Race at Work

Stephen Satterfield is a food writer and the founder of Whetstone Magazine, the only Black-owned, print-based food publication in the U.S. He’s also the host of the hit new Netflix show, “High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America.” Satterfield talks about the power of sharing Black narratives and the importance of understanding the origins of food and culture. He also tells host Porter Braswell why it was important to have an all-Black production crew, so that these stories could be told with the care and attention they deserve.

How should organizations support employees who experience racist incidents in their personal lives and how can those kinds of experiences affect their work? In December 2020, jazz trumpeter Keyon Harrold and his teenage son, who are Black, were attacked by a white woman who falsely accused Harrold’s son of stealing her smartphone. Captured on video, the incident made worldwide headlines as an example of racial profiling. Harrold tells host Porter Braswell about the response he received from the music industry and how that incident has changed his career.

In every workplace there are leaders who can hold management accountable and speak to injustices happening inside – and outside – of their workplace. Even in industries dominated by people of color, like the NBA, there can still be issues of representation in management. CJ McCollum plays for the Portland Trail Blazers and serves as the vice president of the National Basketball Players Association, which is the NBA’s player union. He talks to host Porter Braswell about how management can be supportive of race-related issues happening inside and outside of the workplace, as well as how he holds his team’s and the NBA’s leadership accountable on and off the court.

The advertising industry has come a long way from its former “Mad Men” era. But like many others, the industry is still coming to terms with its historic lack of diversity – especially among executives. Carla Hendra, Ogilvy’s global CEO of growth and innovation, talks to host Porter Braswell about her experiences with power and privilege during her decades-long career in the advertising industry – and how those dynamics affect representation within the industry.

George Floyd’s killing by a Minneapolis police officer sparked racial reckonings in many industries and workplaces. Napheesa Collier, forward for the Minnesota Lynx, has been outspoken about police brutality and racism throughout her basketball career. She joins host Porter Braswell to discuss how her team and the WNBA have been using their platforms to fight for social justice.

The relationship between communities of color and the cannabis industry has historically been strained. But as more states move to legalize cannabis, the industry is increasingly facing its painful past. Lanett Austin, director of Talent Management and Diversity at Curaleaf – the largest cannabis operator in the U.S. – joins host Porter Braswell to discuss the racial disparities in the cannabis industry and what a more equitable and inclusive future would mean.

Conversations about race can be hard to navigate – especially at work. That’s why we reached out to Devon Lee, a scholar-activist with a background in sociology; he’s also the director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs at Jopwell. He joins host Porter Braswell to answer some “uncomfortable” questions about race at work and lay the foundation for the show’s new season.

It’s rare for Fortune 500 CEOs to be publicly vocal about social justice issues. However, for Delta CEO Ed Bastian, speaking out and taking action have been part of his journey to become an inclusive leader. He joins host Porter Braswell to discuss how CEOs and senior leaders can lead change in their companies to address internal and external racial justice issues.

What does it mean to be a consumer in America? Does race correlate to the type of service and treatment a customer receives in a store? Deborah Yeh, Sephora’s Chief Marketing Officer, joins host Porter Braswell to discuss unconscious bias in retail and marketing, as well as how it affects customers and their relationship with brands. Previously, Yeh held marketing leadership roles at GAP and Target.

Charles Mah, chief evangelist at talent cloud company iCIMS, has more than 15 years of leadership experience in talent management at tech companies, such as Workday, SAP, and Databricks. He joins host Porter Braswell to discuss the problems with traditional recruiting pipelines and how tech companies can improve their diversity recruiting. Mah also shares his own experiences building a career in the tech industry, as a talent leader with a non-traditional background.