Nadia Mian is the Senior Program Director at the Ralph W. Voorhees Center for Civic Engagement at Rutgers University. She visits the Inclusion Catalyst to discuss a very innovative faith-based housing initiative. Key Takeaways Dr. Mian is leading research on faith-based affordable housing, including a database of congregational housing projects across the U.S. California's SB4 legislation allows houses of worship to bypass local zoning laws for affordable housing development, setting a potential...
Jun 24, 2025•26 min
Theresa Lau, Senior Policy Counsel, Eradicating Poverty at the Southern Poverty Law Center , visits with Mickey again to discuss the proposed federal budget cuts and their potential impacts on social programs and states. The budget bill passed by the House contains massive tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, while making deep cuts to social safety net programs like Medicaid and SNAP that help low-income families. The SNAP (food stamps) program would see $300 billion in cuts over 10 years,...
Jun 17, 2025•26 min
Theresa Lau is Senior Policy Counsel, Eradicating Poverty at the Southern Poverty Law Center . Theresa and Mickey discuss the proposed federal budget cuts and their potential impacts on social programs and states. Key Takeaways Proposed budget includes hundreds of billions in cuts to critical human needs programs like Medicaid and SNAP Cuts aim to fund tax breaks for corporations and wealthy individuals Changes will disproportionately impact low-income families, people with disabilities, and oth...
Jun 10, 2025•33 min
Dr. Johanna Moya Fábregas visits the SnapCast. Dr. Fábregas is the Executive Director of Con Mi MADRE , a nonprofit dedicated to empowering Latina girls and their loved ones through education and emotional support. We talk about Texas State Bill-Seventeen, which is known informally as “the anti-DEI law,” shutting down diversity, equity and inclusion offices like university LGBTQ+ centers. Among the things we discuss: SB-17 is changing the nonprofit landscape, it's important to "SB-17 proof" your...
Oct 01, 2024•29 min
Carla Kopp is a game Designer, Developer, and Publisher. Her company is Weird Giraffe Games . Mickey talks with Carla to scratch the surface of diversity and inclusion in the gaming and game development world. Carla believes the content of games can change the world. We discuss how to make the game development world more accessible to everyone, and what a safe-space means to the development process. Inclusion Catalyst invites you to become our next guest host. Learn more here: http://inclusionca...
Jun 25, 2024•20 min
[This episode was originally published as part of the Nonprofit SnapCast.] Christal M. Cherry is a nationally recognized nonprofit board consultant and certified leadership coach. She is the Principal and CEO of The Board Pro . We talk about Board Recruiting with an eye on Diversity and Equity. Changing beliefs, behaviors, and practices related to board service and leadership can be challenging, but with the right coaching and tailored training you can steer your organization toward a sustainabl...
Jun 20, 2024•30 min
Today on the show, guest host Josh Miller of Josh Miller Ventures and IDEAS xLab talks to Lori Frisher as part of his Uncovering Your Value series. Frisher is a leader, an advocate, an entrepreneur, an athlete, a two-time cancer survivor, and a public speaker who dares to dream beyond her present circumstances to discover what is possible. She was born with severe hearing loss and relies on two cochlear implants and lip-reading to communicate. Through her company Ready or Not Media! , Lori offer...
May 29, 2023•37 min
Today on the show, guest host Josh Miller of Josh Miller Ventures and IDEAS xLab talks to Marija Abney as part of his Uncovering Your Value series. Abney is a community organizer, the arts curator at The Soapbox Presents, a Broadway performer and actress having starred in movies including both Black Panther films and Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Learn more about her work at The Soapbox presents here . Covering: downplaying, hiding or filtering parts of ourselves at work, with di...
May 15, 2023•46 min
Today on the show, queer changemaker and public speaker Josh Miller kicks off a multi-part series on the topic of covering: downplaying, hiding or filtering parts of ourselves at work, with different social groups, at school and with family. Miller believes that being visible can shift culture, and that sharing our stories can be the catalyst that changes how people see and move through the world. During the episode, he features excerpts from interviews with corporate, nonprofit and political le...
May 01, 2023•27 min
Today on the show, Julien speaks with Richard Mireles , the Director of Communications at the Oakland-based non-profit CROP Organization . CROP stands for Creating Restorative Opportunities and Programs and their mission is to reimagine reentry (for justice-involved folks) through a holistic, human-centered approach to advocacy, housing, and skill development for the future of work. Richard's story is a testament to the power of resilience, transformation, and dedication. After spending nearly t...
Apr 29, 2023•42 min
Join LeNaya Hezel, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) as she chats with three alumni of the WSP program, Army veteran Chris Twigg, Navy veteran Desaree Edwards, and Marine Corps veteran Jessica Nelson. In this episode, they’ll discuss life after military service, the role higher education plays in transitioning to civilian life, owning the veteran narrative, and their plans to continue to serve and “make the world a better place.” Know an enlisted veter...
Apr 17, 2023•35 min
Join LeNaya Hezel, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) as she chats with WSP’s director of education, Dr. Cassie Sanchez, about how the WSP program supports transitioning service members in their pursuit of higher education by meeting the nontraditional student veteran community “where they are.” The two also discuss how using an assets-based approach ensures inclusivity is embedded in WSP’s culture. Know an enlisted veteran looking to jumpstart their ed...
Apr 03, 2023•26 min
Today on the show, Julien speaks with Maurice Jones , the CEO of the non-profit OneTen . OneTen is a coalition of leading chief executives and their companies who are coming together to upskill, hire, and promote one million Black Americans over the next 10 years who do not yet have a four-year degree into family-sustaining jobs with opportunities for advancement. Prior to joining OneTen, Maurice was the President and CEO of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), one of the country's ...
Mar 20, 2023•44 min
Today on the show, Julien speaks with Alana Beard. A philanthropist and entrepreneur, Alana utilizes the power of business and sports to shift how women and girls experience opportunities. She is the Founder of Transition Play , a talent firm that specializes in helping women athletes live prolific lives across their personal, professional, and public domains beyond the game. Alana is the Founder and President of the 318 Foundation , a nonprofit committed to improving college, career, and life o...
Feb 01, 2023•34 min
Today on the show, Julien speaks with Ashanti Branch. Ashanti is a key-note speaker, advisor to the US Surgeon General, a Fulbright Fellow and 4x TedX Speaker. His work with youth has been featured at SXSW, on CNN with Lisa Ling, on the Kelly Clarkson Show, and in the documentary about American masculinity 'The Mask You Live In', which premiered at Sundance Film Festival. He is the Founder and Executive Director of the Ever Forward Club (EFC) , a non-profit organization that ensures underserved ...
Jan 16, 2023•43 min
Today on the show, Julien speaks with Jamey Harvey. Jamey is a technologist and white guy from Washington DC who in 1999, with a collective of multi-racial friends, founded the 2020 Project. Their goal and commitment to one another was to be accountable to each other for pursuing the end of racism in the United States by the year 2020. Though the group dissolved in the early 2000s, Jamey has successfully founded multiple tech organizations and the 2020 Project’s founding principles have underpin...
Dec 19, 2022•36 min
Today on the Inclusion Catalyst, Julien is joined by Sid Pailla, Founder and CEO of Sunny Day Fund , a fintech and financial inclusion company that wants to achieve financial security with dignity for 142 million American workers. They are revolutionizing the way that Americans save for emergencies and support employers in establishing financial security as a competitive employee benefit. As of June 2022, 61% of Americans were living paycheck to paycheck, a dire statistic and indicator of our ov...
Dec 08, 2022•38 min
Today on the show, Julien is joined by James and Krista White, the father and daughter team behind the book Anti-Racist Leadership: How to Transform Corporate Culture in a Race-Conscious World (Harvard Review Press). Their book is based on the indisputable premise that every leader must be anti-racist, actively seeking opportunities to create more inclusive environments through both deed and word. Centering on James’ experience as a Black executive, CEO, and parent, and Krista’s perspective as a...
Oct 27, 2022•35 min
Julien and Ruchika Tulshyan discuss their shared experience of being third-culture kids and how that relates to the importance of cultural humility in the workplace. Adults and children who qualify as third-culture have a unique and sometimes incomplete experience of cultural identity formation. While they might struggle with feeling a sense of true belonging in whichever of their home cultures they’re in, they are often incredibly adept at building bridges across difference and demonstrating th...
Sep 25, 2022•39 min
Today on the show, Julien and Bill Hawthorne discuss the evolution of diversity, equity, and inclusion in America and in the workplace. In recent years, the rise of the #MeToo, #BlackLivesMatter, #StopAAPIHate movements have forced Americans to reflect on the persistent social injustices in our country. The harsh and bitter truths of these inequities have repercussions in the corporate sphere. Companies are scrambling to implement effective DEI strategies and programming because employees and cu...
Sep 09, 2022•38 min
Today on the show, Julien and Rahimeh Ramezany discuss and deconstruct the bias and lack of inclusivity that Muslim Americans experience. Together, they’ll explore and give context to the issues that marginalized religious groups face, identify ways to ensure more equitable access for Muslim Americans in predominantly non-Muslim spaces, and discuss other issues affecting her community. We're excited to welcome to the show Rahimeh Ramezany (she/her), a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strat...
Aug 05, 2022•35 min
Today on the show, we discuss and celebrate the beauty and resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community. In the wake of recent decisions made by the Supreme Court, I sit down with a prolific author, change-maker, and advocate of the queer community to discuss issues that affect the trans community. We’re excited to welcome to the show Lily Zheng (they/them), a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategist and consultant who works with organizational leaders to turn their positive intentions into pos...
Jul 02, 2022
Today on the show, we’re discussing male allyship and exploring some of the common deflections we hear from men that keep them from getting into the game. We’re excited to welcome back to the show, Dave Smith, co-author of the book, Good Guys: How Men Can Be Better Allies for Women in the Workplace and an Associate Professor at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. A former Navy pilot and squadron commander, Dave is also a sociologist and focuses his research in gender, work, and family issue...
May 31, 2022•35 min
We are excited to have Greg Gale, the creator of the DEI Global Fundamentals and Leading at Liberty Mutual, which ran for 5,000 US managers and 2,000 managers globally. For over 25 years, Gale has held DEI leadership positions in Fortune 100 companies and non-profit organizations and implemented DEI solutions throughout the US and globally. He is skilled at developing DEI strategy, coaching leaders to build inclusion skills and creating insightful and actionable group learning experiences. Greg ...
Mar 29, 2022•30 min
Welcome to our discussion on being an advocate for Inclusion, Equity and Diversity. I am James Connor, Fractional CTO and Co-Founder of FlexibleSites. Join us as we talk with Lauren Tucker, Founder of Do What Matters and Garry Johnson, Founder of Bison Venture Partners. Be prepared to dive into the following: How we each became involved in DEI What does DEI mean to us How to respond to someone who says we hire for skill and talent rather than diversity What advice we have for DEI advocates Conne...
Mar 08, 2022•52 min
Shared from the Nonprofit SnapCast archives: David Jernigan is the President and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA). For many companies and organizations, the past year has provoked critical conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and inspired many to take necessary steps to address systemic racism. While the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA) has been advocating for racial equity for over 80 years, they too have been on their own DEI ...
Mar 03, 2022•20 min
Today on the show, we’re excited to have Robert Baker, the CEO of Potentia Talent Consulting Limited. There, Rob advises several companies on their approach to the D&I market. Rob has over 4 decades of disrupting the work culture for the betterment of historically disadvantaged employees. Prior to starting Potentia Talent Consulting Limited, Rob was with Mercer as the Leader of Diversity & Inclusion Consulting for the International Region. Prior to that, Rob spent some 15 years as a Glob...
Jan 25, 2022•35 min
On today’s first episode of a four-part miniseries, Chuck Shelton of Greatheart Consulting speaks with Mita Mallick, a corporate change-maker and the current head of inclusion, equity, and impact at Carta. Mita is a top LinkedIn voice of 2020 and the proud co-host of the Brown Table Talk Podcast with Dee C. Marshall. In addition, she has led branding work with iconic products like AVEENO, AVON Color Cosmetics, Chapstick, and Dove. Mita and I have had the chance to do some great DEI work together...
Nov 22, 2021•36 min
Mickey visits with former Atlanta Mayoral Candidate Kirsten Elise Dunn to talk briefly about the mayoral race, and freedom from candidacy. Kirsten will continue to work to heal the city. Find more about her upcoming FREE seminar for all business owners: Recession-Proof Your Business: https://kirstendunnformayor.com/events/ Inclusion Catalyst invites you to become our next guest host. Learn more here: http://inclusioncatalyst.com/join-us-as-a-guest-host/ This podcast is powered by Pinecast ....
Nov 09, 2021•24 min
This episode originally aired as a Nonprofit SnapCast episode in August of 2021. Brian Jenkins has impacted thousands of youth and adults through his nonprofit, Entrenuity . Founded in 1999, Entrenuity began with direct youth services in entrepreneurship education and then expanded to include adult entrepreneurs and returning citizens, as well as training Facilitators to teach entrepreneurship using StartingUp Now: 24 Steps to Launch Your Own Business , written by Brian. Additionally, Entrenuity...
Oct 18, 2021•21 min
