Empowering Communities: Impact, Identity, and Corporate Social Responsibility with Adriana Dawson

In this compelling episode, we sit down with Adriana Dawson, Director of Community Engagement and a trailblazer in creating impact, representing her identity, and ensuring corporate social responsibility. Adriana shares her inspiring journey as a first-generation Latina. Her story sheds light on the importance of diversity and the need for people of color to be decision-makers at the table. One of the key themes explored in this episode is the power of empowering communities and changing spaces. Adriana discusses the significance of creating opportunities for people of color to have a seat at the table and make influential decisions.  Adriana emphasizes the role of businesses in becoming better corporate citizens. She delves into the concept of operating at the intersection of business, profit, people, and purpose. By aligning these elements, businesses can not only thrive but also contribute to the betterment of society.  Lastly, Adriana highlights the importance of building strong relationships and working collaboratively with partners. She shares her experiences of working arm-in-arm with various organizations and stakeholders to create meaningful change.  Key takeaways from this episode include: Cross-sector coalition building is key Allow yourself to learn and then jump in Leverage community strengths Tune in to this thought-provoking episode as Adriana Dawson shares her wisdom, experiences, and insights on empowering communities, corporate social responsibility, and building relationships for impactful change.  About Our Guest Adriana Dawson Adriana Dawson is a nationally recognized social impact leader who has been driving results at the intersection of Purpose + People + Profit for over 20 years.  Her multi-sector career led her to the telecommunications industry in 2019 when she joined Verizon as Community Engagement Director, where she currently oversees the Verizon Foundation and social impact programming efforts for her markets. In this role she leads and expands Verizon’s partnership network, strategic investments, and collaborates up and across the enterprise supporting regional and national initiatives. In addition, she serves as a Global Lead for SOMOS, an enterprise-wide Employee Resource Group (ERG) giving voice to Verizon’s 5K+ Hispanic/Latinx employees. Adriana, a first generation-professional, earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from Northeastern University and holds a Master of Arts in Management Communication from Emerson College.   Contact Adriana Dawson LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianadawson/⁠Email: [email protected] REQUEST A CONSULTATION WITH WENDIE Request a free 15-minute consultation to discuss your social enterprise fill out this form at https://wendieveloz.com/contact  SHOP OUR MERCHANDISE Get your sustainability is a vibe shirt. JOIN THE SOCIAL IMPACT LEVEL UP COLLECTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA:  Visit the podcast website to check out all the episodes. Subscribe to the Social Impact Level Up on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Join the Social Impact Level Up Collective on Clubhouse Get our newsletter on LinkedIn CONNECT WITH WENDIE Visit this page to learn about my upcoming social impact masterclasses and events. Follow Wendie on Instagram, her Handle is @WendieVeloz Follow Wendie on LinkedIn Follow Wendie on Twitter Follow Wendie on Clubhouse Follow Wendie on Facebook Follow Wendie on YouTube Email: [email protected] (Email me to request a social impact consultation or podcast guest requests) RESOURCES FOR SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS We recommend these digital solutions to help grow your social enterprise.  Website hosting through Site Ground.  Record or livestream with StreamYard. Podcast, video, and audio editing with Descript. Manage your email list with Flodesk. Solopreneur and small business banking with Novo. Create courses and communities with LearnWorlds *Some of these may be affiliate links.