I’m so inspired by this month’s Muse. Meet Ericka Jones. She’s quite a force of energy, and I have yet to meet her IRL, and I was so excited to interview her for this post. I’ve followed Ericka on Instagram for years. She’s constantly challenging me to think differently about everything around me, experience life fully, and to keep moving forward. She’s a DEI Leader who consistently pushes for diversity, equity, and space for all. She recently completed her masters DEISJ - which was not for the faint of heart and very taxing. AND, she’s a yogi (and Lululemon Ambassador) who teaches with grace and compassion - allowing her students to find their place through movement, meditation, and rest. Ericka truly practices what she preaches and inspires me every day. Grab a coffee, find a comfy spot, and read on to learn more about Ericka.

Let’s start at the beginning - what did you want to be when you grew up? Did that impact where you are today?

Growing up I wanted to be a storm chaser, lawyer, actress/entertainer, or Oprah. I was a huge daydreamer and visionary kid with a great big imagination. It did impact me where I am today. I love to connect with people’s stories. I love collaborating with others on projects and being a support to each other with our aspirations. 

You’re an Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity leader for a major corporation. Can you tell us what that means, what you do, and “what day in the life “looks like?

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is a field/industry that has grown at a rapid pace. I have been in it for over 15 years and it’s ever changing. I wouldn’t have imagined it to have grown widespread encompassing politics, pandemic and societal racial injustices we’ve seen more explicitly. In a corporate setting it means, our DEI team supports Talent Acquisition with identifying barriers to recruit and hire diverse talent. Support learning and development teams with programs to foster development and mentorship. Additionally developing relationships with external partners to support underrepresented groups. With equity, individuals confuse what this means and essentially, it’s partnering with HR to examine policies and procedures to be more equitable. Think about parental leave or the expansion of family planning and accessibility benefits. Or pay equity. Inclusion is about culture and atmosphere. My work primarily focuses on coaching and facilitating inclusive leadership sessions with people leaders to create a more inclusive climate for their teams which ultimately enhances the company’s culture.

How have your conversations around DEI changed over the past few years? Do you feel people are more open and willing to have these discussions?

They have changed drastically. There’s a lot of noise in the space and it’s easy to fall into a category of being all to others. However, it’s important to maintain a strategy and initiatives that drive an organization forward, while facing a lot of tailwinds. I think both, people are willing to have the conversations if they are willing to be uncomfortable. On the flipside, I think people shy away from these conversations because they’re scared to “get it wrong, say the wrong thing” and then be “cancelled” I tell ya, the lack of grace and mercy is honestly the plague for this work. It’s creating DEI fatigue and levels of complacency. I also think people shy away from it because they think it’s “too heavy”. This is where storytelling comes in, if someone’s lived experience is too heavy and the work that needs to be done in order to improve their life experience is too heavy, then we have a bigger problem on our hands.

You’re also a yoga instructor and Lululemon Ambassador (both of which align nicely with your work around DEI) - how are you leveraging these roles to foster inclusion?

I leverage these tools to maintain a steadiness and calm throughout my work. This work is heavy lifts, it’s shifting hearts and minds. It can become easily draining and when I read the ancient teachings of yoga, the goal of yoga is to end all suffering. When I look deeper into the practice than just the poses, I see how the inner work can create healing, minimize bias, create karma action and live in true peace and love. Living the ethics of yoga is the way to a just, inclusive and equitable world. 

How do you find balance with all that is going on in the world, your work, life in general. It’s sticky and messy, but you navigate with such grace and humility, what’s your secret?

I know when to withdrawa my senses, stillness, meditation, prayer, trust in God. I have a small circle to lean on. And I know, this too shall pass… so I feel what I need and try not to take it personally or hold it in. Let go and let God.  

What’s one thing you would love for everyone to think and act on when it comes to inclusion and diversity?

Lean In, lean into personal work, surround yourself with others who don’t look like you. Educate yourself. Grace

How can we all be better allies? What’s one place to start?

Repeat from above. Also, ask. Not everyone is the same and one person isn’t the spokesperson for a group. During the height of 2020, I received so many venmos for coffee, etc. It was so weird to me and has this effect of pity and sympathy. I can afford my own coffee and that’s not what I needed. I needed real conversation from friends. Oddly, the friends who I know the longest, didn’t send a single venmo or thing. They know I’m resilient, but they knew I needed to talk or be quiet or simply LAUGH! I’m in the work, while seeing this happen to underrepresented groups, so sometimes I need to checkout. 

What’s next for you?

Continue learning, growing, studying yoga, remain open to the possibilities, dating perhaps because that’s not happening. lol

Rapid Fire

• Coffee or tea: both

• AM Warrior or Burn the Midnight Oil: AM warrior. Wake me up before the world breaths on me

• What’s your wakeup ritual: Ayurveda rituals, movement, meditation, prayer, journaling, dog things, breakfast, 

• What would you like to be remembered for: kindness, thoughtfulness, making others feel seen, not getting it right and open and willingness to get it right. A vessel for love

• A dessert you don’t like: anything with shaved coconut. 

• Your go to for a good laugh: Anything, laughter is my medicine and everything can make me laugh

• Favorite yoga pose: currently, triangle, savasana (need rest), 

Thank you Ericka for sharing more about yourself. You can find Ericka on instagram , Yoga Coalition and also teaching at Up Yoga (owned by Lindsay Grabb, a past monthly muse).