Leaders step up when they are needed and they know when to
step back because they have empowered their team.
Step Up with equitable and inclusive leadership to empower diverse authentic teams.
Step Back from inequitable and exclusionary leadership that maintains an inefficient status quo.
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Step Up Step back is a Queer neurodivergent indigenous woman of global majority (woman of color) owned business that offers customized diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) coaching and trainings. Step Up Step Back's consultation work is a proactive approach to professional leadership development rather than a reactive management response to exclusionary organizational practices. Our branded DEI leadership coaching is founded in national pioneering DEI research, evidence, and lived experiences, instead of relying on ethics to "do the right thing." Owner/founder Kelsi Ju developed a step by step process to combat willful ignorance bias and tangibly track DEI allyship progress/regress for leadership development. |
Photo of Kelsi Ju the owner and founder of Step Up Step Back. She is wearing a black and gold Chinese brocade jacket with long black ponytail. Her arms are crossed below her chest while she smiles confidently. The background is a tree trunk, a potted plant, and a cream building.
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Together we can create an equitable and inclusive environment
for a world of increasingly diverse professionals.
for a world of increasingly diverse professionals.
What People Are Saying About Step Up Step Back
Step Up Step Back clients who have attended leadership coaching and guest speaking sessions as of May 17, 2024.
- 98% learned 3 or more tools per coaching session/guest speaking engagement
- 96% highly recommend Step Up Step Back to others
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Kelsi's DEI Coaching sessions have impacted me in various ways, opening up my eyes and bringing awareness, not only to my surroundings but also to the people filling in those spaces.
Through the sessions, I've learned different terminology, tools, and techniques to use in my meetings, conversations, projects, and even in my everyday life with the simplest of interactions. It feels great to have validation through the sessions related to the different scenarios I've been through and now have unique methods to work with. In a world with so many obstacles and barriers, it's nice to have someone like Kelsi to give you what you need to go beyond worldly limits. - Tony Pham he/him, Founder/Visual Designer |
As someone who grew up in a diversified Hawai’i, I thought I understood what diversity and equity meant. So when I want to talk about a difficult subject such as race, equity, gender issues, sexual orientation, white privilege, etc., I go to Kelsi.
Kelsi helps me to discuss and navigate difficult topics in the form of DEI dialogues. For example, I had a 2- hour session with her regarding ciswomen and transwomen validation. I currently work as an epidemiologist for a nonprofit company that works in support of Native American Tribal Nation partners. Everyday is a new opportunity to learn about Indian Country and my place as a white employee to assist in their projects. To be honest, I don’t think I could have worked in this environment as effectively as I feel I do now without having had my dialogues with Kelsi. I am still learning from her everyday and I owe much of my growth as a person and as an ally (still working on it!) from her. If you want to work (and it is work!) at being a better person, a better ally to people of color, and to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion into your businesses, I implore you to work with Kelsi. - G. Harper. MPH, MS. Staff Epidemiologist |
Kelsi has never forced “best practices” on me, rather she offers suggestions when I have indicated I’d like advice because of past bad experiences/ lack of success in certain arenas (job interviews, navigating disagreement…).
Most recently, I had one the most productive and rewarding exchanges with a top decision maker at an organization. I was able to make the impression I wanted to make- passionate, knowledgeable, and probably most importantly- attentive listener. (I have a strong personality and can often get into my own head so much I don’t give others a chance to share a lot or lead the conversation- this has proven to be to my own detriment at times). My sessions over the past year have had a cumulative effect I have the skills now I didn’t have before. I can do the practical steps to prepare for interactions that make my success more likely. Kelsi has helped me be more intentional in the way I interact with others. Kelsi helps me still be fully my authentic self in interactions, but now in a bit of a “polished” way that actually allows me into spaces/ conversations and decision making arenas I very much want to be a part of. Kelsi is now my go to “ace in the hole”. Thank you. — Rachelle H., M.A., Freelance Writer |
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