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NEADS DEI News

November 2022 - January 2023 - Focus on Multi-generational Workforce

DEI News - 2/9/23

The results are in! Would you rather…

There are many versions of this game, but we created one just for NEADS staff. It was presented in 4 parts in January, and we're pleased to share the results.

It turns out we have a lot of similar views about things! Black vs yellow labs, big vs little dogs, dogs vs cats, snacks over coffee.

Almost all of us are quite particular about what we eat if the answer to question 4 is any indication - 91% of us would prefer cleaning the bathroom to eating the oldest thing in the fridge.

We're more confident in our dancing over singing abilities, prefer cold weather to hot (although we'd rather mulch the beds than shovel snow). Pizza slightly wins over pastries, and more of us would rather spend the day with our dogs on the couch vs taking them hiking.

We're much more evenly split when it comes to spending the day with puppies in the Breeding Center or with the older dogs in the Canine Center, while a town trip with the Trainers slightly edges out doing BCLs with the Breeding Center staff. Sorry Rachel and Tori, but we'd overwhelmingly prefer to help with maintenance and outside work vs paying the bills.

And in what might be a bit of a surprising result to the final question, we're nearly split between wanting to have an office dog or an office cat!

The DEI team

DEI News - 2/1/23

Happy February from the DEI team!

Today is the first day of Black History Month. There are, of course, many events this month of every kind that explore the African diaspora. We noted a couple of interesting ways to explore history in our own backyards: The Worcester Black History Trail is a new project with fascinating information about Black lives in this area, and the Black Heritage Trail winds through Boston’s Beacon Hill and ends at the Museum of African American History.

We hope you stay warm and dry this February, and maybe take an interesting walk.

The DEI Team

DEI News - 1/23/23

Would you rather… Parts 2 & 3

Two weeks ago we started our 4-part “Would you Rather… NEADS Edition” game (available for NEADS staff on our intranet). Remember that our current theme is the “Multigenerational workforce” and we think the quiz will show that no matter your generation, we all have more in common than not. We’ll share the results in early February.

The DEI Team

DEI News - 1/9/23

Four Generations, One NEADS

“Multigenerational workforce” sounds really buzz-wordy. But it just means that NEADS, like most places, has employees who span several different generations.

So what? Some of us are younger, some older. We grew up in different eras. And each generation has different expectations of our friends, our families, our communities—and our jobs.

Our next DEI project is going to be to get to know each other a little better, and to try to understand how those differences play out in the workplace. We’ve got a bunch of fun activities planned—already kicked off with Tracy’s holiday getting-to-know-you quiz—and we’re also going to learn a little about our work styles and expectations.

Different perspectives are a strength. Recognizing and honoring those differences can be a challenge! You can read about the differences among Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z here. You might get some insight into your coworkers.

There are some more resources in the DEI website to check out. Stay tuned for fun stuff for every generation!

And speaking of fun stuff and getting to know each other, we’ve put together a 4-part “Would you Rather… NEADS Edition” game. No matter your generation, we’re betting we all have more in common than not. We’ll share the results of each week’s game as we introduce the next set of questions. You can find Part 1 on our staff intranet.

The DEI Team

DEI News - 12/23/22

Season’s greetings from the DEI team.

When people say “tis the season,” it sure is a busy one. Did you know that from November through January, the world’s major religions observe no less than 29 holidays! Whatever you celebrate, you will almost certainly encounter folks— at work, at Target, walking their dog—who celebrate something else.

For many people, it’s special to share their own tradition—saying Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, etc. Or, you can say “happy holidays,” which shares good cheer without assuming you know their beliefs.

It’s all in the spirit of joy.

From the DEI team, we wish everyone the best of celebrations, whatever they might be. We’re excited to start 2023 together!

July - October 2022 - Focus on Ableism

DEI News - 10/17/22

Let the Wheelchair Experience begin!

You’ll find the wheelchair and full instructions just outside the training room and here. Remember, you can win lunch for your department or a homemade pie for Thanksgiving! Give it a go and share how it feels to see the world from a wheelchair.

Do it as many times as you want before the challenge ends next Friday 10/28 and get a raffle entry each time. You may want to bring a co-worker and do the challenge together. Get your whole department to do the challenge and lunch is on us! You can also check out some videos of Tyler Vincent, who was on campus last week from Florida, when he did the challenge on Friday.

More than Fun and Games. The DEI team created the Experience to help give all of us a deeper understanding of our clients’ lives. We hope everyone taking the challenge also takes some time to reflect about the experience. While you’re not required to fill this in, there’s room on each entry slip for you to write something about how you felt, what you learned, what you realized that you didn’t know before, etc. We would love to know your feedback.

DEI News - 10/11/22

You may remember that we are currently focused on ableism—an important subject for an organization serving people with disabilities of many kinds. Our colleagues, too, may have disabilities, whether we know it or not. Ableism is the bias and discrimination against people with disabilities. Ableist thinking views people with disabilities as less valuable than nondisabled people. At its heart, ableism is rooted in the assumption that people with disabilities require ‘fixing’ and defines people by their disability.

ANNOUNCING THE WHEELCHAIR EXPERIENCE! STARTS MONDAY 10/17

As part of the DEI team’s exploration of ableism, we’re hoping to deepen our understanding of our clients’ lives. Thus was born the Wheelchair Experience. Through a series of challenges, we can learn about navigating the world in a wheelchair. And win prizes!

Can you get from the second floor to the parking lot and back in the wheelchair? How about navigating across the room with a cupful of water? Try these and other challenges and see how you do. Other organizations have learned a lot from this exercise.

There are two ways to win. The department with the highest participation rate will win a pizza lunch, and one person will win the raffle prize of a Thanksgiving pie of your choice, made by Melissa. Take part in the challenge as many times as you want, and enter each time!

The challenge begins Monday, 10/17, and runs through Friday, 10/28. Winners will be announced during the staff Halloween contest.

Full details will be posted on the bulletin board outside the training room. Get ready to roll!

DEI News - 7/13/22

This summer, the DEI team is focused on ableism—an important subject for an organization serving people with disabilities of many kinds. Our colleagues, too, may have disabilities, whether we know it or not.

Ableism is the bias and discrimination against people with disabilities. Ableist thinking views people with disabilities as less valuable than nondisabled people. At its heart, ableism is rooted in the assumption that people with disabilities require ‘fixing’ and defines people by their disability.

Disabilities might be apparent—a person uses crutches, a wheelchair, or a white cane that indicates visual impairment—or invisible, including hearing and vision loss, neurological disorders, autism spectrum disorder, and mental health issues.

Save the Date!

Wednesday, July 27, 12 noon

Naomi and Service Dog Charlie will join us for a brown bag lunch and conversation about Naomi’s experience living with multiple sclerosis.

We’ve got another client visit and a fun interactive experience lined up, so stay tuned.

Language Matters: The ways people with disabilities talk about themselves and the conditions they live with evolves. The word “handicapped,” for example, has a very negative connotation; “person with a disability” puts the individual first and doesn’t make a value judgment. Check out the Say This, Not That attachment for more on which words hurt and which help.

We encourage you to check out the great resources about ableism in and out of the workplace on the DEI website and also at the DEI table just outside the HCC. What’s it like to live with autism? How does being disabled affect someone at their job? Should you bend over to talk to someone in a wheelchair? Lots of things to think about, lots of things to learn.

Desktop Link: You may have noticed a new link on your NEADS desktop – it’s the Chrome circle with “DEI Resource Center” underneath. This is a legitimate link and will take you directly to the Staff DEI Resource Center – check it out!

Thanks for sharing the DEI journey with us! We hope you enjoy learning more about these issues. Join the team, if you’re interested. Everyone is welcome.

The DEI Team

June 2022 - Focus on Pride

DEI News - 6/17/22

Happy Pride from the DEI Team & Potluck on Thurs, 6/23

Happy Pride from the DEI Team!

The month of June is celebrated as Pride Month in the United States, celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community. Check out the DEI table for resources.

Taste the Rainbow!

On Thursday, June 23, from 12n to 1pm, the DEI team invites everyone to our own Pride party for a Rainbow Potluck. The DEI team will be providing sandwiches and drinks. Everyone is invited to bring your favorite colorful food to share. Wear your favorite color! We’ll have fun, food, and games for all. Potluck will be outside if it’s a nice day.

Why is LGBTQIA+ inclusion important in the workplace?

By creating an LGBTQIA+-friendly workplace, companies can reduce stress and improve the health of LGBTQIA+ employees, increase job satisfaction, and create more positive relationships with co-workers and supervisors. A diverse and inclusive workplace makes everyone, regardless of who they are or what they do for the business, feel equally involved in and supported in all areas of the workplace—and that serves everyone well.

Honoring Pride Month at NEADS reminds us that LGBTQIA+ people have historically faced tremendous discrimination in the workplace (and generally), and that even today community members report high levels of illegal harassment at work, often choosing to remain closeted rather than risk ill treatment. Observing Pride is a way to say we see and welcome everyone at NEADS.

Why Is June Pride Month, anyway?
Pride parades and events in June were inspired by a demonstration that took place on June 28, 1969. Early that morning, New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in Greenwich Village. Raids on gay clubs weren’t uncommon—but that night, the crowd fought back. Led by trans woman activist Marsha P. Johnson, patrons of the Stonewall Inn and other local gay bars resisted when the police became violent. The riots, which went on for several nights, are widely considered the watershed event that transformed the gay liberation movement and the twentieth-century fight for LGBT rights in the United States.

How can I be an LBTQIA+ ally in the workplace?

Listen. You can’t tell anyone’s identity based on how they dress, talk, etc. Let your colleagues share what they feel comfortable with without asking questions. Many times, well-intentioned allies want to support their colleagues, but end up causing harm to LGBTQ+ people that aren’t ready to come out.
Simply listening to someone without asking a bunch of probing questions can help build any relationship in the workplace. A great ally to the LGBTQ community listens and mirrors back the language they hear from their colleagues.

Stand up. Don’t be silent if you hear inappropriate jokes or other derogatory comments at work. Don’t let one bad actor make LGBT employees feel unwelcome. Instead, discuss any instances of hate speech or harassment that you witness with your supervisor.

Set the tone. Use inclusive language – “everyone” instead of “ladies and gentlemen,” “partner” instead of “husband” or “wife.”

Pride is a party! Check out this playlist of classic gay anthems, watch a couple of these great queer movies, or see what NPR recommends reading this month.

More Resources

Visit dei.neads.org for more information about Pride month and the LGBTQIA+ community.

Stay tuned for Rainbow Potluck reminders and have a colorful Pride Month!

May 2022 - Focus on Pronouns

DEI News 5/19/22

Hi from the NEADS DEI core team, and welcome to Week 3 of our focus on pronouns.

Flex your DEI muscles and win!

Announcing the DEI raffle! Now through the end of the month, earn chances to win a gift certificate to Emma’s Café (newly opened in Sterling by a former Puppy Raiser!). We’ll draw the winning ticket on June 1.

How do you earn tickets? We’ve got a diversity of options! (See what we did there?)

1 ticket: Say hi to a DEI team member (listed below) and ask for a ticket.

2 tickets: Ask a DEI team member a DEI-related question or mention a resource you found on the DEI website (dei.neads.org)

3 tickets: Get spotted wearing your pronoun pin by a DEI team member.

4 tickets: Send an email to dei@NEADS.org with your up-to-date email signature (read on for more on signatures).

A little more about pronouns

Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. If you misgender someone, just correct yourself and move on. Melissa’s daughter is a trans woman, and Melissa still tends to slip when talking about Maxie before she transitioned. Melissa’s found that making a big deal out of the error makes everyone uncomfortable, including Maxie, so she just corrects and keeps talking (which, if you know Melissa, is no surprise). When Audrey’s son’s girlfriend started college, an organization was handing out pronoun pins – and she had no idea what they meant. So she grabbed a he/him pin, thinking it was in indication of what she was looking for in a partner. We’re all learning!

So assuming you are clear on what your pin means, when should you wear it? Whenever you want. Wear it alone or with your NEADS name tag, at work or in your daily life, or whenever you feel comfortable.

Thanks for reading. Up next: stay tuned for Pride Month!

The DEI Team

DEI News - 5/10/22

Hi from the NEADS DEI core team and welcome to Week 2 of our focus on pronouns.
You're Invited!

A Visit with some "Pronoun" Puppies - Wednesday, May 11 at 12noon

Take a break and meet at the Nursery fence (by the lock fence) to grab a special goodie and join us to watch some "Pronoun" puppies play in the Nursery yard. Hope to see you there!

Note: If you can’t make it at noon, stop by the Nursery some other time during the week for your goodie.

More from the DEI Group

Last week, we shared some resources from our DEI Resources website, including Best Practices for Using Pronouns in the Workplace and Everyplace - a 3-minute video highlights 5 best practices for using pronouns at work. We highly recommend watching this to understand why this pronoun discussion is important.

This week we have a few more optional ways people can share pronouns. These include adding to your email signature (more on that next week) or adding to your Zoom name. Note that both of these are optional.

We will also be updating our Staff Photo Book/Directory to include pronouns (again, optional). We WOULD like everyone to verify the information that we have for you, though.

Thanks for reading!

The DEI Team

DEI News - 5/3/22

Hi from the NEADS DEI core team!

We’re excited to share the new DEI website we’ve been working on. We’re also kicking off the May DEI Month. DEI Website. The team has been gathering resources —videos, websites, interactive activities—that address areas such as ableism, racism, LGTQ+ issues, and much more.

Please, explore our new DEI website. Visit the DEI Corner in the Admin building, Retail, or Breeding Center. You’ll find information there, along with the DEI suggestion box. You can share suggestions, feedback, and questions anonymously in the box OR online. Or ask a member to bring your suggestions to the team. We’ll respond online.

May is Pronoun Month! This is the first in a new monthly series. Each month we’ll share information and resources on a DEI-related topic, particularly as it relates to the workplace. Look for a new email each week. Some will be informative, some will be interactive, and some will hold surprises.

Why all the Fuss About Pronouns?

Gender pronouns are the words an individual would like others to use about them. You can't always tell what someone's gender pronouns are unless they tell you. People who are transgender, nonbinary, or gender nonconforming may use pronouns that don't conform to binary male/female gender categorizations, such as "they, them, theirs,” or a combination like “she/they.” And peoples’ pronouns can change as their understanding of their gender identity changes, so someone you met as “she/her” may later prefer “he/him.”

When people are misgendered, it can make them feel alienated. Excluded. Disrespected.

NEADS, like most workplaces, includes staff who use nonbinary pronouns and who have transitioned. We want them to feel welcomed and supported here.

Asking for, remembering, and using someone's gender pronouns is an important way to support the people we work with.

Resources

The NEADS DEI website has a whole section with resources about pronouns. Here are some to start with:

The Genderbread Person: Check out this Genderbread graphic for the difference between sexual, gender, and romantic identity. This 2-minute video walks you through the Genderbread concept.

Respect My Pronouns: This graphic talks about how to know and use someone’s pronouns.

One Word: Pronouns Transgender people share their reactions to the word pronoun in this 5-minute video.

Best Practices for Using Pronouns in the Workplace and Everyplace: A 3-minute video highlights 5 best practices for using pronouns at work.

Reflection

How would you feel if someone used the wrong pronouns for you? Can you imagine referring to anyone you’ve just met as they/them until you they tell you what pronouns they prefer?

Be sure to visit the DEI Corner for - what else - Genderbread cookies! Thanks to Melissa, our pastry chef extraordinaire - for these appropriately themed beauties.