I grew up in a place where very few people looked like me.
In my elementary school, there were only four Black students — Donnie, Shelby, Kent, and me. There were so few of us that I still remember their names.
When my parents first tried to buy a home, they were discriminated against — even though both were college-educated professionals with multiple postgraduate degrees. That experience left a mark. The public debates we hear today about “credentials” and “qualifications” strike a personal chord because I know what it looks like when people who are more than qualified are still underestimated.
My parents succeeded not because the doors were flung open, but because they learned how to build a tribe — people who recognized their excellence, vouched for them, and made space for their talent. They found allies in places where empathy outweighed ego. That community became their competitive advantage.
Watching them taught me something essential: progress is rarely achieved alone.
The Power of Belonging
Because of what I witnessed growing up, I’ve always been intentional about building alliances — across organizations, industries, ethnicities, genders, and every other way that people define themselves.
Throughout my career, the teams I’ve built have consistently been among the most diverse in the company. But that diversity was never about checking boxes; it was about hiring the best. When you truly search for the best people — the most creative thinkers, problem-solvers, and innovators — you naturally end up with teams that reflect the world as it is: not Black or white or brown, but a mosaic of talent and perspective.
The hues of this planet — our voices, ideas, and lived experiences — are what make culture vibrant.
Why Inclusion Still Matters
Today, inclusion is under attack. The very word has become politicized. But inclusion isn’t a political act; it’s a human one. It’s about creating environments where people can thrive — where no one feels othered, overlooked, or dismissed.
Because here’s the truth: when people feel excluded, they shrink. Innovation stalls. Potential stays hidden. And no culture — corporate or societal — can flourish when people are not permitted to be authentic, to bring their full selves into every environment and situation they encounter.
Belonging is what happens when people stop feeling like guests and start feeling like co-authors of the story.
The Leadership Imperative
In every role I’ve held, I’ve seen that belonging is the heartbeat of high-performing organizations. It fuels trust, sparks creativity, and transforms groups of individuals into cohesive teams.
Leaders who create cultures of belonging don’t do it by talking about diversity — they do it by seeing people. By recognizing contributions. By making sure that everyone, from the intern to the executive, knows their voice matters.
That’s how my parents thrived. That’s how I’ve built teams. And that’s how organizations, especially in uncertain times, will continue to grow stronger: through empathy, advocacy, and authentic connection.
Belonging isn’t about making space for others at the table.
It’s about realizing the table was never yours alone.
Learn how belonging fuels innovation and transforms culture from the inside out.