Book:
Manifesto On Never Giving Up, Bernadine Evaristo

Just a couple chapters into this book, I am thoroughly absorbed. Evaristo segments her memoir into different areas of her life, all which had a crucial impact on her. The first - "heritage, childhood, family, origins" - is deeply affecting. Evaristo immerses us in her complex family dynamics with real skill and emotional intelligence. Evaristo's parents married - her mother English, her father Nigerian - at a time when this was cause for scandal. She grew up labelled "half-caste" among her other seven siblings. Her life that follows is turbulent and joyful in equal measure.

STORY OF THE WEEK

"Yes, Women Fear R*pe – But We Live Our Lives Anyway"
Ash Sarker, Novara Media

The uproar that followed hinged on the belief that it is entirely ridiculous to suggest that women walk outside in the dark. It is of course true that women regularly feel unsafe on the streets at night. Sexual harassment of women is a commonplace fact: 97% of women in the UK aged 18-24 have experienced it. However, the notion that because of this, we never venture out into the darkened streets alone is largely absurd. We "stroll after dark" out of necessity, out of needing to live your life regardless of the omnipresent threat of danger. We do it, because if you didn't, you'd be imprisoned inside from 4pm in the winter months.

"Women aren’t reverse-vampires, scuttling indoors when the sun sinks below the horizon," says Sarker. The uproar from this ad is a useless misdirection; the reality is that we live our lives amid a backdrop of misogynist violence - violence that is more often than not perpetrated by the men that are known by us, within walls supposed to protect us.

IN OTHER NEWS

Oscars 2023: Till Director Chinonye
Chukwu Calls Out Misogyny And Racism After Snub

The movie Till is based on the true account of a mother seeking justice for the 1955 lynching of her son Emmett Till. Despite receiving acclaim for her portrayal of Mamie Till-Mobley, Danielle Deadwyler was passed over for a best actress Oscar nomination this week, and there were in fact no black actors on the lead acting shortlists. Chukwu, Till writer and director, expressed her frustration and disappointment in an Instagram message. Furthermore, no women are nominated for best director this year, despite Sarah Polley's film Women Talking being up for best picture.

In more encouraging news, Michelle Yeoh made history with her best actress Oscar nomination for ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once,' the first female Asian nominee.

Pope Francis Called Anti-Gay Laws "Unjust" - But Don't Celebrate Just Yet

The Pope's most recent comments have been celebrated widely as a win for the LGBTQIA+ community, and it is undeniably a positive thing to have such a high-profile religious figure publicly accepting the community. Pope Francis rightly called out "unjust" anti-LGBTQIA+ laws this week, but we must ask, how far have we come as a society that the Pope is more accepting of LGBTQIA+ people than some of our political leaders? "Homosexuality is not a crime," he asserts, but he does still believe it is a sin. Pope Francis is in no way embracing the community, but he doesn't think they should be a penalised. Currently, 67 jurisdictions around the world have laws in place criminalising consensual same-sex sexual activity.

The UK Has 2,500 Museums, But Not One Dedicated to Black British History. That Could Soon Change

We're lucky enough in the UK to have museums dedicated to a vast array of topics, from pencils to lawnmowers. But we have a glaring gap for black history. The Black British Museum Project, a band of museum professionals, are campaigning to change this. They aim to establish a permanent site to tell black stories throughout history within five years. Project Director Sandra Shakespeare has said that they're not creating a slavery museum, rather
"a space that can show bold designs, different types of stories, different narratives and stories and aspects of Black British history." 
It will also move away from "old and stuffy" museums to be a place where young people can feel at home.

Want to Know the Depth of our NHS Crisis? Then Talk to Disabled People Needing Day-to-Day Care

The struggling NHS has been brought into sharp focus in recent months, however people with long term health conditions have been struggling for years to get basic healthcare on the NHS. They report feeling “abandoned, isolated, and that nobody cares about me” when local services have been shut down, or when they have gone years without being able to see specialist consultants. These issues, plus many more including cancelled procedures, badly joined up services and ableism, make getting the day-to-day care many require a daunting task.  

The recent suggestion to start charging for GP appointments is particularly worrying for people with chronic conditions, especially as people with preexisting health conditions can struggle to get private insurance.  

WORK SPHERE

We’re so excited to be working with Discovery as they advance in their mission to understand and share the world around them through the stories they tell. 

With a firm belief that diversity helps bring the world closer together, they’re passionate about creating an inclusive work environment where all employees can bring their thoughts and perspectives to the table. 

Looking for a new opportunity where your voice will be heard? Find out more about Discovery and browse open roles on Diversifying.io.

Big Tech Layoffs Are Hitting Diversity and Inclusion Jobs Hard

The fears we started the year with are quickly coming to fruition. Budgets are being tightened and cut backs are beginning. Diversity and Inclusion teams are all-too-often the first to be sacked off. Reports from Twitter are that a team formerly of 30 people are down to just two. Pledges to diversify teams, particularly at leadership level, are quickly being brushed under the carpet as redundancies sweep through large tech companies. Already last year, we saw D&I job listings plummet by 19%. Employees that have been let go this week from tech giants such as Meta and Amazon speculate that their duties will be diluted and passed to Employee Resource Groups, who are often uncompensated.
 

“Diversity, equity and inclusion can’t be a thing that you only do when times are good” 

Many competent workers struggle to find stable employment due to being neurodivergent, a word used to describe people with autism, dyslexia, or ADHD. Unemployment rates for these individuals are thought to range from 30-40%. Due to chaotic work environments, some neurodivergent jobseekers are discouraged from applying from certain positions that stipulate office time. Companies are starting to reevaluate workplace cultures in order to support these workers and the distinctive skills they bring to the table. Some are offering internship programmes lasting several weeks that include mentorship opportunities as well as perks like working from home and the ability to wear headphones to block out distracting noise.

Mental Health First Aid Law Proposed in Parliament

Parliament has been presented with a new bill mandating that companies provide training in mental health. The reform, according to Tory MP Dean Russell, would enable more individuals to recognise the early warning signs of mental health issues in the workplace. Although the concept has been explored for some time, it is not required by law. In 2018, over 200,000 people signed a petition requesting that every workplace have a mental health first aider. On Wednesday, Russell put forth the new legislation as a Ten Minute Rule Bill. Businesses would have to pay for the additional training, but advocates point out the rising number of workdays lost due to poor mental health.