09/05/23
Ep 14: Disrupting In Your Own Way: Fostering Inclusion in the Workplace with RaShawn Hawkins
Welcome to another episode of The Disruption Podcast, where we explore the world of innovation and change-making in your own way! In this episode, we’re delving into the concept of disrupting the way that works for our guest personally.
We’re joined by a special guest, RaShawn, who will share her lived experience as a queer person in the workplace and how she initiated incremental change.
RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, SHRM-CP (she/her), is the Senior Director of the Workplace Equality Program at HRC Foundation. She has been an advocate and educator on LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion for over 15 years. In this role with HRC, she is responsible for managing key corporate and constituent engagement programs, namely educational resource development, training, ongoing communication platforms, and multimedia projects addressing current and emerging LGBTQ+ subjects for advancing workplace inclusion efforts. Before joining the HRC Foundation, she worked in the corporate space as a Human Resources Business Partner and as a Leadership Development professional, designing and implementing training curriculums for organizations across multiple industries like retail and telecommunications. Shawnie holds a BS from the University of Iowa and has a Leading in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion certification from Northwestern University.
In this episode, we chat about:
- Defining what it means to “disrupt quietly” in today’s world
- Exploring the idea that not all disruptors make loud waves, but their impact is profound nonetheless
- Discuss how each type of disruption plays a crucial role in driving change in different ways
- The importance of grassroots change within organizations
- What is the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and its role in advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace
- Discussing the significance of HRC taking the lead in advocating for change
- Shawnie’s personal journey as a queer person in the workplace
- The challenges she faced and the pivotal moments that inspired her to create change
- Emphasizing the importance of time, talent, and treasure in this process
- Practical tips and strategies for individuals to initiate change in their own workplaces
- The concept of “anti-wokeness” in corporate environments
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