Nicole S. Palmer continues her conversation with Crystle Johnson, founder of Kinory® and creator of Underbelonging: the hidden experience of being included in corporate spaces without ever feeling fully seen.

Crystle defines Underbelonging and explains why so many Black women spend their careers shrinking themselves, overperforming, and carefully calibrating how they show up at work. Together, Nicole and Crystle examine how Underbelonging manifests in corporate America, including within DEI roles, where practitioners are often caught between executives and employees without meaningful decision-making authority.

The conversation explores why organizations must move beyond performative commitments toward greater clarity and accountability, and how Kinory is creating spaces where Black women can experience genuine belonging through community dinners, workshops, retreats, and courageous conversations.

00:00 Podcast Welcome

00:41 Part Two Intro

01:46 Defining Underbelonging

03:04 Why It Resonates

04:41 Origins Through Kinory

07:19 Taking Up Space

09:42 Kamala As Case Study

12:15 DEI Caught In Middle

15:58 Corporate Honesty

17:26 What Comes Next

19:05 Protecting The Work

21:32 Make Your Own Table

23:58 Where To Find Crystle

25:53 Retreat And Resources

27:47 Closing And Outro

To learn more about Crystle:

Visit Kinory: https://kinory.co/

Follow Her on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/crystlejohnson

Connect With Her on Instragram: https://instagram.com/kinory.co

Find Her on TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@kinory.co