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“We are no longer able to align ourselves with Start Proud while staying true to Venture Out’s values and commitments to our community.”Īccording to Venture Out volunteers that BetaKit spoke with, the decision to resign was directly related to the recent appointment of a new Venture Out co-director for its forthcoming 2021 event. “Our team believes that Start Proud, an LGBTQ+ not-for-profit, treats diversity and inclusion as optional for hiring and promoting BIPOC, women, and gender diverse volunteers,” the statement reads. “We are no longer able to align ourselves with Start Proud while staying true to Venture Out’s values and commitments.” A joint statement made by Venture Out’s 12 volunteer members obtained by BetaKit cited hiring decisions made by Start Proud leadership as motivation for the team’s “largely BIPOC, women, and femme individuals” to resign. The mass resignation took place on October 16, BetaKit has learned. The volunteer team behind Canadian tech and social impact conference Venture Out has resigned en masse, citing inconsistent support for diversity and inclusion from its parent organization, Start Proud. Share on: Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Email