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Breaking Barriers DEI&B Podcast

Breaking Barriers is a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging podcast (DEI&B) that’s all about having raw conversations. Companies have been “using” diversity as a buzzword to distract from the truth.

DEI&B isn’t something you do. Your business is either living this stuff or it’s not.

With our guests, we will talk about the real issues that create barriers to a diverse, equitable, inclusive culture where people feel like they belong.

Whether you are a Small business, Enterprise, or community Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging are the keys to your success. Our DEI&B podcast is energetic and fun.

Our show is centered around where our expert guests lead the conversation. We are the guides on your DEI Journey. If you want a newscast show, this ain’t the Diversity podcast for you. If you want real talk, and honest solutions that inspire you to take real actions that lead to change, then we got you!

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Lack of Funding and Heart Hinders Black Players in Baseball

About The Guest(s):

*Preston Wilson: Former professional baseball player who played 10 seasons in the major leagues, won the World Series in 2006, and was an All-Star in 2003.
*Ray Burris: Former ...professional baseball player who played 15 years in the big leagues and is currently involved in developing young athletes.
*Michael Tucker: Former professional baseball player who played 13 years in the big leagues and is now focused on helping young kids through camps and clinics.
*Marcus Nettles: Former college baseball player and current state trooper in Illinois. He runs the Marcus Nettles Project, a foundation that helps the community, youth, and police.

Summary:

Former professional baseball players Preston Wilson, Ray Burris, Michael Tucker, and Marcus Nettles discuss the lack of African American representation in baseball and the challenges faced by Black players. They highlight the importance of money and resources in increasing diversity in the sport, as well as the need for more Black coaches and mentors. They were authentic about Major League Baseball’s systemic strategy of recruiting Latine players for pennies on the dollar, which has a disparate impact on American born Black players who are not seen, recruited, and drafted. The conversation also touches on the role of ownership in driving change and the need for long-term investment in Black communities. The guests emphasize the importance of building relationships and providing support to young Black athletes to help them succeed in baseball and beyond.

Key Takeaways:

*Lack of financial support and scholarships for Black baseball players has contributed to the decline in African American representation in the sport.
*The scarcity of Black coaches and mentors in baseball limits opportunities and development for Black players.
*Ownership changes and increased investment in Black communities are needed to drive diversity and inclusion in baseball.
*Building relationships and providing resources and support to young *Black athletes is crucial for their success in baseball and beyond.

Send your DEI&B questions to info@topranktalentsolutions.com.

To learn more about Top RANK please visit topranktalentsolutions.com or follow us on social media.

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Lack of Funding and Heart Hinders Black Players in Baseball

From the Field to the Boardroom: Understanding the Business of Baseball as a Minority Player S01 E20

Breaking Barriers with a Black Owned Bank S01 E19

Banned Books: Censorship and Silencing the Marginalized S01 E18

About The Guest(s):

Charity is the Executive Director of the Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation and has been involved in nonprofit work for many years. She is passionate about advocating for ...libraries and protecting intellectual freedom.

Summary:

Charity discusses the issue of book banning and censorship in libraries. She explains that book banning is a form of censorship that silences marginalized voices and restricts access to information. She highlights the importance of allowing individuals to see themselves in print materials and the value of diverse representation in libraries. Charity also addresses the misconception that libraries allow access to explicit content on public computers and emphasizes the importance of behavior policies in maintaining a safe and inclusive environment. She shares insights on the increase in book challenges and bans and the need for proactive measures to protect libraries, publishers, authors, and librarians.

Key Takeaways:

*Book banning is a form of censorship that silences marginalized voices and restricts access to information.
*The largest percentage of of banned books are about race or LGBTQ issues by Black or LGBTQ authors.
*Libraries should provide diverse representation in their collections to allow individuals to see themselves in print materials.
*Behavior policies are in place to prevent inappropriate use of public computers in libraries.
*There has been an increase in book challenges and bans, highlighting the need for proactive measures to protect intellectual freedom.
*Libraries and individuals can join advocacy campaigns and share resources to support the fight against book bans.

BANNED BOOK RESOURCES

Banned & Challenged Books Data (including the updated interactive map) this is 2023 data
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/book-ban-data

Censorship by the Numbers for 2022 data. It shows the scary progress that has been made in less than a year: https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/by-the-numbers

Books Unbanned (free access to online banned books for anyone in the country; focus on young adults 13 to 21 and 26)
https://www.spl.org/programs-and-services/teens/books-unbanned
https://www.bklynlibrary.org/books-unbanned

Office of Intellectual Freedom https://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/oif

Freedom to Read Foundation https://www.ftrf.org/

Unite Against Book Bans https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/. A great resource for advocacy toolkits, talking points, and social media content

Top 13 Challenged Books for 2022 https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10

United for Libraries, A division of the American Library Association: Intellectual Freedom Resources for Trustees, Friends & Foundations
(some of this is behind a membership paywall, but there is a FREE section for anyone to access)
https://www.ala.org/united/advocacy/challenges[+] Show More

Humizie My Hoodie: Empowering Underrepresented Communities With Fashion S01 E17

Navigating Challenges and Promoting Equity in Education and Sports S01 E16

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DIVERSITY STRAIGHT UP

“Diversity Straight Up” hosts Sarika Bhakta and Anthony Arrington dig into the topics of equity, diversity, inclusion and engagement (EDI&E) through authentic and challenging conversations with C-suite leaders. Expect frank questions and honest answers, and real-life lessons on how to leverage diversity as an asset, rather than see it as a liability.

This Corridor Media Group podcast is sponsored by ACT, Alliant Energy, and Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust.”

Diversity Straight Up

Today’s guest on Diversity Straight Up is Lisha Coffey, President of Travero, a subsidiary of Alliant Energy that is providing freight solutions to keep customers moving.

Anthony and Sarika talk with Lisha about pride month and the issues that the State of Iowa is grappling with therein, about the nuances of “tokenism” and the differences between being identified as a female leader versus just a leader, the group tackle a question from a listener, and everyone takes a turn with the famous Diversity Thumb Ball!

Learn more about Travero at travero.com.

Learn more about our sponsor, Alliant Energy, at alliantenergy.com.

This season of Diversity Straight Up is sponsored by ACT, Alliant Energy, and Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust.

This is Diversity Straight Up, hosted by Sarika Bhakta and Anthony Arrington, the monthly podcast where the duo dig into the topics of equity, diversity, inclusion and engagement (EDI&E) through authentic and challenging conversations with C-suite leaders. Expect frank questions and honest answers, and real-life lessons on how to leverage diversity as an asset, rather than see it as a liability.

This is a Corridor Media Group podcast: Bringing critical business news, thoughtful analysis, and valuable strategic insights for business leaders throughout Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and the Quad Cities. For more information, visit corridorbusiness.com.

This episode was produced by the L.A.S. Media Group in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. For more information, visit LASMediaGroup.com.