Leading DEI Conversations

group of workers at a board brainstorming

You’re ready to:

  • be a trusted resource to support other people on their DEI journeys, but don’t know where to start
  • take on leading internal deep conversations on DEI, but you’re not confident in your facilitation skills
  • discuss complex issues with your colleagues, but you get frustrated with circular conversations that go nowhere
  • get comfortable addressing pivotal DEI-related issues in your organization

DEI-related topics can be challenging to discuss, especially when you don’t have enough support and the right resources or skills needed to facilitate these sensitive conversations. It can be even more difficult when you’re not aware of your own identities, possible trigger points and how you can take care of yourself and others when it matters most. 

Over the course of five weeks, you’ll gain support and tools that you can put into use when you’re navigating conversations related to identity, privilege, power, and organizational change.

Who this program is for:

Aspiring facilitators, trainers, HR leads, managers and individual contributors interested in gaining skills and tools to support and lead DEI-related conversations in the workplace

What this program includes:

DEI-related topics can be challenging to discuss, especially when you don’t have enough support and the right resources or skills needed to facilitate these sensitive conversations. It can be even more difficult when you’re not aware of your own identities, possible trigger points and how you can take care of yourself and others when it matters most.

Over the course of five weeks, you’ll gain support and tools that you can put into use when you’re navigating conversations related to identity, privilege, power, and organizational change. To maintain the high quality of this program and ensure individual learning, there are a limited number of spots available.

What you’ll get:
  • Five (2) hour live workshops via zoom
  • Certificate of completion and badge for your LinkedIn profile

And more is included with your program enrollment:

  • Post-Session interactions
  • A dedicated space for participants to communicate with each other, share resources and/or ask questions through our community platform, Mighty Networks.
  • Toolkits – Individual guides containing all of the topics we’ll be covering during each session
  • Video Library- All sessions will be recorded and uploaded for inspiration and guidance
  • Resources- Our hand-picked list of DEI-related foundational readings, videos, newsletters, etc.
  • Participants are eligible for 10 SHRM re-certification professional development credits (PDCs) upon successful program completion
Welcoming Community

Be in community with like-minded professionals who are looking to enhance their DEI facilitation skills while also learning from and with each other through access to our DEI Practitioner space on Mighty Networks upon completion of the program.

Scripts and Scenarios

Scripted language on ways to respond to difficult questions, statements or behaviors. Participants will receive this document at the end of the program.

Watch the Info Session Recording

Watch the Breaking Barriers Info Session and get all of your questions answered by Breaking Barriers Coach, Rachel Sadler, She+ Geeks Out Co-CEO Rachel Murray, and Public Programs Manager, Akyanna Smith!

Program Agenda

Over the course of five weeks, you’ll gain support and tools that you can put into use when you’re navigating conversations related to identity, privilege, power, and organizational change. To maintain the high quality of this program and ensure individual learning, there are a limited number of spots available.

1

Session One: Foundations of DEI Facilitation

  • Your Role as a Facilitator
  • Facilitation in the DEI Space
  • Key Considerations

1

2

2

Session Two: Recognizing, Addressing, and Leveraging Privilege and Power

  • Defining Key Terminology
  • Leveraging Privilege and Power
  • Practice Scenarios

3

Session Three: Holding Space for Self and Others

  • Physical, Emotional, and Psychological Safety
  • Supporting Yourself and Colleagues During Difficult Moments
  • Frameworks and Methods

3

4

4

Session Four: Facilitation Practice and Skill Building

  • Peer-to-peer Feedback
  • Knowledge Gathering/Sharing
  • Group Coaching

5

Session Five: Practicing Accountability in a Holistic Manner

  • Being Accountable
  • Self, Communal, and Structural Care
  • Action and Commitment Plan

5

PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK

“I’ve really appreciated learning from you and Kia the last few weeks in the SGO Leading DEI Conversations course and feel like you have both given me such fundamental rolls to support the facilitation and community building work that I’ve happily fallen into over the last three years.”

“Leading DEI Conversations was a very valuable course; it provided a safe space to ask questions related to this work and the facilitators shared tips and tricks on how to handle some of the more difficult challenges that can come up. Our cohort established a strong community of support and I hope those connections will continue to develop even now that the course has ended. I learned a lot of applicable skills, not just related to DEI facilitation by relevant to my everyday workplace environment.”

“It has been the highlight for the summer! It’s been such a great space to learn from others.”

“First off, thank you so much to you and Kia for creating such an incredible space over the past few weeks for deep and open conversations. It’s been a wonderful experience full of learnings, and I’m bummed that it’s coming to an end! I definitely hope that the group will stay active and in touch as we move forward.”

"I don't think I have ever had any training like this. It was eye opening and inspirational while thought provoking."

"I liked the material and the space. The discussions were great and provided us all a chance to speak up about how we were feeling at a particular time or about a particular topic. I was able to hear different perspectives from the group as well as different perspectives."

"The sessions really enforced that it's not about solving these massive cultural challenges, like racism. Instead, it's about creating space for us all to recognize the impact of racism, heterosexism, sexism, etc. on our daily lives and daily work lives. Naming it and working hard to reduce its negative personal impact wherever possible within our company culture for the people we work with is a much better way to be an ally."

"The sessions reinforced that it's not about solving massive cultural challenges, like racism. Instead, it's about creating space to recognize the impact of racism, heterosexism, sexism, etc. on our daily work lives. Naming it and working hard to reduce its negative personal impact wherever possible within our company culture for the people we work with is a much better way to be an ally."

We'll be announcing our next cohort soon. Sign up to be the first to know!