Ibis Valdes Consulting, LLC

Really, Matt?

Social media is an incredible way to showcase effective and far-reaching inclusive campaigns. Here I share some tips on how to make sure your brand's social media campaigns can make a difference in your brand reputation, outreach, and engagement.

Whether you're a solopreneur or managing a team, small businesses can benefit greatly from customized DEI plans to help enhance brand reputation, improve communication internally and with customers, partner successfully with diverse vendors, and much more!

I invite you to take the first step and schedule a Clarity Call with me! https://buff.ly/3yDxAkj

Go to www.ibisvaldesconsulting.com to learn more!

Workplace inclusivity is a big buzzword these days, but what does it actually mean? How do you make inclusivity happen?

Check out my tips and some information to help get you started! The secret sauce to successful inclusivity practices is communication, commitment from everyone (it's not just an "HR thing"), and patience.

Schedule your Clarity Call with me today to learn about how I can help guide you through effective and long-lasting inclusive practices! Improve your customer service, brand reputation, retention, and so much more.

Dear ,

We had your back. Now, we ask that you have ours.

My name is Ibis Valdés and I am a 29-year-old Cuban-American who proudly voted for you in the elections of 2020. We faced harassment, ridicule, and pain. I’ve been called brainwashed and accused of forgetting what my family sacrificed to get here.

All this to support your candidacy in a hostile environment where people label you a communist for just believing in a different, yet still American, idea of governance. My fiancé Victor Otero and I had tough conversations with our community and did the hard work to elect a leader that we knew would lead this country out of the grips of COVID-19 and economic hardships.

We are asking you to come to Miami, the home of the Cuban-American community, and hear the cries of our friends and family on the island.

This is a moment in time where the people of Cuba have the possibility for REAL change and you have the power and diplomatic reach to help via humanitarian aid and international pressures.

We had your back. Now, we ask that you have ours. 🆘🇨🇺

Many organizations want to do the right thing. They want to increase their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). However, a true DEI commitment starts not just with a wish, but with a DEI strategy.

A multidisciplinary approach to DEI strategy is key to ensuring maximum impact and sustainable results. Have you tried any of these before? Are you curious about any of these?

Let me know!

Within the S&P 100, 96 companies now maintain some type of internal diversity initiative. And with diversity issues grabbing national headlines, it's never been more important for employers to take a stance.

If you've yet to develop diversity training, mentoring, recruiting, and other such programs, this post will help you learn from the lessons of companies before you!

Schedule your clarity call with me today! Let me help you take the first step.

As a Cuban-American woman, the last 48 hours have been emotionally so charged. Here’s a great recap post from The Mujerista. Please help mutual aid networks that are delivering food and medicine to people through 🇨🇺 ❤️ with
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Thousands of took to the streets on Sunday, July 11, in cities and towns across the island calling for freedom, demanding change, and protesting the country’s 62-year-old communist dictatorship government. Protestors shouted “We want freedom” and “We are no longer afraid”⁠⁠ during the anti-government protests – a rare show of defiance against the government as they are known for repressive crackdowns on dissent. ⁠⁠
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Conditions in the country have become dire as the economic crisis worsens and as shortages of food, vaccines, gas, electricity and other basic necessities continue to plague the island. is also experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths. ⁠⁠
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We stand in solidarity with el pueblo on the island in their fight for freedom and basic human rights. We condemn any violence on those exercising their fundamental rights. ⁠⁠
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Swipe ➡️ to know more about what is happening in Cuba 🇨🇺 right now. ⁠⁠
⁠⁠ 🇨🇺

As a business owner, you already have a great demand for your attention. Making sure you address HR challenges properly could be one of the best decisions you make for your business. Having a firm foundation for your business's HR policy can save you money and set you up for success.

As a DEI strategist, I can help you map out and execute your goals for company culture, tailor benefits and perks that resonate with your team, and even marketing strategies that help to target new markets in culturally sensitive and accessible ways.

Schedule a Clarity Call with me today!

Mark your calendars! On August 12th from 9 am - 12 pm, I will be hosting a Diversity & Inclusion Principles for Social Impact workshop in partnership with the Center for Social Change and Nonprofits First, Inc. This is a virtual event.

If you prioritize doing work that consciously, systemically, and sustainably serves or attempts to solve a local or global community need, this workshop is for you! I will be sharing valuable insights on how to manage team dynamics, perform effective outreach to target communities, addressing workplace bias, and much more so you can maximize your organization's impact internally and in your community.

Registration link: https://buff.ly/3xAmKLC

Accessibility to your brand's online presence is increasingly important. Maintaining a website and social media is becoming an expectation rather than an option for many organizations. Here some tips on how to make sure people of differing abilities can engage with your content!

Image description: A carousel post with tips on how to meet contrast, typography, and screen size guidelines for people of differing abilities to access and engage with online content.

A diversity and inclusion consultant can do so much for your business. There are so many ways to enhance accessibility, customer service, team-building, leadership development, and more!

For solopreneurs, this could mean building a website and social media presence that is culturally sensitive and accessible by people of differing abilities. Create campaigns that inspire people to engage and feel heard! Learning how to work with diverse vendors and how to effectively incorporate feedback from partners, customers, and more is crucial for solopreneurs to survive and thrive!

For small to medium-sized businesses, teamwork makes the dream work! Services include the solopreneur package PLUS customized management and team support. DEI workshops help to explore solutions to real-life situations with customers, vendors, and partners that can make or break your org's reputation. Learn how to connect with your team members better, build on soft skills while learning new ways to adapt to the evolving team and client needs.

Schedule your free Clarity Call with me today! https://buff.ly/3yDxAkj

It’s been a while since I’ve checked in! As I’m drinking my morning coffee on the last day of July 4th weekend, I’m reflecting on exciting updates that I’m excited to share 😊

✨ I am running for office! You can follow my account to learn more about the position I’m running for and the issues I’m championing.

✨ Sign up for my newsletter! This is where I’ll be sharing new blog posts, free tips, happenings and events where you can see me speak on a variety of DEI topics.

✨ In August, I’m partnering with the and to host a 3-hour workshop on Top DEI Principles for Social Impact. Once registration is available, I’ll share it ASAP

shared a great post recently on using the half-year mark (time flies fast!) to reflect on where you’re at, and where you’re going. What are you looking forward to? Any transitions or changes that have you excited, or perhaps nervous?

I want to hear from you too! Let me know in the comments below ⬇️

Thank you for giving me the chance to talk about why DEI values are vital to great customer service! Join us online tomorrow, June 24th at 12 pm ET as I guide participants through the pillars of excellent management culture and customer service from a diversity and inclusion lens. Register at the link in their bio!

Yesterday's chat about supporting Latina entrepreneurship with Janie Flores and Alexandra Figueredo was nothing short of deeply insightful and a perfect base for next steps.

How can you support Latinas? First and foremost, support their businesses! Many Latinas scrap their personal credit and savings to start their own businesses. Encouraging incubator programs and meeting spaces like we did at Clubhouse last night is a first step to getting capital and mentorship within reach.

Even without dropping a dime, you can do the following:

- Find and support us online. Like our pages, engage with our pages online, leave reviews!
- Tell your friends and family about the business. Someone you know may love it as much as you do!
- Share your interactions with the business. Posting online while at a local cafe, salon, shop, and more is a personalized and easy way to support.
- Sign up on their email list.

What is your favorite Latina-owned business or spaces? Sound off below! Mine are The Poderistas/She Se Puede, The Mujerista, Remezcla, Mitu, and more.

TONIGHT AT 6:30 PM, join me on Clubhouse with and to talk about Latinas and entrepreneurship!

This is a critical moment for Latina entrepreneurs in the US. The pandemic has been especially brutal to our hermanas and we must not remain silent. Many economic advances Latinas made were wiped out by the pandemic, but how can we gear up to support Latina entrepreneurs?

Janie Flores is an award-winning business strategist and the Media President of Buena Vida Media. She hosts where she speaks with business leaders about their vision and goals.

Alexandra Figueredo is a leader in communications, coaching, and the healing industry. She is an author, trainer, and CEO of a boutique branding and coaching company.

Happy Juneteenth! Juneteenth is a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. The name “Juneteenth” references the date of the holiday, combining the words “June” and “nineteenth.” Juneteenth is now officially a federal holiday.

In 1997, activist Ben Haith, also known as “Boston Ben” and the founder of the National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation, created the Juneteenth flag. The pan-African colors represent the blood, soil, and prosperity of Africa and its people.

For DEI practitioners like myself (I only learned about the holiday recently in the past 3 years) we are happy to see this holiday come into the mainstream. Here are some ways to celebrate meaningfully:

LEARN THE HISTORY. Some African-Americans have complex feelings around July 4th. This sentiment is captured in Frederick Douglass’ 1852 speech “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro,” in which he wrote, “This Fourth July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.” Black American history is usually taught through the lens of trauma from slavery and the Civil Rights Movement. Center black history around joy like the Harlem Rennaisance and black contributors to society. Recognize where oppression still happens, and support progress fully.

MAKE IT PERSONAL & EXPAND THE MESSAGE. It's time to think harder about supporting and recruiting through historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), and Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs), and other racially/culturally-based organizations. Fund and support black-owned businesses.

ENHANCE THE MEANING. Remember June is also Pride Month. Honor black people's various identities as LGBTQ+, disabled, veteran status, and much more. Any DEI event should celebrate the fact that we all bring many different perspectives to workplaces and communities. Also, not all black people celebrate Juneteenth! Consider June is also Caribbean Heritage Month, where there are some parallels but also differences with the African-American community.

One of my favorite TV series, Pose, ended yesterday. I think it's fitting for Pride month. The series is about the New York City ballroom culture of the 80s and 90s, where young African-American and Latin American underground LGBTQ+ communities would organize events to "walk" (i.e., compete) for trophies, prizes, and popularity. All the main actors are transgender, which adds to the authenticity of the storylines.

Categories were designed to simultaneously exemplify and satirize gender and social class, while also offering an escape from reality. Fashion houses that competed also resembled family structures to replace the connections many lost from being disowned for being gay.

Janet Mock, a transgender woman, author, and TV presenter who directed the show alongside Ryan Murphy of FX network, explains how the essence of the series is about “how so many women before us — before legislation … were outsiders and renegades and trailblazers. ‘Pose’ was always a celebration of the ways in which our people make do with nothing."

Blanca, played by MJ Rodriguez, played one of my favorite TV mothers to date. She exuded kindness and compassion while stepping in when necessary if her children were on the cusp of making irreversible life decisions. All the characters survived trauma, discrimination, and criminalization of their identity for a chance at happiness for themselves and future LGBTQ+ youth.

Did you watch Pose? What do you think of the show?

Le***an, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Q***r (LGBTQ) Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States.

Because of lingering stigma and misinformation, chosen family in this community is so important. Many lost direct access to that family when the pandemic hit. Pride festivals shut down along with numerous other events, and while online communication has been available and vital during this time, the ability for in-person celebrations will be rightfully emotional.

Themed months like Pride provide an excellent focus of intention to reflect on what we're doing for differnet communities. Employers, are you mindful of how open and accepting your company culture is of LGBTQ+ people? Are benefits considerate of LGBTQ+ couples, parents and individuals?

For the rest of us, are you calling out hate speech online and in-person? Are you supporting local orgs helping out LGBTQ+ youth and adults? I'm a fan of .

Today and always, consider what changes you're helping to bring along so everyone can live out life in their fullest humanity.

On Memorial Day, most of us enjoy a day off work and celebrate the unofficial start of summer by boating, having barbeques or shopping the Memorial Day sales. Being with loved ones is a meaningful way to spend the day, but it's also important to remember fallen soldiers and veterans on Memorial Day. Although Memorial Day is when we honor the fallen, you don't have to wait until Veterans Day in November to show your support of living veterans. Many veterans are in need of assistance, whether it's help accessing healthcare or simply the need for companionship. There are countless ways to reach out and make a difference for veterans on Memorial Day.

This week was the first anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. Since then, it's been a year of shock and anger for some and old wounds reopening for others. My father told me when he emigrated to the US in 1980, he remembers the protests after the death of Arthur McDuffie in Miami.

McDuffie was a black man who was beaten to death by four police officers after a traffic stop. The report said he died from his motorcycle crashing, but it contrasted with clear evidence of being beaten to death.

With how ubiquitous mobile cameras have become, abuse and misconduct are more easily recorded and subjected to the court of public opinion. And the public, both in the US and worldwide, set forth demands: more awareness of racism in society, and changes to the "colorblind" ethos of the 80s and 90s.

Acknowledging race is not, and never will be, a bad thing. Embracing our differences is not divisive, it leads to honesty that helps to solve problems that colorblindness was never capable of recognizing or fixing.

Action is not what you do on major milestone days or anniversaries; it's what you do even when no one is looking. What are you doing to combat racism, even in the small moments?

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the longest-running in history. There are layers of political, cultural, and religious tensions that frame this regional conflict that speak to many around the world.

My intention is not to prescribe a policy solution. It's often said that you should avoid religion and politics to get along with others. I couldn't disagree more. Those factors are central to our identity and how we live & with each other.

1. Governments are not their people. Making an entire community responsible for the actions of a government is reductive and discriminatory.

2. Check your sources. The internet is RIFE with grainy, inaccurate videos and info graphics with no credible sources. These are meant to kick up antisemitism or anti-Arab bias. Call out that content and report it. I follow The Economist, Foreign Policy Magazine, Reuters, Fareed Zakariah, and others who take great care to present accurate research.

3. The source of the conflict comes from painful stories of dispossession and survival. Listen to understand. Check-in with those whom this conflict impacts directly. As simple as "How can I best support you?" goes a long way.

Image description: A hijabi woman, tourists, and residents walking through an open-air market in Jerusalem.

The return to the office is a big step for many these days! Some are approaching the question of whether they're returning, and when.

Maintaining office space for a team is a lot of overhead costs. Whether you own or rent, you are in charge of maintenance, utilities, and rising costs. For some industries, this setup is necessary to service clients and get the job done.

There are ways to save that are a win-win for everyone. For many, the pandemic was a forced trial into remote working. With the right tools, teams can stay in touch and meet deadlines without a problem. You can downsize on office space so only essential staff come in full-time, while others cycle in and out or work remotely. This benefits working parents and persons with disabilities!

Also, consider flex office space. Coworking spaces come in many layouts to meet the needs of different industries. Rates usually include utilities like electricity and internet, while offering easy access to amenities like conference rooms and free beverages like coffee, tea, and water. A stipend towards a coworking space can be an added benefit for a remote employee.

Above all, scheduling a teambuilding session for teams on hybrid schedules is a MUST. They encourage trust, communication, and collaboration for higher productivity and retention of great talent.

Vaccines are here and in plentiful amounts! This is cause for celebration and relief as we near the end of the pandemic but certainly raises more questions as well. What does this mean for you as an employer or solopreneur and your teammates, vendors, and clients?

I got vaccinated as soon as I could, which has allowed me to return to a semblance of normal life. I still wear a mask when asked and plan to use one when indoors if I'm near vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

Some employers are already taking decisive action. Delta Air Lines became the first major U.S. employer to require new hires to get vaccinated. A restaurant in New York City allegedly terminated a staff member who refused to get the vaccine until more research is done, while another restaurant added vaccination to the list of requirements.

Consider your liability if a staff, vendor, or client experiences an adverse reaction from the vaccine (which is rare, FYI). Consider incentives like Paid Time Off (PTO), discounts, or gift cards for those who get vaccinated. Share your story of getting vaccinated to encourage others. The situation is unprecedented, so communication, clear facts from trusted medical sources, and commitment to getting your team and clients through safely are key.

Image description: A female medical staff is placing a bandaid on a newly vaccinated woman with a mask on.

Diversity and Inclusion are the buzzwords of the moment, but knowing how to start building best practices can be overwhelming. Some may not know where to start, some may be further ahead than others, while some may not be seeing the benefits of their efforts.

My tips?

1. Survey staff, colleagues, vendors, and clients. Even if you're a solopreneur! Information is the power to make informed decisions.

2. It's bigger than race and gender! Think about how your organizational structure, products, services, and vendor relationships can be improved by knowing more information about LGBTQ+ status, disability status, veteran status, and more.

3. D&I does not only rely on HR. Get everyone to buy in and commit to action.

4. Communicate your intentions internally and externally. Transparency = accountability = results.