Cornelius Brownlee is the Executive Director of Equity and Inclusion at Tennessee State University, and believes in the importance of sustaining Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Although he did not attend an HBCU, he explains how

Why Local Banks Thrive off Community with Jeff McGruder

Jun 5th, 2023 34m 23s

Jeff McGruder is the Chief Relationship Officer for Citizens Savings Bank and Trust Company, the oldest continuously operating minority owned and operated bank in the U.S. He is a Nashville native, and believes in the importance of communitie

A Lifelong Fight Against Racism with John Graves

May 22nd, 2023 45m 2s

John Graves is chair of the Rainbow PUSH Automotive Project and the Citizenship Education Fund. He worked alongside Reverend Jesse Jackson, a well known civil rights activist, Baptist minister, and politician who was a two time presidential n

Making Corporate America a Safer Space with Stephanie Battaglino

May 8th, 2023 54m 35s

Stephanie Battaglino is the founder of Follow Your Heart, LLC and is an internationally recognized author, speaker, and facilitator of conversations surrounding LGBTQ inclusion in the workspace, specifically among transgender and non-conformi

Creating Spaces for Belonging with Amanda McLittle

Apr 24th, 2023 41m 46s

As the Director for Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Michigan, Amanda McLittle passionately believes in cultivating spaces that educate and welcome all people to learn more about the struggles and joys of marginalized groups. Ama

Creating a Data-Driven DE&I Strategy with Janessa Cox-Irvin

Apr 7th, 2022 36m 54s

Janessa Cox-Irvin believes data can help companies focus their efforts and build a more efficient strategy for diversity and inclusion work. Janessa has used that tactic in her own work as global head of diversity and inclusion at AllianceBerns

Amplifying the Story of African Americans in Music with Tamar Smithers

Mar 31st, 2022 33m 27s

As Senior Director of Education and Exhibitions at Nashville’s new National Museum of African American Music, Tamar Smithers is helping to create a space where people can learn about the vital role African Americans have played in music history

Creating Opportunities for Spanish-Speaking Employees with Rosa Estrada

Mar 24th, 2022 36m 13s

When Rosa Estrada first started working at Gentex, she worried that her limited English-speaking skills would hold her back. Today, Rosa is the controller at Gentex, and she played a key role in the company’s efforts to build a limited English

Developing Today’s Latino Students into Tomorrow’s Leaders with Jennifer Novo

Mar 17th, 2022 31m 31s

Jennifer Novo recognizes that many Latino students face unique barriers to success in college, and she’s committed to helping them overcome those challenges. Jennifer is the executive director of FUTURO, an inclusive college success and profess

Preparing Formerly Incarcerated Individuals for Tech Careers with Alex Qin

Mar 10th, 2022 45m 37s

After experiencing discrimination as a woman in tech, Alex Qin decided to start advocating for greater diversity in the industry. Alex is the founder of Emergent Works, a non-profit that trains and employs formerly incarcerated coders. In this

Advocating for Environmental Justice with Patrick King

Feb 25th, 2021 31m 13s

Patrick King believes that sustainability is directly tied to issues of inequity. He’s the sustainability education manager with Urban Green Lab, and he’s working to implement a new Environmental Justice Initiative which will focus on helping d

Supporting Entrepreneurs of Color with Brynn Plummer

Feb 25th, 2021 43m 54s

Brynn Plummer wants Nashville to recognize the enormous potential she sees in its entrepreneurs of color. As Vice President of Inclusion and Community Relations at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, Brynn works to equip entrepreneurs with resou

Building Trust in the Healthcare System with John Baldwin

Feb 24th, 2021 35m 20s

John Baldwin understands that when healthcare teams are more diverse, they’re better equipped to serve patients. John is the chief operating officer of hospitals and clinics for Cancer Treatment Centers of America Atlanta, and in this episode,

Creating Sustainable Corporate Change with Ebonee Davis Ifeobu

Feb 23rd, 2021 38m 32s

Ebonee Davis Ifeobu has played a key role in helping Bridgestone create greater equity, as the executive director of talent, culture and diversity. In this episode, she explains how Bridgestone has responded to the killings of George Floyd, Bre

Empowering Nashville’s Students to Succeed with Ashford Hughes

Feb 22nd, 2021 47m 45s

In our first episode of Speak Up for Equity, a new podcast from the Tennessee Diversity Consortium, Ashford Hughes shares his efforts to create a more equitable environment for students as Executive Officer for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion f

Trailer

Introducing Speak Up for Equity

Feb 12th, 2021 2m 13s

Equity is about eliminating difference-based (race, gender, etc.) outcome gaps so that these differences do not predict one's success. Join Tennessee Diversity Consortium Executive Director, Robert Wilson, as we elevate model practices for impr

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