In the final installment of Season 2 of the Demystifying Diversity Podcast, Daralyse Lyons and Zack James conclude the season with an interview of guest Melinda Briana Epler, an expert in building allyship and empathy skills. This Q&A conversation explores not only what it means to be an ally, but also provides concrete strategies that each and every one of us can implement to be better allies in our workplaces, in our communities, and in our relationships.

In this episode, you will learn about:

• The spectrum-nature of privilege and the fact that each and every one of us enjoys some level of privilege, whether we realize and acknowledge it or not.

• The importance of being an ally in actions, as opposed to just in words.

• The role that storytelling plays in relating the experiences of marginalization and exclusion, and how these stories substantiate the need for allyship.

• How to strike the balance between challenging our loved ones to become better allies, while also meeting them where they are to prevent division and alienation.

• The fact that doing nothing is an act of tacit compliance in perpetuating racism and many other -isms that our society faces.

• The reminder that the work of allyship is difficult, but the effects of racism and other -isms are even more difficult, and destructive, as opposed to constructive.

• How our culture of “rugged individualism” not only harms individual groups, but also harms us as a collective, on a national and global scale.

Our guest experts this episode include:

Melinda Briana Epler - Founder and CEO of Change Catalyst, Melinda is a TED speaker, a diversity and inclusion advocate, and a leader building inclusive innovation around the world. Melinda has 25 years of experience elevating brands and developing business innovation strategies for start-ups, Fortune 500 companies, global NGOs, and so much more.

As the CEO of Change Catalyst, Melinda works with her clients and partners to solve diversity and inclusion issues together. Using her background in storytelling, behavioral science and large-scale culture change, she is a strategic advisor for companies, innovation hubs, and governments around the world.

She also co-founded Tech Inclusion, a series of global solutions-focused conferences, where she has partnered with over 450 tech companies and community organizations and hosted over 50 solutions-focused diversity and inclusion events. Previously, Melinda was a marketing and culture executive, and award-winning documentary filmmaker.

She speaks, mentors and writes about diversity and inclusion, inclusive innovation, empathy, and entrepreneurship. She is the author of the book, How to Be an Ally, and she hosts the popular Leading With Empathy and Allyship Podcast.

Resources in this episode include:

Melinda Briana Epler's Book: How to Be An Ally

Melinda's TedTalk: 3 Ways to Be a Better Ally in the Workplace

Melinda's Podcast: Leading with Empathy and Allyship

More of Melinda's writings on Medium.com

Change Catalyst website

Change Catalyst's State of Allyship Report

Connect with Melinda:

Twitter: @mbrianaepler

Instagram: @changecatalysts

Facebook

LinkedIn

Click here for a full transcript of this episode.