Lois Castillo on Staying “Unbreakable” While Creating Cultural Change

Lois Castillo is emerging as one of the clearest, most compassionate voices in the conversation about workplace culture. With more than twenty years of guiding organizations through meaningful DEI and cultural transformation, Lois has seen the real weight that changemakers carry; spiritually, emotionally, and professionally. Her debut book, UNBREAKABLE: A Changemaker’s Guide, arrives as both a blueprint and a balm that reminds leaders that the work of changing systems must be matched with the work of caring for ourselves.

In true Unbreakable fashion, Lois brings heart, strategy, and soul to the forefront, offering a deeply human look at what it means to build cultures where people feel seen, valued, and safe. In this exclusive conversation for PVM Magazine’s HER Lounge, she opens up about the meaning behind being “unbreakable,” why self-care is a non-negotiable part of leadership, and how organizations can move from performative gestures to transformative action.

Through her work, her story, and now her book, she’s giving leaders everywhere permission to lead with courage, conviction, and care.

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Congratulations on your new book, UNBREAKABLE: A Changemaker’s Guide! What inspired you to write this book now, and what do you hope readers take away from it?

Lois: Thank you! Unbreakable was born out of both love and necessity. After years of leading DEI and cultural transformation work, I began to notice how many practitioners were silently carrying exhaustion, grief, and isolation. I wrote this book as a love letter to change-makers, to remind them that their work is sacred, but so are they. I hope readers walk away feeling seen, restored, and reminded that real change begins within. The systems we build can only be as healthy as the people who lead them.

The title “UNBREAKABLE” is so powerful. What does being “unbreakable” mean to you personally, and how does that concept connect to the work of creating cultural change?

Lois: To me, “unbreakable” doesn’t mean I won’t bend or chip under the weight of this work, it means I will not break or give up. It’s the kind of resilience carved out by grace, shaped by every season I’ve survived. Being unbreakable is choosing hope when cynicism feels safer. It's standing in your truth when the room goes still. And when the world starts to shake and even at its most dire, it's about holding fast to love, conviction and justice.

Your book dives deep into the emotional, intellectual, and even physical toll of this work. Why is self-care such an essential part of being a changemaker?

Lois: Because no matter how strong you think you are - the reality is you cannot pour from an empty spirit. DEI work demands empathy, strategy, and endurance  and if you’re not careful, it can consume the very parts of you that make you effective. Self-care isn’t selfish; it’s stewardship. It’s how we sustain the call. For me, that looks like prayer, rest, community, and remembering that I’m not the savior,  I’m a servant. When we nurture ourselves, we lead from wholeness, not depletion.

You’ve spent over two decades leading DEI and cultural transformation initiatives across industries. How has the conversation around diversity, equity, and inclusion evolved since you began your career?

Lois: When I started, DEI was often viewed as a compliance box to check or a moral obligation to meet. Meaningful change was still a distant horizon. Today, the conversation is shifting, it’s about belonging, accessibility, and cultural fluency. We’re finally beginning to connect inclusion to innovation, creativity, and humanity. However, the real evolution is in our willingness to talk about healing, not just hiring. We’re realizing this work isn’t about fixing people; it’s about transforming systems that can create safe spaces for people to be their best.

Many people and companies want to “do the work” but don’t know where to start. What’s one practical step leaders can take today to begin building a more inclusive and sustainable culture?

Lois: My advice is to start by listening, truly listening in order to understand where people are coming from. Before policies, before strategies, you need presence. Ask your people what inclusion feels like to them, and be prepared to sit in the discomfort of the answers. Then, act with consistency, not just intent. Inclusion grows where accountability and empathy meet. The best leaders don’t have all the answers; they create the conditions for truth to be spoken and change to take root.

You talk about the heart, mind, and spirit of this work. How do you integrate those human-centered elements into environments that are often driven by data and profit?

Lois: I am a firm believer that numbers can tell us what is happening. But it's the stories behind those numbers that tell us why it matters. We need both. I integrate the human element by grounding data in lived experience, reminding organizations that behind every metric is a person’s story, voice, and value. When we lead with heart and back it with data, we build strategies that not only perform but transform. Profit and purpose are not opposites; they’re partners when led with integrity.

Change can be uncomfortable, especially when it challenges long-held systems or mindsets. How can organizations stay committed when the process gets hard or messy?

Lois: Growth is never tidy. There's a lot of give and take that has to happen. Organizations that endure are the ones that build their culture on conviction, not convenience. I tell leaders all the time: if your DEI work never makes you uncomfortable, you’re not doing it right. The key is to anchor in purpose, why this work matters, not just what it looks like. When things get hard, return to your “why.” That’s where courage lives.

From your experience, what’s one of the biggest misconceptions about diversity and inclusion efforts?

Lois: That DEI is a “feel-good” initiative or that it’s separate from business performance. In reality, inclusion is the infrastructure of innovation. It’s not charity; it’s strategy. The other misconception is that it’s someone else’s job. True inclusion is everyone’s responsibility  from the boardroom to the break-room. When everyone sees themselves as part of the solution, transformation becomes sustainable.

UNBREAKABLE offers a blueprint for both individuals and corporations. How did you strike a balance between speaking to personal growth and organizational transformation?

Lois: Because personal growth and organizational transformation are inseparable. One cannot occur without the other. I’ve seen brilliant strategies fail because hearts hadn’t changed, and I’ve seen small acts of courage shift entire systems. In Unbreakable, I wanted to remind leaders that sustainable change starts with the self. The inner work reflection, accountability, empathy becomes the foundation for the outer work of policy and culture. You can’t transform what you haven’t first examined.

What’s next for you? Are there upcoming projects, workshops, or initiatives inspired by UNBREAKABLE that our readers can look forward to?

Lois: Yes! We’re launching The Unbreakable Experience — a national series of leadership retreats, workshops, and conversations that bring the book’s principles to life. I’m also developing a companion workbook and podcast series that explore the spiritual and practical side of leading change. My hope is to build a community of changemakers who are not just informed but transformed  leaders who lead with both courage and care.

Where can readers find your book?

Lois: Unbreakable: A Changemaker’s Guide is available everywhere books are sold, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and directly through Archway Publishing. You can also visit my website at https://thechangemakerstable.com/unbreakablebook or follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn for upcoming tour dates, resources, and conversations from The Change Maker Table community.

HER Lounge | PVMmag.com

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