Pride | H&S Staff Resources (Part 1)

At H&S, we’re always looking for ways to grow and educate ourselves around PRIDE and how to be allies to the LGTBQ+ community. This month, we’re asking our staff what resources they hold near to them year round, but especially during PRIDE. We hope you’ll join us in reading, listening, and continuing to put words into action.

Ashlyn Holliday

I first heard about “Paris is Burning” when I started college and learned that a high school classmate was involved in the Ball scene in NYC. I was so intrigued and found the documentary on YouTube. Since then, I have urged friends and family to watch the documentary to learn about a community they likely hadn’t heard of. Now we have Pose on FX (which I strongly urge you to watch as well) for a scripted take on the community, but Paris is Burning is an intimate glimpse into the community everyone needs to see.

Erika Lam

I’ve learned so much this past month gearing up for PRIDE celebrations for several of our brands. I’m particularly excited to have come across the organization BTFA (Black Trans Femmes in the Arts), a nonprofit that now happens to have one of our former H&S interns working at! BTFA organizes programming that centers and highlights Black trans femme artists, executive produces projects led by Black trans femme artists, and provides direct to support to Black trans artists. Please check them out and give them a follow on Instagram!

Liz Santillanes

I first learned about this book from Drag Queen Story Hour, an amazing organization where drag queens read stories to children in libraries, schools and bookstores. As a parent, I love the approach to normalizing these conversations and showing our children that its okay to be different and to embrace your true self. I’m so grateful for these tools and love the way it’s presented – I highly recommend, for kids and adults alike!

#BlackLivesMatter Staff Resources & Recommendations

As an agency, and as individuals, we’ve been taking the extra time and effort to immerse ourselves in the Black Lives Matter movement. We wanted to share some of our staff’s personal recommendations. We hope you’ll join us in reading, listening, and continuing to put words into action.

JOCELYN JACKSON, Director

Sharing my fave brands right now: Inkbox and Universal Standard. They are smaller, not yet as widely-known brands that are showing up their competitor in their respective industries and beyond. Why? Because they aren’t just talking the talk, but are also walking the walk. In the 2nd week of protests, we saw many companies/brands start to join the BLM conversation via external statements, social media and emails to customers. However, it quickly became clear that they were all using the same language, as if someone had created a BLM support template then handed it out for everyone to use. And that screams inauthenticity and a “jumping on the bandwagon so we don’t get left behind” mentality. And we’re not buying it.

The black community and its allies worldwide expect more than just a brand’s lip service; we want clear commitment to action. And while donations to organizations that are making a difference on the ground and pushing for policy reform are welcome and necessary, consumers also expect brands to turn the mirror on themselves, starting with diversifying their employee base at all levels, particularly the senior levels.

Inkbox and Universal Standard took a pause to do just that, and their accountability and transparency speaks volumes. They have a lot work to do, but they aren’t afraid to admit it. And that’s exactly the support we demand to create the change this world is in desperate need of.

GABRIELLE GARCY, Assistant Account Executive

20 Social Justice Organizations to Support Right Now: I thought this was a great resource in finding more information and ways to support a variety of organizations.

My favorites include:

@thelovelandfoundation

@ACLU

@reclaimtheblock

@badguild

VERONICA RODRIGUEZ, Senior Vice President

So proud of our client partners Rodney Williams and Adrian Parker for sharing their personal story and pledge to drive an inside/outside approach to creating long-term systemic shifts around diversity, justice, equity and inclusion within their organization. Take a listen.

ANINA BOSE, Director

A really great read, that stayed with me long after reading it. Tayari Jones’s fourth novel, An American Marriage, is about the deep racial prejudice of the American criminal justice system that convicts a black man, Roy Othaniel Hamilton, of a rape he did not commit. The novel "shows us what can happen when racism and violence collide with relationships."

CAROLINE BATES, Assistant Account Executive

Keeping up Anti-Racist Momentum After the News Cycle: It is important to continue to make an impact moving forward and this guide gives you a few ways to continue your efforts past the news cycle.

LIZ SANTILLANES, Vice President

After working in the fashion industry for the past 12 years, I’m really excited to see this change come about right at the top of @HarpersBazaar. Can’t wait to see how @SamiraNasr’s vision comes to life!

@melaninbanc

@keithnelsonjr

@a_chard_lifestyle

@broderickhunter

@farahpink

@justkayelle

@tiffycrazycool

HEIDI SMOLEVITZ, Account Supervisor

These are just some of the amazing people in the Black community that we've had the opportunity to work with on various clients. If you don't already follow, check them out!

@tiffycrazycool
@justkayelle
@farahpink
@broderickhunter
@a_chard_lifestyle
@melaninbanc
@keithnelsonjr

#BlackLivesMatter Staff Resources & Recommendations

As an agency, and as individuals, we’ve been taking the extra time and effort to immerse ourselves in the Black Lives Matter movement. We wanted to share some of our staff’s personal recommendations. We hope you’ll join us in reading, listening, and continuing to put words into action.

SALAMA WARNER, Vice President

A Time to Kill: This movie shows how unfair the justice system can be to Black Americans. It's a timeless movie!

CHELSEA ENSEL, Senior Account Executive

How to Dismantle Systemic Racism by @ PatiasFantasyWorld: This is a HUGE resource guide that is a excellent for white people who are looking to educate themselves further. There is a whole section on White 2 White Conversation Topics that is really useful for getting white folks who may have been uncomfortable talking about race to commence.

ADRIANA CASTILLO, Vice President

Want to find other ways to make an impact? here are two apps that will allow you to support black owned business: Eat Okra and Black Nation.

LIZZIE NELSON, Account Supervisor

@TheManacho: This IGTV series is a great educational resource. Emmanuel Acho will be continuing his series of “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man” and eventually writing a book compiling all of his experiences and conversations. He also just did an IG live with Lili Reinhart featured in her IGTV feed. I find the way he presents to be informative and inspiring. Looking forward to following along!

#BlackLivesMatter Staff Resources & Recommendations

It’s been a heavy week and as an agency, and as individuals, we’ve been taking the extra time and effort to immerse ourselves in the Black Lives Matter movement. We wanted to share some of our staff’s personal recommendations. We hope you’ll join us in reading, listening, and continuing to put words into action.

ERIKA LAM, Vice President

For every nine people who have been executed in the U.S., one person on death row has been exonerated and released, a shocking rate of error. This month, @justmercyfilm was made free on streaming platforms and after watching it last night, immediately donated to @eji_org. My eyes were wide open the entire film, and I compel you to do the same!

LUIS BRAGA, Account Director

Grassroots Law spotlight's police brutality that would of otherwise went unknown to the public.

ELIZABETH HARRISON, CEO & Co-Founder

a16z Podcast: What We Can’t Revel We Can’t Heal with former police officer in East Palo Alto, Terry Brown, leading advocate for criminal justice reform and bestselling author @shakasenghor. A searing podcast that will make you think harder about our justice system.

HEIDI SMOLEVITZ, Account Supervisor

Register to vote!

We all have the power to create change in this country - the best way is to make sure our leaders are people we admire, look up to and do the right thing. Our current President is failing us.

ANINA BOSE, Director

As an avid reader, I have learned so much about different races, ethnicities and cultures through literature. To continue educating myself, I am next reading Heavy: An American Memoir for my book club. A brief summary of the book: In this powerful and provocative memoir, genre-bending essayist and novelist Kiese Laymon explores what the weight of a lifetime of secrets, lies, and deception does to a black body, a black family, and a nation teetering on the brink of moral collapse.