Below are samples of emails that I composed on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (D.E.I). The emails where then sent by department directors or the CEO within the organization in the form of a newsletter. Please reach out if this sounds like an initiave that would be beneficial to your organization.
Recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month
The National Disability Employment Awareness Month (est.1945) is dedicated to the workforce contributions of disabled workers. This year the Office of Disability Employee Policy from the U.S Department of Labor focuses on the theme of ‘Disability: Part of the Equity Equation”. In the spirit of celebrating, we encourage you to warmly welcome and positively engage with the various contributions of disabled employees. This includes opening the narrative to disabled workers whose abilities may be noticeable or unnoticeable.
The ways the work environment can create equal opportunities for disabled workers is to increase accessibility to the same tools, pathways, and accommodations to receive information using different mediums.
Furthermore, it is essential to be aware of ableism. According to Oxford Languages, ableism is discrimination in favor of abled-bodies people. For example, we must be aware of verbal microaggressions that put disabilities in a negative light such as by saying, “that was crazy” or “my ideas fell on deaf ears”. Instead, you can rephrase your language that does not undermine disabled workers by replacing the verb with a more accurate description that expressed your message such as by saying, “that was surprising” or “my ideas were not properly understood”.
Response to the overturn of Roe v. Wade
We stand in solidarity with the rights for individuals to choose the discourse of their reproductive healthcare. The recent overturn of Roe V Wade (1973) has immediately put in jeopardy the safety of women/transgender/non-binary individuals rights over their own reproductive autonomy. This will disproportionately affect marginalized communities and low-income communities by increasing the barriers to healthcare.
Fortunately, California has kept and expanded its healthcare policies to protect individual’s rights to choose. It is important to hold vigilance on legislative matters that infringe upon an individual’s civil rights. Currently, privacy related matters ranging from interracial marriages, LGBTQIA+ marriages and contraceptives are on the line.
There is much to process during this time. Some of the solutions that we have conferred is to take things one step at a time. Once, recollected you can act by writing to your congress representative to continue protecting reproductive healthcare and privacy related rights. In addition, join or donate social justice organizations such as, Planned Parenthood or ACLU.