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Free inside at work: The Cost of Fitting Inand How toStop Paying It | Dr. Laurie Vázquez

by Jen Elena | Sep 28, 2026 | Cura Chats

Key Takeaway

Joy is an inside job. Instead of editing your authentic self to fit into oppressive systems, you can use the liberation framework—Recognize, Release, Reclaim, and Rise—to reclaim your joy, boost your well-being, and ultimately create a more positive, productive, and inclusive environment for yourself and others. - Dr. Laurie Vázquez

Featured Guest

Dr. Lori Vázquez is the Vice President of Student Services at Foothill College and a first-generation scholar raised in California’s Salinas Valley. An author and speaker, she is the creator of a liberation framework centered on four steps: recognize, release, reclaim, and rise, which she explores in her book, Free Inside at Work. Her work helps professionals move beyond the exhaustion of code-switching, reclaim their authentic selves, and create greater joy, freedom, and productivity in the workplace.

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