Welcome to the Pride in Our Workplace Blog. As an organization, we strive to deliver best practices in DEI, LGBTQ+ workplace policy, and professional development. We hope to use this platform as a forum to spotlight important, often unheard points of view to inspire impactful thought leadership.

Featured Post:

Executive Brief: Maintaining Momentum On Social Justice

PIOW recently held a panel discussion exploring:

  • How organizations can maintain momentum on social justice
  • Opportunities to sustain LGBTQ+ allyship, when progress feels slow
  • Action items can leaders take to affect workplace equality

Find our new executive brief, event recording, and resources inside.


2023 LGBTQ+ Pride Event Calendar

June 1, 2023

It is Pride Month and PIOW is highlighting New England’s 2023 LGBTQ+ Pride events! Find event details and links inside!

Centering LGBTQ+ Mental Health and AAPI Experience with AJ Guerrero, LMHC

May 17, 2023

In recognition of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, the PIOW team is highlighting the thought leadership of AJ Guerrero, a mental health professional and member of the LGBTQ+ AAPI community.


What the Dylan Mulvaney x Bud Light Campaign Tells Us About Corporate Allyship and Integrity

May 4, 2023

Like everything in business and in life, the answer begins with integrity. In recent weeks, Dylan Mulvaney has been brought into an emotional and politically-charged debate on trans rights. In this post, we respond and address the dangers of conditional allyship and corporate rainbow washing.

PIOW Newsletter: March 2023

March 30, 2023

Amid a charged climate of anti-trans narratives and record numbers of anti-LGBTQ bills in circulation, PIOW remains committed to championing inclusion and equity for the 8 million+ LGBTQ employees in the U.S. and allies that choose to be part of the march toward progress.


A message from our new President, Cheryl Katon

March 27, 2023

In a new message, PIOW President Cheryl Katon pays homage to those who founded the organization and shares her vision for the new era of PIOW leadership. Continue reading for the full letter from our new President.

The Collective Progression of Black and LGBTQ+ Communities

February 22, 2023

In February 2022, PIOW’s Jonathan Allen was joined by LGBTQ+ and allied Black community leaders to discuss the significance of Black History Month and our capacity to build toward the collective progression of our communities.


BE(RG) Our Valentine

February 14, 2023

Roses are red, violets are blue, and we’re thanking ERG leaders for all that they do! The hard work of HR and DEI teams & LGBTQ+ ERGs often goes overlooked. Today, we’re giving them their flowers and we encourage you to do the same.

3 Signs Your Workplace is Supportive of Rising LGBTQ+ Leaders

January 19, 2023

PIOW’s Katie Martell sits down with with young LGBTQ+ professionals to discuss LGBTQ+ identity, advocacy, and leadership in the modern workplace. What resulted was an insightful, engaging panel that brought a number of best practices to the surface.


A group of wooden figurines, one emerges from the front of the group

Pride in Our Workplace Leadership Update

December 13, 2022

After helping found Pride in Our Workplace 16 years ago and serving a three-year term as President of our organization, John Basile shares his transition to PIOW’s new Advisory Board and announces our incoming leadership team.

Club Q: Our Response and Community Resources

November 23, 2022

In our latest post, the Pride in Our Workplace team responds to the recent shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs. Find PIOWS’s full statement & LGBTQ+ and business community resources inside.


The Business Choice to Support Trans Equality:

Recommendations for Businesses During Trans Awareness Week 2022

November 17, 2022

Pride in Our Workplace urges the business community to refocus the conversation on the present need for allyship and protection, calling all businesses to understand their role in the fight against transphobia.

PIOW Newsletter: November 2022

November 1, 2022

The year is flying by and our team is excited to share all we’ve been working on. Find the latest PIOW events and LGBTQ+ resources in our November Newsletter.


Coming Out at Work: Indicators of Inclusivity

October 11, 2022

In an ideal world, coming out is a personal choice, detached from external pressures or threats of judgment. In reality, there is no guarantee of how a colleague or a workplace will react when an LGBTQ+ professional comes out. Read more to learn how you can begin gauging LGBTQ+ inclusivity in your organization.

3 Ways to Celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month

October 3, 2022

October is LGBTQ+ History Month and it is time to celebrate! Check out the latest tips from PIOW to help you discover, honor, and experience LGBTQ+ history!


PIOW Newsletter: August 2022

August 25, 2022

We hope you are soaking in the final weeks of summer! As August comes to a close, we at PIOW are spotlighting community organizations, opportunities for engagement, and a preview of our fall programming – including our next panel event and a renewed focus on ERGs.

7 Community Organizations to Support in 2022

August 15, 2022

We are proud to share our platform with organizations whose values reflect our own. Learn more about these LGBTQ+ and mission-driven organizations, and consider supporting their impactful work.


June 2022 Newsletter

June 29, 2022

As June 2022 comes to a close, we hope that you have been able to celebrate LGBTQ+ joy, allyship, and resilience this month. We have been hard at work and have an exciting collection of resources, spotlights, and announcements to share with you in a special Pride edition of the PIOW Newsletter.

Executive Queeries: LGBTQ+ Pride and Allyship

June 28, 2022

Each LGBTQ+ person carries with them their own understanding of LGBTQ+ Pride and Allyship. As our annual “Pride Season” comes to a close, we are pausing to explore these concepts further with the hope that their deeper significance will be felt long after the wave of marketing campaigns and social initiatives end on June 30. We posed the following question to our Board: What do Pride and Allyship mean to you?


7 Systemic Barriers Faced by LGBTQ+ Young Professionals

June 8, 2022

PIOW hosted a panel discussion focused on the needs of young adults who are navigating career access, mobility, and workplace culture for the first time. Boston’s nonprofit leaders joined us to unpack the systemic barriers that can work against LGBTQ+ young adults as they seek to secure and maintain employment. Included in post: a full panel recording, event recap, and best practices.

Recent LGBTQ+ History Highlights in the U.S.

June 7, 2022

We credit those who have fought before us, who advocate and carry the weight of social justice labor in this moment, and the next generation of leaders who will continue the LGBTQ+  liberation movement for years to come. In honor of Pride Month, let’s celebrate five major LGBTQ+ milestones of the last decade, together.


Easy Wins for Your ERG: Pride Edition

June 6, 2022

Each June, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are often asked to drive their organizations’ recognition of Pride. While this seems intimidating, we’re here to say it doesn’t need to be a lot of work! We have 5 easy ways that your ERG can make an impact.

2022 LGBTQ+ Pride Event Calendar

June 1, 2022

It is officially Pride Month, and PIOW is bringing you a calendar of New England’s 2022 LGBTQ+ Pride events! Read on for details on Pride events near you.


Introducing New Board Members

May 30, 2022

Pride Season is here and our team is growing. We are excited to take this opportunity to introduce you to the newest members joining our Board of Directors this June!

3 Tips for Leading Successful Self-Identification Campaigns

May 11, 2022

Implementing a robust, ongoing self-identification program in your organization can be a significant milestone in your journey to developing a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workforce. In this blog post, we’ll review key steps, discussed during a recent Pride In Our Workplace roundtable of HR and DEI leaders, to ensure your self-identification campaign is a success.


Apply Now for a PIOW Community Grant!

April 13, 2022

We are proud to announce the launch of the new Pride in Our Workplace Community Grant Program. Starting April 13, 2022, Pride in Our Workplace is inviting early-stage LGBTQ+ nonprofits to apply to receive small capital grants aimed at bolstering the workforce capacity of community-serving organizations.

PIOW Newsletter: March 2022

March 17, 2022

Our team has accomplished so much this year and we are excited to share all we’ve been working on. Read PIOW’s March newsletter to learn about upcoming events, impactful resources, and ways we can all continue to advocate for LGBTQ+ workplace equity across industries.


Courageous Conversations: Innovation, Discomfort, and Intentionality with Chastity Bowick

February 28, 2022

We are closing out Black History Month 2022 with episode three of PIOW’s Courageous Conversations series featuring the Transgender Emergency Fund’s Chastity Bowick. In this conversation, Chastity shares her own story navigating identity, community tensions, and recognizing one’s own worth in a society that often tries to silence and stagnate LGBTQ+ and Black individuals.

Courageous Conversations: Difference, Solidarity, and Accountability with Keith Marion

February 17, 2022

We were thrilled to sit down with Keith during Black History Month to discuss how he grounds his DEI leadership strategy within a nuanced understanding of difference and his own identity as an LGBTQ+ ally and Black man. Jonathan and Kieth model the type of courageous conversations we all need to begin having with one another, through which we can better recognize our communities’ intersections to drive personal growth and societal change. Join us in watching this dynamic discussion.


Courageous Conversations: Black History, Community, and Navigating Identity with Beth Chandler

February 10, 2022

Courageous Conversations highlights complex societal dynamics that influence our relationships, professional opportunities, and quality of life. Our 2022 BHM series celebrates Black LGBTQ+ leaders and the contributions they make towards our collective progression.

PIOW 2021 Impact Report and 2022 Goal Setting

January 10, 2022

After an incredible year of programming and development, we are excited to share our first impact report with a preview of upcoming initiatives that will fuel the continued growth of our organization. Join us in looking back at our 2021 accomplishments and recognizing our goals for 2022. 


8 Lessons for Building Resilient Teams: HR, DEI, and ERG Toolkit

December 6, 2021

Participants in our Building Resilient Organizations Panel shared best practices in prioritizing a company-wide commitment to DEI to better support the needs of diverse employees. Check out the event recording and continue reading for eight lessons you can implement in your own workplace.

November Newsletter: Events and Updates

November 8, 2021

Fall is in the air! Read about this quarter’s upcoming events, community resources, and more in PIOW’s November Newsletter!


July Newsletter: Best Practices in Inclusion and Allyship

July 20, 2021

We hope that you had an incredible Pride month in June, and we’re excited to be able to share our latest resources to help you and your teams continue to celebrate LGBTQ+ professionals year-round!

The Do’s and Don’ts of Trans Allyship

July 18, 2021

In May and June, we were joined by two panels of gender-diverse professionals and industry leaders to explore best practices in workplace inclusion. We learned that allyship is an ongoing practice of educating oneself, listening to understand the needs of others, and taking action to advocate for those in the community you’re trying to support. However we identify individually, allyship is something that we all must work towards together.


Balancing the Burden of Education with Trevor Boylston

July 17, 2021

As a panelist on the Learning from Lived Experience Panel, Trevor spoke to the challenges of existing as an out transgender man in professional spaces, as well as the opportunities for learning and change that can present themselves when you choose to share your identity with those around you.

Trans Workplace Inclusion Series – Recap and Resources

July 16, 2021

Drawing from the lived experience of trans professionals and industry leaders, PIOW’s Trans Workplace Inclusion Series explored the complexities of coming out and transitioning in professional spaces, strategies for seeking and signaling allyship, and the need to back inclusion policies with consistent trans-affirming practices.


LGBTQ+ Allyship Checklist and Educational Resources

June 30, 2021

The end of June marks the end of LGBTQ+ Pride month, but it shouldn’t mark the end of LGBTQ+ allyship. As this month comes to a close, PIOW encourages everyone to commit or recommit to supporting all members of the LGBTQ+ community year-round. Not sure where to start? Our team created an LGBTQ+ allyship checklist to meet you wherever you are in your allyship journey.

Expanding our Board

June 27, 2021

After a year of organizational growth, our team is excited to announce that we have welcomed six members onto our Board of Directors. Without further ado, join us in welcoming the newest members of the PIOW team!


Celebration, Education, and Accountability on Juneteenth

June 18, 2021

Progress towards a more equitable future can begin when we center Black LGBTQ+ individuals, experiences, and histories in our collective advocacy. By deepening our understanding of the systemic oppression faced by Black and marginalized communities, we become better equipped to push for larger workplace and societal change.

Newsletter: Spring Updates and Events

April 21, 2021

Registration is now open for the PIOW Trans Workplace Inclusion Series. In this quarter’s newsletter we talk about recent and upcoming events, reflect on racial equity, and share some of the ways our organization is growing.


Opening Dialogues on Racial Equity

April 16, 2021

How can individuals begin to address racial inequities at work? What steps can we take to ensure the creation of more equitable spaces for all employees in our organizations? In June and October of 2020, Pride in Our Workplace posed these questions to community leaders in the two-part virtual panel series titled, The Intersection of LGBTQ+ Equality and Racial Justice.

Data-Driven DEI Strategies

March 16, 2021

During February’s Cope & Hope virtual event, PIOW President John Basile had the opportunity to interview Cogo Labs’ Braden Marstaller. Although Braden is still early in his career, he is already leading his ERG, pushing innovative DEI solutions, and championing LGBTQ+ inclusion at work.


Coping & Hoping as a Community

March 9, 2021

Pride in Our Workplace invited LGBTQ+ and allied professionals to share their strategies for coping, staying hopeful, and continuing to advocate for more equitable spaces.

Newsletter: 2020 Year in Review

January 7, 2021

The PIOW team is excited to share our first official newsletter. Last year, we gathered DEI executives, HR professionals, and ERG representatives to share best practices in leadership, center LGBTQ+ perspectives on timely issues, and build a capacity for growth and understanding within the organizations we serve.

Looking for more? Visit the PIOW Resource page.

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