S4 E1
Say More with Daisy Auger-Domínguez
Say More is a community where we love, learn and lift each other up so I was thrilled to kick off the new season with inclusion revolutionary Daisy Auger-Domínguez, who has dedicated her life’s work to bringing a sense of belonging to the workplace.
Daisy has been in the business of advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in major corporations like Google, Viacom and Walt Disney. Now, she is the Chief People Officer at VICE Media Group and author of the new book Inclusion Revolution: The Essential Guide to Dismantling Racial Inequity in the Workplace.
Catch the full episode here or watch below.
Daisy and I did a deep dive on how we’re seeing equity play out in the spaces we live and work in, and talked about what it takes to create inclusive workplaces — and the power of centering joy and connection.
Here’s what I’m taking away from this conversation:
After the murder of George Floyd and the collective racial reckoning that followed, there’s been this “de-risking” of equity work in mainstream and corporate America. We can use this moment to ensure our workplaces have sustainable systems around racial equity.
“The things I talk about at work now, I needed to get permission for before. I needed to get permission to speak about white supremacy. I needed to get permission to speak about racism…then all of a sudden companies started ‘investing’ in this work.” - Daisy Auger-Domínguez
Throughout our conversation, I was reminded that it’s our ability to connect with others that makes us powerful. Human beings need and want to belong, it’s a part of our shared humanity. By creating inclusive environments, we honor our interdependence as humans.
“Belonging is creating this sense of psychological safety. That sense of ‘I’m being seen and I’m being valued and I’m being respected for who I am and what I bring to the workplace.’” - Daisy Auger-Domínguez
To create these moments of connection and belonging in the workplace, Daisy tries to leave every conversation knowing that she tried to create a place of trust and empathy. This really resonated with me. It’s not about being nice or conflict-averse, it’s about moving through this tension in order to reimagine and re-architect the environments we live and work in — and showing that what’s in store for us is better than anything we’ve experienced so far. Heather McGhee talks powerfully about this in her book The Sum of Us.
Daisy’s mantra: “Engage in this work as if change is possible.”
To seize this moment, honor our shared humanity, and hold on to the belief that change is possible, we need to show up as our fullest selves. Continue on the course of being unapologetically who you are – we have nothing to prove, we have work to do, and we need to inspire each other to keep going.
“Me shining my light does not diminish other people’s lights. It actually shines everyone’s lights brighter.” - Daisy Auger-Domínguez
What resonated most with you? Let us know in the comments.
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