“I had to give up things [and people] that I thought were good for me by building awareness and realizing that they weren’t right. [I had to] move them out of my way. And I was one of those people… who was in my own way.” – Dr. Cheryl Ingram
Diversity and inclusion expert and entrepreneur Dr. Cheryl Ingram gets real about being a black woman in a world that shows up differently for her; what it takes to face our past with vulnerability; and why cultivating self-awareness, forgiveness, and self-love is the only path to being who we really are.
More About Cheryl:
Dr. Cheryl Ingram is the CEO and founder of Inclusology (a software company that is working to build the world’s greatest benchmarks for DEI) and Diverse City LLC (a (DEI) diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting firm working with organizations across the United States). Cheryl has been training and coaching in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion for 18 years. She has her Doctorate of Education with a specialization in DEI, a Master of Arts in Education, and her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, all from New Mexico State University. Cheryl’s company works with clients such as Netflix, Uber, Foursquare, University of Washington and others to help them build sustainable and fair DEI practices and policies. Cheryl’s many passions related to social justice and equity which included serving on the board of directors for Unloop, a national technical training program that addresses recidivism in prisons throughout Washington State and on the Board of Directors for Black Women in Tech.
Highlights
- What “blazing your own trail” means to Cheryl in both her career and personal life
- The sacrifices that Cheryl made to be her authentic self – and the people she had to let go of to clear the way
- How practicing self awareness helps Cheryl see more clearly what’s blocking her path
- The questions Cheryl asked herself just before a major surgery that clarified what was important to her
- The myths that Cheryl believed about her capabilities growing up, and how she’s dismantling them
- Why understanding where she came from was key to letting Cheryl be her authentic self – and how she learned to see her family in a different light
- Cheryl’s self-care routine and how it helps her navigate the difficult work self acceptance
- How Cheryl thinks about the word “balance” in a way that supports her instead of setting her up for failure
- How Cheryl forgave herself for a self-described mistake early in her career – and why it informs how she shows up as a leader now
- The sometimes challenging experience of being a blunt communicator – and how to communicate in a way that feels authentic while also meeting your audience where they are
- How Cheryl reclaimed parts of herself that had been lost or silenced over the years by journaling to her younger self
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Books
- The Seat of the Soul, Gary Zukav (Amazon affiliate link)
- Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King, Jr. (Amazon affiliate link)
- It Didn’t Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle, Mark Wolynn (Amazon affiliate link)
Connect with Cheryl: Website | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter
Thank You for Listening!
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