Julie Murphy’s Post

As we enter the last stretch of Black History month and enter Women's History month I would like everyone to take a look at the theme of this year's Women's History month as it is exceptionally important and near and dear to me. As noted by the WHA the theme for this year is "Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. " back in 2021 their theme was "Woman Who Refused to be Silenced. https://lnkd.in/gpszyQMf I would like people to think about this and where these things intersect. Why this is important to you as an individual for your businesses and for the ways in which you want your company to change the world and your advocacy and accessibility practices. You see, something that we must always remember all year round is that it is never a bad time to raise our sisters up and focus on amplifying their voice and supporting their visions within the workplace. There are going to be many cases on social media and out in the world in which women, non-binary people and specifically women and non-binary people of color will often be spoken over by those who hold more outdated practices in their hearts, and many of these brilliant minds end up getting pushed aside for acts that are merely performative outside of the workplace. and this is something that bugs me as somebody who is non-binary/ Indigenous Two Spirit. this theme, is something that I want people to internalize "Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion" as we increase the visibility and support of the women who are the backbones and hearts of our company now more than ever. Long ago an Indigenous mentor of mine taught me something that I say in my own words and hold in my heart, and so I tell this to you "A decision made without the council of women in your midst, your equals and other half, is not a decision worth making. " "In all crucial decisions we must hear their voice and act in solidarity. Your clan mothers , those who raise you ? they look at you your entire life and know whether or not you have what it takes to be a leader. Representation is to honor and respect their spirit. Without our clan mothers input we could not make crucial decisions, whether it was where to hunt, where to fish, or whether we should go to WAR. " and while the current government of the great turtle Island does not honor these words as it should, these words are a version of something I learned long ago. ______ As a curriculum specialist for Social Optics, woven into each lesson exists a knowledge of women's rights, history, and health that comes from the strong women whom I am blessed to work with, including upcoming lessons on Woman's History Month, Perspective, and More ! Previous lessons have covered everything from self-esteem, and the ways in which we talk to ourselves internally, and even covering bodily autonomy and the importance of consent, lessons even more important now then ever.

I am where I am today, because other women shared their knowledge and expertise freely. There's nothing more inspiring that women supporting women, because we know it's not a competition. There's room for us all to be successful. I carry a piece of each female mentor with me. Jenny Amory, taught me to negotiate prices and leverage nonprofit discounts. Kathryn A. (Katie) Wheeler taught me how to preserve authors' voices while editing. Katie Bayerl taught me how to apply a DBIE lens to my writing. Namrata Patel taught me to invest in my teams' present and futures and to make safe space for mistakes. Beth Bryant taught me how to refine my data analysis and projections. Laurie Heller taught me how to design within brand standards. Cassidy Leighton taught me so much about email accessibility. Tasha Booker M.ED taught me how to navigate the politics of organizations and leadership. To find myself now at the Trustees, surrounded by this talented sisterhood, is such a blessing.

March is Women’s History Month, and a theme for Women’s History Month 2024 is: Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (https://bit.ly/3T1wDxV). To celebrate, we are honored to highlight women from our firm who use their talents and energy to support DEI. First we turn the spotlight to Zhakalazky Carrion, Senior Manager - Docketing & Client Records. Here are three questions with Zhakalazky, about what pursuits she is involved in, what motivates her and what she enjoys the most. 1. What pursuits are you involved with, to advocate for DEI? “I am involved with our firm’s DEI Steering Group, where members brainstorm and work together on DEI topics to make sure Schwegman is a place where all people feel happy, safe, and comfortable. I am also involved in the SLW Academy (https://bit.ly/3TiFDyX), which was created to bring more diversity to the intellectual property workforce. The SLW Academy provides free flexible courses to students, to introduce them to Intellectual Property (IP) and the great career opportunities there are in this area. There are so many career paths to take in IP and our goal is to welcome more people to join our workforce. The more diverse we are, the more we grow in ideas, and as people, too.” 2. What motivates you to advocate for DEI? “We spend so much time at our jobs that you need to make sure it is a happy and safe place for you. I am blessed that I have that where I work, at home, and with the people I am surrounded by. But I have realized that is not the case for everyone. And that is a sad reality to still encounter in 2024! We need to learn from our history and try our best to not repeat mistakes. Our today is tomorrow’s history. Let’s make sure together we make a good one - a history that we are not ashamed to share with others. We must listen and make changes! Make this world better for our future generations!” 3. What are some of the things you enjoy about DEI? “Learning about other cultures and being respectful of them, truly understanding where people come from, listening to people’s stories, and figuring out how I can try to change things for the better, and how I can be a better person for the society I am a part of. I enjoy trying to figure out how to share what I have learned, so others can do the same. Coming from hard-working Mexican migrant parents who worked in the fields to save for the college tuition of all their children, I know how cruel a society can be to people who look and sound different than them. I know the obstacles my parents had to overcome so my siblings and I could have a career and a better life. My goal is to make sure the people I am surrounded by always feel respected, welcome, and safe no matter where they come from or who they are. Luckily, I share these goals with my colleagues at Schwegman." Thank you for sharing your thoughtful perspective, Zhakalazky! And thank you for your tireless efforts at Schwegman! #womenshistorymonth #womenshistorymonth2024

"Recognize your innate gifts and go after the things in life that energize you." - Chantelle Krish Our CEO, Chantelle, recently shared insights with Harbour West Consulting Inc. about the work that Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland is doing to support girls and youth this #WomensHistoryMonth. Read the full blog post here: https://lnkd.in/gcs5t5-e

Day 16 Each day, for 20 days, RFLD will spotlight women leaders who have made a significant impact on the world. The focus will be on their journey and the lasting legacy of their work. ——> Hakima Abbas, Amina Doherty, and Tynesha McHarris They are the founders of the Black Feminist Fund (BFF), a groundbreaking philanthropic organization dedicated to supporting and empowering Black feminist movements globally. 1 Philanthropic Innovation: • BFF has introduced a new model of philanthropy that prioritizes long-term support and flexibility, recognizing that social justice movements require sustained resources to achieve meaningful change. • They have challenged traditional philanthropic practices by providing unrestricted funding to Black feminist movements, allowing them to use resources as needed without bureaucratic constraints. 2 Empowering Black Feminist Movements: • BFF has focused on supporting Black feminist movements, recognizing the critical role that Black women play in driving social change and the importance of amplifying their voices. • By providing direct funding and resources, BFF has empowered Black feminist movements to take ownership of their work and make decisions that align with their needs and goals. 3 Global Network and Community Building: • The founders have built a global network of Black donors and philanthropists, recognizing the power of collective giving and the importance of amplifying Black feminist voices. • This network has facilitated collaboration, knowledge sharing, and resource mobilization among Black feminist movements, enabling them to leverage collective power and achieve greater impact. 4 Accessibility and Inclusivity: • BFF has emphasized accessibility and inclusivity, recognizing that traditional philanthropy often excludes marginalized voices and perpetuates systemic inequalities. • By creating a more inclusive and responsive philanthropic sector, BFF has helped to amplify the voices and perspectives of Black women, ensuring that their needs and concerns are addressed. 5 Legacy and Impact: • The founders' work has already had a significant impact on the philanthropic sector, challenging traditional practices and promoting a more inclusive and responsive approach to social change. • By resourcing and amplifying Black feminist movements, BFF has helped to create a more just and equitable society, where Black women are empowered to drive change and achieve their goals. Hakima Abbas, Amina Doherty, and Tynesha McHarris have brought significant change to the philanthropic sector through their innovative approach, focus on empowering Black feminist movements, global network, accessibility, and inclusivity. BlackRock

According to a YOUNG BLACK & GIVING BACK INSTITUTE Report, a majority of Black-led and Black-benefitting nonprofits are led by Black women. Most of these organizations survive on operating budgets of less than $500,000, with a third surviving on just $30,000. This #InternationalWomensDay, we honor the commitment, dedication, and sacrifices of Black women. For centuries, they have led, organized, and mobilized to help their communities thrive despite tough challenges and systemic injustices. Philanthropy needs to do better – less than 2% of all giving in the U.S. goes toward women and girls.

:: “The last three years have only exacerbated this unsustainable dynamic. After the murder of George Floyd ignited nationwide protests, many of us were hopeful that we would see progress. And rather quickly—we did. We saw unprecedented corporate and philanthropic commitments to racial justice initiatives. The hiring of DEI roles spiked up to 168.9 percent, and funding increased for organizations focused on narrowing the racial wealth gap for Black girls and women. But as we have sorely seen, these pledges have fallen flat—failing to close massive funding gaps and widespread burnout much less catalyze real, systemic change and progress. Recent reporting continues to echo these inequities, revealing that Black professional women experience significant burnout due to stress from the workplace, and that it’s aging us at an accelerated rate—7.5 years—compared with white women. Black women have been—and still are—trailblazers in philanthropy, centering collectivism to advance social change. From baking and selling pies, cookies, and cakes in beauty salons and street corners to fund the Montgomery Bus Boycott to pooling resources to create land co-operatives, Black women have powered many of America’s most important acts of progress—together. We know the survival of our communities depends on working together and sharing resources. And so for generations, we have. Everyday acts of giving, resource sharing and community building have been our healing strategies from racism, sexism, and their intersections. In recent years, pockets of philanthropy have recognized proximate leadership as important, but the culture of philanthropy largely hasn’t evolved.” https://lnkd.in/eJUt2UeD

Here are three questions with Senior Marketing Specialist Sydney Polski, who shows that advocating for DEI can be done in many ways. This is the next post in our series for Women’s History Month, as we highlight Schwegman staff and attorneys who carry out the 2024 theme of “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion” (https://bit.ly/3Taj92K). 1.What pursuits are you involved with, to advocate for DEI? “To advocate for DEI, I am involved in the SLW Academy, the DEI committee's Workweek Challenges, and Women in IP. Through these projects, we lift up voices for marginalized communities and learn how to be better advocates. Through these projects, I myself learn a lot by creating information to help/teach others! Outside of work, I am an advocate for people with mental and physical disabilities as a committee member for Living Well Disability services. I find it important to include this because DEI is not only race, ethnicity, and gender but also ability.” 2. What motivates you to advocate for DEI? “I am motivated to advocate for DEI because I have read a lot about the intricacies and history of inclusion. I want to push DEI initiatives toward a greater understanding of inequity. It is not simply cut and dry; rather, the next step for many DEI initiatives is to consider intersectionalities between race, ethnicity, gender, and class. Each work with each other to develop unique identities that deliver unique perspectives and challenges.” 3. What are some of the things you enjoy about DEI? “I enjoy that DEI uplifts everyone. I find it very empowering that I am able to use my voice for good.” #WomensHistoryMonth #WomensHistoryMonth2024

"Additionally, the “strong Black woman” stereotype contributes to our pressure for excellence and perfection by fostering an expectation that Black women must always be strong, independent, and resilient at work. This often translates to Black women setting exceedingly high standards for themselves and experiencing heightened stress and anxiety when they inevitably fall short of unrealistic expectations. This interplay between the desire to excel, the fear of negative judgment for not meeting high standards, and the pressure of stereotypes creates a vicious cycle of perfectionism." How are your organizations helping to break this cycle? As a leader, this starts with me. I cannot allow myself to be caught in the cycle as I supervise other Black women and advise Black women. So I ask for accountability as I lead to stick to it.

Self-oriented perfectionism, expression suppression, and low self-compassion are all factors that are correlated with the Strong Black Woman schema (SBW), These internalized feelings contribute to increased allostatic load and can manifest in poor health outcomes. As Black women we must identify and address our tendencies toward perfectionism by embracing healthy behaviors that can include self-acceptance, positive affirmations, and reality-based approaches to goal setting.