In this episode of Season 3 of the Demystifying Diversity Podcast, Daralyse Lyons is joined by co-collaborators Zack James and Azaria Keys as they reflect on their takeaways from last week's episode, Coming Out at Work: Stepping Out of the Corporate Closet. Daralyse then sits down with Kelli Clark, VP of Culture, Employee Experience and Employee Communications at Emerson to dive deeper into the issues of being fully “out” in the workplace. Kelli lends her professional expertise and personal experiences to offer relevant, uplifting and useful answers to listeners' questions.

In this episode, you will learn about:

* The struggles that come from having to hide a major part of one's identity in the workplace, and how that type of forced concealment impacts employees' overall performance.

* The need for people to do “the work” of standing up and being leaders in supporting their LGBTQ+ colleagues and community members.

* How, like many other identifiers, LGBTQ+ identities can be fluid, based on experience and self-discovery over time.

* How simple acts of affirming another's identity can go a long way in creating safety.

* The importance of allies in creating the needed safety for LGBTQ+-identifying colleagues to show up fully as themselves.

* The importance of creating and allowing mental health space in the workplace, not just for LGBTQ+-identifying folx, but for all employees.

* The value of connecting with people of different identities, and how their shared experiences can foster self-discovery and belonging.

Our guest experts this episode include:

Kelli Clark - Kelli is the VP of Culture, Employee Experience and Employee Communications at Emerson. Previously, Kelli was Chief Culture Officer at Aon United and directs the firm strategies for inclusive people, leadership and culture initiatives. She played a pivotal role in scaling Aons signature cultural workshop, Leading Aon United, to reach more than 8,000 colleagues virtually while maintaining more than 98% positive feedback.

Episode hosts:Azaria Keys - Azaria is the Assistant Director of the Fox School of Business' Center for Ethics, Diversity and Workplace Culture (CEDWC). Her work is driven by her passion to advocate for others and transform workplaces to be more inclusive and equitable.

Zack James - Zack is the marketing arm of the Demystifying Diversity Podcast and is a graduate of Temple University's School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management (STHM). Zack is a self-described go-giver and DEI advocate with a passion for service and making a difference across organizations.

Daralyse Lyons - Daralyse is the host of the Demystifying Diversity Podcast as well as the author of Demystifying Diversity: Embracing Our Shared Humanity. She is a speaker, a consultant, a journalist, and a full-time DEI strategist.

To connect with Kelli, visit her LinkedIn page.Resources from the episode:Demystifying Diversity Season 2 Episode: LGBTQ+ Persecution and Exclusion from Family and Faith

Demystifying Diversity Season 2 Episode: LGBTQ+ Spiritual and Secular Inclusion and Inspiration

Click here for a full transcript of this episode.

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