Content warning: This episode includes discussions of sexual assault, childhood abuse, domestic violence, and systemic oppression. We live in a culture that celebrates strength, independence, and self-sufficiency. But what happens when our efforts to appear invulnerable keep us from speaking up, asking for help, or protecting one another? In this episode, Emily and Courthney welcome…
In this episode, co-hosts Courthney and Emily welcome educator, martial artist, and systems thinker Ian Sanderson (Mohawk Nation, Turtle Clan) for a wide-ranging conversation about authenticity, Indigenous worldviews, and what it means to stay in relationship during deeply polarized times. Ian draws from more than 25 years of work integrating Indigenous, Eastern, and Western traditions…
In our first full video episode, Courtney and Emily reflect on the journey of The Humanize Podcast—how an unlikely partnership that began during the pandemic has grown into over 100 conversations centered on race, humanity, and courageous dialogue. The conversation then turns to a deeply personal parenting question: Should white parents teach their children about…
Businesses hold extraordinary influence over the future of our society. They shape how we spend our time, how resources are distributed, what behaviors are rewarded, and increasingly, what kinds of futures become possible. Whether we like it or not, organizations now hold a level of cultural influence once concentrated in governments, religious institutions, and local…
I was sitting at the counter of an open-air kitchen in Bali when he said it. He was a Tahitian gentleman, a friend of a friend, someone I barely knew, someone who grew up a world away from me. Though we had just met, somehow we put it together that we had both lost our…
For 25 years, I have been teaching communication. Some people call me a communication expert. I still feel slightly uncomfortable with that phrase. If expert means someone who has devoted decades to testing, refining, failing at, and rebuilding approaches to communication across cultures and industries, then perhaps it applies. If it means someone who does…
People often wonder why a white woman has committed her life to DEI. It’s time for me to tell my story. As many of you know, I help leaders who are committed to creating inclusive cultures build teams that trust each other, collaborate effectively, and unleash their collective intelligence. My commitment to this work began…
Representation matters. It always has. Looking at who is present in an organization, and especially who moves into leadership, tells us something important about access, opportunity, and patterns of advancement. Representation data can reveal where systems are working equitably and where they are not. It helps us notice trends that would otherwise remain invisible. But…
Businesses are strained. I speak with leaders who describe the stress of budget cuts, mass layoffs, shifting priorities, and more. Under strain, leaders often focus on fixing processes. They convene stakeholders to adjust strategy or make quick decisions to stabilize the business. But one of the most important leadership priorities often gets overlooked: repairing and…
Diversity, equity, and inclusion work is often misunderstood—sometimes willfully, sometimes because we haven’t done enough to clarify the why behind it. One of the most common misconceptions I hear is this: “DEI means hiring someone just because they’re [fill in the blank].” “We don’t want to lower the bar.” “That sounds like a quota.” Let’s…
