Diversity & Inclusion Symposium

Main Street Station | First Floor North Shed | 1500 East Main Street | Richmond

Embark on a transformative journey with Richmond SHRM at the 2024 Inclusion Symposium, where our theme, "A Shift in Time: Creating a More Inclusive Future," goes beyond the conventional narrative. In this era of evolving landscapes, we transcend the mere business case for Diversity, acknowledging that our triumph lies in uniting perspectives and unleashing the full spectrum of ideas and talents within our collective organizations.

Get ready for sessions that extend beyond the ordinary, providing actionable insights to propel your organization into a future defined by inclusivity. We delve into the dynamics of fostering a workplace where every individual thrives, breaking barriers and creating conditions for unparalleled employee experiences. Our distinguished speakers bring diverse perspectives, shedding light on the evolving landscape and offering pragmatic steps for progress on this collective journey.

Join us at the forefront of change, where "A Shift in Time" isn't just a theme—it's a call to action for creating a future that embraces and celebrates every dimension of talent. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to shape a more inclusive tomorrow!

In Person registration is now closed. On-Demand registration ends May 16.

Symposium Agenda Speakers and Presentations Speaker Bios Symposium Sponsors Sponsorship Opportunities Register On-Demand

Agenda

8:15 am – 9:00 am	Registration/Breakfast/Networking
9:00 am – 9:10 am	Welcome and Announcements
9:10 am – 10:15 am	Navigating the DEI Journey with an Industry Leader Suzanne Cardwell - DEI Leader
10:15 am – 10:30 am	Break
10:30 am – 12:05 pm	The Energy of Belonging: 9 Research-based Ideas to Spark Workplace Community Wendy Gates Corbett - Signature Presentations, LLC
12:05 pm – 12:50 pm	Lunch
12:50 pm – 1:10 pm	Welcome Back/SHRM Update
1:10 pm – 2:40 pm	Beyond the Black Ceiling: Addressing New Obstacles in Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in the Contemporary Workplace Kevin Woodson - University of Richmond
2:40 pm – 2:55 pm	Snack Break
2:55 pm – 3:45 pm	Empowering Change: Insights from Leaders in Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Practitioner Panel
3:45pm - 3:55pm	Break
3:55 pm – 5:00 pm	Inclusion: The Next Frontier Doc Jana
5:00 pm	Wrap Up

Sessions and Speakers

Navigating the DEI Journey with an Industry Leader

Suzanne Cardwell
DEI Leader

Join us for an insightful Fireside Chat with Suzanne Cardwell, a seasoned DEI leader, who will share her journey leading teams in the pursuit of proactive inclusion while guiding leaders through the formidable process of organizational-wide culture change. Delve into her experiences, challenges, and successes as a DEI professional, gaining valuable insights and strategies along the way. Engage in a candid dialogue as she addresses questions from conference participants, offering practical advice and inspiring anecdotes to guide your own DEI initiatives. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from a trailblazer in the field and ignite meaningful impact within your organization.

The Energy of Belonging: 9 Research-based Ideas to Spark Workplace Community

Wendy Gates Corbett
Belonging Researcher, Adjunct Professor, Organizational Consultant, Author

Many think belonging is this big, heady concept that requires an expensive, organization-wide transformation initiative. Not so! Every single employee can spark belonging right now wherever they sit in an organization because the energy of belonging is fueled or drained one human interaction at a time. Go beyond the "what" and "why" of most programs and dive into the "how" with actionable, research-based ideas for building belonging that you and your employees can implement tomorrow. The program and ideas are based on Wendy's framework, The Energy of Belonging® and her research identifying specific behaviors that build belonging in organizations using her Belonging at Work Survey©.

In this delightful, interactive program, Wendy Gates Corbett, CPTD, CDEIC, brings the often-complicated construct of belonging out of our heads and into our hands by equipping us with (at least) 9 uncomplicated ideas we can use to foster belonging. She'll reveal how deceptively simple actions can have dramatic impact, finally making belonging actionable! She will highlight some of the most surprising insights from her Belonging at Work Survey© and real-world stories from her work with organizations around the world. We'll learn and practice new ideas we can use tomorrow (literally) to deepen connections, recognize brilliance, and convey to our colleagues and employees that they are welcome and included.

Learning Objectives:

Practice using the research-based belonging ideas at work to foster a stronger sense of connection at work.
Experiment with simple strategies to demonstrate respect for your colleagues and expecting respect from others.
Develop strategies for fostering psychological safety in your own work community.
Identify several of the organization-specific behaviors that foster a sense of belonging in your own work community.

Beyond the Black Ceiling: Addressing New Obstacles to Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in the Contemporary Workplace

Kevin Woodson
Professor of Law, University of Richmond School of Law

Kevin Woodson will be sharing insights from his book, The Black Ceiling: How Race Still Matters in the Elite Workplace (University of Chicago Press, 2023), to illuminate a set of powerful but overlooked workplace dynamics that undermine employees from underrepresented groups. Drawing evidence from interviews of more than 100 Black professionals who have worked in elite firms, The Black Ceiling introduces the problem of "racial discomfort" which prevents many Black professionals from achieving full inclusion and belonging at their places of employment. Woodson will discuss the nature, causes, and consequences of racial discomfort, and he will explain how it differs from more well-known problems such as implicit bias and discrimination. After sharing some of the examples of racial discomfort that he highlights in The Black Ceiling, Woodson will lead a group discussion highlighting potential solutions.

Empowering Change: Insights from Leaders in Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity

Moderator

Erika McMullen, M.A. Ed. & H.D., SHRM-SCP
Founder/CEO, Moxie Consulting Group

Panelist

Donise Farmer, MBA, SHRM-CP
Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Border States

Panelist

Adrienne Whitaker
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Access (IDEA) Leader, Virginia Housing

Join a dynamic panel of industry leaders who have embarked on transformative journeys in the realm of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (ID&E). Gain valuable insights as they share their experiences, strategies, achievements and learnings in assessing, strategizing, and implementing ID&E initiatives within their organizations. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out in the field, this engaging session offers a unique opportunity to learn from peers, exchange practical ideas, and bring back actionable solutions to drive positive change in your own organization. Don't miss this chance to be inspired and empowered to make a lasting impact in the world of ID&E.

Inclusion: The Next Frontier

Doc Jana
Entrepreneur, Author, Life & Business Coach, Afrofuturist, Public Speaker

Get ready to be captivated by the extraordinary Doc Jana, a multi-talented entrepreneur, author, speaker, life & business coach, Afrofuturist, and self-proclaimed unicorn! Join us for an exclusive opportunity to sit down with Dr. Jana and delve into the necessary, and often misunderstood concept of inclusion. With their extensive knowledge and expertise in this field, Doc Jana has written numerous books that have become essential resources for understanding and implementing inclusive practices. Discover how inclusion has evolved over time, gain valuable insights into the lessons they have learned, and explore strategies to navigate the future successfully. This engaging session will equip you with the tools and knowledge to foster inclusivity in your companies and communities, enabling them to thrive in an ever-changing world. Don't miss out on this unique chance to learn from the remarkable Doc Jana and unlock the power of inclusion.

Registration

In-Person WITH On-Demand
In-Person WITH On-Demand: Provides the attendee with access to all on-site conference-planned sessions, activities, meals and breaks for the full conference and all credit hours of on-demand content available for two weeks after the conference ends.

On-Demand Only
On-Demand Only: Provides access to all credit hours from the 2024 conference sessions for two weeks after the conference ends. It does not include any live virtual or in-person access.