Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Q:  Why is the theme “Beyond Diversity” and what made this event different?

A:  Glad you asked! Collectively, our organizing team has participated in hundreds of events about DEI topics. These events are wonderful and well-intentioned, but often they only engage the same core group of people. Our theme of “Beyond Diversity” reflected our shared vision to bring people together who don’t usually frequent the same conversations, while also making sure every session delivers actionable insights to help us all shape a more inclusive society.

Q:  How were the summit speakers selected, invited and compensated?

A:  Every speaker who participated in this event generously donated their time to be part of the important conversation we hosted. We believe in complete pay equity: there are no tiers of speakers where some are paid and some are not. Speakers were selected and personally invited by a member of our organizing team based on their accomplishments and reputation as well as the unique perspective they could share.

Q:  How can I watch the sessions?

A:  All the sessions from the event were broadcast live or shared across a variety of social media channels back in January 2021. To watch all the past sessions on demand, you can visit our Watch Sessions page >>

Q:  How can I participate in the conversation?

A:  To maximize flexibility for our speakers to participate in these important conversations, most of the sessions were pre-recorded and premiered for the first time during the Beyond Diversity Summit. During each premiere, we also hosted a live chat happening alongside the video on YouTube and also be hosted a conversation on social media throughout the event with the hashtag #nonobviousdiversity.

Q:  Are these sessions accessible for those with disabilities?

A:  Yes - we consulted several experts on our organizing team for how we could ensure this summit was as inclusive as possible for attendees with physical, intellectual and developmental disabilities. In addition to adding captions to all sessions, we offered tips and guidance to all of our speakers on how they can speak in more inclusive ways, ensure they are well-lit and use clear microphones with minimal background noise, and use accessible language throughout the session without using jargon.

Q:  How did you translate the experience of this summit into the Beyond Diversity book?

A:  One of the aspects of this event that we are most excited about is that we have curated the best insights from all of our speakers into a book that is published by Ideapress Publishing and distributed both online and physically through retail stores in the US, and worldwide through a variety of bookstores and global distribution partners. Learn more about the book >>

Q:  Who organized this event?

This event was organized and underwritten by the Non-Obvious Company in partnership with Jennifer Brown Consulting and several other partners. In addition, we brought together more than a dozen partner organizations to help us create the experience of the summit, identify and invite speakers and design more interesting and engaging conversations about diversity and inclusion. See a list of our organizing partners and sponsors >>

Q:  Will there be a second Non-Obvious Beyond Diversity Summit?

Yes, but we have not yet announced the date for this summit. If you want to be the first to learn about this or any other future summits and our plans to host something similarly ambitious in the future, please join our Launch Team for the book >>