LGBTQIA+ Pride is About an Ever Expanding Rainbow of Humanity
No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us.
– Micah Bazant
Learn about the LGBTQIA+ Flags
Musings of the Month
It’s PRIDE, a great time to consider how you have supported, encouraged, and taken action for the LGBTQIA+ community
Data2insight is proud to be a certified LGBTBE (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Business Entity) business because it takes more courage than ever to be out and proud this LGBTQIA+ Pride Month. When our founder Veronica Smith came out as bisexual in 1993, she participated in a 1993 Hands-Off Washington campaign to defeat Washington State ballot initiatives 608 and 610, which threatened the civil rights of public employees based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation. Thirty years later in 2023, people around the country are fighting once again against anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation in the form of bills that prohibit trans youth from participating in sports or receiving gender-affirming care and prohibit people from talking about sexual orientation in schools.
While LGBTQIA+ folks have more rights in most places around the world than they did 30 years ago, waves of attacks against their inherent worth and dignity continue. Those who do not want a world where everyone is liberated seek to scare others into believing that the oppression of LGBTQIA+ people will protect them and their children from danger. In fact, quite the opposite is true. When people create communities where they embrace each other for who they are, all of us can truly thrive. Please join team data2insight this month to celebrate LGBTQIA+ people and this resilient, creative community that continues the life-affirming tradition of fighting for liberation from oppression for all.
Intersectional Equity
An important part of dismantling white dominant culture is to intentionally take action to remove barriers for people who live at the intersection of different marginalized groups. We call this the beautiful struggle for intersectional equity. This work undermines a powerful strategy of white settlers, which is to take power over groups of people by pitting those groups against each other. For example, one of the 70s women’s movement leaders, Betty Friedan, a white heterosexual woman, excluded queer and BIPOC women from that arm of the movement. This resulted in splintered factions of feminists and womanists. This splintering contributed to the failure of the Equal Rights Amendment, which would have codified into the U.S. constitution rights for women that we still strive for today. We are heartened by a resurgence in the effort to finally pass the ERA, which would empower congress to create more consistent legislation to address the patchwork of current gender and economic inequity laws.
An organization that is leading the way in intersectional equity is Queer the Land (QTL). This group is working at the intersection of queer, transgender, and Two-Spirit Black/Indigenous people/people of color (QT2BIPOC). The QTL mission is to directly address the root cause and power structures that are displacing these communities and destabilizing their people’s work. They are driven by their lived experience of the housing crises and economic displacement in Seattle as members of QT2BIPOC communities. In QTL’s fantastical future their members don’t wonder how they are going to afford rent increases each year. Instead, they spend time strengthening their communities
GSBA Scholarship for LGBTQIA+ Students
Data2insight is proud to be a monthly donor to the GSBA Scholarship Fund. We celebrate this year’s award recipients and the gifts they bring to their community. We are lucky to be a part of their journeys.
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Bernadette Smith at the intersection of equity and LGBTQIA+ rights
Check out our latest blog author, Bernadette Smith, who brings an uplifting and practical approach to equity and inclusion. She was named one of Chicago’s Notable LGBTQ Executives by Crain’s Chicago Business and hosts the weekly podcast 5 Things in 15 Minutes: Bringing Good Vibes to DEI.
Bernadette is the founder and CEO of Equality Institute and award-winning author of four books, including the bestseller Inclusive 360: Proven Solutions for an Equitable Organization.
Learn more about the work that Bernadette does and the resources that she shared with our community by reading our latest blog post.
Resource Highlight
With over 100 student chapters at colleges/ universities and professional chapters in cities across the United States and abroad, oSTEM is the largest chapter-based organization focused on LGBTQ+ people in STEM.
Shining a Light on LGBTQ+ Professionals in STEM
Our founder, Veronica Smith, has been working over 20 years to raise awareness of the importance of LGBTQIA+ folks in our world’s STEM research, education, and industry.
Veronica continually seeks to gain greater visibility and equity for LGBTQIA+ professionals in STEM, highlighting the unique challenges they face, the potential contributions they can make, and the benefits of creating a culture of belonging where queer folks can thrive. In this blog post, Shining a Light on LGBTQ+ Professionals in STEM, Veronica shares key findings from research and practice about the challenges and the opportunities to create more welcoming spaces and places for LGBTQIA+ people. The resource celebrates the resilience and achievements of these professionals, inspiring readers to champion diversity and challenge existing norms.
Let's work together to make STEM more inclusive for everyone!
#SelfCareCorner
LGBTQ Self-Care Tips & Activities
We found an awesome Queer Voices article filled with LGBTQ+ self-care tips and activities for this Pride Month. It's all about embracing who we are, nurturing our well-being, and celebrating our identities.
LGBTQ+ Self-Care Tips and Activities written by Peter Minkoff focuses on the importance of self-care in our community. It starts by emphasizing self-acceptance and self-love, encouraging us to celebrate our true selves. Peter shares self-care practices like journaling, meditation, and affirmations for self-reflection and personal growth.
Value of support networks, both online and offline, where we can connect with like-minded individuals and find understanding.
Physical well-being, with activities such as yoga and outdoor exercises recommended for a healthy body and mind, are just as important.
Setting boundaries and practicing self-compassion are vital, allowing us to prioritize ourselves and cultivate happiness.
By embracing who we are, engaging in self-care activities, building support networks, and taking care of our physical and emotional health, we can thrive as our authentic selves.
Remember, self-care is an act of self-love. And when we love ourselves better, we love those around us better too.
Take care and be YOU!
Event Spotlight
Building Lifelong Success Through Community
Data2insight founder and equity scientist Veronica Smith joined her colleagues and friends Chiew Hoon Jones, Lindi Rubadiri-Mujugira, and Soibi Andrew-Jaja on the final panel of the week-long 2023 Women in Technology (WiT) Regatta in Seattle. They discussed the importance of connectedness as humans and professionals in helping women in STEM to move from surviving to thriving. Together, these women bring 80+ years of STEM education and career experience. Their talks were about their career journeys, how they have overcome barriers, and building community. In breakout sessions, participants discussed taking care of themselves and achieving healthy work-life integration.
Thanks to Melody Biringer and her WiT Regatta crew for creating and producing the Regatta around the country and in Vancouver, BC and Amsterdam since 2017. The Regatta crew created a week of events based on these beliefs:
You will be seen and heard in a safe environment.
We’ll give you a great opportunity to meet your new best friend or boss.
We will honor and celebrate the emotional side of tech.
TECH has no gender, but needs new rules, new order.
