Forrest Solutions’ Post

Celebrating Pride Month: A Lifelong Commitment to Equality Pride Month is a powerful reminder of the importance of equality, acceptance, and love for the LGBTQ+ community. For most of my career, supporting LGBTQ+ rights has been a cornerstone of my values. When months like Pride come around, they always have my full support. My ongoing pledge is to: ⭐️ Continue Advocating for Equality: Using my voice and platform to champion policies and initiatives that promote justice and fairness. ⭐️Foster Inclusive Spaces: Ensuring that every environment I influence is welcoming and safe for everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. ⭐️Celebrate Diversity: Honouring and celebrating the unique identities and contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals in all areas of life. Let's stand together this Pride Month and every month, celebrating love, diversity, and inclusion. What is your pledge this Pride Month? Share in the comments below and let’s inspire each other to make a lasting difference. #PrideMonth #Equality #LoveIsLove #SupportLGBTQ #Diversity #Inclusion #CelebratePride

As Pride Month comes to a close, I am filled with gratitude and reflection. Celebrating the vibrant history, resilience, and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community is not confined to June; it’s a year-round commitment. As someone who researches diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace, I witness firsthand the transformative power of inclusion. Diversity is not just a metric to be measured but a profound source of creativity and innovation. Our workplaces thrive when everyone can bring their whole selves to the table. Let’s continue to champion policies that protect LGBTQ+ rights, foster inclusive environments, and amplify queer voices. Remember, true allyship means standing up, speaking out, and taking actionable steps every single day. Together, we can create spaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued. Pride is more than a month; it’s a movement toward equality and justice. #Pride2024 #LGBTQ+ #DiversityandInclusion #EqualityForAll

As LGBTQ+ Pride Month approaches in June, organizations have an opportunity to show their support for the LGBTQ+ community in meaningful and impactful ways. While changing a company logo to a rainbow during Pride Month is a visible sign of inclusion, it's crucial for organizations to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) throughout the year. This is especially important in light of the current legislative landscape, with a staggering 484 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced across the United States, according to the ACLU. These bills underscore the ongoing challenges and discrimination faced by the LGBTQ+ community, making it imperative for organizations to go beyond symbolic gestures and take concrete actions to create inclusive environments. In the first part of my blog post, I share strategies for ensuring that Pride Month celebrations are intersectional, diverse, and historically grounded. I then highlight the importance of ongoing inclusion efforts throughout the year, including strategies for education, policy review, advocacy, and more. Finally, I provide some incredible resources to support these efforts. It is a true privilege and pleasure to be part of the dynamic ModelExpand team. I am grateful for the opportunity to share my thoughts on this incredibly important topic. #InclusionMatters #DiversityAndInclusion #LGBTQAllyship #YearRoundPride #InclusiveWorkplace

How are you driving inclusion for your Trans employees? 💡 February marks LGBT+ History Month, a time to celebrate and uplift LGBTQ+ communities and commit to action for change. Businesses still have work to do to ensure that LGBTQ+ employees can thrive and succeed authentically in the workplace, and this requires taking words of solidarity and converting them into real, tangible change. Below are some tips from INvolve's Coda Galabov, who shares 5 tips for driving Trans inclusion within the workplace. Get in touch with us at [email protected] to find out how we can support your to elevate and enable your LGBTQ+ employees. View our suite of inclusion solutions here: https://lnkd.in/d-Wt7y_J #LGBTHistoryMonth #LGBTPlusHistoryMonth #LGBTHM #LGBTHistoryMonth2024 #LGBTQInclusion #DEI #TalentDevelopment #Transinclusion #Diversityequityandinclusion

This LGBT+ History Month, what are you doing to support your Trans employees? Check out these great tips by INvolve - The Inclusion People's Coda Galabov highlighting what companies can do to drive Trans inclusion in business. #lgbtqhistorymonth #lgbtq #lgbtqinclusion #dei #diversityequityinclusion

There are few corporate initiatives as important as creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive spaces for the LGBTQ+ community.     According to EY, Gen Z is six times more likely to identify as LGBTQ+ compared to Gen X, and with Gen Z making up 30% of the workforce by 2030, this underscores the growing necessity for inclusive policies in the workplace.    While we celebrate and uplift the progress that has been made over the past few decades, we simultaneously acknowledge that we as a society have a long way to go in ensuring that every workplace embraces diversity, promotes equity, and empowers all individuals.     Our work in this space inspires deep hope for what's to come. We see the tides of change growing stronger each and every year as forward-looking organizations take bold steps towards a future that celebrates everyone.  #IgnitingBoldFutures #Inclusivity #PRIDE #LGBTQ

Love these insightful tips from my friend Damon Maassen, CPTD to ensure our Pride month activities are authentic and have lasting impact for LGBTQ+ inclusion all year long. Have a read in the link below!

🔔 I’m beyond proud to share this fabulous blog post written by my incredible colleague Damon Maassen, CPTD– “Moving Beyond Rainbows: Planning for LGBTQ+ Pride Month and Year-Round Inclusion.”  A lot of recent media pieces about the current state of the DEI industry have advanced overly simplistic takes that fail to acknowledge what we see on the ground every day in our work with clients. While the legal and political landscape has indeed shifted, so too have the workforce’s explicit expectations for safety and support for LBGTQ+ team members, especially given an increase in anti-LGBTQ+ laws, and generational shifts in the labor market. In 2022, 7.6% of the adult population identified as LGBTQ+, representing more than double the rate in 2012*. A main catalyst for this societal change can be attributed to Gen Z. 28% of all Gen Zers report being members of the LGBTQ+ population, and Gen Zers are expected to constitute nearly ⅓ of the labor force by the end of the 2020s.** A similar percentage of LGBTQ+ employees have left their employers because of a lack of support for their sexual and/or gender identity.** So what’s the solution? Damon offers some actionable tips for employers to uplift and amplify LGBTQ+ teammates year-round, through both behavioral and structural initiatives. Behavioral initiatives focus on how team members in an organization interact with and learn from, one another. Structural initiatives involve transforming processes, systems, and tools. A few of my favorite recommendations from his piece include: ❇ Historical Recognition: Take the time to educate employees and stakeholders about the historical milestones, struggles, and achievements of the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Incorporate historical context into Pride Month programming, including discussions, documentaries, guest speakers, or educational resources highlighting key moments in LGBTQ+ history. ❇ Honor LGBTQ+ Trailblazers: Recognize and honor LGBTQ+ trailblazers, leaders, activists, and advocates who have made significant contributions to advancing LGBTQ+ rights and visibility. Host awards ceremonies, panel discussions, or virtual tributes to celebrate their impact and legacy. ❇ Engage in Advocacy: Advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and equality both internally and externally. Stay informed about legislative developments impacting the LGBTQ+ community and actively support initiatives that promote inclusivity and social justice. ❇ Review Policies and Benefits: Evaluate company policies, benefits, and practices to ensure they are inclusive and supportive of LGBTQ+ employees. This includes non-discrimination policies, gender-neutral language, healthcare coverage for transgender individuals, and family leave policies that recognize diverse family structures. Check out the full post below! Sources: *Gallop News (2024): “LGBTQ+ Identification in the US” **Ten Thousand Coffees  (2024): “The State of LGBTQ+ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace in 2024”

There are few corporate initiatives as important as creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive spaces for the LGBTQ+ community.     According to EY, Gen Z is six times more likely to identify as LGBTQ+ compared to Gen X, and with Gen Z making up 30% of the workforce by 2030, this underscores the growing necessity for inclusive policies in the workplace.    While we celebrate and uplift the progress that has been made over the past few decades, we simultaneously acknowledge that we as a society have a long way to go in ensuring that every workplace embraces diversity, promotes equity, and empowers all individuals.     Our work in this space inspires deep hope for what's to come. We see the tides of change growing stronger each and every year as forward-looking organizations take bold steps towards a future that celebrates everyone.  #IgnitingBoldFutures #Inclusivity #PRIDE #LGBTQ

🌈 Embrace Diversity: How Your Company Can Support LGBTQ+ at Work During Pride Month 2024 🏳️🌈 As Pride Month (June) approaches, it's crucial for companies to reflect on their commitment to inclusivity and support for the LGBTQ+ community. Our latest article explores actionable strategies for fostering a more inclusive workplace environment. From implementing inclusive policies to promoting awareness and understanding, there are numerous ways your organisation can show solidarity and support. Check out the article to discover how you can make a positive impact during Pride Month and beyond: https://lnkd.in/ezgxp3QN #PrideMonth #LGBTQ+ #Inclusion #Diversity #WorkplaceEquality 🌟