{"id":9195,"date":"2019-06-24T13:22:43","date_gmt":"2019-06-24T17:22:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.brainstation.io\/?p=9195"},"modified":"2019-06-24T13:22:43","modified_gmt":"2019-06-24T17:22:43","slug":"how-venture-out-is-bringing-the-lgbtqa-tech-community-together","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/how-venture-out-is-bringing-the-lgbtqa-tech-community-together","title":{"rendered":"How Venture Out is Bringing the LGBTQA+ Tech Community Together"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every year in June, millions of people celebrate Pride Month by proudly waving rainbow flags, attending parades and marches, and recognizing the contributions and struggles of people in the LGBTQA+ community.<\/span><\/p>\n

But for Venture Out, a network of community organizations, companies and individuals striving to foster more diversity and inclusivity in the tech sector, giving back and celebrating community successes goes beyond one month each year. <\/span><\/p>\n

The initiative launched in 2017. Since then, the team behind it \u2014 including 2019 co-chairs Lisa Durnford and Simon Mills \u2014 have been creating opportunities for networking, job hunting, and career growth through events by the community, for the community.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of discussion around how much work we still have to do in terms of diversity and inclusion in the tech sector,\u201d said Durnford. \u201cThe founders of Venture Out were realizing when they went to tech networking events or conferences, it was hard to find other folks in the <\/span>LGBTQA+ community\u2026 but then, at the same time, when they went to Pride events or other events for the community, it often wasn\u2019t very tech-focused.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Venture Out, she says, was launched to fill that gap.<\/span><\/p>\n

Initiative Connects <\/b>LGBTQA+ Tech Community<\/b><\/h2>\n

The initiative\u2019s mission, according to Mills, is to \u201c<\/span>connect the LGBTQA+ tech community to opportunities, role models, mentors, and each other.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re asking people to have conversations about what they want to do and what they want their career to look like and how to get their first job \u2014 how to get their tenth job \u2014 you\u2019re implicitly asking for a certain amount of vulnerability or authenticity from folks,\u201d Durnford notes. <\/span><\/p>\n

With that in mind, she says it\u2019s crucial to build spaces where people who often face challenges in being themselves professionally are able to feel like they can have genuine conversations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout the year, the team of volunteers puts <\/span>together conferences, networking opportunities, and connects early-career professionals to new opportunities in the technology and entrepreneurship fields.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another key piece is an annual spring conference in Toronto \u2014 the first and largest of its kind in Canada \u2014 which Durnford says brought out around 650 people and 40 companies and community partners this year for talks, workshops, networking, and a career fair.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Venture

Source: Venture Out<\/p><\/div>\n

Making all the components happen is a constant challenge, particularly since the volunteer team is made up of a mix of students and people with full-time day jobs, Durnford notes.<\/span><\/p>\n

But she says the work it\u2019s totally worth it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018They\u2019ve Never Been to Events Like This\u2019<\/b><\/h2>\n

On one side of things, Durnford says Venture Out has proven companies are capable of having conversations about being better workplaces for LGBTQA+ employees \u2014 unlike a lot of conferences and events where companies are just talking about themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the other side, the workers are gaining new insight and employment connections.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s through a community that people meet role models and mentors and it\u2019s through community that folks connect with each other and find opportunities,\u201d says Mills.<\/span><\/p>\n

The initiative offers a platform for LGBTQA+ entrepreneurs and leaders within the tech community to tell their stories \u2014 and model the way for those who want to be in those positions in the future \u2014 he adds.<\/span><\/p>\n

When asked why the work matters, both co-chairs say it\u2019s about the people.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always amazing to hear stories of folks who have found a job through our events or have been able to use our events as a way to kick start conversations about diversity and inclusion within their organizations,\u201d says Mills.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat people say is, they\u2019ve never been to events like this, or they\u2019ve never been to a space as safe and welcoming as Venture Out,\u201d Durnford echoes.<\/span><\/p>\n

And for a lot of people, she adds, it feels like \u201cfinally finding a space\u201d designed with them in mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve heard from a lot of people that it was a big deal to finally feel comfortable at a tech conference,\u201d Durnford says.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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