Milliman’s Post

At yesterday's West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce luncheon, leaders from five statewide LGBTQ+ organizations shared perspectives and strategies on how employers and community members might support a more diverse and inclusive workforce & workplace. Thanks to Iowa Safe Schools, Des Moines Gay Men's Chorus, One Iowa, and Capital City Pride. And special recognition to panelist (and my friend/colleague) Dan Jansen, who serves as Board Chair of the Iowa LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce. Curious to hear any of your thoughts, ideas, and experiences in the comments below: 1) How is your company fostering diversity and/or inclusion? 2) How are you or others in your organization championing inclusivity in aspects of work culture? 3) What initiatives have you found to be effective?

When developing a strategic approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), it is crucial to consider the location of your operation and the effect it has on your staff. Employee resource groups are a valuable way to provide support to your employees across the country, regardless of the state in which they reside. Many thanks to Matt Hurwitz for sharing this important story.

So Important

Big shoutout to Linda Lee (she/her), Chief People Officer of Velocity Global for allowing us the opportunity to speak to our whole company about important & difficult stuff. I had the honor of interviewing the incoming leadership of our PRIDE group. They were all so willing to be open, transparent, vulnerable, brave, and strong. These are the attributes we need right now. My opening remarks follow: ----------------------------------------------------------- Hey all! And happy pride month! We typically begin these kinds of meetings with a reminder of why this matters. Why do we still need pride events? I mean…sure… we can all use an injection of style & fabulousness, but why do we "need" this? In our post-Will-&-Grace age where we have gay marriage as the rule of the land, why do we "need" these events? As a reminder, Pride month is in June. It’s not because we can all wear short shorts and tight t-shirts on floats. Well… that’s not the only reason. It’s because it's the anniversary of the Stonewall riots - a huge gay uprising in NYC against the cops who were routinely raiding the bar and arresting us. Pride events were and are acts of activism; they’re a reminder of uprising, they’re a reminder to keep fighting, they are a call to action. There was a German philosopher named Hegel who posited that history has patterns - the Hegelian Dialectic - made up of Thesis, Antithesis, & Synthesis. Something is true (thesis), then the opposite pushes back (antithesis), this leads to a transformation (synthesis). For gay rights, we've seen this year after year. When I was 18, I marched in my first gay pride parade in New York. When we passed churches we were met with people screaming at us “God Hates Fags”. 42 years later, in Colorado right now, we have people chanting God Hates Flags, pushing people to burn gay flags. So yes, we have gay marriage And we have gay flag burning. The thesis and antithesis. What remains is the synthesis; the transformation. That’s where the role of Pride events lives; in the nudging of social evolution. That’s why we do these. To not back down, but to keep fighting back. Especially when it’s not easy.

Entegris values #diversity, which is why this week Dann Woodland, SVP and President of our Materials Solutions division, sat down with leaders from our LGBTQ+ Network for a discussion about the importance of #inclusion, allyship, and leadership. During the virtual Fireside Chat, Dann, alongside leaders Julia Ford and Christi Dawydiak, discussed his leadership journey and efforts leaders can take to promote inclusivity. Personal development and inclusion are pillars of our #corporatesocialresponsibility effort. For more information about how we create a welcoming environment, explore our most recent #CSR report: https://bit.ly/44fW8kc #lgbtqia #entegriscareers

My Takeaways this Pride Month 🌈 As Pride Month comes to a close, I wanted to share some reflections and takeaways. 1. Unity and Support: One of the lessons from Pride Month is the importance of relying on one another. Our community is incredibly diverse, encompassing LGBTQ individuals and our allies. We come from various walks of life, have different levels of experience and education, and speak many languages. These rich experiences mean that together, we can overcome any challenge. 💪 2. Continuous Advocacy: Let's remember that advocacy is not a one-month event, but a year-round commitment. It's about building and nurturing relationships, even when the conversations are tough. It's through this persistent effort that we can truly make a difference and support each other effectively. 🗣️ 3. Giving Back: It's not just important; it's crucial to give back to our communities and support our cities, towns, and local organizations. Our impact should extend beyond ourselves, serving others and fostering a sense of collective impact and support. 🤝 May this month and every month bring you pride in who we are as people. May we all continue to live to the fullest of our potential. Let's keep this spirit alive and carry it with us every day. *******Thank you to all of you!❤️🌈******** #PrideMonth #FortWorth 

🌈✊🏾June is a powerful month for celebration and reflection, marking both Pride Month and Juneteenth. In my blog post, I explore the intersectionality of these significant events and the importance of creating safe and inclusive workspaces for all communities. Diversity isn't just about numbers; it's about fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and respected. Whether it's supporting LGBTQ+ colleagues during Pride or recognizing the historical importance of Juneteenth for Black Americans, every effort counts towards building a truly inclusive workplace. Every step we take towards a more inclusive environment is a step towards a better workplace for all > https://bit.ly/3yLHcyM #BMC #PrideMonth #Juneteenth #Intersectionality #InclusiveWorkplace #DiversityAndInclusion #SafeWorkspaces

So now what? Pride Month is over, and the queer community have started to go back into hibernation now most of the bigger parades have ended, right? Corporate rainbow logos go back to normal, after their brief foray into colour. But what happens next? Do the commitments to LGBTQ+ inclusion go on the back burner til next June? Do rights and “amplification” only matter when it's convenient/profitable? Protests are important and we should never forget Pride is one. I’m always glad though when the distraction of parades is over and I am able to focus back in on trying to create sustainable change, because in most organisations pride marches are just gestures and temporary visibility. It's easy to do it for a month, but the work needs persist year-round. Sustained action matters more and than allyship for the day of a march. So, let's hold ourselves and our organisations accountable. Let's try and make sure that the annual June momentum doesn’t reset and leads to real tangible change. I can’t remember where I first heard this but Pride isn’t a month; it’s a movement. If you can’t tell, I love a mildly angst ridden post as we head into what has been one of the most toxic election cycles I’ve ever seen for its treatment of trans people.

To celebrate Pride Month, we asked John Curtis, our Senior Vice President - Global Offerings & North America Direct Leasing Sales Director, what this month means to him: “Happy Pride month! LGBTQ+ Pride IS action. As with any innovation – we at Xerox have pride in our progress and recognize the real business value-add of inclusion. Business studies prove that individuals and businesses thrive when we actively support our LGBTQ+ and diverse colleagues, clients and neighbors. However, Pride month cannot just be celebrating the history of our past, but in ensuring measurable transformation that drives continuous progress. And superheroes need sidekicks! We need to be allies for each other, to unleash the best in our culture and teams. As I celebrate 40 years with Xerox, coinciding with Pride month, I can see the hundreds of actions and champions who contributed to our families, our careers and our communities. We must harness those experiences to keep our commitment and momentum driving forward: not just for Pride month – but each day, each decision, each opportunity to advocate for equity and true belonging.” #Xerox #Pride

As we journey through June, we are proud to celebrate both Pride Month and Juneteenth, two significant observances that remind us of the power of love, equality, and freedom. Pride Month is a time to honor the LGBTQ+ community, their history, struggles, and the ongoing fight for equal rights. It's a celebration of love, identity, and the vibrant diversity that enriches our world. Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of the last enslaved African Americans in 1865. It is a powerful reminder of the resilience and contributions of Black communities and the enduring quest for racial equality. At XponentL we have built an inclusive environment where everyone is celebrated for who they are. We believe that the individual voices of our employees meld into our collective strength, regardless of class, faith, gender, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation. We play positive sum games with positive sum people. We thus strongly reject discrimination…a zero-sum power play if there ever was one. Happy Pride Month and Juneteenth! Let’s all get better together. #PrideMonth #Juneteenth #UnityInDiversity #EqualityForAll