In 2022, Care Work host Alida Miranda-Wolff celebrated the publication of her first book: “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last.” In May of 2024, her second book was released: “The First-Time Manager: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.”

Over the next episodes, Alida will explore two intriguing topics: what it takes to be a truly inclusive manager and leader; and how to transform your essential care work experience into a proposal, write the book, and sell and promote it. In this introductory episode, she delves into the origin story of The First-Time Manager: DEI and shares two impactful excerpts from the book.

Ignite the motivation to share your care work knowledge:

• Birthing a book in the midst of life’s unpredictability
• Persevering amidst changing social and political landscapes
• The real struggles of establishing DEIB as a middle manager
• Navigating different kinds of stress to support both employees and self

Important resources from this episode:

• Buy “The First-Time Manager: DEI” - https://alidamirandawolff.com/book/
• Maslach Burnout Inventory - https://www.mindgarden.com/117-maslach-burnout-inventory-mbi
• Pew Research Center - https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2023/05/17/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-workplace/
• "Lady Boss" YouTube video by Rachel Bloom - https://youtu.be/L2_79T1P2qo?si=2IB_O3yo68KqOnxm

Connect With Alida:

• Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
• Order Alida’s 1st book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
• Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

For many of us, working to care for others doesn’t stop when we head home from work at the end of the day. The other relationships in our lives, including the intimate one we share with our partner, also require care—of both ourselves and the other person.

In this episode, Alida Miranda-Wolff sits down with Dr. Alexandra Solomon, a therapist, author, and speaker who, over the past two decades, has worked with couples to help them better navigate intimacy and meet both each other's needs and their own. Their discussion of acceptance and relational self-awareness, two key factors in healthy, thriving relationships, reflects the realistic, balanced approach to intimate love that Dr. Solomon teaches.

Explore how to build more meaningful intimate connections:

• A definition of love that embraces the worth of each partner
• The impact of our individualistic society on romantic love
• How recontextualizing shame and disappointment can help us heal
• Positive habits that instill relational self-awareness

Important Links from this Episode:

• Listen to Reimagining Love
• Dr. Solomon’s book, Love Every Day
• Taking Sexy Back: How to Own Your Sexuality and Create the Relationships You Want by Dr. Solomon
• Loving Bravely: Twenty Lessons of Self-Discovery to Help You Get the Love You Want by Dr. Solomon
• All About Love by Bell Hooks
• Care Work Podcast - EP #1 - Bearing Witness as an Act of Care with Micky ScottBey Jones

Connect with Dr. Alexandra Solomon:

• Dr. Solomon’s website
• Follow Dr. Solomon on Instagram

Connect With Alida:

• Share your feedback on LinkedIn
• Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content!
• Order Alida’s book “The First-Time Manager: DEI”
• Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

How do you define and process grief? Over the next three episodes, Care Work is exploring grief—the collection of emotions and experiences we have with any loss. Essential within this work is inspecting how we process and continue to live within this universal experience.

In this episode, Alida is joined by Dr. Sunitha Chandy, a clinical psychologist specializing in helping transform both individual lives and communities through mental health services. Sunitha shares her insights on the interplay between community and grief and the importance of accepting both the inherent difficulty and the cathartic potential of the grieving process.

Listen to learn:

• How COVID impacted how we understand grieving
• The behaviors with which grief and mourning are intertwined
• The detrimental effect of our American taboos against public grief
• Why the grieving process is an ongoing healing rather than a cure

Important resources from this episode:

• Dr. Chandy’s community conversations - https://www.artesiancollaborative.com/learn
• Connect with Dr. Chandy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunitha-chandy-psy-d-16b785141/
• Dr. Chandy’s website - https://www.sunithachandy.com/
• Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey - https://bookshop.org/p/books/rest-is-resistance-a-manifesto-tricia-hersey/18255493?ean=9780316365215
• David Kessler on grief - https://grief.com/

Connect with Dr. Sunitha Chandy:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunitha-chandy-psy-d-16b785141/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/artesiancollaborative/

Connect With Alida:

• Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
• Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
• Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

How do we dismantle the disability stigma? This latest arc on the Care Work podcast explores the concept of disability justice from the perspectives of three people—Tim Villegas, María Emilia Lasso de la Vega, and Lauren Schrero Levy—who are working to change our social approach to accessibility and inclusivity.

In this episode, Alida Miranda-Wolff reflects on the ways stigma and a repurposed definition of “normal” have impacted disability justice, from the history of society’s aversion to disability to the possibility of a future where people with different abilities are viewed not as inconveniences but as essential contributors to our communities.

Explore the origins stigma and what we can do to disassemble the harmful attitudes that hold as back.

Tune in to learn:

• The definition of stigma and the development of disability as an inconvenience
• The role of industrialization in the segregation of and aversion to disability
• How closed captioning is a proof positive that accessible spaces benefit us all
• The role pre-emptive inclusivity plays in standardizing accessibility

Important resources from this episode:

• Episode 24, “Exploring Inclusive Education Through Storytelling with Tim Villegas”
• Episode 25, “Designing For Neurodiversity Inclusivity with María Emilia Lasso de la Vega”
• Episode 26, “Embracing Interdependence Creating Inclusive Communities with Lauren Schrero Levy”
• Episode 22, “Redefining the Inequity of Modern Literacy with Ken Bigger”
• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
• Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity by Erving Goffman
• On The Inconvenience of Other People by Lauren Berlant
• The White Man’s Burden by Rudyard Kipling
• What Can A Body Do: How We Meet the Built World by Sara Hendren
• Butts: A Backstory by Heather Radke
• Kids These Days: The Making of Millennials by Malcolm Harris

Connect With Alida:

• Share your feedback on LinkedIn
• Pre-Order Alida’s new book “The First Time Manager DEI”
• Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content!
• Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff

Advocate for under

From elementary school classrooms to adult care homes, so many of our care structures for disabled people are designed without their participation, often in direct opposition to their stated desires. But why?

When we pose the question of why people with disabilities are so often excluded from general society, the best answer is often “that’s just how it’s always been.” However, research and the lived experiences of these individuals suggest that creating inclusive environments could have a significant positive impact on our communities.

Lauren Schrero Levy, a disability rights advocate and lawyer, shares with Alida what she has learned since founding the disability advocacy nonprofit The Nora Project and serving as a civil rights lawyer at Equip for Equality. Together, they explore the challenges in our current institutions for people with disabilities and the promise of inclusive spaces.

Discover Lauren’s insights on honoring the dignity of every person:

• The reasons behind society’s segregation of people with disabilities
• The negative impact of remaining uninformed on conversations around inclusivity
• Opposing viewpoints among parents of children with disabilities
• The innate hope and usefulness of interdependence

Important resources from this episode:

• The Nora Project website - https://thenoraproject.ngo/
• Lauren’s Ted Talk - https://www.ted.com/talks/lauren_schrero_ability_inclusive_mindset
• Equip for Equality website - https://www.equipforequality.org/
• On the Inconvenience of Other People by Lauren Berlant - https://bookshop.org/p/books/on-the-inconvenience-of-other-people-lauren-berlant/17477688?ean=9781478018452

Connect with Lauren Schrero Levy:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-schrero-86411a1/

Connect With Alida:

• Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
• Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
• Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

How can we design inclusive spaces—physically and virtually—that support neurodiversity?

The Disability Justice movement is increasing the recognition and adoption of inclusive spaces and accessible interaction for people who are neurodivergent and on the autism spectrum. It continues, however, to rely largely on individuals to disclose their diagnoses in spaces where they may initially be uncertain of support.

In this episode, María Emilia Lasso de la Vega, the Training and Programs Facilitator and Technical Facilitation Manager at Ethos, speaks with Alida about her holistically inclusive approach to taking care of others. She incorporates inclusive design practices to erect both physical and digital spaces that accommodate every person, regardless of where they fall under the neurodiversity umbrella.

Learn to meet every person’s unique needs by:

• Leading with genuine interest to discover the needs of every person in your care
• Considering inclusivity from the start when creating any program
• Incorporating the seven principles of inclusive design

Important resources from this episode:

• The 7 Principles of Universal Design

Connect with María Emilia:

• Reach out to María Emilia - mariaemilia@ethostalent.com
• Connect with María Emilia

Connect With Alida:

• Share your feedback on LinkedIn
• Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content!
• Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

How can we show everyone the benefits of inclusive educational spaces?

Tim Villegas is the Director of Communications at the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education. His work centers around helping school systems build support for more inclusive classroom environments, and he sees firsthand the value of spaces where children with different learning styles learn together. These classrooms benefit not only children with disabilities but also typically developing children and their educators.

Tim’s journey to inclusivity advocate has so much to teach us all, including how to:

• View disability advocacy as support, not salvation
• Work with children with disabilities highlights the need for classroom equity
• Address the ongoing pushback against inclusive classrooms
• Acknowledge the authentic benefits inclusivity offers every person

Important resources from this episode:

• The Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education - https://mcie.org/
• The MCIE on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/think_inclusive/
• A summary on the Evidence of Inclusive Education whitepaper - https://alana.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/A_Summary_of_the_evidence_on_inclusive_education.pdf

Connect with Tim Villegas:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothyvillegas/
• Website: https://www.timvillegas.com/

Connect With Alida:

• Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
• Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
• Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/

In the most recent episode arc, the Care Work podcast explores educational equity with guests who are experts in impactful social education for teens, supportive higher education spaces, and inclusive literacy. In this reflective episode, Alida Miranda-Wolff investigates the parallel themes that emerged throughout these episodes to reveal a multi-faceted definition of educational equity and how its integration could create safer spaces for learners of every age.

Reflect with Alida on the finer points of this essential topic:

• The nuances and intricacies in defining educational equity
• Practical application that will help these theories succeed in the real world
• The responsibility of policies, government, and educators in realizing educational equity
• Complications that require that these practices be implemented with great care and attention

Important resources from this episode:

• Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey
• Tiny Humans, Big Emotions by Alyssa Blask Campbell and Lauren Elizabeth Stauble
• The End of Burnout by Jonathan Malesic
• A Life of One’s Own: Nine Women Writers Begin Again by Joanna Biggs
• Hbomber’s YouTube Video on Plagiarism
• National Equity Project
• Prismatic
• Episode 9 with Mariam Cherbib
• Episode 20 with Debra Giunta
• Episode 21 with Johnnie Campbell
• Episode 22 with Ken Bigger
• Neapolitan novels mentioned in episode

Connect With Alida:

• Share your feedback on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alidamw
• Order Alida’s book “Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last” and gain exclusive access to bonus content! - https://bookshop.org/p/books/cultures-of-belonging-building-inclusive-organizations-that-last-alida-miranda-wolff/17372555?ean=9781400229253
• Learn more about Alida Miranda-Wolff - https://alidamirandawolff.com/

Advocate for underrepresented and underserved groups in organizations with Ethos - https://www.ethostalent.com/