In this series, we’ll walk you through some of the basics of intersectionality. In each issue we’ll leave you with questions to help you apply these concepts to your work; we’ll also share all of our sources so you can use this information as a gateway to further learning, questioning, and action. Ready? Let’s go! 

In this 45 minute discussion with Cultivate founder Steve Garguilo, Coltrane discusses how movement work and legacy has influenced his work, what allyship means to him, the importance of intimacy in DE&I work, and how empowering others helps his work to be more sustainable. Be sure to stick around till the end to hear about Coltrane's impact directly from one of his mentees! 

We wrote a roughly 4,000-word toolkit on how to build & sustain thriving Employee Resource Groups. While it's full of helpful tips for ERG leaders, it might be too much if you're just getting started. For that reason, we're sharing three quick wins to kick-start your Employee Resource Group.

Whether you are an aspiring or experienced ERG leader, this tool is your go-to resource for how to create an impactful community. 

The start of Norton Juster’s classic children’s book The Phantom Tollbooth finds the protagonist, Milo, bored and uninspired. He doesn’t want to do anything at all and yet he is constantly rushing from home to school and back, all the while wishing he was somewhere else. 

TED Talks are fantastic. What better way to shake up your mojo and get a little inspired? We're all about community here, and this week we wanted to share three TED Talks about community in hopes that it will spark a little magic in you as a community member, builder, or leader. Let's dive in. 

Communities are containers for possibility. At their best, they bring people together to move towards change. But building community isn’t fast, not even in our speedy virtual world. As writer Stephen Covey said, “Change moves at the speed of trust.”

We are so excited to welcome Lisa Barroca as our new Online Community Manager to the Cultivators Community! Cultivate’s Head of Marketing sat down with Lisa to ask 15 questions in 15 minutes. Here’s what we learned about how Lisa landed in a community-centric career, her dream dinner guestlist, and her favorite coffee combination.

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is known as the staple HR conference. Over four days, 25,000+ HR professionals from around the world participated in 200+ education sessions. When we asked Steve what was emphasized this year at one of the largest HR conferences in the world, here's what he said:

Calvin McKee is no stranger to understanding the value of community, connection, and letting people know he cares.

Why the celebratory goodbye? Pausing to honor a departing teammate shows respect for their dedication to the organization and acknowledges the personal and professional impact on the group. It is also beneficial for the individual, science says. 

Whether you lead a well-established Employee Resource Group or are just getting started, member engagement is one of the hardest parts of building community. To get the lay of the land, we spoke to a handful of ERG leaders across the globe to hear how they engage their members. 

Based on our own experiences and the research that informed this model, we know every organization can benefit from a culture that empowers its employees. Still, we've also seen that when leaders are interested in creating a more empowering work culture, they often only consider one or two of the elements, leaving other equally crucial needs unmet.

Technologies aren't standalone cures or solutions for disengaged communities; they are tools you can use to meet specific community needs. Thinking about building the right tech stack for your community needs can be a bit overwhelming at first, especially if you've never built a community before! 

The need for community & a sense of belonging doesn't just apply to large, global organizations. In a world characterized by a disparate, diverse workforce and global uncertainty, these benefits are more vital than ever before, no matter where you work.

Whenever we design a shiny new learning program, we like to give you folks a look behind the scenes. This time, I'll share a little about the work that went into our Community Accelerator, a learning program for community builders who want to do more with & for their workplace communities.

The theory is simple. A recognized, appreciated employee is a satisfied, productive employee. So how does this theory translate to reality?

Workplace communities have put their stake in the ground– they aren't going anywhere. Whether you lead an Employee or Business Resource Group, learning community, a community of practice, or something of the like– it's more important than ever to treat your group like a foundational part of the business as a whole, with its own clearly defined purpose and ways to measure success.

Woven through the pages of children's books, readers can discover dreamlike dimensions, chatty creatures, and imaginative ideas. They can also find real validation and empowerment - but only if they see a reflection of themselves in the mirror of the story.

Us Cultivators usually have at least one idea stirring in our heads at any given time. Quite often, we're marinating on more than one. Sometimes we'll bounce an idea off of our coworkers or our fellow changemakers (in the Cultivators Community) so that we can find out if it has merit.