MONTRÉAL, Aug. 2, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ – Today, Amazon Canada unveiled Fièr.e.s [Proud], a project to raise awareness among the company’s Quebec employees on the realities encountered by their peers who are part of the LGBTQ2S+ community. In the form of a colouring book and collection of true stories, Fièr.e.s shares the experience of five Amazon employees
in Quebec and Canada who tell their stories as members of the LGBTQ2S+ community. The 50-page book with their stories accompanied by their portraits for colouring is being distributed to staff members of all Amazon centres in Quebec to encourage an engaged, constructive dialogue on inclusion and diversity in the workplace.
Book Fièr.e.s, Amazon Canada. Preface by Chris Bergeron and illustrations by Maxime Prévost (CNW Group/Amazon Canada)
“At Amazon, our teams are made up of people from all sorts of backgrounds with unique life experiences,” says Zoya Zayler, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Canada. “We’re so proud to launch Fièr.e.s to raise awareness about the various realities of our employees; It is our goal to continue to make our workplace an inclusive environment that celebrates diversity and values its positive impact.”
“When I talk about my job at Amazon, I’m proud to tell people it’s a safe place where I feel respected and valued,” said Yahir Castillo, Human Resources Business Partner, YUL2, Montreal. “There are so many programs, initiatives and activities that are implemented to ensure an inclusive work atmosphere. Fièr.e.s is the perfect example of this, and the impact projects like this can have on the lives of employees is immense.”
To bring Fièr.e.s to life, Amazon worked with Chris Bergeron, the established Quebec author of the novels Valide and Vaillante, who endorsed the book’s texts and wrote its preface. Visual artist Maxime Prévost created all the illustrations for the project.
Pride is contagious; that is its strongest quality. One person’s pride awakens another’s. That is the value, the usefulness of the few portraits you are holding in your hands. Spend some time with these touching testimonials. Embellish the illustrations, by Maxime Prévost, which accompanied them with all the colours of the rainbow.
It’s through small gestures like these that we push back the darkness.
Portrait of Yahir Castillo, Human Ressources Business Partner, Amazon YUL2 center, Lachine. Created by Maxime Prévost, illustrator, Montreal, Quebec (CNW Group/Amazon Canada)
– Chris Bergeron (translated excerpt from the preface of Fièr.e.s)
This initiative is part of Amazon’s efforts in line with its mission to become Earth’s Best Employer by creating inclusive workplaces where diversity is celebrated and where everyone has equal opportunities to succeed and advance.
You can take a look at Fièr.e.s at the Amazon booth at Montréal Pride on Friday, August 5. The company will also be there on Sunday, August 7, when several dozen staff members from the greater Montréal area will participate in the Pride Parade.
About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth’s Best Employer, and Earth’s Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. SOURCE Amazon Canada
Glamazon Affinity Group
Glamazon is one of the 14 affinity groups at Amazon that helps connect, support, and empower communities of employees across the globe. The affinity group aims to raise awareness about LGBTQ2S+ issues and promote opportunities for engagement both inside and outside the company through mentorship and social gatherings, year-round. There are currently more than 40 Glamazon chapters around the world, including a chapter in Quebec.
SOURCE Amazon Canada
CONTACT: visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews
Pride Month is a time to celebrate equality for all, as Ukraine is fighting to preserve its culture, democracy and equality for its citizens.
June is Pride Month when the LGBTQ+ community comes together to celebrate our progress and remember those who fought for our rights. This year, we want to highlight our work at Alternative Spaces and our Ukrainian partner, Onix Systems. We have been working together daily for 15 years, producing high-quality software, innovative applications and complex installations.
What’s more, Alternative Spaces is LGBTQ+ owned and operated, while Onix Systems fully embraces and supports our LGBTQ+ Community. Despite the horrific Russian invasion, Onix continues to work with us daily, even after spending nights sheltering in basements during multiple air raid warnings. Onix is located in a remote area of Ukraine and all 340 team members are safe.
This June, as we celebrate Pride Month, please take some time to explore our blog posts and learn more about the value we offer. You can read about how misterb&b is working to create a safe and welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ travelers worldwide. This is what Francois de Landes, VP IT and Operations, misterb&b has to say:
Andy Cramer, CEO of Alternative Spaces, and I have developed an extraordinary working relationship over the past five years.
He undoubtedly has our best interests in mind. Andy helped with our strategic scaling opportunities, sent us our CTO, with his marketplace experience suggested solutions to add inventory for available guest accommodations, and assisted us as we moved through COVID and the war with Russia.
Andy is in constant contact with me. He consistently adds his knowledge, expertise, contacts, and support to misterb&b’s benefit. I highly recommend working with him and his team. They will ensure you get the best programmers, that project milestones are completed on time without errors, and the benefit of his wisdom as a veteran CEO.
We hope that this information will help you see how your company can benefit from working with us and support our Ukrainian partners at the same time. Thank you for your time, and we look forward to working with you. Link to the misterb&b story
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Car brands have been targeting the LGBT consumer (especially the L and G) very early on – as buying a car involves quite a bit of money. Some brands focus on gay men, others typically on lesbians – but in recent years it’s mostly been ‘loading the brand’ with diversity, via lifestyle campaigns.
It is not only about convincing the LGBT to buy that car, but also to remain loyal to the brand (repeat purchases), and above all to recommend it to ‘relatives’ in the LGBT community (NPS, member get member). See also my articles A pink Cadillac?, Subaru – the ladies love it and Toyota, ally since 1992. Saturn was there early, and 20 years ago Mercedes also contributed. Their compatriot BMW started Marketing the Rainbow a little later, but has since shown a few nice campaigns. ‘Ride with Pride’, ‘Driven by Diversity’: the slogans write themselves.
Introduction
BMW is a German multinational company (est. 1916), which produces luxury automobiles and motorcycles in Germany, Brazil, China, India, South Africa, the UK, and the US. They also own Mini and Rolls-Royce. The company has significant motorsport history, especially in Formula 1, sports cars and the Isle of Man TT: it’s all very masculine.
BMW’s corporate home page includes a section on Diversity, where they say: “For us, diversity means living a culture that is based on appreciation and respect, so that people of all origins can contribute and develop with their personality and identity. BMW Group PRIDE stands for exactly that. The network acts as the mouthpiece of the LGBT+ community where diversity, equality, trust, respect and inclusion come first. Together, we ensure a positive, tolerant and open work environment in which everyone is welcome regardless of their sexual identity.”
The beginning: a paradox
It started in 2006 with a paradox: BMW of North America came under fire from Gaywheels.com – for advertising in gay and lesbian magazines. They called BMW hypocritical by targeting “the deep pockets” of gays and lesbians in publications like OUT and The Advocate, but didn’t offer domestic-partner benefits to employees. Their sister brands Mini and Rolls-Royce were already steps ahead. This changed in 2008, when BMW followed the colleagues, after which Gaywheels endorsed them as gay-friendly.
Local initiatives
A year before, a local dealer in Texas, Classic BMW, had started to look at the gay drivers. One ad stated “Being Out Has Never Been So In”. Another aimed at lesbians with the slogan “Freedom to Go Where You Want and Be Who You Are”. A third ad was more neutral and stated: “It’s about respect”.
Next steps
In 2007, they ran a teasing campaign which included billboards: the visual showed a convertible with the text “Hard Top. Firm Bottom. It’s so L.A.”, playing with words commonly known in the gay world. Another read: “When the top’s away, the car will play”. They were the work of David Morris Parson, who was rewarded with the Commercial Closet Award, for respecting diversity. However, the use of stereotypes was not appreciated by everyone. A market survey in Texas revealed that the target group found the ad, in particular the tagline, both offensive and insulting (sic.), because they used negative stereotypes, in this case the promiscuous gay.
BMW of North America was a top sponsor of the 2012 Lavender Law® Conference and Career Fair of the National LGBT Bar Association.
In California, Berkeley Motor Works listed itself in the GayPinkSpots directory as gay-friendly BMW auto repair shop.
In Palm Springs, the BMW Performance Driving School considered itself to be a Palm Springs Area Destination, possibly of the gay kind, by being included on the visitgaypalmsprings.com website.
In 2015, the BMW 2 Series received the Pink Brand of the Year Award in Belgium. They commented: “The LGBT community really likes our BMW 2 Series. This week, we received the Pink Brand of the Year Award and we are proud of it. Because sheer driving pleasure is for everyone.”
A report conducted in China in 2016 showed that “if you were to stereotype members of the LGBT community in China, you’d come to find that China’s gay men have deemed BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi to be their top three auto brands. Meanwhile, lesbians picked Land Rover, Lamborghini, and Mini Cooper.”
In New York, BMW and Bleu Magazine organized an “ultimate brunch”, celebrating the vibrant culture of the LGBT community, similar to a Chicago event.
And now… “Thought Leadership”
In 2017, Hildegard Wortmann, Senior VP BMW, said: “To stay relevant to digital natives, who are more interested in smartphones than cars, automakers must be prepared to take more risks when positioning their brands and not shy away from edgy subject matter“. Since advertising no longer has the same reach, marketing executives need to be more willing to stretch the limits and be prepared to go directly to the customers and take a stance on key social issues such as gay and lesbian rights. She referred to it as providing “thought leadership.” Her team placed a specially designed BMW i8 at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California, making a connection with “sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll”. Taking the risk brought rewards as the social media impact was immediate with people posting pictures of themselves in front of the BMW i8. “We’re using their community in order to boost our message,” Wortmann said.
BMW i served as an official partner of the Coachella Valley Music & Art Festival more than once. The festival is not specifically gay or gay-friendly though.
Vanity…
The story behind the British vanity licence plate “YES I GAY” is a bit vague and might be a hoax, as it appeared on two different silver BMW’s. The plate was not issued by BMW though, and just happened to be attached to one. Or two?
Unexplainable
In the 2018 campaign “Unexplainable”, a 30-second beautiful lifestyle video features a series of kisses at the end: one kiss is shared between two men. Blink and you’ll miss it.
Prides around the world
Over the years, they were present at – or supported – pride festivals around the world.
WorldPride 2019
During the 2019 WorldPride in New York, there was an extensive program. BMW launched the #GoWithPride campaign: the programming included the creation of a custom wrapped BMW 8 Series, together with Jonathan Adler, who shared his journey to the WorldPride NYC Parade in the BMW 8 Series Convertible on BMWUSA’s Instagram page.
Also, there was a partnership with CNN, the “QUEER CITY: A CNN Experience”, a multimedia museum experience, which explored the real stories of people behind landmark moment in New York City’s queer history. At the location, BMW set up a photo booth, where visitors could take a picture expressing what Pride meant to them. These then became part of an exhibit wall thus including attendees into the festivities.
A fleet of #GoWithPride wrapped BMW 8 Series Convertibles carried the WorldPride Parade’s grand marshals. BMW partnered with GLAAD, outside of their NYC headquarters leading up to the weekend’s events. The company made a donation to GLAAD and provided food, beverages and giveaways, while a fleet of BMW X7 Sports Activity Vehicles delivered t-shirts to over 200 GLAAD volunteers.
2020 Driven By Pride
In 2020, while corona prevented Pride festivals to be celebrated “as usual”, BMW of North America launched a new campaign in celebration of Pride Month, entitled “Driven By Pride.” It featured various activations, including BMW’s support of The Trevor Project’s “Pride Everywhere” campaign, and communications across BMW’s digital channels.
NYC Pride hosted a special broadcast event featuring five custom-wrapped BMW 8 Series Convertibles. The vehicles featured blended rainbow colors that represent the entire Pride flag and LGBT+ community, as well as a special “PRIDE” BMW roundel design on the hood of each vehicle, replacing the BMW letters with PRIDE.
Along with the car show, the event included live musical performances from Janelle Monae, Billy Porter, Deborah Cox and Luisa Sonza. In addition, the broadcast features grand marshals from the LGBT+ community, including Dan Levy of Schitt’s Creek.
“While many of this year’s live Pride activities were cancelled out of necessity, BMW continues to stand with the LGBT+ community in this celebration of Pride and unity,” said Uwe Dreher, vice president of marketing, BMW of North America. “As the world continues to demonstrate for racial equality and justice amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there has never been a more urgent time to celebrate togetherness and unity.”
IDAHOBIT 2021
Through their employee platform, attention was given to the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.
2021 Driven By Pride
For the third year the Driven By Pride campaign was run. It featured designer LaQuan Smith rejoining forces with BMW to design original Pride vehicle wraps for the BMW 4 Series Coupe, following Smith’s role in BMW’s New York Fashion Week partnership.
The wrap was to be featured on five BMW 4 Series vehicles in the annual New York City Pride parade, which in the end only took place virtually.
For the same event, performer, activist and world-renowned drag queen, Shangela, joined BMW for digital content as part of the Pride campaign. She also joined GLAAD’s head of talent, Anthony Ramos, for an Instagram Live interview, sponsored by BMW.
Gay Games Munich
On Facebook the BMW Group PRIDE, together with “The Proud Wiesn”, one of the big LGBT+ Oktoberfest events – sponsored by BMW – rooted for their hometown Munich to be the host for the Gay Games 2026. Messages of support were also posted on Instagram. The honor went to Valencia.
Conclusion
A little later than other car brands, BMW joined the rainbow train. This was selective and always befitting their luxurious character. Often cars were decorated in Pride colors, activities around Pride were sponsored or even organized. Outside of these events, the brand doesn’t do much, although the casual kiss in a TV commercial does earn points. There were also collaborations with various charities. They therefore score a 7.5/10.
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Members of the transgender community gathered en masse for the first time since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to connect on several key issues, from employment opportunities and best practices to understanding the current legal status of key rights, such as the ability to self-identify or change names.
The Center for Transgender Care at Northwell Health and the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell kicked off Transgender Week by hosting the third annual Long Island, Transgender, Gender Non-Confirming, Non-Binary (TGNCNB) Conference on November 14 at Hofstra University. More than 100 participants attended the conference, which was supported by the Northwell Health Transgender Community Advisory Board and an ongoing contribution for transgender education from Steven and Stacy Hoffman.
“Northwell has treated more than 1,200 transgender individuals across Long Island since we began the Center for Transgender Care,” said David Rosenthal, DO, PhD, medical director of the LGBT Health/Transgender Program at Northwell Health. “Their needs are physical, mental and social, so it is essential that we create partnerships with community organizations who serve this community. This conference is created for, and by, the community here in Long Island.”
This year’s conference focused on medical care, social support and addressing unmet needs on Long Island for TGNCNB individuals both in adolescence and adulthood, as well as their parents and children. Educational workshops focused on community agencies and their services and highlighted topics regarding legal name change, an introduction to transgender vocabulary, health and wellness, loving yourself, positive parenting of gender expansive youth, physical fitness, education on assisting a transgender child post-COVID-19 and employment challenges and strategies in the trans community.
“This conference brought together medical providers from Northwell Health, community based organizations and our patients and their families to speak about issues of importance for Transgender Care in Long Island,” said Sundeep Boparai, MHA, operations manager for Northwell’s LGBT Transgender Program.
Several community-based organizations took part: LGBT Network, Pride for Youth, Transgender Legal Defense Fund, Camp Ga’avah, PFLAG Long Island, Thursday’s Child, Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, The Out Foundation, Changing the Game and the NY Transgender Bodybuilding Federation.
The event also took time to commemorate the national Transgender Day of Remembrance, which is November 20. In 2021 alone, at least 46 individuals nationwide have been killed due to transgender violence.
“Trans folxs are regular people, and like each and every one of us, they need the same health care and family support,” Dr. Rosenthal said. “We cannot tolerate discrimination and hatred against people living their authentic lives.”
Northwell Health is New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, with 23 hospitals, 830 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 77,000 employees – 18,900 nurses and 4,800 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are working to change health care for the better. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We’re training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
In honor of the upcoming 2021 Transgender Day of Remembrance, filmmaker Yennefer Fang hopes her latest project will help move the needle of trans representation in China.
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#ADayOfTrans–Independent filmmaker and LGBTQ+ rights advocate Yennefer Fang today announced the release of her latest equity-focused documentary, “A Day of Trans” (2021). This short film depicts the real lives of four Chinese transgender individuals – across three generations – and spotlights the unique challenges facing sexual minorities groups in the country. The documentary’s release comes in recognition of this year’s International Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20 to honor the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence.
Inspired by Fang’s own life experience, the short documentary uses an interview-style approach to describe to the audience how lives of the transgender group in China have been dramatically transformed as the country’s economy continues to grow. The documentary also focuses on the institutionalized imbalance and social barriers affecting transgender individuals of different ages, classes, educational backgrounds, and income levels.
Fang tries to dispel misconceptions through the documentary, including the perception that “transgenderism” is a contemporary or white, middle-class western term.
Fang says, “Transgender is not an exclusively western concept. Different generations of Chinese transgender people have been navigating their unique sets of economic and social challenges. They have different needs – from institutional protection to social welfare, from equal employment to health care. While the younger generations embrace more freedom of self-expression, systematic barriers remain for most transgender people.”
Fang also proposes critical questions about taken-for-granted gender assumptions in today’s mainstream culture, often intertwined with economic disparity and systemic marginalization.
“A transgender woman’s experience is different from a transgender man’s experience. It is inherently imbalanced due to the gender power structure, rooted in sexism, the dominant system that privileges men and masculinity. When women gain more equality, other sexual minorities also tend to achieve more equality,” said Fang.
On the screen, the four incredible individuals each offer a perspective that is rarely found in today’s social conversation: from the cultural revolution and the economic “opening-up” to the Generation-Z era that is underpinned by consumerism, each generation’s transgender individual chooses to define their identity with their own voice, or simply do not want to do so on non-binary terms.
Numerous local non-profit organizations supported the highly anticipated LGBTQ short film to increase positive awareness of the transgender community, which is often underrepresented or misrepresented in the motion-picture industry and foster more understanding and acceptance.
“We are proud to support Yennefer Fang as we believe that the best way to educate the public about the transgender community is by watching documentaries, movies, and TV shows that reflect the reality of trans lives. We hope that this powerful documentary will inspire dialogue, confront unexamined assumptions, celebrate the progress already made, and shed a spotlight on the unfinished work that still needs to be done in the fight for equality,” said He Tao, Head of Trans Projects at the Beijing LGBT Center, a non-profit, community-based organization empowering the LGBTQ+ community by providing social services and organizing advocacy programs.
The premiere was held at a local theatre in Beijing on November 18.
The “A Day of Trans” (2021) documentary is now available on Vimeo and YouTube.
About Yennefer Fang
Yennefer is a transgender independent filmmaker, producer, choreographer, dancer, and actress based in Beijing, dedicated to bringing more stories about LGBTQIA groups onto the big screen.
At the age of 16, Yennefer discovered her interest in the creative production field and her passion for defining how people interact with the mass media and how those interactions shape our culture and daily experiences.
She began her career by directing shows and performances about female empowerment in China. Later in the United States, she participated in numerous film projects centered around LGBTQIA groups as a producer and a cast member. In 2017, Yennefer worked as Second Assistant Director in The Eight Hundred, a Chinese historical war drama film directed by and co-written by Guan Hu and premiered in 2020.
She also co-led a destination commercial for China’s Liaoning Province and presented her work for the first time at Times Square in New York City in the following year. She later accumulated her experience in Hollywood by working as an Assistant Producer in Swimming (2017) and joined movements that support more Asian American and minority women representation in the motion-picture industry.
BOSTON, Nov. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — In 2021, lawmakers from 33 state legislatures and assemblies representing every region of the country filed 98 bills that seek to restrict of the ability of transgender and gender diverse youth (TGD) to access health care, school facilities, and school athletics. A policy brief released by Fenway Health examines the potential harms to health that these bills pose to TGD youth—regardless of whether they are enacted into law or not.
“We are midway through National Transgender Awareness Month, which is a time to honor, celebrate, and advocate for transgender and gender diverse people,” said Carrie Richgels, lead author of the study and Manager of Policy and Advocacy at Fenway Health. “Despite the many barriers to health and well-being that transgender people face, many politicians are all too willing to play politics with the lives of transgender and gender diverse children and teenagers. We hope this policy brief can be used as a tool by health and legal advocates working to defeat these discriminatory bills.”
Approximately one-third of the bills filed in 2021 relating to TGD youth seek to prohibit or limit access to health care. The remainder seek to prohibit or limit the participation of transgender youth in school sports, with some also seeking to restrict access to public facilities such as school locker rooms and bathrooms.
“It is deeply concerning that at least six Arkansas TGD youth attempted suicide following passage of that state’s new law banning the practice of gender-affirming health care for youth,” said Julie Thompson, PA-C, Medical Director of Trans Health at Fenway Health. “Research shows that public debate about the rights of people who have been marginalized, including TGD youth, can have a significant negative impact on mental health, and these bills harm the health of TGD children and adolescents in three distinct ways. The first is by denying access to medically-necessary health care. The second is by subjecting TGD youth to government-sanctioned stigma and discrimination. The third is by denying access to educational activities and depriving TGD youth of the social, emotional, and health benefits such activities bring. Most troubling is that we now know that that lack of access to gender-affirming health care during childhood and adolescence can harm the mental health of TGD people over the course of their lifetimes, so the impact of these bills to the health of TGD youth will extend well into adulthood.”
“Without exception, these bills are based on bad science, and ignore the consensus of experts in medicine—including endocrinology, psychiatry, and psychology—in support of gender-affirming medical care,” said Sean Cahill, Director of Health Policy Research at Fenway Health.
The American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the Endocrine Society, and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health have each issued formal, public statements opposing passage of these bills.
“In stark contrast with states like Texas and Idaho that have enacted laws prohibiting transgender youth from participating in sports, the most elite athletic organizations in the world allow transgender athletes to compete in accordance with their gender identity,” Cahill added. “The National College Athletics Association adopted a policy in 2011 that allows transgender women to participate in women’s sports after one year of testosterone suppression. The International Olympic Committee requires transgender women to demonstrate that their total serum testosterone level has been below 10 nmol/L for at least one year prior to competition.”
“Lawsuits have been filed in state and district courts challenging the legality of the SAFE Act in Arkansas and other anti-transgender bills that have been enacted into law,” said Mason J. Dunn, JD, Deputy Director, Division of Education and Training at The Fenway Institute at Fenway Health. “While this legal advocacy continues, it is incumbent upon school officials to remember that every child has a right to public education in this country and educators must create school cultures that support all youth, including TGD youth.”
The policy brief, titled “State bills restricting access of transgender youth to health care, school facilities, and school athletics threaten health and well-being,” outlines recommendations for clinicians, parents and other caregivers, school officials, and lawmakers. They include the following:
1. Medical providers have a responsibility to be familiar with the most up-to-date scientific and clinical information.
2. Parent and other caregivers should create a supportive home environment, connect their child or adolescent with gender affirming health care providers, and collaborate with school officials to create a plan to support your child.
3. School officials must:
Incorporate LGBTQIA+ history into the curriculum for all students.
Ensure that all students hear from LGBTQIA+ people, so that young people have a human face and experience to reference and relate to.
Establish firm policies around harassment to prevent bullying with clear procedures staff can follow.
Create space for kids to meet and interact with other kids like them. Gender-Sexuality Alliance programs allow LGBTQIA+ students and allies to come together in a protected space to share experiences.
“State bills restricting access of transgender youth to health care, school facilities, and school athletics threaten health and well-being,” is available online.
Applications are now open for a new program that will award grants to Black trans women-led projects that support Black trans women’s mental health
SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Healthline Mediain partnership with the Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM) has today announced the Black Trans Women’s Wellness and Mental Health Grants. The new program will award three grants of up to $10,000 each to Black trans women-led projects that support Black trans women’s mental health.
Applications are now open, and winners will be announced in January 2022.
The grants are part of Healthline Media’s $100,000 investment in BEAM’s Black Wellness Innovation Fund, a series of innovative Black-led wellness programs designed to sustainably address unmet mental healthcare needs within Black communities and build a national movement dedicated to the healing, wellness, and liberation of marginalized communities.
“Over the last 10 years it’s become more evident to the general public that dominant mental health interventions were not built with Black people in mind. This fund fills that gap by supporting innovative culture-based mental health interventions that invite Black communities across the country to heal on our own terms,” said Yolo Akili Robinson, Founder and Executive Director of BEAM.
“At Healthline Media, we are passionate about addressing disparities in access to health and wellness,” said Laurie Dewan, VP of Brand Insights and Communications at Healthline Media. “Through our partnership with BEAM and the Black Trans Women’s Wellness and Mental Health Grants, we are furthering our vision of a stronger, healthier world by centering Black trans women innovators and making direct investments in the well-being of Black trans women.”
Prioritizing the mental health of Black trans women
Black trans women currently experience the highest levels of violence and distress of any group and correspondingly high levels of anxiety, depression, and suicidality. This project aims to address disparities in mental health resources by supporting Black trans women-led projects that support Black trans women’s mental health through innovative approaches to healing and disability justice.
Winners will be selected by a panel of accomplished leaders in the Black trans community, including:
Dominique Morgan, Executive Director, Black and Pink Inc.
Aaryn Lang, Writer, Public Speaker & Media Personality
Valerie Spencer, Capacity Building & Social Services Specialist
Aryah Lester, Deputy Director, Transgender Strategy Center
“Disparities in mental health outcomes in the Black trans community deserve our attention. We are honored to continue our close work with BEAM to improve mental health outcomes by supporting leaders and mental health advocates within the Black trans community,” said Faye McCray, editor-in-chief of Psych Central, a Healthline Media brand.“Health equity is a top priority for Healthline, which is why we will continue to invest in the mental health of historically excluded communities.”
About BEAM (Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective)
BEAM is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to remove the barriers that Black and marginalized communities experience when trying to access or stay connected to mental health care and wellness resources. Through healing justice-based organizing, education, training, grantmaking and advocacy, BEAM envisions a world where there are no barriers to Black healing.
About Healthline Media
Healthline Media is the leading digital health and wellness property, reaching the most people on their road to well-being. The company delivers expert insights with a clear, human voice through its content, communities, and services. Healthline Media connects its partners with more than 94 million people each month (ComScore, August 2021) across its brand portfolio (which includes Healthline.com, MedicalNewsToday.com, Greatist.com, and PsychCentral.com), and connects its audiences with solutions to help them live fuller, richer lives. The company publishes more than 1,500 pieces of content a month, created by more than 250 writers, and reviewed by more than 125 medical experts, doctors, and clinicians. Every program and piece of content is purpose-built to make an impact and make wellness attainable for people everywhere. Healthline Media uses its platform to advocate for a more inclusive and equitable approach to wellness. Throughout its history, Healthline Media’s mission and vision have stayed constant: to make a stronger, healthier world. Healthline Media is based in San Francisco and owned by Red Ventures.
Employee Resource Group leads participation in Phoenix community event
PHOENIX–(BUSINESS WIRE)–University of Phoenix employees support the Phoenix Pride Parade, held November 6, the annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community held in Phoenix, Arizona. University of Phoenix Employee Resource Group (ERG), Allies of Pride, with over 500 members, promotes the event to staff, students and faculty and provides volunteer support.
During the pandemic, many similar celebrations and in-person community events and support opportunities were cancelled or delayed.
“It’s important to remember that Pride is not just a parade or a specific month in which we celebrate. Pride is what we do every day. It’s what’s inside us, how we live our lives open and honestly and how we support each other. Pride is never cancelled,” shares Julie Fink, vice president of Human Resources at University of Phoenix. “However, we are excited to have a visual and in-person celebration of our community and support for each other, which is so critical as we emerge from a very difficult year and a half. This parade is an opportunity to celebrate, be together, and to support our loved ones, family members, and each other.”
The purpose of Allies of Pride employee resource group is to promote awareness within the University and community of LGBTQ understanding and acceptance. Additionally, the goal is to attract “allies” who support LGBTQ causes and rights to create a stronger support network both internally and externally of the organization.
“The University of Phoenix is dedicated to the work of advancing inclusion as part of its focus on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB),” Fink states. “It has received perfect successive scores on the HRC Corporate Equality Index. This highlights the University’s willingness to review practices to make changes or adapt to evolving nondiscrimination views.”
The HRC Corporate Equality Index is a self-reported system that evaluates workplace equality in regard to specific criteria, including workforce protections, inclusive benefits, supporting an inclusive culture and corporate social responsibility, and responsible citizenship. University of Phoenix has received a perfect Equality Index score consecutively over the past four years.
University of Phoenix is continually innovating to help working adults enhance their careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, and Career Services for Life® help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.
