Critical Conversations
Wednesday, August 12, 2020

LaDonna Witmer Willems

Finding—and using—your true voice can be a really difficult thing to do. Many of us have been trained from a young age to take a seat and raise our hands to ask for permission to speak. Even the most accomplished, most outspoken, most self-aware still end up taking a backseat—often unconsciously—when we should be standing up and shouting.

In this talk, LaDonna Witmer Willems takes lessons learned in two decades of brand building—and in her own journey from silence to the stage—and turns them into tools you can use to unlock the power of your own personal voice.

You will learn how to:

  • Recognize the things that silence you
  • Understand why your voice matters
  • Identify your true voice (not the auto-tuned social media version)
  • Stand up and say your piece—or sit down and write it/draw it/ paint it

Who will benefit most from this course?

Anyone who has felt marginalized or silenced or unsure of how or when or where to speak up. You will learn how to harness the power of your voice and understand the importance of making yourself heard.

As one of the editorial gurus on the Dropbox Brand Studio team, LaDonna Witmer Willems helps create and facilitate the best and most powerful expression of the Dropbox voice in all its forms. Along her personal journey to own her voice, LaDonna has been a journalist, copywriter, copy director, and poet. Find her on Twitter @wordsbyladonna.

Details

Dates
August 12, 2020
Time
2:00-3:30pm PDT
Location
Online
Audience
Gladstone

Critical Conversations was launched in 2020 as a way for Gladstone community members to challenge and empower themselves by considering different ways of thinking through the lens of others. These discussions will encourage you to reframe or shift your perspective. All community members are encouraged to participate and continue the dialogue outside this forum.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At Gladstone, we are committed to providing events and professional development activities that resonate with our community’s diverse members. Our goal is to develop creative programming that encompasses a wide variety of ideas and perspectives to inspire, educate, and engage with everyone within our walls.

We want to effect positive change through our events and activities by providing a platform for discussions on important topics related to increasing diversity and inclusiveness in the sciences.