Cornell University Inclusive Excellence Podcast

Join Erin Sember-Chase, Toral Patel, and Bert Odom-Reed for the first episode of a brand-new season. Hear their hopes of continuing to elevate the voices and experiences of fellow employees while also diving deeper into the discomfort. They tease upcoming episodes that reflect topics and discussions circling the country and Cornell, including the university's theme of “freedom of expression.”

Season five of the podcast wraps up with a very special guest. Coming up on her one-year anniversary at the university, Cornell's vice president and chief human resources officer, Christine Lovely (she/her/hers), joins Erin and Toral for a conversation about her first year at Cornell and in Ithaca, NY. Christine discusses the unexpected opportunities that emerged throughout her career and how she strives to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where all employees can connect through conversation. Tune in to hear Christine's journey and what she looks forward to in year two at Cornell.

Erin and Toral welcome two members of the newly formed Office of Talent Attraction and Recruitment team for a conversation about creating connection in a world where many employees are working remotely. Together, Jamie Doss (she/her/hers), talent acquisition partner, and Sonja Baylor (she/her/hers), recruitment manager, share how they have effectively sustained a positive and inclusive workplace on a team of primarily remote and hybrid employees. They also reveal how key behaviors, such as vulnerability and intentionality, exhibited by both employees and leaders can contribute to this sense of belonging.

In this episode, Erin and Toral are joined by Cyrus Hamilton-Ferguson (he/him/his), assistant director of Student Disability Services at Cornell, for a conversation about the increasing intersection of personal and professional lives. Cyrus opens up about his experiences with disability as a professional and a parent, speaks about the importance of honoring mental health, and shares how his sense of belonging is fluid and impacted by the navigation of new identities.

In honor of this year's Women's History Month theme, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Erin and Toral invite the editor of the Inclusive Excellence Podcast, Grace DePaull (she/her/hers), to discuss storytelling as a powerful tool to break down boundaries and construct identities. She shares how storytelling has taken her across the country, around the world, and has landed her at Cornell. Tune in to discover how Grace navigated both her identity and travels through writing and how audio editing the podcast allows her to continue to shape the stories we tell.

What began as a vision in 2020 grew into a collection of stories that unravel many of the untold truths of Cornell's history. On this episode of the podcast, Erin and Toral invite Melina Ivanchikova and Rob Vanderlan from the Center for Teaching Innovation to share their digital exhibition “Any Person, Many Stories—Histories of Exclusion and Inclusion at Cornell.” The pair discuss the impetus for the project and how understanding Cornell's past can actually help increase a sense of belonging throughout the community today. Visit https://blogs.cornell.edu/manystories/ to read the stories from the collection.

Erin and Toral continue their conversation about employee engagement as they dive deeper into the challenges that new hires face with their guest Cassie Pierre Joseph (she/her/hers), the director for employee engagement at Cornell. Cassie reflects on her journey upon arriving at the university and how her current role serves as a crucial resource for new employees across campus. She offers advice in helping new hires get acclimated to the environment and encourages listeners to seek support in order to maximize their experience at Cornell.

In this episode, Erin and Toral are joined by Maria Wolff (she/her/hers), senior consultant for Talent Retention at Cornell, to unpack recent declines in employee retention at the university and in higher education. After exploring the top reasons why people are leaving Cornell, Maria shares ways to focus on creating and supporting an environment that purposefully and proactively retains its employees. She shares how engaging with the entire “employee experience” contributes to workplace belonging and strives to make Cornell a desirable employer for all.

Radhika Nayak (she/her/hers) began her journey at Cornell by learning to navigate the university and her professional path on her own. In this episode, she joins Erin and Toral in her new role as a career development specialist, serving as a resource to guide staff to fruitful and fulfilling careers. While aiming to increase employee retention and a sense of belonging, Radhika shares the tools needed to supercharge a career at Cornell and stay satisfied with professional life. Visit the “Career Success Center” at https://hr.cornell.edu/professional-development/career-success-center for additional resources.

A reunion of friends opens up a conversation that digs deeper than nostalgia. Longtime Cornell employees, Anu Lyons and Ben Ortiz join Erin and Toral to dive into their shared past, discovering what exactly has contributed to them changing professional roles yet staying with the same employer for so long. From tapping into the local community, receiving support from mentors, and being transparent about work wants, needs, and goals, Anu and Ben reveal some essential keys for unlocking employee investment, inclusion, and belonging.

Erin and Toral wrap up the “CNGs Mini-Series” with a conversation about the complexity of experiences and identities within the CNGs. Steph Cowling-Rich (she/her/hers) of the Women of Color CNG and Debra Howell (she/her/hers) of the Veterans CNG speak of the intricate and unique challenges that members of their CNGs face and how these groups help to find and foster throughlines that employees can use to connect across Cornell. Steph and Debra discuss how listeners can help cultivate a sense of belonging in both their personal and professional lives. For more information on Colleague Network Groups at Cornell, please visit: https://hr.cornell.edu/colleague-network-groups

In part two of the “CNGs Mini-Series,” Erin and Toral speak with Ashlee Cherry (she/her/hers) of the Disability CNG and Ten Van Winkle (she/they) of the Young Professionals CNG. Ashlee and Ten invite listeners to honor and acknowledge the unique experiences and identities that exist within the CNGs while leaving behind all assumptions. Their conversation ponders the ever-evolving world of work and the importance of fixing the fallacies of the workplace machine rather than focusing on changing its individual gears. For more information on Colleague Network Groups at Cornell, please visit: https://hr.cornell.edu/colleague-network-groups

Tune into part one of the three-part mini-series that will feature members of Cornell's six Colleague Network Groups (CNGs). In this first episode, Erin and Toral talk with Crissi Dalfonzo (she/her/hers) and Victor Younger (he/him/his) about their experiences working at Cornell and participating in the LGBTQ+ Colleague Network Group and Men of Color Colleague Network Group. Crissi and Victor share their thoughts around workplace belonging and how CNGs help staff and faculty find community through creating a culture where employees can comfortably bring their whole selves to the workplace. For more information on Colleague Network Groups at Cornell, please visit: https://hr.cornell.edu/colleague-network-groups

Toral Patel and Bert Odom-Reed kick off season five by welcoming back Erin Sember-Chase (she/her/hers), who will be stepping into her new role as co-host of the IE Podcast. Erin shares a little about her professional journey and discusses the importance of creating inclusive spaces across Cornell's campus for staff, students, and faculty. She also teases the new season's theme, “What is inclusion and belonging…really?” Follow upcoming episodes that will explore with fellow Cornellians what it really means and looks like to be included and to feel a sense of belonging.

Toral and Bert have an engaging conversation with Sonia Rucker (she/her/hers), the new AVP of Inclusion and Belonging and member of the Presidential Advisors for Diversity and Equity (PADE). Sonia worked at Cornell 2003-2011 and rejoined in 2021. Toral and Bert talk to Sonia about her journey back to Cornell and how issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion impact all staff at Cornell.

Toral Patel and Bert Odom-Reed have a great conversation with Erin Sember-Chase (she/her/hers) and Andrea Haenlin-Mott (she/her/hers) regarding disability employment. Erin works in Student Disability Services and serves as one of the co-chairs of the Disability Colleague Networking Group at Cornell. Andrea is the ADA Coordinator for Facilities and Campus Services and serves as the executive vice chair of the Employee Assembly this year. For more information on Student Disability Services, please visit: https://sds.cornell.edu/ For more information on Cornell Employee Assembly, please visit: https://assembly.cornell.edu/shared-governance-cornell/employee-assembly

Toral Patel and Bert Odom-Reed take the lead as co-hosts on this episode with a very special guest from the Cornell community. There's also a special announcement at the end of the episode that you won't want to miss. To learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month, please visit: https://diversity.cornell.edu/our-community/dei-celebration-resources

Toral and Anthony have a great conversation with Dr. Avery August (he/him/his). Avery is a Professor of Immunology in the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. He's also a member of the Presidential Advisors for Diversity and Equity (PADE). Toral and Anthony talk to him about his journey into academia and get a glimpse into his perspective about why issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion should matter to faculty at Cornell. For more information on the PADEs, please visit: https://diversity.cornell.edu/our-commitments/diversity-leadership-cornell/about-pade To revisit Toral and Anthony's interview with Jamal Lopez (he/him/his) and Fanesse George (she/her/hers) from Weill Cornell, please visit: https://soundcloud.com/iepodcast/episode-38

Anthony and Toral revisit one of their favorite episodes from season three with a brief reflection on how the topic of body size affects them on a personal level and continues be taboo topic in the workplace. To listen to part two of this conversation, please visit: https://soundcloud.com/iepodcast/episode-19-weighing-in-on-body-size-part-ii

Anthony and Toral revisit one of their favorite episodes from season two with a brief reflection on how the topic of imposter syndrome continues to affect them at work.

Anthony and Toral reunite for another "Let's Talk..." episode to discuss the history and impact of National Disability Independence Day on their lives. They also share a number of resources and ways that you can celebrate this day on July 26. For more information and resources about National Disability Independence Day, please visit: https://diversity.cornell.edu/our-community/dei-celebration-resources Below is a list of resources that were shared during this episode: - ESPN, "Special Olympics and Ironman athlete Chris Nikic inspires others to follow in his footsteps:" https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/31094333/special-olympics-ironman-athlete-chris-nikic-inspires-others-follow-footsteps - NPR, "U.K. Bridal Boutique Celebrates Wedding Dresses And Wheelchairs:" https://www.npr.org/2019/01/13/684894928/small-bridal-boutique-celebrates-wedding-dresses-and-wheelchairs - Degree Inclusive Commercial #1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUecdeQw_dk - Degree Inclusive Commercial #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuV0evL5YyQ - Cornell University's Web Accessibility Website: https://accessibility.cornell.edu/information-technology/web-accessibility/ - Implicit Bias Test, specifically on disability: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html

Anthony Sis (they/them) interviews the fifth and final guest for the "Beyond Binaries" special series, Foula Dimopoulos (ze/hir/hirs | he/him/his/), in honor of LGBTQ+ Pride Month. For more information on resources to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month, please visit: https://diversity.cornell.edu/our-community/dei-celebration-resources For more information on PFLAG, please visit: https://pflag.org/ To access a free PDF copy of "Stone Butch Blues" by Leslie Feinberg, please visit: https://www.lesliefeinberg.net/ To learn more about the series "Pride" by FX Networks, please visit: https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/pride

Anthony Sis (they/them) interviews the fourth guest for the "Beyond Binaries" special series, Michelle Wescott (she/her/hers), in honor of LGBTQ+ Pride Month. For more information on resources to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month, please visit: https://diversity.cornell.edu/our-community/dei-celebration-resources

Anthony Sis (they/them) interviews the third guest for the "Beyond Binaries" special series, Christian Balmaseda (he/him/his), in honor of LGBTQ+ Pride Month. For more information on resources to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month, please visit: https://diversity.cornell.edu/our-community/dei-celebration-resources

Anthony Sis (they/them) interviews the second guest for the "Beyond Binaries" special series, Cole Johnston (he/him/his), in honor of LGBTQ+ Pride Month. For more information on resources to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month, please visit: https://diversity.cornell.edu/our-community/dei-celebration-resources

WARNING: This interview contains a brief conversation on the topic of suicide, which may be upsetting to some listeners. For resources on this topic, please view our show notes for this episode. Anthony Sis interviews the first guest for the "Beyond Binaries" special series, Sue Brightly (she/her/hers), in honor of LGBTQ+ Pride Month. For more information on resources to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month, please visit: https://diversity.cornell.edu/our-community/dei-celebration-resources The suicide prevention hotlines listed below provide services to callers across the country and are LGBTQ-inclusive: The Trevor Project: (866) 488-7386 The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: (800) 273-8255 (online chat available) The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Crisis Text Line: Text START to 741-741 Crisis Text Line is free, 24/7 support for those in crisis. Text from anywhere in the USA to text with a trained Crisis Counselor. The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender National Hotline: (888) 843-4564 The GLBT National Youth Talkline (youth serving youth through age 25): (800) 246-7743 Both provide telephone, online private one-to-one chat and email peer-support, as well as factual information and local resources for cities and towns across the United States. Trans Lifeline: (877) 565-8860 Trans Lifeline is a trans-led organization that connects trans people to the community, support, and resources they need to survive and thrive.

A sneak preview at our new series, "Beyond Binaries," in honor of LGBTQ+ Pride Month. A new episode will be released every Friday during the month of June. For more information on resources to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month, please visit: https://diversity.cornell.edu/our-community/dei-celebration-resources

This is the final episode of a four-part special series celebrating AAPI staff members at Cornell. On this episode, Toral has a conversation about with Caleb Yu (he/him/his), Graduate and International Student Career Coach at Cornell Career Services, Christina Liang (she/her/hers), Interim Judicial Administrator in the Office of the Judicial Administrator, and Hei Hei Depew (she/her/hers), Financial Analyst in the College of Human Ecology and Chair of the Employee Assembly. For more information on resources to celebrate Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month, please visit: https://diversity.cornell.edu/our-community/dei-celebration-resources

This episode is part three of a four-part special series celebrating AAPI staff members at Cornell. On this episode, Toral has a conversation about AAPI heritage and traditions with Caleb Yu (he/him/his), Graduate and International Student Career Coach at Cornell Career Services, Christina Liang (she/her/hers), Interim Judicial Administrator in the Office of the Judicial Administrator, and Hei Hei Depew (she/her/hers), Financial Analyst in the College of Human Ecology and Chair of the Employee Assembly. For more information on resources to celebrate Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month, please visit: https://diversity.cornell.edu/our-community/dei-celebration-resources

This episode is part two of a four-part special series celebrating AAPI staff members at Cornell. On this episode, Toral continues the conversation with Perdita Das-Humphrey (she/her/hers), Assistant Dean at the Hans A. Bethe House, Jamie Hom (she/her/hers), Assistant Director of New Student Programs, Aaron King (he/him/his), Assistant Dean at the William Keeton House, and Carolyn Chow (she/her/hers), Recruiter and Inclusion Program Lead in the College of Veterinary Medicine. For more information on resources to celebrate Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month, please visit: https://diversity.cornell.edu/our-community/dei-celebration-resources

This episode is part one of a four-part special series celebrating AAPI staff members at Cornell. On this episode, Toral has a conversation about AAPI heritage and traditions with Perdita Das-Humphrey (she/her/hers), Assistant Dean at the Hans A. Bethe House, Jamie Hom (she/her/hers), Assistant Director of New Student Programs, Aaron King (he/him/his), Assistant Dean at the William Keeton House, and Carolyn Chow (she/her/hers), Recruiter and Inclusion Program Lead in the College of Veterinary Medicine. For more information on resources to celebrate Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month, please visit: https://diversity.cornell.edu/our-community/dei-celebration-resources

On this episode, we have a conversation with Angela Winfield (she/her/hers) on leadership, legacy, and inclusion as she transitions into her new role as the Chief Diversity Officer for the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC). To learn more about Angela's new role and her impact at Cornell, please visit: https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2021/03/winfield-become-chief-diversity-officer-law-school-admission-council

Toral and Anthony talk to their DEI counterparts at Weill Cornell Medicine: Jamal Lopez (he/him/his), Senior Director of Institutional Equity and Fanesse George (she/her/hers), Manager of Diversity, Inclusion & Engagement. They talk about how their work is similar- and different- while also sharing their hopes and dreams about the future of DEI initiatives. For more information on the Office of Institutional Equity at Weill Cornell Medicine, please visit: https://diversity.weill.cornell.edu/policies/title-ix For more information on Weill Cornell Medicine's 2021 Diversity Week, please visit: https://diversity.weill.cornell.edu/about-us/diversity-news/wcm-diversity-week-april-26th-may-1st-2021

Toral and Anthony have a conversation about the importance of minority health in honor of National Minority Health Month with Jeremy Stewart (he/him/his), Nutrition and Health Outreach Coordinator at Cornell Wellness. For more information on the resources provided by Cornell Wellness, please visit: https://recreation.athletics.cornell.edu/wellness Click here to learn more about "The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health" by Dr. Rheeda Walker, Ph.D.: https://www.rheedawalkerphd.com/book

Toral and Anthony have an in-depth conversation on disability with Zebadiah Hall (he/him/his), Director of Student Disability Services. We talk about the impact of ableism on the Cornell community, as well as the importance of intersectionality in addressing issues related to access and disability. For more information on Student Disability Services, please visit: https://sds.cornell.edu/

Toral and Anthony explore the topic of anti-Asian violence and what it means to show solidarity with Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities during this time. For more information on the bias reporting tool, please visit: https://diversity.cornell.edu/our-commitments/bias-reporting-cornell For more resources on anti-Asian violence and how you can show your solidarity, feel free to review the following links: - "On Anti-Asian Hate Crimes: Who Is Our Real Enemy?" by Michelle Kim: https://medium.com/awaken-blog/on-anti-asian-hate-crimes-who-is-our-real-enemy-207ee7354926 - "How to support Asian American colleagues amid the recent wave of anti-Asian violence" by Jennifer Liu: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/19/how-to-support-asian-american-colleagues-amid-anti-asian-violence.html - "45 Ways to Donate in Support of Asian Communities" by the Editors of New York Magazine: https://nymag.com/strategist/article/where-to-donate-to-help-asian-communities-2021.html - Asian American History series by PBS: https://www.pbs.org/show/asian-americans/

Toral and Anthony dive deeper into the topic of microaggressions on this episode of "Lets Talk..." For more information on bias reporting at Cornell and the bias reporting tool, visit: https://diversity.cornell.edu/our-commitments/bias-reporting-cornell

On the season four premiere, Anthony and Toral introduce a new segment called "Let's Talk..." as well as some exciting news about the growth of the podcast. Find us on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, and iHeartRadio at https://diversity.cornell.edu/iepodcast

On the season three finale, we have an intimate conversation where we get to learn more about Mary Opperman (she/her/hers), Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Cornell University. For more information on Mary, please visit https://vpchro.cornell.edu/

On today's show, we continue our conversation with Oliver Goodrich (he/him/his), Associate Dean of Spirituality and Meaning-Making and Director of Cornell United Religious Work (CURW). We go in-depth on how religion, spirituality, and faith can be a part of the problem- and solution- in addressing current social issues such as racism, fundamentalism, and Covid-19. Resources on this topic and are shared on this episode include: - The Pluralism Project at Harvard University: https://pluralism.org/ - On Being Podcast with Krista Tippett, "The Spiritual Work of Black Lives Matter:" https://onbeing.org/programs/patrisse-cullors-and-robert-ross-the-spiritual-work-of-black-lives-matter-may2017/ - The Building Movement Project, "Mapping Our Roles in a Social Change Ecosystem:" https://buildingmovement.org/our-work/movement-building/social-change-ecosystem-map/ - Eboo Patel, Founder of Interfaith Youth Core: ifyc.org/eboo - Valarie Kaur, Sikh activist, filmmaker, and civil rights lawyer, author of "See No Stranger:" https://valariekaur.com/see-no-stranger/ - Cornell University's Student & Campus Life COVID Spiritual Resources: scl.cornell.edu/identity-resource…iritual-resources - Cornell University's Student & Campus Life Racial Justice Resources: scl.cornell.edu/identity-resource…justice-resources

On this show, we talk about the differences and similarities between religion, faith, and spirituality, and how we make meaning of all three terms with Oliver Goodrich, Associate Dean of Spirituality and Meaning-Making and Director of Cornell United Religious Work (CURW). Resources on this topic and are shared on this episode include: - Cornell University's Student & Campus Life COVID Spiritual Resources: https://scl.cornell.edu/identity-resources/office-spirituality-and-meaning-making/resources/covid-spiritual-resources - Cornell University's Student & Campus Life Racial Justice Resources: https://scl.cornell.edu/identity-resources/office-spirituality-and-meaning-making/resources/racial-justice-resources - "Faitheist: How an Atheist Found Common Ground with the Religious" by Chris Stedman: https://www.amazon.com/Faitheist-Atheist-Common-Ground-Religious/dp/0807014451/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1606408006&sr=1-1 - Eboo Patel, Founder of Interfaith Youth Core: https://ifyc.org/eboo

Toral and Anthony have an amazing, intimate, and vulnerable conversation on wellbeing with a focus on families and caregivers with Michelle Artibee, Director of Workforce Wellbeing. Please review the following resources that are available to Cornell staff and faculty members on wellbeing during Covid-19: • Cornell Resources for Parenting & Caregiving During COVID-19: https://hr.cornell.edu/covid-19-workplace-guidance/community-resources/resources-parenting-caregiving-during-covid-19 • Cornell Resources for Faculty and Staff Wellbeing: https://hr.cornell.edu/wellbeing-perks/employee-wellbeing-cornell • (Watch) Guiding Our Children Through Crisis: Mental Health Strategies for Caregivers: https://www.ecornell.com/keynotes/overview/K111620a/ • Pandemic Parenting: recorded programs and resources about anti-racism, pregnancy, parental guilt, grief, and other topics: https://www.pandemic-parent.org

On this special bonus episode, Toral and Anthony answer a question that Financial Analyst and Employee Assembly Chair Hei Hei Depew (she/her/hers)asked during her interview on the podcast. To learn more about Cornell's Employee Assembly, please visit: assembly.cornell.edu/shared-governa…loyee-assembly

This month, Toral and Anthony have an honest conversation with Financial Analyst and Employee Assembly Chair Hei Hei Depew (she/her/hers) about xenophobia and racism towards Asians and Asian Americans that has increased due to the presence of Covid-19. They talk about bias, leadership, the bamboo ceiling, the model minority myth, and how to demonstrate allyship towards the community during these challenging times. To learn more about Cornell's Employee Assembly, please visit: https://assembly.cornell.edu/shared-governance-cornell/employee-assembly

Co-hosts Toral Patel and Anthony Sis provide some updates and send appreciations to the most recent guests and listeners of the show.

On this episode, we continue the special series called “Blackness at Cornell" with faculty member Dr. Peggy Odom-Reed. For more information on anti-racism resources available at Cornell, please visit: https://diversity.cornell.edu/our-community/anti-racism-resources

On this episode, we continue the special series called “Blackness at Cornell" with staff member Anthony Bellamy. For more information on anti-racism resources available at Cornell, please visit: https://diversity.cornell.edu/our-community/anti-racism-resources

On this episode, we launch a special series called “Blackness at Cornell" with staff member Jeremy Stewart. For more information on anti-racism resources available at Cornell, please visit: https://diversity.cornell.edu/our-community/anti-racism-resources

On this month's show, we explore what it means to be expecting a child during a global pandemic with Derrick Barrett (he/him/his), department business administrator in the Department of Microbiology. For more information on the anti-racism resources available to staff and faculty, please visit:https://diversity.cornell.edu/our-community/anti-racism-resources

This month's episode explores the complexities of code-switching and how it affects us at work and beyond. Code-switching is a well-documented term that highlights the common practice of switching languages and forms of expression in our everyday actions. We’ll be having a conversation with a very special guest- one that you’re all familiar with... For more information on Cornell's Colleague Network Groups (CNGs), please visit: https://hr.cornell.edu/colleague-network-groups

Toral and Anthony are back and creating new episodes in quarantine. Stay tuned for the next episode on Wednesday, May 6th!