Conversations rooted in love and antiracism

Hi, I’m Ben. I’m the founder and CEO of In The Area Productions, providing testimonial speaking and processing sessions rooted in love and antiracism. I support other white people, especially white men, in progressing on their antiracism journey.

I draw on my decades of experience as an executive leader, licensed social worker, facilitator, and public speaker to empower people and groups to become the best versions of themselves.

Speaking

Many white people feel stuck with making meaningful antiracist changes. I’ve been there. Through my speaking, I help white leaders and white-led organizations move through these uncharted waters with imagination and grace for ourselves and our teams.

Processing sessions

It should not be the burden of our Black, Indigenous, and POC colleagues to help us work through our issues related to racial inequities. I hold space for white leaders to process in a way that doesn’t cause harm in multiracial spaces.

Rad Roberts

“We approached Ben when we wanted to start a white antiracism group in our 600-person organization. Ben helped guide us through the planning, launch, and expansion of our group as we went from a few co-founders to over 80 participants. His insight and guidance helped us avoid many pitfalls and empowered our team to embrace the challenges and rewards of this journey. Ben has a wonderful ability to ask insightful and pointed questions with a warmth that is both engaging and disarming. He knew when to gently take the wheel and when to let us drive the program ourselves.”

— Rad Roberts, Ph.D. (he/him), Director, Corporate Relations, University of Washington

Ijeoma Oluo

"In the years I have known Ben, I have been able to witness the compassion, consistency, curiosity and humility that imbue his dedicated and knowledgeable equity work. Ben is truly committed to creating change and supporting those who would also become changemakers."

— Ijeoma Oluo, #1 New York Times bestseller So You Want to Talk about Race.

Ruchika Tulshyan

“One of the few cis, straight, white men who I've seen stand up and SHOW UP for me and other women of colour tirelessly is Ben Reuler. In The Area Productions helps white people understand and process what it means to be antiracist and cultivate inclusive leadership as a white leader. This labour, which too often falls on people of color, should not be ours to bear.”

— Ruchika Tulshyan, Author of Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work

Kristy Fercho

“There is no one better to do this work than Ben Reuler! Everything he does is rooted in love! Ben is a captivating speaker, a brave and bold leader, and has the ability to see things from everyone's unique point of view. He is a gem, and I cannot recommend him enough.”

— Kristy Fercho, Head of Home Lending at Wells Fargo, Chairman of Mortgage Bankers Association

Jeff Hanavan

“When it comes to core issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion, Ben has made an enormous difference for me personally and for the entire team at Aspen Leadership Group. My one-on-one processing conversations with Ben have been incredibly helpful, as his skillful ability to listen, relate, coach, and counsel has empowered me to engage in DEI in a more authentic and effective way. This engagement has led to a stronger, more supportive, and more inclusive approach to our work with all of our constituents. While we still have an immense amount of important work to do, partnering with Ben has without a doubt made us better.”

– Jeff Hanavan, Founding Partner, Aspen Leadership Group

Jordan Goldwarg

“Ben has so many gifts to offer the world when it comes to undoing the harmful effects of racism and white supremacy. In our work together, he has brought so much empathy and compassion, helping me to feel seen and heard as I struggle with these difficult topics in my personal and professional lives. He is a wonderful listener, which in turn allows him to ask deep, insightful questions that push me to consider issues from a new perspective.”

— Jordan Goldwarg, Executive Director, OneWorld Now!