Learn from our speakers as they share insights and perspectives on various DE&I topics.
WGU’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) team hosts the Advance Equity Speaker Series (AESS) as part of our commitment to change lives for the better by advancing equity and expanding access to opportunity. Our monthly webinar series features guests who share insights and perspectives on various topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Recordings from each session are posted on this page after the event.
January 2024
Defining Colorism and Its Impact in the Workplace
January 25, 2024 at 11 am MT
What is colorism? How does colorism manifest within the workplace? Join us for a conversation with Dr. Sarah L. Webb who will define colorism, explain the systemic impact of colorism across cultures and across sectors of society, and share strategies for meaningful and sustainable action against colorism. Dr. Webb is the founder and owner of Colorism Healing. She has written and contributed to several academic and non-academic articles, presented at numerous conferences, and been featured on regional NPR stations, Forbes.com, TEDx stage, and other outlets.
Dr. Sarah L. Webb
April 24, 2025 at 11 AM MT
Through the Lens of Loss: A Conversation with Raspberry Director Julian Doan
Join us for a conversation with filmmaker Julian Doan about his acclaimed short film “Raspberry,” a 2021 Sundance Film Festival selection. In “Raspberry,” a son navigates the awkward aftermath of his father’s death. Julian will take us behind the scenes of his 7-minute film, exploring the complexities of grief, memory, and healing. Don’t miss our discussion that will reflect on the film’s themes of grief, relationships, and finding meaning in difficult moments.
September 2024
Believe in Your Ability to Succeed
Date: Thursday September 26, 2024
Time: 11 am MT
Join us for a conversation with Linda Alvarado who is a community leader, education advocate, CEO of Alvarado Construction, and National Women’s Hall of Famer. When Linda was rejected for a landscape laborer position for being a woman, she began a lifelong quest to prove them wrong and find success in construction. She would go on to found and run Alvarado Construction, one of the United States’ fastest growing construction companies. In addition, she became both the first Hispanic and first woman to own a Major League Baseball team.
Previous Webinars
March 2025
Moving Forward Together: Women Educating & Inspiring Generations
Join us for an insightful discussion with our WGU leaders as they share their journeys into leadership, the lessons they’ve learned, and strategies to support and empower future generations.
WGU Panelists:
Malika Clinkscales, VP Faculty Mentor Strategy, Office of Chief Academic Officer
Tonya Drake, RVP Northwest Regional Operations
Jennie Sanders, VP Instruction, Office of Academic Delivery
February 2025
Harnessing Your Power to Create Meaningful Change
Join us for a conversation with Derreck Kayongo, a social entrepreneur and humanitarian leader whose remarkable journey from a Ugandan refugee to a successful CEO exemplifies the power of resilience and innovation. As the founder of the Global Soap Project, Derreck transformed a simple observation about hotel waste into a groundbreaking humanitarian initiative that now provides life-saving hygiene resources across 90 countries. His insights on creative problem-solving and keen observation reveal how transformative change can spark in any environment – from corporate boardrooms to local communities. Learn how meaningful impact begins with taking responsibility and recognizing opportunities in unexpected places.
January 2025
Building the Bridge: The Transformative Power of Belonging
The Advance Equity Speaker Series hosted an inspiring conversation with filmmaker and belonging expert Denise Soler Cox. Denise highlighted the universal need for belonging and how it shapes personal transformation and connection. She shared insights on navigating the “liminal space” between where we are and where we want to be, emphasizing that belonging starts with claiming it for ourselves, embracing discomfort, and showing up authentically. She also addressed overcoming imposter syndrome, fostering personalized connections, and creating spaces where everyone feels valued.
November 2024
Indigenous in Plain Sight: Disrupting Stereotypes Through Art
Join us for a conversation with Gregg Deal (Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe), a nationally and internationally recognized multi-disciplinary artist whose work spans painting, performance, filmmaking, and spoken word. As an artist, activist, and educator, Gregg creates work that examines American history, colonialism, and popular culture through a Native lens. Through his diverse artistic practices and lectures, Gregg challenges stereotypes and offers thoughtful perspectives on representation, identity, and the complex relationship between past and present in American society. Gregg has delivered two TEDx talks, and his works have been featured in prestigious institutions, including the Denver Art Museum, RedLine Gallery, and The Smithsonian Institution.
August 2024
Finding Empathy Through Our Difference
Join us for an insightful conversation with Atia Abawi, an award-winning journalist and celebrated author. As a former correspondent for CNN and NBC, Atia brings a wealth of experience from the front lines of global conflicts, highlighting the critical importance of recognizing humanity in everyone. Atia will share her personal experiences from living abroad and the people and places she covered. Through these stories, Atia aims to encourage a deeper understanding and mutual respect, prompting us to find common ground even in our differences. Atia is the author of “A Land of Permanent Goodbyes” and “The Secret Sky” and has received numerous accolades including The George Foster Peabody Award and The duPont-Colombia awards.
October 2024
Visioning the AI-Empowered Future of Work
Join us for an enlightening session with Nichol Bradford, SHRM’s Executive in Residence for Human and AI Enablement. Nichol will share her insights on the future of work, focusing on how responsible AI implementation can empower human talent and potential to build better workplaces and fuel an enlightened society. We will also explore how to mitigate risks like bias and pilot AI ethically, ensuring that workforce experiments with generative AI systems enhance skills, capacities, and well-being, resulting in solutions that benefit lives more broadly.
September 2024
Believe in Your Ability to Succeed
Join us for a conversation with Linda Alvarado who is a community leader, education advocate, CEO of Alvarado Construction, and National Women’s Hall of Famer. When Linda was rejected for a landscape laborer position for being a woman, she began a lifelong quest to prove them wrong and find success in construction. She would go on to found and run Alvarado Construction, one of the United States’ fastest growing construction companies. In addition, she became both the first Hispanic and first woman to own a Major League Baseball team.
August 2024
Finding Empathy Through Our Difference
Join us for an insightful conversation with Atia Abawi, an award-winning journalist and celebrated author. As a former correspondent for CNN and NBC, Atia brings a wealth of experience from the front lines of global conflicts, highlighting the critical importance of recognizing humanity in everyone. Atia will share her personal experiences from living abroad and the people and places she covered. Through these stories, Atia aims to encourage a deeper understanding and mutual respect, prompting us to find common ground even in our differences. Atia is the author of “A Land of Permanent Goodbyes” and “The Secret Sky” and has received numerous accolades including The George Foster Peabody Award and The duPont-Colombia awards.
July 2024
How Do You Define Yourself?
Join us for a conversation with Lizzie Velasquez, a global motivational speaker, YouTube personality, anti-bullying activist, and author. Born with a rare congenital condition that prevents her from gaining weight, Lizzie has faced unimaginable bullying and adversity throughout her life. Instead of letting it define her, she turned her experience into a powerful message of self-acceptance, kindness, and resilience. Her story has been featured on Katie Couric, The Today Show, The View, Huffington Post, Associated Press, MSN, and Yahoo. She is the author of Dare to Be Kind and executive producer of the award-winning documentary based on her life, A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story, which chronicles her journey from cyber-bully victim to global anti-bullying activist.
We Welcome Your Feedback
Contact WGU's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) team for more information.
