Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Talking Circles

Interested in building a diverse and inclusive team? 

Research shows that traditional diversity training is ineffective (it is actually negatively correlated with reducing bias); meanwhile, the best way for people to become educated on privilege, prejudice, and how to lead diverse teams is through experiential dialog.

In this program, Dr. Jamila Rufaro and Nathan Parcells will facilitate your team through a conversation on racism, prejudice, bias, and more, in a facilitated and trusting environment. The end result of this work is that you and your team members will take one step forward in understanding their biases, prejudices, and racism; as well as make progress in learning how to properly communicate, collaborate, and recover from infractions in multi-cultural and multi-racial work settings.  

The Program:

This program follows the principles of Stanford’s well-known interpersonal dynamics class to help participants learn about their prejudices by engaging in crucial conversations.

The program begins with training on topics including: empathetic listening, navigating conflict, and how to take risks; then is followed by facilitated conversations that allow participants to act as both teachers and students in sharing their experiences while listening and learning from one another.

The program takes place in a series of 90-minute sessions, over multiple weeks, with required journaling, reading, and homework in between, to maximize growth for each participant.

If you want to learn more about hosting a DEI Talking Circle at your fund, company, or team, you can inquire more here.

About the Facilitators:

Dr. Jamila Rufaro

Dr. Rufaro is a lifelong-learner, executive coach, artist and educator. With a strong focus on diversity, Jamila is dedicated to deepening and widening human connections by moving past our emotional legacies of fear and shame and reaching for the compassion, empathy and love that is at the root of our human experience. 

Dr Rufaro is a Senior Facilitator for the renowned Interpersonal Dynamics course at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and for the Building Interpersonal Skills course through Stanford’s Continuing Studies Program.

Jamila has extensive experience in leadership training and facilitating groups for communication skills, diversity and power dynamics.   She has a demonstrated commitment to diversity, ability to create safety within groups, model effective practices and intervene in ways that enhance learning and empowers her clients to meet their goals.

Nathan Parcells

Nathan Parcells is a former founder (@Looksharp), marketing executive (@Carta) and current executive coach working primarily with startup founders and executives. 

Nathan’s former company, Looksharp, scaled from 2 employees to over 25, through several rounds of fundraising, and to an eventual exit. During this period, Nathan ran the marketing team, hired a uniquely diverse team, and led partnerships with a variety of diversity focused groups including, Black Founders, Latinas in Tech, StartOut, and more.

As a coach Nathan specializes in group facilitation and co-founder mediation, helping co-founder teams navigate conflict and learn the skills to explore difficult but important topics with one another.

Testimonials

Thank you Jamila and Nathan for putting together such a thought-provoking program. This was a first and critical step for our company to learn the proper tools to build a more inclusive team.”

-Trent, CEO, Track

“My experience in Nathan and Jamila's program was profound. The openness that I felt with total strangers was unexpected. The framework created a unique space for me to emotionally invest and openly explore my thoughts and abilities to discuss racism in a way that felt productive and personally evolutionary.”

-Kelli, CEO, The Change Project

“Nathan and Jamila, created a trusting space where our group could have meaningful conversations on race. By the end of the short program, I had taken a few steps forward in my ability to communicate on this topic, which will have a tangible impact on myself and my team in the future.”

David, CEO, Concepts