While there has been an increase in the number of organizations focusing on ways to implement diversity, equity, and inclusion (dei) strategies, we are still a long way away from equity and inclusion being an undoubted, universally accepted part of society. At Construct the Present we see DEI synonymous with social justice. We are working towards a world that is without oppression of any kind, where individuals and communities can feel joy, ease, and love unconditionally.

As you think about what your DEI intentions are this year, ask yourself these questions:

1. Why is DEI important to you both personally and professionally?
2. Where is your learning edge??
3. What impact would you like to make?
4. What is the climate like in your organization?
5. What is your organization’s commitment to ongoing learning and development?
6. What is your strategy for initiating or updating your approach to DEI?
7. Evaluating your answers, what are your DEI goals for 2022?

BUILD SKILLS WITH US

Align your workplace culture with your values.

Our courses and workshops are designed to facilitate learning, experimentation, and connection. Once we’ve identified knowledge gaps in your organization, these experiences can be customized to provide targeted learning.

Workshops are ideal for you if:

• You want to bring more awareness to your team.
• You’re looking for expert facilitators to lead your team through challenging and joyful learning experiences.
• You understand no one is great at a new skill right away. Practice is the key to building our skills and our confidence in using them.
• Workshops are broken out into three 90-minute sessions, which include small group breakout discussions. Sessions can be completed in a single day or spaced out over a timeline determined by your organization.

OUR WORKSHOPS

Unpacking Diversity Equity & Inclusion

An entry point for anyone curious about DEI

We start the conversation by sharing definitions and building a common language as we explore strategies to counter bias, identify injustice, and create an inclusive environment that offers agency and a voice to all members.

Recommended for: Organizations that are new to DEI, revisiting DEI after a hiatus, or are onboarding new employees

Understanding Privilege

Unpacking inequities from a systemic level

We’ll work together to define and explore dominant culture, white privilege, and allyship. Some of your team members may be new to these concepts. Others may already be familiar with them. White privilege impacts us all, and together we can raise our collective understanding.

Recommended for:

• Teams with intermediate DEI experience
• Homogenous and multicultural teams alike
• People leaders, executives, HR business partners, and policymakers

Expanding Identity & Unpacking Privilege

Learning new strategies and tools for inclusion

Our personal identities impact us every day consciously and unconsciously. We’ll engage in an energizing conversation that explores how our identities impact our roles at work and share experiences among our colleagues. Expanding our view of the world is the key to filling in gaps in understanding, so we can work toward a more equitable future together.

Recommended for: Everyone

White Allyship in the Workplace

Constructive conversations about our different identities

This workshop is for teams that want to get better at acknowledging differences and practice having productive discussions about identity and race. What does it mean to be a white ally, especially in the workplace? What does it mean to have the support of white allies? How can the white members of our communities have conversations about race that are productive and respectful? We’ll investigate the different identities in your group and learn how to talk about lived experiences in ways that are accepting and free of judgment.

Recommended for:

• Teams with diverse frontline staff and mostly white leadership and executives
• White and light-skinned teams and groups

LEARN WITH US

Set the stage for DEI leadership and learning.

Our gifted speakers and facilitators have years of experience broaching the subjects of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion with a range of audiences at events across the country. We understand that everyone brings their own lived experience to the room. Our talks are designed to engage with even the most skeptical audiences, making them comfortable enough to engage with DEI topics, reflect on their own biases, and open their awareness to the root systems of inequity that continue to exist in our communities.

Engage a member of our team to present a keynote customized to your event:

ALEXIS BRALY JAMES (she/her)

Key Areas of Expertise: Race, Racism, Education, History, Organizational Development, Change Management

LIANA AVENDANO (they/them)

Key areas of expertise: LGBTQIA+, neurodiversity, nonbinary identity

IMAGINE WITH US

Create a custom DEI training experience.

Don’t see a workshop that suits your needs? We’re learning specialists. Tell us your desired outcomes, and we’ll design learning objectives to meet those goals.

Collaborate with CTP to create a custom DEI training topic tailored to your team’s specific challenges and learning edges—everything from having difficult conversations to implementing a new recognition program.

Our custom learning experiences are designed to raise awareness and deepen connections within your group.

Contact us for pricing and scope.