--- title: "Starting the Conversation: How to Begin the Journey towards DEI" description: "Sabrina Griffith: Consultant, Trainer, & DEI Strategist Promoting Corporate Inclusion & Equity" image: https://www.upliftingimpact.com/hubfs/Uplifting%20Impact%20Podcast%20Visuals%20(Website)%20(3).png --- [![Website Logo - White-1](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Uplifting%20Impact/Website%20Logo%20-%20White-1.png?width=1827&name=Website%20Logo%20-%20White-1.png "Website Logo - White-1")](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/) ![HEADER - Podcast 2](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/hubfs/Uplifting%20Impact/Headers-Backgrounds%20-%20UI/HEADER%20-%20Podcast%202.jpg "HEADER - Podcast 2") # Starting the Conversation: How to Begin the Journey towards DEI Posted by [Justin Ponder](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/uplifting-impact/author/justin-ponder) | Aug 12, 2021 3:00:00 AM ![](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/hubfs/Uplifting%20Impact%20Podcast%20Visuals%20(Website)%20(3).png) Sabrina Griffith is a consultant, trainer, and strategist who works to encourage inclusion and belonging in corporations, businesses, and organizations, as they strive to create equitable practices. She uses her experience over the last 15 years as a DEI practitioner to develop and facilitate engaging and comprehensive sessions on DEI topics, including gender sexuality, LGBTQ+ allyship, bias, race, colorism, and classism to name a few. In our conversation, we discuss how she got started in DEI work, what it’s like to start from scratch with people who are new to these conversations, and ways organizations can approach talent acquisition with intention for creating more diverse, equitable, and inclusive spaces. To learn more about and connect with Sabrina, find her on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinangriffith), or on her website, [https://www.griffithconsultingservices.com/](https://www.griffithconsultingservices.com/) ## Topics In This Episode - Sabrina’s journey that brought her to DEI work - Connecting with team members - The benefits of relationship building, and how to start - Understanding your needs, as well as the needs of those around you - Changes that Sabrina sees on the business side around inclusivity - Performative DEI initiatives - Is your organization structured to support a diverse and inclusive environment? - Psychological safety in the workplace ## Connect - LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinangriffith](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinangriffith) - Website: [https://www.griffithconsultingservices.com/](https://www.griffithconsultingservices.com/) ### Recent Conversations We’ve Enjoyed - [Diversity In All Industries: Overcoming The Barriers To Entry](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/uplifting_impact/diversity-in-all-industries-overcoming-the-barriers-to-entry) - [Connecting The Dots: Creating a Safe Space for Healthy Inclusion](https://www.deannasingh.com/uplifting_impact/connecting-the-dots-creating-a-safe-space-for-healthy-inclusion) #### Written by [Justin Ponder](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/uplifting-impact/author/justin-ponder) Justin Ponder is a professor who teaches courses on Ethnic Studies, African American Studies, and Ethnic Minority Literature. He has published in numerous journals and books on the issue of race and identity politics, exploring the ways to bridge the gap between who we are and who we must become to achieve a more equitable world for others. He has helped organizations and leaders consider connections between the historical past, the social present, and a more just future. He knows how to masterfully weave the academic with the practical, the political with the personal so people can better appreciate the complexity of the issues while finding clarity about their responsibilities. In his work on diversity, equity, and inclusion, he is known for his ability to teach difficult lessons in gentle ways that combine heartbreak and humor to inspire hope. [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-ponder-1200b72b/) ## Leave a Comment [![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/3800673/1f539f85-6ead-40a9-a3eb-a782773e5c66.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/3800673/1f539f85-6ead-40a9-a3eb-a782773e5c66) ### Subscribe [![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/3800673/67732611-6d2a-4bba-adb9-2aee4aab370d.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/3800673/67732611-6d2a-4bba-adb9-2aee4aab370d) [![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/3800673/98e03c7f-012e-4501-bf38-fb3ee19c17fe.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/3800673/98e03c7f-012e-4501-bf38-fb3ee19c17fe) [![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/3800673/486570d3-73d9-41b2-bb95-ff9b714f9207.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/3800673/486570d3-73d9-41b2-bb95-ff9b714f9207) [![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/3800673/560326cc-cbe1-4309-bf76-889ea2784d89.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/3800673/560326cc-cbe1-4309-bf76-889ea2784d89) ### Recent Posts ### Topics - [Accessibility (1)](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/uplifting-impact/tag/accessibility) - [Culture (1)](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/uplifting-impact/tag/culture) - [Diversity (3)](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/uplifting-impact/tag/diversity) - [Employee (3)](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/uplifting-impact/tag/employee) - [Inclusion (3)](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/uplifting-impact/tag/inclusion) - [Initiative (1)](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/uplifting-impact/tag/initiative) - [leadership (1)](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/uplifting-impact/tag/leadership) - [Plan (1)](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/uplifting-impact/tag/plan) [see all](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/uplifting-impact/starting-from-scratch-how-to-start-the-conversation-around-dei#) [![2 - white-yellow](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Uplifting%20Impact/2%20-%20white-yellow.png?width=224&name=2%20-%20white-yellow.png)](https://www.upliftingimpact.com/) ### KEEP UP WITH UPLIFTING IMPACT: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER **(631) 533-2662 ****• info@upliftingimpact.com** - [**](https://www.facebook.com/deanna.singh.10) - [**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannasingh/) © 2021 Flying Elephant, LLC All Rights Reserved • Privacy Policy Designed and developed by [**Trending Up Strategy**](https://www.trendingupstrategy.com) ** ![](https://px.ads.linkedin.com/collect/?pid=3856324&fmt=gif) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Justin Ponder", "url" : "https://www.upliftingimpact.com/uplifting-impact/author/justin-ponder" }, "dateModified" : "2024-01-04T21:17:54.275Z", "datePublished" : "2021-08-12T08:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Starting the Conversation: How to Begin the Journey towards DEI", "image" : [ "https://www.upliftingimpact.com/hubfs/Uplifting%20Impact%20Podcast%20Visuals%20(Website)%20(3).png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.upliftingimpact.com/uplifting-impact/starting-from-scratch-how-to-start-the-conversation-around-dei", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.upliftingimpact.com/hubfs/2023%20Uplifting%20Impact%20Logo%20(60%20%C3%97%2060%20px).png" }, "name" : "Flying Elephant" } } ```