Why I disrupted a White House panel at the U.N. climate talks

Like many members of my Indigenous family, I watched the events at Standing Rock unfold with a daily struggle of emotions ranging from heartache to pride to anger to gratitude. Physically, I was 1,200 miles away. I felt powerless, stuck behind a desk at Ohio State University pursuing my PhD. My Indigenous community played a significant role in propelling me through higher education to that desk. I knew I had my own role to play to support my relatives and their struggles at Standing Rock.

If you leave work every day feeling smart and productive, chances are you’re employed at an organization that attracts and retains an inclusive staff. Research on workplace teams shows that when the members represent a diversity of race, gender, and sexual orientation, they are likely to be more creative when it comes to finding solutions. In fact, according to Diversity Inc., teams with a mix of backgrounds and approaches to problem-solving often outperform even more experienced homogeneous teams. And being intellectually engaged is a great way to feel good about your job.