How do the words we use — about others, and about ourselves — shape who belongs?
Language can divide and destroy — or unite, and change the world for the better.
A room that listens differently — more aware of how words include or exclude, and braver about claiming "I am". Warm, personal and moving.
Conference keynote · All-hands · Pride
About this keynote
Language has the power to divide and destroy — and yet we are all human. When we truly listen to each other, understand, and actually communicate, language has the opposite power: to unite, to build friendship, and to change the world for the better. How we label each other — and, most of all, how we label ourselves — shapes the lives of everyone around us.
Drawing on her own journey, Joanne shares how she finally overcame her limiting beliefs simply by saying “I am” — taking responsibility for believing in herself, and finding that when she did, others followed. It’s a warm, personal and genuinely moving keynote about words, listening and belonging.
What we explore
Words that divide, words that unite. Language can be a weapon or a bridge. Used carelessly it hurts and excludes; used with care it brings people together.
The labels we carry. The labels we put on others shape how they are treated — and the labels we put on ourselves shape what we believe is possible.
Lost in translation. Words shift meaning across cultures and contexts; when we translate — or simply speak without listening — we lose the emotional connection behind them.
Listening as belonging. Each of us has value and deserves dignity and respect, and being genuinely listened to is what makes a person feel they belong.
The power of “I am”. Joanne’s own turning point — claiming “I am”, taking responsibility for her self-belief, and how that quietly changed everything around her.
Think, feel and act differently
Think differently — words are never neutral; they shape belonging, for other people and for ourselves.
Feel differently — more seen and heard, and freer to claim your own “I am”.
Act differently — listen more closely, choose words with care, and mind the labels — including the ones you give yourself.
Who this is for
Conference and all-hands audiences, belonging and Pride events, and anyone exploring inclusive language, self-belief and what it really takes to feel you belong. Warm, personal, and pitched for a broad audience.
Go deeper
Bespoke to your audience — but well-trodden. Delivered for LEGO · NHS England · Unilever · John Lewis · lululemon.
“Joanne created an incredibly well-held, safe space, covering sensitive topics in an informative and expansive way. The session was both engaging and inclusive, and we would love to work with her again without question.”