Trying to say the exact right thing can feel overwhelming at times, and it may even cause us to feel stuck when it comes to moving from having good intentions to taking concrete action. That’s what this Speaker Series event is all about—giving us the tools to have constructive, compassionate conversations across differences.

Our own Blake Lawit, SVP and general counsel, will sit down with Kenji Yoshino, Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law at NYU School of Law, to discuss the nuanced subject of his new book (co-authored with David Glasgow), Say The Right Thing: How to Talk About Identity, Diversity, and Justice. Together, they will explore how we can move from potentially unconsciously hurting people when we communicate, to consciously helping them. 

Leah Smart, LinkedIn editor and host of the “In the Arena” podcast, sits down with Yung Pueblo—author, meditator, and one of social media’s leading voices on the topics of healthy relationships and knowing ourselves. They explore self-awareness practices that can help us experience the world around us in crisp and newly vibrant ways.

In partnership with our Black Inclusion Group, we’re thrilled to welcome trailblazer and change agent, Bozoma “Boz” Saint John—one of the world’s most dynamic, influential, and accomplished marketers—to our next Speaker Series. This special Black Heritage Month event will be a live streamed conversation in our NY editorial studio followed by a book signing.

Boz brings unparalleled energy, transformative thinking, and innovative ideas to everything she touches, and we’ll experience this ourselves when she sits down with Ty Heath, market engagement director for The B2B Institute at LinkedIn, to discuss themes from her new book, The Urgent Life: My Story of Love, Loss and Survival. They’ll delve into the lessons Boz has learned throughout her extraordinary career, and her exciting new role as ambassador for the African diaspora and special envoy to the president of Ghana. Get ready for some inspirational gems!

The Urgent Life draws from Boz’s own experiences of tragedy and grief to lay out a roadmap for those of us who are navigating our own battles. Through her stories and insights, Boz lets us know that we are not alone, that we can make it through, and that there is light and peace, and even inspiration, waiting for us when we do.