive and innovative company and society at large. Diversity also goes beyond the outward perception of a company – it includes how the internal structures work and signal the value systems of an organization’s management or leadership team. This series is designed by Diversify to centre Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace. In honour of Black History Month, our topic for discussion in February is Anti-Racism with Rahwa Tilahun Yohaness (founder of Manifold, activist and campaign strategist) and Chisom Udeze (founder of Diversify and HerSpace, DEIB strategist and economist)

Episode 20 - How Inclusive are your Workplace DEIB Initiatives?

Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is imperative for a sustainable, competitive and innovative company and society at large. Diversity also goes beyond the outward perception of a company – it includes how the internal structures work and signal the value systems of an organization’s management or leadership team.This series is designed by Diversify to center Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace.In this episode, our speakers, Chisom Udeze (three times Founder, Economist and DEI Strategist), Dr. Poornima Luthra (Author, Educator and DEI Expert), and Astrid Sundberg (Director DEI at Oda), will explore how inclusive are workplace DEIB initiatives, learnings from the past and the common mistakes to avoid in the future.

Episode 19 - 4 Practical Tips to Amplify DEIB

Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is imperative for a sustainable, competitive and innovative company and society at large. Diversity also goes beyond the outward perception of a company – it includes how the internal structures work and signal the value systems of an organization’s management or leadership team.This series is designed by Diversify to centre Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace. We look forward to seeing you!In December we will explore 4 practical tips that you can easily implement at your workplace in 2023, that will amplify and promote awareness of DEIB. The session will be co-facilitated by Diversify founder, Chisom Udeze, and Program Director, Iva Ogrizovic.

Episode 18 - Race and Masculinity

Episode 17 - LGBTQIA+ Inclusion

Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: LGBTQIA+June is Pride Month, a month dedicated to uplifting LGBTQIA+ voices, celebrating LGBTQIA+ culture and supporting LGBTQIA+ rights. It commemorates the years of struggle for civil rights and the ongoing pursuit of justice, equity and equality for the LGBTQIA+ community. LGBTQIA+ is an inclusive acronym that describes either a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning/queer, intersex, asexual/aromantic/agender, pansexual, and allies.Gender identity describes a person’s internal sense of being female, male, or someone outside of that gender binary, while sexual orientation refers to ‘a person’s sexual and emotional attraction to another person and the behavior and/or social affiliation that may result from this attraction.’People from the LGBTQIA+ community face discrimination and hate regularly in their personal lives, workplaces and in public spaces. Furthermore, the intersectionality of traits such as race, ethnicity, religion can influence their experience and lead to discrimination on multiple fronts. In the workplace, they’re subjected to microaggressions like being asked inappropriate questions and hearing homophobic jokes and comments. Conscious and unconscious bias can prevent them from being hired or getting a promotion or opportunity at work. Many LGBTQIA+ individuals feel the need to hide their identity in the workplace for fear of discrimination, which causes high levels of stress, anxiety and other mental health issues among them. During this session of Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace, we will discuss how workplaces and organisations can create a genuinely inclusive culture for LGBTQIA+ employees. On an individual level, using pronouns in email signatures, on social media profiles, and stating them in meetings, being mindful of using gender neutral language and calling out discriminatory behaviours are some of the ways to be active allies.For companies, using gender neutral language, diverse visuals on the website and options beyond male and female on the job application can help attract a more diverse workforce, while including anti-discrimination and harassment policies that address sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression as prohibited grounds of discrimination can help retain this workforce.In this session, we will discuss How can we ensure that workplaces have strong inclusive policies and practices in place? How can they attract, successfully recruit and retain LGBTQIA+ talent? How can companies create a safe environment for employees of all sexualities and gender expressions to reveal as much or as little as they want? How can we, as individuals, be active allies to the LGBTQIA+ community?