Out and Equal Workplace Advocates (typically styled “Out & Equal”) is an advocacy organization for LGBT interests in the professional environment based in Oakland, California. Out and Equal primarily provides training and support to LGBT employees. ¹

The group has received funding from major social-liberal institutional donors, including the Gill Foundation, the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, alongside a number of major corporations’ philanthropic arms. ²

Background

Out and Equal was started in 1996 by Selisse Berry, while working as a director for the Building Bridges training program at the United Way of the Bay Area organization. Berry ran the Building Bridges program in partnership with other LGBT-interest groups from the Pacific Center in Berkeley; by 1997 it had relocated to San Francisco, California. The Building Bridges program later merged with Progress and A Group of Groups (AGOG) in 1998; in 1999, they formed the Pride Collaborative. That group later merged with Colleagues to host an annual Out and Equal Conference which later turned into the Out and Equal Workplace Summit. The Summit remains the main program of the current organization. By 2004, Out and Equal became an independent organization, after separating from the United Way of the Bay Area. ³

In 2015, Out and Equal opened a second office in Washington, D.C., expanding its efforts into the national political debate. In 2018, CEO and founder Selisse Berry stepped down after 23 years at Out and Equal and was succeeded by Erin Uritus. Berry remains an adviser to the new CEO and joined the Board of Directors for Equality Florida in 2019. ⁴

The current CEO, Erin Uritus, has led the organization as it creates new programs such as the digital Global Hub, Southern Forum, and international expansion in China, India, and Brazil. ⁵

Advocacy

Out and Equal’s main strategy is to employ webinars and seminars to train LGBT employees who work in various industries. These employees at Fortune 1000 companies, government agencies, and other organizations then facilitate LGBT executive leadership development on diversity and inclusion as well as “professional networking opportunities that build inclusive and welcoming work environments.” ¹

Out and Equal has also designed 20 steps to achieve its goals, these steps include focusing on equal policies and benefits, targeting talent management and professional development, ensuring community commitment to the workplace climate and corporate responsibility. ⁶

The organization’s keystone annual event is the Out and Equal Workplace Summit, which is sponsored by some of the most prominent corporations in the world. ⁷

Funding

Out and Equal receives financial support from progressive institutional and businesses’ corporate foundations, with notable contributors including the social-liberal Gill Foundation, the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund, the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, and the corporate giving arms of Motorola Solutions, Ford Motor Company, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. ² The group has also received support from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the charitable arm of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest and most prominent LGBT-interest advocacy group in the United States. ⁸

1. “Who We Are.” Out and Equal. https://outandequal.org/who-we-are/
2. Data compiled by FoundationSearch.com subscription service, a project of Metasoft Systems, Inc., from forms filed with the IRS. Queries conducted April 8, 2020.
3. Calvey, Mark. “Selisse Berry’s two decades at Out & Equal leave a legacy in corporate America – and some large shoes to fill.” June 1, 2017. Accessed February 25, 2020.

   https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2017/06/01/selisse-berry-out-equal-workplace-lgbt-pride-qa.html

4. “Out and Equal Founder Selisse Berry joins Equality Florida Board of Directors.” October 2, 2019. Accessed February 25, 2020. https://www.eqfl.org/Selisse-Berry
5. “Staff: Erin Uritus” Out and Equal. https://outandequal.org/erin-uritus/
6. “20 Steps to Out and Equal Workplace.” Out and Equal.

   https://outandequal.org/20-steps/

7. “2020 Workplace Summit.” Out and Equal.

   https://outandequal.org/event/the-2020-workplace-summit/

8. Human Rights Campaign Foundation, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2016, Schedule I