24 Apr 2020

Diversity Lens - Issue 23

Diversity Lens - Issue 133 Diversity Lens - Issue 132 Diversity Lens - Issue 131

Apr 24

Diversity Lens - Issue 23

Diversity Lens

Welcome to Diversity Lens, the newsletter from BAME Recruitment and Diversifying.io! We’re pleased to be bringing you all the latest news and opinions about recruitment and the world of diversity and inclusion. We hope you are all keeping safe and adhering to social distancing guidelines in this turbulent time.

Latest News

Ramadan Mubarak!
British Muslims and key workers rally together to urge people to stay at home and pray at home this Ramadan. London Mayor Sadiq Khan says: "This Ramadan, I'm doing Iftar at home to protect our NHS and save lives." Watch the video below.

A message from the Mayor and other Muslim Londoners #RamadanAtHome

Barnado's: urgent fundraising appeal
The coronavirus lockdown is having a huge impact on vulnerable children and families who now face exacerbated mental health issues, loss of support networks and school support, and isolation in potentially dangerous environments. Barnado’s help is needed more than ever, yet they face a loss of more than a third of their monthly income. You can support Barnado’s mission to create Mental Health and Wellbeing Packs for young people in vulnerable circumstances. £40 pays for a pack that will include mindfulness activities, games, mobile top ups and more. Click the picture below and please donate what you can to their fundraiser. Alternatively, please share the link to your networks.

BAME Recruitment team go head to head on Pictionary: Zoom edition
For our weekly Friday games afternoon, this time we tackled virtual Pictionary! Split into two teams, things got a little competitive with a landslide win on the side of Oli, Andrew, Miguel, Luke and Enny. Using an online random word generator, and the whiteboard function on Zoom, we took turns to test our drawing (and interpretation!) skills. The artwork ranged from an impressive use of colours and shapes, to the more abstract. Can you work out this particularly cryptic one below?

Old folks home plays real life hungry hippos during the quarantine
In a video that was published by the Bryn Celyn Care Home in Maesteg, Wales last week, elderly women in wheelchairs were filmed as they were rolled around a room, imitating the classic children’s game. Instead of using hippo mouths to capture the plastic balls, however, the women brandished baskets on sticks—the results are heartwarming. “Residents really enjoyed playing a new game today: Hungry Hippos. Lots of laughter to lift morale of the team and residents!”, wrote the nursing home. Since the video was published to Facebook, it has already racked up more than 1.8 million views.

This is the heartwarming moment a group of care home residents played a real-life version of ‘Hungry Hippos’ during the coronavirus quarantine.

GirlzFTW's co-founder creates a global mentorship program for the next generation of gender equality advocates
Priyanka Jaishinghani is a social entrepreneur, journalist, and advocate with a passion for making an impact. As the co-founder of a global mentorship program, GirlzFTW, she works to connect high school and college girls to inspiring mentors. Women remain underrepresented in leadership and management positions both publicly and privately. According to Women, Business and the Law, globally, there are only six countries that give girls the same working rights as men. In addition, only 5% of women hold CEO positions across leading Fortune 500 companies. Last year the scheme found a final 16 mentees hailing from India, Canada and all around the U.S. and paired them with top female leaders. The scheme included talks, 1:1s and helpful life advice, such as how to get into college, how to build a killer resume, what feminism means to GirlsFTW. Click the photo below to learn more about this supportive community.

Girl, six, with muscular dystrophy becomes internet star with exercise social media videos
Carmela Chillery-Watson is a six-year-old living with LMNA congenital muscular dystrophy. After trying out Joe Wicks popular workouts, she endeavoured to make some of her own, more accessible to people with weakened muscles like herself. Her mum, Lucy, says "she has to deal with obstacles and challenges on a daily basis but she tackles them face on with a positive attitude", and her videos have had a massive response. Carmela is among the high risk in society during the pandemic and is feeling the effects of the lockdown both mentally and physically. Whilst she could only get involved in a limited amount of Joe Wicks sessions, his motivation inspired her to create her own. Read more about Carmela by clicking the photo below.

Diversity and Inclusion Insights

Coronavirus quarantine: only one in four Americans can work from home
The government urges everyone to stay at home and work remotely, but we must remember that whilst an inconvenience, this is also a privilege. Firstly, to be able to stay at home, you must have a safe place and stable residence to do so, which many do not. Your job must also be able to facilitate remote working which is not always possible, particularly for lower income jobs. Furthermore, statistics have revealed a racial divide. While 40% of Asian workers could work from home, that rate was 30% for white workers and 20% for black workers. Hispanic workers were half as likely as non-Hispanic workers to be able to work from home (16% compared with 31%). Only one in four US workers have a job that allows them to work from home, and those that don't are less likely to have the financial capacity to support a period of unemployment.

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I was paid £12,500 to write my book. Here's why I'm revealing that
There is a massive, unexplainable stigma attached to sharing your income and monetary earnings. Yet we are curious about our peers salaries, not just because we are nosy, but because it informs our own circumstances. We need to talk about money in order to tackle cultural inequalities head on, such as the gender pay gap and the race pay gap. "I am fed up with navigating a culture that obsesses over who has what but discourages any conversation about our own finances", Alex Holder writes. The power of talking can go a long way. Read the full article by clicking the photo.

Story of the Week

Meet the postal worker going above and beyond to support people at home
Postmen and women interact with the same people almost everyday. When Postman Ali saw a resident who looked like they needed some support, he offered his services beyond delivering mail. After she asked for a newspaper and a pint of milk, Ali brought her this as well as eggs, bread, fruit, and a bunch of flowers. Click the still below to watch Ali tell the full story.

“Best postman ever!”, the resident exclaimed.

Featured Video
What I wear with a Stoma Bag
Youtuber Hannah Witton, who has the chronic illness Ulcerative colitis and wears an ileostomy (stoma) bag, gives advice on how she dresses and styles with her stoma bag. An ileostomy is where the small bowel is diverted through an opening in the stomach. The opening is known as a stoma. A special bag is placed over the stoma to collect waste products. Hannah speaks up about brands of clothing that create hernia and stoma supportive clothing and tips and tricks on how to manage the change in your life.

"Most of the clothes I wear you could not tell that I'm wearing the stoma bag." Hannah tips and tricks on how to manage the Stoma bag and outfits and managing the change in your life.

Inspirational Person of the Week

Hannah Gadsby
Gadsby is an Australian comedian and creator of the stand up show and Netflix special, Nanette. The show centres around Gadsby's life as a queer women, about the homophobia and sexual violence she has faced and the rage and shame that has stemmed from such experiences. Coinciding with the #MeToo movement era, the show resonated with many, prompting many public heart-felt responses, from figures such as Monica Lewinsky to Roxane Gay. Nanette changed the comedic stand up game by weaving in and out of humour to dismantle cultural norms and voice important societal issues with poignancy. Watch Nanette on Netflix now, and Click Here to find out more on Gadsby.