Video
Biography
Motivated by her passion to correct societal “isms” like racism, sexism, classism and plain old stupidism, it is Risha Grant’s personal mission to expose the subtleties and values of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion while shining a light on the impacts they create. From her race, gender and lifestyle choices, to growing a small business and tackling economic, moral, and business issues, every area of her life intersects diversity.
Founder & CEO of Risha Grant LLC, an award-winning diversity consulting, communications and speaking firm, as well as an edgy, educational and motivational speaker, author Risha Grant uses honest, humorous, and vulnerable storytelling to motivate audiences to embrace the inner tough work of Radical Acceptance while honoring diversity, equity, and inclusion without evoking feelings of judgement or assigning blame.
These audiences have included Google, Levi Strauss, Nestle Purina, Xerox, YouTube, Procter & Gamble, Discover Card Financial Services, Samsung Electronics America, U.S. Airforce, U.S. Navy, Intuit, and Harvard University, to name a few. She’s also been featured in Forbes, Harvard Business Review, HR News, The Financial Times, Glamour magazine UK, Bloomberg Media, and Black Enterprise among others.
Risha has received numerous honors such as being named one of the Top 10 Most Powerful Women Leaders in HR by PeopleHum in 2021, 40 Top Women Keynote Speakers by Real Leaders, the NBA OKC Thunder Changemaker Award in 2020 among others.
In her no-holds-barred style, renowned diversity and inclusion thought leader Risha Grant teaches and empowers attendees about unconscious bias, micro-aggressions and other actions that perpetuate discrimination and inequality. Audiences leave with easily applied principles for finding respect, understanding and inclusion both personally & professionally.
Topics
Get Rid Of The BS to Build an Inclusive Culture
ALSO AVAILABLE AS A VIRTUAL EVENT
Whether implicit or conscious, bias is the number one threat to humanity and any company’s success.
If your company’s goal is to create cohesiveness within your organization, increase revenue, be innovative and elevate your reputation-the bias in your workforce and community is a roadblock. You know the problem. Getting Rid of the BS is your answer.
Throughout this session, Diversity & Inclusion speaker Risha Grant allows attendees to express their biases, while giving them easily applicable tools to get over them, however screwed up they may be. Although diversity can often be an uncomfortable topic, Risha’s approach helps attendees to understand the concept, without feeling bored, judged or blamed.
Attendees will leave this talk understanding:
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
- A thorough awareness of biases
- A realization of how biases originated
- A recognition of the symptoms and results of bias
- Tools to address bias internally and externally
- Benefits of Building a Culture of Inclusion
- The stuff she thinks is important (that you should write down) as you establish your inclusive culture
Get Rid of The BS to Attract Diverse Markets
ALSO AVAILABLE AS A VIRTUAL EVENT
Companies need to know how to get diverse customers to buy their products and services. Why?
Because of business sustainability, competitive advantage, a constantly changing economy and trillions in buying power. During this session, D&I Speaker Risha Grant will share with attendees the keys to effectively engage various diverse groups and provide them with tips to increase their bottom line.
Biases are always working against you in business. During this session, Risha will teach attendees to examine their own decision-making processes and identify ways to minimize biases in order to attract diverse markets and increase sales. With a majority of diverse communities holding $14 trillion in disposable income, Risha makes the case for how profitability and diversity can coexist. This session will review the benefits of advertising and marketing to diverse communities in order to attract them to your company’s products and services.
Attendees will leave this keynote understanding:
- How unconscious bias keeps companies from recruiting diverse candidates
- How to reach diverse candidates through unconventional methods
- Marketing ideas for recruiting diverse candidates
- The buying power of diverse groups
Radical Acceptance: Be Better Than Your BS
ALSO AVAILABLE AS A VIRTUAL EVENT
Empower Authenticity, Confront Bias and Create a Culture of Inclusion through Radical Acceptance.
This speech will help audiences and individuals to understand Radical Acceptance and how their BiaSphere, Belief Systems, and BS stop them from welcoming and embracing all of humanity, including their own. Our BS shapes how we feel about ourselves, how we perceive the world, and how we interact with others. Radical acceptance teaches that through authenticity we can connect with others on a deeper level, and create a culture of acceptance and belonging. Mental health and psychological safety are more important now than ever before in the workplace, and companies who create an environment where everyone is allowed to be themselves without fear of rejection, are at the cutting edge of what it means to be an innovative and profitable place to work.
Risha’s honest, memorable and practical presentation on Radical Acceptance: Be Better Than Your BiaSphere, Belief Systems, and BS blends together stories from her life experiences as a bisexual black woman, former division one athlete, and small business owner to teach audiences how their diversity can become their superpower! Learn how your own behaviors can be shaped by your own BiaSphere, which includes all of the subconscious beliefs, thoughts, feelings and emotions you have about yourself and the rest of the world around you. Radical Acceptance: Be Better Than Your BS will provide your audience members with the awareness and education to help them become better leaders, employees, colleagues, and people.
Attendees will leave this keynote understanding:
- The power of authenticity to shift company culture
- How to use diversity as a competitive advantage
- The psychological need for belonging
- How our BiaSphere has shaped our view of the world
Testimonials
"We just completed her session and it was the most well received of our 3 keynotes, in my opinion. She knocked it out the park. Or, to use a basketball reference, she was draining 3’s all speech long.
She did a fabulous job. I truly appreciated her story-telling and transparency. It allowed our team members to connect with her."
- Chief Diversity Officer & SVP NA Field Human Resources, Signet Jewelers
“We loved having Risha as our Keynote Speaker for our 2020 Professionals of Color Conference. This year came with a lot of challenges, but Risha and her team made going virtual smooth. Risha’s content challenged the cultural norms and we appreciated her openly speaking her truth and experiences.”
- Amway
“Nestle Purina’s Women Leaders Forum invited Risha Grant to lead a (virtual) presentation to our members in August 2020. Risha’s presentation, Authenticity is Everything, was a candid discussion on how to identify and get rid of our biases so that we can show up as our authentic selves. The feedback from this discussion was overwhelming! Our members appreciated the safe space for discussion, asked thought-provoking questions that Risha answered truthfully, and walked away with tools on how to examine and overcome their own biases. Risha has such a dynamic personality that was felt even through the virtual environment (although I bet seeing her in person is even better!) and a disarming manner that made it easy for us to engage with her. If you’re looking for an energetic, no BS speaker to engage your organization on some tough topics, hire Risha.”
- Director of Education and Programing, Nestle Purina Women Leaders Forum
"D&I is hard work because we humans are complicated. The bottom line is, when you need an extraordinary facilitator--who is clear-eyed, compassionate, and unafraid to work on implicit bias—call Risha. She steered the conversation to illustrate the unacknowledged, unaware white privilege that was underneath many of the exchanges among the participants, yet always created an environment of safety. Risha is uniquely equipped to lead your people forward into better territory where everybody wins."
- Manager, Behavioral Health Service and Student Counseling and Mental Health Service, Harvard University
“Risha Grant did an amazing job at our virtual leader offsite. She provided an entertaining, compelling and informative discussion on the power of Diversity and Inclusion. Risha left us with many tools and provocations in our own journey to be better stewards of Diversity and Inclusion. I highly recommend Risha as a speaker. Thanks to Risha for providing the highlight of our session!”
- General Manager, ProConnect Group, Intuit, Inc.
"I want to say a HUGE thank you to our bureau team and to Risha Grant. Risha's talk was so impactful and we have received tons of positive feedback from our team. Risha was warm, engaging, and honest with our group. She wasn't afraid to address many of the challenging topics facing our nation's businesses and our social groups when it comes to diversity, equity & inclusion. Risha was genuine and relatable to our fully distributed team across 41 states. I highly recommend booking Risha for a virtual keynote. She truly is such a gift and we are grateful for the opportunity to have her speak with our team."
- Staff Support Specialist, Ad Hoc
“Risha provided an excellent presentation that had record attendance - with some of the highest evaluations ever.
Risha’s presentation teed up a critical conversation for our membership, one that we plan on continuing. Thank you for helping make it a success.”
- CEO, IFEBP
“I just want to take the time to sincerely thank you for everything.
This entire process has been seamless, starting with our bureau agent introducing me to Risha, to Risha's team assisting with the facilitation, to Risha’s incredible presentation. Our employees have already expressed such incredible feedback and appreciation for Risha’s session, and that means so much to us as an organization. Again, THANK YOU all for the part you have played in ensuring we had a successful event.”
- HR Operations Analyst, NICE Systems
“The American Staffing Association was thrilled to have Risha Grant as a break-out presenter at Staffing World 2019 and she knocked it out of the park! Attendees shared that Risha was energetic and her content was thought provoking. Her engaging storytelling talent and expertise in D&I will bring great value to any adult learner forum. She prepared well for our audience and delivered and provoked as promised! It was a pleasure working with Shannyn and Risha.”
- Director of Education, American Staffing Association
“Risha’s presentation was absolutely amazing and insightful. She captivated the audience and challenged us as HR Professionals to look at what diversity and inclusion really means. We truly appreciate her extraordinary and heartfelt impactful message. Keep up the great work!”
- Committee Co-Chairs, Northwest Human Resource Management Association (NHRMA)
“Risha Grant will bring an energetic discussion of diversity that will make your organization think beyond the obvious. Risha’s superb storytelling abilities keep listeners’ attention from beginning to end.”
- Instructional Designer/Professional Development Coordinator, Northern Oklahoma College
“Risha was wonderful today! She received a standing ovation and was the perfect speaker to wrap up our conference!”
- Senior Project Manager, The Bridge Conference - The Direct Marketing Association of Washington
"We recently had Risha Grant at our 2019 NICA Conference in Sun Valley; we brought Risha as part of our DEI initiative. That sounds like "checking a box." Far from it. Risha exceeded our expectations and was remarkable, relevant and thought-provoking in her ability to move our initiative from concept to personal transformation with humor along the way. Risha's warm and real approach touched our audience by connecting her experience, tools, insight, and inspiration into the hearts of our audience for an ultimate change, impact, and influence. Bravo to Risha."
- VP, Programs - National Interscholastic Cycling Association
“Risha did a fabulous job reminding us that everyone needs “to be the change” in understanding diversity and inclusion in order to affect a long-term, organizational cultural change. She reminded us the starting point is for people is to “unpack your boxes” and look at how they deal with bias. She provided us with a great introduction to a very important issue that requires our attention. I highly recommend her to any business or district looking to have someone who genuinely connects with her audience and knows how to read a community.”
- Assistant Superintendent For HR, Minisink Valley Central School District
“We recently had Risha speak at our annual Women’s Leadership Forum and she was phenomenal! She kept attendees engaged, challenging others to confront their own biases while also sharing her own raw and personal experience and biases. She was authentic in every aspect of the word and a true pleasure to work with!”
- Senior Education Manager – International Association of Exhibitions and Events
"She spoke to over 90 attendees for 10 different Samsung Companies across the USA and Canada. She was inspiring, funny and brutally honest. I really appreciated her ability to tell a story, willingness to share her personal experiences and insight. She was professional and personable."
- Senior Manager – Samsung, North America
"We had Risha Grant in for our International event in Belfast and she was phenomenal. Risha absolutely crushed it, she is amazing, and had incredible impact. Thank you so much!!!"
- Chief People Officer - Rapid 7
"Risha Grant is a dynamic and very effective speaker. Her ability to demonstrate the value of Diversity & Inclusion, while providing individuals the opportunity to recognize and examine their own personal beliefs and behaviors, allows her message to truly resonate and live beyond her presentation."
- Global Corporate Relations Manager, Columbia Sportswear Company
"Risha's approach to diversity and expert advice impressed me to say the least. She is articulate, smart and provided a practical approach to improve diversity and easily applicable resources to achieve success."
- Zohar Ziv, COO, Deckers Outdoor Corporation
"Risha Grant is tenacious in her approach to define and explain diversity from her audience's point of view. She is the most engaging and interesting speaker with a style of her own that will provoke audiences into learning without being aware."
- Carolyn Cummings, Director, Employment and Diversity - Boy Scouts of America