Rocketship Public Schools’ Post

Pride month is around the corner 🦄 and I can't wait to see logos colored in all the colors of the rainbow. With the political climate taking a serious turn to the right pretty much everywhere, I think we can do better. Actually, we have to do better. 👀 if you're an ally: Don't ever think you're doing enough by being tolerant or accepting. The work is to listen, the work is to call folks out when they talk in a way that's violent, the work is to be present. 🛠️ if you're a brand: take the time to talk with queer experts to actually take your social responsibility serious. Where you can find these experts? Externally (hello!) and internally (your employees), I honestly think a mix of both works best. Define goals that have an impact on queer people. Define goals that make you safer as a workplace as well as make the world as safer place for queer folks. 💛 and if you're queer: who am I to give you advice, you're the expert, but drop me a heart so I can give you a (virtual) hug back.

I'm starting off Pride month by reading the stories of a fellow queer, working class writer. We need to hear/read the stories of more queer working class people—of all ethnicities. Queer people who went to state schools, trade schools, or dropped out college. Queer people who work in the service industry, as farmers, as sex workers, as performers, as activists, or the lowest rung of clerical work. Queer people who live in segregated cities or deprived rural areas. Queer people who are living experiences of struggle and success. Queer working class people are my inspiration.

I just got home from delivering a presentation to the St. Louis job Corps, which is a residential program that provides free career training and education for low-income 16- through 24-year-olds. In front of a crowd of 150 young people, I teamed up with my local PFLAG chapter to share my story of my experiences with suicidality and of the allies and loved ones who saved my life in countless big and small ways throughout my journey. Afterwards, we posted up at our resource table by the door. At first, the kids weren’t sure whether they could come and talk to us. But after the first student asked if they could have a pronoun pin and we responded that it was free, the floodgates were opened. They clustered around, excitedly pointed out pins to each other with identities they knew their peers held. As the crowd started to thin, some of the quieter students shared openly with us how exciting it was to see a transgender adult and a supportive parent. They were so excited to share their dreams of who they would be when they grew up. They told us about their dreams for fashion and pets they would have, and one young person showed us the logo for the graphic design business they hoped to start. After the group left, one of the counselors excitedly turned to us and said “that might be the most I’ve ever heard her talk! when that student got here, she wouldn’t talk to anyone. It’s been incredible to see her grow, and it’s amazing how much enthusiasm she had to talk to you.” There are moments when this work is exhausting. There are moments when business is slow and I wonder if I can keep it up. And then, there are moments that make it crystal clear why I’ve chosen this as my life path. For all of those students who heard today that they are not alone, that they get to grow up and have dreams and have a future? That’s why I do it. Do you want to help share these messages of hope and visibility within your organization? Send me a DM or reach out via my website! #speaker #transgender #representation #inclusion #trans #suicideprevention #youthsupport #publicspeaker

To end pride month... Imma get serious. It's fucking tiring for queer people right now. Most of us are exhausted, I think almost all of us are scared of events to come, some of us sadly didn't even survive this pride month, or this past year of hateful rhetoric, and there'll be more loss to come.. I try not to get super heavy here but even I'm at my wit's end. Being a visibly queer, non-binary person is tiring, it's who I am and I can't change that trust me I tried. ➡️ But we can all change our attitudes. ⬅️ If you’re not used to interacting with trans ppl….. Try it! Honestly my page is pretty friendly towards everyone but being queer is hardly the focus of my work. Cause it's exhausting talking about it and there are accounts who do that way better than me (I mainly talk marketing, design and the cannabis industry, so you won't see me on top LinkedIn queer accounts or whatever) It's been an exhausting year, we don't even know if we'll see next year at this rate but we're all in it together. So try interacting with folks you usually don't! Well, you might learn things, just because you’re straight or not trans doesn't mean you cant learn valuable shit from queer people, it doesn't mean you can’t enjoy interacting with them on a human level and it doesn't mean you cant find common ground. And we all need you too. The world is a shit show and we need all the friends and love we can get right now and share it back to those friends. It's about the only thing any of us can reasonably do. Anyway back to my regular BS💜

Every June since I was a young adult, Pride Month has been a time for me to pause, reflect, advocate, celebrate, and, most importantly, learn. This year holds special significance. As the business owner of Collectively Neurodiverse, I have the incredible opportunity to celebrate Pride Month in a way that fully aligns with my core values and represents the neurodivergent community, free from external constraints and focused on fostering inclusion and authenticity. I initially wanted to use my weekly posts to educate on the intersectionality of neurodiversity and Pride Month. This week, however, I want to deliver a more personal post. My dedication to inclusion stems from the people who have impacted my life thus far. Growing up in environments where LGBTQIA+ identities weren't readily embraced, I found a contrasting world in the performing arts—a space that celebrated diversity and individuality. This initial conflict catalyzed personal growth, teaching me to challenge biases and understand others' experiences. To this day, I am incredibly grateful for the people I have met, the relationships I have built, and the lessons I have learned to grow as an ally. Reflecting this Pride Month on specific moments and interactions and being a part of the performing arts community showed me firsthand what is achievable in a genuinely inclusive setting. As masters of building bridges, performers depict human stories from the stage to transcend audiences through connection and empathy. Yet, it's the work they do backstage that makes this happen. Performers collaborate tirelessly, each valued for their unique talents. They often learn from each other more deeply, understanding what each individual needs to help ensure they hit their marks, sing a phrase just right, or deliver a line most impactfully. I aim to create that type of impact through Collectively Neurodiverse, fostering that same sense of belonging and empowerment at companies through our services. We'll celebrate individual strengths and help create an environment where everyone can thrive. Want to learn more? Book a Discovery Call to see how Collectively Neurodiverse can partner with your organization to build a more neurodiverse and inclusive culture: https://lnkd.in/eJ8CKnYb #WeeklyNeuroinclusion #PrideMonth #Inclusion #Neurodiversity #CollectivelyNeurodiverse #CND 

Tips on how to be an effective ally: 🌈 Being an ally means more than just passive support—it involves intentional actions that uplift marginalized voices and create positive change. 📣 Actively Listen and Amplify: Listen to the experiences and challenges faced by marginalized colleagues. Understand their perspectives and validate their feelings. Amplify their voices by sharing their ideas, achievements, and contributions. Use your platform to elevate their visibility. 🗣 Speak Up Against Bias and Microaggressions: When you witness microaggressions, unconscious biases, or discriminatory behavior, don’t stay silent. Address them respectfully. Use your voice to advocate for fairness and equity. Be an ally who actively challenges harmful practices. 📕 Educate Yourself and Research: Continuously educate yourself about LGBTQIA+ issues, history, and terminology. Stay informed about current challenges and progress. Read books, attend workshops, and engage with resources that deepen your understanding. 🤝 Build Genuine Connections: Bridge understanding by building relationships with colleagues from diverse backgrounds. Learn about their experiences and perspectives. Show empathy and compassion. Be open to learning from others. Remember, allyship is an ongoing commitment. It’s not about being perfect but about being willing to learn, grow, and actively contribute to a more inclusive workplace. #Allyship #ListenActively #BuildingInclusivity #EqualityAndInclusion #Belonging #EqualityCareers #30daysofallyship

Great tips on #allyship in celebration of #Pride month. Another way you can be a great ally: follow Equality Careers! Let's get them over 2k followers so we can help spread the word about #jobs at inclusive employers.

🌟 Do you REALLY want people to bring their whole selves to work. 🌟 Is your organization ready for all that authenticity? Hey there, folks! Authenticity in the workplace is all the rage these days, but, truth 💣, most of you aren't ready. Here's why. When organizations haven't done the work to understand that there are different layers (we call them orders) of identity, then they aren't ready for identity conflict. Welcoming everybody as they are and asking them to show up as their full selves sounds great until you have a person whose religious beliefs are not respectful of LGBTQIA+ folks. And that's something we see all the time. Not all categories of identity are the same. Some have more salience, or importance, to us depending on our context. Here's what's up. There are some things about ourselves that we cannot change. And when those things are threatened, challenged, or disrespected, it's experienced as an existential threat. It invalidates someone's very right to exist. There are other things that are harder to change but changeable - citizenship or religion. Though these might be influenced by our family or origin or culture, they are within our power to change, even if it is at great effort. We have other identities that are fairly flexible. That we might change several times over our lifetime, but that are still meaningful to us. Our educational attainment, our job function, the actual church we attend. Then, there are things we could change on a near-daily basis. While these might be important and very valuable to us. They are things that we could change with little effort. We have control over these factors completely. Say, for example, our political affiliation. When conflict occurs across orders of identity, we often see major problems at work. That's what's going on when a person has a religious opinion (2nd order) about an LGBTQIA+ person's right to live with equal human rights. Got questions? Drop them in the comments, and I'll try to weigh in. But as a starting point, know that it's not time to use the bring your whole self to work language, until you've done this kind of work. #dei #deib #belonging #diversity #inclusion #equity #identityconflict

Although I am in the early years of my professional career, I cannot express enough gratitude to work at such an amazing, inclusive, and open-minded place like About Fresh. I cannot imagine working at a more inclusive workplace, filled with allies and big colorful hearts. I am feeling extra filled with pride during this pride month, as my partner Steph and I celebrate another year out & proud in our personal and professional lives. While many people are not as fortunate as I am in this area, I hope people take moments this month to reflect and think about how they can be more inclusive or more of an active ally to all people in the LGBTQIA+ (and beyond!) community. Here are some ways to become a stronger ally:  1. Educate yourself - find out the history and current struggles of people in this community  2. Don’t assume you know what someone needs - you know what they say about assuming! 3. Practice active listening - try to digest the information before creating a response  4. Ditch putting people into boxes - boxes are out, and spectrums are in! 5. Recognize your privilege - use that power for GOOD!

What do Cowboy Carter, Pride Month, and allyship all have in common?🤔 Representation! Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter had everyone buzzing, especially the track "II MOST WANTED" - with fans hailing it as the unofficial anthem for the lesbian community.🤠 This is a prime example of how representation underscores the significant role allies play in promoting inclusion. Through art and music, artists hold the power to create spaces for LGBTQIA+ voices. 📣 But guess what? Allyship doesn't require Beyonce's star power. It requires each of us. Every day. In the workplace, allyship may look like this: 🌈 Ensuring everyone has a chance to contribute in meetings and projects. 🌈 Promoting colleagues' achievements and nominating them for opportunities. 🌈 Challenging bias and microaggressions (subtle, unintentional forms of discrimination). The key is showing up, actively listening, and taking action to support LGBTQIA+ colleagues in a genuine and impactful way. The Stats Tell the Story ↓ Studies show that in workplaces with strong allyship, there is an uptick in performance and employees are less likely to leave.📈 Together, let’s lead with pride. How will YOU be an ally today?