Exploring Life & Business with Syah B. of Syah B. Consulting

Today we’d like to introduce you to Syah B. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’m originally from Little Rock, AR. My high school was Little Rock Central High School. Central is a historical landmark as the site of the first southern school to be integrated by a group of black students known as “The Little Rock Nine.” Around 10th grade, I attended a 2-day field trip that turned out to be a social justice camp for teenagers. That experience was so impactful, it encouraged me to come out as queer. I went on to volunteer in future years and even begin a student club focused on bringing what we learned to our school. My senior year, I lead my first training for school faculty and staff and could feel the impact it had in that moment. 

I went on to volunteer for social justice summer camps and learn to facilitate critical conversations. Through these experiences, I got to witness how people actually change. I began to understand the impact of empathy and connection needed to allow us to acknowledge our humanity and the inequities others may face. I brought these critical conversations during my time at University of Memphis, facilitating dialogue groups around social justice issues for students. 

University of Denver was my first experience being paid for facilitating social justice-related conversations. As a graduate assistant, I got the opportunity to lead workshops for a variety of on-campus departments including campus safety, student groups, financial aid, scholarship programs, conferences, and more. I knew that I had a knack for this work and was actually having an impact on the way people saw the world. However, I was still in the mindset that I needed a secure job and so I went on to working at a local nonprofit. 

About a year into working, I started to realize that my organization was not passionate about racial justice. Although there was a clear focus on LGBTQ+ liberation, it seemed that the intersectional issues black LGBTQ+ community members were facing weren’t seen as valid. I continued to push but felt that my expertise in this area was not appreciated. After meeting people who had began their own businesses and getting some guidance, I left my job in February 2020 to begin Syah B. Consulting. For me, this was my opportunity to bring my ideas to fruition without censorship. 

My framework of “Deep Dive DEI” is a unique combination of all of my training throughout the years, my honed style of facilitation, and my psychological perspective to create experiences that transform participants to see and interact with their world differently. Watching participants find beautiful realizations about their experience and begin to think differently is what keeps me in this work. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I definitely wouldn’t call it a smooth road. I grew up in an environment where being my authentic self was not really allowed. As a black, feminine, nonbinary person assigned male at birth, there were many limitations put onto me. My most authentic expression was seen as weakness. I was bullied and felt isolated much of my life. I always felt like a mistake and a burden. Even after coming out, I struggled with being what felt like an embarrassment to my family, peers, and community. My biggest life challenge was figuring out how to love and accept myself, even when others could not. 

Going to graduate school at a predominately white institution also made me realize how racism impacted my self-esteem. It felt like no matter how much experience, knowledge, or impact I had, there would be folks that assume I have nothing to offer simply because of my identities. I’ve had someone at a conference presentation tell me that they weren’t expecting much from my presentation because I “was black, young, feminine, and obviously gay” and they were very surprised about how knowledgeable I was. 

I still struggle with imposter syndrome. This is probably part of the reason starting my own business wasn’t even something I thought about. I thought I needed to be 50 with a PhD for anyone to take me seriously. The truth is, our culture has taught folks that people who look like me, dress like me, and act like me don’t have anything valuable to share with the world. Now my response is, “that’s their loss.” 

I’ve faced a lot of animosity, rejection, and abuse due to my identities. And yet, now that I’m in a place to express my fullest self, I am the happiest I’ve ever been. This is why I fight for people to be their most authentic self. I know what it is like to feel unsafe being yourself. The world gives so many negative consequences to those who are different. It impacted my mental health in very intense ways that I’m still unpacking. However, I’m so proud that I continued to push the status quo and be myself. Now all of the things people couldn’t stand about me, are the exact things that make my business unique and impactful. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Syah B. Consulting is my own diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) consultation service I created in February 2020. I use empathy skills and experiential learning exercises to create transformative experience for those interested in creating a more inclusive and empowering workplace culture for their organization. 

My 3 main services are Training, Education, and Professional Development, Group Facilitation, and Leadership Empathy Coaching. Using all of my experience, I am able to teach DEI concepts to folks in ways that actually encourage my clients to think about the world differently and create actual change in the personal and professional lives. I specialize in organizational cultural change, especially around racial justice and LGBTQ+ identity. I am known for creating experiences that disarm defensiveness and fuel connection between participants. 

I believe that my personality and method is what sets me apart from others. I have a unique ability to navigate complicated dynamics. I use humor, empathy, and honestly strategically to meet clients wherever they are in their social justice journey. People have commented, that entering DEI workshops feel intense and stressful and folks usually leave feeling shamed. I personally don’t think shame is effective in getting people to understand the importance of this work. Instead, I focus on connecting people to their emotions, their needs, and the emotion and needs of others. I find ways to make the concepts of DEI “real” for folks by understanding how our brains work and why we struggle to deal with our own implicit biases. 

I’m most proud that people are so energized by my presentations and workshops that they actually start to live differently. I’ve had clients talk about navigating conversations with their children differently, prioritizing their rest, and start brainstorming ways they can intervene when things like microaggressions occur. I leave people with a positive view of what DEI work can look like. Conversations that feel like they should be destructive or divisive end up feeling revitalizing. All the while, I’m still able to be my most authentic self and share important stories that demonstrate the impact of social inequity. I’ve really found a way to make uncomfortable conversations more approachable. People who have heard of me know that I am the real deal. 

The most important thing people need to know is that I don’t need you to have it all figured out. If there was a perfect answer, then there would be no need for this job. DEI work is not about doing everything perfectly. To me, it is about having a personal connection to the concepts, to others, and to yourself. It is about changing our overall culture one person at a time. Not coming up with swift solutions that don’t last and still cause harm. 

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I think it’s important to acknowledge that being a social justice educator isn’t the only part of my identity. I’m also making my way into the ballroom scene, a historically underground performance scene focused on celebrating Queer and Trans People of Color. This includes categories like vouge, runway, face. If you haven’t heard of it, get into it! Check out shows like Pose and Legendary or the documentary Paris is Burning to learn more. 

I’m also a proud board member for 2 local LGBTQ+ nonprofits. Joy as Resistance which is dedicated to promoting the hope and joy of LGBTQIA2+ youth through comprehensive mental health and wellness services. And Envision: You who Supports LGBTQ+ folks struggling with mental and behavioral health challenges. 

Outside of that, I’m a musician, an avid gamer, and a dedicated friend. 

Contact Info:

• Email: Syahb.consulting@gmail.com
• Website: deepdivedei.com
• Instagram: @deepdivedei
• Facebook: @deepdivedei

Image Credits
Brandon Lopez