Learn. Connect. Grow. Issue 16.
WE CREATE SPACE
A Community-Led Learning Platform, Consultancy and Network of Leaders driving Social Innovation.
?? Intersectional Resources for creating Queer Inclusive Work Spaces. ??
Welcome back to another issue of “Learn. Connect. Grow.”
It’s finally here - Happy Pride Month!
We’re starting off the month with a bang, bringing you a host of new, exciting content focusing on LGBTQIA+ inclusion at work.
Guest writer Sayantani Chakravarty breaks down some of her PhD research in a new article, exploring how gender stereotypes affect the ways we pick, appraise and interact with our leaders - and that harmful ways this can affect LGBTQIA+ people.
We’re also proud to present a new partnership spotlight with Omnicom , exploring intersectional collaboration between two of their ERGs through the perspectives of their members.
Make sure you also check out our new instalment of Queer Journeys starring David Kam 家伟 , an informative video from me sharing more about WCS | Courses, and there’s some special news about WCS coming to Madrid!
Wishing you a lovely rest of your week,
Michael Stephens (he/they), Founder of We Create Space
WCS FEATURE:
Gender Stereotypes Hold Back Queer Leaders.
Guest writer Sayantani Chakravarty examines how we can dismantle the rigid gender stereotypes which affect how we perceive leaders.
”I took Harvard’s Implicit Association Test in my first year of PhD, where to my dismay I discovered how much easier it was for me to imagine a male CEO to a female CEO, even as I myself wanted to pursue an entrepreneurial journey. As a queer brown immigrant woman, living off my PhD stipend, I never really truly believed I had the risk appetite or the fortitude required to build something of my own. A simple fact such as in 2023, 37 of the top 50 Fortune 500 companies were white men and not one of them was a South Asian woman or a queer woman means that no matter how bold our dreams, our imaginations are often bound by the representation we see.” - Sayantani Chakravarty
WCS PARTNER SPOTLIGHT:
Intersectional Collaboration: ERGs at Omnicom.
We speak to Employee Resource Group members at Omnicom about workplace allyship and how ERG membership has shaped their careers.
“When faced with career uncertainty I was able to connect with many colleagues I met through OPEN Pride for guidance and further networking. I think the personal connections built through ERGs are so strong because they allow us to humanise our work and build bridges outside of the networking we do within our day jobs.” - William Donnelly , Executive Assistant and Co-Chair of OPEN Pride SoCal
WCS | COURSES:
Deepen Your Knowledge.
Michael Stephens shares what makes our online courses unique.
WCS | Courses provide e-learning through an intersectional lens, combining industry best practices and research with the knowledge, perspectives and real life experiences of We Create Space’s global speaker collective.
Our 4-part LGBTQ+ Inclusion course is perfect for organisations looking to deepen their commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion during Pride month and beyond, through improving your employee’s understanding of LGBTQ+ identities and helping them to create more inclusive workplaces, communities and societies.
?? Email [email protected] to enquire.
WCS RESOURCE:
DEI Business Webinar.
We show you how to implement truly inclusive family leave policies…
Did you miss out on our latest DEI webinar? Catch up now with the recording! Neil Hudson-Basing , Dr Jack López , Josephine Hughes and Raga D'silva discuss how to develop family leave policies that are inclusive and supportive of LGBTQ+ parents and caregivers.
WCS FEATURE:
Queer Journeys | David Kam.
Stories of Queer migration through the eyes of our speaker collective.
David Kam 家伟 is a movement facilitator and We Create Space collective member who grew up in Malaysia, where homosexuality is still illegal, and moved to the UK to study. He shares his story, the challenges of navigating one’s cultural identity as a Queer person and how the power of movement has grounded him throughout his life.
WCS RESOURCE:
Ideas for Pride 2024.
Need help preparing for Pride Season? Looking to level up your programming? We’ve compiled all of our best ideas for Pride in one place.
领英推荐
WCS FREE EVENT : BARCELONA
Queering Leadership Masterclass.
Join us at WeWork Barcelona for a masterclass workshop to grow on your path toward becoming a confident Queer Leader. Learn how to consciously steer the course of change in your life in this workshop with coach and DEI consultant Sally F. Barleycorn . Join the WCS | Campus Barcelona network to register for this event.
WCS FREE EVENT : BARCELONA & MADRID
Queer Women in Business.
Join us at WeWork Barcelona on the 19th June for our next Queer Women in Business meet up! It’s a space for LGBTQIA+ women to network, build lasting and nurturing friendships, reflect on challenges and inspire each other as we work towards creating safer and more inclusive spaces - for ALL women.
We’re also incredibly excited to announce our first meet up outside of Barcelona with happen in WeWork Madrid on the 10th July! Please forward the event invite to any Queer Women you know in Madrid who may benefit from this space.
WCS FREE EVENT : LONDON
London Business Community Social.
We’ll be back at The BoTree Hotel on the 5th June for another evening networking event, bringing together DEI Professionals, Leaders and Corporate Change-Agents. Join our MD Jon-Paul Vicari (He/Him) and the rest of the WCS team for a free drink, a chance to mingle with likeminded folks and a short key-note talk from our guest speaker Tolu Osinubi titled “What’s Your Label?”
WCS SPEAKER SHOWCASE:
Our Collective.
Pride doesn’t stop when June ends, and LGBTQIA+ talent have valuable perspectives to share all year round - so why not book one of our speakers this Pride, or beyond?
The We Create Space collective is constantly growing and features a wide range of speakers from a variety of backgrounds, all of whom are ready to enrich and inspire you with their stories and perspectives. From seasoned corporate voices to fresh grass-roots perspectives, we can match you with the perfect speaker for your needs.
?? Email [email protected] to book.
Featuring: Stephen Hart , Max Marchewicz , Vijay Chohan , Jolinda Johnson , Hannah Nishat Botero , Geffrye Parsons , Marc Thompson , Jen Polzin and Olivia Esposito .
WCS Reminder:
Our Resources.
Our website is packed full of free articles, webinars, think-pieces and podcast episodes to educate and inspire you on a wide range of topics related to DEI, LGBTQ+ issues, workplace allyship and more. Resources for Pride, and Beyond.
Section 28: The Queer Education We Never Had.
Jude Guaitamacchi discusses how, 20 years on from the repeal of the UK’s queerphobic Section 28 legislation, leaders and businesses can prevent history from repeating itself.
LGBTQ+ Anti-Racism.
Yassine Senghor , XaaaV, Sanjukta Moorthy (Sun-yook-ta) and Andre Johnsen discuss how to challenge unconscious bias and create conscious inclusion in the workplace in regards to LGBTQ+ people of colour.
Intersectionality 101: Unpacking Intersecting LGBTQ+ Identities.
We take you through an intersectionality crash course and show you how it can be put into practice to create a better world.