Many of us comply much more than we realize. How many times have you wanted to object, disagree, or opt out of something but ended up swallowing your words, shaking your head, and just going along? Analyzing cases ranging from corporate corruption and sexual abuse to everyday acquiescence at work, the doctor’s office, and in our personal lives, organizational psychologist Sunita Sah, MD, Ph.D. delves deep into why the pressure to comply is a corrosive and often invisible force in our society.

In her new book, Defy: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes, Sah radically transforms our idea of defiance from a misunderstood negative trait into a crucial, positive force for personal and societal change. An award-winning associate professor at Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business, Sah guides us through her five stages of defiance, equipping readers with simple tools to make decisions that align with their values. Drawing on her story as a woman scientist of color, as well as her original research and insights from multiple disciplines including psychology, ethics, law, medicine, organizational behavior, sociology, and philosophy, Sah reveals the critical need to rediscover our core values. She explores how we are neurologically, psychologically, and socially pressured to comply, and what we can do to train ourselves for conscientious resistance and reclaim our agency.

Sah’s accessible research investigates the everyday choices we make, from the psychology of advice to the inner workings of trust. She distinguishes compliance from consent, emphasizing that while compliance is reactive and often resembles obedience, true consent is active, powerful, and rooted in our values. This crucial distinction empowers individuals to stand firm in their convictions and live authentically.

Sah will be in conversation with LaTosha Brown, the co-founder of Black Voters Matter Fund and Black Voters Matter Capacity Building Institute, a power-building southern-based civic engagement organization leveraging over two decades of experience as a revered institution-builder in non-profit and philanthropy sectors.

BONUS AFTER-HOURS EVENT: Attendees who purchase a copy of Defy from FAN’s partner bookseller The Book Stall are invited to attend an AFTER-HOURS event hosted by Sah that will start immediately after the webinar. Details on the webinar registration page.

This event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.