Now more than ever, organizations need to know how to respectfully and effectively engage with individuals of diverse identities and backgrounds, both as co-workers and as clientele. The LGBTQ+ community is a key part of this tapestry of diversity. As a historically marginalized group, the LGBTQ+ community shares a long history of discrimination and misunderstanding by society at large. This interactive workshop arms participants with the tools and knowledge they need to ensure that their organizations are not unconsciously perpetuating this discrimination and are, instead, affirmatively employing best practices for healthy engagement with the LGBTQ+ community. An organization never knows when the next person being recruited for a job or the next client calling on the phone will be a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
In this interactive and impactful workshop, participants will achieve the following learning outcomes:
· Increase cultural competency and sensitivity around the LGBTQ+ community.
· Understand basic terminology relative to the LGBTQ+ community.
· Define and differentiate between sexual orientation, sex assigned at birth, gender identity, and gender expression.
· Enhance empathy for the LGBTQ+ community and the struggles they face.
· Increase knowledge and understanding of the transgender and nonbinary. community, including terminology, and do’s and don’ts for engaging respectfully with this community.
· Identify basic best practices, policies, and procedures for interacting with LGBTQ+ community members in a workplace setting, both as employees and as clientele.
· Gain answers to their LGBTQ+ related questions in a safe, non-judgmental space.
The founder and president of Sanborn Diversity Training Solutions, LLC, Rebecca helps organizations enhance their LGBTQ+ “cultural competency” and sensitivity, which in turn, helps to create healthier workspaces for both employees and customers. Rebecca is passionate about human rights and equality, and believes that education is one of the most powerful tools we have to help improve society.
Prior to beginning her career as a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) trainer, Rebecca practiced law for 17 years. This allowed her to hone her communication skills in the courtroom and her teaching skills while counseling clients.
She holds a Juris Doctor from the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in paralegal studies from Rivier University. Rebecca also holds several post-graduate certificates, including a Human Resources Management Certificate from UNH Professional Development and Training, a Diversity and Inclusion Professional Certificate from Cornell University’s Industrial Labor Relations School, a College Teaching Certificate from Worcester State University/Higher Education Consortium of Central Massachusetts (HECCMA), and a Certificate in Training from the Association for Talent Development.
In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys spending time with her family, reading, singing, and taking walks in the woods.
