Praise for Diversity

INVERSITY™

"The traditional approach to diversity and inclusion is in trouble. INVERSITY brings a better approach that has a more significant impact. What is the value of INVERSITY? The top three answers that come to mind are 1. Better collaboration, 2. Enhanced awareness, and 3. Celebration of our uniqueness."
Ibrahim Jackson, CEO & Founder
Ubiquitous Preferred
"Karith’ s words touch your soul. This was our second consecutive year inviting Karith to participate in the Kern County SHRM Symposium. We have received a great deal of positive feedback and feel a true connection to her. Karith speaks from the heart and provides a new way to discuss DEI while remaining lighthearted and engaging."
Christy Parker
KC SHRM Symposium Chair
“We weren’t familiar with Karith…but from our research on her, we really liked her unique Inversity spin on an emotionally-charged topic. So we took a chance and asked Karith to be the keynote speaker for our key leadership summit. Not only did Karith knock it out of the park, she actually inspired a new dialogue within our leadership team. Her approach to use humor, real-life situations, and frankness were so refreshing and made it safe for people to openly engage. She immediately disarms people from thinking they’re going to feel guilty for not doing more, or not saying the right thing. She encourages you to embrace NOT being perfect. People responded to her in a very real and authentic way. I’d hire Karith again over and over, she’s that good!” 
Paul Benson, CHRO
Woodward, Inc
I asked Karith to speak to my class Is the World Made of Stories because I was looking for someone who approached diversity and inclusion with a framework adequate to the complexity of being human. Karith’s presentation allowed students to see an embodiment of this approach in which head and heart, pragmatism and idealism, all have their proper place.

Karith places our daily struggles with difference in the container of radical uniqueness where each and every part of our existence and identity is not only acknowledged, it is the ground for encountering difference in others. Building on her life’s story and experiences with delightful humor, Karith created a light and relaxed space in which hard truths about ourselves could be held without judgement. Students opened themselves to her in a profound way and received wise and loving advice in return. I intend to invite Karith back to my classes in the future and enthusiastically recommend her to other educational institutions.  
Amer Latif, Associate Professor
Emerson College
Rarely do you find someone both gifted in the art of communication and compassion that even the most controversial and uncomfortable of conversations lose their edge. In place of anger and confusion, Karith masterfully brings peace, calm and resolution - not to mention the appropriate amount of humor. Her unique and powerful take on DEI is just what the world needs right now. 
Susan Scott, Founder
Fierce Conversations
"Her message of 'inversity,' putting the focus on inclusion rather than division, made a huge impact. The audience enjoyed her presentation style, and fully engaged with her. Karith’s talk received more enthusiastic positive comments than any other speaker. I was even receiving texts about how great she was while she was still on stage!"
Mark Saum, Principal
Fidelis Consulting Corporation
"Today I had the opportunity to attend your Inversity webinar and I want to thank you for your honesty, transparency, and graciousness. You shared a piece of your heart in stories that showed vulnerability. Thank you so much for your time and wisdom today."
Linda Lydon, CCWS
Stanford University Human Resources 
"Forget the term 'motivational speaker' – using humor, wit, and wisdom Karith Foster is so much more. Our team invited her to speak at one of our most prominent gatherings to share her perspective on the state of free speech and diversity in today’s society. Many of our attendees–CEOs across a variety of industry verticals– noted that Karith was their favorite speaker of the day. Her remarks were engaging, humorous, and thought-provoking. We’ve already invited Karith to speak at another event this year, and highly recommend her to anyone who is looking for a talented communicator and thoughtful voice on some of the most important issues of our time."
Joseph Starrs, Director 
Institute on Political Journalism
"Whether as a stand-alone presenter, an interview subject or as a panelist, Karith Foster creatively blends humor with her own personal experiences to discuss diversity in a way that relates to businesses, large and small.  She is able to connect with her audience through a process that is engaging, educational and thoughtful. Her method breaks down traditional walls allowing for a thought-provoking dialogue about making valuable changes to create and foster diversity in the workplace.  She was a terrific speaker at our meeting and we look forward to partnering with her in the future."
Suzanne Clark, Senior Executive Vice President 
United States Chamber of Commerce
"Karith has a unique blend of comedy, empathy and real-world examples that really drives people to think about how they can approach this topic differently and have a greater impact.

Karith came to do a keynote speech during a workshop at Bristol Myers Squibb. This was a gathering of 50 Leaders in The Finance and Procurement Function discussing strategy and leadership development.  We invited Karith to present the topic of Diversity and Inclusion in her very powerful, yet humorous style.  As you know, Diversity and Inclusion can be a difficult topic in which to engage a large group in a manner that is both authentic, honest and impactful.  Karith was successful in raising the level of discussion which has had true impact on our organization.  I would highly recommend Karith for both other organizations at BMS and well as any other corporate, educational or non-profit group."
Paul Ashly, Director, Strategic Engagement Global Procurement
Bristol Myers Squibb
"Karith easily led an intimate group of meeting professionals in an exploration of the obstacles and highlights of mentorship. The group talked about successes they've achieved by learning to take risks, value honesty, always be kind, admit mistakes, and forge ahead with ideas, all as a result of mentoring relationships. Karith was able to bring her authentic experience to encourage each person to trust in their potential and forge ahead with their personal and professional goals. She was incredibly genuine and a pleasure to work with."
Heidi Cerdas Monge, MBA, CMM
University of Minnesota Medical School
"Karith was just a fantastic speaker for our U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform event.  She really made an impression on everyone based on her engaging personality, sharp wit and thoughtful remarks — and did I mention that she was hilarious?!"
Harold Kim
US Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform
I can’t say enough positive things about Inversity. Karith’s presentation to our student body was excellent, as expected. What really sets Karith and her staff apart is how much preparation they put into understanding our organization prior to the presentation. We started coordinating and planning the presentation several months in advance. This presentation was not a “one size fits all” event. Instead, Karith learned about our school’s unique culture and created a message that was exactly on point in terms of addressing our needs. That’s a tall order for a speaker when
addressing a diverse group in terms of age and demographics. She struck an ideal balance of putting us at ease but also challenging us to be more empathetic and willing to consider others’ perspectives. Karith was very generous with her time in the lead up to her visit. She also spent time after the presentation speaking with our faculty and students in one-on-one conversations. Overall, I couldn’t be more impressed. Karith and Inversity have our highest recommendation.
Vinton Bruton
Associate Head for Operations, The Blue Ridge School, Saint George, Virginia
"Karith is able to talk about these tough topics with humor, empathy and wisdom. Karith is the only guest, in the five years I have taught this course at Stanford's Graduate School of Business, that has been brought back all 5 years! Karith has always been evaluated as one of the top guests (and we have had Ted Koppel, Joan Lunden, CNN, ABC reporters, ARod, Business leaders, authors, Hollywood producers and more). Through her humor she has the audience raising their hands, nodding their heads and sharing their own experiences. She always creates a safe place. She is inspirational and empowering."
Allison Kluger, Lecturer
Stanford Graduate School of Business
"Karith made a huge contribution to the success of the day for training our faculty. My staff and I have heard nothing but great comments about her! Karith has the most respectful, enlightened, and grace-filled approach to this subject that I have experienced. I hope that I get to be again in one of her sessions...and for me she used the perfect amount of humor!"
John Clopton, Executive Director of Human Resource Services,
Hawkeye College
"I asked Karith to touch on the topic of diversity, as it is a core value and initiative of PRSSA. I was unsure how Karith would blend her two programs, “Stereotyped 101” and “You Are E.N.O.U.G.H.” to meet this request, but her opening keynote session at our National Assembly absolutely exceeded my expectations. The way Karith is able to use humor to start conversations about a sometimes difficult topic, diversity and stereotypes, was the perfect way to break the ice with our majority college student audience. Her concept of “inversity” flips the diversity conversation on its head. Instead of focusing so much on how different we all are, this concept encourages us to be inclusive of everyone and discover our similarities or the things we have in common as human beings. She flawlessly transitioned the stereotype conversation into one about self-confidence and empowerment. I would invite Karith to speak at another PRSSA event in a heartbeat. Not only is Karith a captivating speaker, but her willingness to engage with event attendees illustrates how humble and generous she is."
Emma Finkbeiner
PRSSA 2016-2017 National President
“Listening to Karith Foster allowed me to learn about #INVERSITY from a space where it is okay to laugh!

She spoke from her heart and explained that the world around us is difficult, but keeping a positive mind shapes us to a new perspective.”  
Francesca Barrett
Kent State University
"Karith delivered the keynote address at our annual INTEGRATE conference. She is a national leader in communication and an honest, passionate voice for equality and engagement of diverse audiences. Her approach is funny and genuine – and through her personal authenticity, she connected with our audience and provided us all with valuable takeaways and insights for ensuring that we are inclusive, mindful and compassionate in how we communicate to others in all aspects of our lives. Karith is positively engaging and it was a true joy to learn from her experience."
Chad Mezera, Assistant Dean
West Virginia University, Reed College of Media
"Karith Foster’s You Can Be Perfect or You Can Be Happy presentation was just what the doctor ordered during this time, with the majority of our workforce remote and life being more stressful than ever before. Her easy-to-remember B.A.S.I.C.S. strategies mixed with her personal and funny stories kept our participants engaged throughout our event. Karith was relatable and a pleasure to work with and we look forward to the opportunity to hear her again."
Ashley Claborn, Manager, Communications
Lennox International Inc.
In today’s day and age, humor is becoming overly sensitized to the point where jokes can’t be said on college campuses. We invited Karith to our campus to discuss the importance of humor in our lives and the importance of being able to joke. I was initially impressed with Karith’s enthusiasm, communication skills and open and understanding mindset.

Oberlin College is a historically progressive school that has a history of reacting quite negatively to anything that isn’t consistent with the beliefs of the student body. That being said, given the nature of our school and student body, it is usually the case that students attend our events with a negative predisposition and protest our speakers. 

Karith impressed me the most with her ability to break down barriers and make people laugh and listen. At the beginning, nobody wanted to laugh, but they couldn’t help but love Karith after just a few minutes of hearing her speak. She successfully made the entire audience feel welcome and relaxed. Most importantly, Karith showed the audience how similar each and every one of us are despite our race, religion, political affiliation and so on and succeeded in creating a truly inclusive and exciting atmosphere. In doing this, she truly exceeded my expectations. Karith is a masterful speaker and presenter. If I had to give her presentation a rating, I would rate it a 10 out of 10."
Christopher Herman, President
Oberlin College Republicans and Libertarians at Oberlin College
"Karith Foster presented at our orientation in her unique way of using humor and honesty while discussing diversity and inclusion in Stereotyping 101.  The feedback from the students was extremely positive as Karith was very engaging and enlightened the students in their need and ability to promote change in our world.  Karith is already contracted to present again next year!"  
Darcy Brodmerkel, M.Ed., CAACD, Director of Student Activities, Head Women's Golf Coach
Misericordia University

Discover what INVERSITY™ can do
for your organization.

INVERSITY™ is a new way to Think. Feel. Learn. Create.

THINK.

INVERSITY™ is a new way to think— a new way to analyze best practices and conceptualize innovative solutions to effectively address issues and conduct dialogue around diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). INVERSITY™ generates maximum positive outcomes for everyone participating in the conversation.

INVERSITY™ challenges the outdated narrative of labels, pigeonholing and stereotyping to invite critical thought and a return to the principles of great minds like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Wayne Dyer and the father of positive psychology Dr. Martin Seligman.

FEEL.

Checking in with our emotions around DEI is of the utmost importance. Like it or not, this is a highly charged and deeply emotional topic. All the facts and figures, stats and metrics do not supersede the emotions that are inextricably intertwined with someone’s personal experience. 

By dismissing the emotions this topic evokes we are kidding and depriving ourselves of the most basic human needs of self-expression. We must provide a psychologically safe environment for all to express their feelings. This is what INVERSITY™ provides in the middle of such a sensitive and loaded conversation.

LEARN.

INVERSITY™ is about learning new aspects of ourselves and new ways to communicate, interpret and engage with our fellow human beings. Learning and evolving is to be celebrated and not feared. This is why psychologists are (and will always be) conducting research and studies on the human psyche and behaviors. 

We are ever-evolving beings, not monoliths as certain sectors of society would like us to believe. There is always something to learn about ourselves and others.

CREATE.

INVERSITY™ grants us the opportunity to create new and stronger connections between one another. Unlike what others may believe, there is no script, formula or protocol to forge relationships out of love, respect, noble compassion and conscious empathy. 

Let’s ignite a seismic shift that starts from within. Not surface work, but transformational behavioral change that happens when the message reaches the core of one’s being, planting seeds of choice and desire to believe (and behave) differently.
This is the environment and experience that INVERSITY™ creates — to allow others their own unique opportunity to create and transform their outer world from within.

What INVERSITY™ is NOT:

INVERSITY™ is not about ignoring or dismissing issues of bias, conscious or unconscious. 
This is not about promoting a philosophy that perpetuates the “blame or shame” game.  
  • INVERSITY™ certainly does not propagate the narrative of victims and villains (that is limited thinking; and one that disempowers those who need empowerment the most). 
Karith Foster
INVERSITY™ is about maximizing positive outcomes for everyone participating in the conversation. 

It all starts with an INtrospection...

Understanding YOUR value, YOUR worth, YOUR connection to humanity.
Because MAYBE we've been doing DEI all wrong.1 

With traditional DEI training, we've been working from the outside in. 

When it comes to behavioral change, the least effective approaches involve fear, guilt or regret.4

The best way to change behavior is by working from the INside out.

Experts agree that long-lasting change is most likely when it's self-motivated and rooted in positive psychology.4 
Naturally, you’ve heard the old saying, “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.”

So let’s stop shaming people with concepts like White Fragility because it’s not getting us anywhere—and only creates more division. This is exactly why traditional DEI doesn’t work long-term.

Introducing the INVERSITY™ Methodology

Karith’s experiences are designed to cultivate a sincere comprehension of INVERSITY™ with the perfect blend of humor, interactive participation, heartfelt stories and actionable tools. She engages audiences while prompting us to think outside of ourselves, consider our views and the environment we consciously and subconsciously create. 

IT'S NOT HARD WORK;
IT'S HEART WORK.