Thank you to everyone who joined us for Closing the Gap! It was an inspiring afternoon, and though we were unable to be together in person, it felt special to come together virtually as a community and continue to learn about how we can better support women in our workplaces. You are an invaluable part of this movement, and we invite you to join us as we continue to work together to learn, support each other, and put in the work.
We would also like to thank our sponsors for making this event possible. Your generous commitment to supporting this mission sets an example for other companies to follow.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Our speakers inspired a great conversation around the critical topic of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Here are some powerful quotes from the event speakers:
- “I appreciate when people want to have conversations with me about equity and inclusion. Reach out to someone you have a relationship with; we don’t get better about talking about race, without talking about race. ” – Cassandra A Porter
- “It is important to feel like you are being heard. Participate in the community as a whole and provide opportunities as an organization to give women and men the opportunity to have a voice.” – Kristin Garvey
- “Seek people and mentors who are not necessarily in your space.” – Jeannie Sager
- “If you want to make change, you must put yourself out there. We need more women to run.” – Dr. Sue Ellspermann
Takeaways by CEO Deb Hallberg:
- Move beyond awareness. Believe it, check your actions, and do better.
- Philanthropic giving is for everyone of all races, through awareness, knowledge and action.
- Acknowledge your own limitations with your mentor and be mindful of your implicit bias.
- Walk the talk and make the commitment to inclusion.
Kristin Garvey
• Where does the US stand in terms of gender equality compared to other nations?
• Representation in the corporate pipeline by gender and race.
• How to become a gender sensitive organization.
Cassandra A. Porter
• Who's at the table? Do you always expect candidates to find you?
• Whose salary proves that they are valued by your organization?
• What do outside contractors look like?
Dr. Sue Ellspermann
• Mentorship: the power to propel.
• Dealing with Imposter Syndrome.
• An update on Project Grow's success within Ivy Tech.
Jeannie Sager
• Philanthropic giving is for everyone!
• Households across all racial groups give.
• Communities of color have higher rates of informal volunteering.
How Can You Get involved?
BE THE CATALYST
- Become an advocate at your company/organization to create more inclusivity in the workplace
- Become a mentor and help others by sharing your own personal journey and best practices
- Lead your team and organization by investing in women
BECOME A PARTNER
- We would love to be a part of your DEI conversation – reach out to the Foundation to learn more at info@passthetorchforwomen.org
KEEP LEARNING
- Check out the McKinsey Report on Women in the Workplace
