In this episode, Ashanti Bentil-Dhue talks to Hady Mendez about her experience being the Director of Quality at Slack. Hady has an extensive career that actually started not in dei, but started at the intersection of technology and finance. Then as time progressed, she became increasingly more focused on social justice and DEI.

“ Always be finding new ways to partner and advocate for people that are different from you….yes, start where something may be familiar, but don't just stay with what's familiar, push yourself. Because if you're going to be developing strategies, and working with leaders and trying to get them to push themselves, you need to be pushing yourself too. So you can't just stay in your comfortable place and be like, this is my happy place. You need to really also be expanding the people that you surround yourself with, and what you're learning about and really supporting and advocating for other people and making the same mistakes. I make mistakes, too. ” 

Episode Highlights:

• The importance of having courage and how this can help you to have difficult conversations

• Why making mistakes is not something to be afraid of

• How you can become a better DEI professional by learning the importance of Problem-Solving

About Hady Mendez:

Hady Mendez is Director of Equality at Slack where she is responsible forshaping and advancing Slack’s near and long-term focus on inclusion andbelonging, while simultaneously supporting Slack’s work of attracting, growing,and retaining underrepresented talent at all levels. She considers herself a DEIBevangelist, change agent, trusted customer advisor, respected voice and thoughtleader, and social justice advocate.

With a diverse career spanning over 25 years, Hady has held multiplecustomer-facing roles in high tech and financial services, served as a leaderacross various Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), volunteered as an international champion for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women, andserved as Community School Director at an elementary school in the South Bronx.

Hady’s academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Systems from Manhattan College, plus graduate certificates in eBusiness and eCommerce from NYU and NJIT, respectively. She also holds a Family Development Credential from the University of Connecticut. Hady’s additional advocacy work has her serving as both co-chair of the Equity Council and a member of the NY Advisory Board at Room to Grow, a nonprofit organization based in the South Bronx. In her free time, Hady is an amateur street art photographer and an avid podcast listener.

Connect with Hady Mendez:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadymendez

Instagram: @hadyontheweb

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