In this episode we speak to Lukeisha Paul, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion U.S. at GroupM, about a few major topics: the innovative externship program GroupM designed to diversify their talent pipeline, the legacy of 2020 for corporate DEI, and the power of courageous conversations to create togetherness (not divisiveness) when carefully managed.

We spend the first half of this episode discussing the externship program GroupM designed in 2020, reimagined from an internship program that sadly had to be canceled due to Covid-19 — Lukeisha shares the ins and outs of how GroupM conceived the program, how it works, the impact it had, and plans for the future. 

In the second half of this episode, we go deep into the legacy of 2020 and particularly how the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement has reshaped and revitalized corporate DEI. Lukeisha speaks candidly on our responsibility to set aside our personal political leanings and make room for each other in our organizations by bringing together different viewpoints and exploring nuances. Lukeisha shares details of a post-1/6 event she hosted at GroupM called Coming Together After the Capitol Riot, which brought together different voices and views to better understand each other. She also shares how Group M creates space for courageous conversations on an ongoing basis.

Connect with Lukeisha on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukeisha-paul-7022b84