Diversify

Potluck Community Lunch
2023-05-10 11:30 - 13:00 (Europe/Oslo)
Join us to connect with a diverse and versatile community of wonderful souls, over delicious and nutritious vegetarian food.

We are ringing in the New Year with a Potluck Community Lunch in January. Join us as we discuss our hopes and goals for the year over delicious food. We request you to bring a vegetarian dish to share with others.
This event is free for HerSpace Members.
Cost: NOK 50
Max attendees: 20

Please follow the LINK to register.

Community Lunch & Spring Plant Swap
2023-04-28 11:30 - 13:00
Join us to connect with a diverse and versatile community of wonderful souls, over delicious and nutritious vegetarian food. Feel free to bring a plant or a cutting that you would like to exchange!

It is not compulsory to bring a plant or cutting. You are welcome to join us just to enjoy the lunch. This event is free for HerSpace Members.
Cost: NOK150
Max attendees: 20
To buy tickets follow the LINK

Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace: Ableism
2023-04-26 13:00 - 15:00
Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is imperative for a sustainable, competitive and innovative company and society at large. Diversity also goes beyond the outward perception of a company – it includes how the internal structures work and signal the value systems of an organization’s management or leadership team.
This series is designed by Diversify to centre Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace. We look forward to seeing you!

In honour of World Autism Acceptance Month, our topic for April is Ableism. You are not the norm. How we uphold ableist systems and why we should stop.

We live in a world that is inherently ableist because the systems and structures put in place were not made keeping people with disabilities in mind. Autistic activist Lydia X. Z. Brown describes ableism as the “oppression, prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination against disabled people on the basis of actual or presumed disability.” It is the belief that disabled people are inferior to their more able-bodied or able-minded counterparts.
The panel discussion will cover how we enable and uphold ableist systems and how we can dismantle such systems in our workplaces.
Speakers to be announced soon!
This event is FREE to attend and will be held digitally. Please register HERE to receive the zoom link.
This event is supported by the Nordic Talks.

Amplifying LGBTQIA+ Inclusion in the Workplace and Society
2023-04-25 17:00 - 20:00
Join us for a discussion on Amplifying LGBTQIA+ Inclusion in the Workplace and Society with Bree Fram on April 25 at 17.00 at Telenor Fornebu
Diversify, in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy Oslo is organising an event to discuss and amplify inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ community in the workplace and society. Our featured speaker is Bree Fram, a renowned American trans woman serving as an active duty lieutenant colonel and astronautical engineer in the United States Space Force. Read more about her below.
The event will begin with:

A fireside chat between Bree Fram and Chisom Udeze
2 panel discussions on LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the workplace and society and
A closing fireside chat between Bree Fram and Christine Marie Jentoft, Advisor on Gender Diversity at FRI – The Norwegian Organization for Sexual and Gender Diversity

This event is open to all. It is a hybrid event so you can join us in-person at Telenor Fornebu or digitally via Zoom. The Zoom link will be sent to you on registration.
It is free to attend! Tickets available on a first come first served basis so book your spot now HERE!
Snacks and light refreshments included.
Location: Telenor Fornebu

Speakers:
Bree Fram (She/Her)
Bree Fram is an active duty lieutenant colonel and astronautical engineer in the United States Space Force. She is also the President of SPARTA, a non-profit that advocates and educates about transgender military service and is dedicated to the support and professional development of over 1600 transgender service members. Bree is also a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ Diversity Working Group and develops programming to increase diverse representation in STEM and aerospace.
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​Bree is currently stationed at the Pentagon to lead space acquisition policy development for the Department of the Air Force. Prior to recommissioning into the Space Force in 2021, she served 18 years in a wide variety of Air Force positions including a Research and Development command position and an oversight role for all Air Force security cooperation activity with Iraq. In earlier assignments, Bree served in the Air Force Directorate of Strategic Plans, as a Legislative Fellow at the US Capitol on the staff of Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo, several tours as a program manager for satellite and technology programs, and deployed to Qatar and Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
​Bree came out publicly as transgender on the day the transgender ban in the military was dropped in 2016. She transitioned while in a command position and served through the re-imposition of a transgender ban from 2019-2021. She is currently one of the highest ranking out transgender officers in the United States military.
Bree has appeared on national and international media, including ABC and NBC Nightly news, France 24, BBC, PBS News Hour, and NPR’s All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and 1A. Her writing has been featured in the Washington Post, Military Times, Inkstick, and LGBTQ Nation.
Bree is an editor of With Honor and Integrity: Transgender Troops in Their Own Words from NYU press which released in November 2021 and an author of Forged in Fire: From Discrimination to Leadership in the LGBTQ+ Community, a forthcoming work on LGBTQ+ Leadership Development from Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
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Bree has been married for 18 years to Peg Fram and they have two kids.
Chisom Udeze (She/Her)

Chisom is an Economist, a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Strategist, and a 3 times founder of impact driven companies. She has over 14 years of experience working with organizations like the European Commission, The United Nations, ExxonMobil and The Economist Group. Chisom is analytical and a data enthusiast. She is passionate about interrogating the cross-sectoral relationship between society’s inhabitants, resources, production, technology, distribution and output. She efficiently and effectively unlocks complex systems, interprets data, forecasts socio-economic trends and conducts research.
Having lived and worked in 7 countries across 3 continents, she is highly adaptable to different circumstances and people, and thrives in uncertain environments.
As the founder of Diversify and Diversify Consult, Chisom and her team work with companies, institutions, governments and civil society to develop sustainable DEIB strategies and embed measurable diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace and society. In addition, in 2022, Diversify launched the Diversify Nordics Summit, the largest conference in the Nordics that gathers cross-sectoral stakeholders to amplify DEIB in the Nordics and beyond.
In 2020, she founded HerSpace, a diverse and inclusive co-creation community for all genders, with particular focus on women and non-binary people. In 2022, HerSpace launched HerTech, Women in Tech incubator, for women-led companies, with a focus on the inclusion of diverse founders.
Chisom is a thought-leader in DEIB and a passionate advocate for mental health and wellness. She writes often on DEIB and justice related topics, some of her work is published on Forbes.
Chris Hovde (He/Him)
Chris Hovde, is an urban monk who is passionate about his purpose to make people and robots fight together for a more thriving world. His core values is to live regenerative, equal and authentic.
He has broad business experience from various leadership positions and HR in large international companies such as Telia, IKEA and Varner Group, as well as the former CEO of an Oslo based healthcare clinic called Balder. He has been nominated for a number of awards for for his work within digitalization, leadership and inclusion.
He is currently working as Leadership and Culture Lead at Telia Company, Chairman of the Board of Future Leaders Global, Made to Grow and Hagegata 31, he is the founder of Regenerative Monks and host of the videocast A regenerative future.
Miriam Hardarson (She/Her)

Miriam is a trans woman, a mother of two children, a leader, and an activist for LGBT rights. At the consulting firm Sopra Steria, she is a director and part of a management team responsible for over 1.000 consultants and technology experts. She is also the leader of the company’s LGBT+ network across Scandinavia and involved in many initiatives centered around diversity and inclusion. She transitioned in 2021 and has quickly become a trailblazer for trans rights and trans representation in Norway.
Miriam has been featured in national business news and national television because of her openness and approach to using the workplace as a safe space for galvanizing her gender expression while building the courage to transition. She has also been featured in documentaries, interviews, and podcasts, and has inspired organizations in Norway by telling her story.
In 2022, she enabled Sopra Steria to be the first company in Norway to guarantee paid welfare for absences due to gender-affirming care for all transgender employees. As a result, Sopra Steria became the only private company to be invited to engage with government officials to create a more including society for LGBT+ individuals in Norway.
Lisa Esohel Knudsen (she/her)

Lisa is the deputy director for the Norwegian think tank Minotenk, where she focuses on tackling racism, discrimination, and hate speech. In 2022 Lisa’s book “It’s personal: On racism and free speech” was published. It explores identity politics and the need for anti-racism in Norway. Lisa studied comparative politics at the University of Bergen and graduated from Waterford Kamhlaba United World College of Southern Africa.

Christine Marie Jentoft (She/Her)
Christine Marie Jentoft (She/Her) is a long time Norwegian queer rights activist, with a heavy focus on the situation for trans people.
She currently works as an advisor on gender diversity for the The Norwegian Organization for Sexual and Gender Diversity. Winner of several awards, among them the Honor Award handed out by the The Patient Organization for Gender Incongruence in 2022 and most recently she won the «This Years Queer Role Model» award given out at Regnbuegalla 2023. Comfortable with both the stage, screen and radio she has been visible in different parts of the world over the last 10 years. Mostly voluntarily and sometimes involuntary due to backlash from the antigender-movement.
She has also dabbled in stand-up and currently runs Rainb0w Glitter, a queer gaming network, in her spare time.
Dr. Poornima Luthra (She/Her)

Dr. Poornima Luthra is the author of ‘Diversifying Diversity: Your guide to being an active ally of inclusion in the workplace’ and ‘The Art of Active Allyship’, the author of the HBR articles ‘Do your global teams see DEI as an American issue?’ and ‘7 ways to practice active allyship’. She is the founder and CEO of TalentED Consultancy ApS as well as Associate Professor at the Copenhagen Business School. Poornima has spent the last fifteen years researching and teaching university courses in the field of talent management, with a focus on Diversity and Inclusion. Poornima’s work in DEI focuses on expanding the dimensions of diversity we address with an emphasis on intersectionality, empowering individuals to be active allies of inclusion and enabling inclusive leadership. Poornima is the recipient of the Professional Women of Colour Denmark 2021 Impact award, and a finalist in the Trailblazer category of the 2022 Nordic Blaze Inclusion Awards.
Poornima has worked with numerous Danish and International clients/ partners that include Carlsberg; Carlsberg Foundation; Reckitt; Novo Nordisk; Accenture; Amazon Web Services; Google; KPMG Nordics; Danske Bank; Medicines sans Frontiers (Doctors without Borders); McCormick APZ; McCormick UK; SimCorp; Visma; American Embassy Copenhagen; FedEx; Total; Telia; Maersk Tankers; IKEA Retail (Ingka Group), Kromann Reumert.

Sister Circle & Potluck: A Gathering for Black, Brown & Women of Colour
2023-04-06 18:00 - 21:00
As Black, Brown and women of colour, sometimes, we might feel that we exist in a world, with systems and structures that were not built for us. So, we navigate, negotiate, cover or fit in, because it makes us feel safe. Nonetheless, it can be very isolating.
The Sister Circle is a non judgmental space created exclusively for Black, Brown and Women of Colour to hold space and safely explore their experiences, feelings and emotions in a supportive environment where you neither have to explain or defend your reality.
The session, facilitated by Chisom Udeze, is an opportunity to find connection and solidarity; a space to speak your truth, share your feelings to whatever degree you feel comfortable, celebrate your wins, simply listen, or find solace in the company of other women.
The Sister Circle is for Black, Brown and women of colour who are: strong, loud, quiet, mothers, shy, bold, working, stay-at-home, entrepreneurs, students, job-seekers, multi-taskers… we invite you to come as you are. You are magical, worthy and needed.
We invite you to make and take S P A C E in authentic connection, to benefit from the wisdom of your sisters as we connect over stories, challenges and triumphs. Sisters’ Circle is a much needed space for women of colour to exhale, and connect with people who truly see and hear you, as you are.
After the session, we will celebrate the New Year with our sisters by hosting a potluck vegetarian dinner. Please feel free to bring a vegetarian dish from your country to share with others. Once you register for the event, we will send you an email to discuss the details of the potluck. If you have any questions, please feel free to email sayantani@herspace.no
When you leave this session, we hope you will feel loved, seen, heard and empowered. We look forward to seeing you.
** Please note that in order to create a safe and supportive space, we will “close the doors” and begin promptly at 18:05. Please arrive on time. **

Cost: NOK100
To register please follow the LINK
**This event is free for HerSpace members.**
Maximum attendees: 20
We want this event to be accessible to all. If your financial situation is preventing you from attending this event, please email sayantani@herspace.no

Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace: Intersectionality & Privilege
2023-03-29 13:00 - 15:00
Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is imperative for a sustainable, competitive and innovative company and society at large. Diversity also goes beyond the outward perception of a company – it includes how the internal structures work and signal the value systems of an organization’s management or leadership team.
This series is designed by Diversify to centre Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace. We look forward to seeing you!

In March, Diversify and HerSpace are partnering with Develop Diverse for the Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace session.
Chisom Udeze, founder of Diversify and HerSpace, and Jenifer Clausell-Tormos, founder of Develop Diverse, will take on the topic of Intersectionality and Privilege in March.
Intersectionality is a term coined by Professor Kimberley Crenshaw. It is an analytical framework for understanding how a person’s social or political identity such as ethnicity, race, social class, gender identity, sexual orientation, and other facets of social stratification combine to create different modes of privilege and discrimination.
This event is FREE to attend and will be held digitally. Please register HERE to receive the zoom link.

Speakers:
Jenifer Clausell-Tormos (She/Her)
Jenifer is the founder of Develop Diverse. She holds a Ph.D. in Technology Development. She held positions both at universities and in the industry as a scientific researcher. In her career, she first leveraged tech to accelerate the process of finding new medicines. After 10 years, her drive for gender balance and diversity brought her to use her tech expertise to close the gender and diversity gap by founding Develop Diverse. For 4 years+, Jenifer has been a researcher, speaker, and trainer in the field of Diversity & Inclusion.
Chisom Udeze (She/Her)
Chisom is an Economist, a DEIB Strategist, and a 3 times founder of impact driven companies. She has over 14 years of experience working with organizations like the European Commission, The United Nations, ExxonMobil and The Economist Group. Chisom is analytical and a data enthusiast. She is passionate about interrogating the cross-sectoral relationship between society’s inhabitants, resources, production, technology, distribution and output. She efficiently and effectively unlocks complex systems, interprets data, forecasts socio-economic trends and conducts research.
Having lived and worked in 7 countries across 3 continents, she is highly adaptable to different circumstances and people, and thrives in uncertain environments.
As the founder of Diversify and Diversify Consult, Chisom and her team work with companies, institutions, governments and civil society to develop sustainable DEIB strategies and embed measurable diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace and society. In addition, in 2022, Diversify launched the Diversify Nordics Summit, the largest conference in the Nordics that gathers cross-sectoral stakeholders to amplify DEIB in the Nordics and beyond.
In 2020, she founded HerSpace, a diverse and inclusive co-creation community for all genders, with particular focus on women and non-binary people. In 2022, HerSpace launched HerTech, Women in Tech incubator, for women-led companies, with a focus on the inclusion of diverse founders.
Chisom is a thought-leader in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) and a passionate advocate for mental health and wellness. She is an entrepreneur at heart and committed to life-long learning. She enjoys playing tennis, reading, binge-watching TV shows and cooking.

HerSpace Roundtable: Women
2023-03-28 18:00 - 19:30 | HerSpace, Strandgata 19, Oslo, 0152, Norway
Introducing the HerSpace Roundtable!
With the HerSpace Roundtable, we’re creating space for more real, honest, and difficult-but-necessary conversations. We will invite a diverse group of people from different cultures, backgrounds and walks of life for a discussion on various topics or themes.
In every roundtable, we will take on a new topic. The Roundtable will facilitate open and authentic conversations between speakers who will bring their own opinions, life experiences and differing points of view to the roundtable. The HerSpace Roundtable is an opportunity to sit down with a diverse group of people and understand different perspectives pertaining to a certain topic.
The Roundtable will take place every 3 months.

Welcome to the first-ever HerSpace Roundtable. In this inaugural session, our topic is Women in honour of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. Join us to listen to a conversation between 5 women from different cultures with different world views on their experiences of being a woman.

This is a hybrid event. Join us online or in person at HerSpace, Strandgata 19, Oslo. For those joining us online, you will receive the Zoom link on the day of the event.
This event is funded by Oslo Kommune through their grant program ‘Measures for Gender Equality and Women’s Liberation’.
This event is free for HerSpace members.
Cost:
In-person: 50NOK (includes light refreshments)
Online: Free

Speakers:
Rahwa Tilahun Yohaness (She/Her)
Rahwa is a public speaker, activist, social critic, and the founder and director of Manifold Norway. Rahwa has years of experience in community organising and bringing people with diverse backgrounds and experiences together. She practices a policy of “walking the talk” and engages with people who have lived experience in everything she does.
Rahwa ran a campaign about “kvitteringsordning” to promote the implementation of a policy to document all police stop and control activities. She was also one of the main organisers behind the “We Can’t Breathe” demonstration in Oslo, which mobilised 15000 people in June 2020.
She collaborates with grassroots organisations, academics, artists, and activists in the diaspora to organise and facilitate various events, including panel discussions, educational and artistic workshops, and community gatherings. She currently works as an advisor for the Norwegian Council for Africa, a human rights and solidarity organisation working to increase knowledge about the African continent.
Sarah M Przedpelska (She/Her)

Sarah M Przedpelska is an educator and geographer, who likes feelings, people and justice. Through her research in Canada and Norway, she’s worked and published on belonging, youth mentoring and the social limits of technology.
Currently, Sarah does research and project development with schools in Oslo, and runs a community focused consultancy called Kolekcja.

Chisom Udeze (She/Her)

Chisom is an Economist, a DEIB Strategist, and a 3 times founder of impact driven companies. She has over 14 years of experience working with organizations like the European Commission, The United Nations, ExxonMobil and The Economist Group. Chisom is analytical and a data enthusiast. She is passionate about interrogating the cross-sectoral relationship between society’s inhabitants, resources, production, technology, distribution and output. She efficiently and effectively unlocks complex systems, interprets data, forecasts socio-economic trends and conducts research.
Having lived and worked in 7 countries across 3 continents, she is highly adaptable to different circumstances and people, and thrives in uncertain environments.
As the founder of Diversify and Diversify Consult, Chisom and her team work with companies, institutions, governments and civil society to develop sustainable DEIB strategies and embed measurable diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace and society. In addition, in 2022, Diversify launched the Diversify Nordics Summit, the largest conference in the Nordics that gathers cross-sectoral stakeholders to amplify DEIB in the Nordics and beyond.
In 2020, she founded HerSpace, a diverse and inclusive co-creation community for all genders, with particular focus on women and non-binary people. In 2022, HerSpace launched HerTech, Women in Tech incubator, for women-led companies, with a focus on the inclusion of diverse founders.
Chisom is a thought-leader in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) and a passionate advocate for mental health and wellness. She enjoys playing tennis, reading, binge-watching TV shows and cooking.

Stephanie Alvarez (She/Her)

Stephanie Alvarez is an International Development and Human Rights practitioner who has dedicated her professional career to helping international social justice organisations grow and scale their operations and programs. She holds a Masters in International Relations and Conflict Resolution from the Externado University of Colombia and a BA in Political Science and International Studies from Franklin & Marshall College in the United States. Stephanie is passionate about intersectionality and social justice causes. Her passion has led her to work in numerous fields including genocide and mass atrocity prevention, transitional justice, DDR, protective accompaniment (of human rights leaders) and disaster relief.

Angelica Balanta (She/Her)
Angelica is an Afro-Colombian businesswoman and activist living in Oslo. Her experience with the world of fashion and communication comes from a journey over the last 24 years in different areas as a graphic designer, turban designer, fashion blogger, model, fashion stylist, keynote speaker, production manager, and fashion performance. During this period, she had the opportunity to work in Mexico City, London, Tel Aviv, Barcelona, Panama, Oslo, and Bogotá.
She is currently also a keynote speaker. Her talks are about entrepreneurship and how to transform the negative impact of the narrative of racism, discrimination and sexism in Latin America and most of the world.
With her project, she wants to empower women through the use of turbans, feeling proud of their origin and gender. Three years ago she moved from Colombia to Norway and wants to continue with this ambitious project.

Blaze Inclusion Awards: Centring Equity in Nordic Diversity and Inclusion Ambition
2023-03-21 12:00 - 15:30
The Blaze Inclusion Awards celebrate and illuminate the trailblazers – individuals and organizations – who actively and passionately uplift Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives in their workspaces, communities and society overall.
Blaze panel discussions will follow nominations and voting periods for the Blaze Inclusion awards and will take on important DEIBJ topics featuring speakers from 8 Nordic countries.
Topic for the first Blaze panel discussion is Centring Equity in Nordic Diversity and Inclusion Ambition

In the Nordics there is a significant focus on equality instead of equity. How does that create exclusion for underrepresented groups in the Nordics? What is the difference between equality and equity? Why is equity prerequisite for equality? How can we move away from focusing on equality in the Nordics and start focusing on equity?
This event will be held online via zoom. Please follow the LINK to register and receive the zoom link.

We are in the nomination period so read more about Blaze Inclusion Awards and nominate here!

Speakers:
Laura Smith

Laura Smith is a Helsinki-based organizational researcher and founder of VALIDEI, a research agency specializing in the assessments of organizational inclusion, equity, and social responsibility.
An active startup mentor and the former Head of DEI at Bolt, Laura specializes in developing organizational strategies and evolving internal practices, policies, and supports to be both equitable and impactful for stakeholders across scaling organizations.

Nichole Leigh Mosty
Nichole Leigh Mosty is a Director at Multicultural Information Centre Iceland.
Nichole is a first generation immigrant to Iceland. She is the first woman of foreign origin to have been elected to sit in the Icelandic Parliament in 2016 as a deputy speaker and Chair of the committee on Social Affairs.
Nichole now heads the government agency for immigrant and refugee affairs, where her primary function is to stimulate integration through the dissemination of information to people of diverse backgrounds living in or moving to Iceland while also working on policy and reform issues related to integration with authorities at local and national levels, institutions, businesses, organizations and committees.
Mamtha Pullat
Mamtha Pullat works at Volvo Cars as a Diversity Recruitment Strategist. Mamtha has experience working with these topics in the last couple of years where she worked at Telia as a Global D&I specialist. For Mamtha, diversity is all about embracing people’s differences towards a more inclusive culture where everyone feels safe and is treated equally. Prior to moving to Sweden, she was based in India where she worked in the non-profit space working to help bridge the education gap in India for children from underprivileged backgrounds.

Carolina Sarubbi Vestergaard

Carolina is the Customer Success Executive and Vice-Chairwoman of Global Women’s Leadership Community, Red Hat. As a Customer Success Executive and Vice-Chairwoman of the Global Women’s Leadership Community at Red Hat, Carolina provides strategic support to customers as they look to open source and adopt open hybrid cloud technologies to drive business transformation initiatives. Carolina’s focus areas are Digital Transformation; Leadership; Digitalization. Carolina is passionate about PEOPLE and how technology and process tag along.

Jane Carlsson

Jane Carlsson is an Equality consultant and project manager at Åland Feministparaply. She works in a project that aims to combat sexual harassment in Åland society. The work focuses on schools but also associations that have activities for children and young people. The work in the project is consultation with the schools and the leisure sector so that all young people feel safe at there activities. Through lectures, workshops and talks, young people, leaders and staff are provided with knowledge and tools to counter sexual harassment and discrimination.

Moderator: Chisom Udeze

Chisom is an Economist, a DEIB Strategist, and a 3 times founder of impact driven companies. She has over 14 years of experience working with organizations like the European Commission, The United Nations, ExxonMobil and The Economist Group. Chisom is analytical and a data enthusiast. She is passionate about interrogating the cross-sectoral relationship between society’s inhabitants, resources, production, technology, distribution and output. She efficiently and effectively unlocks complex systems, interprets data, forecasts socio-economic trends and conducts research.
Having lived and worked in 7 countries across 3 continents, she is highly adaptable to different circumstances and people, and thrives in uncertain environments.
As the founder of Diversify and Diversify Consult, Chisom and her team work with companies, institutions, governments and civil society to develop sustainable DEIB strategies and embed measurable diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace and society. In addition, in 2022, Diversify launched the Diversify Nordics Summit, the largest conference in the Nordics that gathers cross-sectoral stakeholders to amplify DEIB in the Nordics and beyond.
In 2020, she founded HerSpace, a diverse and inclusive co-creation community for all genders, with particular focus on women and non-binary people. In 2022, HerSpace launched HerTech, Women in Tech incubator, for women-led companies, with a focus on the inclusion of diverse founders.
Chisom is a thought-leader in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) and a passionate advocate for mental health and wellness. She is an entrepreneur at heart and committed to life-long learning. She enjoys playing tennis, reading, binge-watching TV shows and cooking.

Film screening and discussion: Deconstructing Karen
2023-03-07 18:00 - 21:00 | HerSpace, Strandgata 19, Oslo, 0152, Norway
In celebration of International Women’s Day this year, we will be holding a film screening and discussion of the 2022 documentary, “Deconstructing Karen”.
NOTE: this event is now SOLD OUT. If you would like to join a waiting list, please send an email to nikki@herspace.no
“In this documentary feature film, nice white women attend the wildest dinner party of their lives. The main course is a radically honest conversation on racism. While sipping wine and passing the breadbasket, these women experience an eye-opening journey, discovering how they uphold white supremacy every single day. For some guests there are epiphanies, others resistance. But for all the guests, something has changed, and they can never unknow the painful truths about racism and white supremacy that are revealed over this dinner. Meet the entrepreneurial women behind this powerful work and explore why this work is worth risking their lives.”
The premise is simple:
What if white women could and would show up to help end racism?
More information about the documentary can be found here.

Following the film screening, Chisom Udeze (HerSpace) and Meryn Willetts (Umbrella) will hold a discussion that reflects on the themes that arise in the documentary and the reality of the situation.
This event is open to everyone, regardless of gender or race.
Seats are limited! Be sure to secure your seat today.
*This event is free for HerSpace members*

Cost: 50NOK
Maximum attendees: 20
This event is co-hosted by HerSpace and Umbrella.
This event is funded by Oslo Kommune through their grant program ‘Measures for Gender Equality and Women’s Liberation’.

Body Wisdom 2: Redefining self-care and self-soothing through the nervous system and how we relate to it.
2023-01-31 17:30 - 20:00 | HerSpace, Strandgata 19, Oslo, 0152, Norway
Join us tap into your innate needs and rediscover a healing wisdom in each one of us.
In the BODY WISDOM series we aim to work step by step to detangle myths and biases that concern our mental health, somatic health, and holistic health in general.
Nowadays self-care is often understood as buying yourself another piece of clothing, having a bath, or feasting on food. While all of these are nothing wrong in moderation, they are not the tools for long-lasting, holistic well-being.
What does it truly mean to self-soothe and self-care in a relational manner?
One of the most direct and rather quick ways to feel regulated, vital, and connected more often than stressed, disconnected, and detached is to connect to our nervous system through our body. Our nervous system connects, mediates, records any type of connection and makes us aware of it. It is also not only a bunch of nerve cells, but nerve fibers too that wrap around connective tissue in our bodies. Through our bodies we can impact, regulate, and connect our nervous system by introducing new movement patterns, awareness of senses, new way of safety and connecting and compassionate witnessing.
Self-soothing and self-care is sensing, feeling, and acting on the true needs of our body, mind, and soul.
We will also discuss practical mindset approaches to let go of any worthiness issues that may arise during the somatic portion of the workshop.
Tools used during the session: short intro to nervous system connections, somatic meditation, bodywork with vagus nerve, authentic movement practice, reflections and breathwork.
To attend this event, please register via this form. (https://forms.gle/7DR8aJyj9oxjziK47)

Duration: 2-2,5h
Price: 350NOK
Places are limited to 15 people.
If you have, bring your own mat or a blanket.
People who need financial support, please contact us on lessstress.art@gmail.com.

Facilitators:
Živilė Virkutytė is an entrepreneur, theatre and dance artist, Yoga teacher (300 RYT, Mysore), somatic therapy alumni (Linda Hartley Institute of Integrative Bodywork and Movement Therapy, UK) and a co-creator of Less Stress project and podcast. In the last 3 years Živilė has been researching, learning practically applying trauma and collective trauma teachings from Thomas Hübl, Polyvagal Theory aspects from Stephen Porges and Deb Dana.
Michael Kent Hellerslien is an executive coach and author of the book “Win On Your Terms: The Five-Step Process To Turn Your Inner Critic Into Your Inner Coach So You Can Be Cool, Calm And Collected No Matter What”. Michael left the corporate world after serving as a Key Witness in a securities fraud investigation by Okokrim. The experience left Michael fascinated by why people do what they do.

Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: How Inclusive are your Workplace DEIB Initiatives? Common Mistakes to Avoid in 2023
2023-01-25 13:00 - 15:00
Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is imperative for a sustainable, competitive and innovative company and society at large. Diversity also goes beyond the outward perception of a company – it includes how the internal structures work and signal the value systems of an organization’s management or leadership team.
This series is designed by Diversify to centre Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace. We look forward to seeing you!

In our first D&I session for 2023, our speakers, Chisom Udeze, 3x Founder, Economist and DEI Strategist, Dr. Poornima Luthra, Author, Educator and DEI Expert, and Astrid Sundberg, Director DEI at Oda, will explore how inclusive are workplace DEIB initiatives, learnings from 2022 and the common mistakes to avoid in 2023.
More information coming soon.
This event is FREE to attend. Please register HERE to receive the zoom link.

Chisom Udeze (She/Her)

Chisom is an Economist, Organizational Design and DEI Strategist, and a 3 times founder of impact driven companies. She has over 13 years of experience working with organizations like the European Commission, The United Nations, ExxonMobil and The Economist Group. Chisom is a data enthusiast and analytical. She is passionate about interrogating the cross-sectoral relationship between society’s inhabitants, resources, production, technology, distribution and output. She efficiently and effectively unlocks complex systems, interprets data, forecasts socio-economic trends and conducts research.

Having lived in 7 countries across 3 continents, she is highly adaptable to different circumstances and people, and thrives in uncertain environments.

As the founder of Diversify, Chisom works with companies, governments and civil society to facilitate measurable diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace and society. In 2020, mid-pandemic, she founded HerSpace, a diverse and inclusive co-creation community for all genders, with particular focus on women. HerSpace also launched a Women in Tech incubator in September 2022, for women-led companies, with a focus on the inclusion of diverse founders.

Chisom is a thought-leader in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) and a passionate advocate for mental health and wellness. She is an entrepreneur at heart and committed to life-long learning. She enjoys playing tennis, reading, binge-watching TV shows and cooking.

Astrid Sundberg (She/Her)
Astrid Sundberg is Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Oda, Norway’s leading online grocery retailer. She has 2 decades of experience in director-level leadership roles within the people and talent arena. Astrid is a pioneer of the employee experience as well as passionate about advocating for women in the workplace with a background in the start-up and scale-up climate.
Astrid is a positive advocate of workplace diversity for understanding, accepting, and valuing differences between people as well as an ally for gender equality. She’s a regular speaker and contributor at conferences and summits across The Nordics, The UK, and other parts of Europe.
Dr. Poornima Luthra (She/Her)
Dr. Poornima Luthra is the author of ‘Diversifying Diversity: Your guide to being an active ally of inclusion in the workplace’, founder and CEO of TalentED Consultancy ApS and Associate Professor at the Copenhagen Business School. She has spent the last fifteen years researching and teaching university courses in the field of talent management, with a focus on Diversity and Inclusion. More recently, Poornima has taken her years of academic experience into the corporate world with the vision of making workplaces more inclusive for all. Poornima focuses on inspiring and shifting mindsets to expand the areas of diversity we look at through strategy consulting, corporate training, keynote sessions, talks, articles, blog posts and podcasts.

Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: 4 Practical Tips to Amplify DEIB in 2023
2022-12-14 13:00 - 15:00
Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is imperative for a sustainable, competitive and innovative company and society at large. Diversity also goes beyond the outward perception of a company – it includes how the internal structures work and signal the value systems of an organization’s management or leadership team.
This series is designed by Diversify to centre Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace. We look forward to seeing you!

In December we will explore 4 practical tips that you can easily implement at your workplace in 2023, that will amplify and promote awareness of DEIB. The session will be co-facilitated by Diversify founder, Chisom Udeze, and Program Director, Iva Ogrizovic.
More information coming soon.
This event is FREE to attend. Please register below HERE to receive the zoom link.

Chisom Udeze (She/Her)

Chisom is an Economist, Organizational Design and DEI Strategist, and a 3 times founder of impact driven companies. She has over 13 years of experience working with organizations like the European Commission, The United Nations, ExxonMobil and The Economist Group. Chisom is a data enthusiast and analytical. She is passionate about interrogating the cross-sectoral relationship between society’s inhabitants, resources, production, technology, distribution and output. She efficiently and effectively unlocks complex systems, interprets data, forecasts socio-economic trends and conducts research.

Having lived in 7 countries across 3 continents, she is highly adaptable to different circumstances and people, and thrives in uncertain environments.

As the founder of Diversify, Chisom works with companies, governments and civil society to facilitate measurable diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace and society. In 2020, mid-pandemic, she founded HerSpace, a diverse and inclusive co-creation community for all genders, with particular focus on women. HerSpace is launching a Women in Tech incubator in August 2022, for women-led companies, with a focus on the inclusion of diverse founders.

Chisom is a thought-leader in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) and a passionate advocate for mental health and wellness. She is an entrepreneur at heart and committed to life-long learning. She enjoys playing tennis, reading, binge-watching TV shows and cooking.

Iva Ogrizovic (she/her)
Iva holds a Master’s in Philosophy and Comparative Literature and in her home country, Croatia, she mostly worked as a freelancer in culture event management (film and music festivals) and in production (theater and TV). For the past three years of living in Norway, she has been working for a non profit organisation, Diversify, as a Program Director. Here she co-designs and manages programs for skilled immigrants addressing the difficulties they face when trying to secure relevant employment. The programs center on entrepreneurship, mentorship and professional development. Her work also involves supporting Diversify’s DEIB consultancy and training. Iva is passionate about professional and personal development and empowering people to realize and use their potential to make positive changes in their lives.

Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: Race and Masculinity
2022-11-21 08:00 - 17:00
Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is imperative for a sustainable, competitive and innovative company and society at large. Diversity also goes beyond the outward perception of a company – it includes how the internal structures work and signal the value systems of an organization’s management or leadership team.
This series is designed by Diversify to centre Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace. We look forward to seeing you!

In November, we take on the topic of masculinity and race.
More information coming soon.
This event is FREE to attend. Please register by the LINK to receive the zoom link.

Women in Business: Personal Branding with Rebeca Hazelnut
2022-11-02 18:00 - 18:30
Women in Business is a series designed and led by women to share their knowledge about valuable and necessary business skills needed to drive growth at your company. Whether you are a startup or an SME, this series will introduce you to professional and highly skilled women. Each session will cover a specific topic and will provide valuable expertise to people who are looking to improve their skills to increase their employability or to develop or start their own businesses.

If people like you they will listen to you, but if they trust you, they’ll do business with you. – Zig Ziglar
Personal branding is a way of marketing yourself and your work as a brand. Your personal brand will help you establish yourself as an authority or thought leader in an industry by highlighting your unique set of skills, experiences, values and principles that are important to you. It is about creating a public persona in the digital world that reflects your real-life personality.
In our upcoming Women in Business session, Rebeca Hazelnut, brand designer, personal brand strategist and CEO of Rebeca Hazelnut Studio, will run a workshop on how to use your personal brand to promote your business on digital media. Whether you’re a business owner or have a job, this session will help you create a personal brand.
The workshop will focus on:

Learning key points to gain authority and trust on digital channels and social media,
The art of storytelling
The importance of building your personal brand
It will include exercises that will help you discover what parts of your story are potentially impactful and worth sharing (storytelling), and what key topics you should focus on in positioning your brand.

This will be a hybrid event– online and in-person tickets available.
Cost: 100, (in-person) / 80 (online). Please follow the link to register HERE
**This event is free for HerSpace members**

About the Speaker:
Rebeca Hazelnut is a creative and adventurous entrepreneur.
As the CEO of her own branding studio, she helps businesses become brands that have a unique and memorable personality that will help attract customers in an authentic way through branding and strategy.
In a fast-paced world, Rebeca advocates for human-focused businesses in the fields of physical and mental health, innovation and sustainability.
You can find Rebeca on Instagram at @rebeca.hazelnut.studio and @rebeca.hazelnut.

Sister Circle: A Gathering for Black, Brown and Women of Colour
2022-10-25 18:00 - 20:00
As Black, Brown and women of colour, sometimes, we might feel that we exist in a world, with systems and structures that were not built for us. So, we navigate, negotiate, cover or fit in, because it makes us feel safe. Nonetheless, it can be very isolating.
The Sister Circle is a non judgmental space created exclusively for Black, Brown and Women of Colour to hold space and safely explore their experiences, feelings and emotions in a supportive environment where you neither have to explain or defend your reality.
The session, facilitated by Chisom Udeze, is an opportunity to find connection and solidarity; a space to speak your truth, share your feelings to whatever degree you feel comfortable, celebrate your wins, simply listen, or find solace in the company of other women.
This session is for Black, Brown and women of colour who are: strong, loud, quiet, mothers, shy, bold, working, stay-at-home, entrepreneurs, students, job-seekers, multi-taskers… we invite you to come as you are. You are magical, worthy and needed.
We invite you to make and take S P A C E in authentic connection, to benefit from the wisdom of your sisters as we connect over stories, challenges and triumphs. Sisters’ Circle is a much needed space for women of colour to exhale, and connect with people who truly see and hear you, as you are.
When you leave this session, we hope you will feel loved, seen, heard and empowered. We look forward to seeing you.** Please note that in order to create a safe and supportive space, we will “close the doors” and begin promptly at 18:05. Please arrive on time. **

Cost: NOK100 To pay please follow the link HERE
**This event is free for HerSpace members.**
Maximum attendees: 20
We want this event to be accessible to all. If your financial situation is preventing you from attending this event, please email sayantani@diversify.no

Bodily Autonomy, Women’s Right and the Hijab
2022-10-24 18:00 - 19:30
A discussion on Bodily Autonomy, Women’s Right and the Hijab
There is an ongoing fight for women’s freedom to choose across the world, from Iran and El Salvador, to India and the United States. Women, men and people are taking to the streets – women burning their head scarves and cutting their hair – to protest against the murder of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody for allegedly wearing her headscarf improperly in Tehran, while women in India are fighting for their right to wear one. In El Salvador and the United States, women are demanding abortion rights.
These ongoing protests are a fight for bodily autonomy, agency and freedom to make choices over oneself. Women in different parts of the world are still fighting for their basic human rights, to be seen, heard and to choose for themselves.

Join us for a nuanced discussion about the situation in Iran and beyond with with Sherry Hakimnejad, Chisom Udeze, Stephanie Alvarez and Sayantani Saha.
This is a hybrid event. Join us in person at HerSpace or online. Please register below to receive the zoom link.
This event is FREE to attend. Follow the link to register HERE

About the speakers:
Sherry Hakimnejad is an entrepreneur and social worker. She was born in Iran but moved to Norway at the age of 5 because of war. Sherry co-founded the company DivInc to help companies with diversity and inclusion in the development of their services, products and strategies. She is passionate about empowering the silent voices in the Norwegian society – whether that be the youth, the elderly or immigrant women.

Stephanie Alvarez is an International Development and Human Rights practitioner who has dedicated her professional career to helping international social justice organisations grow and scale their operations and programs. She holds a Masters in International Relations and Conflict Resolution from the Externado University of Colombia and a BA in Political Science and International Studies from Franklin & Marshall College in the United States. Stephanie is passionate about intersectionality and social justice causes. Her passion has led her to work in numerous fields including genocide and mass atrocity prevention, transitional justice, DDR, protective accompaniment (of human rights leaders) and disaster relief.

Chisom Udeze is an Economist, Organizational Design and DEI Strategist, and a 3 times founder with over 12 years of experience working with organizations like the European Commission, The United Nations and ExxonMobil. Chisom has an analytical mind and works to interrogate the cross-sectoral relationship between society’s resources, production, distribution and output. She is adept at efficiently and effectively unlocking complex systems, data management, forecasting economic and social trends, and thrives in uncertain environments.
As the founder of Diversify, Chisom works with companies, governments and civil society to facilitate measurable diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace and society. In 2020, mid-pandemic, she founded HerSpace, a diverse and inclusive co-creation community for all genders, with particular focus on women-led companies and mothers. She is a thought-leader in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) and a passionate advocate for mental health and wellness.

Sayantani Saha is the community manager at HerSpace. She has a diverse work experience across different fields. Sayantani has worked as a copy editor in a leading Indian newspaper, a buyer and merchandiser in a retail organisation and as a social media professional in various organisations, including her own business. She has a masters degree in fashion management. At Diversify, she takes care of all things social media.

Community Plant Swap
2022-10-20 17:00 - 18:00 | HerSpace, Strandgata 19, Oslo, 0152, Norway
Join us for our first plant swap at HerSpace!

Whether you’re a newbie or and plant pro, everyone is welcome to join us, with a plant or a cutting, of course. You can also bring pots and seeds that you think another plant lover could re-use.

Connect with your local community of plant lovers and learn gardening tips and tricks from them.

All the plants and cuttings will be set out on a table. Once the event begins, everyone will get a chance to walk around the table to to see what’s available. Then the swap begins – Choose a plant/cutting you want to take home.

Rules:

Please bring along one or more plants or cuttings with you to swap. That way everyone leaves with a new plant at the end of the evening. Make sure the plant you’re bringing is healthy and not infested with pests.
If you know the plant type, please label them.
Bring cuttings wrapped in damp kitchen towel, plastic bag or container so they survive the ride to their new home.
If you’re bringing a potted plant, please make sure it’s a pot you’re happy to give away or bring them in temporary pots like yoghurt pots, tins and takeaway cups.

This event is free to attend!
Please RSVP HERE so that we know the number of attendees and can prepare the space accordingly.
We look forward to meeting you and talking plants!

Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: Microaggressions vs. Microaffirmations
2022-10-19 13:00 - 15:00 | HerSpace, Strandgata 19, Oslo, 0152, Norway
Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is imperative for a sustainable, competitive and innovative company and society at large. Diversity also goes beyond the outward perception of a company – it includes how the internal structures work and signal the value systems of an organization’s management or leadership team.
This series is designed by Diversify to centre Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace. We look forward to seeing you!

In our Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace session for September, we will discuss microaggressions and microaffirmations.
Microaggressions are defined as the everyday, subtle, intentional — and oftentimes unintentional — interactions or behaviors that communicate some sort of bias toward historically marginalized groups.

Micro-affirmations are small acknowledgment of another person’s value. It’s a subtle act of inclusion and kindness that goes a long way in building a culture of belonging.

Speakers to be announced soon!
This event is FREE to attend. Please register HERE to receive the zoom link.

Secondhand Treasures
2022-10-08 12:00 - 17:00 | HerSpace, Strandgata 19, Oslo, 0152, Norway
Secondhand Treasures: A Saturday Market for Pre-Owned Clothes and Other Items
Drop by at HerSpace for a secondhand items treasure hunt! Find high quality affordable hidden gems from different vendors. There will be clothes, accessories, books and so much more to choose from. Update your wardrobe or home with pre-loved goods. Shop sustainably and give secondhand items a new life.
If you want to book a stall to sell secondhand items at the market, send us an email to sayantani@diversify.no

The market will run from 12:00-17:00
Please RSVP for all the latest updates and information on future events!

Women in Leadership: Isabella Håkenstad
2022-10-05 18:00 - 19:30 | HerSpace, Strandgata 19, Oslo, 0152, Norway
At HerSpace, we are proud to be part of a collective and necessary effort to be active participants in helping women advance in their social, personal and professional lives. We have designed the Women in Leadership series as a way to amplify the voices, stories and experiences of women. Our featured women speakers have diverse backgrounds, have reached milestones in their careers, and have made an impact in their industry and communities. We all benefit when stories of challenges and wins are shared. We offer their stories, knowledge and insights to help empower you in your own journey.
Women in Leadership is a recurring event that will feature an inspirational female leader every month. If you would like to nominate a woman in your network as a way to honor her work, please reach out so our collection can grow with our community.

About our guest: Isabella Håkenstad

Isabella Håkenstad (She/They), can easily be called a young human rights activist. At the age of 14 she founded her local pride called FossePride. Being the youngest of 3 sisters, she has learned from a very young age to speak up and speak her mind. Today, she uses her voice to speak about topics close to her heart such as LGBTQ+ rights. Being a member of the rainbow family herself, and having experienced violence because of it, she is trying to create a platform for young people to be themselves and feel safe to love who they love regardless of their gender. As a young activist and spokesperson, she understands the importance of allyship through education and regularly holds lectures about topics such as the importance of allyship and pronouns.

This is a hybrid event.
Cost:
In-person: 150NOK (includes light refreshments)
Online: 100NOK
This event is co-produced by HerSpace, Diversify and Africa Connect.
Please book your ticket HERE

Women in Leadership: Isabella Håkenstad
2022-10-05 08:00 - 17:00 | HerSpace, Strandgata 19, Oslo, 0152, Norway
At HerSpace, we are proud to be part of a collective and necessary effort to be active participants in helping women advance in their social, personal and professional lives. We have designed the Women in Leadership series as a way to amplify the voices, stories and experiences of women. Our featured women speakers have diverse backgrounds, have reached milestones in their careers, and have made an impact in their industry and communities. We all benefit when stories of challenges and wins are shared. We offer their stories, knowledge and insights to help empower you in your own journey.
Women in Leadership is a recurring event that will feature an inspirational female leader every month. If you would like to nominate a woman in your network as a way to honor her work, please reach out so our collection can grow with our community.

About our guest: Isabella Håkenstad

Isabella Håkenstad (She/They), can easily be called a young human rights activist. At the age of 14 she founded her local pride called FossePride. Being the youngest of 3 sisters, she has learned from a very young age to speak up and speak her mind. Today, she uses her voice to speak about topics close to her heart such as LGBTQ+ rights. Being a member of the rainbow family herself, and having experienced violence because of it, she is trying to create a platform for young people to be themselves and feel safe to love who they love regardless of their gender. As a young activist and spokesperson, she understands the importance of allyship through education and regularly holds lectures about topics such as the importance of allyship and pronouns.

This is a hybrid event.
Cost:
In-person: 150NOK (includes light refreshments)
Online: 100NOK
This event is co-produced by HerSpace, Diversify and Africa Connect.

Women's Circle
2022-09-19 18:00 - 20:00 | HerSpace, Strandgata 19, Oslo, 0152, Norway
Women’s Circle is a non judgmental, gently facilitated listening and support group for women to hold space and show up for ourselves and each other. The session is an opportunity to find stillness, connection and solidarity; a space to speak your truth, if you feel moved to and process what is present in you. Inspired by peer counselling approaches and Brigid Russell’s Spaces for Listening, the format provides equal opportunity for all who want to share what is on their mind and in their heart.
We invite you to make S P A C E and find sanctuary in compassionate connection, to benefit from the wisdom of other women by witnessing their stories, pains and triumphs. Women’s Circle is a unique and rare space to let go of the identity veils we maintain, to come exactly as you are and connect with people that empathise with your situation and hold space for your unique set of circumstances and experiences. You are invited to share as much or as little as you wish, or just listen to others.
The session will be gently facilitated and will include poems, prose and other offerings to guide discussion and support reflection.
Women’s Circle is held at HerSpace (Strandgata 19, 0152 Oslo) where there will be opportunity to stay and chat after the session, with warm tea by candlelight.
When you leave this session we hope you will feel nurtured and lifted in your spirit. We look forward to seeing you.
** Please note that in order to create a safe and supportive space, we will “close the doors” and begin promptly at 18:05. Please arrive on time. **

Cost: NOK100
**This event is free for HerSpace members.**
Maximum attendees: 12
We want this event to be accessible to all. If your financial situation is preventing you from attending this event, please email nikki@herspace.no.

Selena Støback
Selena Støback is a mental health innovation advocate and women’s rights activist, with a background in driving policy and systems change through radical collaboration and capacity building. Selena is a trained peer counsellor, qualified Mental Health First Aid instructor, and a long serving active listener with Samaritans UK. Selena values deep listening and dialogue as the best way to solve problems.

Women in Leadership: Sudipa Chakraborty
2022-09-14 08:00 - 17:00 | HerSpace, Strandgata 19, Oslo, 0152, Norway
At HerSpace, we are proud to be part of a collective and necessary effort to be active participants in helping women advance in their social, personal and professional lives. We have designed the Women in Leadership series as a way to amplify the voices, stories and experiences of women. Our featured women speakers have diverse backgrounds, have reached milestones in their careers, and have made an impact in their industry and communities. We all benefit when stories of challenges and wins are shared. We offer their stories, knowledge and insights to help empower you in your own journey.
Women in Leadership is a recurring event that will feature an inspirational female leader every month. If you would like to nominate a woman in your network as a way to honor her work, please reach out so our collection can grow with our community.

About The Speaker: Sudipa Chakraborty

Sudipa Chakraborty is the Project Lead of JobbAsker, a diversity and inclusion project in Asker municipality, Norway. Through her unwavering commitment and thought leadership, she works toward creating a sustainable and inclusive society which has room for everyone. As a diversity and inclusion champion, she empowers people to realize their full potential, influences leaders to think out of the box, and collaborates with companies to work towards UNs Sustainability Development goals in the space of equality, decent work and economic growth.
With close to 15 years of international experience in storytelling and cross-cultural communication from global companies like Microsoft, CGI and the BBC, among others, Sudipa is committed to using the power of storytelling to bring about a positive change in society.

This is a hybrid event.
Cost
In-person: 150NOK (includes light refreshments)
Online: 100NOK
This event is co-produced by HerSpace, Diversify and Africa Connect.

Diversify Nordics Summit
2022-08-26 07:30 - 17:00 | Scandic Holmenkollen, Kongeveien 26,, Oslo, 0787, Norway
Our sister organisation, Diversify, is organising the first-ever conference on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging that brings together stakeholders from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
Now more than ever, there’s a need to:
– create inclusive and human-centric hybrid workplace environments to recruit and build productive and efficient teams.
– ensure a collective Nordic society that is inclusive of all its inhabitants across social systems and structures.
The DNS is a meeting place for practitioners in the Nordics to share their work and discuss themes across diversity parameters including but not limited to gender, ethnicity, religion, neurodiversity, race, sexual orientation, identity, disability, age and other topics relevant to the priorities that intersect with the workplace and society at large. Engage in this full-day event that addresses current challenges in the Nordics, and gain insight into practical, impactful and measurable solutions.

JOIN US TO EXCHANGE IDEAS, EXPLORE SOLUTIONS TO DEIB RELATED CHALLENGES IN THE WORKPLACE AND SOCIETY. LEARN ACTIONABLE BEST PRACTICES TO IMPLEMENT TODAY.
Book your tickets here

Why attend the summit?
Join the first-ever Nordic-wide DEIB conference that gathers practitioners, leaders and companies to:
Get Targeted Insights

Attract and retain visibly diverse talents
Gain and share innovative ideas, insights & best practices
Improve your employer brand
Understand your customer better
Focus on the issues & solutions
Strategies to navigate workplace culture

Build Network

Learn & network with people in your field
Meet thought-leaders & industry experts
Make new connections & grow your network
Collaborate with industry leaders, DEIB practitioners & enthusiasts
Unlock diverse viewpoints
Decrease your diverse talent shortage

Be Inspired

Be inspired by best practices you can implement today
Springboard cultural & sustainable change at your workplace
Make better decisions & drive high performing teams
Expose yourself to bold ideas & exciting projects
Break out of your comfort zone
Learn something new

Who Should Attend?
C-Level Executives including but not limited to:

Chief Executive Officers
Chief Marketing Officers
Chief Diversity Officers
Chief Financial Officers
Chief Operating Officers
Chief Sustainability Officers

Vice Presidents and Directors of:

Sustainability
Human Resources
People & Talent Management
Operations
Sales & Partnerships

Professionals with responsibility for:

Diversity & Inclusion
Employee Relations & Engagement
Global Business, Ethics & Compliance
Learning and Development
Organization Culture
Talent Acquisition
DEIB practitioners, consultants, service providers & enthusiasts
All-level employees, job-seekers, students and individuals with an interest in DEIB
Policy makers, politicians, media personnel, journalists, writers, civil society, cross-sectoral NGOs

Cross-Cultural Soirée
2022-07-07 18:00 - 20:30 | HerSpace, Strandgata 19, Oslo, 0152, Norway
Join us for an evening soiree to celebrate the multiculturalism and diversity that surrounds us.

There will be food from different cultures, entertainment and discussions around our orange couch on allyship and cross-cultural communication.
Speakers and performers to be announced soon!
This event is being held in collaboration with Manifold and Stiftelsen RKF.
This event is FREE to attend.

About the Speakers
Mona Frank (she/her)
Mona is a social and cultural psychologist, the co-founder of Manifold Norway, and currently completing her second master’s degree in Social Anthropology, researching the Norwegian integration system with a focus on refugee politics. She was previously engaged as board member in the African Student Association at UiO. For several years, Mona has planned and arranged a wide range of seminars, anti-racism campaigns, lectures, solidarity events, and panel discussions addressing schemes related to the African diaspora in Norway.
In 2020, she was one of the main organizers of the “We can’t breathe: Justice for George Floyd” BLM demonstration in Oslo, as well as a series of events within the topics of racism, Islamophobia etc. This year, she has been assisting the initiative Noir Society (in Munich, Germany) in coordinating and providing humanitarian support for POC refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. Through her academic learning and her engagement in antiracist environments, Mona has grown to gain a deeper understanding of both theoretical and practical manifestations of racism and discrimination, prejudice, and intercultural communication. Mona practices allyship by emphasizing social justice, inclusion, and equity as well as continuing to learn, listen, and practice solidarity through her work and civic engagement.
Nikki Hayes (she/her)
Nikki is a development practitioner who is passionate about creating conscious and responsible communities. Nikki is analytical, energetic and creative in her work. She completed her Masters of International Development with a practical focus on participatory forms of development at RMIT University, Melbourne. She has experience working with immigrant and asylum seeker communities which where she began to develop curiosity and skill in diversity and inclusion, cultural intelligence and cross-cultural communication. She continues working within these areas at Diversify, where she project manages various events, discussions and initiatives.

Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: LGBTQIA+
2022-06-22 13:00 - 15:00 | HerSpace, Strandgata 19, Oslo, 0152, Norway
Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is imperative for a sustainable, competitive and innovative company and society at large. Diversity also goes beyond the outward perception of a company – it includes how the internal structures work and signal the value systems of an organization’s management or leadership team.
This series is designed by Diversify to centre Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace. We look forward to seeing you!

Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: LGBTQIA+
June is Pride Month, a month dedicated to uplifting LGBTQIA+ voices, celebrating LGBTQIA+ culture and supporting LGBTQIA+ rights. It commemorates the years of struggle for civil rights and the ongoing pursuit of justice, equity and equality for the LGBTQIA+ community.
LGBTQIA+ is an inclusive acronym that describes either a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning/queer, intersex, asexual/aromantic/agender, pansexual, and allies.
Gender identity describes a person’s internal sense of being female, male, or someone outside of that gender binary, while sexual orientation refers to ‘a person’s sexual and emotional attraction to another person and the behavior and/or social affiliation that may result from this attraction.’
People from the LGBTQIA+ community face discrimination and hate regularly in their personal lives, workplaces and in public spaces. Furthermore, the intersectionality of traits such as race, ethnicity, religion can influence their experience and lead to discrimination on multiple fronts. In the workplace, they’re subjected to microaggressions like being asked inappropriate questions and hearing homophobic jokes and comments. Conscious and unconscious bias can prevent them from being hired or getting a promotion or opportunity at work. Many LGBTQIA+ individuals feel the need to hide their identity in the workplace for fear of discrimination, which causes high levels of stress, anxiety and other mental health issues among them.
During this session of Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace, we will discuss how workplaces and organisations can create a genuinely inclusive culture for LGBTQIA+ employees. On an individual level, using pronouns in email signatures, on social media profiles, and stating them in meetings, being mindful of using gender neutral language and calling out discriminatory behaviours are some of the ways to be active allies.
For companies, using gender neutral language, diverse visuals on the website and options beyond male and female on the job application can help attract a more diverse workforce, while including anti-discrimination and harassment policies that address sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression as prohibited grounds of discrimination can help retain this workforce.
In this session, we will discuss

How can we ensure that workplaces have strong inclusive policies and practices in place?
How can they attract, successfully recruit and retain LGBTQIA+ talent?
How can companies create a safe environment for employees of all sexualities and gender expressions to reveal as much or as little as they want?
How can we, as individuals, be active allies to the LGBTQIA+ community?

Join us to explore these questions and many more.

This event is FREE to attend. Please register below to receive the zoom link.

About the speakers:

Chi Lee (they/them/theirs)
Chi is a practicing artist with over two decades of design/build experience, working with global retail companies such as Tiffany & Co., Ralph Lauren, Reed Krakoff, Tommy Hilfiger, and others. They are currently the resident carpenter of the Brooklyn Museum in Brooklyn, New York, focused on curating more accessible and inclusive experiences with art and culture through the built environment. Presently, Chi is completing their Masters Degree in Museum Studies at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Hannah Christin Lerfaldet (she/her)

Hannah is a diversity advisor and project manager at Vi er OSS. She is especially passionate about LGBTQIA+, diversity and mental health, and holds a masters degree in equality and diversity, from NTNU, Trondheim.
In addition to being the head of Trondheim Pride in 2018 and 2019, one of the biggest pride festivals in Norway, she has in recent years developed a chat service for young adults for Youth Mental Health Norway. When she’s not working, Hannah runs her own podcast about mental health.
Chisom Udeze (she/her)
Chisom is an Economist, Organizational Design and DEI Strategist, and a 3 times founder with over 12 years of experience working with organizations like the European Commission, The United Nations and ExxonMobil. Chisom has an analytical mind and works to interrogate the cross-sectoral relationship between society’s resources, production, distribution and output. She is adept at efficiently and effectively unlocking complex systems, data management, forecasting economic and social trends, and thrives in uncertain environments.
As the founder of Diversify, Chisom works with companies, governments and civil society to facilitate measurable diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace and society. In 2020, mid-pandemic, she founded HerSpace, a diverse and inclusive co-creation community for all genders, with particular focus on women-led companies and mothers. She is a thought-leader in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) and a passionate advocate for mental health and wellness.

Women in Leadership: Anne Omholt
2022-06-08 18:00 - 19:30 | HerSpace, Strandgata 19, Oslo, 0152, Norway
At HerSpace, we are proud to be part of a collective and necessary effort to be active participants in helping women advance in their social, personal and professional lives. We have designed the Women in Leadership series as a way to amplify the voices, stories and experiences of women. Our featured women speakers have diverse backgrounds, have reached milestones in their careers, and have made an impact in their industry and communities. We all benefit when stories of challenges and wins are shared. We offer their stories, knowledge and insights to help empower you in your own journey.
Women in Leadership is a recurring event that will feature an inspirational female leader every month. If you would like to nominate a woman in your network as a way to honor her work, please reach out so our collection can grow with our community.

About The Speaker: Anne Omholt
Anne is the PA to the CEO of Telenor Digital. She spent 24 years in the Telco industry and has reinvented herself over and over within the Telco environment. As a Portal Manager for the Intranet for Telenor Broadcast, she was responsible for internal communication. In her current role at Telenor Digital, she plans and ensures successful implementation of development and management activities for the management team and organization.
She is a relationship builder and believes that empowering employees and co-workers leads to increased productivity and instills a sense of pride. She is comfortable switching between strategic and operational thinking. She has a strong ability to execute work with a diversity, equality and inclusion lens. She is a lifelong learner and has experience from various industries and roles.

This is a hybrid event.
Cost
In-person: 150NOK (includes light refreshments)
Online: 100NOK
This event is co-produced by HerSpace, Diversify and Africa Connect.

Sharing the Power: Measurable practices to amplify DEIB initiatives.
2022-05-18 12:00 - 13:30
Blaze Inclusion Awards presents:
Sharing the Power: Measurable practices to amplify DEIB initiatives.
Panel Discussion #3

How can we ‘share the power’ to ensure that diverse voices, and particularly voices of people of minority and marginalised groups are heard and amplified? How can DEIB initiatives be measured to ensure lasting, conscious and positive impact? Moreover, how can DEIB initiatives further create an enabling environment that bridges the inequality and inequity gap across intersections?
The previous panel discussion (in March) explored ‘Including diverse voices in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging process’. To build on this discussion, it is important to assess the next steps – how exactly can we include diverse voices? How do we get them in the rooms where decisions are made, and how can we ensure that DEIB initiatives are conscious and inclusive?
During this event, we will speak with five DEIB practitioners who represent each of the participating countries.
More information on the panelists coming soon.
In the meantime, register your participation below.
The Blaze Inclusion Awards are an initiative by Diversify, and co-produced by HerSpace and The Annual.

The Blaze Inclusion Awards celebrate and illuminate the trailblazers – individuals and organizations – who actively and passionately uplift Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives in their workspaces, communities and society overall. With a focus on the Nordic region, the Blaze Awards highlight the champions in each country and finally give recognition to the outstanding individuals and organisations whose practices within the DEIB agenda shine beyond borders.

We are currently in the nomination phase of the Blaze Inclusion Awards!
Do you know a company or individual who is doing outstanding work to further DEIB? You can nominate them here. There are six different categories to choose from: The Trailblazer, The Catalyst, The Synergist, The Guardian, The Spark and The Groundbreaker.
Each category seeks to shine a light on a different area, from individual practitioners, to workplaces, to those working with innovation, the media, community engagement and the environment.

Finland: Kamilla Sultanova

Kamilla is a bridge-builder, public speaker and diversity and inclusion expert, mother and mentor based in Helsinki, Finland.
Previously Kamilla has held a successful career in corporate sales in Scandinavian shipping companies including Maersk Line, where she combined her advocacy roles in European women’s lobby and local Danish and Finnish NGO to support access to job market for immigrants and international talents. Combining her business and non-profit expertise from Global Dignity NGO, Kamilla speaks to and trains executives, students and educators on benefits of diverse teams in organizational innovation and growth for small and large, public and private employers.
Kamilla was born in Karshi, Uzbekistan. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Corporate Communication from Aarhus University in Denmark.

ity
Denmark: Jessica Pedraza
Jessica Bridgette Pedraza’s educational and professional background has heavily centred on addressing the inequities facing under-resourced communities and dismantling inequity and prejudice through different mediums such as educational inclusion and strengthen-based research. Recently, she has used her qualitative and quantitative skills have allowed her to help organizations co-create working environments that move diversity, equity, and inclusion forward for employees worldwide.

This event is FREE to attend. Please register HERE to receive the zoom link.

Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: Neurodiversity
2022-04-20 13:00 - 15:00
Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is imperative for a sustainable, competitive and innovative company and society at large. Diversity also goes beyond the outward perception of a company – it includes how the internal structures work and signal the value systems of an organization’s management or leadership team.
This series is designed by Diversify to centre Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace. We look forward to seeing you!

Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: Neurodiversity

Neurodiversity describes the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many different ways; there is no one “right” way of thinking, learning, and behaving, and differences are not viewed as deficits. (Harvard Health)
The word neurodiversity refers to differences within ALL people. However, it is often used to refer to those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as other neurological or developmental conditions such as ADHD or learning disabilities, where differences in behaviour and learning can be more apparent.
During this session of Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace we will explore how workplaces, recruiters and we as individuals in our everyday interactions can become more aware of neurodiversity. By making conscious “accommodations”, neurodivergant people can be better included. With this awareness of neurodivergant ways of learning and behaving, neurodiversity can be accepted and celebrated, rather than excluded.
These accommodations can be things such as:

the way we communicate (avoiding sarcasm, euphemisms, and implied messages)
paying attention to what words you use (person first language)
the set up of a workplace to be considerate of sound sensitivity and movement (allowing regular breaks or the use of fidget toys, for example)

Join us to hear from our panelists about their lived experience and to learn what can be done to create a more inclusive workplace and society.

This event is FREE to attend. Please register HERE to receive the zoom link.

Panelists
Rune-André Tveit (he/him)

Rune-André is an entrepreneurial minded person with a passion for sharing his knowledge and experience. Rune has started Excalibur Startup Academy which aims to democratize knowledge on entrepreneurship by offering webcourses, coaching and workshops. Their webcourse Grunderformelen, which is a fully self paced online course, consists of twelve modules on a variety of topics which will give aspiring entrepreneurs the tools they need to execute their ideas. In the course you will learn from entrepreneurs, investors, consultants and people that teach business.
At the age of seven, Rune was diagnosed as dyslectic. This became a negative label for him all throughout school, and because of it he had to work twice as hard! But at the age 30 he realized he had been wrongly diagnosed as a kid, as he realized he had ADHD. That’s when things fell in to place and things got easier. In this session he’ll share his perspectives on the importance of Neurodiversity.

Nesceda Blake (she/her)
Nesceda Blake is an autistic woman and performing arts producer from Melbourne, Australia. She endeavours to create positive change in the world around her by sharing her neurodivergent experiences.
Her posts and article on LinkedIn have received over 900,000 views, with thousands of individuals learning how to make the working world a better place for neurodivergent people. Nesceda has also begun speaking with employers, entrepreneurs and recruiters to spread the word about neuro-inclusivity, and challenges businesses to rethink how diversity and inclusion practices can achieve actual equity.
Nesceda currently works as a Senior Officer, Student Theatre and Engagement at La Trobe University, where she gets to share her passion for the arts with emerging student creatives.

Chisom Udeze (she/her)
Chisom is an Economist, Organizational Design and DEI Strategist, and a 3 times founder with over 12 years of experience working with organizations like the European Commission, The United Nations and ExxonMobil. Chisom has an analytical mind and works to interrogate the cross-sectoral relationship between society’s resources, production, distribution and output. She is adept at efficiently and effectively unlocking complex systems, data management, forecasting economic and social trends, and thrives in uncertain environments.
As the founder of Diversify, Chisom works with companies, governments and civil society to facilitate measurable diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace and society. In 2020, mid-pandemic, she founded HerSpace, a diverse and inclusive co-creation community for all genders, with particular focus on women-led companies and mothers. She is a thought-leader in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) and a passionate advocate for mental health and wellness.

Women's Circle
2022-04-19 18:00 - 20:00 | HerSpace, Strandgata 19, Oslo, 0152, Norway
Women’s Circle is a non judgmental, gently facilitated listening and support group for women to hold space and show up for ourselves and each other. The session is an opportunity to find stillness, connection and solidarity; a space to speak your truth, if you feel moved to and process what is present in you. Inspired by peer counselling approaches and Brigid Russell’s Spaces for Listening, the format provides equal opportunity for all who want to share what is on their mind and in their heart.
We invite you to make S P A C E and find sanctuary in compassionate connection, to benefit from the wisdom of other women by witnessing their stories, pains and triumphs. Women’s Circle is a unique and rare space to let go of the identity veils we maintain, to come exactly as you are and connect with people that empathise with your situation and hold space for your unique set of circumstances and experiences. You are invited to share as much or as little as you wish, or just listen to others.
The session will be gently facilitated and will include poems, prose and other offerings to guide discussion and support reflection. There will be an opportunity to stay and chat after the session, with warm tea by candlelight.
When you leave this session we hope you will feel nurtured and lifted in your spirit. We look forward to seeing you.
** Please note that in order to create a safe and supportive space, we will “close the doors” and begin promptly at 18:05. Please arrive on time. **

Cost: NOK100. You can buy ticket HERE.
**This event is free for HerSpace members.**
Maximum attendees: 12
We want this event to be accessible to all. If your financial situation is preventing you from attending this event, please email nikki@herspace.no.

Selena Støback
Selena Støback is a mental health innovation advocate and women’s rights activist, with a background in driving policy and systems change through radical collaboration and capacity building. Selena is a trained peer counsellor, qualified Mental Health First Aid instructor, and a long serving active listener with Samaritans UK. Selena values deep listening and dialogue as the best way to solve problems.
