What does it really take to drive change in today's workplaces?
In this compelling episode of Connected Conversations, host Elena Petrova is joined by Amira K.S. Barger, executive, professor, columnist, and author of the upcoming book The Price of Nice.
Together, they unpack what it means to lead with humanity, challenge comfort culture, and take meaningful action in Difference, Opportunity & Connection or (DEI) work. This isn’t a surface-level chat about values, it’s a deep dive into systems, silence, and the language of power.
🟢 Key Themes:
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Why DEI isn’t a “side initiative” - it's a survival strategy
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The real cost of silence and inaction in the face of injustice
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How to communicate hard truths without making yourself smaller
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Amira’s 4-part framework for pushing past performative “niceness”
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Why discomfort is a necessary step toward equity
💡 This conversation is both fire and clarity. If you're leading people, managing change, or trying to build something better - this one's for you.
About Amira Barger:
Amira K.S. Barger, MBA, CVA, CFRE is Executive VP & Head of DEI Advisory at Edelman, Professor of Communications & Change at California State University East Bay and UCSF, and the author of the upcoming book The Price of Nice (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2025).
With over 20 years of experience in public health and strategic communications, she helps institutions tackle issues of justice, equity, and humanity. Amira is a columnist for MSNBC, Fast Company, and Nonprofit Quarterly, and serves on nonprofit boards advancing racial equity and health.
🌐 Website: www.amirabarger.com
📱 TikTok: @amirabarger
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/priceofnicebook
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirabarger
You can watch/listen to this episode here:
🟢 Spotify: https://shorturl.at/VKwVk
⚫ Apple Podcast: https://shorturl.at/Hs1ZJ
🔵 Amazon Music: https://shorturl.at/EceTv
