Robyn Afrik: Promoting Inclusion

Born in South Korea, Robyn Afrik was adopted by an American family at a young age. Growing up in a white family, Robyn sensed that she was treated differently, but did not understand why. Meeting her African husband in college helped open her eyes to the struggles facing people of color that she had been sheltered from. As the Ottawa County Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Robyn joins us to share her life journey and to discuss her goals for creating belonging in W. Michigan.

Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.