April 14, 2021
Founder and CEO of Inclusion Nation Michelle Silverthorn returned to Willkie to present on the subject of how to talk about race with our colleagues and peers.
On April 14, Michelle Silverthorn, founder and CEO of Inclusion Nation, presented a webinar to the firm on the subjects of inclusion and anti-racism.
Ms. Silverthorn spoke previously at Willkie in June 2020, addressing rules of equity, allyship, and how to build an organization where everyone can bring their authentic selves and still belong and succeed. The presentation drew in over 800 viewers.
Ms. Silverthorn’s latest presentation, “What if I Say the Wrong Thing?” built on many of the questions generated by the prior event. She discussed the importance of bringing the conversation of race into the workplace and how to deal with the feelings of hesitation that many experience when considering doing so. For lawyers, she noted, it is particularly essential to tackle the perceived taboo of acknowledging the color of someone’s skin in order to offer meaningful support to colleagues and clients alike. The talk was concluded with an interactive Q&A session.
A graduate of Princeton University and the University of Michigan Law School, Ms. Silverthorn practiced for two large law firms in New York and Chicago. She then transitioned into the education field where she trained thousands of professionals – in-person and online – about implicit bias, diversity and inclusion, and millennials in the workplace. She is a TEDx speaker and the author of the forthcoming book, Change the Rules, Change the World: How to Recruit, Train and Lead a Diverse Workforce.
To learn more about Ms. Silverthorn and her work, please click here.