Willie Jackson, a diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant and founder of the online magazine Abernathy, shares his transformative journey toward promoting diversity. He discusses the gap between good intentions and impactful actions in diversity efforts. Jackson emphasizes the importance of empathy in conversations about privilege and race. He also reflects on his mistakes, touching on the need for continuous learning and authentic engagement. The dialogue offers resources to deepen understanding and fosters a commitment to meaningful change in leadership.
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Willie Jackson's Journey into Diversity and Inclusion
Willie Jackson's exposure to social issues, like police brutality, grew through social media.
This led him to create 'Abernathy', an online magazine for Black men.
insights INSIGHT
Inevitability of Mistakes
Mistakes in diversity and inclusion work are inevitable due to systemic issues and lack of open discussion.
Societal structures like segregated neighborhoods and biased policies contribute to these challenges.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Dave Stachowiak's Diversity Realization
Dave Stachowiak realized his podcast lacked diversity after a listener pointed it out.
This prompted him to actively seek ways to improve representation on his show.
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This non-fiction book by Ibram X. Kendi provides a detailed and definitive history of racist ideas in the United States. It categorizes people and ideas into three groups: racist, assimilationist, or antiracist. Kendi argues that racist ideas are rooted in white greed and hate, and he critically examines historical figures and their contributions to these ideas. The book won the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 2016. A graphic version, adapted and illustrated by Joel Christian Gill, was published in June 2023 to make the content more accessible to a broader readership[4][5][6].
How to Be an Antiracist
Connor Cobley
Willie Jackson
Willie Jackson is a diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant and facilitator with ReadySet, a boutique consulting firm based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is a frequent writer and speaker on the topics of workplace equity, global diversity, and inclusive leadership.
Willie founded an online magazine for black men called Abernathy in 2015, growing the publication from initial concept to over 400 articles and thousands of subscribers. He also served as Technical Lead of Seth Godin’s altMBA program.
In this conversation, Willie and I discuss getting started on the journey with diversity and inclusion, what leaders can do to be more mindful, and some of the missteps that I’ve made along the way.
Key Points
Most of us have good intentions — and intentions alone do not ensure we make the impact we want.
We don’t rise to the level of our ambition. We sink to the level of our training.
You will make mistakes, regardless of how mindful and intentional you are.
Bonus Audio
The Language of Inclusivity
Resources
Scene on Radio podcast
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism* by Robin DiAngelo
Fatal Invention: How Science, Politics, and Big Business Re-create Race in the Twenty-first Century* by Dorothy Roberts
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration* by Isabel Wilkersons
Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America* by Ibram Kendi
How to Be an Antiracist* by Ibram Kendi
Related Episodes
How to Handle Workplace Bullying, with Jill Morgenthaler (episode 172)
How to Tame Workplace Incivility, with Sharone Bar-David (episode 210)
How to Make Inclusion Happen, with Deepa Purushothaman (episode 307)
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