Holland & Knight Celebrates International Women's Day 2023
This year's International Women's Day theme is centered on embracing equity. Here at Holland & Knight, we honor and celebrate women's achievements and commit to empowering their vision. We are proud to support the women of our firm on this day, and every day. We continue to advocate for equity inside and outside the workplace.
Judy Nemsick: International Women's Day is a global celebration of women's cultural, political and economic achievements. It recognizes, however, that women continually face challenges in seeking a more gender-equitable world. Holland & Knight proudly supports this year's theme, "Embrace Equity." Equity acknowledges that people have different backgrounds and experiences, but by providing them with the appropriate resources, we can create equal opportunities for everyone to succeed, and a gender-equal world is one free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. It's inclusive and celebrates diversity. Holland & Knight is committed to these objectives and the continued success of all our women.
Question 1
Jessica Ragosta Early: I adopt the Ruth Bader Ginsburg mentality. So, to me it means when there are nine — when a board, a slate of candidates, a bench of judges, etc., is made up of all women and it's not remarkable. It's normal.
Kelly-Ann Cartwright: As a female equity partner in my law firm, gender equity means that barriers to opportunities are removed so that everyone, regardless of gender, has a meaningful opportunity to succeed.
Paul Kiernan: Gender equity means competing on a level playing field.
Vivian de las Cuevas-Diaz: It's an opportunity for someone to do something that maybe wouldn't otherwise be given to them. We all come from different walks of life. So, we don't know what that opportunity means, but equalizing the playing field so that people can have that opportunity.
Duvol M. Thompson: No matter what your gender, you have the ability to access health, education or employment opportunities or even economic opportunities at the same level as anybody else.
Allia Howard: Having a seat at the table, but also being respected for what one brings to the table.
Mark Sloan: We might not always have the same viewpoints, but we can certainly respect each other's views, and a diversity of views makes our culture much stronger.
Juliana Saa: Tratar a todos justamente y con respeto. (Translation: Treat everyone fairly and respectfully.)
Wells Trompeter: Progress for all.
Kristin Asai: The diversity of everyone's experiences and backgrounds to get the best possible result for our clients, as well as to ensure that every person feels welcome and belongs in our community and in this firm.
Question 2
Tamsen Plume: Observing your own behavior, being very mindful and conscious of your own implicit bias.
Lauren Becker: By promoting it within my practice.
Christopher Kelly: By providing opportunities to everyone.
Jose Sirven: Parte de mi trabajo es encontrar esas oportunidades para todos. (Translation: Part of my job is finding those opportunities for everyone.)
Jessica Ragosta Early: By being a leader and an upstander.
Mark Sloan: We need to make sure that we're inclusive and ensure that everyone has the same opportunities.
Tatyana Rozenberg Bloom: Even in the partner position, being able to give the associates the same opportunities that I had.
Victoria Koob: Supporting women. Supporting women leaders.
Question 3
Paul Kiernan: My daughters.
Christopher Kelly: My son.
Vivian Arias: My children.
Allia Howard: My colleagues.
Lauren Becker: Our firm.
Jessica Ragosta Early: Our clients.
Wells Trompeter: Everyone.
Vivian de las Cuevas-Diaz: Whether you're in a company, whether you're in a school, whether you're in a family, whether you're with friends.
Kristin Asai: Everyone benefits from equity.
Mark Sloan: We all do.
Kelly-Ann Cartwright: As individuals, as a law firm.
Duvol M. Thompson: It promotes a better environment, a better cultural environment, better social environment, because everybody feels included.
Jose Sirven: Our communities, our country.
Lauren Becker: The world.
Regina Legorreta: El mundo. (Translation: The world.)
Allia Howard: The world.
Vivian Arias: The world.
Wells Trompeter: The world.
Juliana Saa: El mundo entero. (Translation: The whole world.)
Paul Kiernan: The whole world.
Tamsen Plume: It truly benefits everybody. We just don't all know it yet.