Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts’ Post

Work should be a safe space for all. Here are three tips to help support your disabled LGBTQIA+ colleagues at work, from youth inclusion leader, Charis : ✅ Listen and try to understand the challenges that this community faces. ✅ Raise awareness of inclusion in the workplace by creating inclusive policies and providing necessary accessibility for all. ✅ Having good representation in your teams will lead to more inclusive policies and accessibility for all, improving the diversity, equity and inclusion within your organisation.

Learn the importance of authentic LGBTQIA+ allyship at work. Explore actionable steps to support marginalised colleagues through challenging conversations, education, and fostering an inclusive culture. Embrace Pride Month as a catalyst for year-round allyship and inclusivity in the workplace. https://dy.si/D5Eps6

We talk about inclusion a lot - inclusion strategies, inclusion barriers, inclusive practice. These efforts have real impacts for children, even when they're subtle or go unnoticed. This beautiful graphic from Diversity Kids maps out what inclusion can look and feel like through the eyes of a child. It's a great reminder that what you're doing is making a difference! 💪 Know a fellow inclusion superstar who needs a reminder of their impact? Tag them below! 💚

As we celebrate this vibrant and empowering month, it’s important to remember the significance of pride and the impact it has on so many. Visibility & Representation: Pride Month provides a platform for LGBTQIA+ individuals to be seen and heard. Representation matters, and seeing diverse identities celebrated helps to normalize and validate the experiences of LGBTQIA+ people. Community & Support: Pride events and activities foster a sense of community and belonging. They offer a safe space for people to connect, share their stories, and support one another. Advocacy & Education: Pride month is an opportunity to educate others and advocate for equal rights. It highlights the ongoing struggles and achievements of the LGBTQIA+ community, paving the way for a more inclusive and accepting society. Self-Expression & Authenticity: Being able to be yourself without fear of judgement or discrimination is crucial for mental and emotional well-being. Inspiration & Empowerment: Seeing others live authentically and proud can inspire and empower individuals to embrace their own identities. Continue to support and uplift one another. Not just during Pride month, but all year round. Together, we can create a world where everyone feels safe and free to be themselves 🌈🏳️⚧️

A meaningful Pride month at your organization: Recognizing the importance of equity and inclusion and matching that recognition with action to improve and address gaps. An opportunity to reflect on how your organization interacts with, engages and empowers the LGBTQIA+ community. A moment to take stock and consider updating your diversity statement. A real and measurable effort towards reaching this often marginalized community through focused programming and targeted campaigns.

This month, in Connect, Moving Ahead faculty member and DE&I expert, Holiday Phillips guides us through how to become an ally and educate ourselves about LGBTQIA+ issues. Here is what she recommends: 1. Fill in the blanks of your history, as in formal education, sometimes the lives and experiences of marginalised individuals are left out. 2. Open up conversations. Often, the fear of being intrusive stops us from learning about issues we don't know enough about. 3. Read books and watch films about LGBTQIA+ lives as they are an excellent window into people's lived experiences. 4. Consume media from LGBTQIA+ creators on other topics as this will allow you to see them as whole people with varied lives and develop empathy. 5. Go to a pride event and take the opportunity to immerse yourself in the community and celebration and while you are there, to share yourself.

This Pride Month, we want to take the opportunity to celebrate the individuality of everyone, whether they're a UKFCU member, UKFCU employee or anybody else. We are built on community, and that's why we're proud to recognize the LGBTQIA+ community! Check out this article to learn more about how LGBTQIA+ Americans can overcome barriers to building credit: https://ow.ly/u9hy50S7gre

June: LGBTQIA+ Pride Month 🏳️🌈 The month of June is a special time to celebrate LGBTQIA+ pride and reinforce the importance of diversity and inclusion in all aspects of life, especially in the workplace. This is a time to remember and honor the LGBTQIA+ community's historic fight for equal rights and dignity. It is an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come, but also recognize the path we still have to travel. Why is LGBTQIA+ pride important? Inclusion and Diversity: Diverse and inclusive environments promote innovation, creativity and better performance. Companies that value diversity have a more engaged and productive workforce. Mental Health and Wellbeing: Recognizing and celebrating diverse identities helps create spaces where everyone feels safe and valued, reducing stress and promoting mental health. Equal Opportunity: Promoting equal opportunity ensures that everyone can reach their full potential, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Let's use this month to learn, support and act. Supporting the LGBTQIA+ community is not only an issue of social justice, but also a driving force for a more just and prosperous world for all. Together, we can build a future where everyone is free to be who they are, love who they want, and live without fear.

Are you attending From Day One: Getting to the Next Stage of Diversity and Belonging tomorrow? Don't miss Desmond Lomax, CMHC, CPM's workshop on why most diversity and inclusion programs fail. Learn more about the workshop here: https://lnkd.in/gbtsCgC6

Pride doesn’t end in June for us. We are a proudly 100% LGBTQIA+ owned company, with both NGLCC and LAGLCC certifications. Every wrap of every project we produce, we include what we call our “Sustainability, Diversity and Inclusion (SDI) Report” which highlights key metrics around cast and crew diversity, #doubletheline positions, and sustainability/diversion outcomes. We do this to not only hold ourselves accountable to the pledges we’ve made, but also to provide valuable information to our partners and clients that help us affirm our successes and make clear areas in which we can improve in the future