Keynote Topics
As a former NFL player and one of the few openly gay former professional athletes, Wade shares his own coming out process and the work he does as an LGBT consultant for the NFL and as Executive Director of the You Can Play Project, an organization with partnership with including the NHL, MLS, CFL and others.
When working in marginalized communities, the words and the language that we use matters, and how we talk about the young people we are trying to impact can determine how we show up – as social justice advocates or as saviors.
While working with marginalized youth at the Hetrick-Martin Institute, teaching at the Harvey Milk High School, and creating the country’s only inner city LGBT sports camp, Wade explains how to embody this idea of fictive kinship and see the promise in young people.
How do you define masculinity?
Wade defines masculinity as an imaginary friend, and if left unchecked, masculinity can be highly toxic.
Through his teachings and training, he’s learned we must do the work to unlearn the seductive nature of sexism and toxic masculinity, and move to create space for all without stigma and shame being attached.
Wade talks about the work he’s done to undo the constraints of perceived masculinity, and move forward in a positive way.
Have we emptied the true meaning of intersectionality by only changing the optics of organizations, without understanding the structural and institutional challenges that go unnoticed?
Through practical and tangible examples, see how Wade can help your business evolve into a space where diversity and inclusion becomes part of your organizational DNA.
Far too often we imagine that ending sexism impacts only women.
Yet if we re-imagine the gender roles and expand our understanding of masculinity and femininity, men benefit from the expansion: how they can show up in world without the pressures of performing toxic forms of hyper masculinity.
Wade explores his own dialog with feminism, tools to be pro-active about ending the sexist dialog, and leads conversation around the topic.
Former NFL Player Wade Davis is a thought leader, public speaker, and writer on gender, race, and orientation equality. Wade is currently the Vice President of Inclusion Strategy for Product at Netflix and has consulted for companies including Google, Procter & Gamble, Viacom, and others to co-create transformative solutions to build inclusive corporate cultures. Additionally, […]
Former NFL Player Wade Davis is a thought leader, public speaker, and writer on gender, race, and orientation equality. Wade is currently the Vice President of Inclusion Strategy for Product at Netflix and has consulted for companies including Google, Procter & Gamble, Viacom, and others to co-create transformative solutions to build inclusive corporate cultures.
Additionally, Wade coaches senior leaders to adapt and flex their leadership styles to meet the needs and develop their employee population.
Wade is a Global Champion for Innovation for UN Women, and serves on the boards of MeToo International, the Ms. Foundation for Women, the MAD Foundation, Promundo, the Peace Studio, and Sparks + Honey. Wade is also a Global Champion for Girl Up, a program of the United Nations Foundation.
Wade Davis’s work to engage, educate, and help men understand what actions to take toward gender equality has included partnerships with the Ms. Foundation and Ebony Magazine where he launched the #BlackMenAndFeminism campaign and with the Ms. Foundation For Women’s #MyFeminismIs campaign.
Understanding the importance of engaging men around gender equity and equality, Wade built a ‘Men’s Gender Equality Development’ leadership program that launched with the United Nations in 2018.
Wade was the NFL’s first LGBT inclusion consultant and has consulted for numerous professional sports leagues on issues at the intersection of sexism, racism and homophobia. Wade created league-wide inclusive leadership strategies, led inclusion-training sessions for coaches and players, as well as built and launched national engagement initiatives.
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A Native American activist, Harvard-educated economist and author, Winona LaDuke has devoted her life to advocating for indigenous people’s rights and environmental justice. Combining economic and environmental approaches, she works to create a thriving and sustainable community for her own White Earth reservation and for Indigenous populations across the country. LaDuke attended Harvard University and […]
Mandy Hickson is a former Royal Air Force pilot and Human Factors facilitator. She was the only female pilot on her Front Line Tornado Squadron, flying multi million pound fast jets. Mandy has been the keynote speaker at hundreds of events and is an inspiration to women across the UK. Mandy has also operated in […]
Tom Turcich is not just a keynote speaker; he’s a living testament to the power of human resilience, the spirit of adventure, and the boundless possibilities of the human experience. As the tenth person to walk around the world and the first to do so with a dog, Tom Turcich has captured the world’s imagination […]
Piers Kowalski stands as a beacon of advocacy, leadership, and inspiration in the realm of LGBTQ rights and inclusive corporate environments. With a fervent dedication to fostering positive change and championing diversity, Piers has carved a remarkable path as a professional speaker, consultant, and advocate. His journey is one characterized by a relentless pursuit of […]
Jen Buck stands as an exemplary figure in the realm of keynote speaking, renowned for her dynamic presentations and profound impact. With a career spanning over two decades, she has earned accolades as an award-winning Keynote Speaker and distinguished author, leaving an indelible mark on audiences worldwide. Having delivered over 10,000 programs, Jen has touched […]
Angela Garmon is a dynamic and transformative thought leader, renowned for her ability to fortify audiences’ resilience and confidence amidst the tumult of change. With an innate understanding that during times of change, individuals navigate between the instinctual responses of fight, flight, or freeze, Angela empowers her audience to not only confront change head-on but […]
Billy Beane, a visionary leader and management icon, brings a unique blend of insight and wit to every stage he graces. With a career steeped in innovation and success, Beane has revolutionized the way organizations approach management and leadership. Renowned for his role in transforming the Oakland Athletics into one of baseball’s most consistent winners, […]
Susie Wolff is a former professional racing driver, who has driven in the Formula Renault, Formula Three, the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters and as a Development Driver for Williams Formula One. Susie Wolff | Former Racing Driver Having made history as the first woman to participate in a Formula One weekend in 22 years at the 2014 British Grand Prix, […]
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