This episode is a bit of a departure from our usual lineup, and we think it’s exactly what many of us are craving right now. We’re joined by intuitive guide and founder of Soul-Speak, Cindy Aaker, who shares her deeply personal spiritual journey, from waking visions and archangel encounters to discovering the Akashic Records and connecting with guides beyond this realm. Recorded in the midst of global uncertainty and collective exhaustion, this conversation is an offering of meaning, stillness, and hope. Whether you’re spiritual, skeptical, or somewhere in between, Cindy’s story invites us all to pause, reflect, and consider what might be possible when we tune in to something deeper.

We’re already planning part two! There's so much to cover and we barely scratched the surface. Stay tuned!

Chapters

(0:00:07) - Finding Hope in Uncharted Territories

(0:07:20) - Exploring Spiritual Paths and Beliefs

(0:16:15) - Exploring the Akashic Records

(0:20:42) - Awakening Through Spiritual Exploration

(0:29:01) - Connecting With Archangels and Spiritual Awakening

(0:36:36) - Exploring Personal Spiritual Connections

(0:46:19) - Birthing a New Way of Being

(0:52:46) - Visions of Supportive Symbols

(0:57:50) - Embracing Joy and Kindness Through Adversity

Visit us at InclusionGeeks.com to stay up to date on all the ways you can make the workplace work for everyone! Check out Inclusion Geeks Academy and InclusionGeeks.com/podcast for the code to get a free mini course.

In this episode, we’re joined by the brilliant Aparna Rae—educator, entrepreneur, writer, and disruptor—who brings clarity, honesty, and depth to our conversation about equity, data, and the future of work. We get into the real talk around corporate DEI, why so many initiatives fall flat, and how data can actually help drive meaningful change when used well (and not just to check a box). Aparna shares insights on how to survive this current moment—marked by authoritarian creep, economic anxiety, and corporate gaslighting—while still building dignity, safety, and care into the workplace.

We talk about Costco, AI, bullshit jobs, and how solidarity (not hustle) will get us through. Bring your notebook and maybe a stiff drink if that’s your thing—this one goes deep.

Chapters

0:00 – Welcome + Introducing Aparna Rae

1:22 – Aparna’s origin story: from archaeology to pedagogy

3:23 – The pedagogy of work and the role of data

7:40 – Pushback from clients and lessons from failed engagements

8:31 – What data-informed equity really means

12:15 – Do workshops matter? And the difference between tools and the work

14:15 – The current state of DEI: death, evolution, or reckoning?

17:27 – Acting with integrity in authoritarian times

20:58 – Who’s doing it well? Valuing labor and leadership alignment

23:23 – Costco, Patagonia, and building for sustainability

27:03 – The backlash to the Great Resignation

29:05 – Workplace culture as democracy’s front line

32:15 – AI, capitalism, and human value

39:25 – When DEI went wrong: Aparna’s viral Forbes piece

44:52 – Power dynamics, shame, and where we go from here

45:34 – Trends for 2025: solidarity, safety, and protecting trans lives

49:07 – Escaping hustle culture and dreaming of a different way

50:27 – What’s next for Aparna Rae

51:42 – Where to find her (spoiler: not TikTok)

53:34 – Wrap up + outro

Visit us at InclusionGeeks.com to stay up to date on all the ways you can make the workplace work for everyone! Check out Inclusion Geeks Academy and InclusionGeeks.com/podcast for the code to get a free mini course.

In this powerful and important episode, we sit down with Mary Rose Mazzola—attorney, public policy powerhouse, and Chief External Affairs Officer at Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts—to unpack what it means to fight for reproductive justice in an increasingly chaotic world. MaryRose shares how her personal experiences shaped her advocacy, the strategic decisions her team is making post-Dobbs, and the unique role Massachusetts plays as a safe haven and leader in this fight.

We also get real about burnout, power, the role of companies in this work, and the big existential questions many of us are asking right now: What is work? What is care? And how do we keep going when the wins feel scarce?

00:00 – Welcome & Gallup Workplace Report Hot Takes

07:45 – AI, Labor, and the Existential Work Crisis

14:30 – Introducing Mary Rose Mazzola

16:00 – Mary Rose’s Journey into Advocacy

18:30 – Reproductive Rights Strategy in a Post-Dobbs World

21:30 – The Power of Doing Your Work (and Not Everyone Else’s)

27:00 – The Reality of Access, Risk, and Abortion Bans

34:30 – What Employers Can Actually Do

39:00 – Inside State-Level Policy Change (and Why It Takes Forever)

42:00 – Coalition Work, Priorities, and Strategic Yes/No

45:00 – Centering LGBTQ+ and Racial Justice in Repro Work

50:00 – What You Can Do (Yes, You!)

54:00 – Holding On to Hope + Joy (Including Dogs and Babies!)

56:00 – Closeout

Visit us at InclusionGeeks.com to stay up to date on all the ways you can make the workplace work for everyone! Check out Inclusion Geeks Academy and InclusionGeeks.com/podcast for the code to get a free mini course.