Advocating for a Sense of Belonging
Blocking access, creating barriers, and expressing hostile attitudes and behaviors toward members of LGBTQ+ communities. Pride Month is centered on reflecting and celebrating the constant and consistent fight to belong in societies across the world. Belonging, a human need that transcends all identities, is a connection experience that institutions of higher education, secondary schools, and other entities are working diligently to expand capacity in their environments for students and staff.
How do advancement professionals and organizations react when alumni and donors express attitudes and demonstrate behaviors that signal LGBTQ+ members do not belong in their alma mater community? How do advancement professionals address alumni and donors who feel like their sense of belonging is slipping away as institutions and schools use their platforms to communicate and implement strategies that create a sense of belonging for communities that were historically denied access to higher education, and/or continue to experience hostile attitudes and behaviors toward their existence in these spaces?
Pride month is more than parades in the street, Pride flags flying high, featured merchandise, or adding an LGBTQ+ filter to a profile picture on social media. Transgender and queer people of color risked their lives during the Cooper’s Do-nuts Riot in 1959, 10 years prior to the Stonewall Riot, fighting for the community’s right to belong and not be harassed. What will we do as advancement organizations and professionals to join in on the constant and consistent battle? Will we advocate for policy changes, engage in compassionate conversations with our alumni and donors, and ask members within the community what does holding our organizations accountable look like? Will we work to continue to build the trust of the LGBTQ+ community and affirm their sense of belonging in the face of external and internal bias? Will we step up?
Pride month is an opportunity to reflect on what actions have been done and what actions need yet to be done. Use Pride month as one of the intentionally designated times to measure your professional and organizational progress, celebrate your wins, acknowledge your challenges, and reflect on your growth. That of course, is the purpose of Pride Month.
About the author(s)
Dr. Jessica Elmore, a dynamic scholar-practitioner, and expert in educational advancement and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), is dedicated to transforming and elevating the landscape of philanthropic engagement through innovative DEIB strategies. With over a decade of experience, Dr. Elmore's work bridges the gap between cultural community engagement and educational advancement, ensuring that all voices and experiences are heard and valued.
Dr. Elmore joined CASE as the Senior Director of Cross-Cultural Learnings within the CASE OIC: Opportunities and Inclusion Centerᵀᴹ. In this role, she has been instrumental in developing CASE’s first online DEIB course, "The Journey Starts with You: DEIB in Advancement," and delivering bespoke training through CASE@Campus. Jessica is responsible for developing the training and content vision for upskilling, enhancing job performance, boosting organizational culture and contributing to the overall growth of an organization's outreach and engagement with their diverse alumni, donors and stakeholders.
Previously, the California native relocated to the Midwest and served as the point person and leader for community relationship building and engagement programming for diverse domestic and international alumni and students for the Kansas State University Alumni Association. In Dr. Elmore’s progressive role, she cultivated over $600,000 from diverse donors and organizations; established a successful diverse volunteer leaders board pipeline, executed over 300 cultural-affiliated alumni and student events, garnering national recognition and professional organization industry awards; served as co-editor for the Association’s first diversity-devoted alumni magazine issue, and was a steadfast campus connector who accumulated an immense amount of social capital resulting in successful collaborations with various campus entities including but not limited to, international programs, athletics, and campus administration.
Jessica's expertise lies in creating award-winning external programming and cultivating relationships with domestic multicultural and international alumni and students. She is an interactive trainer and communicator with a proven track record of helping individuals grasp complex concepts through engaging and approachable methods. Her ability to create environments where people feel confident to navigate new spaces and contribute meaningfully sets her apart in the field of educational advancement. Jessica excels in breaking down intricate ideas into easily digestible insights, empowering participants to not only understand but also apply their knowledge in impactful ways.
Dr. Elmore holds a doctorate in educational leadership, a master’s degree in business administration from Kansas State University, and a mass communication degree from Grambling State University. Her diverse educational background equips her with a unique perspective on the interconnection and nuances of educational advancement.
Driven by a vision of inclusive excellence and social mobility, Dr. Elmore believes in the transformative power of education to create equitable opportunities for all. Her approach is rooted in empathy, collaboration, and a deep understanding of the diverse needs of alumni and donor communities.