With workplace belonging,
you’ll create more:
→ safety → civility → collaboration
Fostering belonging
is necessary work for the well-being of your organization.
It can be exhausting to lead culture change through divided times.
You’re under fire internally and externally for not creating belonging, and it’s hurting not only morale but also productivity, retention, and your bottom line.
We get it, and you are not alone. These pain points are why Empower Initiative exists.
When nothing else has worked, we’re at your side to help you and your team uncover your blind spots and move forward with renewed confidence.
Ben McBride started EI in 2014 to provide high-level leadership training and consulting, and we quickly scaled to offer more services as our cultural and political polarization around race, gender, sexuality, and more crept toward a boiling point.
We believe everyone deserves to belong, and we know you do too. Empower Initiative is here to educate, motivate, and help you envision and take decisive action to create a new normal of belonging within your organization.
What we can’t see can hurt us, but with open eyes, we can change the world.
Empower Initiative’s services
We’ve built each of our experiences and offerings to meet our clients’ specific needs, whether you’re:
- Rallying your entire team around the concept of belonging
- Training leaders to develop an inclusive culture of belonging
- Seeking in-depth consulting to address your organization’s unique challenges.
We’d love to help you create belonging in your organization.
If we aren’t the best fit, we’ll recommend someone from our wide network of professionals who can step in to help you achieve your goals.
Here’s how we can help you foster belonging.
Keynote Speaking
Inspire your team to strive toward belonging together.
Leadership Training
Guide change and bridge across differences from the top.
E-Learning
Scale your team’s education with our introductory course.
On-Location Learning Lab
Travel to Alabama for a deep look into our history of racial “othering.”
Private Consulting
Find your team’s blind spots and create a culture of belonging.
Keynote Speaking
Leadership Training
E-Learning
On-Location Learning Lab
Private Consulting
CEO, Ben McBride, is a spiritual leader and longtime activist for social change. Throughout his career, he has trained more than 100 law enforcement departments and leaders to improve police conduct.
He also served as co-director of Faith in Action California, where he represented more than 450,000 people in efforts to dismantle structural inequities and face white supremacy head on.
In 2019, Ben launched the Fostering Belonging initiative, which partnered with public- and private-sector organizations to confront social challenges through a coalition-building lens.
Ben transitioned to full-time leadership of Empower Initiative in 2020 and remains deeply involved in curating the vision of Empower Initiative while personally delivering keynote addresses and leading our immersive experiences.
Gynelle transitioned full-time as the Chief Operating Officer of Empower Initiative in 2021, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the organization while providing facilitation leadership in our trainings and learning labs.
We’ve developed our offerings with the thought partnership and support of other passionate leaders in our space.
Jennifer Eberhart
john a. powell
“We have to meet each other as humans first — full stop.”
Suzanne St. John-Crane, American Leadership Forum – Silicon Valley
Start the conversation
We’ll ask about your organization’s challenges and opportunities — and answer your questions.
Begin the work
Choose and embark on the services suited to your organization’s cultural needs.
Build your future
Our work together is an empowering first step in creating a culture where everyone belongs.
