Dear Inclusion Unpacked community,
Happy June! As you know, June is Pride month. A time to celebrate the achievements and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community. However, despite strides made in representation and mainstream support for LGBTQ+ individuals, this year, 2023 Pride Month has been kicked off with unprecedented pushback, including acts of violence and protesting that is challenging the commitment of organizations, like Target.
You can read more about Target + Pride month here.
While Pride month serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for equality, it also highlights the importance of continued advocacy and support for LGBTQ+ rights to ensure a more inclusive and accepting society for all.
Let’s explore some actionable steps that individuals and organizations can take to be effective allies to the LGBTQ+ community:
Educate Yourself: The first step towards being an ally is to educate yourself about LGBTQ+ history, issues, and terminology. Understand the challenges they face and the strides they have made towards equality. By expanding our knowledge, we can foster empathy and understanding.
Listen and Learn: Create spaces for open and honest conversations with members of the LGBTQ+ community. Listen to their experiences, challenges, and aspirations. Be attentive and receptive, and avoid making assumptions. Remember, allyship requires active engagement and a willingness to learn from others.
Advocate for LGBTQ+ Rights: Use your voice to support policies and legislation that protect the rights and well-being of the LGBTQ+ community. Advocate for inclusive laws and stand against any attempts to roll back existing protections. Your vote and support can make a significant impact.
Allyship is an ongoing journey that requires dedication, empathy, and self-reflection. It is about consistently challenging our own biases and assumptions, and actively working towards a more inclusive world for all. By embodying the spirit of allyship, we can help shape a society that celebrates and uplifts the LGBTQ+ community.
LGBTQ+ Leaders to Learn from and Support: Check out this amazing list from Ellevest!
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We also want to share some exciting company updates and ways you can potentially support our growing community.
Company Updates:
W.E. Build Tulsa: We are excited to share that Inclusion Unpacked has been accepted into the Women Entreprenur’s Build Tulsa (W.E. Build Tulsa) accelerator program. This program runs until August 17th and our goal is to continue to grow and scale while we are here - away from New York City.
Columbia Business School Investment: The venture capital arm of Columbia Business School, titled “The Lang Fund” selected 3 student-led ventures to invest in and Inclusion Unpacked was one of them! We are thrilled to have their backing. You can read more about it here.
Team Expansion: We are now a team of 3! We’ve hired 3 key teammembers to expand our e-learning, community and sales offerings.
Needs: We are actively in the sales process and would love introductions to accelerator programs, startups and SMBs who you think would be a great fit for Inclusion Unpacked. Annual memberships for companies begin at $3,500.
Press:
We are in this month’s issue of Women’s Health Magazine! Make sure to check it out while it’s still in stands and let us know what you think.
-Tori
CEO + Founder, Inclusion Unpacked