Nearly a decade ago, the State of North Carolina enacted HB2, the first statewide anti-trans bathroom bill introduced in the United States. It required transgender people to use public restrooms inconsistent with their gender identity, which sparked widespread political backlash and severe economic consequences. Estimates suggest the legislation costs the state almost $5 billion annually.

Since that time, nearly every state across the country has attempted to pass similar, or even more restrictive laws. In just the past two years, we’ve seen over 1,000 anti-LGBTQ+ bills - many of which target the lives and well-being of transgender children. As a result, a growing number of families are uprooting their lives and relocating to more supportive and affirming states.

While public policy over the past two decades has led to significant legislative wins for LGBTQ+ people – the freedom to marry, the ability to openly serve in the military, and protections against hate crimes - these basic freedoms are under siege, and this assault is having adverse impacts on our workplaces.

Many businesses have met these legislative efforts with formal rebukes from chambers of commerce, business advocacy organizations, and at shareholder meetings. Yet, many business leaders struggle with how to effectively communicate why pride at work is essential for their businesses to grow into the future. If you’re among this group of leaders, you’re in the right place.

Our featured guest, Erin Uritus is here to help. Erin is the CEO of Out & Equal, which is the premier nonprofit working to advance LGBTQ+ representation, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace, and beyond. She is a passionate advocate for creating diverse and thriving workplaces where everyone can reach their full potential. During our conversation, you will:

---Discover the alarming impact of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, which is causing a talent exodus and hindering business growth.

---Gain insights from a recent Out & Equal report, Talent on the Move, revealing the needs and expectations of LGBTQ+ employees in today's climate.

---Explore actions business leaders can take to gain a competitive advantage by doing the right thing and investing in LGBTQ+ DEIB interventions to enjoy business growth.

Our conversation is designed to support people like you – visionary people leaders, and those on their way to joining us. Savor this insightful talk, and if you’re looking for more ways to connect with inspiring leaders like Erin, be sure to join the Belonging Membership Community – a community of practice committed to putting our values of belonging, community, and collaboration in action. Members have the unique opportunity to connect with guests like Erin for 1:1 laser coaching sessions.

Join the community here: belongingmembershipcommunity.com.

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Learn more about Out & Equal here: www.outandequal.org

Thanks for growing our #BelongingMovement!

Do you ever feel like you're stuck in a professional persona? You show up, put your head down, and power through the workday, but a nagging sense of inauthenticity lingers. Maybe you crave deeper connections with colleagues, or you dream of a career that aligns with your true values. Here's the good news: authenticity isn't just about feeling good at work; it's the key to unlocking a more fulfilling and successful professional life.

Yet, the idea of being your authentic self at work might sound daunting. After all, wouldn't that mean sharing every quirky detail of your personality? The good news is authenticity isn't about unfiltered self-disclosure. It's about bringing your core values, strengths, and passions to the table in a way that feels appropriate for the situation.

Think of authenticity as the foundation of trust. When you show up as your authentic self, you create an environment where others may consider doing the same. Yet when you lack the agency, or the choice to determine how much of your real self you want to bring into your work, authenticity won’t be an option. And if authenticity isn’t an option, then growing trust, the ultimate business currency, won’t be an option either.

Agency is about power, and naturally, those of us who hold more power at work may treat authenticity as a dial that you can turn up or down depending on how relevant a personal detail is to the work at hand. Yet for those of us who hold less power at work, showing up as our real selves on the job is not a choice – it’s a liability. So how do we grow our collective agency to realize the authenticity advantage?

Fortunately, today’s featured guest, Don Mamone, offers their insights on this episode of the Imagine Belonging Podcast. Don is a renowned identity coach who teaches others how to reach their maximum potential and impact by discovering and embracing their true identity. As a nonbinary person, Don supports their clients build safer spaces that support and encourage unapologetic authenticity.

Don will explain how authenticity can lead to increased trust with your colleagues, leading to better feedback, career development opportunities, and potentially even promotions. You'll also learn how authentic connections with colleagues can create a more positive and supportive work environment, boosting your overall well-being and happiness.

This conversation is specifically designed to support organizational leaders, DEIB practitioners, and HR professionals seeking everyday actions they can take to maximize the power of the authenticity advantage. During this conversation, we will gain:

--Strategies to balance authenticity with professionalism.

--Fresh ideas to bring your authentic self to work.

--Answers for why genuine connections are essential for success.

--Awareness of how authenticity builds trust with your manager and colleagues.

--Practical tips to identify your values & translate them into your career.

Savor this insightful talk, and if you’re looking for more ways to connect with inspiring leaders like Don, be sure to join the Belonging Membership Community – a community of leaders, visionaries, and change makers committed to advancing their DEI goals while practicing community care. Members have the unique opportunity to engage with our featured thought leaders 1:1 after our podcast recordings where they can participate in a private laser coaching session with our guests.

To learn more about the Belonging Membership Community, please visit: www.belongingmembershipcommunity.com.

And now…let’s jump into today’s conversation…

In the wake of last year’s Supreme Court decision to overturn affirmative action, certain media personalities and recalcitrant business leaders have falsely claimed that “DEI is dead.” This claim may very well be true for the businesses that were never serious about setting this work up to succeed.

Yet, for businesses that want to remain relevant for the workforce and customers of the future, many are doubling down on their commitment. In fact, 75% of HR leaders believe DEI interventions are a crucial strategy to prepare for the future of work, which may be why 60% are increasing their DEI investments in 2024.

While the demand for DEI interventions remains high, employers are seeking evidence and evaluation that these interventions are working. They want to know if the needle is moving in the direction of building healthier workplace cultures and diverse teams, which lead to better decisions, innovative ideas, business success, and even industry breakthroughs.

So how do we design and evaluate the effectiveness of our work? Given the volatile, uncertain, and complex times we are living through, it’s first important to ask better questions, starting with what kind of interventions does this current moment demand, and how can we link those interventions to our organization’s broader strategic goals?

Fortunately, McKensie Mack, founder of MMG Earth offers their insights on this episode of the Imagine Belonging Podcast. McKensie’s company recently partnered with Catalyst, a global nonprofit designed to accelerate progress for women through workplace inclusion, to design the Virtue Economy survey to better understand how organizational leaders, DEI practitioners, and other change-makers continue to learn grow and evolve as they strive to build healthier workplace cultures in the face of systemic and political adversity.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/953FGN2

McKensie is a leading voice on power, politics, and pop culture in a global marketplace. A trilingual tech enthusiast, future economist, and award-winning entrepreneur from the Southside of Chicago, they are the Founder and CEO of MMG EARTH, the first Black and nonbinary-led research and change management firm in the U.S. and Boundary Work, a public service platform dedicated to raising collective awareness on boundaries and offering educational information for the betterment of culture, systems, and society.

This conversation is specifically designed to support organizational leaders, DEIB practitioners, HR professionals, and other people leaders seeking everyday actions they can take to better assess the kind of L&D required to support, grow, and nurture leaders to advance their DEI interventions to build healthier workplace cultures.

Together, we will:

--Learn about the Virtue Economy and how it’s influencing our workplace culture.

--Strategies on how to assess the kind of L&D support org leaders and DEI professionals need.

--Actions required to survey such a large group of professionals, and ways we can support.

--Ways to leverage the MMG World & Catalyst report to ensure our DEI interventions succeed.

Savor this insightful talk, and if you’re looking for more ways to connect with inspiring leaders like McKensie, be sure to join the Belonging Membership Community – a community of leaders, visionaries, and change-makers committed to advancing their DEI goals while practicing community care. Members have the unique opportunity to engage with our featured thought leaders 1:1 after our podcast recordings where they can participate in a private laser coaching session with our guests.

To learn more about the Belonging Membership Community, please visit: www.belongingmembershipcommunity.com.

And now…let’s jump into today’s conversation…