AmazeWorks

That's a wrap on Staff Synergy Week! ?? AmazeWorks' Andrew Zhao planned a week of intentional staff connection, strategic planning, and restoration. We want to ensure our own workplace culture matches the ones we aim to create in schools and workplaces through professional development, training, consulting, and more. This carved time helps us to live into our mission and make transformation possible. Belonging for all starts with us! ?? #Synergy #WorkplaceCulture #Belonging #AmazeWorks #InclusiveWorkplace #DEIB

We have an exciting announcement! AmazeWorks is launching a second newsletter: The Belonging Brief ?? We know that belonging starts early, but it doesn’t stop there. That’s why AmazeWorks has two branches of our work: ?? Education: Bringing belonging to life for children and educators. ?? Enterprise: Creating workplace cultures of belonging for adults. Our first enterprise newsletter will land in your inbox this Thursday! Subscribe TODAY to find tools, case studies, and actionable steps for belonging in your inbox every 2nd Thursday of the month. ? Subscribe to The Belonging Brief here: https://lnkd.in/gW5qAFtu

AmazeWorks has been bringing belonging to life in businesses, organizations, and schools through seven presidential administrations and?our mission?has not wavered. We remain committed to helping?people feel seen, heard, and valued in their workplaces by transforming cultures towards belonging. We will continue to:? ?? advocate for brave spaces where we can navigate the path forward and start depolarizing ourselves ?? build stronger, more connected communities by focusing on our shared values ?? equip people of all ages to have intentional conversations about identity, difference, and bias where we can embrace our own stories/experiences while simultaneously?learning about and respecting the stories/experiences of our colleagues To double down on our support for our Enterprise Community and their efforts to work towards fostering cultures of belonging, AmazeWorks is launching a?newsletter:?The Belonging Brief!??? This?newsletter?is designed for professionals committed to fostering belonging in the workplace, offering tools, case studies, and actionable insights to build inclusive cultures. The Belonging Brief will land in your inbox on the second Thursday of every month, starting March 13??? ? Sign up for the Belonging Brief here!?(and share the link with a colleague!) https://lnkd.in/grKhKNeB

Evelyn Stevenson is a brave teacher AmazeWorking on bringing belonging to life in her classroom. To take a peek inside a middle school AmazeWorks lesson, click here: https://lnkd.in/gj5hknvF

Our Annual Report is out now! ????? In 2024, we faced unprecedented book bans, shifts in funding, and uncertainty about the future of belonging for all. At the same time, we saw a surge in support for belonging, strengthening our work to share stories that matter. Numbers and snapshots cannot fully capture the story of 2024, but nonetheless, these tangible accomplishments fill our cups with fierce hope. So we're celebrating, and we're continuing to channel that hope in 2025. Thank you for joining us in the invaluable work to bring belonging to life!

Our final #DEI myth with Andrew Zhao ?? You need to have it all figured out in order to do this work. In order to do DEI well, we need to acknowledge that every organization is unique. There’s no “right” way to create a culture of belonging. We're not seeking perfection, and we know mistakes will be made. When we channel bravery, we can meaningfully work together to make the culture we want- one where everyone belongs. Thanks for following along on this series! What questions do you have about DEI, anti-bias, or belonging work? Drop them in the comments! #MythsAboutDEI #DiversityEquityInclusion #InclusiveWorkplace #WeAllMakeMistakes #BraveSpace #Belonging #Imperfections #BelongingInAction

We are thrilled to welcome the newest AmazeWorks board members: Timi Bliss, Dr. Erin Rathke Ed.D, Will Renk LaPlant, and Kari Scanlon! ?? We're excited to see how this growing team will help us grow and thrive in 2025. Scroll for insight on what belonging means to each of the newest AmazeWorks champions of belonging for all. Want to learn more? Read about why they joined the AmazeWorks board in our latest newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gtiZaXNp

We’re debunking the myth that #DEI = lower quality. The key issue driving this myth is the predetermination that a hire will hold a certain marginalized identity. The key misinterpretation is that these hires are lower quality. #DiversityEquityInclusion work aims to remove ALL identity-based discrimination. DEI prevents us from disqualifying great candidates by bringing awareness to our biases and prejudices. It aims to expand our candidate pool, maximizing our organization's potential to grow and thrive. If your instinct is to assume that DEI hires, or people with marginalized identities, are lower quality candidates, take a step back and think about where this bias comes from. What key issues or misinterpretations did we miss? Let us know in the comments! ??

What conversations have you had with the children in your life about the impact of natural disasters? For early childhood learners, Persona Dolls are invaluable tools to help children process emotions and solve problems, even during life’s most challenging moments. With the rise in natural disasters like floods and wildfires, educators and caregivers need resources to guide sensitive, impactful conversations with children. That’s why we’ve created four Persona Doll story templates to address these tough topics with empathy and responsiveness: 1. Understanding and Processing Evacuation 2. Losing a Home to Wildfire 3. Helping Others Who've Evacuated 4. Processing the News When It's Scary These stories empower children to navigate fear and uncertainty while building emotional resilience. #PersonaDolls #EarlyChildhoodEducation #SocialEmotionalLearning #BraveConversationsWithChildren #NaturalDisasters

Last week, AmazeWorks hosted a mixer at ModernWell to gather, connect, and belong. Listen to our Executive Director Rebecca Slaby share insight into the power of identity affirming books to bring belonging to life. What books for belonging do you wish you'd had growing up? A special thanks to our incredible Board Chair,?Priya Narula, for spearheading this event and for her remarkable ability to foster community and connection!?