Meet Martha Caldwell | Inclusivity consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Martha Caldwell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Martha, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I worked as a middle school writing teacher for 25 years and used storytelling to launch inquiries into identity. Every year, students of color told stories about teachers questioning their intelligence, store clerks following them in stores, and classmates calling them racial slurs on the playground. Young women talked about their struggle to hold onto their confidence as they faced an onslaught of demeaning stereotypes. Young men talked about the pressure to hide their feelings to appear tough and in control. Gender nonconforming students grappled with blatant homophobia and transphobia from peers and adults alike.
Year after year, the faces changed, but the stories stayed the same. These kids were growing up in environments where core components of their identities weren’t recognized or affirmed, and the pain this caused was evident in their stories. I knew we needed a cultural shift, but nothing seemed to be changing, I wanted to make a bigger difference, reach more people. So in 2012, Oman Frame and I started iChange Collaborative to conduct professional development seminars for teachers. Since then, we expanded to work with businesses and nonprofits. What we’ve learned in the last 10 years is that these same patterns of experience are just as prevalent in the workplace as they are in schools. There are distinct patterns of experience depending on a person’s social location, and we use iChange Collaborative as a platform to amplify these stories. By hearing each other’s stories, people can begin to make real change and build real relationships.

What should our readers know about your business?
The core group of folks at iChange Collaborative are veteran teachers, and we’re all guided by a deep sense of vision and purpose. We’re impact driven, so we need to see our clients making progress. It’s not enough to check a box; we want our clients to take action. It’s exciting for us to see progress, to see people feeling more engaged and proud to be a part of their organization.

One thing that sets us apart is that we understand transformational change. Change doesn’t happen on an intellectual level; we can’t just think our way through change. Change has deep emotional and social dimensions. We create experiences for people that touch on these multiple domains of experience.
Another thing that makes us different is that we operate as a diverse and inclusive collaborative ourselves. We know that no one can do this kind of work alone. We have to do the deep relational work with each other so we can model it with our clients. We’re in constant conversation with each other about our own identity experiences, and we know how to leverage that experience with our clients. We always work in diverse teams so that we those different perspectives are represented.

In terms of the business, we’ve taken the slow road to growth. I left my day job to focus on developing the business five years ago, and, of course, the demands have been relentless. I have to say there are two key rewards that keep me going. One is the amazing team of experts I get to work with. The second is seeing that our work truly makes a difference for our clients. Being part of a change process that enables people to thrive is exhilarating.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are so many spots in Atlanta and so much local history. The National Center for Civil and Human Rights would definitely be on the list. For someone open to feminine images of the divine, the Goddess Garden Atlanta is a must see. Shasta Zaring and the women of the garden curate outdoor altars and shrines to goddesses from all over the world. Charis Bookstores is a true gem. Frazier Forest is an old growth forest tucked in the heart of the city. Long walks through Atlanta neighborhoods and along the bike path lead to some very cool destinations.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to thank my team – Danielle Stewart, Treava Milton, Oman Frame, and Wendy Rose – for being mirrors to me, for keeping me honest, holding me accountable, and being my friends and radical kin. The authenticity we practice in our relationships with each other is a model of what we preach and teach.

Website: www.ichangecollaborative.com

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