Affinity

On June 4, 2020, in response to the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, the LSHV Inclusion Council initiated discussions to bring together team members who share common identities as a way to provide support, advocate for change, foster engagement, and promote inclusivity and diversity within our communities.

A group of people standing next to each other.

Bringing Us Together

As part of our work on creating an evolving, diverse, and inclusive organization, the Inclusion Council invited team members to join affinity groups where they could build connections, share experiences, and self-educate, allowing them to focus energy where each finds common ground.

In acknowledging that these groups cater to diverse populations with common experiences and a wide range of unique cultures and histories, our aim is to foster environments where we can honor these distinctions, while also developing unity and backing among us. Moving forward, we invite all team members to explore and participate in our individualized affinity groups which only grow stronger with a rich mix of ideas and experiences.

Learn More About Diversity

Which Group Speaks to You?

Female Attorneys Facing Discrimination

Safe space to discuss issues of gender-based discrimination and brainstorm responses, explore how discrimination impacts the treatment of female attorneys and clients, create a toolkit of responses to discriminatory conduct by judges, attorneys, and other stakeholders towards female attorneys and our clients, create a database tracking discriminatory conduct by judges, attorneys, and other stakeholders towards female attorneys and our clients.

LGBTQIA+

The LGBTQIA Staff Affinity Group aims to create a safe space and support system for LSHV staff who are a part of the LGBTQ community. We hope to continue to maintain a close-knit community and provide an outlet to discuss issues both professionally and personally, educate the larger agency on LGBTQIA issues, and make agency policy recommendations as they pertain to LGBTQIA concerns and their intersection with other identities.

Multi-Denominational Faith-Based Employee Group

Our Mission
To allow free expression of faith; to learn traditions of all faiths participating; discussions about our work and suggestions of how to deal with our everyday issues; respect other faiths’ views; and have a foundation of faith leading our actions; have discussions and prayer. Events promotion. To support, encourage and exchange ideas with the guidance of God in working with each other so that we may continue to assist the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice, and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of God.

Privilege Accountability Group Effort (PAGE)

We are committed to anti-racist principles, to combating white privilege and challenging systemic oppression by educating ourselves and each other, holding ourselves and others accountable and working to undo systemic racism, which impacts our clients, our colleagues, our community and our country. We will use the framework and infrastructure of the Inclusion Council for our educational and policy efforts to keep us true to the goal of racial justice.

Women Affinity Group

Safe space to discuss issues of gender-based discrimination, intersectionality, misogyny, and brainstorm responses to discrimination, highlight the strengths of being a woman, and discuss past and current events/issues impacting women.

Work To Do

To foster and cultivate a unified atmosphere for staff of color to strengthen, build and celebrate our unique and extraordinary accomplishments and to give back to our community. Our group is open to all of those who are willing to give more than take and to learn and grow by keeping an open mind and heart. We have a lot of work to do.

Working Parents Support Group

Be a support group for parents to air their issues; Possibly get suggestions for assistance with issues arising when working during the pandemic and other situations; Social gatherings; virtual gatherings; sharing of family and time-friendly recipes; post suggestions and events for children/families.

Jewish Staff Affinity

To connect with other Jewish staff to discuss our Jewish identities, the office’s DEI work, and ways that we can act as allies to our other colleagues.

Somos Unidos - We Are United

To establish a community of staff/volunteers at LSHV who are of Latin American descent and foster a network that will educate, uplift and bring light to our various cultures from different countries in Latin America to staff at LSHV. Our group is open to everyone in the agency who wants to learn and connect with the Latin American cultures we have at LSHV.