Keynote Speaking

Introduce your organization to the power of belonging

Steer your team toward progress.

More and more organizations are under fire for cultures that exclude and “other” marginalized groups — and too many DEI initiatives are still missing the mark.

It’s time to hit the reset button.

In his keynote addresses, Empower Initiative CEO Ben McBride reframes the conversation around what it means to foster belonging within an organization and in our society at large.

“‘What should we do?’ is the wrong question. We should be asking, ‘Who do we need to become?’”

This 45-minute keynote blends personal stories with scientific realities in a compelling invitation to lean into our shared humanity.

With “Becoming & Belonging,” Ben encourages participants to rise to our moment by taking the first steps toward true belonging.

Hear from our keynote attendees.

Making space for courageous conversations

The pandemic and hate crimes in our community have created a high-stress environment where it’s easy to assume the worst about people.

Ben’s keynote invited us to make space for courageous conversations and sparked a desire in all of us to seek understanding, build shared community, and stop the spiral towards hate.

Buu Thai

Program manager, County of Santa Clara

A renewed commitment to building relationships of understanding

For anyone who finds it challenging to lead in these difficult times, it is worth our time to learn how to build bridges with people whose opinions, perspectives, and lived experiences differ from ours.

Ben McBride’s keynote inspired me to lead with love and a renewed commitment to building relationships of understanding.

Lisa Watson

Executive director, American Leadership Forum of Oregon
Is this keynote a good fit?
This energizing keynote experience is perfect for many groups and settings, including:

All-team corporate retreats

Employee resource group/employee network group gatherings
Board of directors meetings
Conferences and annual meetings
Powerful takeaways

This isn’t a garden-variety inspirational keynote speech. “Becoming & Belonging” will make a lasting impression on your group with:

A powerful, practical, and actionable Build/Bridge/Belong framework
A peek at the fascinating science behind othering and belonging
A challenge to begin both personal and institutional journeys toward becoming and belonging
A sense of urgency to lead your entire sector toward greater belonging

Our other services

Leadership Training

E-Learning

On-Location Learning Lab

Private Consulting

Take the next step

We’d love to hear about the challenges and opportunities your organization is facing — and talk about how we can help. Get in touch today.