YTD - Best Of 2026: Aparna Rae: We’re Sick at Work – and Why This Matters

Jul 9

Kristine Michie - Playfull Podcast Interview - Aparna Rae

YTD - Best Of 2026: Aparna Rae: We’re Sick at Work – and Why This Matters

In this special episode of The PlayFull Podcast, we’re revisiting a powerful conversation between Kristine Michie and equity and workplace strategist Aparna Rae. Together, they unpack the systemic issues shaping modern work, from normalized burnout to the ways workplaces condition people to accept hierarchy and surveillance. Exposing the contradictions within philanthropy and "progressive" spaces, this feature from the YTD – Best of 2026 series highlights collective action and reimagining labor to discover joy as a byproduct of real systemic change.

Key Takeaways:

Treating seriousness as the only form of professionalism strips work of humanity and makes justice work harder to sustain.
“Joy” is often used as branding by institutions that fail to deliver material change, especially around wages and benefits.
Nostalgia for a “better past” often reflects privilege, overlooking harm experienced by marginalized groups.
Workplaces condition people to accept authoritarianism, surveillance, and class hierarchy.
Transforming work is essential to protecting democracy, as people cannot practice freedom in society if they are denied it at work.
Real change requires collective organizing, boundary-setting, and letting go of the belief that progress comes without personal cost.
Burnout is not a badge of honor, but a signal that systems are broken.
Joy is not superficial; it is a practice tied to building a more just and livable future.

"Nothing changes unless we're willing to change our relationship to work. And we have to stop being proud of how tired we are, how burnt out we are." — Aparna Rae

"I would say the real practice of joy is being able to reimagine a future and taking actions to actually make that a reality." — Aparna Rae

"The invitation is to be honest with yourself. The invitation is to think about what's possible, not just for you, but for everybody else that's on this planet." — Aparna Rae

Episode References:

Circle Back Club – https://circleback.club
We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite - https://bookshop.org/p/books/we-have-never-been-woke-the-cultural-contradictions-of-a-new-elite-musa-al-gharbi/34b76557eb96d043
What Your Comfort Costs Us: How Women of Color Reimagine Leadership to Transform Workplace Culture - https://www.amazon.com/What-Your-Comfort-Costs-Leadership/dp/B0D9JFX13W

More About Aparna Rae:

Aparna Rae is a leader and advocate focused on advancing equity and transforming workplace culture. With experience across philanthropy, nonprofits, and tech, her work sits at the intersection of social impact and organizational change.

As host of Circle Back Club, she worked with over 60 organizations to shift more than $300 million in grantmaking toward BIPOC-led and Global South organizations. She has also contributed to the tech sector as a product lead and advisor, including developing India’s first online teacher education platform, Firki.

Aparna co-founded Future for Us, supporting 20,000 women of color across multiple cities, and has led initiatives that resulted in millions in pay increases for frontline workers. She continues to advise mission-driven organizations and advocate for more equitable systems of work.

Connect with Aparna Rae:

Website: https://www.aparnarae.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/appyrae

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparnarae/

Connect with Kristine:

The PlayFull Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-playfull-podcast-with-kristine-michie-bringing-fun/id1676838213?action=write-review

Website: https://www.impactfullinc.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactfull_inc

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-breese-michie/

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