Race at Work

Trisch Smith, Edelman’s Global Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, sits down with Channa to discuss the current DEI climate and how worrisome it is to see DEI funding diminishing across the globe. Trisch also shares her opinion on the current state of DEI efforts in corporate America and explains how systemic inequalities mean the goals set out by some organizations don’t have the infrastructure to be achieved.

Pfizer’s Chief Global Supply Officer and Executive Vice President Mike McDemott sits down with our new host, Channa Green, to discuss how leaders can become active and supportive when it comes to having conversations about race and inclusion at work. As you’ll hear Mike explain, it takes courage, practice, and persistence. Mike also explains why, despite a bumpy year for DEI in corporate America, he’ll continue to focus on promoting inclusion — not just for his employees, but for patients around the world. Race At Work is produced by 2045 Studio.

2045 Studio is proud to present Season Four of Race at Work. Join us this season as host Channa Green and our guests examine the state of corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion in what’s turning out to be its most controversial year since 2020. Tune in to learn from leaders at Fortune 500 companies who will inspire you to become a more inclusive leader at your organization. New episodes are available every Wednesday. 2045 Studio helps companies ensure their employees of color are seen, heard, and valued. Learn more at 2045studio.com.

In the final episode of Race At Work Season 3, Porter chats with Michelle Gadsden-Williams, Managing Director & Global Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at BlackRock. They discuss the costly mistakes companies make when it comes to retaining employees of color and the milestones that indicate successful DEI initiatives. BlackRock recently released its impact report and launched a 1 billion dollar fund to invest in businesses and projects owned, led by, or serving people of color. Michelle is also an author. Her most recent book, out now, is titled “Driven by Intention: Own Your Purpose, Gain Power, and Pursue Your Passion as a Woman at Work.”

In this episode, Porter chats with Deb Liu, CEO of Ancestry. They talk about why diverse teams in tech build better products - from design all the way through the review process, it all matters. And when it comes to talking about race at work, Deb thinks pretending it doesn’t affect the workplace only alienates your employees. Deb’s book “Take Back Your Power” is all about lessons from tech, leadership, and motherhood. It will be out Fall 2022.

In this episode, Porter chats with Tom Naratil, Co-President Global Wealth Management and President Americas at UBS. They discuss why for leaders, it’s not enough to just be supportive of diversity, equity and inclusion at your company, but you must be committed. Tom also talks about why empathy is an important skill for a leader to develop - he believes the more you work at it, the better you get.

In this episode, Porter chats with Erika Irish Brown, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer and Global Head of Talent at Citi. They discuss the elements needed for a DEI leader to thrive - like support from the top and having the human capital as well as budget resources - and how data can help stakeholders understand why DEI isn’t a “nice to have”, but an important business case.

In this episode, Porter chats with Jason Mayden, CEO of Trillicon Valley, a modern design collective. They discuss the record-setting projects he worked on at Nike, why he left a dream job to build Superheroic, and why the impact he aims to have with Trillicon is meant to be multigenerational. Jason’s forthcoming book “A Kids Book About Design” comes out this May.

This episode is the second and final part of Porter's conversation with Ryan Williams, co-founder of Jopwell. They share personal stories from the Jopwell journey, like a rejection from TechStars that led to a yes from Y Combinator, what it means to be Black founders in the tech space and the challenges they face when it comes to leading a diverse company.

This episode is part one of Porter's chat with Ryan Williams, co-founder of Jopwell. They talk about the origin story of how they met, what it was like working in finance as young Black men, and how their professional experiences led them to believe Jopwell was a much-needed platform.