23 Apr 2021

Diversity Lens - Issue 73

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Apr 23

Diversity Lens - Issue 73

Welcome to Diversity Lens.
Diversifying your news consumption.

“Justice for Black America is justice for all of America” - Civil rights attorney of George Floyd’s family.
The conviction this week of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd marked a historic and rare win for accountability. Cheers of relief from crowds outside were heard inside the courtroom as Chauvin was found guilty of all charges.

Yet the fight for justice endures. For Daunte Wright, for Breonna Taylor, for Rayshard Brooks, and for so many more.

Chauvin's conviction is a win, but it is also the bare minimum. So celebrations are muted as we look towards an uncertain future within the US justice system, and the UK by extension.

OUR STORY OF THE WEEK

Anti-trans pressure group LGB Alliance officially recognised as a charity

The notorious anti-trans group LGB Alliance has this week been recognised officially as a charity, met with outrage from LGBTQ+ inclusive organisations, the trans community and allies.

The commission has dismissed the concerns of nearly 35,000 people who signed a petition urging the commission to reject their charity application. Controversially, the commission claim that the group does not 'involve the denigration of the rights of transgender people'.

How they have come to this conclusion is not clear, considering that the LGBA website openly rejects that trans women are women, alongside other campaigns that clearly breach the 2010 Equality Act. Pride in London, LGBT+ Lib Dems and several MPs are among the many who consider the now charity a 'hate group'.

Forward

IN OTHER NEWS...

Sunday Times criticised for saying people ‘secretly enjoyed’ racist Prince Philip comment
Mainstream media platforms have published tributes to Prince Philip whilst making light of his past racist comments. The Sunday Times referred to his "gaffes about slitty eyes" as "secretly enjoyed" by general public. This begs the question, who enjoyed such overt racial commentary? The article does not speak for us. The newspaper has since retracted the remark after a petition with 17,000 signatures. We can honour the memory of Prince Philip without condoning hateful comments.(Read time: 1.5 minutes)

Serena Williams inks TV deal with Amazon

Serena Williams has signed a first-Look deal with Amazon Prime Video Studios as one of their executive producers. The legendary athlete and philanthropist will be overseeing several series, including one that documents the star's professional and personal life: "For me, it’s really about telling great stories that are either untold or unseen or missed."(Read time: 2 minutes)

Clergy speak out over 'racism in Church of England'

Several long standing members of the clergy have recently spoken out about sustained racism in the Church of England. Former Church race-relations adviser, Dr Elizabeth Henry voices her dissatisfaction with the progress the Church has made to dismantle systematic racism. In an interview with the BBC, she states: "based on the racial reckoning of the Church, I'm afraid they've abysmally failed." (Read time: 4 minutes)

THIS WEEK IN D&I...

One in five workers feel they receive less recognition working from home, poll finds

As an organisation, recognition is important for us. We kick off each week with our 'celebrations' for the team - reserving time for this in our Monday kickoff meetings.

Due to the release of this concerning report, we asked our senior leadership team to share their top tips for valuing remote workers - and they came through. Whilst group celebrations are important they reported, so is individual feedback - show recognition individually in 'real-time' straight after worthwhile achievements. Other valuable recommendations include setting regular 1:1s, giving credit where due in email threads, and passing on praise from clients and other team members.

What form of recognition do you value the most? (Read time: 2.5 minutes)

EVENTS

Lesbian Visibility Week 2021

Next week is Lesbian Visibility Week. Check out the official events that aim to celebrate, educate and inspire the community and allies this year.

All the events are FREE and live-streamed, covering a wide range of topics. The diverse sessions include; LGBTQIA Women in Politics; Solidarity and Allyship Beyond Borders; and Queer Women of Colour. Get involved!

OUR CHANGEMAKER OF THE WEEK

Lord Simon Woolley

Founder and Director of Operation Black Vote and former chair of the No. 10 Race Disparity Unit., Simon Woolley has also recently become the first Black man to be elected head of an Oxbridge college.

With these many achievements under his belt, Woolley remains a vocal and reliable voice in current news today. Woolley did not hold back on his condemnation of the recent government-commissioned race report, branding it "a truly historic denial of the scale of race inequality in Britain". When the nation feels primed for change, we are colossally let down, he explains.

In the global event of George Floyd's death and the subsequent conviction this week of the police officer who killed him, we can rely on Woolley's commentary. He calls it a 'historical moment' for deep reflection and transformative outcomes - but will America, or indeed the UK, build on this opportunity for change?