Meet The Host
Simma Lieberman is internationally known as “The Inclusionist,” because she creates inclusive workplaces where employees love to do their best work, and customers love to do business.
Her passion for diversity and its possibilities began in 1963 when she went on the March On Washington. In 1963. She wishes she could say that it was because of hearing Martin Luther King give his “I Have A Dream” speech, but she was too young to remember it. However, she has always remembered what it felt like to be amongst 250,000 people of all colors, cultures, and ages for the first time, rallying and marching together for change.
Publications that have featured her articles and ideas include The Wall Street Journal, NY Times, Fast Company, The Economist, Forbes, Black MBA, Restaurant Hospitality Magazine, Insight Into Diversity, Working Mother, Cosmopolitan UK, Human Resource Executive, CEO Refresher and CNN.
She is the co-author with George Simons and Kate Berardo, of Putting Diversity to Work, How to Successfully Lead a Diverse Workforce, the co-author of The Diversity Calling, Building Diverse Communities One Story at a Time and the author of 110 Ways to Champion Diversity and Build Inclusion and Stress Management for the Motivated, A Workbook For You.
Behind the Mic
Everyday Conversations on Race for Everyday People brings people together across race and culture for open comfortable conversations about race in a casual setting to bring race to the people.
Our mission is to disrupt the way race is talked about, break racial silos and have a global impact on how people see each other.
We have two guests from different backgrounds who share stories, thoughts on race, perspective on current social issues and pop culture happenings. We show that conversations about race are possible, urgent and essential for survival.
Guests are all ages from very young to very old, immigrants, students, formerly incarcerated, executives, hourly employees, social activists, hip-hop artists, athletes and media. It’s serious, funny and insightful.
We have a global mission for these conversations, to eliminate fear of differences, bring people together in the same space, and find surprising connections.
We help leaders build inclusive cultures that last from start-up to scale.
Diversity and inclusion is a mindset and a business strategy that must be integrated into all systems and process and include everyone from the C-suite to front-line employees. Training, ERGS, and events not aligned with the business strategy and your mission and vision, are not sustainable. The goal of our team is to always add value, add more joy in diversity, and move your business to it’s greatest success.
About Simma Lieberman, The Inclusionist
• Winner of Global Diversity Leadership award from World HRD Congress in Mumbai- 2017
• Expert in Inclusive Leadership Development, Cultural Intelligence and Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, and Cultures That Last
• Radio podcast host of “Everyday Conversations on Race for Everyday People”
• Passionate about diversity, inclusion and creating organizations where everyone loves to do their best work
• Lover of music of every genre, food from across the world and constant travel
If you want to reach the heart of your organization and still get measurable results-
If you want to access and maximize the hidden genius in your organization to create breakthrough products, and services-
If you want to be seen as the thought leader in your industry for innovation, inclusion and participation,
Contact us today!
Our strength is in our unique ability to create communities that include senior leaders, employees, and customers.
Additional services for your success:
Organizational Assessments, Inclusive Leadership Development, Beyond Sexual Harassment/Gender Equity, Facilitation. Making Uncomfortable Conversations Comfortable
Co-author of the book, “Putting Diversity to Work, how to successfully lead a diverse workforce”. (Thomson Learning) and “The Diversity Calling; building community one story at a time.” Author of “!10 Ways to Champion Diversity and Build Inclusion.”
Our Vision
RaceConvo.com is on a mission to empower everyday people to become catalysts for racial healing. We believe that genuine conversations about race hold the key to unlocking a more unified future.
By empowering everyday people to have these crucial conversations, RaceConvo.com aspires to be a driving force in dismantling racial barriers and building a more inclusive and equitable society.
Advisory Team
Mercedes Martin
Mercedes Martin, Founder and CEO of Mercedes Martin & Co., is a visionary focused on sustainable leadership and organizational transformation. With a diverse background, including a former US Air Force Officer and Corporate Executive, she offers unique perspectives on leadership development, change management, consulting, executive coaching, and global diversity. With clients including Fortune 50 companies, Mercedes has pioneered global high-performance executive and team acceleration. The firm, powered by VUKA Collective, specializes in guiding personal, organizational, team, social, and environmental transformation. Mercedes holds certifications and actively participates in LEAP!, the PRME Working Group on the Sustainability Mindset, and the Cambridge Sustainability Cohort. She is also an expert panelist for GDEIB and co-authored works on sustainability benchmarks.
Dr. Joe-Joe McManus
Dr. Joe-Joe McManus is an Executive Advisor to college and university Presidents and Diversity Officers, focusing on antiracism and inclusive excellence.
Born in a white-flight town, McManus’ academic and professional goals stem from his experiences with racism, anti-Semitism, and classism. He has held various roles in higher education, including Chief Diversity Officer, and has served on multiple boards.
Dr. McManus is a first-gen college student and holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Florida A&M University. He has also served on the boards for the Floyd Rights Campaign and the National Association for Multicultural Education.
Liwen Xu
Liwen Xu is a tech marketer, writer, and DEI advocate. At SurveyMonkey, she’s a Product Marketing Manager, leading new launches for tech business and consumer products. She’s also the Co-Lead of Mosaic, SurveyMonkey’s Asian and Pacific Islander (API) employee resource group, where she works with her team to advance the API and BIPOC community, professional development, representation, and more. Outside of work, Liwen is a writer and a Fiction editor at The Rumpus, a digital magazine that publishes and elevates diverse voices and stories. As a writer, she’s had stories and poetry published in literary magazines from Boulevard to The Journal, as well as displayed in the Asian Art Museum. Liwen is passionate about education, representation, and the arts. Learn more about her @liwens_shelf or liwen-xu.com.
A. Lee Judge
A. Lee Judge is the Co-Founder and CMO of Content Monsta, a digital content agency. He also serves as a Global Digital Marketing Consultant for Hexagon Geosystems. He is also a sought after B2B Marketing Strategist, Podcast and Video Content Producer, and Speaker. Focused on B2B marketing for over 20 years, Lee is both a digital marketing practitioner and creative content entrepreneur. He is a leading LinkedIn video creator, Forbes Agency Council member, and engaging event speaker providing training on digital marketing, content creation, social selling, and sales enablement from the Marketing point of view. @aleejudge
Advisory Team
A. Lee Judge
A. Lee Judge is the Co-Founder and CMO of Content Monsta, a digital content agency. He also serves as a Global Digital Marketing Consultant for Hexagon Geosystems. He is also a sought after B2B Marketing Strategist, Podcast and Video Content Producer, and Speaker. Focused on B2B marketing for over 20 years, Lee is both a digital marketing practitioner and creative content entrepreneur. He is a leading LinkedIn video creator, Forbes Agency Council member, and engaging event speaker providing training on digital marketing, content creation, social selling, and sales enablement from the Marketing point of view. @aleejudge
Melanie Mentzel
Born and raised in Berkeley, CA by a free spirited entrepreneurial single mom in the 60’s, I learned to observe and listen and feel the energy of people and situations. I went to school for physical therapy, but didn’t get into the program. Something I carry with me are the choices I have made in life are mine and that there are no mistakes. I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Idaho State University, something that has served me Everyday. Currently, I have tended to a gardening business for over 30 years and have been the Outreach Director at Berkeley Community Media (BCM) since 2010. Before finding public access TV in Berkeley, I was involved with the public access TV channel in Mountain View from 1997-2000. BCM is a P.E.G. (Public, Educational, and Governmental Access) channel on the West Coast responsible for empowering and educating people in the media arts and providing an electronic platform to share digital content. It is a well-recognized media production organization distinguished for having a unique learning space in the Bay Area for amateur and experienced filmmakers, television producers, and media students of all ages. At BCM we have many ways to encourage the community to learn about the media arts, among them are our classes in editing, field and studio production as well as podcasting. Most importantly in this day and age, we maintain our mission of unfettered Free Speech by not censoring content and keeping our channels on the air 24 hours a day, seven days a week, broadcasting voices from across the San Francisco Bay Area on Comcast cable channel 28 and our website www.bcmtv.org.
As an Outreach Director, I am responsible for recruiting the Bay Area community to take classes to become Indie filmmakers, television and podcast producers as well as citizen journalists. . My core responsibility at BCM is to understand the needs of the community and design events and curate workshops for non-profits and individuals thereby providing professional tools and training to share voices. In the past, I have also created my own TV shows working as a host/talent/editor/writer/producer. Among my skills are voice-over artist, intern manager, event producer, social media marketing maven. With over 15 years of experience as a leader in media arts, I feel I can add a creative voice of experience to the conversation.
Our Mission
In a world yearning for genuine connection, RaceConvo.com envisions a future where conversations about race transcend hesitation and become the norm. We see a society where individuals from all backgrounds feel empowered to engage in open, honest dialogue – fostering empathy, understanding, and a collective dismantling of racial barriers. Through these conversations, we believe hearts and minds will be opened, leading to a more just and equitable world where race is a source of strength and celebration, rather than division.
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Everyday Conversations on RaceforEveryday People is a podcast that brings people together across race and culture for open comfortable conversations about race in a casual setting to close the racial divide.