How do you tame your curiosity and limit your questions when talking to a man who sings opera, speaks five languages, and consults with hundreds of organizations ranging among the fields of education, financial services, beauty and fashion, non-profits, and the arts? This was our task when interviewing Dr. Derrick Gay on the topic of helping school communities flourish.  

Dr. Gay is a globally recognized intercultural competency strategist dedicated to fostering cultures of dignity and respect. With multifaceted expertise as an international speaker, author, researcher, educator, and university lecturer, Dr. Gay empowers individuals and organizations to deepen belonging and empathy by cultivating shared language, raising awareness, and fostering inclusive personal behaviors and organizational practices and policies.

Drawing from his extensive international experience, Dr. Gay designs meaningful strategies that resonate across various industries and cultures. His approach, informed by research and practitioner experiences in over 50 countries, facilitates meaningful connections and promotes belonging on a global scale.

Fluent in five languages, Dr. Gay has supported a broad clientele spanning the globe, including over 800 organizations in education, financial services, beauty and fashion, non-profits, and the arts. Beyond international schools, his clients range from Yale to Oberlin Conservatory, Phantom of the Opera to Tom Ford, The Guggenheim Museum to Barilla — and Sesame Street. 

Dr. Gay has served as adjunct faculty/lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School, International Fashion Academy, Parsons Paris, and Teachers College at Columbia University. He has also served on several education-related boards.

Our guiding question was, “What pathways should school communities follow as they seek to flourish in terms of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging?”

Dr. Gay unpacked several topics, including 

• Current trends in international schools in terms of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging
• (Re) defining the terms “diversity,” “inclusion,” and “belonging”
• Approaches to use in order to encourage buy-in and minimize pushback within school communities
• Action steps that schools can take around the interconnection between Dignity, Respect, Inclusion, and Belonging, including restorative justice practices
• Building a culture of belonging in international schools 
• Thoughts about how Schools of Education can offer DIB learning opportunities

Dr. Gay’s Contact Information: Website | LinkedIn | IG

The show was recorded on July 18, 2024. 

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Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.