EQUALITY CHAMBER FOUNDATION

SINCE RECEIVING THE HEF GRANT, WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED THE DC SAFE AND INCLUSIVE WORKPLACES LEADERSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, FOCUSING ON THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF LGBTQ+ EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING BIPOC AND TRANS COMMUNITIES. WE CONDUCTED RESEARCH TO BENCHMARK NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICES, COLLABORATED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA TO DEVELOP A FOUNDATIONAL DECLARATION OF WORKPLACE EQUALITY, AND ENGAGED IN COMMUNITY OUTREACH THROUGH SURVEYS AND EVENTS TO INFORM OUR INITIATIVES. ADDITIONALLY, WE IDENTIFIED CONTENT FOR 10 LEARNING MODULES TO IMPROVE EMPLOYER INCLUSIVITY AND FORMED A DIVERSE WORKING GROUP TO MANAGE PROJECT DELIVERABLES. THESE ACTIVITIES HAVE ADVANCED OUR MISSION TO PROMOTE LGBTQ+ WORKPLACE INCLUSION AND STRENGTHENED OUR LEADERSHIP REOLE IN THIS AREA. THE WOMXN NETWORKING EVENT WAS A SUCCESSFUL FIRST EVENT THAT WAS HOSTED AT AS YOU ARE, A LESBIAN-OWNED ESTABLISHMENT. THE EVENT HAD A PRESENCE FROM COMMUNITY NONPROFIT PARTNERS, GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND EMPLOYEES OF COMPANIES LARGE AND SMALL. THE KICKOFF EVENT WAS FILLED WITH ENTHUSIASM, AND IT IDENTIFIED THEMES FOR FUTURE EVENTS AND SOME LOCATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, PARTNER/PROMOTIONAL SPONSORS WERE IDENTIFIED. BUSINESS DIRECTORY: THE PARTICIPATION IN THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY PROJECT HAS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED THIS YEAR. A HIGHER NUMBER OF MEMBERS RENEWED THEIR MEMBERSHIP AND UPDATED THEIR INFORMATION PRIOR TO THE PRINT DEADLINE. THIS RESULTED IN A MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND UP-TO-DATE DIRECTORY EXPERIENCE FOR THE COMMUNITY. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE FORMED PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL BRICK AND MORTAR ESTABLISHMENTS TO DISPLAY POSTERS WITH QR CODES LINKING TO