Thriving in Intersectionality — Dr. Lola Adeyemo on Redefining Immigrant Leadership in Corporate America

In this eye-opening episode, host Mitch Carson sits down with Dr. Lola Adeyemo — organizational leader, author of Thriving in Intersectionality, and founder of Immigrants in Corporate — to explore what it really means to belong in the modern workplace.

Born and raised in Nigeria, Dr. Adeyemo came to the U.S. and spent over 16 years navigating the complexities of identity, race, and inclusion in corporate America. As both a Nigerian immigrant and a Black woman, she learned firsthand how overlapping identities shape one’s voice, visibility, and value in professional spaces that often see “diversity” through a narrow lens.

Dr. Adeyemo unpacks the unspoken realities of immigrant professionals — from cultural misunderstandings and microaggressions to the tension between being labeled “Black” versus “African American.” Her story reveals the subtle ways identity can both empower and isolate — and how understanding intersectionality can transform workplaces from the inside out.

Through her company EQI Mindset and nonprofit Immigrants in Corporate, she helps HR and DEI leaders build programs that go beyond checkboxes — turning employee resource groups (ERGs) into strategic, human-centered communities that drive retention, innovation, and belonging.

Listeners will gain deep insight into:

• The hidden challenges immigrant professionals face beyond race and gender labels

• How corporate ERGs can evolve from social groups to business impact hubs

• The cultural tension between immigrant and Black American colleagues — and how to bridge it

• Why vulnerability and relationship-based leadership outperform authority-driven management

• How generational and cultural shifts are reshaping leadership expectations worldwide

• The importance of reclaiming one’s accent, authenticity, and story as tools of empowerment

  
  

Dr. Adeyemo’s journey from isolation to influence is both personal and practical — a roadmap for professionals who want to lead inclusively, and for organizations ready to listen beyond stereotypes.

This episode is a masterclass in identity, leadership, and the future of inclusion — told through the lens of someone who’s lived it.

📘 Thriving in Intersectionality — Available now in print and audiobook

🌍 Connect with Dr. Lola Adeyemo:
🌐 www.eqi-mindset.com
🌐 www.immigrantsincorporate.org
📸 Instagram: @drloladeyemo
💼 LinkedIn: Dr. Lola Adeyemo

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