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Leslie Anselme ‹ We are EF

Vice President of the United States of America Kamala Harris’ statements at the 2020 United States vice-presidential debate illuminated the lengths that Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) women must take to be heard in professional spaces. “Mr. Vice President, I’m speaking,” is like the lines I have had to utter in my career. “Mr. Manager, I’m speaking.” “Mr. Peer, I just said that.” “Mr. Subordinate, please don’t interrupt me.”
Earlier in my career, however, I did not always feel comfortable reclaiming my microphone. Standing my ground was usually met with negative responses. Some of my favorites include, “Oh, Leslie is feeling particularly sassy today,” and “Wow girl. Why you mad?” I have even had a white man go as far as saying that he felt threatened by my assertions. Those reactions became my kryptonite.
I eventually became so obsessed with not fulfilling the angry/sassy Black woman stereotype in my predominately white workplaces that I lost parts of myself in the process. I stopped speaking up in meetings to avoid those negative perceptions. I sought absolute perfection in the most debilitating manners to ensure that my mistakes were not blamed on my race, my public university education, or anything else that made me feel othered.
Most upsettingly, I allowed people to talk down to me and unnecessarily explain simple concepts because I knew that statements like “I am well aware,” and “I just said that,” would be perceived as me having a poor attitude. If these “mental and emotional gymnastics” routines, as Kerry Washington <a href="https://twitter.com/kerrywashington/status/1314033100347727877" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">identified them</a>, constituted an Olympic sport, I’d be as decorated as Simone Biles.
As I struggled to overcome this burden and regain my Black woman superpowers, I got to a point where I realized that I need to focus on myself, my growth and my well-being more than anything. I am. It’s the mantra I carried with me as I continued to discover myself again. I am smart. I am capable. I am deserving of every opportunity I am given. I am here. I am powerful.
We tend to look for a clear division between our private and our professional lives, but we forget that it is all personal because we’re human. Though I still falter, shrink, and code-switch at times, I strive to bring my full self to work every day. It is far from easy and comes with a fair amount of stress and anxiety, but here are a few things that have helped me to maintain control along the way.
<h3>Find your people</h3>
Every space won’t feel like a safe space. As a Black woman in corporate America, I am often the only Black person on my team or in a meeting. It can feel draining to go all day without interacting with someone who looks like you. At <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Education First</a>, we have employee resource groups, or EFinity groups, to provide such spaces for similarly identifying groups. I am a founding member of Black @ EF. This group has had a huge impact on my growth within this organization.
I’m not sure how long I would have lasted without this group and its members. We also have Asians @ EF; Latinos @ EF, LGBTQ+ @ EF and Parents @ EF. If that isn’t yet an option at your workplace, make time to check in with friends, family, or community groups for that much-needed balance. Most importantly, if you are in a space where you don’t feel welcomed or accepted, make a plan to change that space rather than change yourself.
<h3>Say it with me, #IamRemarkable</h3>
I became an <a href="https://iamremarkable.withgoogle.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#IamRemarkable facilitator</a> in 2019. #IamRemarkable is an initiative to empower members of underrepresented groups to self-promote and advocate for themselves. It’s a session in which I recommend everyone participates at least once. It will change the way you see yourself and the value you add to your team and organization. It has helped me understand the societal norms that sometimes make us feel less worthy of praise or advancement and less deserving of a seat at the table.
<h3>Get moving, but don’t forget to breathe</h3>
Navigating professional spaces and cities (I’m looking at you, Boston) as a Black woman is stressful. If we throw a global pandemic, racial injustice, and an entire shortage of hugs for those of us doing our part to reduce the spread, we are downright exhausted! I have turned to fitness to release some of that tension. I do HIIT classes with a colleague over at Hult International Business School, an associated organization of EF.
In addition to that, yoga has helped me to realize and challenge my strength, both physically and mentally. Lastly, I also meditate and do breathwork with the Foundations app, open to all EF employees. The daily reminders force me to take a few minutes to exhale whatever I don’t want to bring with me through the rest of my workday.
<h3>Flexing the muscle</h3>
For members of underrepresented groups, standing your ground, asserting yourself and pushing forward in your career can be tough. So is doing 10 pushups the first time you exercise in over a year. It’s important to build up those muscles with practice. Practice your salary negotiation skills with your peers or friends before meeting with your manager. Practice using phrases like “I was speaking,” “I just said that,” or “I’m leading this project.”
Similarly, practice removing certain words and disclaimers from your vocabulary in everyday conversations. Starting questions with “Sorry, but,” justifying your questions or beginning factual statements with “I think,” or “I feel” are not the way to go. If you don’t do it with your friends, don’t do it at work.
The first time I had a difficult conversation with my manager, my voice was shaking, and I felt like I wanted to run out of the room and cry. But I got the words out, even if I had to read them word for word from my notebook. And each time after that, my voice grew steadier and stronger. Work that muscle until you can flex it like a boss.
<h3>Find a role model</h3>
Those who know me, know that I stan Shirley Chisholm. The first Black Congresswoman and the first Black woman to run for president of the United States, is also of Caribbean descent like I am, a fellow Brooklyn College alumna and my soror in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Since initially learning about her in college, I spent much of my professional career asking “WWSD.” What would Shirley do? In all her Unbought and Unbossed glory, Shirley wouldn’t let anything stop her, and neither will I.
<h3>I am</h3>
I’m a firm believer in mantras. Imposter syndrome, minority stress and stereotype threats can sometimes chip away at our confidence. Just like Queen mother, Angela Bassett reminded Chadwick Boseman, aka T’Challa, to “show [them] who you are,” while his back was against the wall, mantras are the easiest way for us to remind ourselves!
I have mantras written on post-its around my desk to remember who I am and who I am becoming. Sometimes, all it takes is that glance to the left of my monitor to breathe in that truth. It is easier said than done, but you owe it to your current and future self. Some of my favorites include
I am.
I am remarkable.
I am more than enough.
I am powerful beyond measure.
Your mantra can also be music. Sometimes, I’ll step away from my desk for an uplifting Black Girl Magic solo dance party. Try adding these songs to your fika playlist:
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRFS0MYTC1I" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Brown Skin Girl by Beyonce</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL-gxfx2QtY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">I Am Light by India Arie</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADGnIi9KrLQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Go Get It by Mary Mary</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9HIaGcBocc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Do It by Chloe x Halle</a>
<h3>No one is you –– that is your superpower</h3>
We can sometimes fall into the debilitating rut of seeking perfection because we may be the “first” or the “only,” and feel responsible for representing our community. As a Black woman, it doesn’t help that I may also be one of the first Black people that a colleague has interacted with on this level.
It is often clear when this is the case, and it adds some more weight to the chip on my shoulder. While it is important to be aware of this, I am here representing myself. I cannot carry the weight of another’s perceived stereotypes about me or those who look like me. Let them hold onto that on their own and go on about your day.
<h3>Forgive yourself</h3>
The tallest hurdle over which I had to climb was that of forgiveness. I had to forgive myself for shrinking in the past. I had to forgive myself for the self-doubt. I had to forgive myself for letting people speak down to me. I had to forgive myself for unnecessarily backing down to white people and men. The kicker is it may happen again.
While we continue to work on ourselves, we need to understand that this is a process. Again, we are working this muscle so we can flex it like Kamala Harris, like Shirley Chisholm, and like Leslie Anselme in the very near future.

We tend to look for a clear division between our private and our professional lives, but we forget that it is all personal because we’re human.

Standing your ground: 8 tips for women of color in the workplace - We are EF

Standing your ground: 8 tips for women of color in the workplace ‹ We are EF

Standing your ground: 8 tips for women of color in the workplace

Tips for women of color in the workplace

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the United States every year between September 15th and October 15th. Here at <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Education First</a>, we celebrate this moment through the entire month of October. This vital month honors the history and vast diversity of the Hispanic and Latinx+ communities. In addition, it’s an opportunity for all of us to acknowledge and celebrate the unique contributions of individuals who identify as Hispanic or Latinx and trace their ancestry back to Spain, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.
As a global organization focused on education, we take every moment of celebration as an opportunity to learn, and this is one of those moments. Hispanic refers to people from or descended from Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Spain. Latinx+ refers to people from or descended from Latin American countries, including nations like Brazil and Haiti. This isn’t a perfect categorization, however, as there are Indigenous cultures residing in Spanish-speaking countries who do not identify with those countries culture or language.
Latinx+ @EF, one of EF’s employee-led EFinity groups, invited their colleagues to join them in reflecting on the power of the past and the potential for a greater future centered around our Hispanic Heritage Month theme this year — “Hope and Resilience.” The group held a Critical Conversation (a regular series for staff at EF) on the complexities of the Latinx+ community, its culture, and common misconceptions. Participants discussed the core pillars of the Latinx+ community, family being one of them. This was described as creating a familial environment as often as possible, even in the workplace, by sharing food, traditions, and language.
The participants also shared their personal experiences, such as growing up as immigrants or first-generation Americans, feeling like outsiders in their neighborhoods, seeking out role models and representation, and finding community among their peers and colleagues.
 <img alt="EF Toronto" src="https://a.storyblok.com/f/204637/568x292/78d8af75e2/ef-hispanic-heritage-month-2021.jpg" style="width:500px;height:600px >
<a href="https://hbr.org/2016/10/u-s-latinos-feel-they-cant-be-themselves-at-work" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Research has shown </a>that 76% of Latinx+ people withhold parts of who they are while at work to better fit in, or rather, not to stand out. At EF, we are working to ensure that all of our employees feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work if they choose, and celebrations like Hispanic Heritage Month are helping break down the barriers that may have prevented achieving this in the past.
Celebrations like these are not only enlightening, but also help our staff better understand groups with shared characteristics, affinities, or life experiences within the larger EF community as they communicate with customers, partners, and colleagues from cultures around the world.
“Hope and resilience means so much for the Latinx community,” says Stephanie, <a href="https://www.eftours.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Educational Tours</a> Program Manager for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. “It’s not only about recognizing our ancestors and where we come from, pero tambien, how we’re continuing to recognize our culture, using it as a catalyst moving forward in redefining who we are, recreating tradition, holding onto the past, enjoying the present and creating the future juntos.”
Learn a bit of the Spanish that’s used in this article: 
Pero tambien: <a href="https://translate.google.com/?sl=auto&tl=en&text=Pero%20tambien&op=translate" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">but, also</a>
Juntos: <a href="https://translate.google.com/?sl=auto&tl=en&text=Juntos&op=translate" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">together</a>
Sources:
“U.S. Latinos Feel They Can’t Be Themselves at Work.” Harvard Business Review, 11 Oct. 2016, https://hbr.org/2016/10/u-s-latinos-feel-they-cant-be-themselves-at-work.

Latinx+ @EF, one of EF's employee-led EFinity groups, reflected on this year's Hispanic Heritage Month theme — “Hope and Resilience.”

EF Hispanic Heritage Month 2021: A reflection on hope and resilience - We are EF

EF Hispanic Heritage Month 2021: A reflection on hope and resilience ‹ We are EF

EF Hispanic Heritage Month 2021: A reflection on hope and resilience

Ef hispanic heritage month 2021

Our API@EF affinity group quickly got to work on raising their voices, sharing their experiences, and supporting their fellow Asian colleagues.

Cultural connection roundtable: reflecting on Asian heritage at EF - We are EF

Cultural connection roundtable: reflecting on Asian heritage at EF ‹ We are EF

Cultural connection roundtable: reflecting on Asian heritage at EF

Cultural connection asian heritage at ef

Parental status is a vital aspect of diversity to many in the <a href="https://ef.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Education First </a>community, including team members, partners, and customers. For example, the EFinity group Parents @ EF (EF’s version of an employee resource group) is a group of EF parents who come together regularly to share experiences, information, parenting hacks, and resources. They even help host virtual storytime events for families of EF staff.
Recently, EF hosted a panel featuring members of our Asian and Pacific Islander (API) @EF group who were adopted from Asia as young children by Americans. Narmada, Traveler Support Manager for <a href="https://www.goaheadtours.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Go Ahead Tours</a>, was on that panel. An active member of API @EF, Narmada is an Indian adoptee, speaker, and parent.
I sat down with Narmada to discuss her experiences with what society may consider “nontraditional families”—being adopted at a young age and raised by a single mother, building community, and now raising her own 13-year-old daughter. This interview was edited for clarity and length.
Tell us about yourself. Who is Narmada?
I was born in India and came to the United States when I was two years old. I grew up in Colorado, raised by a single mom. It was a big thing being an Indian woman in Colorado and not being in a diverse community. I grew up with preconceived expectations and stereotypes of the type of person I was and was not. I felt like I had to be the girly girl who spent all her free time studying. I was always that person people picked to be their lab partner, thinking I would do all the work, and I was like, “No.”
I’ve never felt like I matched those stereotypes. I’m very outdoorsy. I like to fish on the weekends and hang out with my dog, which is basically what people in Colorado do. I like to build things. My hobbies are woodworking and heavy-duty crafts. So, I think that’s always been an interesting thing—being the Indian girl who doesn’t always feel as Indian as I should.
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_19482" style="width: 578px"><img alt="Narmada with her daughter" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-19482" class="wp-image-19482 size-full" height="362" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Narmada-Parents-Month-2.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Narmada-Parents-Month-2.jpg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Narmada-Parents-Month-2-300x191.jpg 300w" width="568">In the right photo, Narmada stands with her daughter at a Holi festival.</div>
You spoke on a panel for API Heritage Month at EF on the Asian adoptee experience. Thank you for sharing your story. Tell me what that meant to you.
Honestly, that was one of the most wonderful, unique experiences I’ve had. I’ve done adoptee panels for the last 15 years with <a href="https://www.heritagecamps.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Heritage Camps for Adoptive Families</a>, but always to an adoptee-oriented population. So, it was interesting to speak to people who might not be as familiar with adoption—you need to provide a little more context.
It was neat to be myself in the workplace and share some of that vulnerability, and to be honest that this is a huge identity marker for me—this is where I come from. So, I might not have every answer about India for you because I didn’t grow up in that world. But I don’t think there are a lot of places that make a space that feels safe for employees to be authentic in the workplace.
After that panel, many other adoptees at EF came out of the woodwork and wanted to be part of our adoptee group chat. It helps knowing people are out there and want to talk to each other. That’s why we have EFinity groups at EF—so that people can connect and share like-minded experiences.
It used to be like, “the workplace is the workplace,” but workplaces weren’t creating authentic, safe spaces. But I have felt very authentic in my career. I’ve never felt like I had to downplay any one aspect of myself, and having that authenticity highlighted even more was neat. And then being there with my peers and hearing their stories resonate, but also being able to be empathetic and understanding—it felt so good.
As an attendee of that panel, I learned a lot about the adoptee experience. You all shared a desire to embrace your family and community while also connecting with your culture of origin. It was beautiful to witness this vulnerable discussion. Thank you again.
You mentioned being raised by a single mother. Can you talk about your experiences growing up and how that influenced your idea of family?
My mom and I were very close growing up. My sister is a lot older, so she had left for college and wasn’t in the house—it was just me and my mom. My grandparents had a huge role in my upbringing. They picked me up from school and gave my mom a huge amount of support. Growing up, I was always with family, either my grandparents or my mom, and that made a big impact.
One thing that I love is that my mom leaned on community. She decided that her daughter would grow up with an Indian community, so I had that in addition to my own family. It very much takes a village, and in a way, I felt like I had a lot of different moms.
A lot of different people had a hand in raising me, so when I had my child, I leaned on those communities significantly. I still lean on them. I feel like my daughter has a very similar perception that I did of a lot of people having a hand in taking care of me, raising me, and influencing the person I’ve become. I think that’s the best thing my mom did for me— to make sure I always felt like I had people and was never alone.
My mother also fostered a lot of independence. She exposed me to the world and took me out of school when I was six so we could travel for six weeks. It was awesome. We went all over Southeast Asia and she said, “You will learn more from this than you probably will in a whole year in a classroom.” And I did. That’s something I try to do for my own daughter. Experience the world. Get out there and meet people.
It sounds like your mom was committed to opening up your world. As a parent, what lessons from your life do you want to pass on to your daughter?
My mom was a huge advocate for having a voice for yourself. It’s very easy to have some of these older mentalities, being a woman, being a person of color, feeling like you need to be silent in a room to avoid conflict. Those things are so ingrained because on a biological level, it’s about safety—you’re trying to be safe and protect yourself.
My mom was very good about teaching me the language to use to have a voice that keeps me safe but also gives me a platform. That is the thing I want my daughter to take the most; don’t be silent.
I want her to say what she needs to say and advocate for herself. She identifies as queer. She’s Black; she’s Indian; she’s a woman. She’s got quite a few boxes she’s checking, so how does she feels good in those spaces she’s taking up and the identities she’s choosing to own so she doesn’t feel like she has to hide any aspect of herself.
Thankfully, people are much more welcoming and accepting now than they were when I was growing up. But as we’ve seen in the past few years, it has regressed a lot. So together we want to make sure she continues to feel like she can be who she is.
You touched on the importance of community. Why is it important to strengthen your connections to not only your culture and your heritage, but also open up your world to other cultures?
We can put ourselves into a small box and move through life relatively easily. But if we expose ourselves to different cultures, different languages, and analyze what diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging mean, we realize there are different cultures that we don’t account for and people from different walks of life that we’re not thinking about.
We are very quick to judge. We live in the age of social media where we have an opinion, and we want everyone to know it immediately without understanding people‘s backgrounds. It comes down to respecting someone else as an individual within their culture.
I learned sign language because my daughter’s dad’s family is Deaf. Bridging those two cultures was an interesting aspect of parenting. I enrolled myself in classes because I refused to be that person who didn’t learn the language. I even started interpreting at school because I fell in love with sign language. Now, I interpret when my daughter’s grandparents visit. I love when people want to learn languages and want to learn about other cultures.
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_19484" style="width: 578px"><img alt="Narmada with her brothers" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-19484" class="size-full wp-image-19484" height="362" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Narmada-Parents-Month-3.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Narmada-Parents-Month-3.jpg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Narmada-Parents-Month-3-300x191.jpg 300w" width="568">Narmada with her brothers.</div>
As a parent, how do you nurture that curiosity for other cultures in your daughter, as well as aspects of her own culture?
Reading is one of the best ways to learn about other cultures. There is so much good literature out there and so many amazing writers from different backgrounds and cultures. We also watch a lot of documentaries.
And then travel is amazing—she’s signed up for a tour in Japan with <a href="https://www.eftours.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Educational Tours</a>. She’s going to get out there and have some independence from me. I love that it has a STEM focus so she’ll get exposure to science, tech, and fields that women haven’t taken up a lot in the past. She’s pumped about it. I was taught to invest in experiences, not things, and so that’s how my family is. We save for trips and exploration rather than material objects, and that’s my intent for her.
And then I might go against the grain here, but I have encouraged my daughter not to go to college immediately—to take one to two years to travel before starting school. So that’s something she’s considering, too; putting off college to explore the world. I feel that helps you figure out what you want to do with your life and where you belong in this world.
Having the freedom to explore without time constraints is unique. When you only have 10 days off you miss a lot of things. But if you are in another country and don’t know where you’ll be next week, you’re going to take in a lot more. I know a lot of people push the college-right-after-high-school thing, but I am not that parent.
How do you navigate questions and conversations about your nontraditional family?
My mom was big on education. She knew that by adopting a South Indian kid, we were going to get questions. She was good about explaining the situation to people and creating strong boundaries.
I think when you watch your parent do that, it gives you the autonomy to start to develop your own boundaries. You realize you don’t need to answer every question. You don’t need to be the expert on adoption for everybody, either.
However, as your nontraditional family comes into play, there might be some education that occurs. With each interaction, you’ll need to decide, “Is this true ignorance, or is this racist?” My mom was good at knowing that, so by the time I was independent I was also good at it and understood my boundaries. I’m very open. I will try to educate and will take on the ignorant or uninformed questions, a lot. But I also know when I’m done and going to walk away.
What is one of your favorite memories as a parent?
A few years back, we went to a Holi event in the middle of Denver with a bunch of other families. Some were adoptees, some were non-adoptees, and our Indian dance group was there. It was so much fun. My daughter felt so good as an Indian girl, and it was fun for me, too.
All of us were covered in Holi powder and my mom was there. It was neat to have this cultural moment in the middle of our city, when it’s not appropriated and it’s the real thing, and see all these people come and join who have never experienced it before. And to then share that with friends and have them learn something about your culture—we had a blast that day.
When you can solidify your children’s culture and make them feel good about who they are and the culture they were born into it’s so validating. My daughter feels like such a strong Indian woman, and that is awesome.

EF Narmada discusses her experiences with what society may consider “nontraditional families" and the sense of community she's now bringing to her daughter.

Community, Culture, and Parenthood: A conversation with Narmada - We are EF

Community, Culture, and Parenthood: A conversation with Narmada ‹ We are EF

Community, Culture, and Parenthood: A conversation with Narmada

Community culture and parenthood a conversation with narmada

A common phrase in the English language is ‘You don’t know what you don’t know.’ The real question is, are we listening to the people who do know?
It is easy to accept information as fact, especially from trusted sources, but it is important to remain reflective of the stories being told and repeated. This is at the heart of what ethical storytelling is. It is the practice of actively honoring others when sharing narratives. It is responsible communication without exploitation. It is a mindful approach to storytelling that avoids the trap of a single story. Most importantly, it is telling stories the way the subjects of the stories want their story to be told.
Without meaning to do so, our learned colloquialisms could be perpetuating racial stereotypes and historical inaccuracies. So how can we listen, learn, and take action to practice ethical storytelling?

Here are a few examples of phrases with challenging histories and ethical alternatives:

<h3>Spirit animal</h3>
Spirit Animal is a term pop culture has put on mugs and shirts, online quizzes, and memes. It has also been used in interviews and icebreakers to get to know someone.
Alternative: Think about what you are trying to say — there are many ways to convey your feelings toward coffee (coffee makes me happy) or learn more about a candidate you’re interviewing (tell me what you value).
Why: The term Spirit Animal is a form of cultural appropriation and not very historically accurate. Many Indigenous Nations don’t use this term but rather have a general connection to animals, the earth, and other spiritual practices within their cultures. It’s vital that we respect the traditions of a specific group of people rather than appropriating and popularizing a term that is not part of our identity.

<h3>Tribe</h3>
Tribe is often used to describe like-minded friend groups or teams of colleagues with a shared goal.
Alternative: We work on teams and socialize in groups of friends, colleagues, pals, acquaintances, neighbors, or family.
Why: The term tribe has negative connotations related to primitive history and can be seen as the antithesis to civilization. Many Indigenous people refer to their many cultures as Nations or People.

<h3>Powwow</h3>
Powwow is sometimes used in office settings to describe quick or impromptu team meetings or brainstorming sessions.
Alternative: Gather your team for a quick meeting or a virtual chat.
Why: This usage is disrespectful to the ceremonial and celebratory gatherings of Indigenous people from whom the term comes. Sometimes these gatherings are open to the public. If you live near an Indigenous community that holds pow wows, go check it out and learn more.

These are just a few examples of how we can all use critical thinking and inclusive lenses to ensure that Indigenous colleagues own their own identities in the workspace. We can also apply these same ethical practices as we travel, shop for goods, and participate in community events.
Whenever we have the chance to interact with different people and hear their stories, we have an opportunity to learn something new. So the challenge for all of us is to start by listening.

Staff-led programming aimed to encourage critical thinking about the various stories and narratives we may encounter regarding Indigenous Peoples globally.

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Leslie Anselme

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