S7E1: Caroline Wanga

Caroline Wanga is chief culture, diversity, and inclusion officer and vice president of human resources at Target.

Wanga sat down after speaking at The Design of Business | The Business of Design conference, wearing African fabric dress, a necklace with the national seal of Kenya, and bespoke shoes from Etsy with the words “Wanga Woman” carved into the wooden platforms.

Wanga explained:

I spent a long time especially in corporate America dressing in what is traditional dress because I thought that’s what you had to do and I hated every minute of it particularly cardigans. Can’t stand cardigans. Not hating on cardigan wearers — it’s just not my thing.…

I don’t ask about dress code when I’m asked to come speak, because I don’t care because I will never be inappropriate but I probably won’t be traditional. And if you want to manage what I’m wearing, then you don’t want me. So I’ll decline the invitation.

I will not tell anybody else what to wear. But if what I’m wearing gives you permission to wear something you want to, I will celebrate with you I will walk with you.

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