Today we’d like to introduce you to Shakeer Abdullah
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’m Dr. Shakeer Abdullah, The DEI Optimist! I have been fortunate to have lived a life of curiosity. Ever since I was a little boy in Akron and Canton, Ohio, I have been intrigued by the world around me. I met people from all over the world as a little boy and first travelled internationally before I was 10 years old.
I grew up poor as the 4th oldest of 20 siblings from a blended family. However, I never knew we were poor. My parents always made sure we had what we needed and provided resources and support for our education. This commitment to education led to me being enrolled in a school across town from my neighborhood and away from my siblings. This school gave me a an advanced education and helped set me up for future success. I got to know kids from all over Canton and from all kinds of backgrounds and this continued to help grow my appreciation for differences among people.
My education was enhanced by my participation in athletics in high school and college. The lessons of teamwork, patience, communication, and discipline that I learned from playing football for all of those years have carried over into my professional and personal life.
All of these experiences as a young person prepared me for the world beyond northeast Ohio. College opened my world even more and led to graduate school and time spent in other countries and that exposure gave me more hope than ever for the positive potential of the world. I eventually earned a PhD by researching Multicultural Competence. I worked for more than 20 years in higher education and in diversity, equity and inclusion and all of these experiences affirmed my optimism that the world is better when we are more connected and engaged that we will continue to be more connected and engaged if we remain curious.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I have been fortunate, to paraphrase Langston Hughes, life to me has been a crystal stair. Every obstacle that I have encountered has been a lesson to learn from and my setbacks have been few and far in between. Like the Notorious B.I.G, I took ‘the ladder to success, escalator style.’ My professional success was quick and early, I was promoted routinely and had a lot of success, so I can’t complain. Even when faced with challenges, I have always been able to bounce back. I attribute that to an attitude of gratitude for everything. All praise is due to God for every success and every set back. Certainly there were times when I had to study more, bounce back from poor grades or job losses, but overall, things have been really good for me personally and professionally. This just may be my nature. My name, Shakeer is Arabic and means ‘one who is grateful’ and I truly try to embody that.
We’ve been impressed with Practical Diversity Associates, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am the DEI Optimist and the Founder and Lead Consultant for Practical Diversity Associates. Pracdiv.com is a full service Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consulting firm that works with organizations and individuals to support their DEI goals. We use an asset based approach to our work and provide clients with the Knowledge, Skills, and Awareness to work with co-workers, clients, suppliers and community members who are similar or different from them. We offer in person and virtual trainings, keynote speeches, DEI assessments, and other tailored trainings as needed. My work is more important than ever and I’m excited to help people who are interested in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I’m excited about the opportunity to support and work with people who believe in the future of our shared diverse world! There is so much work to be done to learn more about our friends and neighbors both near and far and this can only be done if we remain curious about the world around us.
Pricing:
- $15 for The Practical Diversity Workbook
- $500 per hour for 1 on 1 DEI Coaching
- $499 per DEI Course
- $1500 DEI Assessment
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pracdiv.com
- Instagram: @shak1906
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Practical-Diversity-Associates/100063576251158/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Twitter: @Shak06
- Youtube: @practicaldiversityassociat5494
Image Credits
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