LGBTQ+ Welcoming Environments

Year of Learning

The March Year of Learning (YOL) topic was “Optic Allyship.” Sofia Leung hosted a powerful webinar on The Performative Nature of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Cristina Reyes hosted a timely meetup where members discussed the current climate of EDI in Utah, libraries, and our association. The monthly challenge was to have a conversation with colleagues or staff about allyship and your library’s values.

April is our last “United in Diversity | Unida en la Diversidad” YOL month! This month, library equity partners, the Utah Library Association and Utah State Library will focus on LGBTQ+ Welcoming Environments. I hope you took advantage of the yearlong EDI monthly opportunities to learn, interact, and take action, leading up to the ULA 2022 Annual Conference. Please join us for one more month of programming. Explore the Conference Hub to familiarize yourself with the conference schedule and register soon. See you in-person in May!

Rita Christensen (She/Her/Hers)
ULA President, 2021-2022

April 2022: LGBTQ+ Welcoming Environments

LEARN: LGBTQ+ Welcoming Environments Playlist – On Demand. This video training includes LGBTQ+ challenges, supportive allies, definitions, and explores how to make organizations more supportive, inclusive, and welcoming. Please also take some time to visit Delaware State Library’s Inclusive LGBTQ+ LibGuide. [Watch Now]

DISCUSS Zoom Meetup: Creating a Welcoming Environment for LGBTQ+ Staff and Patrons – Daniel Thurston – Thursday, April 28, 2022 @ Noon. Join us for this discussion about creating welcoming spaces in the library for LGTBQ+ staff and patrons. This discussion will not be recorded. [Register Now]

TAKE ACTION: Do one thing that creates a welcoming environment for this community now. Post what you learned and how you shared it in the Slack Discussion.