💙 Salty Opinions & Strong Voices

Hello and Happy Thursday!

Want to know what really pisses me off? 

The fact that in one of the few women-dominated business fields (People Ops) society still favors and amplifies the voices of cis white men over everyone else. They’re still the ones whose words are taken more seriously. The ones whose ideas are rarely challenged.

 I can’t be the only one who's been brushed off after making a strong case to a CEO. Then Simon Sinek says the same thing a few weeks later and suddenly it’s a must-do. Full steam ahead. 

I’m not saying these individuals can’t or don’t add valuable insight and experience to the field.

What I am saying is that in a diverse field (whose primary focus is supporting a workforce that grows increasingly more diverse each year) we can’t continue to be led almost exclusively by voices that represent such a small percentage of us.

In the real world, HR peeps reflect all races, genders, orientations, and walks of life. Over the last decade, women have made up between ~60% and ~75% of the HR workforce. And roughly a full third of those working in HR aren’t white.

So how do we ensure that thought leaders in our space reflect that diversity?

We keep elevating and loudly championing the voices of the amazing individuals doing incredible work who, quite frankly, aren’t cis white dudes.

Which is exactly what we’re going to do today, by highlighting some of the creators in the People and HR space I admire most! These are folks who’ve used their voices and platforms to make the work of People, HR, and Culture more meaningful, rich in learning, accessible, and joyful. They share their perspectives, generously detail their experiences, uplift others in the space, and bring serious experience and chops to all they do.

 We all have a responsibility to create a class of thought leadership and respected voices that more authentically reflects who we are, as a workforce and as a community. Let’s start by intentionally elevating some of 2024’s best creators.

To being the change we wish to see,

Jill

P.S. Stacy Nordwall is working hard to highlight another group that absolutely deserves to be celebrated and amplified. Nominations for the Women Over 50 in Tech list are open until this Friday, March 22nd. It’s a self-nomination process, so send in your own submission (seriously, do it, I'll cheer you on!!) or pass it along to someone you know who's deserving.

4 (and then some!) creators crushing it in 2024.

Whether it's bringing joy, clarity, and expertise to the work of People and HR, building safe and inclusive spaces for folks across our field, or holding us accountable to our own anti-racism and effective, active allyship, the below LinkedIn creators are using their voices, their platforms, and their influence to share the stuff that matters. Join me in celebrating and amplifying them!

Cassidy Edwards (She/Her)

Cassidy’s got the chops and experience of over 15 years in HR, and always strives to stay “rooted in amplifying the contributions of the unsung heroes.” She’s a wizard when it comes to community-building, is the brilliant brain behind one of my fav newsletters Yo. You’re On Mute, and a major voice for women and diverse identities in the sneaker and streetwear space, as both managing editor for CNK Daily and Director of People Ops for Tradeblock.

 Her LinkedIn feed is a loud, proud celebration of initiatives, creators, and calls for action celebrating folks at every intersection of what makes the world of work stronger, more diverse and inclusive, and straight up better. I'm continually impressed by how she shows up as her full self in every way. Her posts always strike me, because they are so beautifully caring and genuine. We need more of that in this world.

You can follow Cassidy on LinkedIn here, subscribe to Yo. You’re on Mute here, and check out some of my favorite posts of hers below:

• Announcing CNK Daily’s Shop CNK, “the first Black-woman-owned and Woman-focused experiential retail concept in the United States,” (which you can support here!)

• Keeping it real with the challenges of working as “the Cool Mom in a coveted pair of sneakers” when it comes to spring and summer school holidays

• A round-up of posts breaking down brilliance where HR-meets-marketing, like this one about Queen Bey's Super Bowl drop, and this one about Lil’ John’s foray into wellness and meditation.

Cassandra Babilya (She/Her)

Talk about a resumé; Cassandra’s credentials include career coach, mom, corporate culture leader, and former CIA spy! Her work is all about helping folks find clarity and create the action plan they need to build a career “from a place of joy, not dread.” These days she lends her brilliance as Amazon AWS’ Voice of the Employee in a Senior. Communications Manager role. Her newsletter, “Make Work Suck Less,” is all about “the intersection of work and life,” covering topics like the necessity of paid parental leave, fighting burnout, and getting the most out of the employee lifecycle.

Her feed is a beautiful blend of all that’s informed her work and expertise, with quickly quipped calls to action for protecting work/life harmony, celebrations of those whose work she admires, and reflections to guide your own career journey, with a healthy (and sweet!) mix of like-it-is reports from parental leave sprinkled in. She’s always quick and to-the-point, dropping posts that make you chuckle, but then immediately go 🤯🤔🤯🤔🤯.

You can follow Cassandra on LinkedIn here, subscribe to her newsletter here, and check out some of my favorite posts of hers below:

• Cassandra’s take on RTO mandates in 2024

• What celebrating work flexibility means in one’s 3rd trimester

• This International Women’s Day Eve post brimming with celebration for the women who make her own world of work brighter ✨

Paul Ladipo (He/Him)

I so admire consultant and fellow Minneapolis resident Paul Lapido. If our networks overlap even the teeny tiniest bit, you’ve likely seen his work. His oh-so-shareable posts are tightly written, distinguishing the necessary work of living anti-racism from the box-check of “caring about DEIB” or “not being racist.” His posts excellently dismantle thorny opposition from those who’d rather not acknowledge insidious, systemic structures of racism, imparting the urgency and gravity the subject demands while empathizing with the reader as a continuous learner. 

Paul informs and implores us to become better, and to keep doing the work - in personal and professional circles - especially when the messiness of being human means we’ll never get it 100% right. He offers great language for holding important conversations in our spheres of influence, helping to deepen understanding of concepts like privilege, the myth of reverse-racism, intent vs. impact, paradoxes of exclusivity, de-centering whiteness, and so much more.

Oh yeah....and he’s gearing up to write a book!! Know any agents or publishers he should talk with? If so, definitely pass them along!

You can follow Paul on LinkedIn here, learn about and engage his consulting services here, and check out some of my favorite posts of his below:

• This exploration of how “being nice does not equal being anti-racist” (which features an excellent image from Sheva Guy, PhD) is so good we shared it in a newsletter a few weeks back, but I’m still including it today because it’s that well done.

• Paul’s clear write up of intersectionality as a necessary cornerstone of inclusion efforts

• A call to prioritize progress over perfection in the lifelong work of anti-racism

Madison Butler (She/Her)

Madison is a powerhouse. Equal parts respect for the messiness of the human experience, drive to create psychologically safe spaces, talent development chops, and “tough empathy,” she’s got the experience and energy to light up your feed. Founder and CEO of Blue Haired Unicorn LLC, and Chief Experience Officer creating “safe, accessible and equitable experiences” at GRAV, her credentials also include “Fairy Job Mother,” “Culture Queen,” “Anti-Racist AF,” and “Black AF.” Not only is her feed a celebration of Black joy and a necessary call to support, protect, and uplift Black women, but as Founder of the Black Speakers Collection, she also connects planners with Black speakers while providing community space for Black speakers and executives alike.

Madison’s posts remind me that I deserve rest, joy, meaningful work, boundaries, and acceptance. At the same time, her posts, LinkedIn Learning content, and calls to action push us all to be more accountable to nurturing equitable, anti-racist spaces where all experience joy and ease. If your feed needs tough but empathetic accountability, the oft reminder that “babe, you are the main character,” or some serious athleisure inspo (her fits are 🔥🔥🔥), give Madison a follow.

Follow Madison on LinkedIn here, check out the Black Speakers Collection and Blue Haired Unicorn LLC, and check out some of my favorite posts of hers below:

• This oh-so-important reminder that we all screw up, and that the work entails ongoing learning and accountability

• This invitation to ask ourselves how we’re doing

• The most concise, perfect reminder that seeing and respecting the Black employee experience isn’t just a February thing

And that’s just to name a few…

Truth is, this list is just the itty bitty baby tip of the iceberg. I could just as enthusiastically sing the praises of Nate (Spierer) Shalev, Kim Colucci, Anessa Fike, Christie Hoffman, Kim Minnick, Lindsay Caplan, Dana Ross, Aubrey Blanche-Sarellano, Hebba Youssef, Erica Keswin, Tara Robertson, Jessie (Lueck) Fields, Kat Fergerson and so, so, so many more.

Trust me when I say each and every one is worth a follow. Your LinkedIn feed will brimming with brilliance, camaraderie, and joy in no time!

A FEW MORE RESOURCES

How women’s stories change the world: Since reading it in 2023, Cassandra Speaks has officially become one of my most referenced and recommended books. Whenever I need a reminder that my voice matters - which is more often than I’d like to admit - it’s the first thing I pick up. Stories matter. And now, more than ever, we need them told from all different points of view.

And here’s one you need to read: If you haven’t already picked up Anessa Fike’s newly released book “The Revolution of Work: Fuck the Patriarchy and the Workplace it Built” it’s time to smash that order button. I’m about halfway through and continue to be in awe of Anessa’s no-holds-bar storytelling. 

There’s a stat for that: Want to check out some of the sources that informed this week’s newsletter? There are tons of reports, studies, articles, and statistics looking into diversity and parity in HR, but this one, this one, and this one proved especially interesting.

THINGS I'M LOVING RIGHT NOW

Wanna *really* care for your workplace? Stephanie Lemek just announced a workshop to certify as a Trauma Informed Workplace Practitioner through the Wounded Workforce, of which she’s Founder and CEO. In a world where workplaces can have a greater impact on worker health than one’s own therapist, it’s vital that we learn to better respect the backgrounds, differences, and experiences that color the individual employee experience. Stephanie’s workshop can help you do just that, and the first 25 signups will receive a 50% discount with the code FIRST25.

Neurodiversifying the workforce of the future: Last week I had the pleasure of speaking with Conner Reinhardt, the COO of Mentra, the world's largest neurodiversity employment network. Being neurodiverse myself, you can bet I was excited to learn they recently released a 5-Step Guide to Company-Wide Neuroinclusion. It’s full of practical, actionable tips - just the way we like things around here!

#FOMONOMO: Last week a group of us who weren’t able to make it to Transform this year gathered virtually instead. It was the perfect reminder that all you need to build community is a little intention and a strong internet connection. I’m thinking about holding more of these gatherings…so keep an eye out for future details!