About Us
At BeInspired, we know that every client is truly unique, with their own story of success and challenges. No client is expected to fit into a one-size-fits-all box in relation to addressing organizational change around issues of race and social justice and the talent and leadership development it requires.
We are attuned to addressing our clients' needs and driving a strategic approach on a quantitative and qualitative basis while keeping the true essence of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as the foundation.
This kind of discipline is critical to our clients’ work and to the organization's individual and collective DEI journey:
DIVERSITY focuses on people, perspectives, and thought.
EQUITY examines position, policy, and practice.
INCLUSION encompasses organizational culture, voice, and power.
Our Philosophy
Our DEI philosophy is grounded in the principles of Anti-Racism. Anti-racist consciousness and behavior mean having the self-awareness, knowledge, and skills — as well as the confidence, patience, and persistence — to challenge, interrupt, modify and erode any manifestations of racism within one’s sphere of influence. This approach acknowledges that while DEI is the foundation, we cannot have true liberation and collective impact unless we examine staff and culture at the individual level.
Jamaal Nelson
FOUNDER & Principal
J. Nelson has wide and deep experience as a manager in various arenas, ranging from electoral (Field Director for over two dozen state legislative and congressional campaigns and New York State Deputy Finance Director for a Presidential candidate), VP at high performing nonprofits, labor organizing, and educational advocacy spaces.
J. has helped mobilize over 5 million people over the course of his organizing career. His management practice is undergoing ongoing refinement in the crucible of many past, present, and—most assuredly—future mistakes. J's managerial experience runs the spectrum including building teams from scratch, inheriting teams, managing complex organizational change, managing through layers of management, managing toward ambitious/inspiring goals, and managing major organizational cultural shifts.
Additionally, J. has managed in diverse organizational structures including both hierarchical and matrixed formulations and every-
-thing in between. J's trainings are marked by high energy, transparency and a sincere attempt at humor. Ever practical, he is deeply committed to equipping participants with managerial best practices that they could learn in the early morning and implement in the late morning (had they not been in a training with J). J. is dedicated to seeing every manager reach their full leadership potential. J. earned his undergraduate degree at Vanderbilt University and an M.Div at Harvard Divinity School.
