Episode 013: DEI Behind the Scenes with Willie Jackson
Subscribe to Facilitator Forum on Apple Podcasts // Spotify // Stitcher
Summary
In the final episode of Facilitator Forum, we meet the talented Willie Jackson, a leader and facilitator who is on a mission to bring more ease and lightness to the notoriously fraught subject of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). We talk about who “should” be facilitating DEI discussions, explore interesting trends across cultural and generational divides, and learn tactical best practices for leading DEI conversations. You’ll also catch a cringey laugh from one of my own embarrassing DEI facilitation fumbles! Ultimately, Willie teaches us that there’s a role for everyone to play in building bridges across humanity through this important work.
Today’s Guest
Willie (he/him) is a keynote speaker, consultant, and facilitator who helps organizations advance vital conversations that unlock connections across differences. His belief in the transformative power of media to change narratives led him to found Abernathy, a magazine for black men backed by companies like Mailchimp, Atlassian, and WeWork. In its four-year run, Abernathy published 400+ articles and produced a series of curated events for diverse professionals across the nation.
Willie served as Founding Technical Lead of Seth Godin’s altMBA program for high-performing individuals who want to level up and lead, and CTO of The Domino Project, an award-winning publishing company founded by business luminary Seth Godin and powered by Amazon.com. He's been featured in documentaries (I’m Fine, Thanks), on HGTV (House Hunters International), and in print (Icarus Deception). Willie is an avid houseplant aficionado and loves to spread the gospel of self-watering planters whenever possible.
Resources
ReadySet, the DEI consulting firm where Willie leads Learning & Development
Y-Vonne Hutchinson, CEO and Founder of ReadySet + her book How to Talk to Your Boss About Race: Speaking Up Without Getting Shut Down
Jenny Sauer-Klein, the master facilitator who gave Willie his first facilitation opportunities and encouraged him to pursue it further (check out Jenny’s interview on Facilitator Forum, Invoking Playfulness as a Mindset)
The Culture Conference, where Willie got his start facilitating - and where you can find him again in January 2023!
Thank you for joining us!