What is Needed to Create a Culture of Belonging in the Workplace?
May 17, 2022
Hosted by Christine Erickson
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Guest Information
Episode Description
People without children, as a collective community, have yet to be recognized as a marginalized group, within the framework of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB). How do we begin to imagine the experience of truly belonging in the environments we work, and beyond? What does it mean when organizations focus on only specific aspects within the spectrum of DEIB frameworks? ‘Diversity’ and ‘Inclusion’ seem to be most often used in naming such initiatives, leaving ‘Equity’ and “Belonging’ out of the equation, which is both curious and perhaps telling of organizational culture, from the start. ‘Belonging’ appears to be most often excluded from this framework. And if not for belonging and equity, what is the true underpinning of the DEIB framework? Today’s guest is an expert on belonging in the workplace, and is nationally recognized as a diversity, equity, and inclusion thought leader. Rhodes Perry has written two incredible books on this topic, ‘Belonging at Work: Everyday Actions You Can Take to Cultivate an Inclusive Organization’ (2018), and ‘Imagine Belonging: Your Inclusive Leadership Guide to Building an Equitable Workplace’ (2022). We will discuss what is key to creating a culture of belonging, and what this means for people without children. We will also examine the experience of social exclusion and the related individual and organizational impact of not choosing to create a culture of belonging, in the workplace.
New Legacy Radio
Tuesday at 10 AM Pacific Time on VoiceAmerica Variety Channel
New Legacy Radio is a social justice platform about people without children. This space is intended to bring visibility and change to our experiences, to connect with our allies and anyone committed to learning more from our community, which is reaching an estimated one-third of the global population. The show addresses the social, systemic, and structural realities perpetuated by reproductive and relational identity bias. We discuss the impact of pronatalist behavior and policies, through the perspectives of our community and allies, as we work to achieve meaningful change that recognizes the truly diverse, intersectional continuum of our experiences. New Legacy Radio is brought to you by New Legacy Institute (NLI), which is policy institute, focused on the global culture and impact of pronatalism. The Institute’s social justice advocacy serves the growing, global community of people without children. NLI’s mission is to generate constructive change in cultural, organizational, and institutional policies that exhibit biases against people without children.
Christine Erickson
Christine Erickson (she/her) is the founder of New Legacy Institute. The Institute’s purpose is to advocate for change around social realities and policy inequities faced by those who do not have children. Christine is involuntarily childless by circumstance (cxc), and touched on her experiences in her award-winning book, The Mother Within: A Guide to Accepting Your Childless Journey. (2015) A revised edition is forthcoming. Her current writing focuses on the unacknowledged impact of women who are childless/childfree due to circumstances. Christine is dedicated to advancing the diverse narratives and experiences of people without children. She is a staunch advocate of our community’s equitable inclusion and belonging in the workplace, media & entertainment narratives, and making visible the ways in which our community is impacted by culture and policy, and the change we seek. As an executive and entrepreneur, she has lived and worked globally, for the majority of her career. She is an experienced executive coach, leadership educator, and the founder of the Center for Consent-Driven Leadership. She is writing a forthcoming book: Consent-Driven: Rethinking the Culture of Leadership. Christine is an advocate for justice reform in family law and court procedures, involuntary pro se representation, and multifaceted accountability regarding violence against women. She has also consulted on international women’s law and development, gender equity and healthcare access initiatives.
