Graci Harkema, international, inspirational public speaker and best-selling author, inspiring us all to rise in authenticity, inclusion, and belonging.
You don’t have to be born in a mud hut to have a story.
We all have a story. We all have a purpose.
Keynotes
Inspirational, powerful keynotes of Graci’s life, rising through adversity, living more authentically, building inclusion, finding belonging, and rising in inclusive leadership.
Workshops
Inspirational, interactive, and engaging workshops focused on building more inclusive environments, fostering belonging, allyship, and leadership.
media
Graci in the news. Book Graci for media speaking engagements, interviews, author talks, and book signing events.
Keynotes
30-60 minutes | In-Person and Virtual
Inspirational keynote presentation of Graci Harkema’s powerful life story and lessons of rising through adversity, vulnerability, identity, and belonging as an international, transracial adoptee, queer, business leader, woman of color.
Through storytelling of Graci’s experiences, participants will learn and receive takeaways on the importance of fostering belonging, building safe and inclusive environments, being an inclusive leader, and leaning how to live and work more authentically.
Keynote Topics
Rising through Adversity: Born amidst civil unrest, in a mud hut in the Congo, to being a business leader in boardrooms amidst career pitfalls, Graci has learned to rise from adversity time and time again. Comfortable situations allow us to stay comfortable, but growth doesn’t come from comfort. When we encounter tragedy, disappointment, rejection, or closed doors, we have the decision to sit and wallow in it, or we can change what we can control and rise to something greater. The greatest act of resiliency is simply not giving up. Be empowered to find the tools to create, innovate, and change what we can to rise through the adversity.
Rising in Authenticity & Belonging: Riveting inspiration of Graci Harkema’s life experiences from the mud hut to the boardroom and the impact of living more authentically, finding belonging, and rising through adversity. Audiences will be inspired to embrace their identities, find acceptance and belonging within themselves, so we can foster it in the world around us and build more safe and inclusive environments. Participants will learn the power of their voices by tapping into their inner strength to rise through adversity, while empowering others. Participants will be inspired to rise into their mental wellbeing and exemplify authenticity in the way they live and lead.
Rising in Inclusive Leadership: Inspirational storytelling of inclusive leadership through Graci’s career and life experiences. Audience will gain understanding of meeting our people where they are at and be a more inclusive leader and exemplify allyship. Leadership at any level is a process of growth and vulnerability. Hear Graci’s inspirational lessons of overcoming adversity, empowering others, rising into mental wellbeing, finding belonging, rising in inclusion, and living and leading more authentically.
Rising in Pride: Graci’s vulnerable story of coming out, identifying as LGBTQ+ and becoming a voice in the Queer community. Participants will learn and celebrate the history of LGBTQ+ Pride and contribute to increased belonging in the workplace by learning how to be an ally. Be inspired to find joy in our queer identities, be empowered in allyship, and see our identities as our super powers, not our shame.
learning objectives
Be empowered to find resiliency within us, innovate, create, and change what we can to rise through adversity
Be empowered to exemplify authenticity in the way you show up in the world.
Be inspired to build an inclusive environment and foster belonging within ourselves and in the world around you.
Learn tangible steps to meet our people where they are and be a more inclusive leader.
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“Your story is powerful and I’m so grateful you were able to share it with our team. Your message is important and I’m glad you’ve stepped fully into this space that you were clearly designed to occupy.”
“By far the best keynote presenter I have had the pleasure of hearing. Graci Harkema brought me to tears, and I felt so motivated and empowered through her story. ”
Workshops
1-2 hours in duration | In-Person or Virtual
Graci Harkema’s workshops are inspirational, interactive, and engaging. Participants learn the business case of diversity, equity and inclusion, learn to build more inclusive environments where members are empowered to thrive as their authentic selves, recognize our unconscious biases and how to control them, and rise in authenticity and inclusive leadership. The workshops are an opportunity for organizations in all industries to build more equitable environments, increase collaboration, communication, and teamwork.
workshops
Rising in Inclusion & Overcoming Bias: Graci Harkema’s inspirational and powerful flagship 90-minute interactive training which meets you where you are at in your journey to help you gain a deeper meaning of diverse identities, learn to check and recognize our biases to execute more intentional decision making, and create a more inclusive environment.
“Wow! Your workshop is very powerful.” —Workshop Attendee
Rising in Mitigating Microaggressions: 90-minute interactive training of understanding how bias can create intentional or unintentional microaggressions. Microaggressions can negatively impact the way we communicate. Learn what microaggressions are, how to adequately respond, and how to build a more inclusive environment by fostering more effective ways of working and communicating together by recognizing and understanding how to mitigate microaggressions.
“Graci was a wonderful presenter with relevant examples. The breakouts prompted good discussion. I have a better understanding of microaggressions and gained tools on how to approach them differently.” —Workshop Attendee
Rising in Inclusion & Fair Housing: 100-minute interactive workshop on creating environments of equality and belonging by implementing fair housing through legal historical context and inclusion practices for REALTORS®. Certified by Michigan Realtors® for 1 Legal CE credit and 1 Fair Housing CE credit.
“Graci is absolutely the best of the best. She speaks with compassion, and she captivates her audience every time!” —Professional Realtor
“Graci is absolutely amazing and should be at every Michigan Realtors event.” —The Convention Attendee
Rising in Inclusive Leadership & Allyship: 90-minute workshop where you will learn tangible steps to be an inclusive leader, leverage emotional intelligence, manage crucial conversations in the workplace, and exemplify authenticity in leadership.
Rising in Allyship—Student Edition: 2-hour interactive workshop meets students where they are to learn tangible steps to see their identities as their strengths, value others’ identities, learn the power of their voice and how to use it in supporting and advocating for themselves and others.
Rising in Inclusion & Belonging: 90-minute inspirational and interactive workshop on building an inclusive workplace. Understand the importance of fostering belonging. Learn tangible steps to be an inclusive leader and ally, while implementing action steps and continued learning for inclusion. Great for team-building.
Rising in Pride: 60-minute inspirational and interactive workshop on LGBTQ+ inclusivity and the history of Pride. Hear Graci’s vulnerable story of coming out, identifying as LGBTQ+. Be inspired to find joy in our queer identities, be empowered to rise in allyship, and see our identities as our super powers, not our shame.
Learning Objectives
Understand organizational business case for authenticity, inclusion, and belonging.
More effectively learn how to build an inclusive environment and foster belonging.
Identify ways to address and check our biases.
Implement action steps and continued learning for authenticity and inclusion.
Participate in team-building and team-bonding with other participants.
Learn ways to more authentically show up in the workplace and in your world.
"Graci brings authenticity and her powerful story which allows her audience to be vulnerable and feel safe. She is informative, impactful and inspires you to lean in and be an ally. We highly recommend her to any organization."
— Amway Hotel Corporation
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“Graci is a passionate, compassionate, and energizing speaker. Her ability to connect with her audience and successfully unpack a really difficult and emotionally-charged topic in a way that’s absolutely relatable to the entire room is nothing short of amazing.”
“Thank you Graci Harkema for sharing your insights in ‘Rising in Inclusion & Overcoming Bias’ workshop. I felt very positive to hear thoughtful conversations. The point which struck me - WE all have a bias, WE all make mistakes and WE all make judgments. Yet, if we seek to understand and respect one another, we can make a change.”
Media
Available now | In-Person and Virtual
Graci Harkema is available to be your guest for media and news interviews, podcasts, panels, and book signing events on all topics related to authenticity, identity, belonging, leadership, racial equity, LGBTQ+ inclusivity, adoption, family services, female empowerment, and her memoir, RISING.
in the news:
Let’s connect on details, customization options, and pricing here
“Graci has done the research to understand our brand and she’s able to provide concrete advice on communication, marketing, and inclusion that aligns with our foundation. She understands our company, but more importantly simply understands people. She consults with patience, confidence and encouragement. ”
“Graci brings an open and personal touch to the deep process of diving into difficult topics. It’s in this “safe space” that we were able to learn, grow and change.”
graci harkema’s Bio
Graci Harkema is an international, inspirational public speaker and author of her memoir, Rising: From a Mud Hut to the Boardroom—and Back Again. Born in a mud hut with a slim chance of survival, amidst civil unrest in the Congo, Harkema’s life began with rising through adversity. After having a life expectancy of 12-24 hours, through divine intervention, Harkema was adopted and had the opportunity of survival. After moving to the United States and growing up in a homogenous area, Harkema longed for belonging and acceptance. While continuing to rise through adversities, she learned how to embrace her identities and live more authentically, while fostering belonging within herself and in the world around her.
Harkema's work with Fortune 500 companies to small organizations inspires all to rise in authenticity, inclusion, and belonging. Her writing on authenticity in the workplace has been published in Harvard Business Review. She has been featured in global media outlets including Forbes, NBC News, and Medium. Crain's Grand Rapids Business has recognized Harkema as a two-time 40 Under Forty Business Leader in West Michigan, one of the 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan, and five-time honoree of one of the 200 Most Influential Business Leaders in West Michigan. A graduate in communications from Grand Valley State University, Harkema enjoys giving back to the community by volunteering with local boards and organizations. Graci lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with her dog Teddy Roosevelt.
“Wow! Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. Your workshop is very powerful. I tend to think about diversity in terms of race, gender and age, but you opened up that definition for me today, as well as the broader idea of bias.”
“Thank you for the learning opportunity with Graci Harkema today! Wow! Powerful words of resilience with Graci Harkema.”
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