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Coming out of Pride Month, July can feel a bit anticlimactic. The parades are over, and the celebrations have come to a close.
But that doesn’t mean we’re packing up and going home. If anything, now is the moment to double down on Pride.
This energy and momentum is powerful, and we cannot let it dissipate. Just because we’ve flipped the calendar from June to July doesn’t mean Pride and the principles behind it fade away.
As our community continues to face anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, rhetoric that seeks to demean, and actions that aim to erase, we must use our voice. We must remind the world that we are here. And as we have done so many times before, we must stand strong, persevere, and push forward. The moment demands it.
Right now, I’m feeling energized, inspired, and ready to take on the world. For me, that comes from the celebrations of Queer joy, the moments centered in community, and the reminder that we are a radiant, unstoppable force.
With our allies and entire community, we must and we will continue the fight for LGBTQ+ equity, inclusion, and belonging, in the workplace and beyond.
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During Pride Month, our CEO, Erin Uritus, penned a powerful piece in Fast Company. It contains a simple but important message to CEOs, applicable in Pride and beyond, "do something you can really, truly be proud of."
Valuing difference and leading with inclusion and belonging are the right things to do. They are smart business practice. They represent the future, and the future is here and now.
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Radiating Pride with the Out & Equal Team
To celebrate the meaning, power, and impact of Pride, Out & Equal hosted a series of Radiate Pride Receptions.
Across the United States—Atlanta, San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York—hundreds joined the Out & Equal leadership team for celebrations that served as a:
- Reminder that our community is an unstoppable, radiant force.
- Space to build community and connections with other organizations working to advance LGBTQ+ equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace, and beyond.
- Moment to spotlight and highlight Queer joy.
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In addition to these powerful convenings centered on community, Erin Uritus, our CEO, participated in impactful discussions on the value of “The Business of Belonging,” why authentic allyship matters, and how, as a collective community, we approach the future.
As we focus on Radiating Pride beyond June, be sure to revisit her LinkedIn Live conversation with Sander van 't Noordende (he/him), CEO of Randstad, and Allyn Shaw (he/him), Out & Equal Board Chair and EVP, COO, Consumer Technology, Wells Fargo on:
- creating equitable workplaces where LGBTQ+ talent can belong and thrive,
- the business case for inclusion and belonging, and
- how organizations can drive positive change and show allyship year-round.
We are also grateful to the generosity of organizations like T-Mobile, which donated $200,000 to Out & Equal and Rise Brands, which raised more than $15,000 on our behalf. Through their support, we will continue to make meaningful impact and advance our mission of advancing LGBTQ+ workplace equity, inclusion, and belonging.
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Celebrating the Dynamism of the LGBTQ+ Community
As we recognize and celebrate Pride all year, we must highlight the diversity and intersectionality of the community, and the strength it brings to it.
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Throughout the month of July, Out & Equal is proud to recognize and celebrate:
- ALL MONTH: Disability Pride Month
- JULY 6: Omnisexual & Omniromantic Pride & Visibility Day
- JULY 14: International Nonbinary People’s Day
- JULY 16: International Drag Day
Our movement can only succeed when everyone is brought along. It’s why at Out & Equal, we’re committed to advancing the community and achieving our mission by understanding the experiences of all of the communities that make up our movement.
For a deeper examination of intersectionality and inclusion, please view the resources featured within our February newsletter.
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Last month, to further highlight the value of LGBTQ+ inclusion and belonging in the workplace, Out & Equal announced a partnership with Windō, the innovative platform for accessing, reviewing and comparing organizations’ sustainability data (environmental impact, DEI and employee well-being).
In our “In Conversation With” series we speak to Ken Janssens (he/him), Windō’s Co-founder and Head of Social Impact. In this discussion, Ken highlights his career journey, the value of DEIB, and how companies with a clear purpose that go beyond profit margins are more attractive to talent, especially Gen Z.
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Driving Impact Across the Globe:
Reflections from Out & Equal’s
Southern States Forum
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Did you know that the American South is more racially diverse, more religious, and makes up more LGBTQ+-headed households than any other part of the country?
It's why convenings like our Southern States Forum, which we hosted in Atlanta last month, are incredibly important.
Through a powerful program centered on intersectionality, inclusion-building strategies, and action-oriented solutions to drive meaningful change, we brought together leaders, practitioners, and changemakers for inspiring keynotes, dynamic discussions, and insightful learning sessions —all aimed at exploring the unique challenges and opportunities businesses face in creating truly inclusive workplaces for LGBTQ+ employees and allies.
Attendees from across the region and various industries had the opportunity to build long-lasting connections and gained the tools needed to become changemakers in their organizations and communities.
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Presented by Bank of America and Supported by Dell
Convening Next Week!
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This year’s Out & Equal Workplace Summit is back in Orlando from October 8-10 with our pre-Summit Leadership Lab Day on October 7!
The largest LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion event in the world, Summit promises to amplify much-needed inspirational stories, meaningful discussions, and thought-provoking sessions that will equip attendees with the tools and connections to make a difference in their organizations.
Workplace Summit Registration, which is Exclusive to Out & Equal Partners, is Now Open!
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Outie Awards Deadline Extended to Sunday, July 14! | |
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We're extending the deadline to submit a nomination for the Outie Awards to Sunday, July 14 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
Don't miss your opportunity to elevate an LGBTQ+ inclusion champion and/or position your organization as an employer of choice that leads with inclusion and belonging. You can submit nominations across five categories:
- Workplace & Belonging Excellence
- Employee Resource Group of the Year
- New Chapter Employee Resource Group of the Year
- LGBTQ+ Corporate Advocate
- Ally Changemaker
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Welcome to Our New Partners! | |
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At Out & Equal, we work with the world's leading and most influential companies—and the inclusive leaders in these organizations—to advance LGBTQ+ representation, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace.
We’re proud to welcome Golden Goose, GRANITE, Huntington National Bank, Sedgwick, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and Yum! Brands as our newest members of the Out & Equal Partner Community.
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Join the Out & Equal Community | |
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Through thought leadership and partnership (advisory services, knowledge, resources, and tools) and global programs and transformative events, becoming an Out & Equal Partner will supercharge your LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion progress.
We look forward to having you join us in the movement!
Partner in the Business of Belonging™
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