fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Being a non-binary person in a binary world
By: Dr. Ender Ricart
Tags: Nonbinary Identity, Nonbinary, LGBTQ, Diversity And Inclusion, Gender Identity

It sucks, and I wish it didn’t.

The easiest part of being a non-binary person is stating to yourself and others that you are a non-binary person. You specify your preferred set of pronouns, as in my case — they, them and their. Boom, congratulations you are a non-binary person…now what? What does it even mean to be non-binary? The answer is less than satisfactory at present, but it has potential, in time, to be more than the sum of its parts.

A wide chasm has opened between the binary of “Masculine” and “Feminine” that is being filled by gender identities like non-binary, genderqueer, gender neutral, etc. The problem across all these identities is that they continue to be made up from: 1) bits and pieces of either binary, 2) compared and contrasted with the gender binary, or 3) intentionally formed as “other” to the binary. That is to say, these alternative gender identities are all tethered to and defined through the masculine-feminine binary. If my non-binary gender identity is inherently trapped in the binary in some way or other, how can I truly claim to be non-binary?

It is truly a quagmire. I cannot conceive of something wholly “other” as nearly every-thing about me is anchored in one of the two pillars of social identity “masculine” or “feminine.” Things like: how I speak, my vocabulary, my body language, my clothes, my style, social interactions, my relationship with my sexuality, work interactions, and more. They are all tied up in some aspect with the established gender binary. My life has become a looking glass of gendered behaviors, thoughts, interactions, and understandings.

The worst part of it all is that there is no way out, there is no “other path” to choose. Instead you are left picking and choosing which parts of masculine and feminine gender you will cobble together to form and represent your non-binary gender identity. It is always unsatisfactory. So, I am left with this feeling that my non-binary personhood is just a shallow truth that I am unable to embrace with any authenticity.

Perhaps it is just a matter of time, after all, “masculine” and “feminine” gender identities have dominated the socio-linguistic landscape for more than five-centuries, with commodification of gender identity entering the picture in overdrive over the last century. The breaking-open of the gender binary, the filling of the chasm with “messy” genders, can be seen as a first step towards the weathering and dismantling of these two stalwarts of gendered identity. While this is a move in a positive direction for alternative gender identities, to be truly “non-binary” we need to go further. I am a non-binary person, because I believe there should be NO gender identities, just identities.

I wish I had an inspiring statement for any readers coming here, maybe some knowledge and wisdom. I only have my story and experiences. If anything my articulations are a testament to just how hard it is to explain what it means to be a non-binary person in a very, very, binary world.
Living Mosaics
By: Hannah Hassler
Tags: Intersectionality, Personal Growth, Diversity And Inclusion, Diversity, Personal Development

Living Mosaics

[Black square with white text: I make my ramen the way a friend taught me in eleventh grade. Every fall, I listen to a playlist made for me by a boy I drove across the border to hook up with. I eat sushi because a girl who won’t talk to me anymore made me try it, and Indian food because my best friend’s parents ordered for me before I knew what I liked. There are movies I love because someone I loved loved them first. I am a mosaic of everyone I’ve ever loved, even for a heartbeat. / 29,211 notes / Tumbl share, message, heart icons.]

And isn’t this one of the ways that intersectionality appears in our lives, lived and breathed and experienced moment by moment, within a larger culture comprised of family and lovers and students and coworkers and friends and neighbors and strangers we met for just a moment?

We aren’t alone. The people who surround us deeply impact the ways we think….and the ways we eat, and move, and work, and read, and interact, and vote, and worship, and love, and speak.

The wider our circles, the more diversely we live.

The narrower our circles, the more constrained our lives.

Celebrating who we are is powerful. Celebrating the people in our lives who have impacted us is powerful. Opening ourselves to more people and experiences is powerful.

Let it in. Let it be beautiful. What a gift.
How We’re Building an Equity-Minded Remote Company
Tags: Remote Working, Work Culture, Equity, Diversity In Tech, Diversity And Inclusion

by Sarah Rose Belok

You’ve heard Alley is a company committed to building a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace, and are wondering what actions we’ve taken.

Over the past year we have focused on supporting equity at all intersections and improving team member learning and development as part of a long-term sustainability plan to embed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) efforts in all areas of Alley’s business.

We don’t believe in one-hit, DE&I wonders. We don’t believe in empty gestures of allyship. We believe in “praxis”-acting and reflecting on the world in order to change it.

When we say we are going to take action, we act transparently, we iterate for quality, and we hold ourselves accountable to continuous improvement.

Here’s what we’ve done this year as initial steps towards change:

This is only the beginning.

Websites are not built by robots, they are built by a diverse team of people-people for whom we must create the systems to recruit, retain, and support. The values we instill in our support systems-the values we want to see changed in our industry-will be the same values that guide our client relationships and, in turn, are woven into the fabric of our products.

We are thoughtfully and consistently taking actions that demonstrate our solidarity with women, Black and Indigenous peoples, people of color, LGBTQIA+, and people with visible and invisible disabilities every day. We are honoring the intersection of what makes each of us unique-the identities that simultaneously privilege and oppress us. At Alley, we are committed to change, and we hope you’ll continue to join us on this journey.
Ask Michelle Edwards
By: Dan Springer
Tags: HR, Diversity And Inclusion, Equity

Please take at look at my client, Michelle Edwards, as she explains the importance of D/I and how she helped transform her own company’s HR function. FYI — due to the innovative approaches she and the company took before 2020 (and which is now an integral part of its core values and operating philosophy), Heartbeat’s retention rate is 90% and its D/I percentage is 45 percent. Oh, btw, even during COVID, the company did not lay anyone off and hired more than 100 new employees virtually… and Michelle, as head of HR, met every single new employee at the beginning of their onboarding process. She is a rockstar and a lot of companies could learn from her positive influence and infectious energy.

Check out the Instagram Live Q&A footage in which I share insights on diversity, equity and inclusion, leadership and people management.

https://lnkd.in/dpN7Jrg

#diversity #equity #inclusion #leadership #humanresourses #womenleaders
Women in STEM
By: Aravinth Panch
Tags: Womeninstem, Sri Lanka, Diversityandinclusion

iGEM Interview Series

iGEM Interview Series

☝️ Do you know that 60% of science postgraduates in Sri Lanka are women?

☝️ Do you know that first female president / prime minister in the world is from Sri Lanka?

🔻 At iGEM Foundation’s panel discussion about Women in STEM, I shared our experiences at DreamSpace Academy about empowering SriLankan girls in STEM.

🔻 We also shared our the diversity & inclusion efforts by my colleagues Sajani Balasingam, Aninilavan Puvanesan & Kishoth Navaretnarajah.

👉 Watch the full discussion at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHZh8gZKKk4

#WomenInSTEM #DiversityAndInclusion #Srilanka
5 Ways to Make Your Virtual Hackathon More Gender-Inclusive
By: Fiona Whittington
Tags: Hackathons, Diversity In Tech, Diversity And Inclusion, Tech, Diversity

Photo from TechTogether New York 2019

According to The MLH 2020 State of the League report, 39% of hackathon attendees identified as women and non-binary. Although this number is a significant improvement from a mere 21% in 2018, many barriers still prevent us from achieving gender parity within the hackathon community.

If you want to make your hackathons more gender-inclusive, here are 5 actions you can take.

1. Encourage Pronoun Usage

Why are pronouns important? According to Fen Slattery in An Organizer’s Guide to Pronoun Buttons, “Simple, it helps us trans and non binary people to be safe. If everyone wears them, it helps remind attendees that pronouns shouldn’t be assumed, and that we should respect the pronouns other people use.”

Make it easy for hackers to add pronouns to their Discord profile with the YAGPD bot.

Screenshot from the TechTogether Boston 2021 Discord

2. Create Affinity Groups within Discord

“Affinity groups are gathering opportunities for people who share a common identity. Affinity groups provide opportunities for people to connect with other people who share aspects of their identity, especially in situations in which aspects of their identity are in the minority or are marginalized.” — Source Holderness

Affinity groups within a Discord provide hackers with safe spaces to ask questions and access support. If you want to go the extra mile, you can organize virtual meetups for each affinity group.

Make sure these groups are monitored for inappropriate behavior and prepare a response as to why these spaces are important for your community in case you are asked.

3. Ask Less & Give More, Partner with Gender-focused Hackathons

TechTogether gets hundreds of inbound promotional requests every year from co-ed hackathons looking to diversify their applicant pool. Rarely do these emails ever offer to give back to our community or mission in any way. Therefore, I almost never respond.

If you want the support of gender-focused hackathons and clubs, focus more on what you can give them and less on what they can give you. For example, offer to co-host a workshop in exchange for help promoting the event.

Need help finding gender-focused hackathons support? View all upcoming gender-focused hackathons here. TechTogether releases this list yearly.

4. Donate to Gender-Focused Hackathons

Gender-focused hackathons are a driving force in improving the gender-diversity of the hackathon community and they need donations to survive.

By investing in organizations like TechTogether, we can improve the equity of the hackathon community for people of marginalized genders.

An easy way to make room in your budget for donations is to give them away as prizes. For example, TechTogther gave away $4k in donations to a select group of BLM organizations as prizes for HobbyHacks.

5. Diversify Your Hackathon Organizing Team

I don’t really think I need to explain why this is important. If your hackathon team has always been led by cis-gender men then it’s time for a change.
How a Culture of Conformity Can Diminish Your Organization’s DEI Goals
By: Jaymie White
Tags: Diversity And Inclusion, Opinion

By Dr. Nika White

President and CEO, Nika White Consulting, Best Selling Author of “The Intentional Inclusionist®” and “Next-Level Inclusionist: Transform Your Work and Yourself for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Success”

“If everyone jumped off a cliff would you jump too?” This priceless advice our parents gave us about staying committed to what is right and authentically true to ourselves somehow gets lost in workplace culture. If an organization conditions its employees to believe success is only capable by behaving and thinking like the majority dominant culture, diversity, equity, and inclusion are diminished. Organizations must work hard to undo this “culture of conformity.”

https://suppliertynews.com/2020/12/17/how-a-culture-of-conformity-can-diminish-your-organizations-dei-goals/
‘Kathak: Dancing With Taboos’ Review: A Story of Passion and Perseverance
By: Maddie Rehrman
Tags: Film, Short Film, Incluvie, Diversity And Inclusion, Movies

Kathak: Dancing With Taboos

Eloquent and informative, Hajera Sheikh’s documentary Kathak: Dancing With Taboos tells a story of love for one’s culture and perseverance through adversity.

Part of Incluvie’s 2020 Film Festival, the short documentary is about Kathak — a narrative dance form, one of the major dance forms of the Indian subcontinent, and an important element of Pakistani culture. In the film, Bina Jawwad, who has been performing since she was young, speaks about her experience with this part of her culture.

Kathak: Dancing With Taboos

I found it incredibly inspiring to hear Jawwad speak. She recounts dancing when it was illegal during a dictatorship and continuing to dance when it was taboo after the dictatorship ended. Her passion for preserving and sharing her culture through difficulty and taboo shines when she speaks about how she feels when she performs. “I cease to exist. Only the dance and the feeling of it remains,” she says.

Footage of Jawwad and others performing Kathak throughout the film beautifully displays this dance form, and was, I thought, very impactful in showing the importance of this element of Pakistani culture. When we watch Jawwad teaching Kathak at points throughout the film, we get a strong sense of the love she feels for this dance form and her passion for passing it on.

I thought that this film did an excellent job of infusing information with feeling, and I would highly recommend watching this short documentary to learn about Kathak!

Watch the film here!
Dear Mrs. Biden, why can’t you be hidin’, Your brain, and your title of Doctor.
By: Wendy Scott
Tags: Feminism, Equality, Womens Rights, Diversity And Inclusion, Equal Rights

Would the Wall Street Journal have had this attitude a male doctor of education, married to the next president?

I think not.

I imagine he would be lauded as a learned, respected and eminently qualified source of wise counsel.

“I think (misogyny) is like a disease that needs to be cured. And if we could eradicate polio, I don’t see why we can’t eradicate misogyny.”— Alan Alda.

If nothing else, this has inspired me to write more about the issues women face, going about their everyday lives.
Getting In Touch With Your ‘Why’ and Pushing Past Your Limiting Beliefs
By: Jenn T. Grace, Publish Your Purpose Press
Tags: Publishing, Authors, Diversity And Inclusion, Podcast, Gay Weddings

In this episode of Invisible Stories, I speak with diversity and inclusion entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and author Bernadette Smith. Bernadette’s work in the field of LGBTQ+ Inclusion with her company, Equality Institute, has empowered businesses through elearning, consulting, and training in the field of DEI. Bernadette is also a prolific writer, and has published three books, relating to inclusion in both LGBTQ+ wedding planning and in business.

Bernadette and I talk about our similarities when it comes to our businesses, as well as her solutions for writing and accountability. Bernadette shares:
About the New Kid on the Block
By: Donna Oberg
Tags: Adventure, Victory Lap, Diversity And Inclusion

The Adventures of Riptcrip

Hi Everyone!

It’s me Donna Oberg! If you haven’t yet heard of me, my humble wish is that will change as I work to build your trust, curiosity and interest over the course of this, my new adventure!

I recently moved on from 25 successful years as a Finance Manager in the Oil and Gas Industry to start my “Victory Lap” as described by Michael Dark and Jonathan Chevreau in their book “Victory Lap Retirement”. Each step in my journey whether it be a period of missteps, joy, loss or victory has brought me here to what I believe is my ultimate purpose and I am grateful for it all!

I was born with Cerebral Palsy, a “neurological disorder caused by a non-progressive brain injury … that affects body movement and muscle coordination” (Cerebral Palsy.org). It has various degrees of severity and for me it impacted my left side, causing me to have an unstable gait and requires the use of a cane to assist in walking. I call it the “Donna Shuffle”! And my left hand? Well if you are a fan of Get Smart then you will “Get” this … “It’s not the Craw it’s the Claw!” What you need to know is that this disability does not define me but rather has made me who I am today!

The goal of starting my own consulting company and writing about my experiences, is to openly and sometimes humourously, discuss topics such as diversity and inclusion, resilience, and leadership! Through these topics I hope you discover that EVERYONE HAS A GIFT and how you can unlock/unleash yours! Although the purpose is not to primarily focus on my journey as a Disabled Woman, I will be using many personal stories to highlight how I beat the odds, discovered my gifts and won hearts! I believe that education through personal stories is the most powerful of all!

Why call this blog “The Adventures of Riptcrip”? I do know this title is not as they say “politically correct”! That said I hope you will come to understand that it has been my ability to find humour in the hard times, being able to laugh at myself and the many situations I found myself in, which has helped me gain the trust of others and achieve my version of success. More on the origins of the name will unfold as we move through my stories! One more thing you should know about me is that I am a HUGE FAN of Superhero’s!

My genuine wish is that these stories/insights inspire you, motivate you and help you to discover your Gift(s)! I hope they resonate enough to make you reflect, stir emotions and every so often make you smile and laugh!
These Little Locs of Mine: Hair Love & Coping With Physical Transformations In The Workplace
By: Tiffany Patterson
Tags: Invisible Illness, Diversity And Inclusion, Black Hair

One day, I showed up in a space as a minority with a headwrap. That space was work and working in tech where Black employees are commonly few; Black women are almost a rarity. Because of this, there is always pressure to assimilate for the sake of our survival. But I could no longer worry about these things. It was time I started wrapping my hair to limit the constant pulling whenever I brushed.

The wraps also helped hide the thinning noticed by some colleagues who decided it was an appropriate office conversation one late afternoon. But I was no stranger to office chat about my physical transformations resulting from an illness. Acting as if I hadn’t heard a word, and was unaffected, came from several years of hair texture politics.

Pre-Crown Act I had an employer that posted a list of banned workplace hairstyles — all of which targeted hairstyles for thicker hair texture. To avoid being sent home, I fully relaxed my hair and frequently trimmed the edges. Whenever I needed to give my hair a break, I wore it in a bun.

It wasn’t long before there was a lawsuit, and the employer removed the banned hairstyle lists. But because companies like this one have deeply rooted cultural issues, it will come as no surprise to you that there was yet another lawsuit for other discriminatory practices.

My experiences in the tech industry were even worse. Whenever I straightened my hair, fellow employees would approach me with suggestions that I straighten it more often because I looked nice when I did. The unfortunate thing about those statements is the individuals saying them truly believed they were compliments.

When I first received my diagnosis and started experimental treatments, employees snickered at my hair loss and headwraps. One VP even stood next to me in the breakroom long enough and finally surrendered to his urge to ask me if I was “going back to da hood — you know, like 50 Cent?” — his confusion between rapper 50 Cent’s du-rags and the head wrap I was wearing.

A relative suggested locs and natural oils the first time around to help regrow my hair, and when I had shown up to the office, my locs were consistently referred to as braids when non-Black colleagues pointed out that my hair had “changed.” When my hair regrew to an amount I was satisfied with, I undid my first set of locs and returned to my hair rituals. My hair wasn’t the same, so when wearing plaits to work one day, a coworker asked me, “what’s up with the intricate hairstyle?”

I’d go on, but I think what I have shared thus far offers a good idea of how I felt in those moments and then on.
Four strategies for effective hiring of diverse candidates
By: The Dream Collective
Tags: Diversity In Tech, HR, Diversity And Inclusion, Diversity, Recruitment

Four key strategies can be leveraged across an organisation to optimise the effectiveness of hiring for diverse candidates.

Diverse Sourcing

There are huge benefits to employing both short & long-term talent acquisition strategies.

If you are hiring the majority of your talent for the ‘now’, you are too late.

In lieu of effective channels to source candidates, could you look to developing your internal talent?

Some industries struggle more so than others when trying to build the pipeline of talent as their industry evolves so rapidly i.e. the tech sector.

An effective means to attracting talent is through industry bodies & partnerships.

How is your marketing team shaping your brand’s public perception? Why would diverse candidates want to work for your brand?

Hiring without bias

There are 4 main unconscious biases:

Affinity bias — interviewers feeling “I like the interviewee”.

2. Halo bias — people associated with positive branded organisations / education.

3. Performance evaluation bias — how interviewers have bias and evaluate men on potential, women on past achievements.

4. Performance attribution bias — where the interviewees themselves tend, if women, to talk about their successes as reliant on external factors “my company helped me with this”; whereas some men might say “I did this” and own an achievement, sometimes more than is accurate.

Don’t always assume that working for a particular type of company means not being successful in another company (e.g. you work for a big company, you won’t be a success in our faster-moving, agile company).

Integrating with other business units

If there were one ‘silver bullet’ to what makes diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives most successful, it’s leadership buy-in & integration throughout the business.

Quotas can be a double-edged sword whereby the “diversity” candidate/employee is perceived by others not to be there on merit. Also, the diverse employee may feel like they secured the role because of meeting a quota.

Quotas can be effective when used as a trigger that is linked to business unit KPI’s — this has proven to be more effective than doing nothing at all.

Sponsorship is a key strategy for the advancement of diverse talent. Do your emerging leaders have visibility of & access to your senior leadership team from various functions? One example that was shared was of 1 CEO who meets regularly with the top 5 future candidates to nurture their development.

Candidate nurturing

Could you improve your candidate nurturing experience? Think long-term in your candidate experience.

How can you set up an ecosystem that creates a positive experience not necessarily for now, but for 6, 12 or even 24 months into the future?

The Dream Collective holds DEI Roundtable sessions that unite business leaders to discuss challenges, wins & share knowledge amongst the global DEI community as a means of accelerating change.

If you would like to register your interest for future sessions, you may do so here.
Introducing codebar Festival
Tags: Community, Diversity And Inclusion, Codebar, Diversity, Codeberry

We are extremely excited to announce codebar Festival, a new 3-day 100% virtual event where each day will have a different focus; coding, career, and wellbeing. And like any festival, there will be lots going on over the 3 days from talks, panels, workshops, interactive sessions, and social lives.

As the vast majority of you, our members, voted they prefer events to take place over the weekend, and this is a 3-day event, we decided to run codebar Festival from Friday 12th to Sunday 14th of March. Friday will have a focus on coding, Saturday’s focus will be career, and Sunday will be wellness.

Why run a new event? We want to help more of our community members get their first developer job, but also progress in the tech industry. So what better way to achieve this than by running events focused on how to structure your CV, practice interviews, practice tech tests, panels, and more.

Do you think you can contribute to our festival and run a session? At the beginning of January, we will be opening up a CFP for you to submit your ideas. We’re telling you now so that you have the Christmas break to think about a session you may want to facilitate. We strongly encourage people who have never have done something like this before to submit! If you have an idea and want to chat with us about it first, please drop us an email at hello@codebar.io. If your proposal is successful you will be paid £150 for your session, or you can donate that fee to your chosen charity.

We will be releasing more information about the event in January so keep an eye on our socials; Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. But for now, save the date, have a great Christmas break, and enjoy some very much deserved rest.

See you in the New Year ❤️
Epic Women in Tech — Melissa Arneau
By: Sonya Moisset
Tags: Technology, Women In Tech, Diversity And Inclusion, Tech, Interview

How did you get into the tech field?

I was offered the opportunity to join the integrations team at WorldRemit for a secondment for a month in November 2015. I then joined them permanently in January 2016. I was there until June 2019. I then joined one of the product teams at Miller Insurance Services LLP in October 2019.

What are the main challenges in this field?

In my case, as I joined without any prior experience nor background in tech or IT, it was to ensure I found the relevant resources to gain the relevant skills, but also still trust my instincts. Another challenge was to interview for a new role in tech, as my previous job was an internal placement based on my knowledge of the existing product at the time. I spent a fair amount of time during my job search ensuring how to translate what I learned and adapt it to make it universal in a way.

What are the things you’ve learned being a woman in tech?

I have been fairly lucky in both positions that my colleagues didn’t judge me and didn’t attribute my inexperience to my gender. It enabled me to always base all my progress on my skills and the quality of my work. However I’m fully aware this isn’t the case in every workplace, and this motivated me to become a stronger ally/supporter/mentor to any woman who seeked advice and support from me

What advice would you give to women who would like to join the industry?

Embrace the fear and do it anyway! Also trust the people who give you a chance. When I was offered my first position, I was terrified of failing and kept on questioning why they came to me for this role. I spoke with a friend who has been a tester for over 20 years, and she told me they wouldn’t have reached out to me if they didn’t think I had the potential.

Who are your role models?

My former boss, Catherine, who offered me my first role in tech, and my grandmother, who had many first new experiences in her life and achieved more than people thought she would.

If you could go back in time to your first days in the industry, what would you do differently or tell yourself?

I wouldn’t rush into trying to learn everything at once. It’s ok to not know everything, despite what others can say. Also, I know more than I think I do.
NARUC Explores Ways to Improve Diversity and Inclusion Among Its Legal Partners
By: Jaymie White
Tags: Diversity And Inclusion, Legal

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
DreamSpace Academy wins Peace Direct Award 2020 !!!
By: Aravinth Panch
Tags: Empowerment, Sri Lanka, Peacebuilding, Equality, Diversity And Inclusion

🏆 DreamSpace Academy won the Peace Direct Award with $10,000 at PeaceCon2020 for our 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 efforts in war-affected regions of Sri Lanka, and privileged to present in front of congresswomen Susan Brooks and Grace Meng from U.S. House of Representatives.

🙏 Thanks to Bridget Moix & Dylan Mathews from Peace Direct, Dave Hatter from Intrust IT, Sheldon Himelfarb from PeaceTech Lab, Michaela Ledesma from Build Up ^ on recognising our efforts.

🙏 Thanks to Jessica Baumgardner-Zuzik & Megan Schleicher from Alliance for Peacebuilding for moderating this event at #PeaceCon2020 that brought together experts and practitioners to consider the interplay of justice and peacebuilding.

🔻 With the hard work of Kishoth, Jayanthan & many other team members, DreamSpace Academy + Sagacious Youth Lead Consortium has become a common ground to achieve 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 by empowering the 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 and protecting the 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 in Sri Lanka.

👉 More info at https://dreamspace.academy

☝️ Follow me for updates on peacebuilding initiatives around the world !!!

#PeaceBuilding #DiversityandInclusion #EqualityMatters
Monetization Playbook #20: intelligence has no gender — inspired by Mary Wollstonecraft (1759–1797)
By: Strat-E-Gym, The Monetization Manifesto
Tags: Monetization, Entrepreneurship, Strategy, Diversity And Inclusion, Diversity

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
Epic Women in Cyber — Tanvi Bali. Tanvi Bali is the DevSecOps Lead for…
By: Sonya Moisset
Tags: Security, Women In Tech, Diversity And Inclusion, Cybersecurity, Interview

How did you get into the cybersecurity field?

I was originally introduced to the field of Fraud and AML while building banking applications and that certainly intrigued me to think differently. I pursued a career in Cybersecurity full time after that as a Security Strategy and Risk Analyst at Accenture. Loved resolving problems that were challenging and required a different mindset. Now, there is no stopping after that, I guess, I have this tiny Cyber hat on me in everything I do, in my personal life, social life and professional life.

What are the main challenges in this field?

Cybersecurity is challenging if you don’t open your mind to the bigger picture in everything. The challenge and fun part of being in Cyber is striking a balance and the influence you have on people.

Not everything can be made 100% secure and not everyone would understand the importance. How can we then speak in a language that everyone understands and aligns to is challenging and fun at the same time.

What are the things you’ve learned being a woman in cybersecurity?

There are not many women in the field of Cybersecurity as there is a misconception that a man/woman needs to be technically strong. I disagree with it. CyberSecurity is a Mindset. If you have that, you can make it, no matter the background. Everything is a learning after that.

What advice would you give to women who would like to join the industry?

Don’t hold yourself back from displaying your passion and love for this field. No matter what the industry tells you. Just believe and apply for the roles you want!

Who are your role models?

I have been lucky as I have many not only in the Industry but also in my personal life. I have learnt everything I am today from my parents. They are both different, but have brought me to the place I am today.

In the industry, whenever I have asked for help, I have always received it. Hence, many people from my past workplace to my current are my role models. There is a learning to take from many people. Can’t name one.

Tanvi and her father — her role model

If you could go back in time to your first days in the industry, what would you do differently or tell yourself?

Be visible. I am an introverted person and am shy to place myself up on a pedestal. If there is something I would do differently, is to make myself even more visible and not feel bad about it.

Every woman in Security should be taking that step and this initiative is perfect in that respect.
An App Created to Tackle Racial Discrimination in The Workplace
By: Nicole Kim
Tags: Racial Discrimination, Diversity And Inclusion, UX, UX Design, Workplace Diversity

Let’s start with research

Research Phase I

My partner (Sophie Chen) and I started with initial research to learn more about what was already provided in the world. We conducted research on diversity training within different companies to learn more about its functions.

We learned that the purpose of the diversity training was to provide employees with concrete ways to engage in respectful and positive interactions in the workplace while reducing discrimination and prejudice.

We also looked into the anti-discrimination laws in the workplace that outlaws discrimination of race, color, nationality, sex, religion, and disability in any aspect of employment, from hiring to firing. They include Equal Employment Opportunity (EEOC) laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and The Equal Pay Act of 1963. Breaking these laws will result in legal consequences that could lead to fees, prosecution, and reputational damage. Not only does discrimination goes against legality, but discrimination at the workplace can also lead to reduced productivity of the victim, team, and the company as a whole.

Research Phase II

In the second phase of research, we focused on the reporting process and the support that companies provide. Through our research, we found that It was crucial to keep detailed records of each incident that happened in order to conduct an investigation.

Pain point: It is important to keep quality evidence and accurate records that help with ‘memory error’ as memory fades over time.

We learned that the reason people hesitate to report the misconduct is the fear of reporting. Employees worry that there will be retaliation from the employer, reputational damage, and even losing a promotion or job. Therefore, it is important to ease the fear of reporting by not only minimizing the fear of consequences but also, providing humane support that guides throughout the process of reporting.

Opportunity: There is often a need for human interaction that helps with interpretation and guides for action.

We also looked more into how one-to-one counseling can support employees when faced with discrimination at their workplace.

Counseling help to speak of the incidents and emotions without fear of retaliation from the workplace. It can help clarify and interpret situations that are in the grey area. It can help analyze the situation to provide guidance for the next steps. Overall, Counseling provides emotional support to employees, so they feel cared for while facing these difficult situations.

Meet Our Users

Interviews were crucial to our project as the issue is complex and everyone’s experiences are unique and personal.
Epic Women in Cyber — Shivani Sachan
By: Sonya Moisset
Tags: Security, Women In Tech, Diversity And Inclusion, Cybersecurity, Interview

How did you get into the cybersecurity field?

I got the motivation from my first organization who had been given a chance to work in this field with self learning and reading.

What are the main challenges in this field?

Most of the freshers remain clueless about how to get into the cybersecurity domain because big companies visit the colleges for hiring software engineers(tester/developer).

And most of the companies don’t have any cyber security infrastructure.

What are the things you’ve learned being a woman in cybersecurity?

Firstly, I learnt that cybersecurity is a field that requires passion and utmost dedication which has nothing to do with gender. So if one learns and focuses, and practically tries to exploit the loophole then they can excel irrespective of their gender.

What advice would you give to women who would like to join the industry?

Focus on the learning part and do participate in CTFs because if you want your journey in cybersecurity this will help you. And never doubt yourself at any point of your journey, if you give time to any problem, you learn something from each of them, even from the failed attempts.

So keep learning and push yourself to success!

Who are your role models?

Many people influenced me throughout my journey till now. There is something new to learn from everyone in this field.

If you could go back in time to your first days in the industry, what would you do differently or tell yourself?

Honestly, I wouldn’t do anything different.It’s important to understand that, not only on your first days, there are always things you could have done differently, but then you wouldn’t learn from them! That said, accept that you are going to fail, so many times! And that is fine, because you will learn from those failures and you’ll be an even better version of yourself, you’ll push through!

Allow yourself to have your own journey in the field and learn from your experiences at your own time and pace. Only then will you truly learn and get to enjoy Cybersecurity!
Introducing Havas Emerge
By: Havas Group
Tags: Training And Development, Management And Leadership, Empowerment Program, Diversity And Inclusion, Management Development

Introducing Havas Emerge

As part of our North America Commit to Change Plan, this week we are proud to announce Havas Emerge, a new program that brings together 27 diverse, emerging leaders from Havas NA agencies. The 9-month, 3-module learning and development program is designed to accelerate the early careers of Asian, Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, and other non-white ethnicities — with the goal to increase representation in management roles across Havas’ North American agencies.

The inaugural class is comprised of leaders from all 3 Havas Group networks, 21 agencies, 8 cities, and 14 departments. Through the program, they will gain an understanding of their own leadership, inspiration from thought leaders, a development plan to guide their career, and a community to grow along with.

Meet the first class:
‘Carol’ Review: A Gorgeous LGBTQ+ Romance
By: Maddie Rehrman
Tags: Film, Streaming, Queer Cinema, Diversity And Inclusion, Movies

How to describe Todd Haynes’ 2015 Carol? The 1950s lesbian romance is stunning, emotional, restrained, and, simply put, one of the best movies I’ve ever seen depicting a woman-loving-woman (WLW) relationship. The story, focused on innocent Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara) and sophisticated Carol Aird (Cate Blanchett), beautifully delivers a romance that is characterized by longing, loss, and love.

From the moment that Carol and Therese first catch a glimpse of each other from across a crowded department store around Christmas-time, it’s obvious that they will form a connection. On the surface, their interaction is nothing special — Therese sells Carol a toy train set. However, there is a lingering note of flirtation underlying the entire scene that just begins to hint at the subtle intensity that is itself one of the most striking elements of Carol. Some of its most passionate moments are conveyed through a simple glance, a hand on a shoulder, a smile.

The stunning performances in the movie add greatly to this quiet emotional intensity. The innocence of Mara’s Therese contrasts perfectly with Blanchett’s Carol, who is achingly elegant. You can feel both of their emotions through the simplest shift in their facial expressions.

I would also be remiss if I weren’t to mention the beautiful atmosphere of the movie as a whole. The 1950s settings are lush, from a bustling New York City around the holidays to Therese’s simple apartment, to Carol’s grand home, to hotel rooms with varying degrees of stunning richness, to their decor. The soundtrack that underlies it all contributes to the viewer’s sense of the time period and swells at all the appropriate moments to add passion and intensity to its scenes.

The film’s treatment of a relationship between two women is notable for its happy ending. Many stories that depict WLW relationships end in tragedy, heartbreak, loss of some sort, or even death. Carol ends on a hopeful note, leading viewers to believe that there is the potential for a happy future for Carol and Therese together.

Also, while the title character’s relationships with women are a major point of contention in the story, specifically as she fights to keep custody of her daughter through her divorce from her husband, there are also moments of lightness and sweetness that let viewers fall for Carol and Therese as they fall for each other.

Many people in the LGBTQ+ community wish that more of the WLW stories in media could exist in the modern-day rather than being set in the past. While I definitely agree that it would be fantastic to see more stories being told about characters that exist in the present-day, I also think that the 1950s setting of Carol allows for the longing that is so central to its love, along with the perseverance of this love through stigma and hardship.

I would highly recommend watching this movie if you’re looking for something that’s both gorgeous and heart-wrenching, and is, ultimately, a beautiful WLW love story.
McDonald’s Appoints Reginald Miller as Global DEI Chief
By: Jaymie White
Tags: Workplace Diversity, Diversity And Inclusion, Diversity, McDonalds

McDonald’s has named Reginald Miller as its Global Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer. He will report to Chief People Officer Heidi Capozzi and will be responsible for integrating the company’s diversity and inclusion efforts into its entire business strategy. Miller, a U.S. Army veteran, has previously worked at VF Corp., the parent company of Jansport, Vans, Timberland and The North Face, where he established the company’s first diversity and inclusion strategy. He also worked at Tyson Foods and Walmart Inc. His appointment comes at a time when McDonald’s is fending off several lawsuits for its alleged mistreatment of its employees, Black franchisees and even customers.

https://suppliertynews.com/2020/12/09/mcdonalds-appoints-reginald-miller-as-global-dei-chief/
I believe this is the key.
Tags: Ideas, Mindset, Diversity And Inclusion, Diversity, Inspiration

I believe this is the key.

If it isn’t an underlying mindset, it won’t matter. Thy why must be understood or there will never be REAL buy-in.

I believe this quote captures the essence of diversity:
Measuring what Matters: Resources to help you track progress towards DEI
By: Cowboy Ventures
Tags: Diversity And Inclusion, Diversity, Technology, Venture Capital

At Cowboy Ventures, we know diverse teams perform better and we are excited about the opportunity to make our workplaces more inclusive for everyone.

Earlier this year, we took a step back as a team to think about how we could better support portfolio companies as they work to create teams and workplace cultures to be proud of. We know you can’t manage what you don’t measure, so we worked with HR and DEI experts to create template slides for portfolio companies to use at board meetings to identify, track, and report metrics related to DEI.

We were so excited when we started to see the slides show up into board decks and create a space for conversations that might not otherwise happen. We’re now even more excited to share these resources with any company that wants to get started or improve the way they are tracking their progress.

Here’s a deck with all of the resources. In it, you will find:

Template Google surveys to copy & modify to collect data

Template slides to share DEI metrics (one for early-stage companies and one for mid-stage+ companies) with your board, at staff meetings and/or all-hands

Recommendations for additional DEI metrics to track

Resources for additional tools and consulting services

Also, if you’re looking to automate a lot of this data collection and presentation, we worked with Cowboy portfolio company Charthop to create a DEI product that does a lot of the work for you!

Please feel free to use and share these resources. If you have any feedback, don’t hesitate to reach out to jomayra@cowboy.vc.

And if you are a CEO that would like to commit to adding DEI metrics to your regular board materials, we ask you please fill out this form. We will add you to a growing list of CEOs who are committed to making the tech ecosystem more equitable. We also hope this will help your company attract great talent, as candidates will know you’re committed to building a more inclusive workplace. (We will add names to the bottom of this article, as we receive responses)

There is a lot of progress to be made when it comes to diversity and inclusion across the entire tech ecosystem, including funders, founders, and the employees that make up this growing sector. If you’re interested in learning more, please check out All Raise and also our resources to help new investors break into venture capital.

Lastly, a very special thank you to Aubrey Blanche, Merritt Anderson, Bari Williams, Emily Kramer, Alicia Burt, and many others who reviewed and provided feedback on these resources.

At your service,

Jomayra & Aileen on behalf of Team Cowboy.
The Great Symphony
By: Ann Litts
Tags: Life, Cooperation, Sacred Feminine, Harmony, Transformation

The problem with envisioning a new world is that there are so many moving parts.

Every living organism on Gaia is involved in the process. Even on a microscopic level — as we watch the COVID virus completely reshape our realities.

Right now the world appears to be an orchestra — a very out of sync and out of tune orchestra. Each instrument playing its own rendition of a song. No cooperation, no rhythm, no harmony. Just ear-grating noise.
You are the niche
By: Jim White
Tags: Writer, Creativity, Poetry, Transformation, Self-awareness

It began in Grandma’s basement. A heavy typewriter. I carried it up to the kitchen table and asked if I could have some paper.

No urging from outside sources. This was not a school project.

The stories came. From where? I had no idea, but they compelled me to write them down.

Now, in my fourth decade on this planet I have come full circle.

Throughout the years I have kept at it. This writing game. A play with words, images, ideas, letters, songs, tales, spontaneous juxtapositions of prose-poems pulled from the void, set loose in this energy field and quite possibly back to the empty space from which it came..

When I think of creating in a limited way, there’s resistance. A block. A guard at the gates of creator heaven that will not allow me inside without the password. One I can’t remember.

This experience has repeated itself. Years have gone by without finding the root of why and how.

But now I see.

There is no niche.

No market.

No tricks. Hacks. Limitations.

There is only creation.

However it comes.

This is the key to alignment.

I am the niche. If this is how the words beckon to come out, then that is what will happen.

If you, dear reader, feel this vibration tap into your inner workings, then maybe you too, shall go the way of your own path.

Become your own niche.

Without asking how much can be gained from it.

Or what will people think.

Or is it worth it?

The wilderness calls. An open space in land and within a human consciousness. Will you listen to the call?

And what will you do with it?

A journey

A way

From

All

Preconceived mental constructs

Formulations

Gone

Out the window

As you leave a trail upon the sand dunes.

Finding your own

Time space faceless formless transformative wings

Into the peak of the mountain

and above

for the first time

because you listened

and left everything

behind.