In this episode I welcome special guest Dr. Jade Singleton, co-founder of Johnson Squared Consulting and DEI consultant at NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, to discuss transformational DEI at work: what we’re getting wrong, what we’re doing right, and how we can do better.

This episode at a glance:

Jade shares a lot of personal history, including how her ancestry as a Jefferson-Hemings descendant has influenced her work in diversity, equity, and inclusion, the importance of balancing power and making systemic infrastructure changes in order to achieve equity and inclusion, and the need for organizations to create pathways for folks to advance their careers as part of truly inclusive workplace environments. 

In this episode, Jade also shares her perspectives on: 

• Gaslighting in the workplace
• The impact on folks from historically excluded communities when they are asked to re-traumatize themselves in diversity conversations in the workplace
• Intersectionality in DEI work 
• Micro-aggressions and their impact on psychological safety 
• The importance for leadership to create primary and secondary avenues for psychological safety for all employees
• The power of social capital in sustaining inclusion and belonging
• How we can continue striving for truly transformational DEI workplaces

Resources

The Sarah Jane Academy: https://www.thesarahjane.org/courses/diversity-equity-inclusion-in-practice. Unlike expensive DEI certificate programs, The Sarah Jane Academy models inclusion and equity through its pay-what-you-can model.

The Four Stages of Psychological Safety: Defining the Path to Inclusion and Innovation: https://www.leaderfactor.com/4-stages-of-psychological-safety

You’re Probably a Work Bully and Don’t Know It: https://medium.com/@jade_95485/youre-probably-a-workplace-bully-and-don-t-know-it-530489570320

The Grounded Academic Leader: My step-by-step guide to planning a year — and a life! — you love: https://theclareogroup.lpages.co/2023-grounded-academic-leader/