Suggestions
Katelyn Skye Bennett
Neuroqueer writer & creator with a focus on racial justice and refugee support
Katelyn Skye Bennett is a creative professional associated with Blue Treetops and Velvet Skies. She identifies as a neuroqueer writer and musician, having released two albums and collaborated on various projects. With over a decade of experience in worship leading and choir, she has also performed live with Tetu Shani.1
In her professional capacity, Bennett engages in social advocacy, focusing on topics such as refugee support and LGBTQIA rights. Her work often intersects with her personal experiences, as she shares insights related to inclusion and privilege through her posts on LinkedIn.23 Additionally, she has experience as an employment counselor, where she has successfully mentored interns in her organization.4
Bennett's multifaceted career reflects her commitment to creativity and social justice, making her a notable figure in both the artistic and advocacy communities.
Highlights
The other day one of my coworkers was jokingly prodding another colleague and friend, honestly being a little mean, so I chipped in to say, “Do we need a DEI training?” 🤔
The person on the receiving end of the comments laughed and said they had no clue what those letters meant.
The other two of us — the one who had made the original comment and me — looked at each other and realized that, for different reasons than I had originally made this half-joking/half-serious comment, we might actually need one indeed!
I then explained that DEI stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and shared why I love this so much. In the most basic sense, it is because I love people, and we need to treat each other right.
All of this took place while placing food orders at a POS, so the exchange was honestly quite brief. ⏰
Strikingly, all three of us were part of one or more marginalized groups, which I had assumed made us more knowledgeable about DEI overall. This was ignorant of me.
The lesson I am taking from the interaction is that we can all benefit from reminders about kindness and the impact of our words and actions, whether in response to microaggressions or structural issues.
Just because we are empathetic or open-minded does not make us actually inclusive, and embracing one type of diversity and liberation (say, supporting gay rights and advocating for body positivity) does not mean we get a pass in other regards (say, racial equity & liberation and helping neurodivergent folks to be included and belong).
Thoughts? 🔍
#deia #dei #deib #lgbtqia #training #communication #poll #empathy #justicework #lgbtqia #neurodivergent #selfaware #advocacy #storytime
I enjoy working with people. Even in #foodservice, you can connect with new immigrants, transient travelers, and steadfast locals.
Yesterday I met someone who works between the US and Kenya, and they thanked me in Swahili. As a #server, little thank you notes go a long way, both verbal and written, and this one made me smile a little extra.
#customerservice #swahili #peopleoverprofit #peopleskills #connectedness
