OUR LIVES | MINNESOTA NATIONAL GUARD FEATURE
Emphasizing Their Own:
Minnesota National Guard LGBTQ Special Emphasis Council BY ISAAC JOHNSON | PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRIGADIER GENERAL DAN GABRIELLI When diversity and inclusion is at the heart of an organization’s values, there will usually be the presence of an employee resource group or affinity group, especially in corporate America. The Minnesota National Guard being a military organization is no different. They face the same diversity and inclusion issues and have the same people groups that desire safe and welcoming spaces to connect with others like them. At the Minnesota National Guard they’re called Special Emphasis Councils, and they have eight. The African American Heritage council; American Indian/Native American Heritage council; Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage council; Disability Employment Awareness council; Hispanic and Latino American Heritage council; Holocaust Remembrance Day/ Days of Remembrance council; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender council; and Women’s council. According to the annual report, these councils work to promote leadership development and inclusion within the organization. Their goal is to increase mentorships, build personal relationships to strengthen retention, expand awareness further into all ranks, increase participation, and ensure all feel welcome and proud to be part of the force. Major Corey Robinson is the Director of Diversity and Inclusion at the Minnesota National Guard. He says, “We need to get under-represented groups and get some flames behind them, get them going, get them out there, and start to recognize that they are a big part of our existence.” Each council has an advisory group that meets monthly and is responsible for hosting monthly events. Many of them provide regular newsletters and they each host at least one larger scale “anchor” event every year. For the LGBT Special Emphasis Council, they are taking part in the Twin Cities Pride festival and hosting a well attended panel with LGBTQ guard memeber speakers, sharing their stories and answering questions to help better understand things that the organization could do to fa-
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LAVENDER JUNE 2-15, 2022
