BMA Diversity elects leaders for its ambassador groups: Meet the leaders of the LGBTQIAPN+ cause
Ambassador. The dictionary says that one of the definitions of the noun is “representative or messenger”. “Messengers” describes an important group within BMA Diversity. The role of our diversity and inclusion ambassadors is to spread the principles adopted by the BMA Diversity committee, along with the message that diversity can be an instrument of social transformation, enriching the working environment and promoting valuable exchanges of views.
BMA Diversity now has a new governance structure for the leaders of the different groups of ambassadors working for diversity and inclusion causes: LGBTQIAPN+, gender, religious freedom, Black people, and people with disabilities. The leadership roles will be taken up by people from various areas within the firm, who will be responsible for leading initiatives, promoting dialogue on diversity, and helping to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. Since LGBTQIAPN+ Pride Day will be celebrated on June 28th, we spoke since the newly-elected leaders of this group of ambassadors, Dayana Bege Lage Magalhães, Fábio dos Reis Leitão and Luiz Antonio Galvão, to discuss the main challenges of dealing with LGBTQIA+ issues in a law firm.
“I often say that the BMA I met in 2013 is not the same BMA now, in 2024. And that’s great! The commitment to quality and client service is the same, but the progress being made in the area of diversity and inclusion is clear,” says Fábio, who works in the firm’s Dispute Resolution practice. “Since the creation of BMA Diversity, the firm has gradually become a more welcoming place for LGBTQIAPN+ people, especially with the various ways the firm has demonstrated that this is an important issue for BMA,” adds Luiz, a Competition lawyer.
For Dayana, an HR analyst in People Management, the fact that she is a lesbian woman and part of BMA Diversity’s leadership is important, since it transmits security and acceptance to people working at the firm. “It’s important to have someone who is proud of who they are to put forward proposals and projects without fear and without hiding. I spent a long time not being able to be who I am, and here I felt welcomed. We are a reality, we are not LGBTQIAPN+ only in June, but all year round,” she points out. “The ambassadors’ mission is to make sure that people don’t forget our cause. Our biggest challenge is to confront the deeprooted prejudice that exists in the legal world, which is very conservative, although that’s not true here at the BMA,” she adds.
Luiz Antonio echoes the importance of the group’s leaders in showing everyone that the firm is increasingly a welcoming and accepting place for different social groups: “The group should act as a safe space, where people can come and deal with this issue. The leaders of the diversity group should act as representatives of the cause, spreading the message of diversity within the firm.”
Fábio, for his part, points out that diversity and inclusion are essential issues for any company in the 21st century, and that dealing with the issue seriously allows the firm to retain young talent and ensure the continuity of its business: “The real mission, when it comes to attracting and retaining talent, especially from a new generation that is increasingly looking for purpose in everything it does, is to create a safe and welcoming environment where everyone feels valued and respected, regardless of their origins and identities. The leaders of the diversity group need to be active and visible defenders of inclusion within the firm, a point of reference for everyone."
>>> Article written by Mariana Brugger for BMA Diversity.
>>> This content is part of BMA Review #83. Click here for more.