Jackie: Hey, everyone. Thanks for listening. I'm here today with a special episode with Cee Cee and Royce, my amazing production team for Diversity Beyond the Checkbox, and we're super excited about season nine and some of the upcoming things that are new, some of the guests that we're excited about, and we just wanted to take a few moments and share that with you. So Cee Cee and Royce, if you want to take a second and just introduce yourselves.
Cee Cee: Yeah, thank you so much Jackie. I'm excited to be here. I'm on every single recording, So I get to be a part of it, but it's fun to actually be on the episode this time I like I said, I'm on all of the recordings, I manage all of the editing, the uploading, a lot of that behind-the-scenes kind of technical stuff and It's really fun to be on the show today
Jackie: Thanks, Cee Cee. Royce?
Royce: I am more of the visual side of things, less of the behind-the-scenes production. So I do all of the graphics and the copy editing to make sure that everything gets put together and posted correctly, and really I just fill in any of the gaps I can to make sure that Cee Cee is fully equipped to do her job because she's the real star of the production team.
Cee Cee: Stop. I'm blushing.
Jackie: Well, both of you are amazing. I appreciate all the work you do to make the podcast great and to make me sound good, and to promote our amazing guests. So I'm glad to have you with me today.
Royce: Honestly, you make it really easy for us to do our job because you're awesome at this. So,
Jackie: Thank you.
Royce: So Jackie, tell me, let's, let's dive in. Tell me a little bit about what you've been up to in this off season.
Jackie: Yeah. So, working with the diversity movement, developing the new content and products, we've created a subscribable repository for all of our content called TDM library that helps individuals and organizations become stronger leaders and create happier, more innovative cultures and teams. And we're working on a leadership assessment tool called leader view that identifies your strengths and competencies as a leader, and then tells you where your growth opportunities are. So those are some of the things that we've been working on.
I received the Inc. 200 female Founders Award, which names, 200 women entrepreneurs that are doing excellent work. And I was one of the 20 in the, Game Changers category, which is really awesome.
And I'm so excited about. And then, We released a second edition of the Inclusive Language Handbook, in collaboration with Easterseals UCP of, North Carolina and Virginia. So I got to work with my friend Luann Welch on that, so that's very cool. And then, you know, so many good things are happening at work.
And then, on a personal note, my daughter started her senior year of college, and I'm so not ready for whatever this next phase of... Having a child not in school. So that's going to be an interesting thing. And that's it. I've taken some fun trips this summer and enjoyed some downtime.
Royce: That's awesome. So you mentioned TDM Library at the beginning, if people are kind of interested in checking that out, because it really is an awesome thing that we've put together, over the last few months, where should they go to find that?
Jackie: Yeah, you can just go to tdmlibrary.com and it's got lots of cool content, that you can use as an employee to grow, as a leader to grow, as an organizational, you know, HR, whatever your role is, there's, there's so much content there for you. Yeah.
Royce: Awesome.
Jackie: Cool.
Cee Cee: Yeah. So now that you're done, being leisurely, you know, you had a great summer, great trip. Let's talk about what we're doing here, what we're here to talk about, which is we're on season nine of the podcast, which is crazy. I don't even know how we; I feels like we just started and now we're already on season nine.
Jackie: I know. I'm so excited about it. Well, first, we've got some amazing guests that I'm really excited about. And we've extended our season to 16 episodes. There are just So many stories that I want to share, so many voices that I want to amplify. It was so hard to choose guests this season. I've spoken to so many, amazing people in pre interviews and had to cut it to 12 and then upped it to 16 and
Cee Cee: Sometimes you just have to make exceptions.
Jackie: That’s exactly right. But some of the guests that I'm super excited about, this season are, Anselm Beach, who is the former Deputy Secretary of the Army. Shalita Grant, who's a Tony Award winning actress, and you might remember her from, NCIS New Orleans. Dima Gowie, who's a successful executive and now a leadership coach and author who shares how leaving her abusive marriage has led to death threats by loved ones in her home country.
I've got two Joshes on this season. So Josh Miller and Josh Heyman who are going to tell you incredible stories of resilience. and they're now influencers in their respective industries, but both very dedicated to equity and inclusion in different ways. And then, Oscar Tremblay, who's going to teach us how to do deep listening, which for some of us who are not so great at listening, that's gonna be very helpful.
Cee Cee: I'm excited that episode.
Jackie: Me too! And so many more, like, that's just a couple. Again, there's 16, episodes this season, so I'm really, really pumped about it.
Cee Cee: Yeah, there are lots of exciting people and some exciting changes too. Do y'all want to talk about our new partnership a little bit?
Jackie: Yeah, so I'll start and Royce, jump in if there's anything that I missed.
Royce: Sure.
Jackie: We've partnered with Living Corporate, who is a digital media network that connects, Black and Brown talent to the organizations that want to engage with them. Basically they promote and amplify workplace equity and inclusion and it's such a synergy, a natural synergy with our show.
We're also the first show that they've kind of adopted rather than created. So I feel very honored that, Zach Nunn and their team has brought us on. And, you know, Zach is so great. He's bright and innovative and I'm super excited to just have his input and counsel as we move forward with the show.
Royce: Yeah, I would just echo all of that. I think in the, you know, in the lead ups to actually joining the network, we had so many conversations to make sure that alignment was correct and that the vision was, was similar, you know, and, and that kind of stuff. And I think it's awesome to now be part of a team that it just feels like an extension of everyone we already work with.
And, I'm really excited to, yeah, to just, to see where, where this goes.
Jackie: Absolutely.
Cee Cee: So you might notice a new logo on our cover and also a new cover that Royce made too. So new season, new cover, new partnership. Everything's new, but it's still the same conversations that you love, you know?
Jackie: Absolutely. And then another thing, y'all, is the bonus content that we're doing. So I'm pretty pumped about that. That's super fun. So after the interview, Like the formal interview part of the recording where, you know, guests are sharing about their journeys and their businesses and their books and all these cool things.
I'm asking some fun questions, some tough questions, some thought provoking questions. And then even trying a new like speed round of this or that questions. So like guacamole or queso? Which is like a fun way to end the conversation.
Cee Cee: Queso for me
Jackie: Is it? Royce, what's yours? I'm definitely a guacamole girl.
Royce: Yeah, I don't wanna have to choose between these two. I think I would go with guac, though. Like, if we're going, like, best made guac versus best made queso, I think I would pick guac, personally.
Jackie: Okay. Yeah.
Royce: But the, the real, the real answer is guacamole on a chip that you then dip in queso. Like, that's the real, that's the game changer.
Cee Cee: Never done the guacamole and the queso at the same time I've done the salsa and the queso. at the same time that is, a hot avocado might get a little funky It
Royce: Mm mm. Mm mm. Nope.
Jackie: I'm gonna try that, Royce.
Royce: Wait, wait.
Cee Cee: You’ll get to find out answers like this from the guests throughout the season. Get to know them as people.
Royce: To clarify, you don't, like, mix the guac into the queso. Like, they're separate until you dip the chip. And you, like, just dip the chip in the guac and then the queso. Because I agree, if we, like, mixed guac in the queso, that would be, that might be weird. I don't want people leaving this episode being like, Who is that Royce guy? He’s weird. at least not for the wrong reasons. Like, he pours his guac in...
Jackie: Queso-mole.
Royce: Yeah. Oh my...
Jackie: okay, well this is an example of some of the bonus content that you'll get, which is super fun. And, you know, if you're on your commute home or whatever, and you need a good laugh, like, this is the kind of stuff we're gonna be talking about. after you get all your good stuff.
Royce: We also have definitely upped our, I guess one other thing we could talk about is we have upped our Presence on social media. So if you're listening to this and you have questions that you would like to see asked, or, you know, your, their ideas you have or stories to share any of that kind of stuff, please don't hesitate to, to share them with us, whether it's on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, like we are, we are listening.
Jackie: Yeah, definitely. Ask your questions, of our team, of our guests. I'm happy to, include those in some of the questions that I'm asking. It's a great idea.
Royce: So, we also have some secret things in the works for the end of the season, which I'm very excited about. and can't wait for people to get a chance to find out what those are. We're gonna keep it a little mysterious, but we do have some really fun things.
Jackie: Absolutely.
Cee Cee: We can just say that you'll be seeing a lot more of us than you usually do.
Jackie: Or hearing a lot more of us.
Cee Cee: Yeah, you really won't be seeing us. at all our socials, you should be, but you'll be hearing from us.
Royce: Well, Season 9 is almost here. I'm definitely feeling that. I'm excited. I think Cee Cee and I are ready, but it's always one of those where you're, like, you hold your breath right before the plunge, so... But I'm very excited.
Jackie: That's right. It's coming up September 19th. So everyone tune in and thank you to every single person that listens. As always, thank you to our sponsor, The Diversity Movement, and our producer, Earfluence, for keeping the show running. Cee Cee and Royce?
Royce: We'll see you in Season 9.
Cee Cee: Yeah, talk to you next week.
Jackie: bye y'all.
Season nine of Diversity Beyond the Checkbox is just around the corner, and we can’t wait to share what’s in store! In this special episode, Jackie is joined by our incredible production team, Cee Cee and Royce, to give you a sneak peek of what’s coming your way. Get ready for new guests, exciting bonus content, and a groundbreaking partnership with Living Corporate, a leading digital media network that promotes workplace equity and inclusion. Mark your calendars for the season premiere on Sept. 19, and join us on this journey to amplify voices, share stories, and champion inclusion. Stay tuned for more updates, and let’s make season nine our best one yet!
“Diversity Beyond the Checkbox” is presented by The Diversity Movement and hosted by Inc 200 Female Founders award winner, Jackie Ferguson.
This show is proud to be a part of the Living Corporate network and to be produced by Earfluence.