Care Work with Alida Miranda-Wolff: Recent Episodes

Alida Miranda-Wolff

Who is in the business of providing care? What does it mean to get paid to nurture strangers? And, what kind of support do these people need? In Care Work, author and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging practitioner, Alida Miranda-Wolff, seeks answers to all of these questions with care workers of all kinds through discussions of their lived experiences. Learn how to create a culture of care in your communities and have your own care needs met through episodes that balance real-life stories with actionable takeaways.

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How do you recognize when staying true to your values means stepping back? Over the past two years, the Care Work podcast has explored the challenges, necessity, and beauty of caregiving. Often, the conversation turns to the need for caregivers to take care of themselves in this difficult work—something that can be hard to prioritize for individuals so tuned to caring for others.

With these lessons in mind, Alida explores what she has learned on this audio journey so far. She shares how she came to the decision that Care Work needs to go on hiatus in order to uphold her own values and make room for much-needed rest and restoration over the coming months. Her deeply personal glimpse into the challenges and growth she has encountered so far offers inspiring insights about living a life in support of others that stays true to your values.

The Care Work podcast will return in 2025.

Consider the balance between working for the greater good and caring for yourself:

  • The factors complicating the current landscape of DEIB
  • Why just being present is such an impactful act of care
  • Where to learn more about the link between DEIB and social justice
  • How the podcast journey facilitates personal and professional growth

Important resources from this episode:

  • Relational Self-Awareness and Compassion with Dr. Alexandra Solomon - https://alidamirandawolff.com/podcast/relational-self-awareness-and-compassion-with-dr-alexandra-soloman-episode-29/
  • Bearing Witness as an Act of Care with Micky ScottBey Jones - https://alidamirandawolff.com/podcast/episode-1-micky-scottbey-jones/
  • Exploring Inclusive Education Through Storytelling with Tim Villegas - https://alidamirandawolff.com/podcast/inclusive-education-through-storytelling/
  • Designing for Neurodiversity Inclusivity with María Emilia Lasso de la Vega - https://alidamirandawolff.com/podcast/designing-for-neurodiversity-inclusivity/
  • Embracing Interdependence and Creating Inclusive Communities with Lauren Schrero Levy - https://alidamirandawolff.com/podcast/embracing-interdependence-creating-inclusive-communities/
  • Disability Justice solo episode - https://alidamirandawolff.com/podcast/breaking-down-disability-stigma/

Engage With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Get Alida’s latest book “The First Time Manager DEI” - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-first-time-manager-dei-alida-miranda-wolff/20207997?ean=9781400246090
  • Order Alida’s first book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underreprese

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How can creators innovate to instill more humanness into their designs? Despite being at the root of almost everything we interact with day-to-day, designers can forget to consider the humans for whom they design.

In this episode, executive design leader, illustrator, podcaster, and educator Antonio Garcia shares his thoughts on the essentialness of human-centered design and innovations that consider people at every step of the process. He discusses where design is excelling, where it still has a ways to go, and why it’s essential to view both work and life from a lens of continuous compassion.

Design your life and work to uphold your humanity:

  • The overlap between humanness and innovation
  • The simple step that supports human-centered design
  • Why the design industry needs to adopt a code of ethics
  • The importance of taking a step back when you’re at your limit

Important resources from this episode:

  • Listen to the “Dad Well” podcast - https://www.dadwell.co/
  • The Nap Ministry Movement - https://thenapministry.com/

Connect with Antonio:

  • Find out more about his work - https://www.amgarcia.com/
  • Engage with Antonio on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amgarcia/
  • Follow Antonio on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/a_m_garcia/?hl=en

Engage with Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Pre-Order Alida’s new book “The First Time Manager DEI” - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-first-time-manager-dei-alida-miranda-wolff/20207997?ean=9781400246090
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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How connected are you to the food you purchase and consume? Over the past century, society’s focus on the food it consumes has shifted from origins and process to the latest price increase. Many communities also face uncertainty about the availability and quality of fresh foods in their nearest store.

In this episode, Alida Miranda-Wolff speaks with Lisa Tallman, the Executive Director of Community Food Navigator. This Chicago organization champions food sovereignty by establishing and strengthening connections at every level of the food system and helping communities wrest back control from the conglomerates that currently hold most of the power in cultivation, distribution, and consumption.

Rediscover your connection to food, culture, and community and find out:

  • How we lost food sovereignty and why getting it back is so important
  • How individuals can rejoin the food system chain for huge local impact
  • The challenges and barriers to seizing back control of our sustenance
  • The inextricable connection between culture and food security

Important resources from this episode:

  • Learn more about Community Food Navigator - https://communityfoodnavigator.org/
  • Subscribe to Community Food Navigator’s Newsletter - https://mailchi.mp/communityfoodnavigator/subscribe
  • Read “Rest is Resistance” by Tricia Hersey - https://bookshop.org/p/books/rest-is-resistance-a-manifesto-tricia-hersey/18255493?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjLGyBhCYARIsAPqTz18KYZtF_v1NLxdZNHGAk1TUVqusbU1Qicr5GGqM7yVu1njswZwS5SUaAk3kEALw_wcB
  • Nancy Folbre’s definition of care - https://transversal.at/transversal/0805/folbre/en

Connect with Lisa:

  • Follow Lisa on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisatallman/

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Order Alida’s new book “The First Time Manager: DEI” - https://alidamirandawolff.com/book/
  • Order Alida’s 1st book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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How does a culture of care transform the workplace experience? The call for safe, caring workplaces is becoming increasingly loud, which means building these environments is an essential consideration for founders. In this episode, Alida Miranda-Wolff speaks with Michel Fabode, the author of Cultura: A Guidebook for Founders Building Diverse Teams. Michel’s work focuses on helping founders navigate the path to truly diverse, safe cultures of care that lead to business success on multiple levels.

Michel’s essential and practical exploration of workplace culture strives to show business owners seeking to build something better that they have the power to design environments in which diverse teams can thrive.

Recognize and rethink the importance of workplace cultures of care:

  • Why we overlook the care work component inherent in so many professions
  • How feeling valued and cared for in the workplace makes all the difference
  • Why it’s more important than ever to build diverse company cultures
  • The connection between delivering on the bottom line and creating a positive work environment

Important resources from this episode:

  • Michel’s book, Cultura: A Guidebook for Founders Building Diverse Teams
  • Alida’s book, The First-Time Manager: DEI
  • Gallup Research: Socialism as Popular as Capitalism Among Young Adults in U.S.
  • Pew Research: Modest Declines in Positive Views of ‘Socialism’ and ‘Capitalism’ in U.S.
  • Axios Research: Exclusive poll: Young Americans are embracing socialism

Connect with Michel Fabode:

  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michel-fabode

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Pre-Order Alida’s new book “The First Time Manager DEI”
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content!
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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As a manager, how do you balance offering care and corporate responsibility? Many managers may not apply the label of caregiver to their work, but Claire Podulka, the Chief of Staff for TXI, a Chicago-based digital consultancy firm, points out that it is the manager “who can operate at the nexus of care and strategy and efficacy” who really brings out the best in their team—and therefore their company—in those inevitable times of change and ambiguity.

New and established managers alike will feel an immediate connection to the topics Alida and Claire cover in this Care Work episode. Their conversation explores the mindsets and approaches that are essential in a great manager, covering concepts that will resonate with anyone who has ever had a direct report or is pursuing a future in people management.

Let Claire’s insights validate and inspire your inner managerial care worker:

  • The caregiving imperative for all managers and chiefs of staff
  • The equity argument for employee-owned businesses and ESOPs
  • Walking the line between clarity and transparency as a responsible manager
  • Throwing out growth for growth’s sake and building a new model for business success
  • Balancing self-care and taking care of your employees

Important resources from this episode:

  • Radical Candor by Kim Scott
  • Kids These Days: The Making of Millennials by Malcolm Harris
  • Alida’s new book: The First-Time Manager: DEI: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Connect With Claire:

  • Connect with Claire on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpodulka/

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Pre-Order Alida’s new book “The First Time Manager DEI” - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-first-time-manager-dei-alida-miranda-wolff/20207997?ean=9781400246090
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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In 2022, Care Work host Alida Miranda-Wolff celebrated the publication of her first book: “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last.” In May of 2024, her second book was released: “The First-Time Manager: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.”

Over the next episodes, Alida will explore two intriguing topics: what it takes to be a truly inclusive manager and leader; and how to transform your essential care work experience into a proposal, write the book, and sell and promote it. In this introductory episode, she delves into the origin story of The First-Time Manager: DEI and shares two impactful excerpts from the book.

Ignite the motivation to share your care work knowledge:

  • Birthing a book in the midst of life’s unpredictability
  • Persevering amidst changing social and political landscapes
  • The real struggles of establishing DEIB as a middle manager
  • Navigating different kinds of stress to support both employees and self

Important resources from this episode:

  • Buy “The First-Time Manager: DEI” - https://alidamirandawolff.com/book/
  • Maslach Burnout Inventory - https://www.mindgarden.com/117-maslach-burnout-inventory-mbi
  • Pew Research Center - https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2023/05/17/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-workplace/
  • "Lady Boss" YouTube video by Rachel Bloom - https://youtu.be/L2_79T1P2qo?si=2IB_O3yo68KqOnxm

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Order Alida’s 1st book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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For many of us, working to care for others doesn’t stop when we head home from work at the end of the day. The other relationships in our lives, including the intimate one we share with our partner, also require care—of both ourselves and the other person.

In this episode, Alida Miranda-Wolff sits down with Dr. Alexandra Solomon, a therapist, author, and speaker who, over the past two decades, has worked with couples to help them better navigate intimacy and meet both each other's needs and their own. Their discussion of acceptance and relational self-awareness, two key factors in healthy, thriving relationships, reflects the realistic, balanced approach to intimate love that Dr. Solomon teaches.

Explore how to build more meaningful intimate connections:

  • A definition of love that embraces the worth of each partner
  • The impact of our individualistic society on romantic love
  • How recontextualizing shame and disappointment can help us heal
  • Positive habits that instill relational self-awareness

Important Links from this Episode:

  • Listen to Reimagining Love
  • Dr. Solomon’s book, Love Every Day
  • Taking Sexy Back: How to Own Your Sexuality and Create the Relationships You Want by Dr. Solomon
  • Loving Bravely: Twenty Lessons of Self-Discovery to Help You Get the Love You Want by Dr. Solomon
  • All About Love by Bell Hooks
  • Care Work Podcast - EP #1 - Bearing Witness as an Act of Care with Micky ScottBey Jones

Connect with Dr. Alexandra Solomon:

  • Dr. Solomon’s website
  • Follow Dr. Solomon on Instagram

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content!
  • Order Alida’s book “The First-Time Manager: DEI”
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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How do you define and process grief? Over the next three episodes, Care Work is exploring grief—the collection of emotions and experiences we have with any loss. Essential within this work is inspecting how we process and continue to live within this universal experience.

In this episode, Alida is joined by Dr. Sunitha Chandy, a clinical psychologist specializing in helping transform both individual lives and communities through mental health services. Sunitha shares her insights on the interplay between community and grief and the importance of accepting both the inherent difficulty and the cathartic potential of the grieving process.

Listen to learn:

  • How COVID impacted how we understand grieving
  • The behaviors with which grief and mourning are intertwined
  • The detrimental effect of our American taboos against public grief
  • Why the grieving process is an ongoing healing rather than a cure

Important resources from this episode:

  • Dr. Chandy’s community conversations - https://www.artesiancollaborative.com/learn
  • Connect with Dr. Chandy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunitha-chandy-psy-d-16b785141/
  • Dr. Chandy’s website - https://www.sunithachandy.com/
  • Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey - https://bookshop.org/p/books/rest-is-resistance-a-manifesto-tricia-hersey/18255493?ean=9780316365215
  • David Kessler on grief - https://grief.com/

Connect with Dr. Sunitha Chandy:

  • LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunitha-chandy-psy-d-16b785141/
  • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/artesiancollaborative/

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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How do we dismantle the disability stigma? This latest arc on the Care Work podcast explores the concept of disability justice from the perspectives of three people—Tim Villegas, María Emilia Lasso de la Vega, and Lauren Schrero Levy—who are working to change our social approach to accessibility and inclusivity.

In this episode, Alida Miranda-Wolff reflects on the ways stigma and a repurposed definition of “normal” have impacted disability justice, from the history of society’s aversion to disability to the possibility of a future where people with different abilities are viewed not as inconveniences but as essential contributors to our communities.

Explore the origins stigma and what we can do to disassemble the harmful attitudes that hold as back.

Tune in to learn:

  • The definition of stigma and the development of disability as an inconvenience
  • The role of industrialization in the segregation of and aversion to disability
  • How closed captioning is a proof positive that accessible spaces benefit us all
  • The role pre-emptive inclusivity plays in standardizing accessibility

Important resources from this episode:

  • Episode 24, “Exploring Inclusive Education Through Storytelling with Tim Villegas”
  • Episode 25, “Designing For Neurodiversity Inclusivity with María Emilia Lasso de la Vega”
  • Episode 26, “Embracing Interdependence Creating Inclusive Communities with Lauren Schrero Levy”
  • Episode 22, “Redefining the Inequity of Modern Literacy with Ken Bigger”
  • Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
  • Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity by Erving Goffman
  • On The Inconvenience of Other People by Lauren Berlant
  • The White Man’s Burden by Rudyard Kipling
  • What Can A Body Do: How We Meet the Built World by Sara Hendren
  • Butts: A Backstory by Heather Radke
  • Kids These Days: The Making of Millennials by Malcolm Harris

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn
  • Pre-Order Alida’s new book “The First Time Manager DEI”
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content!
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff

Advocate for under

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From elementary school classrooms to adult care homes, so many of our care structures for disabled people are designed without their participation, often in direct opposition to their stated desires. But why?

When we pose the question of why people with disabilities are so often excluded from general society, the best answer is often “that’s just how it’s always been.” However, research and the lived experiences of these individuals suggest that creating inclusive environments could have a significant positive impact on our communities.

Lauren Schrero Levy, a disability rights advocate and lawyer, shares with Alida what she has learned since founding the disability advocacy nonprofit The Nora Project and serving as a civil rights lawyer at Equip for Equality. Together, they explore the challenges in our current institutions for people with disabilities and the promise of inclusive spaces.

Discover Lauren’s insights on honoring the dignity of every person:

  • The reasons behind society’s segregation of people with disabilities
  • The negative impact of remaining uninformed on conversations around inclusivity
  • Opposing viewpoints among parents of children with disabilities
  • The innate hope and usefulness of interdependence

Important resources from this episode:

  • The Nora Project website - https://thenoraproject.ngo/
  • Lauren’s Ted Talk - https://www.ted.com/talks/lauren_schrero_ability_inclusive_mindset
  • Equip for Equality website - https://www.equipforequality.org/
  • On the Inconvenience of Other People by Lauren Berlant - https://bookshop.org/p/books/on-the-inconvenience-of-other-people-lauren-berlant/17477688?ean=9781478018452

Connect with Lauren Schrero Levy:

  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-schrero-86411a1/

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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How can we design inclusive spaces—physically and virtually—that support neurodiversity?

The Disability Justice movement is increasing the recognition and adoption of inclusive spaces and accessible interaction for people who are neurodivergent and on the autism spectrum. It continues, however, to rely largely on individuals to disclose their diagnoses in spaces where they may initially be uncertain of support.

In this episode, María Emilia Lasso de la Vega, the Training and Programs Facilitator and Technical Facilitation Manager at Ethos, speaks with Alida about her holistically inclusive approach to taking care of others. She incorporates inclusive design practices to erect both physical and digital spaces that accommodate every person, regardless of where they fall under the neurodiversity umbrella.

Learn to meet every person’s unique needs by:

  • Leading with genuine interest to discover the needs of every person in your care
  • Considering inclusivity from the start when creating any program
  • Incorporating the seven principles of inclusive design

Important resources from this episode:

  • The 7 Principles of Universal Design

Connect with María Emilia:

  • Reach out to María Emilia - mariaemilia@ethostalent.com
  • Connect with María Emilia

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content!
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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How can we show everyone the benefits of inclusive educational spaces?

Tim Villegas is the Director of Communications at the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education. His work centers around helping school systems build support for more inclusive classroom environments, and he sees firsthand the value of spaces where children with different learning styles learn together. These classrooms benefit not only children with disabilities but also typically developing children and their educators.

Tim’s journey to inclusivity advocate has so much to teach us all, including how to:

  • View disability advocacy as support, not salvation
  • Work with children with disabilities highlights the need for classroom equity
  • Address the ongoing pushback against inclusive classrooms
  • Acknowledge the authentic benefits inclusivity offers every person

Important resources from this episode:

  • The Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education - https://mcie.org/
  • The MCIE on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/think_inclusive/
  • A summary on the Evidence of Inclusive Education whitepaper - https://alana.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/A_Summary_of_the_evidence_on_inclusive_education.pdf

Connect with Tim Villegas:

  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothyvillegas/
  • Website: https://www.timvillegas.com/

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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In the most recent episode arc, the Care Work podcast explores educational equity with guests who are experts in impactful social education for teens, supportive higher education spaces, and inclusive literacy. In this reflective episode, Alida Miranda-Wolff investigates the parallel themes that emerged throughout these episodes to reveal a multi-faceted definition of educational equity and how its integration could create safer spaces for learners of every age.

Reflect with Alida on the finer points of this essential topic:

  • The nuances and intricacies in defining educational equity
  • Practical application that will help these theories succeed in the real world
  • The responsibility of policies, government, and educators in realizing educational equity
  • Complications that require that these practices be implemented with great care and attention

Important resources from this episode:

  • Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey
  • Tiny Humans, Big Emotions by Alyssa Blask Campbell and Lauren Elizabeth Stauble
  • The End of Burnout by Jonathan Malesic
  • A Life of One’s Own: Nine Women Writers Begin Again by Joanna Biggs
  • Hbomber’s YouTube Video on Plagiarism
  • National Equity Project
  • Prismatic
  • Episode 9 with Mariam Cherbib
  • Episode 20 with Debra Giunta
  • Episode 21 with Johnnie Campbell
  • Episode 22 with Ken Bigger
  • Neapolitan novels mentioned in episode

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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When you think of literacy, what comes to mind? Is it reading, writing, or something else? Our definition of literacy is often oversimplified, much like the limits often placed on the question of who is and who is not “literate”. In this episode, Alida discusses literacy equity with Ken Bigger, the Director of Thought Leadership at the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.

A vital figure in the movement to improve and facilitate conversations around the future of literacy in the U.S., Ken’s perspective on his field is one built on a deep understanding of human nature and a profound hopefulness for change.

Dig deeper into literacy with Alida and Ken as they explore:

  • The difference between literacy and literacy equity
  • The pitfalls of approaching literacy from the perspective of saviorism
  • Civic fluency and inviting inclusive conversations
  • Why education needs to incorporate literacy in all its forms

Important resources from this episode:

  • The Twittering Machine by Richard Seymour - https://www.versobooks.com/en-ca/products/2505-the-twittering-machine
  • The Color of Mind: Why the Origins of the Achievement Gap Matter for Justice by Derrick Darby - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-color-of-mind-why-the-origins-of-the-achievement-gap-matter-for-justice-derrick-darby/8296031?ean=9780226525358
  • Language at the Speed of Sight by Mark Seidenberg - https://bookshop.org/p/books/language-at-the-speed-of-sight-how-we-read-why-so-many-can-t-and-what-can-be-done-about-it-mark-seidenberg/12785604?ean=9781541617155
  • Proust and the Squid - https://www.amazon.com/Proust-Squid-Story-Science-Reading/dp/0060933844/ref=sr_1_1?hvadid=671372748842&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9001601&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=6153848402677488693&hvtargid=kwd-508007502232&hydadcr=22459_13497880&keywords=the+proust+and+the+squid&qid=1702352754&sr=8-1
  • The Science of Reading by Adrian Johns - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-science-of-reading-information-media-and-mind-in-modern-america/18891973?ean=9780226821481
  • The Knowledge Gap by Natalie Wexler - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-knowledge-gap-the-hidden-cause-of-america-s-broken-education-system-and-how-to-fix-it-natalie-wexler/12471984?ean=9780735213562
  • How to Educate a Citizen by E.D. Hirsch - https://bookshop.org/p/books/how-to-educate-a-citizen-the-power-of-shared-knowledge-to-unify-a-nation-e-d-hirsch/13705054?ean=9781799940722

Connect With Ken Bigger:

  • LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbiggera40pub

Connect With Alida:

  • Shar
Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain

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How can educators create unifying classroom spaces where resistance skills can be safely practiced and cultivated?

This is the “freedom dreaming” Johnnie Campbell and Alida Miranda-Wolff do together in this episode of Care Work. As a resistance scholar, educator, and PhD candidate, Johnnie Campbell is putting in the work to build danger-free, liberatory spaces and explore the way Black young adults experience college. He doesn’t strive to merely observe and record them; rather, he plans to use these learnings to tear down damaging higher education structures and policies and rebuild them. In his vision, higher education institutions will go on to center the experiences of young Black people and remove the arbitrary barriers that cause them to be left out.

Discover groundbreaking strategies that could reshape the college experience:

  • Creating danger-free education spaces where students can show up fully
  • The impact of power dynamics on collaborative learning
  • The potential future of a higher education system that centers equality in the discussion
  • How to prioritize self-care while you’re building communities of resistance

Important resources from this episode:

  • TJ Stewarts: “Where We Are, Resistance Lives”: Black Women, Social Media, and Everyday Resistance in Higher Education - https://www.jstor.org/stable/48645354
  • The Resistance Roundtables website - https://www.theresistanceroundtables.com/
  • The Resistance Roundtables Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheResistanceRoundtables/

Connect with Johnnie Campbell:

  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnie-l-campbell/
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jlcampbell_7/

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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What supports would have helped ease your transition to adulthood?

Growing up is hard, and young people are repeatedly faced with circumstances they are expected to understand despite their lack of life experience. Then, in these tedious and confusing scenarios, the choices they make follow them throughout their early academic years.

Debra Giunta is the founder of Prismatic, a youth career development program with a soft-skills twist. She is always seeking ways to close the gap between what we expect of our youth and the supports in place to get them there. Her insights into the most effective ways to set students up for success are transforming the lives of kids.

Debra and Alida explore tools that can improve the experience of growing up:

  • Addressing the ongoing controversy around social and emotional learning
  • Tempering the tendency to expect our youth to be both children and adults
  • Allowing both accountability and fluidity in teen behavior
  • Uncovering the questions young people are really asking

Important resources from this episode:

  • The Brainchild Collective - https://www.brainchildcollective.co/
  • Prismatic - https://www.prismaticmovement.org/
  • Design Dance - https://www.designdance.net/
  • Positive Discipline by Jane Nelson - https://bookshop.org/p/books/positive-discipline-the-classic-guide-to-helping-children-develop-self-discipline-responsibility-cooperation-and-problem-solving-skills-jane-nelsen/6860679?ean=9780345487674
  • Tiny Humans: Big Emotions by Lauren Elizabeth Stauble & Alyssa Blask Campbell - https://bookshop.org/p/books/tiny-humans-big-emotions-how-to-navigate-tantrums-meltdowns-and-defiance-to-raise-emotionally-intelligent-children-alyssa-gloria-campbell/19665944?ean=9780063306264

Connect with Debra Giunta:

  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-giunta-161b5628
  • Website: https://www.debragiunta.com/

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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How do we even start to tackle the challenges of caring for underserved youth? When you consider the sheer number of young people who are entangled in poor home environments, gang initiations, judiciary systems, and more, it’s easy to feel like the situation is verging on hopeless.

In this episode, Alida Miranda-Wolff asks listeners to remember the benefits of smaller steps. You might not be able to shut down all the youth detention centers in your state tomorrow, but you can hand a homemade lunch to a neighborhood child with an empty backpack. Small impacts from many people add up over time to have a significant impact. Maybe the less overwhelming question is: What can you do today to help one child?

Alida presents excellent questions and deeply considered insights:

  • How the rearing of young by different bird species reflects our own caregiving approaches
  • Why everyone needs to decide if they love everyone or just their own people
  • Why you should never underestimate the beauty of smallness
  • What steps you can take to start making a difference in the lives of youth, right now

Important resources from this episode:

  • Neapolitan novels #1 - https://bookshop.org/p/books/my-brilliant-friend-elena-ferrante/586427?ean=9781609450786
  • Carvell Wallace -Trying to Parent My Black Teenagers Through Pandemic and Protest - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/15/magazine/parenting-black-teens.html
  • Sarah Ruhl - 100 Essays I Don't Have Time to Write: On Umbrellas and Sword Fights, Parades and Dogs, Fire Alarms, Children, and Theater - https://bookshop.org/p/books/100-essays-i-don-t-have-time-to-write-on-umbrellas-and-sword-fights-parades-and-dogs-fire-alarms-children-and-theater-sarah-ruhl/8483584?ean=9780374535674
  • Brené Brown: https://brenebrown.com/
  • Care Work EP 16 - Minisode #3 - Loneliness, Burnout, and Meeting One Another’s Needs - https://alidamirandawolff.com/podcast/loneliness-burnout-and-meeting-one-anothers-needs/

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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How do we care for people trapped in a broken system and still take care of ourselves? This is the question Alida poses to Jennifer Soble, a former public defender, lawyer, and the founder of the Illinois Prison Project. Jennifer’s organization is striving to update the outdated and oppressive laws that govern the U.S. prison system, helping prisoners serving long-term sentences who deserve freedom.

Jennifer shares how care work for a hidden population can affect the self and the system as a whole:

  • Questioning the factors that have kept our laws archaic
  • Assisting prisoners for whom legal council has been largely inaccessible
  • Addressing the secondary trauma in helping people who have experienced violence
  • Challenging the strategic design of a system built to keep people in, not help them leave

Important resources from this episode:

  • Illinois Prison Project website - https://www.illinoisprisonproject.org/
  • Learn about and support IPP’s projects -https://www.ippaction.org/
  • Illinois Prison Project on Twitter - https://twitter.com/ILPrisonProject
  • Illinois Prison Project on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ilprisonproject/
  • Illinois Prison Project on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ILPrisonProject
  • Illinois Prison Project on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/ilprisonproject/
  • Dr. Levin’s Study: Secondary Trauma and Burnout in Attorneys: Effects of Work with Clients Who are Victims of Domestic Violence and Abuse - https://www.mnlcl.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Secondary_Trauma_and_Burnout_in_Attorneys_-_Effects_of_Work_with_Clients_Who_are_Victims_of_Domestic_Violence_and_Abuse_Levin_2007.pdf

Connect with Jennifer:

  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/jsoble1

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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Why are we so good at finding problems, but so poor at solving them? This is the question Alida Miranda-Wolff puts to Chicago Deputy Mayor of Community Safety Garien Gatewood and the conversation that spans juvenile justice reform and implementation disconnects to real-life examples from the world of cannabis legalization.

You’ll be inspired by Garien’s insights, gleaned from years of working on the frontlines of marginalized community care:

  • The practices that open doors that have long been closed to Black individuals
  • The consequences of prioritizing personal convenience over equity for all
  • The need for practical implementation support over problem-finding and recommendations
  • The assumptions and stigmas that keep real change from taking shape

Important resources from this episode:

  • Illinois Justice Project - https://www.iljp.org/
  • Southern Poverty Law Center - https://www.splcenter.org/

Connect with Garien:

  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garien-gatewood
  • Twitter X: https://twitter.com/GarienGatewood

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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How does loneliness affect your ability to care for others? Loneliness and burnout are endemic in American society these days, and their impact on care workers and, by extension, the people they care for, is significant.

In this episode, Alida Miranda-Wolff questions the widespread belief that creators, specifically, are unable to form meaningful relationships. She expands this concept to explore the detrimental effects of loneliness and offers actionable recommendations for developing belonging and community that will enhance our personal and professional relationships.

Start to feel a little less alone as you learn from Alida’s insights:

  • Why millions of Americans report severe loneliness and a lack of close friendships
  • What causes us to “use up” relationships and abandon them in the long term
  • How loneliness directly impacts our ability to show up at work
  • How self-leadership and other tools can help us deal with the symptoms and impacts of burnout

Important resources from this episode:

  • Liquid Love by Zygmunt Bauman - https://bookshop.org/p/books/liquid-love-on-the-frailty-of-human-bonds-zygmunt-bauman/11008429
  • Dr. Christina Maslach’s research into burnout - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4911781/
  • The End of Burnout by Jonathan Malesic - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-end-of-burnout-why-work-drains-us-and-how-to-build-better-lives-jonathan-malesic/18197214
  • Work Won’t Love You Back by Sarah Jaffe - https://bookshop.org/p/books/work-won-t-love-you-back-how-devotion-to-our-jobs-keeps-us-exploited-exhausted-and-alone-sarah-jaffe/14597284?ean=9781568589374
  • Care Work Podcast Episode #1: Mickey ScottBey Jones - ​​https://alidamirandawolff.com/podcast/episode-1-micky-scottbey-jones/
  • Brene Brown’s website - https://brenebrown.com/

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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How would the professional world change if it were truly equitable? And what would this mean for women-identifying people, specifically? In this episode, Alida talks with Minal Bopaiah, the founder of a groundbreaking DEI-focused design and strategy firm and the author of Equity: How to Design Organizations Where Everyone Thrives.

They explore the idea of a future where the system prioritizes the care of its citizens instead of relying on individuals—namely care workers—to carry out this vital but often unpaid and usually underappreciated role.

Broaden your definition of equity with Minal’s insights on systemic change. She explores:

  • How much our society still relies on the unpaid work of women
  • What the research tells us about the inequality of salary negotiations
  • How power, money, and time could be reimagined to be fair for all
  • Why women shouldn’t be ashamed if giving care isn’t their calling

Important resources from this episode:

  • Brevity & Wit - https://brevityandwit.com/
  • Equity: How to Design Organizations Where Everyone Thrives by Minal Bopaiah - https://theequitybook.com/
  • The Power Manual by Cyndi Suarez - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-powermanual-how-to-master-complex-power-dynamics-cyndi-suarez/8078688?ean=9780865718814
  • Terry McAdam Book Award - https://allianceonlinecommunity.org/page/terry-mcadam-book-award
  • Money as Medicine by Edgar Villaneuva - https://nonprofitquarterly.org/money-as-medicine-leveraging-philanthropy-to-decolonize-wealth/#:~:text=Money%20should%20be%20a%20tool,medicine%2C%20can%20help%20us%20decolonize.
  • Riane Eisler - https://rianeeisler.com/
  • How States Can Extend the Child Tax Credit to the Poor by Matt Bruenig - https://www.peoplespolicyproject.org/project/how-states-can-extend-the-child-tax-credit-to-the-poor/
  • Jakob Wolf-Barnett - https://brevityandwit.com/team/jakob-wolf-barnett/

Connect with Minal Bopaiah:

  • Website: https://brevityandwit.com/team/minal-bopaiah/
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mbopaiah/

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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When gathering a community together, how do you make sure every experience is celebrated and every voice is heard?

On this episode of the Care Work podcast, join your host Alida Miranda-Wolff as she talks with Kim Hunt, an activist and community initiative facilitator, about ensuring every citizen is heard and valued in the effort to enact social change. Together they explore the winding road that brought Kim to this important work.

Get ready to fill your own table with Kim’s insights:

  • Discover why urban planning and public policy play so well together
  • Learn how Kim fosters collaboration between government representatives and citizens
  • Consider the influences in your own life that inspire your care work
  • Take away tips on the practical process of creating a space that encourages conversations about change

Important resources from this episode:

  • Outspoken Chicago: https://www.sidetrackchicago.com/outspokenchicago/
  • Affinity Community Services: https://www.affinity95.org/
  • Pride Action Tank: https://prideactiontank.org/
  • Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame: https://chicagolgbthalloffame.org/hunt-kim/

Connect with Kim Hunt:

  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-l-hunt-mupp-mpp-7028674/

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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What’s the last digital product you wish you hadn’t bought? From paid newsletter subscriptions to full-fledged how-to guides on making your first million, too few online offerings these days are created with enough care to be helpful to those who consume them.

In this episode of Care Work, Tara McMullin—host of the What Works podcast, author of the book of the same name, speaker, and business strategist—discusses her exploration of how we make a living in this digital age, the continued corporate disinterest in paying for care work, and how entrepreneurs can incorporate intention and care in their digital creations while still making money.

Consider how to bring care back into economic pursuits with Tara’s questions:

  • How do we move away from the alienation of Capitalism?
  • Why does the Capitalist system still vastly undervalue care work?
  • If information itself is not the value of digital products, what is?
  • How can we put the humanity back into information delivery?
  • What is our responsibility to one another in our modern consumer economy?

Important resources from this episode:

  • Why Care Work Is Critical to the Value of Information by Tara McMullin - https://explorewhatworks.com/care-work-critical-to-value-of-information/
  • Sylvia Federici: Reproductive Labor - https://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=ziRHEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA85&dq=Silvia+Federici+reproductive+labor&ots=ITMBwkOul-&sig=7gXVK1FZ9rWB89C7p-Xn4uXjMFA#v=onepage&q=Silvia%20Federici%20reproductive%20labor&f=false
  • Dan Olsen’s Youtube Explainer on the Mikkelsen Twins - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biYciU1uiUw
  • Marie Forleo’s B-School - https://www.marieforleo.com/bschool
  • Lauren Berlant’s Book: On the Inconvenience of Other People - https://bookshop.org/p/books/on-the-inconvenience-of-other-people-lauren-berlant/17477688?ean=9781478018452
  • Zygmunt Bauman: Liquid Love - https://bookshop.org/p/books/liquid-love-on-the-frailty-of-human-bonds-zygmunt-bauman/11008429?ean=9780745624891

Connect with Tara McMullin:

  • Check out Tara’s book - What Works: A Comprehensive Framework to Change the Way We Approach Goal Setting - https://bookshop.org/p/books/what-works-a-comprehensive-framework-to-change-the-way-we-approach-goal-setting-tara-mcmullin/18237146?ean=9781119906070
  • Podcast - https://www.whatworkspodcast.com/
  • Website - https://explorewhatworks.com/
  • Newsletter - https://www.whatworks.fyi/
  • LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/in/taragentile
  • Instagram - https://www.insta

Connect With Ali

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Caring for patients, clients, or family members keeps care workers incredibly busy—but where does that time go? Our society and economy are so focused on win-lose scenarios, it’s easy to forget that when we give freely of our time and care, we don’t come out at a loss. Instead, we—not to mention our community—get so much more in return.

In the second minisode of the Care Work Podcast, host Alida Miranda-Wolff discusses how care work relates to cultivating a garden, a concept explored by the author Jenny Odell.

Listen to Alida unearth some of society’s misunderstandings:

  • The concept of time as a finite resource
  • Society’s fascination with zero-sum games
  • Undervaluing the time given by those who came before us
  • The notion that we must lose time if we give time

Important resources from this episode:

  • Saving Time by Jenny Odell: https://bookshop.org/p/books/saving-time-discovering-a-life-beyond-the-clock-jenny-odell/18556369?ean=9780593242704
  • Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer’s: https://bookshop.org/p/books/braiding-sweetgrass-robin-wall-kimmerer/16712606?ean=9781571313560
  • “How To Do Nothing” on Medium: https://medium.com/@the_jennitaur/how-to-do-nothing-57e100f59bbb
  • The Book of Difficult Fruit by Kate Lebo: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-book-of-difficult-fruit-arguments-for-the-tart-tender-and-unruly-with-recipes-kate-lebo/16725751?ean=9780374110321
  • New York Times Article: The Rise of the Productivity Score by Jodi Kantor & Arya Sundaram: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/08/14/business/worker-productivity-tracking.html
  • Ivan Illich: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ivan-Illich
  • Thomas Killman - TKI Model: https://kilmanndiagnostics.com/assessments/thomas-kilmann-instrument-one-assessment-person/

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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How do you strike a balance between committing to your work and honoring your own personhood? The simple answer is by setting boundaries. What’s more complicated, though, is that these boundaries are hugely individual and can be difficult to set and to maintain, especially for people in care work. In this interview, Karyn Oates, the consulting director for Ethos and a former nonprofit leader, shares her thoughts on the importance of choice and respect at work and the role of organizations in making sure their employees know their choices and feel that respect.

Karyn weighs in on:

  • How “being from the south side of Chicago” has shaped her
  • Her philosophy on what makes for a living wage
  • The problematic history of the theater industry
  • Whether we all should live for work or log out at five
  • The importance of curiosity in life and career

Important resources from this episode:

  • Posse Scholarship - https://www.possefoundation.org/
  • Upton Sinclair's book about Chicago - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-jungle-upton-sinclair/17820709?ean=9781945186042

Connect with Karyn Oates:

  • LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/karyn-oates-mshrm-b1004123
  • Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/team/karyn-oates
  • Definition Theater - https://www.definitiontheatre.org/

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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Think of the people in your life. What makes them who they are? And, how can you honor their unique preferences, experiences, and needs while still holding space for yourself? In this episode of Care Work, Karen Thomas, the content facilitation manager at Ethos, a former K-12 teacher, and an adult educator of parents with transracially adopted children, talks about how her own life experiences and direct work with kids and parents taught her how do just that.

Press play for a deep dive into:

  • The importance of balancing what you can and can’t control
  • How to navigate the multi-layered trauma of transracial adoption among parents and kids
  • What it takes to create safe spaces for every learning style
  • What changes the education system needs to make to support true equity in learning

Important resources from this episode:

  • Eve Ewing - https://eveewing.com/

Connect with Karen Thomas:

  • LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/in/kmariet
  • Ethos -https://www.ethostalent.com/team/karen-thomas

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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How do you discover and define your purpose? To understand who you are as you create the conditions for others to heal, you must spend time exploring and uncovering your identity and how it affects your interactions with the world. Miriame Cherbib, the founder of Speaking Justice and member of the Ethos team, shares her story of finding belonging and purpose on her own care work journey. As a first and second-generation immigrant, Miriame has taken her human rights roots and transformed herself and the communities around her. Join us as we speak about growing up in an unfamiliar culture and how she was empowered to become an advocate for others. 

Listen in as we discuss: 

  • Why building a strong community is a source of growth
  • How Miriame receives care from her local community
  • How stereotypes and cultural differences affect your worldview and sense of belonging

Important resources from this episode:

  • Nancy Folbre’s definition of “Caring Labor” (transcript from video) - https://transversal.at/transversal/0805/folbre/en

Connect with Miriame Cherbib:

  • LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/miriame-cherbib-2a60b416
  • Ethos  - https://www.ethostalent.com/team/miriame-cherbib

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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Many of us will do care work at some point in our lives. If you are responsible for someone else’s wellbeing, whether personally, professionally, or communally, you are a care worker. If you have had your own wellbeing tended to by someone else, you have benefited from care work. So, with such a broad definition, what falls under the umbrella of care work? In this episode, Alida goes solo for the first time to explain what is considered care work, why isolated and smaller communities experience higher forms of burnout, and how your social identities influence your relationship to care. 

Topics you’ll learn about, including: 

  • The five elements involved in care work
  • How burnout easily affects everyone who does care work
  • How gendered roles in care work are seen as “woman’s work”

Important Resources From This Episode: 

  • Nancy Folbre’s  Interview, (Unpaid Work) - https://transversal.at/transversal/0805/folbre/en
  • Jonathan Malesic, “The End of Burnout” - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-end-of-burnout-why-work-drains-us-and-how-to-build-better-lives-jonathan-malesic/18197214?ean=9780520344075
  • Sarah Jaffe, “Work Won’t Love You Back” - https://bookshop.org/p/books/work-won-t-love-you-back-how-devotion-to-our-jobs-keeps-us-exploited-exhausted-and-alone-sarah-jaffe/14597284?ean=9781568589374
  • Angela Garbes, “Essential Labour” - https://bookshop.org/p/books/essential-labor-mothering-as-social-change-angela-garbes/17364605?ean=9780062937360
  • Amy Westervelt’s tool, “The Invisible Labour Calculator” - https://www.amywestervelt.com/unpaid-labor-calculator
  • Maslach Burnout Inventory - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslach_Burnout_Inventory

Connect With Alida:

  • Share your feedback over on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
  • Order Alida’s book, “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last,” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
  • Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

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Self-care expert Taylor Elyse Morrison is a serial entrepreneur, mostly notably running Gateway Coaching, Inner Workout, the Inner Warmup podcast, and The Process Report. She has engaged in several partnerships, including a recent collaboration with ban.do on the Tune In collection. Her forthcoming book, Inner Workout, breaks down her method for listening within and responding in the most loving way possible.

Topics Discussed:

  • How Taylor arrived at her definition of self care (2:01)
  • What is has meant for Taylor to take care of herself during her career pivots (4:47)
  • What has allowed Taylor the freedom to take time for herself during a workday (7:20)
  • How Taylor defines burnout (12:18)
  • How Taylor helps people care for themselves vs how she cares for herself (16:44)
  • Defining the Inner Workout process (20:19)
  • How Taylor helps people connect to those who can offer them a sense of community (27:38)
  • Where and how Taylor learned to care for other people (30:35)
  • What led Taylor to start The Process Report (33:20)
  • Behind the scenes of Taylor's new book, Inner Workout (35:59)

Resources Mentioned:

  • Inner Workout by Taylor Elyse Morrison
  • The Process Report

Where to Find Taylor Elyse Morrison:

  • Website: taylorelyse.com
  • TikTok: @taylorelysemorrison
  • Instagram: @taylorelysemorrison

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Erica Courdae is a certified coach, beauty industry veteran, and DEI practitioner who in 2018 co-founded Pause on the Play, an award-winning podcast and community for imperfect allies. In our conversation, Erica shares the parallels between hairdressing and DEI, how care work and energy work are directly connected, and the power of setting boundaries.

Topics Discussed:

  • How Erica describes herself in the context of care work (2:22)
  • What it means to be an imperfect ally (5:59)
  • The push for inclusive language vs taking action (8:23)
  • What brought Erica to the place of wanting to bring together imperfect allies (11:40)
  • What encouraged Erica to enter the beauty industry (15:14)
  • How to talk to allies that want to help but may not be a good fit (21:59)
  • Why it's important to set boundaries to protect yourself (25:18)
  • What Erica reads after a hard day (26:43)
  • How Erica takes care of herself (30:18)

Where to Find Erica Courdae:

  • Website: ericacourdae.com
  • Podcast: Pause On The Play
  • Instagram: @ericacourdae

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Known as “the therapist who moves you,” dance therapist and bestselling author Erica Hornthal has spent her career helping people heal through their bodies. She joins to talk about how to practice non-judgment, why exercise isn’t the only form of healthy movement, and how to address trauma through a body-aware lens.

Topics Discussed:

  • How Erica is involved in care work (3:20)
  • What led Erica into the intersection of different interests in her career (4:59)
  • The ways that Erica uses movement to heal (8:13)
  • What it means to befriend your body (12:34)
  • Body positivity vs body acceptance (15:03)
  • What the future may hold for somatic movement therapies (21:50)
  • Erica's advice for a what to take away from this conversation (34:03)

Resources Mentioned:

  • Body Awareby Erica Hornthal
  • Kaye Publicity
  • Bodyfulness: Somatic Practices for Presence, Empowerment, and Waking Up in This Life by Christine Caldwell

Where to Find Erica Hornthal:

  • Website: ericahornthal.com
  • Website: chicagodancetherapy.com
  • Facebook: @EricaHornthal
  • Instagram: @the.therapist.who.moves.you
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Darrell Jones is a minister, spiritual guide, and mindfulness coach who brings twenty years of personal practice to his care work. In his new book, Soul Gym, Darrell explores how to link the mind, body, and spirit to nurture the soul. Darrell joins to share more about how to achieve a holistic soul experience.

Topics Discussed:

  • What it means to Darrell to be a care worker (3:02)
  • How Darrell's career ambitions went from rock star to spiritual coaching (5:54)
  • The moment that life asked something more of Darrell (9:49)
  • How Darrell uses the higher self visioning practice (16:31)
  • What Darrell does to help people with reintegration (24:36)
  • Observations of people that don't know who they are and come from a place of fear (28:28)
  • Why Darrell wrote his new book, Soul Gym (34:30)
  • Key takeaways from this episode (38:09)

Resources Mentioned:

  • Soul Gym: A Manual to Connect Mind, Body & Spirit for Soulful Living by Darrell Jones
  • The Bodhi Spiritual Center
  • Agape International Spiritual Center

Where to Find Darrell Jones:

  • Website: revdarrelljones.com
  • Website: olivetreeartsnetwork.org
  • Website: chillanywhere.com
  • Instagram: @darrelljonesspirit

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Yael Shy’s purpose in life is to help others uncover their inherent worth and capacity for deep joy. Yael wrote the award-winning What Now? Meditation for Your Twenties and Beyond and teaches mindfulness and meditation at New York University. Together, we discuss how mindfulness and meditation can help us understand ourselves and the world.

Topics Discussed:

  • How Yael came to the world of mindfulness and meditation (3:41)
  • The experience of helping students take on the practice of meditation (5:52)
  • What students need from meditation that other people might not (8:40)
  • What Yael thinks life is all about (10:27)
  • Why Yael wrote her book, What Now? (12:08)
  • What it looked like for Yael to put her work out into the world (18:39)
  • Yael's advice for moving past suffering and pain (21:15)
  • What helps Yael develop her practices (27:40)
  • Who Yael goes to when she needs support (37:33)
  • The book that Yael would recommend to people who live a life of care (41:31)

Resources Mentioned:

  • What Now?: Meditation for Your Twenties and Beyond by Yael Shy
  • Yael's 12-week Flourish certification program
  • You Belong: A Call for Connection by Sebene Selassie
  • The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level by Gay Hendricks

Where to Find Yael Shy:

  • Website: mindfulnessconsulting.net
  • Twitter: @YaelShy1
  • Instagram: @yaelshy1
  • Facebook: @yaeshy1
The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level
What Now?: Meditation for Your Twenties and Beyond
You Belong: A Call for Connection

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Celebrated disability rights advocate, speaker, and author of Demystifying Disability Emily Ladau joins the podcast to delve into the relationship between educating others and engaging in care work. Throughout our conversation, Emily offers tools, processes, and practices for having awkward conversations, supporting the disability community, and tending to our own needs.

Topics Discussed:

  • How Emily describes herself as a care worker (1:15)
  • How Sesame Street influenced Emily to become an educator (4:55)
  • Turning awkward interactions into teachable moments (8:49)
  • Why Emily is still learning how to care for herself (13:49)
  • How to find a supportive disabled community (17:09)
  • Advice and tips to help you provide care to others (22:46)
  • Emily's experience for what you are and are not allowed to ask about someone's disabilities (26:02)
  • One takeaway you can adopt right now (28:12)

Resources Mentioned:

  • Cringeworthy: A Theory of Awkwardness by Melissa Dahl
  • Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally by Emily Ladau

Where to Find Emily Ladau:

  • Website: emilyladau.com
  • Website: theaccessiblestall.com
  • Twitter: @emily_ladau
  • Instagram: @emilyladau
  • Facebook: @WordsIWheelBy
  • LinkedIn: @emilyladau
Cringeworthy: A Theory of Awkwardness
Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally

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Micky ScottBey Jones, the Justice Doula, is a multi-faith chaplain, Enneagram coach, compassionate facilitator, nonviolence practitioner, and author who has dedicated her life to accompanying others in their time of need. Micky joins to talk about what it means to be a witness and companion to others in the hardest moments of their lives.

Topics Discussed:

  • How Micky describes herself in the context of her care work (2:26)
  • How the philosophy around womanism is connected to Micky's doula work (4:40)
  • Why Micky set up boundaries around her doula work (7:36)
  • Advice for how a care worker should take care of themselves (11:55)
  • Using the Spoons Theory to protect boundaries and energy (17:20)
  • How Micky continues to work with people on the worst days of their lives (22:39)

Resources Mentioned:

  • What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo
  • Too Much: How Victorian Constraints Still Bind Women Today by Rachel Vorona Cote

Where to Find Micky ScottBey Jones:

  • Website: mickyscottbeyjones.com
  • Twitter: @iammickyjones
  • Instagram: @electric_lady_msj
  • YouTube: @therealmickyscottbeyjones
What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma
Too Much: How Victorian Constraints Still Bind Women Today

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Who is in the business of providing tender love and care? What does it mean to get paid to nurture strangers? And, what kind of support do these people need? In Care Work, author and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging practitioner, Alida Miranda-Wolff, seeks answers to all of these questions with care workers of all kinds through discussions of their lived experiences. Learn how to create a culture of care in your communities and have your own care needs met through episodes that balance real-life stories with actionable takeaways.

Season 1 coming January 2023