You Are Not What You Lost: Reclaiming Power, Voice, and Identity After Workplace Abuse

Start: 2026-07-25 13:00:00 UTC Eastern Daylight Time (US & Canada) (GMT-04:00)

End: 2026-07-25 14:00:00 UTC Eastern Daylight Time (US & Canada) (GMT-04:00)

Event Type: Virtual
A virtual link will be communicated before the event.

Speaking up in the workplace is often framed as courage — but rarely do we talk about the cost. In environments where truth-telling is punished, retaliation can strip away not just roles and opportunities, but identity, confidence, and a sense of belonging.

In this powerful and restorative session, participants will explore what it means to reclaim themselves after workplace harm. Moving beyond survival, this talk centers the process of rebuilding — separating identity from job titles, holding onto credibility and dignity in the face of retaliation, and understanding how tactics like gaslighting and isolation are used to maintain control.

Through reflection, shared insight, and practical strategies, attendees will learn how to rebuild professional confidence, reclaim their narrative, and resist internalizing the harm done to them. This session also highlights the role of community, storytelling, and advocacy as essential tools for healing and transformation.

Grounded in the belief that you are not what you lost, this conversation invites participants to reconnect with their expertise, integrity, and voice — and to move forward rooted in self-trust, not institutional validation.

Lindiwe Davis is a multi-talented, award-winning leader and professional known as The Couch Coach—a founder, business creative, speaker, media host, and culture changemaker with over 25 years of experience across marketing, finance, media, and tech.

As the founder of FutureState Collective Group, a storytelling and culture platform, she leads strategy, coaching, and programming designed to educate, empower, and elevate professionals—centering Black women and marginalized voices. Her work intentionally sits at the intersection of business, creativity, and entertainment, using storytelling as a tool for visibility, influence, and cultural transformation.

Lindiwe is known for creating spaces that foster honest dialogue around workplace dynamics, identity, and power, while equipping individuals to speak up and navigate complex environments with clarity and confidence. Her work spans executive coaching, consulting, media hosting, and content creation—including her podcast They Tried It, where real stories of adversity, resilience, and speaking up take center stage.

As a media host and interviewer, she has led conversations with actors, authors, executives, and creatives across platforms such as NYU, Columbia University, Google Talks, and Bloomberg Radio. Her interviews include notable voices like Billy Bob Thornton, Jay Pharoah, and Pinky Cole, where she is recognized for drawing out authentic, layered stories that resonate beyond the surface.

Driven by a commitment to equity and systemic change, Lindiwe is expanding her work into media and entertainment, with the intention of partnering on film activations, moderated conversations, and cultural programming that bridge storytelling with leadership and impact.

Her work is grounded in one belief: storytelling is not just expression—it’s power.