Thought provoking and practical info about pronoun use, LGBTQ+ history, white women in DEIB, and winter prep!
White women in DEIB, using correct pronouns (PLEASE!), LGBTQ+ History Month, and a snowy winter ahead!
Musings of the Month
Work in progress: The role(s) of white women in DEIB
Asking ourselves some important questions!
“As a white woman, ask yourself: are you upholding or fighting racism?” is the first statement in a VitalSource book review of Ilsa Govan and Tilman Smith’s book, What’s Up With White Women: Unpacking Sexism and White Privilege In Pursuit of Racial Justice. This book is a practical guide for white women who are interested in becoming more effective in their cross-cultural, anti-racist practices. The authors invite white women to understand their gendered role in systemic racism and their unique opportunity for action.
This book and a recent blog post by Aparna Rae about the dominance of white women in the DEIB workforce spurred data2insight to reflect on our team’s role(s) in DEIB work. The core data2insight team includes two white women and three women of color and is white-woman owned.
Our founder, Veronica Smith, is participating in an Equity Lab, offered by Aparna Rae and Dr. Pierce Otlhogile-Gordon, to help data2insight add ideas, frameworks, and practical activities to our consultant toolbox which will assist in moving people in organizations and communities forward on their equity journey.
Lab participants select an equity issue they want to work on and map out theories of action and change that capture how they will take action to have their desired impact. Veronica, in consultation with the team, has chosen to focus on better understanding the role(s) that are most useful and impactful for her as a white woman DEIB professional. She will explore ways to work with others in the community to leverage white privilege in a way that advances people of color and people from other marginalized groups in workplaces and communities, including the DEIB profession. This project requires some deep soul searching and reflection and is very much a work in progress.
Some of the feedback we received from the Equity Lab cohort so far: Make sure that 1) in collecting information we do it in ways that do not overburden people of color, 2) we are open to hearing answers we may not like, and 3) we draw on existing resources and communities to do this work, rather than going it alone. All great advice which we will incorporate in guiding our work.
Stay tuned for more in ‘24!
We plan to share the results of this work in January 2024. And if you would like to engage Veronica in conversation about this topic, please contact her at veronicasmith@data2insight.com.
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Featured Author Blog
Alyssa Pizarro infuses her experience and knowledge of mindfulness in all that she does.
Alyssa Pizarro is the Senior Manager of Equity and Inclusion at the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP). She has worked in development and facilitation, and found her calling in DEIA work where she infuses her experience and knowledge of mindfulness in all that she does.
After leaving a 10-year fashion career in New York and moving to Seattle, she returned to her social justice roots by leading with her passion for yoga and service in the nonprofit world.
Read more about Alyssa, what she does, why she does it, and some valuable insights in this month's blog post below!
October Resource Highlight
October is LGBTQ+ History Month
Data2insight is an LGBTQ+ owned and NGLCC LGBTBE certified business, making LGBTQ+ history our history. The LGBTQ+ community has a history that is not often taught at home, in public schools, or in many religious institutions. LGBTQ+ History Month highlights role models, builds community, and makes the civil rights statement about LGBTQ+ folx' extraordinary national and international contributions.
Thanks to the Equality Forum for spearheading LGBTQ+ History Month by honoring LGBTQ+ icons – one each day – with a video, bio, resources, downloadable images, and other materials useful to professionals, companies, students, website visitors, and the media to shine a light on LGBTQ+ people around the world and the contributions they have and are making to their communities. All honored icons are archived and can be searched by name or year or from a tag cloud of more than 240 descriptors. Please use this resource to increase awareness of LGBTQ+ role models and reduce bias against LGBTQ+ people in your circle of influence. For the rest of the month, data2insight will be sharing 2023 LGBTQ+ icons on our LinkedIn page to make it easy to repost.
Also of note: For anyone who might be in St. Louis, Missouri, Gateway to Pride is an exhibit at the Missouri History Museum. If you are not in St. Louis, check out the virtual exhibit.
Book Spotlight
A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns in honor of International Pronoun’s Day on October 18
This is a quick, easy, and important educational comic guide to using gender-neutral pronouns by Archie Bonigiovanni and Tristan Jimerson.
Archie Bonigiovanni, a snarky genderqueer artist, is tired of people not understanding gender neutral pronouns. Tristan, a cisgender dude, is looking for an easy way to introduce gender neutral pronouns to his increasingly diverse workplace. The longtime best friends team up in this short and fun comic guide that explains what pronouns are, why they matter, and how to use them.
They also include what to do if you make a mistake, and some tips for those who identify outside of the binary to keep themselves safe in this binary-centric world.
Not surprisingly, the book is also award winning!
2018 Chicago Public Library Best Books of the Year
Teen Nonfiction Publishers Weekly Favorite Reads of 2018
Autostraddle 20 Best LGBTQ Graphic Novels of 2018
"A great, simple look at the importance of using correct pronouns; extremely accessible to those for whom gender-neutral language is a new concept."
– School Library Journal
Pronouns Matter Resource
Using someone’s correct personal pronouns is a way to respect them and create a culture of belonging. This is like pronouncing a person’s name correctly as a way to respect them. Pronouns.org is a practical online resource dedicated to the empowering inclusive use of personal pronouns in the English language. They have answers to the following questions to help you build your cultural responsiveness knowledge and skill.
#SelfCareCorner
Image: Old Farmer's Almanac
The Old Farmer's Almanac just released its winter weather forecast for 2023 and 2024. The biggest takeaway? Expect snow.
Those who crave chillier winter weather are in luck - this winter is expected to be a snowy wonderland! As North America's original almanac, the publication specializes in predicting long-range weather, which it has been doing since its inception in 1792.
The almanac's winter forecast is that snowfall will be above average across most snow-prone areas (excluding the Pacific Northwest) at the end of this year and the beginning of the next. In the Northeast and Midwest, snow is expected to arrive beginning in November, with storms, showers, and flurries continuing through the start of spring.
However, much of the United States coastline, including New England, Florida, and parts of the Pacific Southwest will experience mild to cool temperatures. Milder temperatures also mean wetter-than-usual weather is coming to parts of the U.S., such as portions of the Deep South, Texas, and California, with potentially drought-quenching rain.
Prepare for that snowy winter with soup recipes and this checklist for preparing your home for freezing temps.
