Creating True Disability Inclusion In The Workplace

10/12/22 • 51 min

In Episode 100 (recorded live), Melinda is joined by an incredible panel of disability advocates and experts to discuss how individuals and employee resource groups (ERGs) can drive important conversations and actions that create true disability inclusion in the workplace. Catarina Rivera and John Marble share how managers can build inclusive team environments by embracing accessible design for all and being proactive in providing accommodations at work. They also discuss the importance of supporting self-advocacy, normalizing disability, addressing intersectionality, and centering people with disabilities when working towards belonging.About Catarina Rivera (she/her/ella)
Catarina Rivera, MSEd, MPH, CPACC is a disability public speaker, DEI consultant, and content creator with over 14 years of experience in the public sector. Catarina works with companies to improve disability awareness, inclusion, and accessibility. She is the founder of Blindish Latina, a platform smashing disability stigmas through storytelling and advocacy. Catarina has worn hearing aids from a young age and was diagnosed with a progressive vision disability at 17 years old. About John Marble (he/him)
John Marble is the founder of Pivot Neurodiversity and is a writer and speaker on innovation, autism, and neurodiversity. In 2009, he was appointed by President Obama to the United States Office of Personnel Management. There, his work focused on workforce development, innovation, and incorporating Silicon Valley's best practices into government. He has also served as an advisor and aide to Secretary Hillary Clinton, Senator John Kerry, and Vice President Al Gore. John lives in San Francisco. He is autistic.For more, visit https://ally.cc.
Connect W/ Catarina
LI: linkedin.com/in/catarinarivera/
FB: facebook.com/blindishlatina
TW: twitter.com/catarinarivera
IG: instagram.com/blindishlatina/Connect W/ John
LI: linkedin.com/in/johnmarblejr/
TW: twitter.com/JHMarble
IG: instagram.com/pivotdiversity/Connect W/ Us
YT: youtube.com/@empovia
TW: twitter.com/empoviaco
FB: facebook.com/empovia
IG: instagram.com/empovia/
LI: linkedin.com/company/empovia/

Production
Creator/Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina RugelesThis episode is sponsored by First Tech Federal Credit Union, a member-owned financial institution that is powered by a people-before-profit philosophy. Learn more at https://www.firsttechfed.com/.
[ID: LEA promo and photos of Catarina, light-skinned Latine woman with brown hair, hoop earrings, a black and beige top, and a beige jacket; John, a White man with blond hair and a brown beard, a black t-shirt, and a navy z

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Previous Episode

Building Psychological Safety And Trust On Teams With Amy Edmondson

In Episode 99, Amy Edmondson, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, joins Melinda to discuss how leaders can build psychological safety and trust on their teams. They explore the benefits of a psychologically safe workplace, signs that may indicate if a workplace is safe, and how psychological safety enables innovation and positive team performance. They also discuss effective strategies for establishing and maintaining trust on diverse teams and in hybrid workplaces.
About Amy Edmondson (she/her)
Amy C. Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, a chair established to support the study of human interactions that lead to the creation of successful enterprises that contribute to the betterment of society.
Edmondson has been recognized by the biannual Thinkers50 global ranking of management thinkers since 2011, and most recently was ranked #1 in 2021; she also received that organization’s Breakthrough Idea Award in 2019, and Talent Award in 2017. She studies teaming, psychological safety, and organizational learning, and her articles have been published in numerous academic and management outlets, including Administrative Science Quarterly, Academy of Management Journal, Harvard Business Review, and California Management Review. Her most recent book, The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth (Wiley, 2019), offers a practical guide for organizations serious about success in the modern economy and has been translated into 15 languages.
Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!
For more about Empovia, and to join us for our monthly live event, visit https://ally.cc. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.
Connect With Amy Edmondson On Social
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amedmondson/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmyCEdmondsonConnect With Us On Social
YouTube: youtube.com/@empovia
Twitter: twitter.com/empoviaco
Facebook: facebook.com/empovia
Instagram: instagram.com/empovia/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empovia/

Production Team
Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles
[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Amy Edmondson, a White woman with short silver-blonde hair and black coat; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

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Next Episode

Mindfulness-Based Support For Allyship & Empathy With Rhonda V. Magee

In Episode 101, Rhonda V. Magee, Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco, joins Melinda in a conversation about the practice of mindfulness as a way to build sustainability into allyship and empathy. They look into ways we can deepen our mindfulness to support ourselves through healing intergenerational trauma. They explore how to be better allies by learning to stay open to making mistakes and being corrected when our actions cause harm to others. They also talk about how leaders and managers can help teams develop mindfulness practices to make everyone feel more included.
About Rhonda V. Magee (she/her)
A sought-after mindfulness teacher and a thought and practice innovator of mindfulness-based social justice principles, concepts, and practices, Rhonda V. Magee, M.A., J.D., is Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco.

Magee has spent more than twenty years integrating mindfulness into higher education, leadership, and everyday social engagement. Her work explores the intersections of anti-racist education, social justice, and contemplative practices, offering trauma-sensitive practices to support healing, resilience, personal wellbeing, and flourishing together. Grounded in the science of mindfulness, wellbeing and resilience, she integrates storytelling, movement, journaling and other research-based experiential practices for strengthening our inner resources for navigating a world of constant change.
Find Leading With Empathy & Allyship useful? Subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!
For more about Empovia, and to join us for our monthly live event, visit https://ally.cc. There, you’ll also find educational resources and highlights from this episode.
Connect With Rhonda V. Magee On Social
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhondavmagee/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rhonda.magee/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rvmagee
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rvmagee/
Connect With Us On Social
YouTube: youtube.com/@empovia
Twitter: twitter.com/empoviaco
Facebook: facebook.com/empovia
Instagram: instagram.com/empovia/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empovia/

Production Team
Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler
Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan
Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth & Nina Rugeles
[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Rhonda V. Magee, a petite Black woman with short, curled black hair, plaid gray blazer, white button-down shirt, and pendant necklace; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with blonde and red hair, glasses, red shirt, and black jacket.]

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