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Inspiring and empowering keynotes that help build a culture of belonging so your conference or event is an unforgettable success

Belonging
Crusader

TM

What you see is what you get...

People say the exact same thing: "I thought I was alone..."  Watch Denise share the three truths about Belonging in her Speaker's Reel

SPEAKER'S REEL

SPEAKER'S REEL

The Situation Shapes Our Belonging

As I work with organizations throughout the country, what I constantly hear is a desire to build and nurture a diverse culture where employees, students and customers feel like they belong. 

The problem is, even the most well intended companies, schools and organizations are struggling to make this amazing goal a reality. 

The hard thing about building a diverse culture that makes people feel they belong is the fact belonging is quite literally a feeling. 


Which means even though you’re telling people to “Bring your full self to work”, it won’t work because there are situations causing them to feel like…


I don’t have what it takes to be successful here.




I’m not good enough for this position.




I don’t fit in here.




So, how are we supposed to build a sense of belonging when we’re dealing with the unpredictable quality of human emotions?

You struggle with employees not being fully engaged because you know that they feel like the organization doesn’t care about them 

You're not sure how to make the warm and fuzzy idea of belonging something concrete and practical so you can apply it every day

Attracting and retaining diverse talent has become a big challenge since the pandemic

Are You Experiencing Any Of The Following Frustrations? 

This is where Denise comes in...

Vice President DE&I, L'oreal
Professional Products Division

This was my second time hearing Denise speak and each time her message of belonging and how to create it is fresh, her delivery is authentic and her impact lasts long after she gets off stage.

Erica Roberson-Peters

Words

Kind

THANK YOU, ERICA

Testimonial

More testimonials

Working with you to create these results is not only my joy, it’s been my entire life’s work.

Not from here. Not from there.

This was my experience growing up as a first-gen Latina in the suburbs of New York CIty.

I never felt Puerto Rican enough and I never felt American enough. I struggled with figuring out where I belonged. 

Ni de aqui. Ni de alla is Spanish for….

Even though the film’s story is rooted in my experience of being bi-cultural, its heartfelt message of belonging connected deeply with people from every walk of life, and from all corners of the world.


Those early experiences led me to become a storyteller for millions of people as I translated my life experiences and curiosity for cultural belonging into an award-winning documentary, Being Eñye. 

Today, I work with organizations throughout the country, from manufacturing companies with global products, to agencies whose clients want to reach the Latino market, all the way to Fortune 500 companies who want to transform how we think and speak about cultural identity and what it means to belong. 

Through keynotes and strategic consulting, we partner together to build organizations where employees and customers alike feel welcome, valued, and an intrinsic part of the whole. 


The universal human truth here is that everyone, has or has had their own version of

“Ni de acqui, Ni de alla.”

Their own version of not feeling like they belong.

The Magic of Belonging

This is my place.




These are my people.




This is my thing.




DEnise's Keynote

Denise’s keynote takes the promise of diversity and inclusion and gives it a purpose; belonging. 

She not only provides greater understanding of what creates and deepens our experience of belonging, but also provides simple actions we take to amplify the experience of belonging.

Her style is as energizing as it is inspiring. She expertly teaches the four most important distinctions around creating belonging at work in a refreshingly relatable way. 


Denise creates positive emotional results with her audiences.

Her message is for anyone who has ever questioned if they belonged at work, at home or in their community.

By the end of her keynote, attendees will be able to spot where a greater sense of belonging is needed and be equipped with tools to actively create and cultivate it in their professional and personal lives.


Brad Nauman

Senior Director of Purchasing
National Co+op Grocers

"Hands down the best keynote we have ever had."

Have you ever wondered why despite your best efforts to encourage people to “Bring you full self to work,” your efforts fall flat or simply fail?

The reason why is because of diametrically opposed value systems which creates two conflicting perspectives.

step 2

Total Belonging Trifecta

Identify the Invisible Barriers 

There are obvious moments where we know we can create belonging and connection. However, there are not so obvious moments triggering people into belonging uncertainty. As a result, they disengage, because they don’t feel valued and even worse, they quit. Spotting these belonging gaps is the first step in intentionally create belonging. 

step 1

Recognize Your Belonging Gaps

Collective vs. Self Reliant

Collective dominance puts the group at the center.
Self Reliant dominance puts the individual at the center.  

Neither is right or wrong but they do represent the invisible force that determines how we engage and feel about the world. 

Understanding these invisible barriers is key to maximizing cooperation and empathy so that we can create belonging.

Purpose, partnership and possibility, are the heart, bones and muscles of belonging.  

When we’re able to discover news ways to incorporate the 3P’s we’re able to transform how people feel, interact and grow in your organization. 

step 3

Inject Positive Interdependence   

Customized virtual keynotes and workshops that will engage your audience and inspire collaboration. 

Virtual Events: 

Customized consulting, training and workshops to provide a deeper understanding of how cultural dynamics show up in the way you communicate with your customer that will drive sales and a strong sense of belonging to your brand. 


Consulting:

Which Option Will Create The Best Results For Your Organization? 

Nine years of filming, traveling and speaking with tens of thousands of people has led to a profoundly fresh perspective on how to think about creating authentic belonging so your organization can create meaningful conversations that spark change and growth.

Keynotes:

The results

What you can expect from working together:

Understanding how to build an organization where people feel, seen, heard, and safe. 

Greater engagement, self-expression, and new ideas from your diverse work environment.

A broader reach and increased sales to global demographics. 

Leadership awareness for harnessing the full potential from your teams

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The secret is out

Denise is writing
a book...

After years of traveling and speaking with tens of thousands of people, I've learned there's one question causing us to suppress who we really are and steal our courage to live the life we really want.
I invite you to follow along with me as I begin the process of writing a book that answers this question. 

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