Yesterday was a dream. I worked as a live correspondent for Include 2021, a global digital event on diversity & inclusion, covering a range of topics like race, identity, privilege, faith, intersectionality, and allyship. It was an enormous honor to be involved in this first-of-its-kind diversity & inclusion learning event. It is hard to shortlist all the things I learned, but here are some big lessons Include 2021 highlighted for me:
Be bold in your vision – I thought it was a big move for Microsoft to use its global platform and access to expertise to offer – for free – to others all over the globe the same information being offered to its employees. I may not be a giant corporation, but I have a ton of privilege and access. The Include 2021 team has inspired me to think about what resources, people, & information I have access to that others may need as well.
Say what needs to be said – Include has opened the door for new, crucial conversations. We can’t make progress on things we aren’t willing to discuss. And on the flip side, we can’t bond over the many things we have in common if we don’t analyze the ideologies that purposefully keep us divided.
Lean into your personal accountability – I hope people who consider themselves leaders who watched Include 2021 sessions came away feeling that it is time for a new standard for leadership that includes cultural competency. For centuries societies have been set up for some to succeed more than others. We all get to decide if we want to add to this dynamic or if we want to lessen the suffering for others.
Be you on every platform – In addition to showing up to do my correspondent job well, with this being a D&I event, I wanted to be clear about how much I care about Black women. That meant being intentional about what I shared from my experiences in the time I had on-air after Kimberlé Crenshaw’s session on Intersectionality. That meant supporting Black women’s businesses however possible in my prep and live presentation. Here is a rundown of a few of the Black women I brought into the room with me for those who want to support them too where possible:
- Earrings were “Pixie Dust” danglers from Mary’s Hands Jewelry
- Fulani inspired braids were by Purity K Beauty in Lynwood, WA
- Lip color is Prima Donna Liquid Matte from The Lip Bar
- In one of my final segments on air, I shared the quote “It’s easy to be who you are when who you are is all around you.” from a Ted Talk by Jodi-Ann Burey.
- My dress is from Gabrielle Union’s line for NY & Company, but it is discontinued unfortunately.
You can also check out this highlight reel to see a bit of me in action and to get a sense of the day we had. I also encourage you to dig into the freely available recordings of the event at https://lnkd.in/gDKTEzD.
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Date – 17 March 2021
Event Format – Studio Broadcast
Audience – 35 000+ live public audience
ABOUT KIESHA GARRISON
Kiesha Garrison is a professional emcee and public speaker whose work focuses on personal discovery and courageous conversations that connect us to our true selves and community.
