5 Things / Getting It Wrong
This week my team and I had the opportunity to learn from our mistakes. Sometimes we get it wrong, and I appreciate the folks who took the time to point out issues, help me get it right, and hold me accountable. This is ever-present, ever-evolving work and we’re all going to make mistakes from time to time because we’re all human.
Our first lesson was in response to my use of the term “breast milk” and sharing a headline with the word “moms” in the last newsletter. To be clear, I know that moms are not the only people who give birth (because some trans and non-binary people do also, and may not use the word ‘mom’). I also know another term for breast milk is expressed milk (and thanks to the thoughtful human who provided feedback, ‘human milk’). They also, kindly, shared a resource on the topic of transgender fertility.
The second lesson was social media-related. We were contacted by a follower who is visually impaired. It’s pretty amazing that there are readers out there who “see” via screen readers that recognize alt-text. But we had pushed out some posts without alt-text. Because the images on the Equality Institute posts didn’t have alt-text, this follower didn’t know what the images represented. I am very conscious of the need for alt-text (and usually – but not always – remember for my own posts).
Since receiving this feedback I’ve communicated more clearly with my team. We’ve talked about expectations, assumptions, and ensuring we’re visible and inclusive for all folks. I am deeply sorry to anyone who was excluded due to these errors. Part of this work is in admitting our mistakes and clearly defining how we plan to do better in the future.
Because we’re all human and humans often default to what’s easy, fast, and predictable, training isn’t always the solution. Instead, we must change the systems to embed equity and inclusion as the default. In these cases, we’re implementing some checklists and additional checks and balances moving forward.
I speak and write about DEI -- and still, sometimes, I exclude people. I make mistakes and those mistakes have consequences. Most of us don’t mean to exclude others but it starts with awareness. What truly matters is what we do next.
Here are the good vibes I found this week:
Job Vacancies for Salesforce Are Now Listed by Time Zone, Reveals Co-CEO Bret Taylor
Salesforce (one of my favorite companies to follow) has a great compromise to the return to office dilemmas many companies are now facing. All job positions are now listed by time zone, not by city. This can dramatically increase the hiring pool, and matters to everyone, but especially underrepresented talent who may not choose to live in the more obvious, and expensive cities like San Francisco and New York.
Walmart Works to Prioritize Employee Mental Health
Walmart continues to impress me with its employee benefits and is now focusing increasingly on mental health care. Every single Walmart employee and their family members has access to 24/7 confidential counseling services with licensed therapists at no cost. Additionally, the company is rolling out a four-hour Mental Health First Aid training for associates. This matters because there’s a mental health crisis in this country, which is leading to all sorts of other crises, and this benefit can help a lot of people, especially those who may experience generational trauma.
Target's 2022 Pride Collaboration Features Binders and Packing Briefs from TomboyX
Target (another one of my favorite companies to follow) has a new retail partnership with the clothing company TomboyX. TomboyX products are easily available on its website, but the amazing thing about this partnership is that the line of products for Target will be lower-cost AND include things like binders and packing underwear (popular with queer, trans, and non-binary people). The availability of these products in a big box store is unheard of – and this matters to these folks who want to express themselves authentically but may not have the resources to pay the online prices.
This Program Pays New Grads a Big Tech Salary to Work at Nonprofits
Schmidt Futures, a philanthropic organization started by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, is paying recent college grads competitive salaries to build innovative tech for nonprofits. One example is the technology that helps people navigate the criminal justice system, which reduced technical violations and warrants for rearrest by more than 50%. Another is an open-source platform used by child crisis hotlines that let children reach out for help via text and other messaging platforms. This matters because these products are creating systemic, sustainable changes that address major problems and can create greater equity.
Mattel Debuts First Barbie With Hearing Aids
Mattel (yet another one of my favorite companies to follow) has a new Barbie doll with hearing aids. Mattel is a leader in diverse representation within its product lines, particularly Barbie, and this matters because children with disabilities don’t often see themselves represented in toys. These dolls may help children with hearing impairment feel less alone.