Carly Stevens CIIC’s Post

Building on our internal theme of allyship, we want to extend a massive thank you to InterInvest LGBT+ equality and inclusion Allyship Working Group for their interactive and engaging intersectional allyship training programme. As one of the co-founders of InterInvest, the first LGBTQ+ network dedicated to the asset management and savings industry, I am extremely proud of the fantastic work being done by Alison Proud Claire Mediene and Tom Whateley, CAIA and team. Intersectionality is crucial in our journey toward becoming effective allies. Intersectionality acknowledges that people's experiences of discrimination and privilege are shaped by multiple, overlapping social identities, such as race, gender, sexuality, and class. Effective allyship involves recognising these intersecting identities and addressing the unique challenges faced by those at their intersections. Key Actions Allies Should Take: Educate Yourself: Continuously learn about different identities and the systemic issues affecting marginalised groups. Listen Actively: Engage in conversations with an open mind and a willingness to understand others' perspectives. Advocate: Use your platform to amplify marginalised voices and challenge discriminatory behaviors and policies. Reflect: Regularly reflect on your own biases and actions, striving for continuous personal growth. Support: Offer tangible support, whether through mentorship, sponsorship, or creating inclusive environments. The Gender Unicorn and Allyship Pledge The Gender Unicorn is a valuable tool for understanding the complexities of gender identity, gender expression, and attraction. It helps allies grasp the non-binary nature of gender and recognize the diversity of experiences within the LGBTQ+ community. Our colleagues took the Allyship Pledge, a call on everyone to commit to ongoing learning, active support, and advocacy for all marginalised groups, ensuring that our workplace is inclusive and equitable for everyone. A heartfelt thank you to our Legal & General colleagues for their enthusiastic participation and willingness to share their knowledge and experiences. Your contributions are invaluable in fostering a culture of inclusivity and allyship within our organisation. Together, we are building a more inclusive industry and paving the way for future generations. Let's continue this important work with dedication and compassion. Find out more about InterInvest LGBT+ equality and inclusion at

As we celebrate Pride Month, a friendly reminder that there is no playbook for being LGBTQ+ in careers and community roles. Each journey is unique, filled with its own set of challenges and triumphs. Without a clear roadmap, the allyship we receive becomes even more crucial. Allyship in our professional and community lives isn't just about understanding; it's about actively creating environments where everyone can advance and succeed. I'm incredibly thankful for the colleagues, leaders, and community members who go beyond words, showing up with actions that foster inclusion and belonging. Their support has made a significant impact on my ability to bring my authentic self to work and to my community roles. In any field, whether it’s tech, corporate, nonprofit, or community organizations, allyship is essential. It’s about breaking down barriers, advocating for inclusive policies, and ensuring that every individual feels seen and valued. The presence of allies helps bridge the gap where career and community guidance is lacking, offering support and understanding in an ever-evolving landscape. I’m deeply grateful for every opportunity I’ve had to step into leadership roles. However, I recognize that not every member of the LGBTQ+ community has had the same foundation for success. This disparity underscores the importance of allyship in helping create opportunities for all in both careers and community roles. For me and many others, knowing we have allies who stand with us makes all the difference. It empowers us to navigate our paths with confidence, knowing we’re not alone in our journeys. Here’s to celebrating the allies who help pave the way and to continuing to build communities and workplaces where everyone can shine authentically and succeed professionally and personally. Not just today, but everyday. Happy Pride y’all 🏳️🌈

🙌🏿 August is 'National Black Business Month' and my Black queer business would welcome your support of our flagship event 🌈 In a time when Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (#DEI) initiatives are under attack and political assaults on LGBTQIA+ identities are escalating, it's more crucial than ever to stand up, be visible, and advocate for inclusive workplaces. Rainbow DisruptCon is not just another conference—it's a powerful movement dedicated to creating environments where LGBTQIA+ professionals and allies are empowered, educated, and engaged in fostering equitable and supportive spaces in every workplace. Our commitment to diversity sets us apart. From day one, we've centered the voices and experiences of Black and queer people of color, amplifying the unique challenges faced by these communities—challenges too often overlooked in similar events. We PRIDE ourselves on making this space accessible to all, with no requirement for membership in a specific network or organization, ensuring that everyone, especially those from smaller organizations, can participate and benefit. 🎟️ Get your tickets now and stand with us in creating workplaces where everyone can thrive! 🎟️ Link in the comments below. #BlackBusinessMonth #LGBTQ+ #LA #BlackBusiness

Last week, we had the honor of hosting a thought-provoking session with Dr. Philip McAdoo. His insights on Pride, allyship, intersectionality, and DEI have inspired us to reflect more deeply on how we can become a more inclusive and supportive company during Pride month and beyond: 🤝 True allyship involves advocating for and standing up for others. Balancing the role of an ally with the risk of overstepping boundaries requires a deep commitment to listening and learning. By actively listening to the experiences and needs of those we aim to support, we can better understand when to step forward and when to step back. 🎉 Pride recognizes the many ways of being and celebrating who we are. Dr. McAdoo highlighted the progress made by young people stepping into their identities and the need to address societal fractures. It's important to (help) find spaces and communities that validate who we are and boost our confidence. 📈 Focus DEI efforts on systems rather than individuals to avoid "othering" and promote inclusive problem-solving. Measure DEI efforts with both quantitative and qualitative metrics – put some 💜into it! 👊 Real, authentic support takes the form of focusing on the benefits and experiences we offer to people at the margins. It’s important to be patient and humble, understanding that change doesn’t happen overnight. People need time to process and reflect on new ideas, opening the door to growth and transformation. Inspired by Dr. McAdoo and our team, we are committed to celebrating and supporting our/the LGBTQ+ community, during and beyond Pride Month. Actions on our radar: Open dialogue: Provide our team with a space to discuss their experiences more openly and frequently. We will reframe our monthly team coffee chats to encourage these conversations. Ongoing training: Revamp and enhance our inclusion and diversity training programs, emphasizing the importance of continuous development. Our taskforce team stresses that this is an ongoing commitment, not a one-time effort! Community engagement: Actively look for ways to support the LGBTQ+ community, including supporting local businesses. Happy Pride, everyone! 🌟 #PrideMonth #Inclusion #Diversity #Allyship #DEI #CelebratePride

When my wife, Emmy Coleman, and I married in May of 2014, we wed in Maine with a wedding party of just seven people since our union wasn’t legal in either of our home states. We never had the big bash with our friends and family to mark the occasion. Well, just a few weeks ago, we made up for this by hosting a lively 10-year anniversary party at Sam Jones BBQ to celebrate the last decade in our journey. Our ten-year anniversary has me reflecting on just how far our society has come in our respect for differences and our beliefs in equal rights. The progress the LGBTQ+ community has made is not through queer advocacy alone, but with the support of our allies. It’s the meaning of allyship I want to highlight – not just for the gay community, but for all the diverse types of communities we welcome in our workforce. Being an ally does not mean you’re a self-assigned expert. Being an ally does not mean you fully understand the struggles of your colleagues and have ready solutions. Being an ally does mean that you recognize the dignity and common humanity in someone unlike yourself and you are willing to learn more. As I hear the vitriol that’s become common place in our external landscape, I’m reminded that the workplace is one of the last arenas where we still require civility and respect. We as leaders model this in the words we use and how we spend our time. And as you consider how you can lead in way that aligns with our Duke Energy values, I hope you’ll include allyship for colleagues unlike yourself in your plans. Happy pride! Modified from remarks shared with Duke Energy Corporation’s Executive Leadership Team. Party Photo: Ashley Stephenson

June is Pride Month. A time to celebrate being queer, being your authentic self, being you at maximum volume. I have looked forward to, and loved Pride month for over 30 years - I attended the first Pride event in Grand Rapids and loved it! I have really struggled this month to find that joy, that thrilling sense of being authentic, that enjoyment of celebrating how fabulous our queer community is, and seeing others enjoying it too. Now I feel frustrated that we are still, 30+ years later, having to fight to be seen, fight to justify our existence, fight to be respected, and fight to stay alive. I live in a community that is extremely diverse, yet we are still such a divided community. I live in a community that has many resources, yet not everyone has equal access to them. I live in a community that has celebrations for so many different cultures, yet there are still protestors at EVERY Pride event shouting hate at us. We will continue to be dazzling, continue to be fabulous, and continue to fight to be accepted, but it's exhausting, it's beyond frustrating, and its not making our community better. Let's move beyond the morality and values statements and get back to basic human respect and dignity. If we can start from a place of dignity and respect for ALL, then maybe we can move forward and become a stronger, more vibrant, and healthier community. If you or your company truly want to ensure LGBTQ+ community members are valued, respected, and affirmed please go beyond hanging a Pride flag during June. Ensure your executive leaders understand why this is not only good for your LGBTQ+ staff and community but also good for business 12 months of the year - not just during June. Invest in training for your staff so they know how to build a safe and affirming environment for everyone. Be an ally/advocate/accomplice all year, not just during June. Educate yourself on LGBTQ+ issues and speak up when you hear someone saying things that are not true. Exemplify kindness - it costs you nothing to be kind to others, but it costs others a lot (sometimes their lives) if you are cruel. Happy Pride Month.

June 1st marks the beginning of the Pride month 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ I'm sure to see loads of companies post articles about LGBTQIA+ inclusion and have their logo in rainbow colours for a month. But is it enough? Definitely not 🙅♀️ Actions that show an image of inclusion should be accompanied by a real continuous support of #queer community's struggle for human rights, inclusion, and equity. So, what can each organisation do? Here are a few things: 🌈 Ensure that your leadership and team is trained to use LGBTQIA+ sensitive and inclusive language. 🌈 Review accessibility and relevance of your services, products, and projects to queer folx and work on identifying and removing possible barriers. 🌈 Guarantee unbiased hiring processes that would not exclude queer candidates. 🌈 Introduce and actively communicate anti-discriminatory principles and mechanisms for preventing and addressing discrimination and any form of aggression based on gender and/or sexual orientation. 🌈 Respect privacy of your team members, partners, and clients and do not reveal their identity unless they are comfortable with it. 🌈 Actively work towards improving LGBTQ+ inclusion and expanding rights of queer people throughout the whole year. I believe that this is especially important for the organisations working in the field of public #participation and #democracy innovation because we cannot talk about #inclusion yet leave the LGBTQIA+ community behind. Happy #Pride month, everyone! 💪 And please share your experiences with promoting #LGBTQIA+ inclusion through your work and at your work place.

Authenticity is a core value for me. I envision a world where marginalized individuals can truly show up as themselves. However, capitalism often stands in the way of this authenticity. It pushes businesses and corporations to take shortcuts, opting for the easiest or quickest sales tactics rather than genuinely engaging with people and communities. This issue is apparent year-round but becomes especially blatant during Pride Month. It’s time we bring authenticity back to corporate Pride Month celebrations. While many businesses look to Pride Month as a time for flashy campaigns and communications, it’s more effective to: 💡Stay Grounded in the Origins of Pride: Never forget, Pride started as a rebellion against police brutality and abuse. The Stonewall Uprising catapulted LGBTQ+ activism into mainstream attention, but the activism of queer & trans people existed long before then. Pride’s origins can teach us to craft DEI strategies that proactively meet the needs of LGBTQ+ people. Before you hang up that Pride Flag, consider how many trans people have worked at your organization. The trans population has an unemployment rate twice that of the population as a whole. How have you proactively recruited and retained trans employees? 💡See Pride as a Value, Not a Month: Pride Month is something to celebrate from the inside out, aligning values of equity, inclusion, and dignity with external communications. A great place to start is looking at your health insurance packages. Does the company insurance plan cover gender-affirming treatments and procedures, such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and gender-affirming surgeries? Does your health insurance plan cover fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), for LGBTQIA+ individuals and couples who wish to have children? 💡Acknowledge the Anti-Blackness in Pride Month: Black liberation and queer liberation are inextricably linked. Addressing both anti-Black racism and homophobia and how the two intersect can lead to greater inclusion of the Black LGBTQ+ people on your team. Black LGBTQ+ people exist and often experience multilayered oppression in the workplace. Ensure you are thoughtful about the intersections and holistically support Black LGBTQ+ people. For example, if you have ERGs or affinity spaces, ensure the Black and LGBTQ+ spaces do not meet simultaneously. Most importantly, talk to your LGBTQ+ employees and learn how to better support them. Check out the full piece now! https://lnkd.in/eAzwnQGh

🌈 The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT) will take place on May 17. This awareness-raising day will be followed by Pride Month in June. 💡 These two events aim at highlighting the importance of the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights around the world. 🌟 On this occasion, Gloria wishes to highlight its speakers offering conferences on the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people at work. 🔎 Today let's discover the profile of Tash Koster-Thomas, an experienced and accomplished speaker and panelist on equality and diversity issues. Tash uses her lived experience and intersectional identity as a black queer woman to continue the focus on diversity and inclusion in society and the workplace. She provides valuable insights into how to break down the barriers associated with diversity and inclusion. Tash offers 4 conferences on this topic with Gloria: : 👉  "How to Be an Ally: Championing Inclusion" This interactive session is designed to foster a deeper understanding of allyship and empower participants to become effective allies. 👉 "Diversity & Inclusion 1.0": in this conference, Tash discusses bias and how it manifests in the workplace and gives participants the tools to speak up to create an inclusive culture. 👉 "Identity & Intersectionality": in this conference, Tash focuses on allyship and how to challenge non-inclusive behaviors, creating space for conversation and evolving discussions that empower individuals to actively practice inclusion every day. 👉 "LGBTQIA+ Allyship": this conference looks at common challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community and how we can combat microaggressions and stereotyping. It provides a framework for allyship and actionable tools to promote LGBTQIA+ inclusion. 🔗  To find out more about the awareness-raising conferences we offer at Gloria, you can contact us at marie@gloriaforbusiness.com and/or consult our website. https://lnkd.in/eEXp9xE4

Marsha P. Johnson: 'No Pride for Some of Us Without Liberation for All of Us' 🏳️🌈 Marsha P. Johnson's powerful words serve as a reminder that true pride and progress come from lifting each other up, hand in hand. Inclusivity isn't just a buzzword; it's a commitment to a brighter future where every voice is heard and valued. As a coach, I wholeheartedly embrace this message. My workshops are meticulously designed to build bridges and foster understanding among diverse individuals. We delve deep into the unique experiences of neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ communities, promoting acceptance and celebration of every individual's identity. In our collective journey towards liberation and equality, no one should be left behind. It's not just about some of us; it's about all of us. Together, we can create a world where pride knows no bounds, where every person is free to express their authentic self, and where diversity is our greatest strength. Let's continue Marsha P. Johnson's legacy by working hand in hand to build a more inclusive and equitable society. Your voice matters, and together, we can ensure that no one is left behind in our pursuit of progress and liberation. 🌍🌈 #InclusivityMatters #PrideForAll