Thank you Women in Leadership Foundation for the opportunity to share my perspectives on leadership as an Indigenous woman with these amazing panelists Shelley Thomas Prokop and Candace Wasacase-Lafferty.
Indigenous women bring unique gifts to the workplace -- listening, humility, honesty, collaboration, and respect. Oftentimes, these can look very different from Western, Eurocentric values of what a "leader" means -- being an 'expert', speaking the first and the loudest, and so on. Indigenous women need to be celebrated and recognized for the unique value and contributions they bring to the workplace. However, studies show that Indigenous Peoples face greater instances of discrimination and racism in the workplace.
Employers have a long way to go in terms of fostering inclusion for Indigenous Peoples in the workplace. Even think about how we talk about diversity being 'acceptance' or 'tolerance' ... does anyone want to be 'tolerated'? We need to shift our perspectives on diversity.
Indigenous women deserve more than tolerance, they deserve to be celebrated and uplifted. Dialogues like these are important because they open minds to creating space for Indigenous women at the leadership table.
Join us for an empowering conversation as three Indigenous leaders share their stories about the journeys they have travelled in their career, what is meant by being an ally and advice for new leaders in the current landscape. With substantial change all around us, we will touch on how businesses can create a safe space, work through biases and take action.
Register today for our upcoming DEIB Forum! https://lnkd.in/gcuHDzyg
Linda May, MBA Candace Wasacase-Lafferty Michelle LeanShelley Thomas Prokop
