
DEI After 5 with Sacha
By Sacha Thompson

DEI After 5 with SachaSep 20, 2022

The Value of Community Cultural Wealth
In this episode of DEI After 5, host Sacha Thompson talks about the importance of community and how it relates to diversity, equity, and inclusion. She is joined by Dr. Hayley Haywood, who shares her experiences and insights on the topic, including the challenges Black women face in the workforce and the power of entrepreneurship. Listeners will learn about the impact of formative experiences on career trajectories and the need for a holistic approach to creating inclusive cultures.
Tune in every Tuesday at 5.15 PM Eastern for more thought-provoking discussions on DEI. Don't forget to subscribe, like, and comment on YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Leveraging Mentorship to Advance Your Inclusion Efforts
Expanding the conversation on mentorship, Sacha chats with Sandra Hunter about the role of the mentor in the development of early career women, how internal mentorship can support the succession planning process, and how mentorship can lead to building more inclusive cultures and work environments.

Are You Looking at Mental Health with a Lens of Inclusion?
During this conversation, Sacha chats with Dr. Claire Green-Forde about the importance of mental health beyond awareness in the workplace, the impacts of toxic workplaces on racialized bodies, and the responsibilities of culturally responsive collective care.

Unpacking and Understanding Self-Care
In this episode, Sacha sits down with Steff Gallante to discuss what self-care is, how we can find what works for us, and the key to being consistent in our self-care practices.

The Future of Leadership: Becoming a Waymaker
Sacha discusses the future of leadership with guest Tara Jaye Frank. In this conversation, they unpack the skills required for 21st-century inclusive leadership, the need for capacity building, and the daily behaviors of inclusive leaders.

Discussing Anti-Racism: From Corporate to the Caribbean
In this discussion, Sacha chats with Sharon Hurley Hall on creating equality in the workplace and the impact of colonialism on Caribbean culture.

The Value of Inclusive Storytelling and Content Creation
In this conversation with Prasanna Ranganathan, Sacha and Prasanna discuss the importance of storytelling, whose stories are not being told, authentic vs. performative storytelling, and the power of intentionality in inclusive storytelling.

Moving DEI Through Middle Managers
Research shows that middle management is the key to #dei success. In this episode, Sacha talks to Amy Waninger about managers roles on the front lines of #inclusion work, how they can manage across change, and how organizations can provide them with the support and tools needed for #changemanagement.

Accessibility, Intersectionality, and DEI
In this episode, Sacha chats with Candis Welch about the segregation of #identities in #dei efforts, how to communicate with people with #disabilities, and how they can best serve employees with intersectional identities.

Managing Racial Fueled Workplace Bullying
Sacha sits down with Zenica Chatman to discuss the importance of DEI training for HR professionals particularly around race and addressing race-based microaggressions in the workplace.

Freeing Ourselves from Supremacy Culture
In this discussion, Sacha chats with therapist Dr. Donna Oriowo about supremacy's impact on the global majority, ways to build a practice of freedom as it relates to power, and the importance of finding a community.

Understanding DEI in the Global Context
Sacha chats with Abbiola Ballah on practicing diversity, equity,and inclusion with a global lens and the importance of unpacking our biases and challenges as DEI practitioners.

Supplier Diversity as a Part of Your DEI Strategy
During this conversation, Sacha chat with Jaime Brown on the importance of #supplierdiversity , how it can impact the greater #community and ways individuals can create their own supplier diversity programs.

Bonus Episode: Dismantling DEI in Academia
In this special edition of DEI After 5, I chat with three higher education professionals about the efforts starting in Florida to dismantle #dei, the impacts on higher education overall, and how we can prepare ourselves, our campuses, and our organizations for a future without DEI.
Join me and my guests Gardy Guiteau, JeffriAnne Wilder, Ph.D., and Tammy L. Hodo, Ph.D. Pronouns, She, Her, Hers , as we start to unpack the fight against Critical Race Theory and push toward anti-Blackness in academia and what we can do to continue pushing for diversity, equity, and inclusion for all.

How Can Mentorship be a Part of Your DEI Efforts?
Sacha chats with Yalonda Brown on the value and benefits of mentorship within an organization.

CSR and ESG - Where does DEI fit?
In this week's episode of DEI After 5, I sit down with Kim "Kimfer" Flanery-Rye, MBA, to discuss the intersection of DEI, Corporate Social Responsibility (#csr), and Environmental Societal and Governance (#esg). We also touch on the recent trend of reducing or eliminating DEI in light of the pending recession.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Venture Capital
Sacha revisits her tech background and the importance of DEI in the venture capital area with guest Brooke Daniels. In this episode, they discuss the challenges that Black and Brown founders face, what they can do to get their idea off the ground and ways to get access to capital and business credit.

3 Things to Consider if You are Thinking of Becoming a DEI Practitioner
In this episode, Sacha chats with DEI Practitioner Yeong Cheng about the continuous learning journey of practitioners, the oppression Olympics, and harm reduction in DEI.

Where Does DEI Live & Who Is Responsible? with Martine Kalaw
Sacha sits with Martine Kalaw to discuss where DEI should sit in the organization and the manager's role in supporting and uplifting DEI in the workplace.

How to Sustain DEI Moving Forward - with Benjamin McCall
In this episode, Sacha chat with Benjamin McCall about the future of DEI and what organizations need to do to shift moments into movements by building the proper walls to support the DEI foundation and framework.

Psychosocial Hazards, Psychological Safety, and DEI
Sacha sits down with I. David Daniels to discuss the psychosocial hazards that occur in the workplace. In this conversation, they unpack the behavior hazards often discussed but rarely mitigated that impact our experiences such as bullying and role ambiguity.

The Power of Restorative Justice in DEI
Sacha sits down with Amikaeyla Gaston and Unique Holland to discuss restorative justice for organizations, the importance of healing when harm is caused in the workplace, and the impact of activation through the arts.

What about Equity in DEI?- with Desiree Morton
In this episode, Sacha sits down with consultant Desiree Morton to discuss the importance of focusing on equity in DEI efforts, resource distribution, and unpacking power dynamics.

Focusing on Religion in Your DEI Efforts w/ Rahimeh Ramezany
Sacha chats with consultant Rahimeh Ramazany about including religion as a part of DEI efforts, understanding religious beliefs, and creating places and spaces for people to learn and practice their faiths in inclusive environments.

Indigenous Voices in DEI - with Sunny Myers
In this episode, Sacha sits down with Sunny Myers to discuss what organizations can do to support their employees and #indigenous communities throughout the year. We discuss intentional outreach, the importance of #partnerships, and explore #reparations.

Understanding Trauma Informed Wellness in Diversity Equity and Inclusion with Erica Reed
Sacha speaks to licensed psychotherapist, Erica Reed about trauma and its impact on our lives, understanding how it shows up for DEI practitioners, and what workplace wellness and boundary setting can look like.

Can Hypnotherapy Reduce Burnout for DEI Practitioners? - with Marv Curtis
In this episode of DEI After 5, Sacha chats with burnout coach, Marv Curtis. They discuss how to understand and manage emotions as an empath, the importance of listening to your intuition, and how to identify your inner critic. Marv also takes you through an exercise to start the process of bringing healing energy into your body.

Beyond Compliance: The Legal Side of Diversity Equity and Inclusion
In this episode, Sacha chats with Brittany Hale on the challenges of operating #diversity #equity and #inclusion through a lens of #compliance, the opportunities that come with shifting to a #growthmindset, and how legal teams can support #dei efforts within their organizations.

Unpacking Critical Race Theory & Moving Into Action in Diversity Equity and Inclusion - with Jim Morris
Sacha sits down with consultant and author, Jim Morris to discuss the impact of the Presidential Order on restricting DEI language, White shame and trauma, and his book "Gaslights and Dog Whistles: Standing Up For Facts Over Fiction in a Fearful and Divided World"

Diversity Equity and Inclusion in Recruiting - with Jennifer Arnau and Dia Harris
In this episode, Sacha chats with Jennifer Arnau and Dia Harris, two experienced #recruiters on the importance of embedding #dei practices in all aspects of recruiting - attraction, retention, and promotion.

The Importance of Coaching in Diversity Equity and Inclusion - with Tara Robertson
In this episode of DEI After 5, Tara and I discuss the differences between #coaching and #consulting (because they aren't the same!) and the future of #dei.

The Relationship Between Diversity Equity and Inclusion & Human Resources w/Dr. Shaunna Payne Gold
In this week's episode of DEI After 5, Sacha chats with Dr. Shaunna Payne Gold about the connections and disconnections between #dei and #hr.

DEI 2.0: Moving from Awareness to Action with Dr. Janice
In this episode, Sacha and Dr. Janice Gassam Asare discuss the next phase of diversity, equity, and inclusion in organizations and corporations. They discuss the reimagining of professionalism, how tokenism plays out in DEI work, and moving beyond educational workshops.

Moving the DEI Needle Across the Pond - with Frank Starling
In this episode, Sacha chats with DEI practitioner and Founder of Variety Pack, Frank Starling. They discuss the challenges facing #dei practitioners in the UK and Europe - including classism, the link between allyship, psychological safety, and intersectionality, as well as how to support organizations as they move from awareness to action.

The Process of Liberating Ourselves in DEI - with Brittany Janay Harris
In this episode, Sacha and her guest, Brittany Janay Harris discuss the journey of doing internal work, providing space for self-reflection and growth as DEI practitioners, and understanding your legacy.

How to be an Intentional Inclusionist - with Dr. Nika White
In this episode, Sacha and Dr. Nika discuss what it means to be an intentional inclusionist, how current systems can impede the process, and how to reshift the narrative to meet company-wide #DEI goals.

Setting Boundaries as DEI Practitioners - with Dr. Ayanna Abrams
Licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Ayanna Abrams discusses the importance of #settingboundaries for #diversity, #equity, and #inclusion professionals. In this discussion, she shares five steps to begin the process of preparing self and others for newly established boundaries.

White Women's Roles in Diversity Equity, and Inclusion - with Karen Fleshman
In this episode, Sacha chats with Karen Fleshman about how organizations can prepare themselves to support women of color, the role white women play in inclusion efforts, and the impact of white women's tears in corporate spaces.

The Evolution of DEI: Structure, Ethics, and Standards- with Ashanti Bentil-Dhue
Sacha and her guest consultant Ashanti Bentil-Dhue discuss the movement toward standards and structure across the DEI industry, the need to move from education to transformation, and ethics in DEI.

Decolonizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - with Aparna Rae
In this episode, Sacha chats with DEI Consultant Aparna Rae about decolonizing diversity, equity, and inclusion in corporate spaces, the importance of accountability and allyship, and the exploitation of employee resource groups.

Minding the Intersectional Gap in Your Diversity Efforts with Tori Dean

Moving Beyond the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Checkbox - with Kim Crowder
In this episode, Sacha chats with DEI Consultant Kim Crowder on the need for organizations to support DEI practitioners, the role of all aspects of the business in creating an environment of inclusion, and moving beyond checking the box on diversity in the workplace.

Confidants, Community, and Coaching - with Aiko Bethea
In this episode, Sacha sits down with Aiko Bethea and talks about the importance of seeing value in yourself, leaning on those in your community, and the value of coaching.

Liberating the Workforce- with Farzin Farzad
In this episode, Farzin Farzad discusses how we can begin to shift DEI into liberation, the importance of community, and what he calls the tenets of solidarity.

The Power of Words - with Janet Stovall
Janet Stovall is a diversity pragmatist adn radical inclusionist. In this conversation, she discusses the central role communications should play in any DEI strategy, the differences between systemic work vs. systematic work, and the importance of culture.

Speaking Up and Showing up Authentically in DEI - with Kimberley John-Morgan
Authenticity is a critical aspect of genuine and sustainable diversity, equity, and inclusion work. In this conversation with writer and communications expert Kimberley John-Morgan, we discuss the importance of using your authentic voice, knowing your audience, and knowing how to educate through resistance.

Is What You See What You Get in DEI? - with Adriana Crawford
In this episode, Adriana Crawford discusses the importance of aligning values and actions for companies and individuals.

The Qualities of a Good DEI Professional with Cornell Verdeja-Woodson
In this episode, Sacha and Cornell talk about what it takes to do diversity and inclusion work and what organizations need to be prepared for when hiring DEI professionals.

A White Guy Confronting Racism with Jared Karol

The Inclusion of Accessibility with Sheri Byrne-Haber

Preparing Your DEI Strategy with Dr. Sam Rae
I think the first time I crossed paths with Dr. Sam Rae, EdD, MPH. was about a year ago. Not only did I appreciate her approach to DEI, but we also had some of the same interests and ideas (great minds)!
As I continued to follow her social media presence, I noticed we were both surveying practitioners on burnout (see a theme here). From there we started to discuss ways we could collaborate and support each other as we support practitioners.
Dr. Sam's DEI Blueprint is one that many new and early career practitioners need to grab. During this conversation, Dr. Sam and I cover what practitioners need to know if
- they are responsible for creating their organization's DEI strategy
- they want to continue to learn and grow as a professional, and
- they feel they are having a difficult time disconnecting from the work.
This is a conversation you don't want to miss!

Conversations at the Intersection with Michael Rolph
I met Michael Rolph in March of 2019. He reached out on LinkedIn to connect as colleagues working at the intersection of diversity and technology. Since then, we’ve had dozens of conversations about this work, ways to collaborate, or check in on how the other is doing.
So this episode was no different than one of our many discussions. In it, we cover:
👉🏾 how his background in mental health serves him as a practitioner
👉🏾 the importance of modeling the behavior of inclusion as a white cis-gendered, straight man in this work, and
👉🏾 how to take the first steps in becoming an inclusive leader.

Managing Burnout in DEI - with Kelley Bonner
Over the last few years, many practitioners have experienced stress and burnout. In this episode, therapist Kelley Bonner shares a few ways to identify and manage burnout as we do DEI work.

The Importance of Community within DEI - with Diya Khanna
Join Sacha as she chats with DEI Consultant Diya Khanna. This episode discusses the importance of managing DEI efforts with a global lens.

Wellness and Self-Care in DEI with Dr. Rufus Spann
Taking care of self is critical in DEI work. In this episode, Sacha chats with therapist Rufus Spann. They discuss the importance of self-care and wellness as practitioners continue to juggle demanding expectations.

Understanding the History of DEI - with Lolita Chandler
In this episode, Sacha chats with her mentor and cousin, Lolita Chandler, a 40 year veteran in the DEI industry. They discuss what has changed about this work through the years and what remains the same.

How to Detach From Toxic Workplaces & Still Do the Work - Katrina Jones
In this episode, Sacha's guest is the Founder +Principal of Advancing Equity + Inclusion, Katrina Jones. They discuss disconnecting from toxic workplaces and the importance of self-care for DEI professionals.

The Importance of Emotional Intelligence - with Farah Harris
In the first episode of DEI After 5, Sacha chats with Farah Harris. This episode talks about the importance of emotional intelligence in doing diversity, equity, and inclusion work.