John Puhak’s Post

CORPORATIONS: PLEASE DON’T FEAR PRIDE MONTH, LEAN IN WITH AUTHENTICITY + UNWAVERING SUPPORT 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ We are exactly two months away from the kick off of Pride Month. For reasons we all aware of, corporations and leaders are anxious about backlash from supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Well, guess what? We’re a huge population at 7% and growing with Gen Z at 21%. And, we spend a lot annually with $1.3T. To ignore us, your employees and your consumers, would be irresponsible. Sharing a few ways to show up this year authentically moving beyond parades and parties. 1. Education and training internally. Create strong allyship through conversations and the elimination of misinformation. Prepare front line workers for conflict management. GET PHLUID can help. 2. Align with leadership and ERG to ensure any external communication is authentic and not rainbow washing. If you’re doing good work, share that with your customers. GET PHLUID can help. 3. Give back the queer community. Donate and volunteer time. Show up! Check out www.PhluidPhoundation.org for help 4. If you’re giving away swag or gifts, purchase from an LGBTQ+ owned company. Please email Info@thephluidproject.com if we can help The Phluid team can help with each of these initiatives. But, there’s lots of other resources and talent available to support you and your team. It’s imperative that this year is done right. If not, corporations suffer, but the queer communities suffer as well. Most importantly, if a corporation has supported us in the past and is leaning in again this year, thank you. This is a moment when we need support more than ever. We ask for unwavering support in good times and in challenging times. Find your strength, courage and conviction and make us PROUD. If this resonates with you, please comment and/tag/reshare with your network who needs to hear this message. Thank you! Rob The Phluid Project #lgbtq #inclusion #education #marketing #dei #leadership National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)

June’s revelry and rainbows are an important time to celebrate and soak up the beauty and vibrancy of our community, but the queer experience doesn’t exist solely in a month. All year round, each and every day, we here at Kirrin Finch move through the world as queer people and queer allies. It’s imperative that we pause and highlight the work that needs to be done to lift up and protect our rights and safety. Pride started as a riot because our community was under attack, and the need to stand up and fight back is just as important today. Recent threats to our community are meant to intimidate, scare, and prevent us from living authentically. They are very real, and sadly, they are escalating by the day. We’re also disappointed to see a growing trend of companies and organizations shying away from showing up for the LGBTQ+ community due to hateful rhetoric. At Kirrin Finch, we recognize the importance of showing up all year long. We’re living it. We approach our social giveback strategy through three different pillars: donating time, sharing stories and resources with and about the community, and philanthropic giving to LGBTQ+ organizations. Today, we ask you to join us in living with pride every day by celebrating some of our amazing community partners as Kirrin Finch “gives them their flowers!” #futureoffashion #LGBTQ #advocacy #giveback

🌈 **Rainbow Washing: A Call for Authentic Support this Pride Month** 🌈 As we step into Pride Month, we see an explosion of rainbow logos and colorful campaigns. While the visibility and celebration are heartening, it's essential to address a critical issue: rainbow washing. **What is Rainbow Washing?** Rainbow washing refers to companies and organizations adopting the rainbow colors of the LGBTQ+ community for marketing purposes, without backing this symbolism with meaningful actions or support. **Why It Matters** True allyship goes beyond temporary branding. It's about creating and fostering inclusive environments, advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, and supporting the community year-round. Rainbow washing can undermine these efforts, reducing Pride to a mere marketing opportunity. **How to Be an Authentic Ally** 1. **Implement Inclusive Policies**: Ensure your workplace policies support LGBTQ+ employees. This includes non-discrimination policies, inclusive benefits, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion. 2. **Support LGBTQ+ Causes**: Donate to organizations that fight for LGBTQ+ rights. Encourage your employees to participate in volunteer work and provide matching donations for their contributions. 3. **Educate and Advocate**: Conduct training and workshops on LGBTQ+ issues. Use your platform to advocate for equality and share educational content that raises awareness. 4. **Listen to LGBTQ+ Voices**: Engage with LGBTQ+ employees and community members. Listen to their experiences and needs, and incorporate their feedback into your business practices. 5. **Year-Round Commitment**: Show your support beyond June. Pride is not a one-month affair; it's a continuous commitment to equality and inclusion. Let's make this Pride Month not just a time of celebration, but a catalyst for real change. Together, we can ensure our actions speak louder than our colors. #PrideMonth #LGBTQ #DiversityAndInclusion #AuthenticAllyship #CorporateResponsibility

It’s Pride month, so inevitably, there will be a sudden rush for organizations to turn their logos rainbow for the month and talk about their fundraiser for an LGBTQ+ charity. This level of tokenism has become commonplace, and has earned the moniker “rainbow-washing” - showing superficial, performative support for the LGBTQ+ community, without ever making any substantial effort to ensure equity and inclusion for their people. So if you’re a retailer who’s turned their logo rainbow for the month, I want you to ask yourself what you’re doing to support the LGBTQ+ in your workplace, to create an environment in which they feel psychologically safe and can thrive. - Do you champion workplace diversity? - Do you train your staff and leadership in inclusion? - Are your leaders engaged in creating inclusive practices? - Do you challenge micro-aggressions when they are seen or reported? - Do your policies use inclusive language and reflect the diverse needs of your workforce? - Do your LGBTQ+ employees have a safe space or resource group to drive inclusion & equity? Because if the answer the these is no, then you might be guilty of rainbow washing. #Pride

Looking to support some LGBTQ+ run businesses doing amazing things? Ethan Jong has compiled a list of 7 awesome queer-run businesses that you should think about supporting, not only this pride season but all year round! Included in the list (in no set order): The Bow Platform by Matthew McLaughlin Reya Health by Dallas Barnes Hangtight by Armando Vera Carvajal Advisor.AI by Arjun Arora Virtual Gurus by Bobbie Racette gaywater by Spencer Hoddeson Explorer Cold Brew by Cason Crane #entrepreneurs #business #queer #lgbtq #queerbusiness #founders #startup

🌈💼 Why does celebrating Pride matter in the workplace?  Because, when done authentically, it creates a truly inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable and confident being themselves. At Oaklin, a core facet of our culture is that our team can bring their whole selves to work, and Pride is pivotal in nurturing this culture. Pride serves as an opportunity to honour the LGBTQ+ community and to educate our business on the true meaning of Pride and the value found in celebrating it. That is why our Pride events this year were centred around education. These were: 🍕 A Pride Social, where our team came together for an LGBTQ+ themed quiz, a LOT of pizza, and a chance to connect and donate to an LGBTQ+ charity. 💭A Pride Lunch, where we discussed Pride's history and impact, all while acknowledging the progress that is yet to be made. 🎙️A series of communications offering film, TV, and book recommendations, as well as being a platform for our colleagues to share their personal stories. How did you celebrate Pride? #pride #pride2024 #inclusive #bringyourselftowork #celebratingLGBTQ+   

🌈 If you're not supporting LGBTQ+ workers, you're missing out on a giant pool of talent. 💡 Recently, Inc. Magazine hosted a panel discussion on economic opportunities and challenges facing the #LGBTQ+ community. Hosted by Inc. Magazine's Mike Hofman, the panel featured One Strategy Group's President Brian Ellner, The Tactile Group's Marc Coleman, and Koppa - The LGBTI+ Economic Power Lab's M.V. Lee Badgett. 🔎 Why has there been a backlash against companies with LGBTQ-friendly policies? What's it like trying to raise money as an LGBTQ+ CEO? 👉 Get all those answers in Inc. Magazine's recap: https://bit.ly/brianeinc #inclusion #pride #founders

"It’s still hard when you’re pitching across the table to people that just see the world very differently." StartOut’s 2023 State of LGBTQ Entrepreneurship Report found: ▪ Only 0.5% of the $2.1T in startup funding was raised by LGBTQ+ founders while nationwide 7.1% of the population identifies as LGBTQ+. ▪LGBTQ+ founders created 36% more jobs, 114% more patents, and 44% more exits, despite raising 16% less funding compared to the average founder. ▪Of the funding raised by LGBTQ+ founders, 85% was raised in only 5 metros with San Francisco raising 6 times more than NYC or LA and 12 times more than Denver or Austin. ▪The largest metros without any LGBTQ+ founders are Orlando (FL), Charlotte (NC), and Birmingham (AL), all of which are located in states without comprehensive non-discrimination policies for LGBTQ+ people. https://lnkd.in/eics3hph #founders #vc #investing #pride

The Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors is about to celebrate its second birthday: our community is finally catching up on a crucial agenda. As we approach our second anniversary, it's time to reflect on our journey and the strides we've made in promoting diversity. 🚀 The Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors was incorporated on August 4, 2022, and launched at JPMorgan Chase & Co. in September 2022. In retrospect, it was formed one decade too late: The Latino Corporate Directors Association (LCDA) 501(c)3, was created in 2013, and the Pan-Asian business professionals and executives launched their non-profit Ascend Pinnacle, in 2014, for example. As a result, until recently, LGBTQ+ representation was stagnant, and LGBTQ+ existing and aspiring members did not have a serious organization to support their visibility in the governance forums. With the Association, an initiative "by Board Members for Board Members" with a Board of 10 of the most prominent governance specialists in our community, LGBTQ+ directors on U.S. public and private company boards now have a platform to network, leverage, and support each other—an initiative which has in mind the specific needs of various segments of our community. We have also made tremendous progress in showcasing #LGBTQ+ talent with CEOs, Boards, Private Equity, Recruiters, and family-owned businesses. Our research agenda with academics like Wouter Torsin at ULIEGE-HEC has become empirical, contrasting with the past. Hopefully, we will celebrate these achievements in September 2022 with a cake 🍰. We are still gaining back the time lost. 👉 How can you support? Consider joining our efforts, sponsoring the association's programming, and sharing this post to spread the word. Let's make an impact together and advance this crucial agenda for our community! #LGBTQ #DiversityInLeadership #CorporateGovernance Australian LGBTQ+ Board & Executive Inclusion (ALBEI) LGBTQ Corporate Directors Canada NACD (National Association of Corporate Directors) NACD Northern California Chapter Private Directors Association® Equilar Cooley LLP Him For Her Suzanne Brown

🌈 Happy Pride Month from everyone here at CORe! 🌈 We are proud to stand with the LGBTQ+ community in honouring the history, achievements, and ongoing struggles for equality and acceptance. Pride Month is a time for celebration, reflection, and action. Pride Month takes place in June to commemorate the Stonewall Riots, which occurred in June 1969 in New York City. The Stonewall Riots were a series of spontaneous demonstrations by members of the LGBTQ+ community in response to a police raid at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village. These events are widely considered a pivotal moment in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. The first Pride march, known as the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, was held on June 28, 1970, marking the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. This event inspired similar marches and celebrations around the world. June was chosen for Pride Month to honour the courage and resilience of those who stood up for LGBTQ+ rights at Stonewall and to continue advocating for equality, acceptance, and love ❤️ . Back in 2020 we joined forces with Market Research Society (MRS) Pride to explore the experiences of those at the intersection of both groups. Sabrina Trinquetel, who led the research, issues a challenge to the sector ✊🏽 . The intersectionality of LGBTQ+ communities and ethnic minority people is a rarely explored or researched topic. MRSpride and CORe came together to shine a light on the unique experiences of these people within the Market Research industry. We found that there are certain challenges that arose, in particular the layered discrimination that comes from being part of more than one minority group. This, alongside elements such as internalised homophobia pushes people to create multiple identities across everyday situations. This ends up being the default stance and is incredibly hard to disrupt. Intersectionality is a prism to see the effects of various forms of discrimination and disempowerment. – Kimberle Crenshaw Watch the full research presentation here: “Brown people can’t be gay” (https://lnkd.in/gbRYQb-b) Find out more about MRSpride: https://lnkd.in/dRVZetk #PrideMonth #LGBTQ #DiversityAndInclusion #Stonewall #Intersectionality #CORe #MRSpride #Equality