Identity in the Workplace with Nadia Butt

And So, She Left: Wisdom from Women Beyond the Corporate World

Content Warning: this episode contains references to discrimination, xenophobia, and Islamophobia.

Nadia Butt grew up in a predominantly white community.

Born to Pakistani immigrants near Boston, growing up as someone often perceived as "different" shaped her perception of identity and community. She's faced challenges like navigating Islamophobia after 9/11, which greatly influenced her mission as an adult.

Nadia co-hosts the Inclusive Collective Podcast, and is the principal consultant at Naz Consulting. Their work focuses on supporting marginalized communities, aiding companies in integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion (or DEI) into their organizations.

In this revealing conversation, Nadia shares personal stories of racial bias, gender, and race disparities she's encountered in the workplace, such as unequal pay. She guides us through the complexities of DEI work, highlighting the three core values which guide her work: learning, community, and identity. As you'll quickly realize, her work reflects one key learning: that acknowledging our differences doesn't have to divide us but can bring us closer together, fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment.

Listen to the Inclusive Collective podcast. Learn more about Nadia and her consulting work.

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In this episode, we cover:

• Nadia's childhood growing up in a predominantly white town, and how it shaped her identity.
• Nadia's early experiences recognizing the joy in diversity that led her to pursue advocacy work
• Experiencing racism towards the Muslim community post-9/11
• The importance of leading with humility
• The three pillars of successful DEI initiatives
• A terrible layoff experience, and why Nadia's happy that she went through it

Quote of the Week:

“We can call diversity, equity, [and] inclusion whatever we want to call it, but it really is just showing up and treating people with dignity and respect." - Nadia Butt

Hosted by Katherin Vasilopoulos. Made by Cansulta and Ethan Lee.

Music by © Chris Zabriskie, published by You've Been a Wonderful Laugh Track (ASCAP).

Songs used in this episode include: "Air Hockey Saloon," "Cylinder Nine," "It Will Make You Feel Better If You Put It In the Right Place" "Short Song 030223," "Short Song 022523," "Where Have All The Cybertrackers Gone?" "Short Song 030423," "And It Is There, In Those Depths," "Short Song 012623," "Cylinder Four," "Short Song 030723,"

Used under the Creative Commons 4.0 International License