(Look! A listicle! CV here, unfolding a conversation between me and Lex as we planned the first Feminism In Practice Salon…)
Lex and I would love for Feminists At Work to be an open platform for anyone who’d like to participate in a conversation that takes feminism into the workplace and directs it at the systems that get in the way of justice and equality within organizations.
Here are 12 different ways that you can join in with FeministsAtWork:
- Convening an event
- Hosting at an event
- Writing and cross-posting on the Feminists At Work blog
- Making and selling things that inspire activism and help pay for events
- Welcoming and connecting personally with other feminists that join in
- Bringing resources to the group and to each other
- “Network weaving”: helping people meet each other to expand the network
- Bringing a topic up for discussion (online, at an event, between us)
- Bringing an example or issue to the group for problem-solving and support
- Listening bravely to what others have to share
- Organizing a sip & share
- Join our Community on Mighty Networks
1. Convening an event
Anyone is welcome to convene an event under the name “Feminists At Work” and connect with the folks in our network. We have a few principles that anything called “Feminists At Work” must follow (e.g., be intersectional, be inclusive, be welcoming, be emotionally safe), but beyond that it’s up to you and whoever attends to set the agenda. If you want to create an event, email us and we’ll do our best to help you.
2. Hosting at an event
“Convening” is the organizing and planning of an event, and “hosting” is the in-person, in-real-time shepherding/stewarding of the interaction. Sometimes it’s easier to separate these roles. We’ll be looking for people to host additional events, so if you want to host something but need help with convening, let us know.
3. Writing and cross-posting on the FeministsAtWork blog
We’re so lucky that there are great feminist blogs out there (e.g., EverydayFeminism, CrunkFeminists, GeekFeminism, and so many more), so we don’t feel like we need to create a big, comprehensive ifeminist blog. We do want to use this blog and site to share, showcase, recommend, and offer an outlet for others who are writing about feminism and feminist practice. And of course we’ll use this blog to keep folks up to date on what we all are up to. If you’d like to write something for this blog or cross-post something you’ve placed elsewhere, email us.
4. Making and selling things that inspire activism and help pay for events
I wish that someone would make a t-shirt that says, “On Wednesdays We Smash the Kyriarchy.” Or make stickers that read “iFeminism is Cool”. I’d also like a small pot of petty cash from which we can purchase coffee, chocolate, and feminist supplies. Just thought I’d throw that out there.
5. Welcoming and connecting personally with other feminists that join in
Personally, I kind of freak out when I walk into a meet-up alone. (Probably one too many tech events where I’m one of the only ladypersons and certainly the only one over 40.) Thus, I personally love it when people take up the challenge of welcoming and knitting into the conversation people who are new to the group.
6. Bringing resources to the group and to each other
All activists and change agents have resources they draw upon to stay centered, get engaged and make progress. If you have texts, tools, links, events, kitten gifs, or anything else that inspires you and that you’d like to share, we welcome it. Tell us what it is and how we can help you share it.
7. “Network weaving”: helping people meet each other to expand the network
Another area where we are blessed/lucky/making progress is in creating communities, clusters and loose networks of people who are working alongside us for similar kinds of goals. If you know of a community we should connect with. Yay. (We’ve already had two groups reach out to suggest co-convening events). Also, and here’s an especially powerful way to participate, if you know a few folks who should know each other, please introduce them. There is a special place in heaven, as well as in this world, for people who connect people.
8. Bringing a topic up for discussion (online, at an event, between us)
What would you like us to address next? What’s important to you and on your agenda?
9. Bringing an example or issue to the group for problem-solving and support
At our first Feminism In Practice Salon, we’ve asked everyone to bring an example of when they’ve demonstrated/employed/advocated for feminism at work. (We know you’ve all done it.) Concrete examples help us translate the seemingly abstract ideas of ‘intersectionality’ and “kyriarchy” into actions like ‘advocating for better pay for hourly workers even though we’re managers’ and ‘challenging racial as well as gender gaps in pay’. Plus, what are feminist friends for if not to give you help with real world problems?
10. Listening bravely to what others have to share
Keeping it real here: Sometimes I don’t want to hear about how white women have historically excluded women of color, or how my managerial and leadership-oriented advice doesn’t work for a parent at home with kids, or how my academic language is too snooty to be intelligible or useful. But I take a deep breath and focus, and listen, because listening is a way we learn and a way we love. Being listened to and really being heard is a gift we’d all like to receive, and we are all able to give.
11. Organizing a sip & share
Of course this idea comes from Boston, where Jeanne has been agitating and advocating around glasses of wine. A sip & share is a lightweight gathering to talk, conspire, get to know each other, etc. Anyone can toss out a date, time, place, and topic where they will be and were others can meet up, and if 2 other people rsvp “yes”, it’s an event. Kind of like a minyan for feminists, having 3 people makes it a “group” and not just you and a pal sloshing down the Pellegrino.
12. Join our community on Mighty Networks (and bring a friend!).
Join us here. Bring a friend. Bring two friends. Bring someone you’d like to become better friends with. You might ask, how did Lex and I meet in person and become friends? We met at a women-in-tech event that friends invited us to. How did you find this page? Probably… wait for it… a friend invited you.
We invite you to invite others.