The Alumni Society’s Post

Ramin Setoodeh, the co-editor in chief of Variety, is turning heads and breaking barriers in the realm of media with an enthusiasm that's hard to ignore. With over a decade at Variety, he's not just reporting stories; he's crafting narratives, weaving over 50 cover stories, engaging in insightful conversations with A-list celebs, and spearheading initiatives like the groundbreaking "New Power of New York" franchise. But that's not all—Ramin is the creative force behind Variety's Emmy-winning "Actors on Actors" series, showcasing a commitment to inclusivity that goes beyond headlines. 🚀💬 Why does this matter? It's not just about the glitz of Hollywood; it's about shaping a narrative that embraces diversity and representation. Ramin's dedication to delivering impactful content underscores the transformative power of media in shaping societal norms and perspectives. Beyond the glamour, he's a bestselling author, delving into the inner workings of The View in his book "Women Who Punch," furthering the conversation around the importance of diverse voices in media. 📚🎤 In our current landscape, where positive queer representation is more crucial than ever, Ramin stands as a beacon of optimism. He believes that the stories we tell can empower LGBTQ+ youth, helping them navigate the world with confidence and resilience. It's not just news; it's a movement to inspire the next generation to embrace their unique journeys with pride. 🌍🏳️🌈 Enter Proud Empowerment Business Solutions, echoing the sentiments of Ramin's mission. They recognize the significance of breaking barriers and amplifying diverse stories. In their words, "Stories shape our world, and inclusive narratives make it richer." 🌟📖 Now, we want to hear from you! What resonates with you about Ramin's work? Share your thoughts below with a single word that captures the essence of this post. Let's cultivate a conversation that champions positivity, inclusivity, and the power of storytelling! 🗣️💭 [Image Description: A candid snapshot capturing Ramin Setoodeh in his element, passionately engaging in media endeavors.] #MediaTrailblazer #InclusiveNarratives #EmpowerThroughStories #DiversityInMedia #InspireNextGen #PositiveChange #VarietyVisionary #ProudEmpowerment #OwnYourJourney

It's PRIDE Month! Let's celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and be true allies every day. The theme of our Symposium panel discussion this year is allyship. Below we've collated some of the top tips shared so far by speakers on how to be a good ally to LGBTQIA+ and all marginalised individuals and groups. ✨ 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐮𝐩, 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭 Use inclusive language (e.g "partner" instead of assuming gender). Stand up against discrimination, even if the person isn't there. “A part of the role as an ally is to take the load off. Make change through listening and don’t be afraid to make mistakes,” - Ben Graetz "It's not enough to say you aren't part of the problem, you have to be part of the solution too" - Andrew Kay ✨ 𝐁𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞, 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 Don't wait to be an ally - start a conversation and elevate diverse voices. Attend LGBTQIA+ events & wear rainbow. "An imperfect ally in lots of places is better than a perfect ally in only one place" - Han Worsley "Ask not who is my ally, but for whom can I be an ally?" - Jan Fran ✨ 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 Show your pronouns and encourage others to do the same. It normalises respecting everyone's identity. “Think about what you can provide to that person that means they can be their authentic selves.” - Tahlia Biggs “It is about encouraging everyone. They are welcome, they are valued. Respect is key.” - @Deb Jones 💭 What are your top tips for being a good ally? About the artwork: We’re part of Navitas, a leading global education provider. This artwork has been created by Benjamin Bullock-Smith, Senior Creative Manager at Navitas. Ben says of his design: "This year's design is indicative of the history of PRIDE and representing the seriousness of some struggles the community has been facing recently...The visual reflects conviction of values." #PrideMonth #Pride2024 #equalitymatters #Allyship

Today we stand with our brothers, sisters, and non-binary friends of color and celebrate the life of a man willing to give everything to demonstrate more than intentions. We believe in leading by example. We believe it's NOT enough to only say "I'm not racist". We believe that being an ally means doing something more. We believe in supporting diversity, equity, & inclusion. We believe change happens with intent. As a reminder, we have chosen as a business to offer a flat 10% discount across all services to any company founded by women, minorities, non-binary individuals, and queer founders. We support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by supporting businesses that also have that at their moral foundation. info@finsuiteconsulting.co

Black women continue to break barriers and drive meaningful change in the tech industry. As a Black woman in HR specializing in tech hiring, I've seen firsthand the transformative power of diversity and inclusion. We bring unique perspectives and insights to the table, which are crucial for technological advancements. One notable example of a Black tech innovator is Arlan Hamilton, founder of Backstage Capital. Despite facing significant barriers in accessing traditional funding, Arlan has disrupted the venture capital landscape by focusing on supporting underestimated entrepreneurs, including women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Let's celebrate the accomplishments of Black tech innovators like Arlan this #BlackHistoryMonth. Their contributions to #DiversityInTech and #WomenInTech are a testament to the power of #BlackExcellence.

As a queer person running a small business, it's not lost on me that businesses carry a lot of weight when it comes to creating an anti-racist workplace. In the spirit of #Juneteenth earlier this week, here are four ways to incorporate anti-racism practices in the workplace year round: 1️⃣ Flip the script. Re-examine words such as ‘underrepresented,’ which place the onus on the person instead of the system that was created to perpetuate racism (hello, white supremacy!). S/O to Nmadinobi Chloé Nwangwu, The Brand Scientist™ for innovating the shift to ‘‘underrecognized’ in her #HBR article!  2️⃣ Hold space for Juneteenth. Full Swing’s virtual doors were closed in observance of Juneteenth as we celebrated the achievements, energy, cultural contributions, and unapologetic joy of our Black community. 3️⃣ Put your money where your mouth is. Invest money and time towards educating your employees. If you don’t know where to start, work with BIPOC #DEI consultants to help you on this journey. 4️⃣ Improve your business by hiring diverse thinkers. As part of your hiring practices, actively recruit BIPOC and members of the LGBTQ+ community as employees, contractors, and vendors. More white business owners need to reject white supremacy while acknowledging how insidiously it operates in every facet of our lives and workplaces. #WomenOwnedBusiness #LGBTQOwned #WorkPlaceCulture

Today’s Pride thoughts - this one is kind of complicated, so bear with me. You want to be inclusive and represent people from the LGBTQIA community in your communications. Great. But don’t fall into the trap of hyper-sexualizing queer people. You know the kind of imagery I mean. Two gay men embracing, shirtless, impressive oiled pecs and abs gleaming in the California sun. Two lesbian women kissing, long, glossy hair swirling, model-perfect bodies entwining.   But isn’t it positive to celebrate the beauty of queer love? Hm. Don’t forget that during time of the witch hunts in Europe, witches were described as being beautiful, carnal, out of control temptresses. Untethered, raw sexuality was deemed a threat to social order and family life, and hyper-sexualizing accused witches effectively othered them and legitimized their persecution. Much of modern anti-LGBTQIA mania circles around the idea that queer folks are predatory sex maniacs, threatening the innocence of children and the stability of society.   When I go to the local Pride meetup, this is who I see there: a retired teacher in a modest, flowered dress, a heavyset auto service manager in a Hawaiian shirt and khakis, a stick-thin, shy student smiling from behind a curtain of long hair, a short farrier with a scruffy beard and rainbow Crocs, a college professor with short gray hair and a flannel shirt, a dog trainer with a border collie and a pocket full of dog treats, a computer engineer with a handlebar mustache wearing a hand-knit sweater. In other words, perfectly ordinary human beings with ordinary bodies and ordinary lives.   Inclusion should be ordinary too. Just part of what you do every day. Not a special, self-conscious thing you do during Pride month. #Pride #Inclusion #EverydayPeople #Representation

Final week of Women's History Month! As we wind down Women’s History Month 2024, I’d like to take a moment to thank the men and women who have been shining examples, shouting cheerleaders, pushy mentors (only when I needed it of course), loud supporters and strong allies to and for me. You know who you are. 😉 From my first career, in the US Army, I found life wasn’t going to be all sunshine and rainbows with everything handed to me. Nor would I have wanted it that way. But these people…well…they have just made all the difference in my life, and I’ll be forever grateful for their kindness and trust in me.  They made me brave and confident and showed me a life and career I don’t think I would have seen otherwise. Take a few minutes to think about your life and career thus far – and send a THANK YOU to those who have made a difference, whether they knew it or not. It will mean more than you could imagine. Now – on to the last installment … Here are some easy tips about allyship, the very subject of this year’s Women’s History Month:   ·        Educate yourself: Experts agree that allyship involves learning about the other person, similar to how doctors learn about their patients. ·        Amplify marginalized voices: Share things you're proud of or that can help other allies but be aware of not injecting your own experiences into the conversation unless you are part of it. ·        Get comfortable being uncomfortable: Allyship isn't always comfortable, and you should be aware that your momentary discomfort is not comparable to the long-term discomfort that people experience. ·        Check your privilege: Privilege refers to the higher status and benefits granted to you by society based on some aspect of your identity. ·        Listen: Before taking action it's important to listen. Know that language matters: People form human connections through language, and you should accommodate LGBTQ+ people's names and pronouns. If you're unsure of someone's pronoun or label, just ask them respectfully.  #womenshistorymonth #allyship #

What is in an identity?   Our social identity refers to our sense of self and helps us to find our community 👯 , our tribe 👥 , the places where we fit in this world 🌍 . On the other hand, it also helps us to recognise the groups to which we are outsiders🚪 .   A big part of identity is inclusion, which speaks to the degree to which our feelings for belonging 🤝 AND uniqueness ❄ are satisfied.    One of the commonalities across all three interviewees was that their descriptions of themselves emphasised their differences and therefore positioned them as outsiders to the developer community.   💄 Anna- The Feminine Techie 👡 Anna’s described herself as very feminine and saw that females who dressed more boyishly were more accepted as part of the group than she was.   🏃♀️ Olivia- The Trailblazing Techie 🏃♀️ 🏃♀️ 🏃♀️ Olivia often used the words first and only to described herself. Not only did it set her apart from her teams but also helped to give meaning to  the difficulties and barriers that she experienced as the first/ only black female techie.   🌈 Sophia- The Queer Techie 🌈 Sophia identified as queer and shared the experience of being told that her place on the team was contingent on her acting as she did, before disclosing her queerness.   Identity goes hand in hand 🤝 with inclusivity. People don’t stay where they don’t feel included hence why lack of inclusivity is related to intentions to quit and turnover.    So, how can we ensure that women feel included? Stay tuned... in the next post I’ll share on how managers can help to create more inclusive environments. #inclusivity #diversity #belonging #womenintech

🌈 Powerfull intersectional LGBTQ+ tech content → Lesbians Who Tech & Allies Pride Summit 2024 Just attended my 7th LWT Summit last week and had yet another amazing, enlightening, inspiring, insightful experience. In case you missed it, you can still access the recordings here: https://lnkd.in/dTqnhuid #LWT #LWTSummit #LGBTQ #tech #AI

Ever wondered how powerful a rainbow can be? 🌈 In the vast spectrum of human experience, Pride Month stands out as a beacon of hope, love, and relentless pursuit of equality. But what does it mean for those of us who identify as straight allies to participate in this celebration? Let's dive in. As a leadership coach, I've come to understand the profound impact of diversity and inclusion on organizational cultures and leadership effectiveness. Pride Month, with its roots in the Stonewall Riots, is not just a celebration of love and identity; it's a powerful lesson in resilience, courage, and the transformative power of embracing every individual's authentic self. This journey of allyship has taught me the importance of listening, learning, and leveraging my position to advocate for a more inclusive society. It aligns perfectly with my core values of respect for people and the belief that embracing our diverse experiences enriches us all, pushing us towards greater innovation and success. So, what can we do to support and celebrate this month? Start by engaging in open conversations about the history and significance of Pride. Educate yourself and others, and reflect on the role you can play in promoting an inclusive culture, both professionally and personally. As leaders and aspiring leaders, let's challenge ourselves to foster environments that celebrate diversity and support LGBTQ+ employees, recognizing that true leadership is inclusive leadership. This Pride Month, let's commit to being allies not just in words, but through our actions. 🏳️🌈 #PrideMonth #LGBTQSupport #InclusiveLeadership #DiversityAndInclusion #AllyshipInAction