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To celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month we're sharing another edition in our series of stories about Queer migration and the unexpected journeys we follow in search of ourselves, and community. Video by Stefan Chavarriaga / Swami Pro A Queer Journey can often take us far from the places we once called home, but it's in the nature of LGBTQIA+ existence that we seek out and build new family wherever we go. David Kam is a movement facilitator and We Create Space collective member who grew up in Malaysia, where homosexuality is still illegal, and moved to the UK to study. He shares his story, the challenges of navigating one’s cultural identity as a Queer person and how the power of movement has grounded him throughout his life. While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletters so you can stay up to date!

For Mental Health Awareness Month, Neil Hudson-Basing shares how he overcame self-limiting beliefs and fell in love with running as a Queer person. Running is my happy place. It’s my way to relax, destress or vent. To think, to breathe, to feel free. It’s my therapy, medicine and escape all in one. It’s my time. Whether that’s blasting a banging album in my ears, listening to one of my favourite podcasts, planning an event in my head or working through a personal problem. It’s a non-negotiable for me. Let’s rewind a bit though, because I didn’t discover my love for running until a little over a decade ago as I tipped into my 30s. I was never a very active or sporty kid. I took part in the odd sports day and even a game of rounders every now and then, but I never enjoyed it. By secondary school I hated it. I didn’t like getting dirty or playing rough. I couldn’t kick a ball, I wasn’t strong enough for the gym and I couldn’t run. Or so I thought, and everyone around me assumed. All of this, coupled with being keen to avoid getting hurt and being called every homophobic slur under the sun, meant that I steered well clear of any physical exercise of any kind. Only now I know that’s not uncommon for many other gay people, particularly as teenagers. I was quite effeminate and most of my friends were girls which came with some intense bullying around the way I spoke and moved. Whether a sports hall, field, or even the changing rooms, each elicited fear and dread. I carried this fear with me into adulthood, both the fear of abuse and fear of trying held me back. I believed that I simply couldn’t do ‘sport’, wouldn’t be any good or that I’d look stupid trying. I see now how wrong this was and was undoubtedly the result of the limiting self belief that queerphobia has on many of us. It’s no surprise that LGBTQ+ people generally feel that sport isn’t for them. A study by Out on the Fields and OutSport, considered to be one of the largest pieces of research in this area, found that 80% of participants have witnessed or experienced homophobia in sport, with homophobic language being the most common. Any queer person travelling in a big city on a match day can probably attest to feeling an element of threat when getting mixed up with rowdy football crowds. My university life was no different. No sports clubs or societies for me, just the LGBTQ+ society and the student union. Hitting the dancefloor and running around London drunk was as much cardio as I got. Until I turned 30. The reason I started running was pretty vain. A friend of a friend once said, “The body you have when you turn 30 is the body you have forever”. Gulp. As someone with body issues and low confidence, this wasn’t a fun thought. Thankfully, I’m old and wise enough to know now that: a) that isn’t particularly body positive or helpful and b) It’s a crock of shit. However, whether good or bad, this gave me a kick up the ass to MOVE. So I thought I’d give running a whirl. And guess what… I hated it. Until I didn’t. I stuck with it and despite not being able to run around the block at first, I built up my distance creeping into double digits. I did a few ParkRuns. I got faster. Like, really quite fast. And it felt good! Learning to love running is a process, I know many who find it boring. Some people never get the runner’s high but they feel great once it’s over so they persevere. I’ve experienced utter euphoria when running albeit not every time. Even when I don’t, every run is an adventure - it’s different every time. You can be creative with your routes, explore new places and get lost. All of this helped me to push past the ‘I hate it’ stage. Next stop: the gym. Another place that I didn’t think was for me either and for sure, this was due to a fear of being gay in an environment dominated by straight men and all that comes with that. I went with a friend at first and having an ally by my side helped me work through the discomfort. As I gained confidence I discovered that I loved HIIT classes and lifting weights too. I could definitely feel the physical benefits of my new found hobbies. What I didn’t expect was everything else that came from it… everything in my first paragraph. I loved challenging myself. I entered a half marathon and despite being hungover, I scored a personal best that I am still proud of to this day - and haven’t been able to beat! Whether hitting the gym, pounding the pavement or taking on trails, I was in my element, and in places I belonged. In 2019, I decided to give up drinking, drugs and smoking whilst I trained for an ultra marathon - running 100km from London to Brighton. I know I’d never be able to give it my all without properly throwing myself into it. Five months of gruelling training gave me a real focus and a much needed lifestyle shift. My anxiety dissipated. I was happier. I even decided to attempt to conquer my fear of public speaking. A five month booze snooze didn’t seem long enough and it soon became six months. Then a year…. It’s 2024 and I’m now over five years sober and if I hadn’t set myself that intense physical goal, my life would look very different. My mental health has always been up and down throughout my life. But in moving my body, and especially running, I am able to manage it so much better. Especially when teamed with a clear, sober head. I began with saying that exercise and moving my body is non-negotiable… and it is, now. Last year, I experienced the worst mental health dip I’d had in years in the form of severe burnout. I’d let my exercise slip as work got too much and I compromised my wellbeing by neglecting the way I keep on top of it. I now know research shows that movement is good for avoiding and working through burnout. So whether it’s getting up early for a workout, taking a slightly longer lunch break to walk the dog or blocking out a whole day over the weekend for a longer run, I make moving a priority. Keeping myself accountable in this way keeps everything else in check - my mood is better, I am more productive and the day feels correct. Scheduling walks & runs with friends mixes things up and leading our new WCS LDN Queer Hikes has provided another way to get my body moving! I’m not saying running or exercise is the answer to everyone’s mental health problems but for me, it’s both preventative and healing. The headspace, being in nature and moving my body brought me back to where I needed to be. It’s a lifeline, source of joy and a fundamental part of who I am. The kid who hated PE but now runs for fun, fulfilment and a happier, healthier future! With today’s current anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, engaging in physical exercise can provide a much needed release, focus and community. Fitness and sport is for everyone, including us queers. There’s groups, teams, organisations and individuals striving to make fitness spaces more inclusive, accessible and representative. Do a bit of research and see what and who is out there to help you on your way. Ask a friend to accompany you to a class perhaps? Or simply buy a pair of cheap running trainers and hit the streets. Gone are the days where a football flying towards me elicits a scream-and-run-away response. And whilst I still can’t kick one to save my life, I’ve learned that I get to decide what my body is capable of, which spaces are for me and where I’ll run to. Neil Hudson-Basing (he/him) With over 18 years experience in the events industry, Neil has a real passion for bringing audiences together. He is an experienced emcee & public speaker. Neil has hosted events, spoken and written about a broad range of hard-hitting & sensitive topics including violence against women & girls, male allyship, racism, sustainability, LGTBQ+ inclusion, menopause and sobriety. He is the co-founder of alcohol and drug-free clubbing event "The House of Happiness", a venture, to help address the lack of LGBTQ+ sober spaces. Find more information about Neil here. While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

We delve into our partnership with Coventry City Council, delivering "Amplify:Be The Change", an LGBTQ+ talent development programme designed to empower employees and influence change across the organisation. Overview A six-part series by We Create Space to empower LGBTQ+ leaders at Coventry City Council to strengthen their ability to influence and create sustainable change across the organisation. The LGBTQ+ talent development programme was delivered through 90 min interactive workshops, where theoretical knowledge was accompanied with best practice tools and holistic strategies for building leadership skills and influencing in the area of career development and progression, as well as advocating for other LGBTQIA+ employees. Brought to life by sharing lived experiences by a range of guest facilitators and speakers from our global LGBTQ+ Leadership collective. This was accompanied by additional 60min workshops for line managers and mentors with resources, surveys and check in throughout. Programme Overview 1. Shifting Systems, People and Mindsets 2. Having Courageous Conversations 3. Developing Compassion and Emotional Intelligence 4. My Intersectionality, Power, and Privilege 5. Building Queer Resilience 6. Shaping My Purpose. “My experiences of being LGBTQ (sensing allies, having difficult conversations, going through a process of shifting my own mindset over time regarding my own identity) can be used as a powerful way to create change in other ways / within multiple systems - experience is power!” - Participant feedback on Session 1: Shifting People, Systems and Mindsets. Core Challenges As part of Coventry City Council’s Workforce Diversity & Inclusion Strategy, WCS was selected and commissioned to design, deliver and evaluate a bespoke Talent Development programme for their LGBTQIA employees. As a DEI provider with extensive experience in the delivery of Talent Development programmes for LGBTQIA employees within the Public, Voluntary or Private Sectors, we were tasked with curating a programme to engage a diverse audience and develop rapport and credibility with a clear understanding of intersectionality. Our first-hand experience and understanding meant we were able to address the challenges around barriers faced by LGBTQIA+ employees in the area of career development and progression. "Whilst attending the managers sessions I was able to reflect on what an inclusive workplace should be like, how I can be a better ally to those who are LGBTQ+ and refresh my understanding of what good leadership and management looks like." - Line Manager Feedback. Solutions: Consultancy Needs assessment conducted with Coventry City Council project leaders. Collaborative and iterative content negotiation. Identified learning styles with realistic timelines to achieve outcomes. Design of a bespoke programme to ensure participants have ample opportunity to learn and reflect. Inclusive Leadership Programme Line Managers and Mentors of participants were provided with coaching to help participants through the programme and beyond. Feedback surveys built into every session for participants, line managers, and mentors for continuous improvement. Utilisation of We Create Space global collective to provide intersectional conversations and expertise throughout. Post programme reflection and celebration in the office to foster additional engagement, continued learning, and allyship "I found that this was the session that has made me really, really think and re-assess my own world view about myself… and I actually came away feeling emotional in a really positive way.” - Participant feedback on Session 6: Shaping My Purpose. Outcomes: LGBTQIA employee participants scored the entire programme with 100% satisfaction as a professional learning curriculum. 97% of the participants responded the content was very to extremely relevant to their role as a leader. 60% of participants said they feel extremely confident in their ability to use the skills they learned across all sessions vs 16% at the start of the programme. 91% of line managers and mentors rated the programme good to excellent. Fairness and Justice was the most common reason amongst line managers and mentors to be allies. While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

An evening of discussion, sisterhood and solidarity at WeWork in Barcelona. Take a peek into our Queer Women in Business Meet Up in Barcelona, where we bring together LGBTQ+ women living across different identities and generations to network, build lasting and nurturing friendships, reflect on challenges, and inspire each other! This month we explored the pros and cons of coming out at work, how to remedy funding issues as Queer entrepreneurs and breaking intersectional biases. Our Speakers: Sevi Koppe (she/her) Yassine Senghor (any pronouns) Sanjukta Moorthy (she/her) Shimar Guyo (she/her) We'd like to extend a special thanks to WeWork for their support and allowing us to use their space in Barcelona for this event. Photos by Emiliano Del Piccolo While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

WCS Community Director Sevi Koppe writes about the importance of creating intersectional and intergenerational spaces where Queer women can come together and learn from each other. Throughout my experience of living in over 10 countries, the support I have received from women, especially Queer women, has been an invaluable asset. It took me a long time to come out as despite my somewhat comfortable French upbringing and having access to education, I was repeatedly told that I didn't belong and so worked hard to shield myself from further isolation. At four years old I kept trying to clean the colour of my skin with an eraser, by eight years old I was straightening my hair, and at twelve I was hiding my height. Coming out as queer was not a priority. As an adult, in my efforts to collaborate with mainstream venues, festivals, producers, and promoters to showcase queer performers, I still often found myself navigating the need to downplay aspects of my intersectionality. Beyond being an immigrant and a woman of colour, openly acknowledging my identity as a queer woman felt challenging. Engaging in business dealings with predominantly male counterparts further underscored the importance of focusing on broader LGBTQIA+ inclusion, rather than my own experiences. The objective was to create space, not to assert my personal presence. Finding open-minded, progressive spaces for Queer women while constantly travelling presented a significant challenge to me, underscoring the necessity for initiatives like We Create Space. Establishing and nurturing such a platform presents a rare opportunity to address a critical global need within our community. By crafting environments that centre Queer women we engage in an act of sisterhood, fostering a culture of radical care amidst profound uncertainty. Intersectionality and impact. Intersectionality exposes how systemic inequalities intersect to exacerbate how individuals experience oppression. Queer women must navigate the dual discrimination of queerphobia and sexism, but may also face additional oppression along the lines of race, ethnicity, class, disability, geographic location, etc. All of these factors may impact one’s ability to access community with other Queer women. Speaking with women at We Create Space’s Queer Women in Business meet-ups, I often hear how factors such as geographic location can exacerbate isolation. Considering my own story, I know that living in rural areas made it harder to find Queer connections and if I did find them, I didn’t always have the money to take transport! By moving to an urban area I found more opportunities. Economic disparities profoundly impact access to LGBTQIA+ friendly services and community support. Cindy Nehme, a business owner from Lebanon, explained to me how living in Beirut rendered her unable to access healthcare and multiplied the difficulties of accessing social support. Trans women especially are often juggling astronomical healthcare costs when trying to access gender-affirming care. Creating intersectional spaces for Queer women necessitates that we embrace an expansive definition of womanhood, embracing trans women and trans feminine people who are too often excluded from women’s spaces. Additionally, we must open the door to others who are impacted by being perceived or socialised as women in society but who may not identify entirely as cis women, whether they are non-binary, butch or genderqueer etc. "As a Black queer entrepreneur, who is further impeded by being perceived as a woman, support from other women, of all backgrounds and generations, has been integral and essential to my work. They have been my mentors, my sounding boards for ideas, my coaches and guides, my role models. Being able to relate to those who navigated similar experiences, shared pressures, frustrations and also celebrated success, has allowed me to feel less isolated and to trust my intuition. With Barcelona being such an international city, it felt empowering and truly necessary to bring together so many brilliant women with a range of expertise and both life and work experience in order to create a community imbued with the spirit of sorority." - Yassine Senghor Generational Disparities. Ageism in LGBTQ+ spaces is rarely addressed, because queer spaces are almost always youth-centric. Living at the intersection of queerphobia and misogyny, older queer women often experience a sense of invisibility both in broader society and within the LGBTQ+ community itself, leading to isolation, loneliness, and a lack of community support. Accessing healthcare that is sensitive to the needs and issues faced by LGBTQ+ elders is a significant challenge. Overcoming historical mistrust towards medical institutions is a challenge on its own, but they are often also dealing with trauma related to facing intense discrimination and criminalization of their identities. Older queer women may also face financial instability due to lower lifetime earnings, lack of access to spousal benefits and insufficient legal protection, exacerbated by the fact that they commonly lack support from their families. Creating spaces where these women can share their stories is crucial; they hold so much knowledge and power as potential mentors for younger Queer women. We often forget that our older community members have fought so many battles on our behalf, breaking barriers and paving the way for progress. “I personally feel a lot of gratitude for maturing because growing old brought me closer to myself. A certain amount of life experience is necessary (in my opinion) to find peace and stability within ourselves and self reconciliation with our identity so that we can be kinder individuals and healthier members of society. Another reason why I feel blessed to age is because I am very active. I build, I create, I have the wisdom to navigate projects, businesses, ventures and that is primordial to staying healthy and sane.” - Cindy Nehme Importance of Intersectional and Intergenerational Spaces. Intersectional spaces are necessary for the well-being and advancement of marginalised queer women. It is crucial that we have environments where individuals can express their lived experiences and troubles, knowing they are surrounded by people who experientially understand what they are going through. They are a source of safety and affirmation that may not be present in other areas of these women’s lives. By bringing Queer women together under one roof, we can offer tailored resources and support that effectively address the unique challenges they face, whether that’s through signposting each other to Queer inclusive healthcare providers, providing advice for coming out at work or sharing strategies for building our businesses when we have less access to traditional funding. Intersectional spaces can also highlight the diversity of experiences within our identity group, which is crucial for building empathy, allyship, and more comprehensive advocacy strategies that encompass the needs of all community members. By listening to each other and sharing our stories, we can more effectively fight for not just our own needs, but the needs of the most vulnerable in our communities. “Adopting an Intersectional approach is key because our community is not a monolith and we have to understand that there are as many facets to intersectionality as there are individuals. When I understood what intersectionality was, I started to see a lot of pride in the Indian queer rights movement as well , and what they're doing in terms of cultural representation and putting forward a very Indian way to be queer. Without intersectionality, queerness becomes a Western dominated, white dominated space where only one group is visible.“ - Sanjukta Moorthy Challenges and Considerations. Creating truly intersectional spaces can be challenging. As an organiser, you will never embody all of the identities of your participants, so consulting with your community on their needs is essential. Accessibility: Finding a venue that is accessible for everyone, including those who are disabled or have accessibility needs. WCS Resource: The future of accessible workplaces. Diversity: The sheer diversity of these spaces can lead to potential conflict arising from differing priorities, experiences, and identities. Balancing the needs and interests of various intersecting identities within the community requires careful navigation. WCS Resource: How to create intersectional networks. Responsiveness: The needs of your community will evolve over time and so must your space. WCS Resource: Learn how to use survey insights to build community engagement strategies. Communication: Within the community, it’s important that everyone understands their role and feels able to voice concerns, so we can learn together and do better. Fostering authentic engagement is key. WCS Resource: Learn how to foster psychological safety. Power Dynamics: Creating truly inclusive spaces requires actively addressing and challenging power imbalances triggered by race, gender, class, background and age. WCS Resource: How to shift the mindsets of others. A better future. I have found happiness creating and nurturing inclusive spaces for Queer women, as it allows me to look after my inner child. I look back and realise what a positive impact it would have had on me to have access to spaces like these throughout different places and times of my life. Being in community with other Queer women like this, I believe that we all truly mean each other well. We want to get to know other Queer women and treat them with the respect we have not always received ourselves. By bringing what we have learned to the conversation, we hope our experiences might be of use to someone else. In a world where Queer women often go unheard, intersectional and intergenerational spaces can amplify their voices, fostering a sense of belonging and strength. Every step of the way we remember that there is a long way to go, but we are also appreciating just how far we’ve come! Sevi Koppe (she/her) Sevi Koppe is Community Director at We Create Space, as well as an international creative director and producer. She's worked for films and music festivals around the world, as a creative director, booking agent and a production manager. Her vision is queer and she's been curating international events since 2000 to promote LGBTQ+ visibility to mainstream audiences. Find more information about Sevi here. While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Transgender activist Eva Echo poses questions to lesbian executive Nancy Di Dia on gender equity in the workplace, trans allyship and finding new life in retirement. At We Create Space we're passionate about forging connections and solidarity across different identity groups. In this new series we're pairing together different change-makers from our Global Leadership Collective and asking them to interview each other, sharing wisdom from their careers, personal lives and lived experiences as Queer Leaders. Nancy Di Dia is a highly accomplished corporate executive with over 25 years of experience in the field of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Belonging (DEIJB). Nancy is known for her leadership and expertise in creating inclusive workplaces. Throughout her career, Nancy has been a fierce advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, particularly as it relates to patients and healthcare. Eva Echo is a highly respected trans activist, writer, and public speaker with a passionate focus on transgender rights and mental health. Eva is well-known for their courageous legal action against NHS England in the High Court, challenging the unlawful waiting times for trans patients, and for her vital role on the Crown Prosecution Service’s hate crime panel. Read part one, where Nancy interviews Eva on workplace allyship, sexism and the common struggles cis and trans women share. Eva: You’ve had a long and distinguished career, where you’ve no doubt inspired so many but who or what was it that inspired you to commit to wanting to pave the way for so many? Nancy: During the late 80s and early to mid-90s, discussing one's identity as a lesbian was taboo in many corporate environments, unlike being gay which was more readily accepted. In the financial services institution where I worked, the mandated dress code of dresses and heels felt restrictive and didn't align with my personal style. I often felt like a "peacock in a penguin suit". Encountering other trailblazers early in my career who defied norms, challenged biases, and carved out spaces for marginalised voices is what inspired me to commit to paving the way for others. Though the journey has been far from easy, I take pride in the strides made towards a more inclusive society. My commitment to supporting underserved, underrepresented, and marginalized communities remains unwavering, fuelled by the belief that every voice deserves to be heard and valued. We all want to belong. WCS Resource: Learn how to find inspiration in others without getting caught in the comparison trap with our Queer Leadership 101 webinar featuring Nancy Di Dia. Eva: As a trans woman, my internalised transphobia tells me I have no place on IWD.  As an ally, how do you see trans women not only fitting in but playing an integral part in equality and equity for all women? Nancy: As an ally, and lesbian woman, I see trans women as essential contributors to the fight for equality. Our struggles intersect, and our victories are intertwined. Trans women bring unique perspectives, resilience and strength to the table. When we embrace their voices, we enrich the mosaic and tapestry of womanhood and unity. Being allies to each other is so crucial, it allows us to maximise our impact. WCS Resource: Learn how to forge intersectional networks to scale your impact. Eva: Workplaces are environments where complete strangers are essentially thrown together and expected to thrive. What do you see as being the key ingredients to ensuring the workplace culture nurtures gender equity? Nancy: I often say workplaces are microcosms of society from a socio-economic, educational and cultural perspective, to name a few. That means we will come up against a variety of similar and conflicting perspectives, opinions, and experiences. To me, no one experience is the best or the right experiences, the collective of all those experiences is what makes a highly functioning culture and place of belonging, knowing you’re valued, appreciated and heard. Creating a workplace culture that nurtures gender equity requires deliberate action. Here are the key elements I have learned that have an impact. Inclusive Policies: Organisations must adopt policies that address pay gaps, parental leave, and flexible work arrangements. These policies need to benefit everyone, not just women. Education and Training: Regular, immersive and experiential workshops, not training, on unconscious bias, diversity, and inclusion work to sensitise employees. Knowledge empowers change. Does your culture invite differing perspectives? How are those who do not know the unwritten rules treated? You can tell a lot about a culture based on how employees feel about their identity, expression, and authenticity. Leadership Accountability: Leaders must champion equity and be a role model through their actions and words. When they prioritise diversity, it sends a powerful message of commitment, accountability and allyship. Mentorship and Sponsorship: Women need mentors and sponsors who advocate for their growth. Allies play a crucial role here. Transparent Metrics: Organisations should track progress and hold themselves accountable on employee life cycle metrics such as promotions, hires, turnover, etc. WCS Resource: Geffrye Parsons explains why inclusive leadership is the key to organisational success Eva: Why do you think some organisations are still reluctant to fully commit to creating gender equity even though the solutions are relatively simple? Nancy: When organizations are still reluctant to fully commit, this indicates to me they were always wavering and just doing what they thought they should do, rather than believing the real benefit to their business, their clients and above all their staff. Change disrupts comfort zones. Organizations that understand their business, their customers and the incredibly competitive marketplace and landscape of talent, lean in to creating cultures of belonging, inclusion and walk the talk. WCS Resource: Global DEI Leaders on how to turn DEI Talk into Action. Eva: You’ve done so much for others, and even though you’re retired, you keep going. You’re an absolute inspiration! But what do you do for yourself, to celebrate your womanity and how far you’ve come? Nancy: Sometimes, I have to pause and say ‘wow” I really did accomplish a lot. I now find myself having more time to write, reflect and transfer my wisdom of the years. Retirement has not dimmed my light, instead, it has brightened my commitment to wellbeing, health and always making time for the garden. A garden represents a chance to replant, to cultivate, to grow, to weed, and dig out.  I love that metaphor, because my career was like a garden, it needed care, at times it flourished, other times, it needed to be raked and dug up and newly planted seeds to start over where needed.  Like life, I will always be my own gardener. WCS Resource: 3 Key Strategies to Safeguard the Mental Health of Queer Employees. Eva: What can be done to continue conversations about women’s rights outside of Women’s History Month and IWD and to deepen allyship between cis and trans women? Nancy: Every day is IWD, we just don't call it out.  Women keep this world revolving in our ways of loving, giving, and advocating for our bodies, each other and our human rights.  The challenge is that the topic is not always top of mind. We need to celebrate our womanity every day, independently and collectively. Use your platform to uplift women, share their stories, achievements, and struggles. Have  a “no competition” mindset and welcome those who may be even more successful than you to the table too. I like sending a note to a variety of woman friends a couple of times a week to let them know how awesome they are, the impact they're having on the world and my pride in holding them near as friends and loved ones, Showing appreciation for each other is an act of collective love and support we need to continue to share and amplify. In this journey, we are not alone. We’re symphonic, harmonising for a more equitable world. Let us keep expressing ourselves with our voices and hearts and pave the way for the needed change in our future. Nancy Di Dia (she/her) As a gay female, Nancy has a deep understanding of the challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community and served as a Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer for over 20 years. Her extensive experience and expertise make her an invaluable resource for organizations looking to improve their DEIJB efforts and create more inclusive environments. Find more information about Nancy here. Eva Echo (she/they) Eva is an accomplished leader, serving as the Director of Innovation at Birmingham Pride and Trans In The City. Eva is passionate about workplace allyship, intersectionality, and mental health, and has a wealth of knowledge on language and terminology, identity, trans rights and healthcare. Find more information about Eva here. While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletters so you can stay up to date!

We delve into our partnership with JTI, where through their WCS Annual Membership we've provided content production, event delivery and consultancy to support the growth of their global PRIDE Employee Resource Group. Overview As part of the LGBTIQ+ Inclusion pillar at JTI, they were looking to develop strategies, professional development opportunities and LGBTIQ+ inclusive policies in order to create workplaces which are inclusive of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions - embodying their values of being a people-centric organisation where employees can be themselves everyday. Core Challenges As a large international company, JTI recognised the need to distil a key priority for their PRIDE ERG and build a growth strategy that would encourage global awareness and participation. Creating a sustainable and ongoing safe space for ERG members was paramount, as well as finding fresh ways to drive engagement and create new PRIDE ERG chapters across the 127 countries they operate within. We Create Space developed a four-pronged strategy to address JTI's goals, focusing on Wellbeing & Community Building, Regional Development & Chapter Growth, Diversity within Diversity and Expertise & Thought Partnership. “We reached the conclusion that the well-being of the LGBTQ+ community was the number one priority... We are employees for employees, we are not the corporation. And sometimes members of the LGBTQ+ community can be protected by the corporate policies. Saying there is no discrimination here and having it very beautifully written in a document is nice. But then when you actually live it, in the day-to-day work, it's it's completely different. So what we wanted to create was this safe space for the employees to be to be able to approach us in a different way.” - Edgar Martinez (he/him), Senior Legal Director and Global PRIDE ERG Co-Chair at JTI Solutions: Wellbeing & Community Building Full event programming covering intersectional topics like LGBTQ+ Parenting, Trans Allyship, Living as HIV+, Intersex Awareness and Hidden Disabilities. Showcasing internal Queer Leaders as part of our My Ally & Me content series. Sponsorship and attendance at our Pride & Beyond Queer Leadership Retreats in 2021 and 2022. Regional Development & Chapter Growth International Pride ERG Summits in person to build community and provide upskilling. Regular global virtual events to encourage the development of new ERG chapters. Who Am I? Leadership training to encourage and enable ERG succession planning. Diversity within Diversity Supported with the creation of PRIDE ERG's "Women of Pride" sub-group to encourage more women to join the ERG and engage with events. Sponsorship of our intersectional glossary to encourage continued learning and development amongst members. Showcasing internal Queer Leaders as part of our Through My Lens content series exploring the intersection of LGBTQ+ and Disability. Expertise and Thought Partnership/Leadership WCS consultancy and strategy development to long-term goals and action plan. Bespoke content creation covering topics like being trans in the workplace. Regular consultancy sessions to track the progress of initiatives. Outcomes: More local chapters of PRIDE ERG have been created each year across the globe. Increased participation by women employees across PRIDE's chapters. Continued Senior Leadership involvement and public support, including a new commitment to ensuring Pride is celebrated 365 days a year. Higher levels of ERG community engagement and participation. JTI's PRIDE ERG placed on the 2023 Global Diversity List and has been named a Top 10 LGBT+ Employee Network. Won Gold from the Internal Communications and Engagement Awards for Best Internal Communications Campaign. JTI Germany has received the Global Equality Standard (GES) certification from Ernst & Young, one of the first global DEI awards allowing companies to assess the extent to which DEI is embedded throughout their global operations. Jen Polzin (Board Assistant Germany & Global PRIDE Co-Chair) and Rene Staebe (Corporate Communications Manager) both placed on the 2023 Top 100 LGBTQ+ Future Leaders List. "I think of my role as making sure that the company lives by the promises they made. We are trying to expand our ERG presence globally to know what the markets need, you can imagine the type of challenges as an international company operating in 127 countries, which is why we have been a partner with We Create Space since 2021 " - Edgar Martinez (he/him), Senior Legal Director and Global PRIDE ERG Co-Chair at JTI While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

To celebrate Trans Day of Visibility we're sharing another edition in our series of stories about Queer migration and the unexpected journeys we follow in search of ourselves, and community. Video by Stefan Chavarriaga / Swami Pro A Queer Journey can often take us far from the places we once called home, but it's in the nature of LGBTQIA+ existence that we seek out and build new family wherever we go. Shimar Guyo is a We Create Space collective member who moved from her home in the Philippines to study and fell in love with the culture and lifestyle of Barcelona, where she continues to live to this day. Through the challenges of learning a new language and trying to find Queer Community, moving across the globe gave Shimar the courage to transition and live her life as a proud trans woman. While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletters so you can stay up to date!

For Lesbian Visibility Week guest writer Tash Koster-Thomas shares the challenges of navigating pregnancy as a lesbian couple in a heteronormative world. The moment we saw the little message, ‘2-3 weeks’ our entire world shifted. It was a wave of mixed emotions, disbelief, gratitude, love, overwhelm, but more than anything, excitement. We were excited to be starting this new journey. The one that so many of our heterosexual friends had already experienced. We were excited to share our news. To tell the world, ‘WE’RE HAVING A BABY!” But we hadn’t anticipated the worlds’ reaction. As a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant I spend my days focused on supporting inclusion within the workplace. However, the experiences I had during pregnancy highlighted the need for a developed awareness in society. When I “came out” at 16 years old, I always knew I would have a family of my own. I grew up knowing I would experience pregnancy one day, regardless of the assumptions of those around me. So, when I met my wife Marthe, we knew we would start a family together. Within a month of our relationship, we had already decided who would carry and when. The ‘if’ was never a question, it was just the ‘how’. Our journey to pregnancy was relatively easy when compared to other same-sex couples. We chose a private donor, and I was fortunate to get pregnant within the first few months of trying. It was a fairy-tale story and so when we started to share our news, we assumed everyone would have the same reaction as us. Instead, we were met with a barrage of uninformed, inappropriate, and intrusive questions. “Of course everyone was really happy, but I do remember one friend saying ‘how’? - Marthe Koster-Thomas I would love to say this interaction was a one-off, but it became the norm. People’s curiosity seemed to override their politeness and well-wishes. In the early days we would make jokes and laugh about how ridiculous some of the questions were. However, the humour quickly wore off. Instead of feeling excited to share my news with people, I started to dread it. Knowing I would have to deal with yet another thoughtless comment. The question that hurt the most was, “is the Dad going to be involved?”. This would offend and frustrate me in many ways, and highlighted how heteronormative our society is. Even when people knew we were two women in a relationship, there was still this need for a Dad figure to qualify as a family. The use of the word Dad, when in fact the man in question is a donor. The idea that donation of sperm automatically makes them equal to Mum. The assumption that we require a man to be involved. But the most frustrating fact is people would never ask this question to a heterosexual couple using a donor. There wouldn’t be assumptions about if the donor was going to be involved in parenting the child. “Who is the father? I found that really intrusive. The use of the term father I found offensive as a lot of people already knew we were using a donor, who wasn’t going to be involved.” - Marthe Koster-Thomas I wondered if we were unique in this experience, but after speaking with other same-sex couples we learned it seems to be the norm. Mel and her wife welcomed their daughter 3 years ago and experienced a lot of similar questions. Mel shares how the question of “who is the Dad?” wasn’t exclusive to friends and family, but even within the medical profession: “Especially in the NHS, the language is not there yet. When it was private [healthcare], they knew the language of donor but with our GP, midwife etc the language was never correct.” This experience highlights how language is continuously evolving to become more inclusive. Whilst we may have a certain level of awareness, there is an individual and collective responsibility to foster inclusion. This is even more poignant as in February of this year the NHS announced it was shutting down its ‘LGBT Rainbow Badge’ scheme for hospitals. Started in 2018, it has provided basic education and resources to staff who sign up. Supported by Stonewall after their Britain Health Report (2018) estimated that one in five LGBT+ people aren’t ‘out’ to any healthcare professional when seeking general medical care. The badge was given to staff who pledged their commitment to reduce inequalities and provide support to LGBTQ+ people. Unfortunately, the UK is not alone globally in these experiences for LGBTQ+ people seeking respectful and dignified medical care. There were times when I found myself awkwardly laughing as I answered strangers' questions. I was so shocked by their lack of respect for my privacy that I didn’t know any other way to respond. I would walk away from interactions feeling frustrated with myself for not speaking up. “What does the father look like? Was the most infuriating for me, especially once she was born. In the beginning I would even describe his features as I was so taken back by the question. But now I say to people that I would like to keep it private. I have learned throughout the process.” - Marthe Koster-Thomas Now that our daughter is here, I find myself being a lot clearer in my boundaries. She is no longer a hypothetical person. She is someone I want to protect from other people’s ignorance. But there is a fine balance in sharing knowledge for the purpose of education, respecting your family’s privacy and not coming across as rude. “It’s really good to talk about this with your partner. How you’re going to respond to these questions because they are quite surprising. If I had known they were going to come, I would have set harder boundaries.” - Marthe Koster-Thomas Ultimately these questions come from curiosity and a desire to understand something that’s different. Mel shared, “I try not to get offended, because it’s not people trying to be offensive. I think it’s just a lack of knowledge and education.” This doesn’t change the long-term impact. We know we will continue to experience microaggressions such as these throughout our daughter’s life based on our family dynamic. However, there is action that can be taken within the systems we are creating. I would say to anyone asking these types of questions, ask yourself something first. Why? Why do I need to know? What’s the purpose? And most importantly, what’s the impact? Tash Koster-Thomas (she/her) Tash is a leading Inclusion and Diversity Consultant, presenter, speaker, and LGBTQ+ Activist who is driving the conversation forward. As a Black queer woman, Tash leverages her lived experience and identity to champion diversity and inclusion in both society and the workplace. She provides invaluable insight into dismantling barriers associated with diversity, ensuring that opportunities are accessible with equity, not just in the workplace, but also in our communities, both locally and globally. Find more information about Tash here. Tash and her wife Marthe continue to share their experiences via their social media @_breakingthedistance. They also have a podcast ‘Breaking the Distance - Podcast’, where they have shared their pregnancy journey. While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Lucifer Charlie Benedetti pulls back the curtain on the erotic film industry, enlightening us on its operation, and showing us how much things still need to improve to safeguard those who work in it. by Lucifer Charlie Benedetti I never thought I’d end up directing porn / adult movies in my life, but after spending 4 years in this industry I strongly believe this is the most fertile environment in which the LGBTQ community can express and represent itself and in which we can keep breaking boundaries in the most impactful way. This is the place where I finally feel like I belong and I can contribute to make a little difference inside our community. Lesbian and Queer Representation - what's missing. What is missing is good LGBTQ+ porn. Besides the amateur porn shot by couples or queer people, it was the lack of genuine representation that made me knock on Erika Lust’s door. I’m grateful I had the chance to direct movies in which I could explore lesbian heartbreaks as much as the “girls just wanna have fun” trope. In my latest film I also represented how asexuality and porn can belong together. It’s by making these movies and watching the work of other queer directors that I realised that truthful LGBTQIA+ representation in porn is one of the most empowering and subversive tools we own, since our discrimination, fetishisation and self-sabotage is primarily based around sex. It all started because I was sick of the fact that “Lesbian” is one of the most watched categories in mainstream porn and yet it’s primarily made for the male pleasure. Once again the male gaze appropriates of something it should be excluded from by its own meaning: Lesbian. This “lesbian” representation is nothing but a stereotypical remake of the heterosexual sex-dynamic depicted in mainstream porn (which are also quite far from the reality) and it has a direct impact on my life, up until I get perceived as a woman who loves other women. Whenever we kiss in public or even worse, inside a club, there will always be a man watching like he has a pornhub tab open in front of him. This is one of the most invasive feelings I have to experience throughout my whole life. I have no idea how many times a complete stranger approached me and my partner asking for a threesome. I have no idea how many times I have been asked in mocking way how can lesbians have sex without a penis, or how many times they were convinced we always use sex toys in order to reproduce “what’s missing”. This “what’s missing” is based on a heteronormative sexual relationship. Thinking about pornography and the male lens that it is most-often shown through, intercourse is almost always linked back to a male necessity. In this way, we can see that the portrayal of most pornography which depicts straight relationships, shows sex as a vehicle to accomplish a man’s sense of pleasure and encapsulate their desire first and foremost. In this sense, a woman’s sexual pleasure is always seen as secondary and our body is primarily seen and ruled as a life incubator, without any or very little agency. The CisHet Gaze and it's grip on the porn industry. This is how the heteronormative guidelines preserve their hold on patriarchal power structures. Through my experience in this industry so far, I have learned that the most widely distributed depictions of sex in this society are much more about beholding power and very little about owning our pleasure. It's the cishet gaze that has always decided what’s normal, what’s not. What’s desirable, what isn’t. Mainstream porn feeds and reinforces the stereotype that the male gaze and the media created about toxic “beauty and body standards”. Cis women’s “conforming” bodies gets constantly objectified while all the rest gets fetishised : POC, trans, lesbian, bi, curvy and people with disabilities - to name only a few examples. In order to combat this way of thinking, there are a few key questions we need to ask ourselves: Why is there such easy/free access to mainstream porn? Is it really free or are we paying in ways we don’t even realise? What’s behind it? Have you ever heard about Mindgeek? Mindgeek refers to itself as an “information technology company that offers digital media content delivery, search engine optimisation, advertising, and hosting services”. What Mindgeek doesn’t say, in easier words, is that they are the owners of the majority of the mainstream porn sites all over the internet: Pornhub, Youporn, Brazzers, Xtube, Men.com, etc… therefore they basically own the Monopoly of Porn. When YouTube made its debut, its success was almost instantaneous, so other internet developing companies tried to do the same. Mindgeek then probably asked themselves “what’s the kind of video that once put online will receive millions of views (traffic) almost instantly? The answer was very easy: “a porn video”. So they started pirating videos from porn production companies and sharing them through their “Tubes”. This by itself is illegal as we are all aware, but despite their work being stolen, for porn production companies to be shared for free on a tube platform was the easiest and fastest way to get a lot of publicity and this gave them a number of revenues they’d never accomplish by themselves. Between Mindgeek and porn production companies, there was a tacit agreement which started generating one of the wealthiest businesses online, up until the point that Mindgeek was able to buy the majority of those companies. Therefore the majority of its produced content is not pirated anymore. it just keeps feeding itself under hundreds of different names, hundreds of pockets of the same suit. According to global website traffic data from Statista, the top 3 porn sites in the world receive a combined 5.81 billion website visits per month. Just through its traffic Mindgeek revenues are exponential and even though the majority of people don't pay for porn, if only the 10% of those almost 6 billion per month pays for it, you can imagine how high the profits still are. The other thing that Mindgeek doesn’t say in clear words is that they are data collectors, so even if we don’t pay to watch porn on those sites, all our data gets collected and resold to marketing strategy companies. So we are in fact paying with our data without even knowing it. It is when we start considering how the industry really works that we can realise what really needs to be changed, and how we can create space for those who want to express themselves in a safe environment, ensuring that narratives aren’t twisted to suit existing well-established stereotypes which have damaging effects on marginalised communities. What's improved, and what still needs improvement. Thankfully there are many people working inside the industry who are taking space for themselves in order to pave the way for positive change; deconstructing and rejecting these standards and creating their own. As we all know, representation matters. As we all know, representation saves lives. As we all know, representation can open the eyes of the most unaware. And while it’s not the easiest to find under the huge amount of mainstream porn, queer-made porn is becoming more and more available. This leads to a wider awareness, diversity, empathy, feeling of belonging, gender and sexuality euphoria. And after experiencing so much shame throughout our lives, watching this kind of porn finally feels like a huge relief. Where there’s no wrong sexuality, no wrong genitals, no wrong bodies. This is especially important considering that the most erased community as far as the porn industry is concerned, is those with physical disabilities - due to the overwhelming preconception that disabled people are not sexual beings. I have no doubt that we will keep on gaining more and more representation, but I believe that also the ethical porn industry needs to work on being more accessible to the majority of people. Representation without accessibility, unfortunately does half of the job that needs to be done. The welfare of sex workers & LGTQIA+ Community. The whole porn industry, both indie and mainstream, is starting to follow guidelines that get more and more strict in order to create a safer environment for performers. However, until sex work is regulated, we cannot guarantee the protection of sex workers - without regulation, there is no such thing as true “Ethical” porn. How can something be ethical if it’s based on the workforce of people whose jobs are not recognised and fairly regulated? The hate reserved for sex workers, trans women, POC women is always the most violent. This is a battle that our community must really take on its shoulder as based on my personal experience in interviewing sex workers, in the last few years I've realised that the majority of them belong to the LGBTQIA+ community. Let’s never forget who were the people who thrown the first bricks at Stonewall: trans, POC, with disabilities and sex workers. Still nowadays, they are the most marginalised in this society and inside our own community. This is something we must take responsibility for, especially gay cis men who possess the most privilege and influence within the LGBTQIA+ community. Conclusions. It would be right to be able to see porn only as a form of entertainment, but while we live in a society in which sex education is so strongly hindered, it’s undeniable that mainstream porn is the first source of research and exploration of sex for young people. Because of this lack of sex education, it’s difficult to realise how problematic it can be, and how we tend to replicate it subconsciously. Even though the issues within this industry are several, I believe that demonising it is pointless as much as glorifying it's alternatives. Porn will never be erased and it shouldn’t. What we need is to be constantly and usefully critical about it, so that it can improve and evolve into a much safer product. We must always remember that sex work for many people in our community is the only source of income and survival. So attacking it means attacking our community also. The most important thing going forward is to keep on creating spaces and opening and sharing them, especially with the less privileged people. We should all place priority on the need to be responsible producers and consumers taking into account everyone’s pleasure, desires and bodies. Therefore it is also extremely important to understand that paying for porn is absolutely necessary, as for any other streaming platform, whilst also having accessible prices. We’ve come a long way in how we’re finally able to see our community represented in the media, movies and tv shows… but so much still needs to be done and porn made or inspired by queer people is the real game changer. If you want to have a glimpse of what it can also look like, here is where you can check my movies as well as the ones of many other talent queer directors. About Lucifer Charlie Benedetti (they/them) Lucifer is a genderqueer Italian director/actor. They believe in a future in which sexuality won't need any label, but they also understand the need of many diverse humans to feel represented, reassured and safe nowadays. You can find more information about Lucifer and their work here. If you would like to book Lucifer as a speaker for a workshop or panel event, please get in touch with us via email at hello@wecreatespace.co While you're here... Did you know we consult with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Leaders from our global collective reflect on their relationships with nature as Queer people. Sometimes it can be difficult to find time to unplug from our busy lives, but taking moments to reconnect with nature can be incredibly grounding, not to mention gratifying. We asked some of our community members to give us an insight into their own relationships with nature - whether it brings them solace and a space to heal or provides inspiration in their journeys as Queer Leaders. How do you make time to connect with the natural world and what kinds of comfort does it bring you? 1. CK "Nature holds me compassionately, openly and unjudgementally. Everything in nature exists as it is and What a gift to experience reciprocated acceptance. With each breath of fresh air birthed from my surroundings I observe the gift of aliveness and presence of an unfathomable, abundant, spacious, limitless existence that never ceases. The freedom to move, explore and discover as I feel wrapped in the loving presence of creation. I ground and I anchor. I be and breathe. The sunlight glistens on the leaves And I know that it is enough. I am enough." 2. River Solace “For me, nature is healing. I feel connected and at one with the planet when I am immersed in its beautiful creations. I go where the rivers flow. My heart is with the mountains, the forests, the ocean. In their embrace, I know I belong.” 3. Ben Pechey "I live in a rural part of the UK. Before Covid, it was the chip on my shoulder, a burden to bear. Covid ushered in a nature renaissance for me. What had once been an irritant became a salve for my soul. Nature offers me the space to recharge my energy. It allows my queerness to exist in different ways. I may be effervescent and bold in conurbations, but in nature, I am closer to my natural equilibrium - truly connected to my essence. Life is all about balance, and nature for me is my balance aid." 4. Eduardo Gutierrez "I come from a land without seasons, where a single day can bear witness to nature dancing around heat and cold, dry or pouring; it is a country where nature bursts in the most diverse forms of landscapes you can possibly imagine. As a queer person, and as an academic hoping to contribute to peacebuilding in the world, this is a fantastic source of inspiration: nature is a great example of how diversity and harmony can go hand in hand. Nature allows creativity, both spontaneity and order, as well as beauty and chaos, and I like having that in my life. Nature grounds me in myself and the world - and that is a powerful form of peace!" 5. Tatum Karmen Swithenbank "As I don’t follow a religion, I have always found my sanctuary among nature. The relentless machine of capitalism works hard to separate us from simply being. Nature tenderly forces me to be present, to see and feel the roots of existence. Even living in the city, there are signs of nature persisting, and it reminds me that blooming accrues even in tough environments." 6. Suresh Ramdas “Nature has always had a calming effect on me, be it when I’m in the forests or mountains or by the water. I feel fresh, free, happy and energised. Most importantly, I become one with nature, as nature is pure and authentic." 7. Raga D'Silva Life is beautiful. But, life is life. No two days are alike. Some days are extremely challenging. My writing, hosting and corporate talks keep me super busy. So, I make sure I keep a date with nature often. I hug trees, I play with leaves, I smell the flowers and take it all in. Nature makes me feel that it's great to be alive. Nature grounds me. 8. Ariadne Ribeiro Ferreira “My connection with nature resets every morning, when I take a deep breath looking at the first sunshine to renew my strength and hope to move forward.”

In this open letter Jon-Paul Vicari appeals to cisgender lesbian, gay and bisexual people to practise trans allyship and pledge their support to the transgender community in a time of crisis. Dear reader, Across the globe, our LGBTQ+ community is increasingly under attack. Many societies are witnessing the widespread political demonization of queer people, targeted legislation against our human rights, and the degradation of the trans community. While this is tiring and defeating, for me it is an indication of a more positive underlying fact: our collective empowerment as a queer community has become such an enduring force of change that the historical and institutional power wielded over us is retaliating. However, like all systems of oppression, the forces holding us down will not give up easily as they dissolve bit by bit. In the meantime, the increasing legal and physical assaults on trans and non-binary people cannot be tolerated. We must urgently examine and respond to the ways that trans hatred is challenging our notions of intra-community care and allyship. To be clear, trans and non-binary people have always existed. They have been visible and celebrated in many cultures throughout history. They exist in every space, every job, and every aspect of humanity. Unfortunately, however, trans people have also been taught to hide themselves. Due to this shame, and since there is no singular way to express trans identity, we cannot rely on trans visibility alone to advocate for inclusion and acceptance. In fact, it is a common misnomer and microaggression to assume that someone “looks trans”. Thus, the creation of safe and inclusive spaces before and independent from trans visibility is that much more important. Even if you feel like you don’t know any trans people at your workplace or in your network, it doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Within the LGBTQ+ community, the struggle for human rights among cis and trans people has been forever intertwined. Trans people have been and continue to be on the front lines of LGBTQ+ civil rights movements around the globe. In the US, trans power has fuelled moments as significant as the Stonewall Riots, supported our community during the AIDS Crisis, and fought for marriage equality, equal pay, reproductive rights, and everything in between. Our community has been held together by trans people. It’s why we have marched, danced, celebrated, grieved, advocated, created, fought, loved, and protested together for decades. For the betterment of all queer people. All of us. And now, when a vulnerable population in our community needs support, when hate crimes against trans people have risen 1211% over the last 10 years in the UK, where is everyone? Where are we? Where are the global marches filling the streets? Where are the millions of voices we know are outraged? If this were a coalmine, the canaries would have been silent long ago. The alarm bells have sounded more times than I can count, and yet many of us are not showing up. I am concerned that cis queer people in particular are not aware of the need for their support, or of the ability they have to do harm through silence. I have seen fewer and fewer public displays of allyship for and with trans people. I have seen posts by gay men and feminist movements (TERFS) arguing for the removal of the “T” in LGBTQIA+. Not only is this hateful and intentional exclusion inherently wrong, but it also erases the decades of allyship and support that our movement has gleaned from the active participation and sacrifice of trans people. Rallying to the cause of supporting our trans community may not be easy. The laws and actions that societies and legislatures are taking against trans people are often surreptitious and confusing. Transphobia, misogyny, transmisogyny and male privilege continue to infiltrate our queer spaces. Nevertheless, it is our duty to stay informed so that we can help. We as a broader queer community must take stock of our power and privilege and put them to good use. Whether it’s reading about the financial burden of being trans, tracking and pushing back against anti-trans laws, finding and sign-posting to local trans charities like Mermaids, or holding your employer accountable for trans-inclusive policies, there is no shortage of ways to stay informed and active. It is not every trans person's responsibility to teach us everything, nor should their voices be left to advocate alone. As a cis queer man, I realise that I hold power and privilege in spaces that many trans people do not. Since our power divided is much less of a challenge for those who seek to do us harm, now is our time to reaffirm our solidarity and practise active allyship. Here are some practical ways that we all can leverage our power to be an active ally. Examine our own unconscious bias with self-reflection and model this practice for other cis people. Speak up when we witness transphobic comments, microaggressions, and policies. Don’t assume we know what’s best for trans people and instead be willing to learn. Show up when asked emotionally, physically, and/or mentally for other trans people without taking up space. Educate ourselves on a local, national, and global level to best serve our communities, including by registering to vote. The necessity for cis people to be active allies cannot be underscored enough as trans rights and lives are threatened globally. We have the opportunity to do something about this now. Today. Right at this moment. Let us use our voice and power. In the words of Audre Lorde, “My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you.” Jon-Paul Vicari (he/him) Jon-Paul is the Managing Director at We Create Space and a queer Lebanese man living with depression. Since coming out in 2004, Jon-Paul has been a strong supporter of the LGBTQ+ community. He has volunteered with HIV/AIDS NGOs, organized community events for LGBTQ+ youths, created DEI programming, advised on inclusive products and services, supported LGBTQ+ political candidates, and worked on recruiting diverse talent. Find more information about Jon-Paul here. While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

We delve into our partnership with global beauty brand Garnier, and share some of the consultancy we gave on their UK Pride Campaign - from community up-skilling, education and awareness training to supporting with an inclusive campaign and advocacy strategy. Overview As part of their mission to celebrate ALL skin (inclusive of ALL races, genders, ages and sexual orientations) for their Micellar product re-launch during Pride Month, Garnier was looking for a partner to help educate, safeguard, and advocate for LGBTQ+ people and allies both internally and externally. Core Challenges Underneath the rainbows and glitter, Pride is an inherently political event. And politics is messy, confusing and difficult. With consideration for navigating a polarised world and avoiding ‘rainbow washing’, Garnier recognised a knowledge-gap and urgency to develop and implement inclusivity at every step of the campaign. New product launch connected to the LGBTQ+ community require a holistic approach to support stakeholders at all levels through two key components: Community Upskilling, Education and Awareness as well as Inclusive Campaign and Advocacy Strategy. "It was the first time that we’ve spoken outwardly for the LGBTQIA+ community. Something we were really conscious of is that we didn’t want this to be a one off - flash in the pan campaign - that we know attract a lot of criticism for very good reasons. We wanted to join an existing conversation in a meaningful way." - Maddy Lewis (she/her), Senior Advocacy Brand Manager at Garnier Solutions: Community Upskilling, Education & Awareness WCS consultancy on build up with core campaign team, and strategy for navigating internal setbacks Wider inclusion training of Garnier team and cross functional partners ‘LGBTQ+ Intersectional Allyship’ panel discussion for L'Oréal UKI Inclusion and safeguarding workshop and recommendations for ambassadors Upskilling Community and Comms teams (e.g. Cheat Sheet/Best Practices for Managing Campaign Feedback) Inclusive Campaign & Advocacy Strategy Critical guidance and grass-roots insights for selecting charity partnership Expert talent curation and content development to spotlight diverse representation PR and Communications review (e.g. press releases, campaign video edits) Inclusive production guidelines and toolkit (e.g. pronoun badges on set) Customer education resources (e.g. Allyship guide creation) Outcomes: Highest ever engagement and campaign reach (to 60M people) New process defined for inclusive community management and safeguarding for Garnier advocates Authentic expression of values brought to new and existing audiences globally (more feedback affirming brand’s allyship) Increased Emotional Intelligence and empowerment for teams to make inclusive decisions (new allies converted internally) Learnings used to inform L’Oreal’s wider inclusive brand guidelines and communications "Our purpose was to lead this campaign globally for Garnier, but we also wanted to activate it in right way, here in the UK, and lead by example. We Create Space helped us do that. It is one of the highest engagement we’ve had on a campaign to date and enabled us to reinvent a conversation on a well-established product." - Maddy Lewis (she/her), Senior Advocacy Brand Manager, at Garnier While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Lesbian executive Nancy Di Dia poses questions to transgender activist Eva Echo on workplace allyship, sexism and the common struggles cis and trans women share. At We Create Space we're passionate about forging connections and solidarity across different identity groups. In this new series we're pairing together different change-makers from our Global Leadership Collective and asking them to interview each other, sharing wisdom from their careers, personal lives and lived experiences as Queer Leaders. Eva Echo is a highly respected trans activist, writer, and public speaker with a passionate focus on transgender rights and mental health. Eva is well-known for their courageous legal action against NHS England in the High Court, challenging the unlawful waiting times for trans patients, and for her vital role on the Crown Prosecution Service’s hate crime panel. Nancy Di Dia is a highly accomplished corporate executive with over 25 years of experience in the field of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Belonging (DEIJB). Nancy is known for her leadership and expertise in creating inclusive workplaces. Throughout her career, Nancy has been a fierce advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, particularly as it relates to patients and healthcare. Nancy: What are some successful strategies for building and maintaining allyship across multi-faceted identities in workplaces? Eva: Call me old-fashioned but I firmly believe that the most successful strategies are the simplest ones. Why? Because they’re overlooked and under-utilised. We are all human, it’s impossible for everyone to get along all the time. The sooner we stop trying to force some kind of utopia, the sooner we can focus on respecting one another’s boundaries, and who we are. Yes, there’ll be exceptions, and they can be dealt with through formal procedures. Making space for each other, to listen to one another, is essential. Allyship comes from understanding that we have more in common with those around us than we realise. So why aren’t all companies and organisations marking time for that? A multi-faceted workplace will always naturally be more successful because of the diversity of lived experience. It’s so obvious, when you think about it. WCS Resource: Ready to become an active ally? Follow our 7 step guide. Nancy: Can you highlight and share some of your own experiences navigating and confronting discrimination? How can we work towards mitigating discrimination and promoting inclusion at work? Eva: In an age where hate crime and discrimination are widely talked about, much of the negativity in the workplace comes in the form of microaggressions. Subtle digs and comments, designed to undermine a person’s confidence and belonging. I’ve experienced so many over the years for the colour of my skin, my religion, and the way I present. They don’t get you down straight away, but they chip away at you as a person. It can even look like proactively excluding certain people based on bias, whether conscious or not. When I was employed full time, I was held back from promotion over and over simply because I didn’t fit the mould. My lack of conformity made me uncontrollable in management’s eyes, but I was simply being me: expressive and autistic. I got the job done but not in the way they wanted. It’s important to remember and acknowledge that a person can suffer from more than one form of discrimination. Just focusing on a person’s gender identity, for example, but not the colour of their skin or sexuality, means diminishing that individual’s experience. It’s important to reflect upon why one person may be more targeted than others. Allies must be encouraged to speak up when they see discrimination taking place. To create change, we need to break cycles – including being a bystander or thinking it’s not our problem. WCS Resource: Learn how you can interrupt microaggressions in the workplace. Nancy: The intersectionality of ageism and sexism have impacted how our workplaces look today, particularly concerning the underrepresentation of older women in leadership positions.  How do you think we can better leverage the 5 generations across the workforce? Eva: Visibility and representation are so important, it’s incredibly difficult to aim for something if we can’t see it. Historically, men have not only dominated leadership positions, but they’re seen as wiser, more mature, and therefore more capable. Even now, women continue to be discriminated against because of their age and going through menopause. There is a deeply ingrained belief that women are somehow less capable as we age, and these attitudes need to change. There is no place for sexism or misogyny in the workplace, or in any community. No ifs, no buts. We only have to look at female actors who are paid less and offered less opportunities, simply because they’ve aged. But men age too! Why is ageing a negative for women? As much as it’ll pain them to admit, the older generation needs to listen to women more. Less of the entitlement or arrogance, and more empathy and tolerance. Fact is, the world is always evolving, and it’s ok to admit that you may not be up to date - but that doesn’t mean you get to talk over or even silence those who are. Listening and sharing experience will create such a powerful workforce, one that is more able to adapt and to lead. WCS Resource: Hear more perspectives on intergenerational wisdom from the We Create Space collective. Nancy: What are some of the challenges faced by individuals across cis and trans identities when navigating hormonal changes like menopause or gender-affirming hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the workplace? Why is it so important to accommodate diverse health needs and provide support for employees undergoing such transitions? Eva: Both menopause and medically transitioning are shrouded in mystery, which gives rise to so much misinformation. In reality, cis and trans people share so many common struggles when accessing HRT, whether it be getting started or living with the life-changing effects. There’s currently a lot of talk about providing more assistance for cis women experiencing menopause, to ensure they can still thrive in the workplace, but little to no enthusiasm for trans people getting the same. A one-size-fits-all approach will simply diminish a person’s identity. Instead of gatekeeping who and why, we should be focusing on solutions that are individual-led, and for other employees to realise that nobody gets special treatment. Happy employees are more productive employees, and by supporting and investing in individuals, we are not just committing to them in the long-term, but we’re sending an important message: that they matter. WCS Resource: Accessing gender-affirming healthcare can be complicated and expensive - but it shouldn’t have to be. Learn how businesses can support employees through transitioning. Nancy: As you reflect on personal experiences and lessons learned throughout your illustrious career journey, what advice would you offer your younger self on navigating workplace dynamics, overcoming discrimination, and fostering inclusion? Eva: Before I came out, I was so afraid to be seen and judged. I remember going for a job interview years ago where I wore nail polish. After the interview, I had a call from the agency. They would normally call to ask how it went. This time, the first thing they said was “Were you wearing nail polish?” News travelled fast. That experience caused me to cease any further efforts to express myself. I honestly wish I could tell my younger self that it’s ok to put yourself out there, to stand your ground and to be the one that starts to rock the boat for change. There will always be those who oppose inclusion or have very close-minded views of the world, but don’t let them hold you back. If anything, their views hold them back. To anybody that may feel like they don’t have a place or that their voice isn’t appreciated, do it anyway. Take that space because if you don’t, someone else will claim it. You could be paving the way for or even liberating someone, without even realising. Above all else, be your own kind of beautiful. Just by existing, you are playing a huge part towards change. Check back soon for part two, where Eva interviews Nancy. Eva Echo (she/they) Eva is an accomplished leader, serving as the Director of Innovation at Birmingham Pride and Trans In The City. Eva is passionate about workplace allyship, intersectionality, and mental health, and has a wealth of knowledge on language and terminology, identity, trans rights and healthcare. Find more information about Eva here. Nancy Di Dia (she/her) As a gay female, Nancy has a deep understanding of the challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community and served as a Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer for over 20 years. Her extensive experience and expertise make her an invaluable resource for organizations looking to improve their DEIJB efforts and create more inclusive environments. Find more information about Nancy here. While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletters so you can stay up to date!

My Best Ally: An evening of queer art, conversation and celebration in Barcelona. We had the pleasure of hosting the Spanish inauguration of Sophia Emmerich and Lisa-Sophie Kempke’s powerful new photo exhibition “My Best Ally”, a project which explores meaningful connections between LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies from outside the queer bubble, encouraging genuine allyship across communities. Surrounded by Sophia and Lisa-Sophie's beautiful photos, speakers from the We Create Space collective led a panel discussion touching on their own profound allyship experiences, followed by celebration and dancing to the tunes of Me Siento Extrana and DJ OwBe! Our Speakers: Barry Brandon (any pronouns) Kari Serrano (she/her) Yassine Senghor (any pronouns) Kevin Hawkins (he/him) We'd like to extend a special thanks to LABTWENTYTWO for their support and allowing us to use their space in Barcelona for this event. Photos by Emiliano Del Piccolo While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

With Trans Awareness Week just around the corner it's a great time to invest in training programmes to support your transgender employees. Here are some of our favourites. As visibility of transgender and non-binary identities has increased more and more people have felt able to be open about their gender identity at work, but many businesses and organisations are still failing to provide adequate support for these employees. By providing opportunities to explore trans specific issues and perspectives through transgender training programmes, we can create stronger cultures of belonging, improve the mental health of marginalised employees and develop the next generation of Queer Leaders. The following is a list of our top ten training programmes to benefit trans people in the workplace, both through creating opportunities for growth amongst trans employees and by encouraging other employees to be better allies to their trans coworkers. All of our events, training programmes and corporate solutions are fully bespoke, delivered by our global team of experts, and tailored to the needs of our clients . Don't be afraid to get in touch if you're looking for something not on this list! 1) Being Trans in the Workplace. Webinar, Workshop or Panel Discussion. In this educational webinar, attendees will learn about gender and identity, as well as how to become an ally to Trans and Non-Binary individuals both in and out of the workplace. The session will cover language and terminology, and guest speakers will share their experiences on how to support and empower gender-diverse colleagues and clients. The webinar will also provide a safe space for conversation, reflection, and opportunities to ask questions. Request more info. 2) What is Non-Binary? Talk or Panel Discussion. A session exploring different gender non-conforming identities in the workplace - becoming more aware of important LGBTQ+ language and terminology, understanding that there is no 'one way' to present as any identity, and simply working toward creating a more inviting and inclusive space for everyone. Request more info. 3) Pronouns 101. Webinar, Workshop or Panel Discussion. This webinar provides an informative discussion on the importance of inclusive language and terminology in the workplace, particularly regarding pronouns, to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for trans and non-binary individuals. Through providing an understanding of key LGBTQ+ terminology and concepts, participants will be encouraged to reflect on the impact of language and best practices for creating respectful work environments. The session will also provide strategies for responding to and correcting inappropriate or incorrect language. Request more info. 4) The Future of Queer Leadership. Talk or Panel Discussion. A session exploring what Queer Leadership means today - the challenges the trans community is currently facing and what can be done to support individuals at every level with identifying their full potential and becoming more authentic, impactful and compassionate leaders. Request more info. 5) Transgender & Non-Binary History 101 . Webinar, Workshop or Panel Discussion. Transgender and non-binary identities are sometimes misunderstood as being a modern phenomenon, but gender-diverse people have existed across the globe throughout human history. In this session we will cover terminology, history, myths and stereotypes relating to the transgender and non-binary communities as well as barriers the community is facing. Participants will learn actionable steps to take to be more trans and non-binary inclusive and changes that can create a more-inclusive organisation. Request more info. 6) Who Am I? Leadership Programme. ‘Who am I?’ is a workshop series supporting trans and non-binary people with becoming more impactful and intuitive leaders. Each bespoke workshop takes a group of participants through a unique process of deeper self-enquiry; exploring identity and authenticity through a sequence of experiential workshops. With greater clarity of 'self', we become more intuitive with our decisions, and more intentional with how we show up to influence and support others. Request more info. 7) Creative Reflections: Trans & Non-Binary Perspectives. Talk or Panel Discussion. In this session participants will hear from trans and non-binary creatives about how they approach and utilise their creativity to aid their own personal development, understand their identity and show up as their authentic selves. Participants will learn how to better engage with and utilise their own sense of creativity in both their personal and professional lives. Request more info. 8) How to Navigate Change. Webinar or Workshop. Whether you're a trans person coming into your identity and transitioning, or trying to support trans coworkers and loved ones, it is essential to be equipped with the necessary tools to weather change. This session explores a range of techniques to aid in navigating and processing change. Participants take part in various creative and interactive activities to help uncover new information, process what comes up and to discover brand new perspectives. Request more info. 9) Gender Identity 101. Webinar or Workshop. ​ This beginner session covers all the basics of gender identity and how to approach it in the workplace, drawing from key resources found in psychology and prominent gender studies. Participants will gain and understanding of the differences between sex, gender identity and gender expression and how to support gender diverse colleagues. The webinar will also provide a safe space for conversation, reflection, and opportunities to ask questions. Request more info. 10) Inclusive Policies. Webinar or Workshop. In this session participants will learn how to design and implement workplace policies that are inclusive of the needs of transgender, non-binary and gender diverse employees. Participants will be educated on unconscious bias, common exclusionary policy mistakes and best practices for inclusive language. Request more info. While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here . We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here . New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletters so you can stay up to date!

After spending a year travelling the globe, Luke Lopez reflects on how living as a digital nomad has changed his outlook on life as Queer person. Here are 8 lessons he learned along the way... By Luke Lopez By July 2021, I’d gotten my second does of the vaccine, and at the same time, I’d received an email that Remote Year (a company that organizes and facilitates a unique travel program for digital nomads) was back in action, and I had this immediate feeling of, “Now’s the time, if not now, then when? If you don’t do this now, you never will.” That’s why when the idea bubbled up in me, I knew without a doubt that it was finally time to realize one of my biggest dreams since my early twenties. So I took the leap, paid that down payment and started preparing. In Dec 2021, I left Toronto in search of a new beginning. Something to heal the last few years spent enduring a traumatic global pandemic and push me into post-traumatic growth. It was time to do the around-the-world travel year I had been putting off. I lived and worked remotely for 12 months in 12 countries with a group of 14 digital nomads, traversing the globe from Dec 2021-Dec 2022. We started in Latin America, headed to Europe, then to South Africa, and finished in Asia. Taking a broader perspective, in today's world, it’s crucial to acknowledge the persistent injustices that still plague the lives of queer individuals around the world. At the time of writing, it’s still illegal to be LGBTQ+ in 64 UN member States, according to a new database by ILGA World. Many also criminalize transgender people. 13 countries do this mostly using “cross-dressing” laws. The simple act of waving a rainbow flag, or holding hands with your partner, or expressing you’re queer could be dangerous and unthinkable. However, amidst these challenges, there are also reasons for celebration. Over the past 30 years, 49 UN member States have decriminalized consensual same-sex sexual acts. Over 34 countries now recognize marriage equality, and at least 15 acknowledge a neutral gender-marker on passports. As LGBTQ+ travellers or nomads, we must approach our journeys with intention and planning to ensure our safety and well-being while abroad. 1. Unfolding Identity and Recognizing Global LGBTQ+ Realities. As I embarked on my journey, I discovered that it was not just an exploration of the world, but also a profound journey of self-discovery. How had I been changed by the pandemic? What did I need to purge? Did all those years of therapy really sink in? Who am I after my divorce? Contrary to popular belief, travel doesn't always provide an escape; instead, it confronts you with your true self and the experiences that have shaped you. Through travel, I found that it uncovers your deepest truths, allowing for more clarity and self-awareness that often eludes me at home. Being a queer traveller opened doors to unfolding my identity in ways I never thought possible. The varying degrees of LGBTQ+ acceptance in different cities, with some offering vibrant queer spaces and communities while others lack them entirely, highlight the significance of embracing one's true self wherever you go (while prioritizing safety). In Medellin, Colombia I still recall being in the park with a date and both of us being aggressively frisked by the cops just for sitting together holding hands. This was so wild to me, especially growing up in Toronto where that would never happen. We were both terrified, luckily, nothing worse happened. That said, we both left that incident shaken. This reminds me that our experiences as LGBTQ+ people depending where we’re born are so vastly different and to never take our liberties for granted. 2. Owning My Authenticity and Unveiling Multitudes. During my adventures abroad, I made sure to assess the LGBTQ+ vibes of each city and fully own my queerness in unique ways. In Peru, I rocked some killer nail art. All year I proudly displayed my LGBTQ+ pins on my jean jacket collar. In the later part of the year, I went all out and dyed my hair blonde and then after a striking hot pink, as an act of unapologetic self-expression. In Vietnam, I indulged my fashion craving by getting custom-made clothes that perfectly matched my style. But the ultimate highlight was my epic Britney Spears-themed birthday bash in Bali. I rocked a "Oops I Did It Again" custom outfit, and to my absolute joy, I had 25 fellow travellers join in the fun, with over 12 of them wearing their own custom outfits. It's essential to stay true to yourself no matter where you go and refuse to dim your light based on your environment. Also, turns out, there's a massive gap between being a traveller and a tourist. When you actually live in a place rather than just visiting, it completely changes the way you see things. Living in a place gives you a whole new perspective and allows you to explore different sides of yourself. It's like trying on different versions of you, and each place you live in brings out a unique aspect of your personality. It's surprising how these experiences can shape you and bring out new dimensions of who you are, especially when it comes to your queerness. And here's the best part: these amazing multitudes you unlock during your travels? They stick with you long after you've left those places behind. 3. Tapping Into the Power of Community and Global Connections. Unfortunately, social acceptance doesn’t always translate into legal rights, so be aware of those disconnects when you’re traveling and know beforehand what the reality is for queer locals by doing your research. I witnessed firsthand the profound impact of inclusivity and allyship through my group. In reality, a trip like this will attract more white straight cis-het middle class folks, but there were still also wonderful POC and queer travellers that I met along the way. Plot twist, I made more white, straight, male-identifying friends/allies than ever before, healing some of my own childhood trauma/stigmas in the process. I’ll never forget when a friend from Toronto sent me a story about a A Trans Activist Who Was On His Honeymoon In Bali Who Died After Police Detained Him. It shocked me to read and made me incredibly scared to enter Indonesia. In a panic, I shared this with the group I was traveling with, and my friend Matt messaged me to say that if I ever felt unsafe, I shouldn't hesitate to reach out to him for support, he’d show up no matter what. That moment of reassurance and allyship meant everything to me, as it allowed me to trust that someone had my back. I entered Indonesia cautious but with far less worry. Community-building on a global scale has been one of the most remarkable and rewarding aspects of my journey. The ability to connect with people from different corners of the world, and form friendships on a global scale is truly extraordinary. This gift of a global network of friends pays dividends in ways that are immeasurable — enriching life tenfold. 4. Conquering Challenges and Discovering Hidden Strengths on the Path to Personal Growth. No adventure is complete without its fair share of triumphs and challenges. Language barriers, unfamiliar customs, and unexpected obstacles tested my resilience. I never did fully learn as much Spanish as I thought I would, but that’s ok, I got by with what I knew (and google translate). But through these experiences, I grew stronger, more adaptable, and more self-assured. For instance, I never considered myself a hiker, I hate being in pain or discomfort, like most folks. I used to grimace at the invitation of a hike. However, when I embarked on the challenging ascent of an active volcano (Fuego) in Guatemala, enduring a gruelling nine-hour hike (while with a stomach bug, damn altitude!), and witnessed the awe-inspiring spectacle of its eruptions occurring every 15 minutes, I was not only captivated by the grandeur of nature but also deeply amazed by the remarkable capabilities of both my body and mind. In that moment at the summit, I realized that few achievements can rival the profound sense of accomplishment derived from such a remarkable feat. Sometimes, the thing we dread most doing can be the most fulfilling and unforgettable. 5. Adopting a Digital Nomad Lifestyle for Freedom and Cultural Enrichment. Amidst the allure of this newfound digital nomad lifestyle, I soon discovered the challenges that came with it. Finding balance became an ongoing struggle as I navigated different time zones, grappled with my physical limitations, inconsistent productivity, and dealt with constant change. The fatigue and travel burnout were very real. It took some time, but I discovered new ways to sustain myself while on the move, allowing for the flexibility to explore and create simultaneously while prioritizing what brought me a genuine sense of freedom. Ultimately, the goal became making work not the center of my identity, just a part of it. Also, technology became my ally, offering support on-the-go, connectivity, and the ability to build communities, work through challenging situations, and maintain my relationships back home and all over the world. I discovered a deeper sense of security, when I realized that my close relationships can endure and thrive across vast distances. Experiencing firsthand the nuances, traditions, and customs of various cultures provided me with an enriched outlook on the world. I was eager to stay ahead of the curve, I relished in the emerging remote work culture of a post-pandemic world and the innovative ways in which digital nomads were shaping the future of work. 6. Navigating Reverse Culture Shock and Finding Belonging in a Changed City. Returning from such a transformative journey was not without its own set of challenges. Initially the familiarity of home felt strangely foreign, and I grappled with reverse culture shock. I was grieving who I was before the pandemic, the little pocket of camaraderie I had with my bubble of close friends who, without fail, I played board games with every weekend for almost two years during the pandemic. I struggled with ambient grief, feeling a sense of loss for the experiences I missed in Toronto while I was gone and a longing to make up for lost time in my friends’ lives. It’s like I travelled to the future where everything looked the same, but everything felt vastly different. That sense of being out of place persists as I readjust to a changed city, it's colder culture, and pace, challenging my sense of belonging. The exorbitant cost of living adds to the uncertainty about staying in Toronto long-term, prompting me to question my long-term goals and explore alternative models for my future. Despite the disconnection from the city itself, I still found an anchor in the connection and care from my chosen family and loved ones. 7. Rediscovering Who I Truly Am. Ultimately, this adventure was more than just ticking off destinations on a map and fulfilling a lifelong dream; it was a profound exploration of my queer identity, a challenge to define what a fully realized life means to me, and a rediscovery of who I truly am. I was able to start to see my life from different vantage points. One where I could live a life of my own design, which I’m still figuring out now as I integrate all that I’ve experienced and learned from my travels. As a queer nomad and traveller, what I cherished most was to live without the traditional expectations and milestones imposed by a heteronormative society. Instead of lamenting what I didn't have, I saw endless possibilities ahead surrounded by other folks who had the same outlook as me. Experiencing the world, fundamentally shifts your internal world. When you’ve gone through that much change, your ability to adapt becomes second nature. 8. Redefining Home. l've come to realise that the idea of home no longer becomes confined to a physical place or specific location. Instead, it encompasses the deep connections I've forged with amazing friends from all over the world, the nurturing routines I've established for myself, and the overall sense of belonging and comfort it evokes. Home is now a rich tapestry of relationships, self-care practices, and a profound feeling of contentment. It's knowing at the end of the day that I can create home and be proudly queer anywhere I go. Luke Lopez (he/they) Luke is Freelance Art Director and a passionate speaker. He was previously the co-founder and design director of DESALU Creative. You can find more information about Luke here. While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

To celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month, we've curated a selection of Queer Leaders and Organisations from the past and present who have shaped history through their actions and courageously created space for others. As Queer Leaders and change makers, we wouldn't be who we are today if it weren't for some iconic figures and organisations who came before us. An inherent aspect of being an activist or an advocate is to positively insight change and create space for others, including those who may come after you. Our team have chosen a small selection of Queer Role Models whom they find inspiring - for the work they're currently doing within the community or the legacy they have left behind. John Radclyffe Hall (1880-1940) A lesbian poet and author, known for writing “The Well of Loneliness”, a lesbian novel which underwent an obscenity trial in the UK, resulting in it being banned and copies of the book destroyed. The ban was lifted 30 years later. Living off money inherited from her wealthy father, she was able to live without working or marrying, instead spending her time pursuing various women. She was in a relationship with sculptor Una Troubridge until her death in 1936. Radam Ridwan (they/them) Unapologetic and an icon of our time, Radam is someone who you cannot fail to look up to, the power and knowledge they carry in their 6’5 frame is electric and they are full of heart! They are a model and a writer who uses their social media platforms to share educational and uplifting content that can't help but make us smile. Jay Stewart (he/him) Currently a member of the national Transgender Advisory board for trans pioneers, Jay Stewart has been part of the trans community for almost two decades, and has led a national grassroots organisation with a wealth of lived, years of experience and in depth knowledge of the trans community. Jay is the CEO and founder of Gendered Intelligence, the largest trans organisation in the UK. Dr Rita Nketiah, PhD (she/her) Rita is a Ghanaian researcher at Human Rights Watch – an activist-led fund dedicated to strengthening gender diversity and sexual rights in West Africa. To me she represents this academic force – her research interests covers critical subjects like diaspora homeland engagement, African migration, and African feminist movements. She is relentlessly documenting LGBTI communities in West Africa and is a powerful voice against gender-based violence. Lady Phyll (she/her) Co-founder and Executive Director of UK Black Pride and Executive Director at human rights charity Kaleidoscope Trust. A force to be reckoned with, and an unapologetic champion on issues of race, gender, and sexuality; Phyll has proven herself to be formidable in the fight for equality for QPOC and in carving out spaces that celebrate and elevate QTIPOC experiences. Edafe Okporo (he/him) Edafe is a multidisciplinary artist, leader, and powerful activist born and raised in Nigeria. He advocated for gay men’s rights - and was forced to flee Nigeria as a result of his activism. A refugee in New York City, he documented his experiences of detention centres, homelessness, grief, and exploration of his queerness in a foreign world. He recently founded the DRJ shelter, a safe space for refugees in New York. Shay Patten-Walker (they/them) (1998 - 2022) Shay was a young Black queer non-binary person based in London. They were a speaker, activist, and volunteer youth worker; studying creative digital media. Shay used their voice to inspire, educate, and empower, creating positive change and uplifting the QTIBPOC community. They took part in Gendered Intelligence's Activist Network (GIANTS) where they curated campaigns to improve the lives of gender diverse people. Shay walker was a pillar of the community, inspiring us all internationally. Their relentless light will never be forgotten. Nakhane (they/them) Nakhane Mahlakahlaka is a South African singer, songwriter, actor, and novelist. An outspoken and politically engaged person, their binary-defying approach to their art is the epitome of Queer magic to me. Nakhane’s vocals have offered me soundtracks to important personal memories over the years. Their song ‘We Dance Again’ (with Black Coffee) is one you’ll often find playing at the start of We Create Space events. James Barry (1789-1865) A transgender military surgeon who rose to the second highest medical position in the British Army. He worked to improve the conditions of soldiers and natives in British colonies. He lived his entire adult life as a man, with his sex only becoming known publicly after a woman who had had access to his body after his death took the story to the press. Fanny Ann Eddy (she/her) (1974 - 2004) A courageous woman with deep commitment to lesbian and gay rights in her native Sierra Leone and throughout Africa. In 2002, she founded the Sierra Leone Lesbian and Gay Association. The group documented harassment and discrimination of LGBT people, providing social and psychological support to the country’s fearful underground community. Eddy publicly lobbied government ministers to end state-sponsored oppression. Selly Thiam (she/her) Selly is a Senegalese-American journalist and filmmaker who founded None on Record, an African digital media organisation dedicated to lifting the voices and stories of African LGBTQIA people. Her podcast Afroqueer changed the game for me. It offered me stories I’d yearned for my whole life. It breaks the silence around African LGBTQIA experiences and challenges the miscommunications that we are un-African, unauthentic, and invisible. Nong Toom (she/her) Nong Toom, a kathoey (a Thai gender identity roughly equivalent to a trans woman), became a boxer at 16 to fund her transition. She captured the interest of the media, turning up to fights in full makeup. The sport embraced her, and her participation revitalised public interest in Muay Thai. She retired after funding her surgery, but later made a boxing comeback in the mid 2000s. She has also worked as a model and actress. Claude Cahun (1894 - 1954) Cahun was a French surrealist photographer, working in the first half of the 20th Century. They're best known as a self-portraitist, whose work explores the fluidity of gender. In their autobiography, Cahun described their gender in the following way: "Masculine? Feminine? It depends on the situation. Neuter is the only gender that always suits me." Street Tranvestite Action Revolutionaries (1970-1973) STAR was an activist collective founded by Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson. In addition to carrying out political demonstrations and regular meetings, STAR aimed to provide housing to the homeless within the LGBTQ+ community, with Rivera and Johnson frequently facing homelessness themselves. Together they fundraised enough money to purchase a four bedroom apartment which became STAR House. The pair primarily funded the House and supported their queer children through sex work. Audre Lorde (she/her) (1934 - 2002) An American writer, feminist, womanist, librarian and civil rights activist. Lorde’s work drew upon her intersectional life experience to address the injustices of sexism, racism, classism and homophobia. Through her poetry, letters and teaching, Lorde sought to make these conversations accessible beyond the confines of gatekeeping white academic circles. Chay Brown (he/him) Co-founded TransActual in 2017 in response to media transphobia and misinformation about trans people Chay led the team that created the Trans Lives Survey 2021, which highlighted the inequalities faced by trans people in the UK. Chay has led the campaign to reinstate and improve access to NHS bottom surgery for trans men and nonbinary people, stepping in to communicate the most up to date information with those impacted when the NHS has not. Chay has also appeared on BBC Radio and Channel 5, speaking on trans people's access to healthcare. Chevalier D’Éon (1728-1820) D’Éon was a French diplomat and spy who infiltrated the court of Empress Elizabeth of Russia by presenting as a woman. They lived as a man for 49 years, but began presenting as a woman full-time when they returned to France after being pardoned for their previous exile. The word “Eonism”, taken from their name, was previously used to describe transgender people. Travis Alabanza (they/them) Travis is an award winning writer, performer and theatre maker. They identify as Black, transfeminine and gender non-conforming. Alabanza's work focuses on the importance of trans rights as well as the need for safe spaces for trans and gender non-conforming people, driven in strength by personal experience - they articulate the world beyond binary gender in ways that empower and unite us as a community which is a rare gift. Amara the Lesbian (she/her) Amara is an activist, YouTuber and lesbian living in Nigeria. She and her partner Olayinka tattooed each other’s name on their ring fingers when they got married, as a sign of their love and commitment in defiance of Nigerian law prohibiting same-sex marriages. Her content covers issues relating to polyamory, feminism, family and self care. She continues to champion the rights of LGBTQ+ Nigerians. Third Genders in Indigenous Cultures. Third genders have existed in countless cultures across the globe throughout human history, often taking on spiritual roles within communities. Modern examples of indigenous third genders include the fa'afafine of Samoa, the hijra of the Indian subcontinent and the various Native American identities which fall under the two-spirit label. In many cases third genders were an accepted part of their respective cultures until they were marginalised as a result of (often British) imperialism. Cherish Oteka (they/them) Winner of the 2022 BAFTA award for best short film. A documentary film-maker who aims to provide a platform for marginalised communities, so they can share their story on their own terms. Cherish has worked with some well known brands and broadcasters, including VICE, SBTV, Stonewall, London Live and BBC One. Most recently Cherish produced and directed "Too Gay for God?" a documentary for BBC One, exploring the place for LGBTIQ+ people within the Church of England. Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (1984-2015) LGSM was an alliance of queer people, founded by Mark Ashton and Mike Jackson, who supported and raised money for the National Union of Mineworkers during their major strike between 1984-1985. This resulted in a reciprocal alliance between the LGBTQ+ community and miner labour groups, with miners joining pride parades, voting in support of LGBTQ+ rights and campaigning against Section 28. Max Siegel (he/they) Max is a speaker, advocate and content creator. His passion is using his experience in events and corporate culture, coupled with his lived experience as a trans person to educate people and make genuine change. They share important, informative content on inclusion and queer rights, but also give us an insight into the joy they experience in their life with a sense of humility and approachability. Virginia Woolf (1882 - 1941) An acclaimed modernist author, who has been influential throughout the feminist movement. Woolf was either a lesbian or bisexual and had affairs with various women. Her relationship with Vita Sackville-West inspired her novel “Orlando”, about a poet whose sex changes throughout the course of the novel. Zanele Muholi (they/them) Zanele is a South African visual activist and photographer. Their work offers a powerful exploration Black, Queer identity – their striking signature black-and-white portraits always capture the humanity and soul of their subjects – how their African heritage glows across their skin, faces, and bodies. Zanele’s art reminds me of what’s possible when we can choose to look at ourselves with curiosity, rawness, tenderness and an unconditional acceptance. Fox Fisher (they/he) Fox is an artist, film maker, author and trans campaigner, whose art has been viewed by millions around the world. Through the children's books that they write and illustrate, Fox is helping engineer a strong foundation of support, education and representation for the next generation of Trans and Non-Binary Leaders, as well as their allies. Gladys Bentley (1907 - 1960) An American blues singer, pianist and lesbian, cross-dressing performer during the Harlem Renaissance. Headlining in the early 1930s at Harlem's Ubangi Club, she was backed up by a chorus line of drag queens. Bentley openly had relationships with women early in her career, and continuously faced criticism for her masculine attire but ultimately, her talent won over audiences across the country. Iesha Palmer (they/them) Iesha is a creative thinker, speaker and body positive advocate. Hailing from the beautiful Turks & Caicos Islands, this is where their love for community engagement began. They currently work as a campaign officer for UK-based charity, Mermaids, supporting transgender and gender-variant children and young people, and was instrumental in starting the charity's podcast, “She said, They said.” HOLAA Founded by Tiffany Kagure Mugo and Christel Antonites Siphumeze Khundayi, Hub of Loving Action in Africa (HOLAA) is a pan-Africanist hub space for queer African women to submit their own experiences of sexuality, sensuality, pleasure, and bodily autonomy, creating an archive of their stories. As well as hosting offline events and workshops, HOLAA use their blog, social media and podcast to uplift the voices of queer African women, both on the continent and within the diaspora. Michelle Ross (she/her) The founder of CliniQ the first UK holistic sexual health and HIV service for transgender and non-binary people. With 34 years in sexual health, HIV and wellbeing behind her, she is a member of IRGT: A global network of trans women, advocating for trans issues in the international HIV response. Laila Yahaya (they/them) Laila is a Queer, Muslim, feminist, educator and a human rights activist from Ghana. Laila is the co-founder and director of One Love Sisters Ghana. In this current critical climate where Ghanaian law is denying LGBTQIA+ persons fair access to their fundamental rights, Laila’s work boldly tackles discussions around gender based violence, sexual and reproductive health, consent, LGBT+ rights and more. Jeffrey Marsh (they/them) Jeffrey is a coach, speaker, writer and activist, known for their thoughtful and uplifting video content on social media. Their long-standing work as an advocate, raising awareness for the issues that non-binary people face, is respected and an inspiration to many. Through their coaching and writing they impart their experience and knowledge to the wider community. Azekel Axelle Nasa (they/them) A Black queer non-binary activist based in Leeds and London, who aims to build a world where Black Trans and gender-nonconforming people have the same access to healthcare and opportunities as their cisgender counterparts. Their most recent work has been setting up a community interest company, The Black Trans foundation, a non-profit organisation working for the advancement of Black Trans people in the UK. Staceyann Chinn (she/her) Proudly identifying as a Caribbean, Black, Asian lesbian, Staceyann Chin is also a poet, actor, and performing artist. Her work includes “Crossfire: A Litany For Survival”, the critically acclaimed memoir “The Other Side of Paradise” and multiple one-woman shows. She centres themes of identity, belonging, desire, sexuality and parenthood through witty and evocative wordplay. Jonathan Van Ness (they/he/she) Jonathan is most famous for managing manes on Queer Eye but they also embrace curiosity and learning in their award-winning podcast “Getting Curious”. Jonathan’s position as a public figure has given non-binary identity a foothold in modern culture, showing the world that non-binary identities cannot remain on the sideline - we are stars too. Raven Saunders (she/her) An American track and field athlete who competes in the shot put and discus throw. Saunders recently won a silver medal in shot put at the 2020 Olympics in Japan. Often seen sporting bold and bright hair colours, she champions marginalised people, most notably holding her arms in an X on the podium when accepting her Olympic medal. Fola Francis (she/it) Fola is a fashion designer and content creator. A trans woman living in Nigeria, she expresses her creativity and passion unapologetically as herself. She runs a fashion brand that serves everyone - regardless of their expression. During the #ENDSARS protests, in which queer Nigerians led a nationwide uprising against police brutality Fola supported the cause by making t-shirts proclaiming “Queer Lives Matter” and offered them to protesters and activists. Calver Touré (he/him) Calver is the Director of Alternative - Côte d’Ivoire, an LGBTQIA rights organisation that fights homophobia and advocates for better health care for sexual minorities, especially HIV and AIDS treatment. Calver’s work helped me connect to activism spaces in my native Côte d’Ivoire. As one of the most visible and instrumental voices of change in my country, his advocacy not only gave me hope but an array of learning materials to help guide my own journey. Dr Ronx (they/them) Dr Ronx is a queer, Black, androgynous intersectional feminist and work as an emergency medicine doctor. Self funding their way through medical school after leaving a difficult upbringing, they realised their story could inspire people from similar backgrounds and aid them through their application. Alongside ongoing charity work they present on many educational tv shows, including the highly acclaimed, Channel 4 investigative show “Is Covid Racist?” Sabah Choudrey (they/them) Sabah is a Trans activist who co-founded Trans Pride Brighton in 2013, which subsequently won best trans event in Brighton in 2014 and 2015. Sabah works with queer, trans and non-binary youths through Brighton and London, through groups like Colours Youth Network, aiming to create connections between BAME/POC young people. Sabah was recently appointed as trustee of the Inclusive Mosque Initiative, creating safe places of worship for all people. Who selected these Queer Role Models? Maylis Djikalou (she/her) Maylis is a transformational coach, consultant and Programme Director at We Create Space. She has been working at the intersection of the creative and mental health industries for over a decade - promoting wellbeing in the workplace and championing marginalised communities. Jua O'Kane (they/he) Jua works at WCS doing content creation and social media management. They're also an illustrator and comic artist, currently studying for their Masters in Illustration. Yassine Senghor (she/her) Yaz is a diversity, equity and inclusion specialist and is the Director of Confronting Change EDI Strategies. She also works as a writer, mentor, speaker, facilitator, podcaster, occasional model and is a We Create Space team member! Ben Pechey (they/them) Ben is a writer, speaker, content creator, LGBTQIA Advocate, D&I consultant, and author! They uplift and educate through media; with their website benpechey.com, The Happy Place podcast, and legendary Instagram Stories. Their debut Book - The Book of Non-Binary Joy - is out now. Rico Jacob Chace (he/him) Rico is Director at TransActual UK, Trustee at LGBT+ Consortium, a part of the UN's UNITE 2030 Youth Delegate Program as well as a Diversity & Inclusion Consultant. He started his career by launching the radio show, 'Against Racism' following in the footsteps of the BLM movement, and speaking in the award-winning documentary 'Pride & Protest.' His recent appointment as the Trustee and Treasurer at LGBT+ Consortium has allowed him to continue to help the community, through grant funding and advocate work while chairing panels at the London Assembly. While you're here... Did you know we consult with 100+ Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

Discover how to overcome budgeting challenges & unlock the full potential of your Employee Resource Group. At We Create Space we work closely with Employee Resource Group (ERG) leaders across the globe, helping them foster greater inclusion within their organisations. However, with many executive leaders taking their foot off the pedal and shrinking budgets for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, we understand that ERG Leaders are facing significant hurdles providing the programming employees desire. In this article we’re providing insights on how you can overcome budgeting challenges in your ERG, as well as how to maximise your impact by engaging in intersectional collaborations with other groups, bringing together different employee communities for powerful moments of learning and connection. Strategic Budgeting. Getting the most out of a limited budget starts with identifying how your ERG’s activities will align with your organisation’s wider DEI goals. Not every project is going to be feasible, so prioritise the initiatives you believe will have the most demonstrable impact on employees and show off the collective value of your ERG. Looking at the year ahead as a whole, plan out your key activations. Programming designed around cultural calendar dates may be some of your biggest events of the year, but ensure that you allocate funding for activities outside of relevant awareness months and days. Leaving some flexibility in your budget will allow you to respond to emerging needs and opportunities throughout the year and capitalise on unexpected chances for impact. Resource: Download our free 2024 Cultural Calendar below to help you plan your 2024 activations. You can also explore the possibilities of external funding sources, diversity and inclusion grants and partnerships with external organisations to help supplement internal budgets. Making use of free resources from organisations like We Create Space is also a great way to ease financial pressures on your ERG and provide employees with insightful learning opportunities. Our podcast, video archive, glossary and library have a wealth of resources covering topics like active allyship, LGBTQ+ inclusion at work, intersectionality and more. Effective advocacy. To secure support from organisational leads and potential collaborators it is essential that ERG leaders effectively communicate and advocate for their ERG’s needs. Establish a series of long and short term goals that take into account your current financial situation and desires for the future. Resource: Check out our Queer Leadership 101 webinar “How to Healthily Challenge Executive Leadership” for more tips on effectively communicating with your higher-ups. Craft a compelling narrative when talking about your ERG’s initiatives, illustrating how the work you are doing feeds into company goals and positively impacts the organisation’s overall culture. Presenting a clear vision of what your ERG has accomplished is essential to secure increased investment, and this vision can be made all the more powerful when it is backed up with data, so if you’re not already collecting data from participants, now is the time to start! Whether it is employee engagement and satisfaction, retention rates or surveys conducted before and after learning sessions, being able to measure your success with tangible data will go a long way to illustrate your return on investment and strengthen the case for increased funding. Resource: Check out our DEI 101 Webinar “Navigating Data & Intersectionality” for more tips on integrating data collection into your DEI initiatives. Building strategic alliances with key organisational leads is also paramount. Invest time in building your relationships with individuals in HR, DEI and executive leadership. These are connections you can call upon when you need an ally or support when securing funding. The further up the organisational ladder, the more weight their support will hold in negotiations, so aim for the stars! Harnessing the power of collaboration. Joining forces with other ERGs is a sure fire way to make your budget stretch further. By utilising intersectionality, a conceptual framework that recognises the interconnected nature of social identities and systems of oppression, ERGs can increase their impact. Harnessing intersectionality will create more inclusive initiatives which address the diverse experiences of ERG members, promoting cross-community learning and active allyship. Resource: Read our beginner's guide to the framework of Intersectionality. As an ERG leader, you are unlikely to have first hand experience with all of the intersecting identities represented within your ERG, so working with other ERG leaders is an excellent way to broaden your understanding of issues facing other identity groups and create truly inclusive programming. When running panel discussions or talks, remember to uplift and champion voices from within your own employees. The next generation of queer corporate leaders may be right under your nose, you just need to give them an opportunity to shine! This should always be voluntary - employees of marginalised identities should never feel pressured to share their personal stories for the sake of others. Instead, empower them to embrace the power of storytelling of their own accord by investing in leadership programmes to enhance their confidence and storytelling abilities. Resource: Check out our Queer Leadership 101 webinar “Nurturing Future Queer Leaders” for more tips to support the growth of your ERG members. While utilising internal speakers can have powerful results, it’s advisable to set aside budgeting for external speakers and facilitators too. They can provide expertise and intersectional perspectives otherwise not represented within your workforce and ensure that your ERG does not begin to suffer from an echo chamber effect. Conclusion ERGs can be a powerful force for change within organisations, even when the landscape of diversity and inclusion is evolving and funding is tight. As an ERG leader, being adaptable and open to collaboration are essential to the success of your initiatives. By crafting a flexible and strategic budget and leveraging the power of intersectional collaborations, you can continue to grow and strengthen your ERG even when facing financial challenges. At We Create Space we are passionate about supporting ERG Leaders with their goals, whether that is increasing ERG engagement or providing insightful programming and learning opportunities to members. Check out our case study with JTI to learn how we have supported them with scaling their PRIDE ERG. For even more insights on this topic, watch our conversation with David Azulay, an ERG lead at Omnicom: To learn more about our consulting services and how we can help you achieve your ERG ambitions, email us at hello@wecreatespace. While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here. We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!

To celebrate International Women's Day we're sharing the first in a new series of stories about Queer migration and the unexpected journeys we follow in search of ourselves, and community. Video by Stefan Chavarriaga / Swami Pro A Queer Journey can often take us far from the places we once called home, but it's in the nature of LGBTQIA+ existence that we seek out and build new family wherever we go. Cindy Nehme is a We Create Space collective and community member who moved from her home country of Lebanon to Barcelona, where she has set up the restaurant ' Bērytī ' with her friend Pamela. The bistro has become a cross cultural hub, bringing together Cindy's passions for Lebanese cuisine and the Queer Community and providing a safe space for Queer Arabs in particular to connect and share in their intersectional identities. While you're here... Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here . We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here . New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletters  so you can stay up to date!