About

About

Imagine a place where the challenging subject of diversity & inclusion is seriously engaged and entertaining.

That place is THE DIVERSITY ZONE.

5 PEOPLE. 5 STORIES. ONE STORYTELLER.

With compassionate humor and dramatic heart, NPR Award-Winning Storyteller/former Diversity & Anti-Prejudice Head Writer on NBC’s The More You Know campaign/UCLA National Champion Speaker – Don Reed transports participants to an imaginary meeting based on fact, exploring diversity, equity, and inclusion in a unique and, most importantly, memorable 30-minute keynote presentation.

This is no boring, “check off the boxes” lecture. Combining a deft blend of storytelling and classic public speaking, Mr. Reed engages the always demanding dynamics of DEI covering race, gender, ageism, disability, and bias through character-driven stories – including his own lived experiences paved with proven indicators of a demonstrated commitment to diversity. Sidestepping stereotypes, the characters are all based on real people Don actually knows; friends, colleagues, associates. Part performance, part speech – the hybrid of styles allows attendees to take on these inevitably difficult topics with less defense and considerably more accessibility.

Forbes states, “Diverse companies outperform industry norms by 35%.” So why isn’t there more diversity? Don believes that data and charts don’t completely translate to human connection. Humans are emotional creatures with bills and headaches and bad fashion choices to think about – raw logic, numbers, and information aren’t always enough. No amount of Diversity Training, Micro-aggression Testing, nor Inclusion Initiatives are going to work if people don’t care.  Empathy is the key to moving the needle.  Your company must engage in accessing empathy.

Essentially, a company is an organization built and run by people.

People communicate – stories communicate. Stories create access to empathy.

This keynote will demonstrate that the stories of the people in your company are that bridge to empathy.

A boldly entertaining presentation complete with applicable solutions. Participants will leave with new information, self-reflection, actionable insights –   OCC – Open Culture Check,  ACC – Anonymous Culture Check, and an invitation to the next step – VR Diversity Training with partner Virtual Bodyworks.

With well over 2 decades of storytelling expertise and network corporate experience, via VIRTUAL or LIVE KEYNOTE – Don utilizes compelling stories to navigate you through this timely, complex, and highly sensitive subject matter.

THE DIVERSITY ZONE TRAILER

THE FIVE STORIES