Bystander Training Workshops open for registration – empower yourself! check out our Archlight Summit recap + recording WILD members at breakfast at the IALD Conference in Banff chapter news, member opportunities, and other coming events…
WILD is excited to announce the launch of the new Mentorship Program!
Mentorship can change the course of your life, or help propel you on your chosen path. The new WILD Mentorship Program will connect women at all stages in their lighting careers, encourage leadership and support within the community, and create a safe space for WILD Members to share their experience and learn from one another.
The program will be small group, peer-to-peer style, where all participants take on both the mentor and mentee roles to foster growth and expand networks. You’re never too old or too young for a fresh perspective!
The Mentorship pilot program will begin this winter, with a limited number of individuals selected after taking the below survey. (Please sign up ASAP! If you don’t get selected for the pilot, we will catch you in the next iteration.) We hope to have good representation of the diversity of the WILD community, and provide support for Members at all stages of their careers. The pilot program will last about 3 months (just the pilot) with a time commitment of 3 hrs per month.
MENTORSHIP Program slots are currently at capacity as of 11/13/23. We will announce when new openings are available.
last chance to learn how to about what to do when you witness sexual harassment
YOU HAVE THE POWER TO INSPIRE CHANGE! There’s only one chance left to join the Lamplighter Coalition and Alteristic for a highly practical Bystander Skills Building Workshops. Space is limited! Previous attendance at the webinar is not required. ALL ARE WELCOME AND ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND!
Be sure to check out the latest issue of the Illuminating Society of Engineers- LD&A Magazine – featuring two distinguished WILD members – Lisa Reed and Suzan Tillotsen.
There’s only one chance left to join the Lamplighter Coalition and Alteristic for a highly practical Bystander Skills Building Workshops. Space is limited! Previous attendance at the webinar is not required. ALL ARE WELCOME AND ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND!
Free to WILD Members*, $20 for non-members (sign up for membership now!) *use code wildmember to apply the discount
Do you know what to do in an uncomfortable professional situation? How do you step in, or who do you turn to when dealing with harassment? How can you help someone who was harmed?
Don’t miss out on another valuable learning opportunity! We’ll review the barriers to intervention and the three Ds (Direct, Distract, Delegate), then allow attendees to hone their skills with real-world scenarios and role-playing. Dive deeper with highly interactive material, creating a safe and constructive environment to share and learn.
Sexual harassment and bullying are more prevalent in our industry than you might think. Empower yourself to be an ally!
The #WILD Mentorship Program is FREE and open to all members of WILD. This volunteer-run, three-month pilot program will be limited to 25 participants. Small groups will be formed to provide mutually beneficial interactions, including peer-to-peer mentoring. Where possible, lighting pros will be grouped based on common goals and interests, with diverse industry experience and geolocation. Contact wildmentorshipprogram@gmail.com with questions. Reserve Your Spot…https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WILDMentors
Be sure to join us for all the events and great activities happening at ArchLIGHT Summit in Dallas this September 18-20th.
WILD is once again actively involved in many events during ArchLIGHT Summit being held at the Dallas Market Center in September. Be sure to make plans to join us for the event and all the WILD activities listed below.
Registration to the event is FREE and use WILDVIP to secure unlimited CEU’s during the event!
On June 24th the US Supreme Court struck down the long-standing ruling of Roe v. Wade in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, eliminating the constitutionally protected right to abortion. Women in Lighting + Design (WILD), the North American Coalition of Lighting Industry Queers (NACLIQ), and Equity in Lighting (EIL) believe this polarizing decision must lead to a conversation about how self-determination over our own bodies is fundamentally aligned with equity.
We acknowledge that our members hold a range of political and religious beliefs, and believe that our industry must be diverse and inclusive so that all our members can thrive. This decision by the Supreme Court harms the lighting industry and our greater society by restricting access to healthcare, expanding gender inequality, and jeopardizing the right for our members to choose the path that is personally best for them and their families. Without the right to bodily autonomy and privacy, the rights of women, LGBTQIA+, and people of color are denied. When historically marginalized people have agency over their own lives, diversity thrives. Without it, the diversity problem that plagues this industry will only worsen. When bodily autonomy is denied we lose control over our own future—both personally and professionally. It is the mission of WILD, NACLIQ, and EIL to help the lighting industry understand and counteract the obstacles that our members and other marginalized communities face.
WILD, NACLIQ, and EIL call on the lighting community to join us in supporting the right of all lighting professionals to make informed, private, healthcare-related decisions and to understand that the greatest impact will be on those without the ease, means, or ability to travel. We call on companies in the lighting industry to offer expanded healthcare and travel benefits where state laws ban or severely restrict abortion access. We call on our colleagues and other lighting organizations to acknowledge the impact of this ruling on professionals in the industry and to amplify our call. As always, we call on the industry to mindfully support pregnant colleagues and working parents on their journey.
While we recognize this topic is polarizing on a deeply personal and political level, the core of the issue is not. This is not about abortion, it is about all individuals having personal dignity and autonomy and the freedom to make intimate and personal choices. Now is the time to find support in our community, have tough discussions, and demand more of employers and industry advocates. It is imperative that we come together in pursuit of equity for all lighting professionals and create a more diverse and inclusive community of which we can all be proud.
With the return of in-person corporate and networking events, Women in Lighting + Design (WILD) invites you to help implement an industry-wide Mocktail Initiative. With this initiative, WILD aims to create more inclusive events, allowing all persons to fully participate in the cultivated event experience. We call for event hosts to offer fun alcohol-free options at all in person social events where alcohol will be served, and to show the same level of care and consideration for non-drinkers as they do for other guests.
What is the benefit to offering mocktails or non-alcoholic beverage alternatives?
It creates an Inclusive environment. Whether they dislike the taste, are abstaining, or just want to avoid the extra calories and carbohydrates, non-drinkers shouldn’t be excluded from the fun. When you promote non-alcoholic options at your events, you’re communicating to your guests that their comfort and enjoyment is important to you.
It saves money. Alcohol is the most expensive ingredient that goes into a cocktail; beer and wine are more expensive than flavored club soda. Guests can enjoy a delicious drink without alcohol, and it helps your event funds go further.
They’re safe. Mocktails or non-alcoholic beverages allow people to keep their wits about them, and eliminates the health and social risks associated with alcohol consumption.
They’re fun. Companies and conference planning committees get a chance to play with ingredients and create a signature mocktail or non-alcoholic beverage that is branded to them, and is universally enjoyable. You’re not just offering a mocktail, you’re creating an experience.
WILD encourages the lighting community to embrace the Mocktail Initiative by prominently offering alcohol-free beverages at networking and social events as an industry standard. Consider enhancing club soda with a flavored option alongside beer and wine and pairing liquor with a signature mocktail at top-tier events. We’re excited to see how our allies use their creativity to enhance their brand experience!
Thank you for helping us make a safer and more inclusive community for everyone. If you’re in, let us know, and we’ll give you a shout out on social media!
WILD finished Women’s History Month off with a bang! Our new brand is fresh and bold – unified yet distinct. We are making our own history.
We are excited to welcome in a new era while celebrating our recent growth and the community that helps shape us. This rebrand signifies a united front across the country, representing 16 Chapters with more on the way, and will help us make more of an impact collectively in the industry through our robust programs that support the WILD mission.
A resounding thank you to our Board, Chapters, and volunteers for their help in envisioning and creating this next step in our growth.
Together, we are WILD!
Hear more about our rebrand directly from WILD’s Marketing Chair Lauren Dunn as she sits down with Al Uszynski during an Inside.Lighting 5-Big-Questions interview. Check it out!
Hear more about our rebrand directly from WILD’s Marketing Chair Lauren Dunn as she sits down with Al Uszynski during an Inside.Lighting 5-Big-Questions interview. Check it out!
Thank you everyone who joined WILD for International Women’s Day either at our event or in celebrating the incredible women in their organizations! We can all help #breakthebias by smashing stereotypes, breaking inequality, and rejecting discrimination.
Bias – whether deliberate or unconscious – is holding women back in the workplace. It makes it harder for women to get hired and promoted and negatively impacts their day-to-day work experiences. This hurts women and makes it harder for companies to level the playing field.
International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. WILD joins in this celebration because we believe strategic collaborations based on a foundation of shared purpose, trust and appreciation can impact positive change for women. Help us #BreaktheBias today and everyday.
Are you in?
Huge thank you and shout out to our conversation leaders: Shelby Klooster, Linda Morton, Alyssa Humphries Stewart, Likhitha Rangaswamy, Stacey Teresa Bello, Molly Hanson, Tal Janowitz, Elizabeth Williams, Luz Garcia, and Rachel Fitzgerald. They were all such inspiring sessions! Special thanks also to Shelby Klooster, Kelly Roberts, and Katherine Stekr for coordinating the event.
Being an active bystander means being aware of when someone’s behavior is inappropriate and choosing to challenge it.
Be an active bystander by:
Noticing (general awareness of your surroundings)
Interpreting (if a situation catches your attention, interpret it as a problem)
Not Assuming (we often assume others will help; be that someone)
Knowing (prepare yourself to help safely – have resources and know relevant numbers)
What you can do in the moment:
Direct – directly address the situation (make sure it is safe for you and others
Distract – cause a distraction to diffuse the situation
Delegate – find help/report the incident
Here’s what we heard from you:
Any help is help – even the smallest actions matter ⬝ If multiple people choose to intervene, you can be stronger together ⬝ Being on the receiving end of these aggressions can affect your health ⬝ Address the corporate culture – bosses should STEP IN! You have a responsibility for your employees⬝ The power dynamic of stepping forward can be tricky when you feel like your job is at risk ⬝ We look to work for women-owned businesses, we know the support is there ⬝ The loudest voice in the room is NOT always the most effective ⬝ Be the change you want to see.
TRIVIA TIME
Q: How many times more often do men interrupt women than other men? A: Almost three (3) times more often.
VALUE and celebrate our differences!
As a woman, how do we value ourselves? How do we value others? How do those of us in leadership positions or positions of power/privilege use our voices to reflect the value of women as a whole and help younger women recognize their value? How do we hold space for different lifestyles and viewpoints? We watched Pat Michell’s TEDTalk on being a DANGEROUS WOMAN for inspiration.
Pat Mitchell: Dangerous times call for Dangerous Women
Here’s what we heard from you:
All the best mentors made it feel safe to be me ⬝ Speak up, speak out, and stand up for one another ⬝ You remember a person by how they made you feel ⬝ Everyone should be given the equal opportunity, the equal offer, and they can decide to say no or yes ⬝ Leadership is another term for power, and leadership is the ability to turn over the talking stick and provide opportunities to other people ⬝ Own your difference to change the conversation in your favor ⬝ Because I’m a woman, I have to think twice about what I’m doing, and I have to edit myself all the time ⬝ We don’t have to go at it alone.
TRIVIA TIME
Q: Compared to straight men, how much more likely do lesbian and bisexual women feel like they can’t talk to colleagues about their lives outside of work? A: Around four (4) times more likely.
CONFRONT with confidence
Implicit (unconscious) bias is “a bias or prejudice that is present but not consciously held or recognized” …in other words a bias we hold that we are not necessarily aware of that may affect our outlook, behaviors, or decisions.
We surround ourselves with people that we most feel comfortable with; the people who help make a place feel like home and that we can rely on when in need of advice. Often this will consist of people who look, think, and act like us…this is NOT an indication of unconscious bias but more a biological inevitability that we are innately drawn to the familiar. It just means you like who and what you like and that there is nothing wrong with this. These are preferences but not biases.
How to know when something goes from a preference to an unconscious bias? The truth is you might not even realize the difference. A preference is the act of selecting someone/something over another. A preference can BECOME a bias when the act of preferring becomes an inhibitor to impartial judgment resulting in a prejudice and NOT a preference.
Here are some common (but not all) types of biases that women face in the workplace:
What can you do?
Speak up for someone in the moment
Ask a probing question
Stick to the facts
Explain how bias is in play
Advocate for policy or process change
Here’s what we heard from you:
They were undermining me before I even got a chance to speak ⬝ Being able to speak up is super brave, but educating people and making people aware it’s an issue is the first step ⬝ Don’t wait for the moment to happen again – this is your moment to make sure it doesn’t happen again ⬝ I can’t count how many times I’ve been told women can’t be engineers, women can’t have work and family ⬝ It’s recognizing the bias within yourself, recognizing it and then dismantling it ⬝ Consider the ramifications of your comments or actions and figure out what you can do to correct them. Don’t end at saying sorry
Ask yourself:
“My one action to address my own bias is….” “My one action to address bias against women in the workplace is…”
TRIVIA TIME
Q: According to Harvard University’s Implicit Association Test, what % of people more readily associate men with “career” and women with “family”? A: 76%
EMPOWER yourself and others
Empowerment is the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one’s life and claiming one’s rights. When you empower others, you are giving them the tools they need to succeed. When you empower yourself, you are taking steps for a healthy mind/body and to be successful in your career. However, are you giving and getting all the best advice?
We watched Susan Colantuono’s TEDTalk on CAREER ADVICE and this video forced us to question how we empower women and men differently, and how our typical mentoring practices for women do not provide them with all the tools they need to succeed. There is a missing 33% of business acumen that is not taught in typical mentoring. Women learn how to be confident, or the “human factor” in business, which can only bring us so far. In order for women to reach higher levels of management, we need to learn and understand the financial side of the business.
Susan Colantuono: The Career Advice You Probably Didn’t Get
Here’s what we heard from you:
Don’t be afraid of failure, we all learn from our failures ⬝ My dad taught my brother how to handle money, but he didn’t teach me ⬝ Don’t wait for someone to mentor you. Ask for it ⬝ Don’t forget to give yourself a break; we all need to keep work-life balance in check and support (or EMPOWER) ourselves and those around us to keep that balance ⬝ Don’t be afraid to ask questions, the worst that happens is that someone says “no” or doesn’t give you the advice or mentorship that you were seeking; so seek it elsewhere ⬝ Set a roadmap for yourself to hold yourself accountable – empowering yourself ⬝ Lean on each other. We are a community. The more we advance as individuals, the more we advance as a collective
What we are going to do to #BreakTheBias:
Stand up for younger colleagues so they receive the credit they deserve
Amplify others voice
Create awareness in myself
Seek out the thoughts and opinions of those that are quiet rather than always listening to the loudest in the room
Lead by example and ensure my actions match my words
Look at talk time, making sure everyone has a chance to speak
TRIVIA TIME
Q: For every 100 men promoted to manager, how many Black women are promoted? A: Only 58 Black women.
