About The Guest(s): Melanie Ryan is a leadership and culture development expert with over 20 years of experience. She is the founder of a nonprofit called Beck's Place and has a background in finance. Melanie is passionate about creating equitable teams and facilitating individual growth.

Summary: Melanie Ryan discusses her decision to leave her corporate job and dedicate her career to diversity, equity, and inclusion work. She emphasizes the importance of change management and guiding people through the process of change. Melanie shares personal experiences that shaped her commitment to social justice, including witnessing racism in Mississippi and advocating for her biracial and LGBTQ+ children. She highlights the need for systemic change and the challenges of navigating resistance and fear. Melanie also emphasizes the importance of self-care and setting boundaries in this work.

Key Takeaways:

• Fear of change is a universal human trait, and it can be a barrier to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
• It is important to be clear and set expectations when working with clients, and sometimes it is necessary to say no or end a project if the client is not ready for the work.
• Individual impact and creating safe spaces for marginalized communities can be a rewarding aspect of this work.
• Systemic change is the ultimate goal, but it requires a fundamental shift in the way we currently operate.
• Belonging is a key factor in increasing academic scores and overall well-being, and it is important to create spaces where everyone feels seen and heard.

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