Omega Funds’ Post

We’re excited to announce the scholarship recipients for Cohort 15 of VC University! These 40 aspiring VCs were competitively selected from hundreds of applications by our nonprofit sister organization Venture Forward. This scholarship class is incredibly diverse across geography, gender, ethnicity, and age:   💥 78% identify as people of color 💥 68% identify as women or as nonbinary 💥 15% identify as LGBTQ+ 💥 70% live outside CA, MA, and NY (the three states with the majority of VC activity)   Get to know these up-and-coming VCs:  https://lnkd.in/gSY-ym9Z

I posted the other day about “Will and Harper,” a film about the friendship between Will Ferrell and Harper Steele that just premiered at Sundance. I expressed mixed excitement and apprehension about seeing it when it becomes more widely available and got some responses from folks who did and did not get my mixed feelings. As I have thought about my response and those I received from others, a realization crystalized: In LGBTQ+ advocacy work, we are often caught between two audiences - our LGBTQ+ siblings and neighbors and our cisgender, straight ones. They often have different starting points and needs and it can be difficult to know how to meet both. Whether I am conscious of it or not, as an advocate, trainer, and writer I regularly have to make choices about which audience’s needs to prioritize based on the impact I hope to have. This calls to mind a PFLAG-sponsored workshop I once gave at the Southeast Regional Unity Conference. The workshop was on engaging people in the early stages of becoming an LGBTQ+ ally. I crafted it with my fellow PFLAG chapter board members to help advocates and community organizers create psychological safety for people who have reasons to support LGBTQ+ people in their life but are struggling with their cultural conditioning around sexuality and gender. I included skills for managing one’s own reactivity, offering non-judgmental support, and small ways to encourage critical consideration of social constructs. It wasn’t an easy curriculum and assumed attendees would have significant patience and self-assured presence to be able to make space for others. So, I was taken aback when workshop time arrived and I was faced with a room of queer college students desperate for support on their small southern campuses, not currently ready to create space for others' psychological work. I did my best to adapt, modifying the skills to create safe space for ourselves, ways to become our own ally. Similarly, I regularly encounter situations when I need to speak directly to my LGBTQ+ audience members and know that I will lose people who don’t use the same language and thought patterns. I don’t have any grand conclusions about how to bridge the needs of these two audiences. I do think being mindful of both and assessing the potential impact of our advocacy across audiences is a place to start. Both deserve our attention and our best efforts at reaching them where they are.

If you're an LGBTQIA+ founder, you NEED to apply to StartOut Growth Lab. As a current cohort fellow, I can tell you it has been a transformative experience surrounded by the best people imaginable. Not only the staff, volunteers, and mentors at StartOut, but also getting to know the other queer founders in the cohort. We're only halfway through and already the deliverables have been priceless. Don't hesitate! You lose nothing by applying and have absolutely everything to gain. #accelerator #startups #founderresources #startupsupport #applicationsopen #lgbtqiafounders #underrepresentedfounders

Each year I take time to step back from The Queer Student Awards to evaluate the event. It's important that time is taken to evaluate and assess the impact of the event, both quantitatively and qualitatively. This is done using data sourced from select QSA-owned social media channels and digital ecosystem, and the feedback we receive from guests who attended to ensure that the report produced is both objective and accurate in its findings. It's important to me as the event founder to ensure that the work done to deliver this event is having a meaningful impact on young LGBTQ+ students, educators and employers, and despite some bumps in the road this year, I'm very proud to publish this year's Impact Report today. My personal highlights of this year's report include: 1. The positive feedback on the quality of what was said in the speeches delivered and their resonance with guests - we didn't shy away from talking about topics and forces impacting the delivery of the event that others have shied away from and it's been welcomed by our guests. 2. The DOUBLING in website traffic in just 12 months - over 66,000 website visits since the digital campaign for QSA2024 launched, with 76% of page views resulting in brand impressions for our partners. 3. Social media impressions reaching and surpassing 500,000 for the first time - a combined audience across LinkedIn and Instagram over 650,000 thanks to the collaborative efforts of our finalists, partners and judges. From an event that started as a Zoom meeting in 2021, planning for our fifth anniversary event QSA2025 has already begun. I'm looking for more partners to join us on our journey proudly sharing the stories behind the rainbow - something we did first for young LGBTQ+ people in the UK. If you would like to receive a copy of the report please get in touch and let's start a conversation. #LGBTQ #DiversityAndInclusion #StudentRecruitment #EarlyCareers The Queer Student Awards in association with EY

"You're too young" - something I've heard a lot over the past few years, including last week. This creates the perception that young adults between the ages of 18 to 30 shouldn't be ambitious. When heard over and over, this messaging can seriously damage the progress of young adults. The reality is that success doesn't have to be an old boy's club: ❌ I wasn't too young to legally found a non profit according to companies house. ❌ I wasn't too young to be trusted to manage a budget of over a quarter million according to my funders. ❌ I wasn't too young to manage a team of 15 people including paid staff and volunteers according to my annual staff well-being feedback. ❌ I wasn't too young to talk in some of the UK & the world's largest businesses according to my 50% booking increase. Why do I know this beyond the data I collect? Because I did all of this before I turned 25. The biggest barrier because of my age is the one that other people tried to manifest for me. Yes, there absolutely is a difference between ability and experience, but that's where those with experience should be stepping up to empower that ability with their knowledge... that's why I built a board of directors with seriously impressive skills & experiences and ensured that Blossom LGBT CIC's spearhead service is focused on connecting those with experience to younger people. Sure, I'm incredibly lucky to have the privilege of passing as a cis man & being white, this is exactly why we're focusing so much on intersectionality at Blossom LGBT CIC, but I'm also a queer person with learning difficulties & a core motor skills effecting disability, who left formal education before university and whose college course was absolutely unrelated to what I do now. We need to stop stepping on early stage ambitious and start empowering it.

Professor and Chair of MCE’s Higher Education Department, Dr. D-L Stewart, was recently featured in an article addressing diverse issues in higher education. D-L shared, 'It was an honor to be included in this important reporting and discussion on the closure of LGBTQ+ resource centers, the harmful effects on LGBTQ+ students, and what resistance looks like for the next generation of college students.'   You can check out this important article and D-L’s insight below.   #LGBTQ #Education #YouthActivism https://lnkd.in/dbVWz7UE

In 2023, Morgan Stanley Institute released a survey on Opportunities and Demand for Investing in LGBTQ+ Equity & Inclusion: – 0.5% of venture capital in the United States is raised by LGBTQ+ startup founders. – 67% of Gen Z investors want investment products and strategies that advance LGBTQ+ equity and inclusion. Diversity and inclusion are an integral part of the development of society. And I like the dynamics where it's going. The power of acceptance is growing, the number of products for LGBTQ+ audiences is growing, and the investor's interest is growing. We still need to find a lot of solutions on how to serve the LGBTQ+ community, and I believe the % of venture capital raised will get x5 higher in the next few years.

Very happy to be able to share our new print "Category is... Staff and student experiences of Rainbow Office Hours" as part of #lgbthistorymonth . This is a cross-College collaboration, including a student author, and I'm proud to finally have the argument out there as to why we think Rainbow Office Hours are so important, for both staff and students. This is a pre-submission preprint, any feedback gratefully received. https://lnkd.in/e2te-iEc "In this paper we present staff and student experiences of "Rainbow Office Hours", a distinct, safe space for LGBTQ+ community engagement in higher education, challenging traditional professional identity boundaries and promoting visibility and representation. Originating at the University of Glasgow in 2019, students are invited to attend specific times labelled as Rainbow Office Hours with an LGBTQ+ member of staff to discuss anything LGBTQ+ related. This initiative has helped foster an inclusive campus climate, underscoring the need for broader institutional support for LGBTQ+ identities. We advocate for integrating queer perspectives across academic disciplines, emphasising the critical role of representation in educational environments and critiquing the prevailing heteronormative and cisnormative institutional cultures that discourage the integration of sexual and gender minority issues into academia. We cannot, and will not, leave who we are at the door when we arrive at work." #highereducation #lgbtq #inclusiveeducation

We recently teamed up for a project that sparked some powerful conversations about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) on campus! My awesome friends, and I interviewed students from our campus, and their insights were incredibly valuable. Here are some key themes that emerged: Challenging Assumptions: One scenario we explored involved a situation where a student's background potentially influenced their experience. This highlighted the importance of questioning assumptions and fostering environments free from bias. Building an Inclusive LGBTQ+ Community: The project also delved into the experiences of LGBTQ+ students, emphasizing the need for inclusive spaces and respect for all identities. Bridging Cultural Gaps: Open communication and cultural sensitivity were crucial takeaways from a scenario focused on navigating cultural differences. Collaboration is Key! This project wouldn't have been possible without Mebin Thomas, Cherylanne Gonsalves & Soumiya Prabhakaran and collaborative spirit! Huge thanks to Dr. Elizabeth C. maam for her incredible support and guidance throughout. Let's Keep the Conversation Going! DEIB is an ongoing journey. We'd love to hear your stories and thoughts: How can we create a more inclusive and equitable campus community? Drop a comment below and share your experiences! #DEIB #Diversity #Inclusion #Equity #Belonging #StudentProject #OpenDiscussion

As society and institutions increasingly prioritise LGBTQ+ inclusiveness, funding opportunities for those aiming to make a difference in this area have expanded. Scholarships, fellowships, and financial awards have long enabled ambitious and deserving students to access higher education. 🎓🏳️🌈 And business schools are recognising more and more that not only do they need to engage in specific outreach for LGBTQ+ applicants, but they need to reassure students that their campuses are safe, inclusive environments. This Pride Month, we’ve scoured the globe (digitally) to find the best scholarships that prioritise LGBTQ+ rights. Let’s look at some available from corporate partners: 🤝 Institution: Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA) Scholarship: Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA) Aims to support and empower LGBTQ+ individuals pursuing their MBA education. Institution: Point Foundation Scholarship: Point Scholarship Aimed at empowering promising LGBTQ+ students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential. Institution: Pride Foundation Scholarship: Pride Foundation Scholarship This scholarship empowers individuals to pursue their academic and professional goals without barriers. To find out more about scholarships around the globe, including Europe, North America, and Australia visit our link below! ⬇    https://lnkd.in/eq8PQcAB #BlueSkyThinking #Pride #LGBTQ #Scholarships #HigherEducation