I’m Starting an Affinity Group. Here’s Why.
Self-quarantining in a midtown Manhattan hotel room gave me plenty of time to think. I thought about my family, of course. My doctor advised staying away from them after I’d returned from several weeks of international travel. Amid the solitude, I also reflected on my career – and especially on the mentors who made it […]
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Beyond Pride: Making LGBTQ+ Belonging a Year-Round Celebration
July marks the end of Pride festivities, and for too many people, a return to the closet. But the camaraderie and sense of belonging that go along with Pride don’t have to be fleeting. Pride is loved by many for its hoopla. Last year in New York City, five million revelers filled the streets to […]
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Pandemic Or Not, ‘Belonging’ Is a Business Essential
The pandemic, as well as heightened social unrest spawned by the death of George Floyd, has upended work routines for employees and leaders alike. What hasn’t changed is our need to feel we belong at work. As we power through a “new normal,” I think it’s critical for employees to feel welcome, included, valued and […]
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Making Juneteenth Count
I let out a whoop of excitement when I heard Cognizant would observe Juneteenth as a company holiday for U.S. associates. Hailing from Texas, where the historic June 19 announcement of slavery’s end occurred in 1865, I’ve celebrated Juneteenth annually since I was a child. Honoring it today as a company holiday feels like part […]
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What You Can Do to Create a Welcome Workplace for LGBTQ+
You don’t come out just once – each time you change projects or teams, or start a new job, you come out all over again. And each time can feel just as scary as the one before. I’ve been out since I was 18. Yet when a client or someone outside of my team asks […]
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Black People Need Allies, Too
As a diversity and inclusion (D&I) leader at Cognizant, I’m always planning for the next big D&I event. June, for instance, is filled with many Pride celebrations, virtual and otherwise. But instead of seeing coverage of upcoming LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations, I’m watching news coverage and having conversations with friends and family members about the senseless deaths of […]
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When Enough is Enough: Finding a Career that Plays to Your Strengths
As a woman who has spent much of her career in male-dominated industries, I’ve often received feedback that compares me with the men around me. All too often, this feedback has been geared toward molding me into the predecessor for my role, rather than angling me toward where my potential lies. Some may recognize this […]
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A Leader’s Story of Belonging
When it comes to belonging, numbers matter. In my first job out of college, I was one of just two women engineers out of 600 in the business practice. Eleven years later, I became CEO of itaas (a Cognizant company) and made diversity hiring a top priority. But belonging is also about much more than […]
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How Affinity Groups Elevate Us: Lessons from Self-Isolation
There’s nothing like solitude to make us appreciate camaraderie. That’s why, especially during the self-isolation imposed by the pandemic, affinity groups are so important. In addition to shared experiences, they let us lean into missions that transcend the isolation of COVID-19. At a time when we need it most, they elevate us. As I joined […]
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How Small Changes in the Hiring Process Can Lead to Big Diversity Benefits
As head of diversity and inclusion for management recruitment in the U.S., I’m always on the lookout for new avenues for finding talent. Like many companies, we’re taking steps to open up our hiring process so that we reach out to more nontraditional and under-represented candidates. Last summer, I had the privilege of attending the […]
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