I grew up in South Central Los Angeles. My mother was a publicist and worked heavily in product placement so I spent my young adult years following her around doing press junkets and red carpets. My father was a police officer that had a hard life. He grew up in my neighborhood and was predisposed to gang violence. For the bulk of my life, he struggled with drug addiction.
I see the world differently.
We own personal and professional behaviors that come from who we are holistically. If you often find yourself ‘code switching’, are you being your authentic self?
The need for your perspective based on how you see the world is essential to diversity and its advocacy. Take the fear out of being a human with a set of experiences that make you who you are. That way, you bring who you are holistically to service to build authentic relationships and trust with the people you serve.