Professional Development: Code Switching: Balancing Adaptability and Authenticity

Presenter: Francisca Brown, Diversity & Inclusion Manager - Church Mutual Insurance

What is code switching? Adjusting communication, appearance, or behavior to fit a group or culture.

- Strategic when it helps you connect or succeed.

- Sacrificial when it erases your authentic self.

- Code switching isn’t hiding — it’s navigating strategically.

- Flexibility is your skill. Authenticity is your anchor.

UC Berkeley Study: Let’s Talk About Code-Switching: A Double-Edged Sword - Berkeley Graduate Division