In this episode of the Demystifying Diversity Podcast, host Daralyse Lyons examines the ways in which society not only serves to shape individuals' perceptions of success, but also the far-reaching impacts that “success” and “being successful” have on people's conceptions of their own identities. Hosts Daralyse Lyons, Zack James and Azaria Keys discuss the ever-changing, arbitrary metrics of success and the ways in which our views of success are shaped by our cultures and communities. This episode features the voice of Dr. A.C. Fowlkes, who shares his perspectives about workplace “success” and how to incorporate a DEI lens to the conversation about achievement, professionalism, and workplace wins.

In this episode, you will learn about:

* Different perspectives about what success means, and how conceptions of it have been shaped by society.

* How success and fulfillment are not the same thing, and how assessing one's professional fulfillment is a personal journey.

* How interpretations of success and professionalism are often tied to privilege.

* How essential it is to make space for an intersectional understanding of success and “achievement.”

* How an individual's interpretations of what “success” means is their right, and how every person also has the right to decide how much or how little of their interpretations to share with others.

* The concept that people and cultures are a value-add, and the reminder that comparisons can distort our perceptions of how successful a person or a group is.

Our guests experts this episode include:

A.C. Fowlkes - A.C. is the Chief Executive Officer of Fowlkes Consulting, an LGBTQ+ sensitivity and transgender inclusion consulting firm. He is a licensed clinical psychologist and has worked in the field of diversity and inclusion for over 10 years. He is a thought leader and he has a passion for LGBTQ plus sensitivity and inclusion. Dr. Fowlkes is, to his knowledge, the first transgender CEO of a psychiatric facility. He's a Forbes contributor and a proud member of the Board of directors for the Trevor Project.

Episode hosts:

Azaria Keys - Azaria is the Assistant Director of the Fox School of Business' Center for Ethics, Diversity and Workplace Culture (CEDWC). Her work is driven by her passion to advocate for others and transform workplaces to be more inclusive and equitable.

Zack James - Zack is the marketing arm of the Demystifying Diversity Podcast and is a graduate of Temple University's School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management (STHM). Zack is a self-described go-giver and DEI advocate with a passion for service and making a difference across organizations.

Daralyse Lyons - Daralyse is the host of the Demystifying Diversity Podcast as well as the author of Demystifying Diversity: Embracing Our Shared Humanity. She is a speaker, a consultant, a journalist, and a full-time DEI strategist.

Connect with A.C. Fowlkes on LinkedIn

Learn more about Fowlkes Consulting

Click here for a full transcript of this episode.

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