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Bridging Racial Divides Through Radical Empathy With Terri Givens

In this episode, Melinda Briana Epler, Founder & CEO of Change Catalyst and Terri Givens, CEO & Founder of Brighter Higher Ed, discuss how radical empathy can help bridge racial divides. Terri shares her journey researching her family’s history, the need for restorative justice, and what led her to write her latest book, “Radical Empathy: Finding a Path to Bridging Racial Divides.”

You’ll learn how to create change by practicing Terri’s six steps of radical empathy:

  • A willingness to be vulnerable
  • Becoming grounded in who you are
  • Opening yourself to the experiences of others
  • Practicing empathy
  • Taking action
  • Creating change and building trust

Additional Resources

This episode is sponsored by AppDynamics, builders of the world’s only full-stack Business Observability platform. Join their team to help businesses thrive by turning performance into profit. Learn more at www.appdynamics.com/company/careers

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Accessibility: The show is available on YouTube with captions and ASL interpretation. Transcripts of each episode are available by clicking on the episode titles below.

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You have to understand yourself before you can have empathy for others…. I am trying to model vulnerability because when we’re vulnerable, it is so much more impactful and it also helps build trust.
Headshot of Terri Givens, a Black woman with short curly hair and purple top.
Guest Speaker

Terri Givens

CEO & Founder at Brighter Higher Ed
(She/Her)

Terri Givens is the CEO and Founder of Brighter Higher Ed. She has more than 30 years of success in higher education, politics, international affairs, and non-profits. She is an accomplished speaker and uses her platform to develop leaders with an understanding of the importance of diversity and encourages personal growth through empathy.

Terri has held leadership positions as Vice Provost at University of Texas at Austin and Provost of Menlo College (first African American and woman); professorships at University of Texas at Austin, and University of Washington. She was the founding director at the Center for European Studies at the University of Texas and led the university’s efforts in Mexico and Latin America as Vice Provost for International Activities. At Menlo College she has led faculty and staff in developing programs for first generation students, updating curriculum and infrastructure for evidence-based assessment.

Terri is the author/editor of books and articles on immigration policy, European politics and security. Her most recent book is the memoir, Radical Empathy: Finding a Path to Bridging Racial Divides.

Learn more about the host and creator of Leading With Empathy & Allyship, Melinda Briana Epler.

Transcript