AMBER CABRAL is an inclusion strategist, certified coach, writer, and speaker who has been featured on television and in print and digital media. Formerly a Diversity Strategist at Walmart Stores, Inc., she is founder of Cabral Co., a diversity, equity, and inclusive leadership-focused consulting firm. She hosts the You Can Have Whatever You Want ® podcast and regularly speaks and writes about inclusion, culture, equity, and social justice topics.

Foreword by Amanda Miller Littlejohn xv

Acknowledgments xxi

Introduction xxiii

Part I Getting Grounded in the Fundamentals 1

1 Identity 3

2 Inclusion 7

3 Bias 15

4 Feedback 19

5 Privilege 25

6 Allyship and Advocacy 31

7 Equity 33

Part II Understanding the Landscape 37

8 Overcoming the Most Common Obstacles 39

9 Why Is Pushing Back So Hard? 57

10 Critical Communication Tools 65

11 Performative Allyship and Advocacy 81

12 Pushing Back and Speaking Up - A Pep Talk 91

Part III Language and Tactics 99

13 A Short Lesson on Boundaries and Staying Focused on the Goal 101

14 Avoid People- Pleasing and Resentment 107

15 Dealing with Professional Gaslighting 111

16 Saying No While Still Protecting Your Reputation 113

17 Intimidation: But What If They Know More Than I Do? 119

18 Power Imbalance: What If I Am Not the One with the Power? 123

19 Microaggressions: What If I Am Encountering a Microaggression? 127

20 Disrespected: What If Someone Is Blatantly Mistreating Me or Crossing a Line? 135

21 Underrepresented: What If I Am the Only One? 139

22 Dismissed: What If I Am Not Feeling Heard? 143

23 Medical Advocacy: When Feeling Intimidated, Dismissed, and Powerless Combine 147

24 Interrupted: What If I Keep Getting Talked Over? 155

25 Framework: How to Speak Up and Advocate for Yourself and Others 161

26 It's a Conversation, Not a Confrontation 169

27 Keeping the Temperature Down in Tough Discussions 175

28 Any Questions? 183

29 Be Good to Yourself 191

About the Author 193

Index 195