What does being a “real” ally mean? Is professionalism a social construct? What kind of diversity measures, budgets and roles are needed in organizations? In S2 Ep 2 of “The Digitalization & Diversity” podcast , I had the pleasure to discuss with Dr. Monica Cox, a distinguished professor, entrepreneur, and diversity expert on the topic of “Authentic diversity, professionalism and ending performative allyship”.  In July 2021, Dr. Cox made a diversity quote on Twitter that went viral with more than 4 million views and explosive sharing across all social media platforms. The quote said “Instead of showing me your diversity statement, show me your hiring data, your discrimination claim stats, your salary tables, your retention numbers, your diversity policies, and your leaders’ public actions against racism. End performative allyship” In this podcast episode, we dig deeper on what triggered this quote. Monica shares how she approaches the basics of understanding the topic of diversity, what is real allyship, and if authentic diversity can really be coached. We talk about the kind of measures companies and organizations should start focusing on to enable diverse employees to be their authentic selves. We also delve into the kind of diversity targets that need to be setup, if organizations should set up dedicated budgets for diversity and the purpose of formal diversity roles in the organization. We close the episode with insights on how digitalization, the use of technologies, and digital media affect diversity. This podcast episode has been a truly insightful session for me packed with learnings, messages and knowledge. If you are new to “The Digitalization & Diversity podcast”, looking to learn about DEI topics or just looking for a podcast episode to get started with, I recommend listening to the full recording. *** About Monica Cox: Monica F. Cox, Ph.D., is a disruptor, trailblazer, change agent, and leader who believes in living an authentic life even if it makes people uncomfortable. She grew up an only child in rural southeast Alabama, where she was raised by her educator parents to persist in the face of personal and professional adversity. As a coach, she guides clients in areas of career development; business strategy; and diversity, equity, and inclusion. A distinguished professor and entrepreneur, Dr. Cox's inquisitive nature contributes to her passion for educating others and sharing what she has learned via her experiences. About Adya Kumar: Adya is a tech enthusiast, engineer, project manager, and an inhouse consultant for a leading logistics company. She has a passion for solving problems through the use of technology and is a strong supporter of digitalization as an enabler to grow and sustain diversity in businesses. In 2021, she founded “The Digitalization & Diversity Podcast” with the mission to create engagement and raise awareness on the power of Digitalization to improve Diversity. Through this platform, Adya shares insights, personal stories and digital journeys of diverse people. The podcast has been downloaded in over 50 countries across Spotify, Apple and Google Podcasts. Adya has lived and worked in diverse environments in India, France, USA, UK and Germany and traveled to 40+ countries. Today, she calls Bonn (Germany) her home of choice. *** Links and mentions: Website: www.drmonicacox.com Twitter, IG, TikTok handle: @drmonicacox  Listen to the podcast on other platforms: https://adyakumar.com/links/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adyakumar/ Connect with me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/the.dd.podcast