I have been thinking a lot lately about the term “allyship,” and what it truly means to me as I continue to move through my DEI journey. Does it mean calling out unfairness or injustice against another right when it occurs? Or does it mean advocating for not only your basic human and civil rights but also the rights of another — even though you may not always see eye-to-eye with them? I would argue that allyship encompasses both things (among many others), and so I challenge you (and myself) to consider how we “show up” for others each day?

Are we “showing up” for our family, friends, colleagues, members, and clients in ways that are both meaningful and authentic? If you are not quite where you would like to be in this allyship space (I know I am not!), that’s ok – we are all on a continuous path of learning, growing, and reflection, and there is always room to do and be better!

The next time you have an opportunity to “show up” meaningfully and authentically for someone, recognize and honor that as an opportunity to connect with and support another fellow human being! You may never know just how much of an impact you might have on them by showing that you are genuine, you are thoughtful, and you are a true ally!

What are you doing today to help create change within your organization?

I have a confession to make…When I first heard the term “diversity” I immediately thought about the word only in terms of how it relates to race and gender. While these identifiers do encompass a huge role when we talk about diversity, race and gender are only a fraction of the many factors that go into making a person the unique individual they are.

Political ideology, education, family background, health, and religious affiliation are just a few examples of the ways an individual’s thinking, outlook, and perspective can be shaped. I use myself as exhibit A: I’m a registered Independent, who is college-educated and was raised by a single mother. I have a pre-existing condition and though I was raised Baptist, I am currently non-practicing. All of these factors make up the diverse person you know (or now know) as Gamble Hayden – my true, authentic self!

The next time you think about diversity, whether it be within your personal or professional spaces, I would like for you to consider the following:

• Do I recognize the value in and importance of having diverse voices as part of the conversation?
• Am I encouraging (and empowering) others to “show up” as their authentic selves?
• What is one change that I will make TODAY to embrace a unique someone?

It is one thing to say that we value diversity, but it’s a whole other thing to truly “walk the talk”! I encourage you to take that next step – I know you can do it!

What are you doing today to help create change within your organization?

One of the best things about having Gamble Hayden on our staff is she gets out there to learn. This year she is the chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee for Women in Government Relations (WGR). And there is no better place to spread the word than with her employer, State and Federal Communications.

We made the decision to create a committee to address DEI, create a mission statement, and hire a consultant to create a culture of change, not just have a “one and done” event.  Our committee developed the mission statement before and shared it with the entire staff.

State and Federal Communications, Inc. strongly supports and strives for greater diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) amongst its staff.  We value different perspectives and strongly believe that these viewpoints not only greatly improve our client relationships, but also society at large.

The entire staff at State and Federal Communications, Inc. work to create, implement, and sustain a culture of DEI by incorporating DEI practices into the company’s leadership activity, dialogue, hiring, policies, and communications. State and Federal Communications, Inc. always strives to ensure its staff and clients are encouraged and supported regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or family responsibilities.

We recognized the need to grow in this area and create a safe and honest space for DEI conversation and learning. WGR’s DEI 2020 Summit included books, articles, podcasts, movies, and documentaries, which helped us prepare a variety of options.

Then we connected with Jeremy Lile, executive director of Heart-to-Heart (H2H) Communications, who works with the Akron community to cultivate purpose-driven, values-based, and community-minded leadership. For more than 30 years H2H has inspired and developed the heart of leaders to lead and the capacity to build strong relationships.

H2H is helping us discover and develop our strengths and culture. It provides a leadership training pathway to discover and develop the characteristics and strengths, which enable individuals to follow a higher calling to include organizational and community life, bringing along the staff of State and Federal Communications to also experience greater impact.

Follow our program. We will blog about it regularly on www.lobbycomply.com and post it on our website. Our goal is not to just bring this to our staff but also to our State and Federal Communications Community.

I walk the walk and talk the talk. It starts at the top. People will not follow if the belief is not two ways. Join us.