Our Other Voices program is accepting applications for the 2021 class. This leadership development and community-building experience allows participants – in frank and open dialogue – to build their insight and understanding of the roots of prejudice.
Thanks for joining us!
This episode is sponsored by Truliant Federal Credit Union
Visit Truliant here
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Today’s host is Joyce Gorham-Worsley, the Greensboro Chamber’s Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion.
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00:58 - Joyce is joined by guests four guests who introduce themselves: Katina Richmond, VP of Human Resources with Carolina Biological Supply Company; Maria Gonzales, the CEO of Health Fitness Greensboro; Curtis Chesney, an Actuary with Lincoln Financial; and Carl Jones, Senior Manager with United Way of Greater Greensboro.
2:00 - Joyce begins with some background about the Chamber’s Other Voices Program, a diversity leadership and community-building program that teaches local leaders to be more effective in developing and practicing skills and strategies to eradicate prejudices and “-isms” on a personal and professional level.
5:00 - Joyce asks her guests about their experiences as participants of the Other Voices Program of 2020. Katina speaks to the strength and challenge she found in speaking about taboo subjects that are usually “off limits”, explaining that being vulnerable created safe, open, and emotional dialogues with fellow participants.
7:30 - Maria adds her perspective on her experience of Other Voices, especially as an immigrant to the US. She explains that she was able to learn so much from many different perspectives that she never would have been exposed to otherwise.
9:10 - Curtis explains that he entered the program with a “majority culture” lens, so he wasn’t sure how he would fit in a group of many different perspectives, life experiences, accessibility, stories, cultures. He truly appreciated how welcomed he felt in the group and how he grew from the diverse, messy, raw conversations with those who are different.
12:20 - Carl explains that his key takeaway from the program is a sense of empathy for others and a greater understanding of how to see things from others’ perspectives. As a young black man, he tells how he learned so much about the other “-isms” that he was unaware of before, and how he learned how to listen to the experiences of other people.
15:55 - To close out the episode, Joyce asks each guest for one word to describe their time in the Other Voices Class of 2020. Katina chooses “stimulating;” Maria goes with “listening;” Curtis decides on “excited;” and Carl closes with his word, “impactful.”
Joyce also encourages our guests to elaborate on why they chose their word and what it means to them.
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If you would like to find out more about the Other Voices Program and apply to be a participant in the next cohort, visit the Other Voices webpage on the Chamber’s website!
Make sure to follow impact. The Boro on social media!
Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @gsochamber
Visit the Chamber website at greensboro.org.
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