Today is the last day of Women’s History Month 2022. As a woman, it surely felt good to have my identity and issues centered for the past 31 days. But the month is coming to a close.
Well, I want more of those good feelings. I don’t want the party to end. What I really want is change where I’m not waiting for March to roll around each year. I want acknowledgment of women and their discussion of issues to be embedded in our culture, especially in the legal community.
Brother and Sister Counsel, let’s keep the celebration and conversations about women and women issues going!! Moreover, let’s get into action and effect change.
Here’s some to do’s to keep us in the groove, Michigan Lawyers!
🙅🏻♀️ Read and Share the McKinsey & Company “Women in the Workplace 2021” Report : https://womenintheworkplace.com
🙅🏼♀️🙅🏾♀️Observe Women’s Equal Pay Days: https://www.aauw.org/resources/article/equal-pay-day-calendar/
🙅🏼Purchase and discuss some good books in your workplace and in your bar associations on D&I
🙅🏽♀️🙅 Get a “Lawyer looks like me” t-shirt for yourself and your favorite Woman Lawyer: https://lawyerslooklikeme.carrd.co/
🙅🏿”Break the Bias” by removing any questions about candidates’ previous salaries from your job apps
🙅🏻♀️”Let Lisa speak.” Speak up the next time a woman is interrupted while speaking during a business meeting
🙅🏼Attend/host a conference session centered on women and workplace issues
🙅🏻Stay up to date on legislation and moving it forward. Examples: Tampon Tax & Crown Act
🙅🏻♀️Support your law school’s Women Law Caucus by speaking, attending events, or making a donation
🙅🏽♀️Learn more about gender-race intersectionality and other gender intersectionalities
🙅♀️Call a “Timeout”, “Ouch”, or “Whoa” when things are going left quickly or you need to halt a microagression in process.
🙅🏿♀️Take the 21 Grit and Mind Growth Challenge. Syllabus: https://womenlawyers.org/aba-21-day-grit-and-growth-mindset-challenge/
🙅🏻Visit and peruse the websites for Women Lawyers of MI (wlam.org) and Black Women Lawyers of MI (bwlam.org). Check out the upcoming meetings and events.
🙅🏽Nominate a woman for an award: Crains, Michigan Lawyer Weekly, SBM, ABA, and other professional organizations have numerous awards
🙅🏼♀️Write a social media shout out to your female mentors, law school professors/deans, and colleagues
🙅🏿Encourage new parents to take parental leave in your work place
🙅🏼♀️Nominate a woman for a leadership role in the legal community
🙅♀️Mentor and sponsor women law students and lawyers
🙅🏿Ensure your workplace has an appropriate lactation room and changes tables for staff, clients, and guests
🙅🏾♀️Increase the number business and professional opportunities you share with women colleagues
🙅🏼Join a D&I Committee
🙅♀️ On Social Media COMMENT on posts that further inclusionnfor women. Comments like “👏🏿 👏🏿👏👏Yes! Agreed!” amplifies the presence more than a push of the button
🙅🏽♀️🙅🏻 Make sure meeting and office assignments and tasks do not perpetuate stereotypes. Anyone with a pen and paper or a laptop can take notes!
Yes, March is over but Women and Allies can continue to celebrate and advance women issues in impactful ways all years long! What’s on your to do list?
#womenhistorymonth #womenlawyers #diversityinlaw #inclusion
Inspiring Minds 