SWAN

#StartsWithAName

Belonging #StartsWithAName

SWAN is a Movement Powered by
People Helping It Take Flight

How can you belong in a place where people can’t say your name?

That’s the premise of Version 1’s SWAN #StartsWithAName movement. The Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIBs) team at Version 1 asked employees to do something simple: put the phonetic pronunciation of their name on their e-mail signature as SWAN Founder Aoibhe (pronounced Eefa like FIFA without the F! ⚽) Cantwell suggested.

But my name is so easy to pronounce!

Probably, but only for people where you come from. When looking for submissions to Version 1’s name pronunciation video, a colleague who felt their name was a no-brainer was perplexed at first — very willing to help out but baffled as their name was easy to say in their mind. However, when you reassess your name with your diversity lens in hand, it can dawn on you that your name is not so simple in a country miles away.
Hassan. Marcin. Aimee. Salma. Luis. Bilaji. Niki. José. Augistín. Mirland. Beatriz. Rashad. Noam. Greg. James. Omri. Bo. Mohammed. Dominika. Hassan. Marcin. Aimee. Salma. Luis. Bilaji. Niki. José. Augistín. Mirland. Beatriz. Rashad. Noam. Greg. James. Omri. Bo. Mohammed. Dominika. Hassan. Marcin. Aimee. Salma. Luis. Bilaji. Niki. José. Augistín. Mirland. Beatriz. Rashad. Noam. Greg. James. Omri. Bo. Mohammed. Dominika. Hassan. Marcin. Aimee. Salma. Luis. Bilaji. Niki. José. Augistín. Mirland. Beatriz. Rashad. Noam. Greg. James. Omri. Bo. Mohammed. Dominika.

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We are releasing SWAN into the wild and certifying our charter signatories from February of 2021.

Belonging #StartsWithaName​ - The SWAN Movement Music Video

#StartsWithAName

The Important Stuff

The Fun Stuff!

Sometimes phonetic pronunciation makes it more confusing, try describing it using rhyming, objects or emojis!

References to 'Belonging' In the Media

ANITA SANDS
AMBER RUFFIN
PAT WADORS

“Have you ever wondered if the colleagues who sit around you feel like they have to filter major parts of their personal identity out of their professional persona? If they check a part of their life at the door each day? How painful must it be to tolerate that sense of exclusion every day just to make a living? And yet it happens all the time. For all our talk of diversity and inclusion (D&I), we often fail to recognize that just because someone is included in our organization, certainly doesn’t mean they feel they belong.”


- Anita Sands, Board Director, Advisor, Writer, Speaker & General Disruptor

Will you help SWAN take flight?

While this initiative was started by Version 1, it is owned and nurtured by the supporters - the SWAN community. Therefore, we need you to transform into a SWAN by doing two things. Take part as an individual using the instructions above in our FAQ and check out our Charter to have your organisation (employer) take part. Signing the charter is intended for organisations that are providing their commitment to SWAN formally and consenting to be named as a supporter of SWAN in communications about the movement. Individuals don't need to sign the charter, you are free to use the SWAN materials personally. Upon signing the charter, your organisation will become SWAN-certified and access a toolkit to roll out SWAN at your organisation. Check out the 'Sign the Charter' page to understand what your organisation would be committing to as part of this movement.

Our beginnings back in 2019...

How SWAN took flight...