Rx for Resilience: Pride
June 1st marked the beginning of Pride Month - a time of celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community. At GlobalMindED we are proud and honored to spend time this month supporting our local LGBTQIA+ community, creating spaces for allies and advocates to gather and support one another. Above all, we want to create a community of support and love for every individual.
Recently, we have seen some major changes occurring around the United States surrounding laws related to gender expression, sexuality, and access to resources and education. According to The Trevor Project's 2019 National Survey, more than half of transgender and non-binary youth have seriously considered suicide and 39% of LGBTQIA+ respondents had seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year. These statistics are terrifying and have only worsened over the isolating pandemic and changing political climates. Our work to pursue a society in which all individuals feel safe, loved and welcome is nowhere close to being done.
To those who have not yet come out yet or may not feel safe to, we send you our love and will continue to advocate on your behalf. To those who have identified as a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, we admire your bravery and support you in pursuing equitable treatment and policies. To those still unsure and exploring their sexuality and/or gender expression, we will continue to fight for the freedom to have safe spaces to explore and better understand your identity.
For those of you learning and diving deeper into what this month symbolizes and means, we have a list of some suggestions that you can pursue as an ally to this community. So, what can you do as an ally?
- Educate yourself on topics regarding sexuality, gender and the LGBTQIA+ community
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Learn more about pronouns, their importance and appropriate use
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Explore definitions of different topics and words you might hear
- Community challenges
- Find local organizations and non-profits to support and volunteer with
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Attend a local pride parade or event
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Documentaries to watch - uplifting stories and voices from the LGBTQIA+ community
- Attend the GlobalMindED Conference in Denver, June 22-24, to hear from inspiring members of the LGBTQIA+ community
- Join the "Deeper Dive" session about "Creating an Inclusive Future of Work for LGBTQIA+ Youth" - see below for more details
- Contact local Senators and Representatives to advocate for laws that support inclusive workplaces, classrooms, politics, leadership and more
To the LGBTQIA+ community, GlobalMindED is intentionally pursuing our work as allies to continue advocating for increased representation and rights. We see you, we value you, and we love you. Remember, this work spans beyond the timeline of a month, and we hope you use this time to create habits and learn to become a better ally, resource and advocate for others. If you are unsure of what you can do as an ally and need a place to start, contact us!
Please join the discussion at GlobalMindED "Creating an Inclusive Future of Work for LGBTQIA+ Youth", led by Gurchaten Sandhu, President UN GLOBE rom Geneva, details below.