Imagine Belonging at Work

Most leaders are carrying an energetic weight they were never meant to hold alone. In our current professional climate, those committed to equity and belonging face a quiet but painful trend: being hushed—subtly or overtly signaled to continue their transformative work with less organizational support, shrinking budgets, and higher personal risk. The resulting collective grief is not an abstract c...

Most leaders are carrying a weight they weren't meant to hold alone. For some of us, we've been conditioned to believe that leadership means being overly responsible—carrying the team, the culture, and the bottom line until we are bent under the pressure. In this episode, we flip the mirror. Instead of viewing responsibility as a heavy burden, we explore it as an invitation to reclaim our agency,...

Most leaders don't need another strategy, another 10-step checklist, or another theoretical framework to study. What they need is the ability to embody what they have already learned about leadership to have more agency to respond to challenges when the stakes are high. In this episode, we move beyond the classroom and into the "laboratory of the self." You'll hear directly from leaders who have p...

Many leaders today are experiencing "Quiet Cracking," a state of Burnout 2.0 where we are expected to remain high-functioning while navigating empathy fatigue and physical exhaustion. The expectation is to "power through," but this move erodes our creative vision and ability to connect with others. If you feel this internal crumbling, know that you aren't failing; you are simply reacting to a cult...

In this episode of the Imagine Belonging Podcast , Rhodes Perry invites listeners to shift their relationship with gratitude—from a passive reaction when things go well to an intentional practice of resilience. Drawing on the rich sensory experiences of a recent pilgrimage to India, Rhodes guides listeners through a deep, 20-minute somatic meditation designed to metabolize safety and build the res...

In this episode of the Imagine Belonging Podcast, Rhodes Perry invites listeners into the "liminal space"—that unique, quiet week between the holidays and the New Year. Using the metaphor of the "monkey bars," Rhodes explores the terrifying but necessary moment of suspension where we must let go of the past (2025) before we can firmly grasp the future (2026). Rather than rushing to fill this silen...

In this episode of the Imagine Belonging Podcast, Rhodes Perry reflects on the creation and impact of his first book, 'Belonging at Work,' published on World Kindness Day in 2018. He discusses the evolution of workplace belonging and previews his upcoming book, 'Roads Less Traveled,' a memoir and methodology guide for real transformation. Rhodes shares his writing process through automatic writing...

Are you a CEO struggling to protect your brand's values in today's political climate? In this essential episode of the Imagine Belonging Podcast, host Rhodes Perry interviews MMG Earth CEO, Mckenzie Mack, and former Reddit CEO, Ellen Pao, about their groundbreaking report, "DEI Now: Leading with Integrity and Inclusion." Discover why setting clear "red lines," or boundaries rooted in your values,...

Are you struggling with how to talk about your organization's DEI commitments in today's volatile climate? In this episode of the "Navigating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion's New Reality" mini-series, host Rhodes Perry offers message-tested communication strategies to fortify the heart of your work. Discover how to take a "Goldilocks approach," balancing what you say to different audiences to av...

In this special bonus episode of the "Navigating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion's New Reality" mini-series, we reflect on the material consequences of inflammatory rhetoric and dangerous policies that impact protected employee groups. Host Rhodes Perry identifies the groups disproportionately impacted and outlines the strategy behind Project 2025, which aims to unravel decades of civil rights ga...

In this episode of the Navigating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion's New Reality mini-series, we're talking about something every leader needs to be aware of: the profound impact of collective trauma and grief on your workforce. Host Rhodes Perry shares how the current climate amplifies fear and anxiety, disrupting the very fabric of trust and psychological safety in the workplace. This episode pr...

Are you confident your organization's diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are legally sound? In this episode of the Imagine Belonging Podcast mini-series, "Navigating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion's New Reality," we explore the shifting legal landscape and what it means for your workplace. Host Rhodes Perry provides a clear-eyed analysis of the legal attacks on workplace diversity, equ...

In a climate where diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) professionals are facing unprecedented challenges, how can leaders continue to build spaces of belonging? This exclusive mini-series, Navigating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion's New Reality, inspired by a toolkit originally for Fortune 100 leaders, is your roadmap! Host and creator of the Imagine Belonging Podcast, Rhodes Perry, a nationa...

In the face of growing opposition, what proactive actions can leaders take to fortify their diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments? This final episode of the mini-series "Navigating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion's New Reality" is your guide to moving from a defensive stance to one of proactive leadership. Host Rhodes Perry shares essential strategies for building a powerful "champions coa...

Congress established the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) as part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Its primary purpose is to prevent and address unfair treatment in the workplace, ensuring that employers don't discriminate against individuals based on race, gender, religion, or age in hiring, firing, or promotions.   Essentially, the EEOC attempts to create a level playing field...

The past decade has tragically tested the resilience and brilliance of transgender, nonbinary, and gender expansive (trans) people living in the U.S. Misinformation about who we are and what we want has sparked thousands of anti-transgender bills introduced in nearly every state capital across the country, adversely impacting almost every segment of the trans community. Despite this harsh reality,...

Allies. In workplace settings, there are times when most of us need them. Consider this scenario; you're in a meeting, and you're about to take a calculated risk to share an unpopular idea. As soon as you complete your thought, one of your colleagues quickly responds, complimenting you on your idea, and asking you to share more. That's an act of allyship.   Conversely, in that very same meeting, y...

Welcoming LGBTQ+ employees into the workforce is one of the great business success stories of the last 20 years. By implementing LGBTQ+ inclusive policies and practices businesses led the way, before the laws caught up, and organizations like Out & Equal paved the way. Listen to this episode featuring Windō Co-Founder + Head of Social Impact, Ken Janssens, share how to protect the progress made fo...

In this new era, organizations in the United States and worldwide are navigating a complex and ever-changing landscape that impacts their global strategies. This includes a growing emphasis on intersectional approaches to DEI, integrating AI ethics into fairness initiatives, and developing more robust, data-driven accountability frameworks for inclusion efforts. Tune into this episode with Managin...

The episode you're about to hear is one of nearly a dozen conversations a part of the show's podcast mini-series, The Business of Belonging, brought to you by Out & Equal. Out & Equal is the premier global nonprofit organization working exclusively on LGBTQ+ workplace equality.   In this particular episode, we're focusing on the LGBTQ+ Movement's History as it relates to the workplace here in the...

While inspirational to many, the terms diversity, equity, and inclusion also terrify some. This reality underscores why there is still so much to be learned about what diversity, equity, and inclusion mean as values that guide ethical decision-making, as strategies to upend structural inequities, and as a field of study which helps transform the way we organize and work together.   As imperative a...

Are you a diversity, equity, and inclusion small business owner feeling the pressure of economic uncertainty and unfounded assaults to your vital work? If you answered yes, then this is an Imagine Belonging Podcast episode you cannot afford to miss!   Over the past 60 years, diversity professionals world-wide have emerged as some of the best business leaders due to the complexity of our work and t...

What kind of leader do you need to become to create true belonging? This solo meditation with Rhodes Perry guides you to explore the leadership qualities needed to foster creativity, connection, and support on your team, even amidst fear and uncertainty. Reflect on your current leadership style and envision the new shapes that will help you build safety, trust, and belonging.  Download: The Belong...

In a world struggling to embrace the beauty, complexities, and possibilities of gender it's not surprising that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently called for more "masculine energy" in corporate America. His callous statement made on the Joe Rogan Experience has sparked controversy and ignited crucial conversations. His comments about masculinity suggest that corporate culture has become too "femin...

Who do you need to become to be the leader you need in this moment? There's nothing more powerful than a question like this one. Even if you don't have an answer, big questions like these generate new thoughts. To encourage new thoughts to emerge, leaders like you will need to practice belonging with bridging and collective care skills.   Many leaders who seek coaching support from Rhodes Perry Co...