Karen Anaya, Author at The Inclusion Solution

The Buzz: Health Crisis in Paradise

Posted by Karen Anaya | Oct 7, 2021 | Recent Posts, The Buzz | 0

Samoa, o le Penina o le Pasefika, the Pearl of the Pacific, a place filled with sunshine, vacation spots, and an unrecognized and ongoing health crisis. Paradise is home to an epidemic of non-communicable diseases. For decades, Samoans have suffered some of the highest rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease in the world. Much of this can be traced through the history of food in the islands. The ingredients, the cooking methods, and the ways we share meals reflect traditions passed down for generations. However, in Samoa, food is also a stark reminder of colonial rule.

Gen Z and Y on D&I: Racism and Climate Change

Posted by Karen Anaya | Aug 19, 2021 | Gen Z on DEI, Recent Posts | 0

Concern for the state of the environment has never been greater. We cannot think about environmental justice without considering environmental racism. Now more than ever, it is evident that we are living in a climate emergency which is directly linked to racial injustice, and the legacy of colonialism is directly linked to climate change. To save the planet — to save our lives — systems of oppression must be dismantled. Acknowledging the inextricable connection between climate action and racial justice is a good first step.

The Buzz: Foreign Aid – A Replica of Colonial Hierarchies of the Past

Posted by Karen Anaya | Jun 3, 2021 | Recent Posts, The Buzz | 0

Foreign aid programs tend to focus on the poorest populations and emphasize investment in social sectors. This is a seemingly wonderful thing for “developing” countries to become “better.” But what, exactly, is “better?” What are these countries supposed to be “developing” into? Are they called “developing” countries because “they are struggling to recover from being ruthlessly pillaged and systematically destabilized?” That doesn’t have quite the same ring to it. Furthermore, who is the real beneficiary of this “aid?”

A Point of View: Microaggressions: Between What I Look Like and What I “Should” Look Like

Posted by Karen Anaya | Jan 14, 2021 | Point of View, Recent Posts | 0

One of the most common phrases I’ve encountered throughout my career has been, “You don’t look Latina.” But I do, because I am. And the conflict is not between my physical appearance and my identity, but rather with reductive stereotypes and my colleagues’ participation in perpetuating them. No one has the right to determine whether someone is “enough” to qualify for an identity, and I sure hope for a day when our belonging to our identity groups is not decided by the depth of our skin tone.

Author: Karen Anaya

The Buzz: Health Crisis in Paradise

Gen Z and Y on D&I: Racism and Climate Change

The Buzz: Foreign Aid – A Replica of Colonial Hierarchies of the Past

A Point of View: Microaggressions: Between What I Look Like and What I “Should” Look Like

Racial Justice at Work: Practical Solutions for Systemic Change

Black Fatigue: How Racism Erodes the Mind, Body, and Spirit

Inclusive Conversations: Fostering Equity, Empathy and Belonging Across Differences

We Can’t Talk About That At Work! (Second Edition)

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