The Tangle: Episode 9
Hey there,
Happy Pride Month everyone!
Pride is a month of celebration - and protest. We want to celebrate the existence, achievements, and strength of the LGBTQ+ members of the Innovation Ecosystem AND challenge the inequalities that still exist.
🌈 The LGBTQ+ community is a significant part of Canada's startup and innovation sector. Canada is home to over 100,000 2SLGBTQI+-owned businesses. These businesses generate over $22 billion in economic activity and employ over 435,000 Canadians. The Queer community is an essential part of a thriving ecosystem!
✊ At Collectively Tangled, we see allyship as an action - not an identity. We recognize the importance of continuously evaluating our actions and words to ensure they align with the needs of the queer community we serve.
❗We all need to acknowledge the interconnectedness of mental health, innovation, identity, and systemic discrimination. By addressing these issues collectively, we can create a more inclusive and supportive environment for everyone.
🌈To both celebrate and empower change, we’ve listed resources we hope are helpful for queer entrepreneurs and those who want to practice effective allyship.
🌈 Let’s all practice walking the talk together, and commit to better understanding how we can best support all our fellow innovators.
Tips & Tools 🛠
Resources and Readings for those wanting to practice Allyship:
Pride at Work: Micropedia of Microaggressions
Microaggressions are often unintentional everyday thoughts, comments, and interactions stemming from unconscious bias, causing harm to those affected. Everyone can exhibit bias, and psychologists suggest we have likely both given and received microaggressions.
The Micropedia of Microaggressions is a comprehensive tool to learn about different microaggressions and unlearn the behaviors that cause them, promoting more inclusive workplaces, schools, and social interactions.
Qmunity Queer Terminology for A to Q
Words can be powerful tools used to empower, include, affirm, acknowledge, identify, validate, understand, respect, dignify, unify, humanize, celebrate, embrace and heal.
PRIDE at Work Beyond Diversity: An LGBTQ Best Practice Guide for Employers
This Pride at Work Canada guide, produced with the support of Great Place to Work presents the top twelve strategies to meet the needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ people in the workplace.
Organizations that support LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and startups
The YYC Queer Innovation Meetups were created by Co-Founders Amber Rowden and Ty McKinney to partner with local queer businesses for joint meetups and create representation for queer founders, and innovators in Calgary.
QueerTech strives to queer the tech ecosystem by breaking down barriers, creating spaces, and connecting communities to support and empower 2SLGBTQ+ people to thrive.
Chasing Rainbows is a VC firm that invests in LGBTQ+-led tech companies. This firm aims to address the funding gap for LGBTQ+ founders.
CGLCC OUT for Business Youth Entrepreneur Program
The OUT For Business Youth Entrepreneur program supports a select group of 2SLGBTQI+ youth entrepreneurs each year. They connect current business leaders in our community with the next generation of leaders to provide them with support and guidance in growing their businesses.
Applications for the next cohort will open in Fall 2024
Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC)
CGLCC is the only chamber of commerce uniting and advocating for the over 100,000 2SLGBTQI+ owned and operated businesses in Canada
Grow the Tangle!
Know a founder who could use a gentle nudge to think differently about their mental health? Or have a friend or colleague who might be interested in learning more? Forward this to them! Help us grow our Tangled Community, so we can have a bigger impact, faster. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn too.
Book a counselling appointment
Thanks for joining our journey to improve the well-being of entrepreneurs in our community! Together, we’re changing the narrative on what it means to be a successful entrepreneur (hint: mental health matters).
Want to learn more or have thoughts on ways we can work together? Let’s chat!
Until next time,
The CT Team ✌️