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Ep. 108: Brittany Edwards and Khiana Lowe of Incorp[HER]ated Break Down Barriers in Male-Dominated Industries

“There’s so much value in letting people help you. It’s okay. Don’t be afraid to talk about your idea. Don’t be afraid to try…” – Khiana Lowe

In this episode of the Women Killing It! podcast, host Sally Hubbard introduces us to Brittany Edwards and Khiana Lowe, the co-founders of Incorp[HER]ated, a women-led diversity organization that builds community and cultivates meaningful conversations in the sneaker, fashion, music and tech space. They’re working to create new, more authentic narratives surrounding women in male-dominated industries.

As two women with engineering degrees, Brittany and Khiana know what it feels like to be one of a few and understand the power of representation and support. With Incorp[HER]ated, they’re “encouraging the next generation of leaders, doers and thinkers to pursue their passions,” by introducing them to different opportunities. Brittany and Khiana incorporate men into all of their initiatives because they want to illustrate the importance of diversity and inclusion to them and because they understand the need for male allies.

“By pulling in our male friends and exposing them, they’re just kind of into it because it’s not like we’re featuring women who aren’t doing anything. We’re featuring awesome women and awesome industries. So inevitably people are going to be down. It’s just getting them in the door.” – Brittany Edwards

Incorp[HER]ated is hosting their second annual Straight to Feet event in December. It’s focused on recognizing the changing sneaker industry and how the Incorp[HER]ated community can make it a more sustainable space for everyone.

The two-part event consists of a workshop for high school students and a speaker series for the general public that brings together the sneaker community to showcase its talents and stories. This year’s theme explores environmental and social sustainability – maintaining relevance in the digital age. They will look at how brands are staying relevant in today’s world and examining their responsibilities to society.

The speaker series and exhibit is on Saturday, December 8th, 2018 at Brooklyn Commons in Brooklyn, NY. The exhibition will feature projects by students and brands that will give guests a chance to engage through multiple mediums.

“You don’t have to wait to pursue your passion. You don’t necessarily have to quit your job. You just have to be strategic about it and be dedicated because there’s a lot that you can learn from working a corporate environment that you can take with you to implementing like for your side hustle like a smaller business.” – Khiana Lowe

Listener Bonus: Stay tuned to the end of this episode, to hear Alli Young, CEO of the Forum, talk about one of her five critical skills for women to bring their career to the next level… negotiation.