Equity Statement | Publish Your Purpose
Publish Your Purpose

Equity Statement

Our mission at Publish Your Purpose (PYP) is to discover and publish authors who are striving to make a difference in the world.

We give underrepresented voices power and a stage to share their stories, speak their truth, and impact their communities. Our purpose and mission is to elevate and amplify the voices of others.

Everyone is welcome at Publish Your Purpose with regard to race/ethnicity, national origin, age, physical or mental health disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, socioeconomic status, geography, citizen status, genetic predisposition, or religion.

Our Commitment to Diversity

Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion comes from the need to elevate diverse voices and help bring their stories to the forefront of the publishing world. Too often the voices of underrepresented communities go unheard and underrepresented.

At PYP we Strive to:

  • Uplift these voices and encourage diverse people to share their unique stories and purpose.
  • Have a diverse team of experts who support and work with our authors throughout the publishing process and after publication.
  • Acknowledge, address, and improve upon any inequalities that are within our systems, programs, and services.

Why it’s Personal

These are a few personal examples from PYP’s founder and CEO, Jenn T. Grace,
about why diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the core of what we do:

 

Factory Work. When I was 19 I took a year off between high school and college. During that year off I found myself with an opportunity to work on the assembly line of a hot water tank factory. In this role, I was one of four women in a factory of over 100 men. This role prepared me for life in countless ways. What it taught me was—how to navigate a working world dominated by men, the true meaning of hard, grueling, physical labor, and my assertive view on how to succeed in your career. Over the course of that year, I started working in the packing department, where all women were relegated and slowly moved my way through the entire assembly line (except painting). I learned that if you work your ass off, and do your job well, you can succeed despite the odds not being in your favor. Working on a job getting metal sliver splinters in your hands on a daily basis deeply teaches you what you will and won’t tolerate in your professional and personal life. It also taught me that at our core, we are all human, and looking for the same things in life, regardless of what path we are on, or path we plan on taking. Humanity is the core of our commonalities in a world where we focus too much on our differences. This experience taught me to focus on the here and now and enjoy the company of those who are very different from us. I will be forever grateful for the many life lessons this job taught me.

 

Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation. My first job out of college was with an insurance company. I had been working in retail management previously and being openly LGBTQ was a non-issue. I quickly learned that being “out” in an office environment put a target on my back. I worked surrounded by people with bigoted and homophobic views. I learned very quickly I was not welcome there. I worked hard for 5 years to try to change the culture of the organization from the inside with no success. Upon my departure, I made a vow that I would not ever allow someone to treat me the way I was treated in that environment, and further, that when I was in the role of employing or managing others that I would not allow that to happen to them either. This remains my commitment to this day.

Actions and Our Purpose

Some of the commitments that PYP is making to promote diversity and inclusion:

  • PYP is a proud member of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC).
  • We work with diverse thought leaders and business owners who have a story to tell. We help provide a platform to elevate their stories and experiences to the communities that they are trying to reach.
  • PYP is woman-owned and LGBTQ+ owned and operated. We have a diverse team of people who are committed to bringing our author’s stories to life.

Our Internal Goals

  • We strive to cultivate and share voices from diverse communities. Therefore, our metrics include—
    • 50% or more authors from communities of color
    • 50% or more authors from the LGBTQ+ community
    • 50% or more women authors

Our purpose is to bring to life the stories of diverse business owners and thought leaders who want to make a positive impact in their communities by sharing their stories and experiences.

We passionately believe the more raw and real we can be—the deeper the connections we can experience. This drives our fierce commitment to bring voice to the invisible stories that free people from their isolation.

PYP commits to this Equity Statement and will continue to improve upon it aiming for outcomes at the highest level set in the publishing industry.

Founder & CEO, Publish Your Purpose

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