Kate Bernyk | Source | writer and embroidery artist at CAITLIN WILLARD

"A lot of the time, I’m the only fat person in the room," she says. "It feels like everyone is essentially discussing, 'what's everyone doing today to not look like Kate?' I know that's not what they mean, exactly, but that's the message that’s being sent," she says.

With talks of weight loss challenges popular at the start of the year, creating a space for plus-size workers to feel welcome has just as much to do with inclusion as any other group.

A new CNBC + Acorns Survey finds more than half of federal student loan borrowers now say taking on that debt was not worth it.