Out & Equal ...and fantastico !

In only a few weeks, Rome will be the site of EuroPride 2011, a 10-day celebration of the global lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. In coordination with the event, business leaders from across Europe and beyond will gather on June 9th and 10th for the 4th International GLBT Business Leader Forum. Organized by the European Gay and Lesbian Manager Association (egma) and presented by IBM, the Forum will bring together leaders in LGBT workplace equality to build networks, hear keynote speakers and expert panelists discuss leading issues facing our community, and share best practices that cross borders. 

Out & Equal is proud to be a sponsor of the 2011 International GLBT Business Leader Forum and will be represented at the event by our founding Executive Director, Selisse Berry. Selisse will be joining corporate executives from Citi, IBM, IKEA and Lenovo on a panel moderated by Company Pride Platform's David Pollard to discuss Best Practices and Tools for GLBT Diversity and Inclusion.

If you - or colleagues at your company - plan to be in Rome for EuroPride, consider registering for the Forum's conference and dinner and make a point of saying ciao to Selisse! 

Congratulations to Selisse Berry, Local Hero

Selisse Berry, Founding Executive Director

Congratulations to our Founding Executive Director, Selisse Berry! She is being honored by KQED here in San Francisco as a local hero, as part of their recognition of LGBT Pride Month, along with Ed Decker, of the New Conservatory Theatre Center; Max Philips, who is the co-president of the Gay Straight Alliance at Menlo Atheron High School; and Michael Smith, who is the Executive Director of the AIDS Emergency Fund and the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund.

Click to find out more about the 2011 LGBT Heroes and read KQED's guide for Pride Month for whole month of inspiring viewing: http://outandequal.wordpress.com/2011/05/20/lgbt-heroes/ 

Register or volunteer today!

The Hilton Anatole, Dallas, Texas

Mark your calendars for October 25-28 to join us in Dallas, Texas for the 2011 Out & Equal Workplace Summit.  This is going to be another amazing year as we get ready for more than 2,500 LGBT employees, executives, HR and diversity professionals, ERGs and YOU to come together to network, learn and have a great time.  Registration is now open with the option of one-stop-shopping for your registration and hotel. Our host hotel will be the wonderful Hilton Anatole and we expect it to sell out early, as usual. Watch our e-mails and blog for announcements about this year's great line up of speakers, workshops, entertainment and so much more.

We're also accepting volunteer applications for this year. If you volunteered at least 6 hours last year, be sure to contact Dani Siragusa and get your discount code for this year. The success of our event depends on our volunteers and we love to work with you. Please sign up today.  

Out & Equal Kicks Off Ally Empowerment Tour 

Dr. David M Hall partners with Out & Equal.

 

Out & Equal recognizes that our straight allies are often our best resource when it comes to achieving workplace equality and inclusion for LGBT people in the workplace.  Yet all too often our LGBT workplace leaders don't know how to get more allies involved, or how to even find them.  At the same time, many of our straight colleagues who want to be allies don't know they are welcome - or how to get involved.

To help bridge that gap, Out & Equal developed the 2011 Ally Empowerment Tour with six of its regional affiliates, featuring the work of Dr. David M. Hall, author of "Allies at Work". The tour kicked off on April 25^th in San Francisco at Genentech. Read the full story here. 

Two Opportunities to Learn about Transgender Employees

We have two great training events this week to help you learn more about transgender people in the workplace.  Starting on Tuesday, May 24 at 11:00 am Pacific, we will start a 3 part Out & Equal University online webinar series called Transgender Intensive.  It is taught by our very knowledgeable trainers Jamison Green and Ann Dunkin.  You can register for this course by following the links on the web site training calendar - http://outandequal.org/training-calendar .  If you missed the opening session today, the sessions are recorded so you can still join. 

This month's Town Call webinar on Thursday, May 26 at 12:00 pm Pacific is on Injustice at Every Turn, the new report from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey.  Presenting will be Mara Keisling, Executive Director of National Center for Transgender Equality, Justin Tanis, Communications Director for Out & Equal, and Lisa Mottet, the Director of Transgender Civil Rights Program at The Task Force.  Information and free registration for the monthly town call is at http://outandequal.org/town-calls .

Pride Month is Almost Here!

Out & Equal at Pride 2010

June is almost here and many of our Regional Affiliates and ERGs are gearing up for the celebration. For many groups, Pride is the highlight of the year, with opportunities to participate in Pride parades and a time to organize educational events at work. Groups are just putting up some of their events now, but be sure to check out your Regional Affiliate and Out & Equal's events calendar to find out what is happening near you.

Check out our blog for some great posts this month! We've got tips for LGBT job seekers, a report from the LGBT reception at the American Institute of Architects, Selisse's Berry's reflections on women's empowerment, a look at LGBT activism in Asia, workplace advocacy in the 1950s and a whole lot more.  You can sign up to receive alerts when new posts are added.

Free exhibit area passes for SHRM conference

Out & Equal will be going to the Annual Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Conference in Las Vegas from June 26-29.  This is our first time at the conference and we will be at Booth #1571.  Stop by the booth and drop your card for a chance to win a free registration to the 2011 Out & Equal Summit.  If you are going to be in the area and want to visit the exhibit area, let us know so we can get you a pass! Contact Pat Baillie for more information.