Podcast Summary

The brilliant Emma Preston and Maxwell Crowson join the We Are PoWEr Podcast – bringing honesty, courage, and compassion to a powerful conversation about what real inclusion looks and feels like in everyday life. As part of Manchester Airports Group, Emma and Max are helping shape a culture where colleagues and travelers alike can breathe, belong, and be their authentic selves.

From the security queue to the departure gate, they show how inclusion isn’t about grand gestures – it’s built through small, consistent actions. A smile, a pronoun badge, a leader who listens – all signals that turn workplaces from promises of belonging into lived experiences of safety and respect.

Emma shares her remarkable journey from darkness to light, opening up about surviving two suicide attempts and the turning point that began when someone simply said, “let me help.” Her story of resilience and self-acceptance – learning to stop being the “best transgender woman” and start being the best Emma – is both powerful and deeply human.

Max brings his perspective as a dad through adoption, exploring how confidence at work and home allows his son to face tough questions with pride. Together, they reflect on the courage it takes to bring your full self to work, to challenge bias, and to choose employers and leaders who truly see you.

Through their work with Fly with Pride, Emma and Max are turning policy into practice – offering guidance, allyship, and visibility that goes beyond parades and posters. Their message is simple but profound: inclusion doesn’t start with a strategy, it starts with people showing up.

In this episode:
From survival to self-acceptance: Emma’s journey to living authentically
Parenting, pride, and identity: Max’s experience as an adoptive dad
What inclusion really feels like day to day
Why small signals create big impact at work and in travel
Turning equity from posters into practice through Fly with Pride
How leaders can listen, learn, and make space for others to thrive

Find out more about We Are PoWEr here. 💫