By Soraya Morris

Being an ally and supporter of your diverse staff, colleagues and friends within our industry involves intentionality, vulnerability and the quest for lifelong learning.

As a black woman within the financial services industry, I am forever grateful for the allies who have promoted, supported, mentored and sponsored me throughout my career.

If you are looking to be more intentional as an ally or to hear diverse perspectives with the industry, check out the three podcasts I recommend below:

1. Trailblazers 2050

Rianka Dorsival is an experienced financial planner, popular speaker and a refreshingly honest thought-leader on the topic of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion within our industry.

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Over the course of six seasons, Rianka has hosted a wide array of guests and discussed topics such as, ‘using your privilege as a white woman,’ ‘LGBTQ inclusion in the financial planning profession’ and ‘how one small business owner is advancing diversity’. I highly recommend listening to these or any of the Trailblazers 2050 podcast episodes.

With only 15 % of women representing the total Financial Advisor makeup (and an even lower percentage for women of color), the next two podcasts take on the important work of highlighting the stories of woman working and leading within the financial services industry.

2. Her Success Matters

HER Success Matters brings together some of the most successful woman in the financial services industry and each story is truly inspiring. Christine and guests not only acknowledge the unique challenges and barriers that women face but they offer real life examples and actionable solutions.

3. In the Suite

Tina Powell and her team are marketing gurus for Financial Professionals and her podcast strives to tell ‘inspiring stories of female leaders’. Throughout each episode you will hear the background of each woman, their insights, mistakes and advice for those aspiring to leadership roles themselves.

As you listen to these three podcasts and hear the stories shared, I pose you with three challenges. I challenge you to reflect, acknowledge and remedy any implicit biases that you noticed you may bring to our great industry.

I challenge you to think through any systematic changes that can be made on your firm level that can resolve any of the challenges you hear shared by the podcast hosts or guests. Lastly, I challenge you to push yourself past your comfort of being an ally, to the next level of becoming a sponsor for one of your diverse colleagues.

Soraya Morris, assistant vice president of training, strategy innovation for the Advisor Institute, is responsible for the delivery of live and virtual trainings to new and experienced financial advisors. She is passionate about increasing racial, gender and age diversity within the financial services industry.