Four Pioneering Hotels Engage in Pink Flamingo Hospitality Training

From September 2011 to November 2012, over 155 hospitality industry professionals across Greater Miami and the Beaches have experienced the Pink Flamingo Hospitality training led by YES Institute. The Southern Florida Concierge Association, along with Dream Hotel, the W South Beach, and the Viceroy were among the first pioneers to support the vision of safe and welcoming hotel destinations for all customers including gay and transgender travelers.

Canyon Ranch executives with YES Institute staff.

The latest hotel to embark on the Pink Flamingo certification process is Canyon Ranch Miami Beach. Sixteen Canyon Ranch executive staff members participated in the educational dialogue conducted by YES Institute. Winner of the TripAdvisor 2012 Certificate of Excellence award, Canyon Ranch prides itself on their exquisite service. Their participation in Pink Flamingo is another indication of their commitment to an extraordinary customer experience. 

“I’ve learned that dialogue is most important in situations where sexual orientation or gender is in question. Honest inquiry goes a long way.”  - Canyon Ranch participant 

“I consider myself a pretty open person, but definitely this kind of training helped me to know more about this subject. Great job!”  - Canyon Ranch participant

Pink Flamingo Hospitality training for the Viceroy Miami hotel. 

Education for Equity

Martha Fugate answers questions from Equity directors.

The Southeastern Equity Center (SEC) and the Florida Office of Equal Educational Opportunity held a training for Equity Directors from all over Florida’s school districts. Equity Directors assist schools in matters of legal compliance that create equal opportunities for all students. For years, racial conflicts dominated the issues that they faced. Today, more and more schools are facing challenges around the topics of gender and orientation.

SEC invited YES Institute to begin a conversation on these topics. Martha Fugate, the co-founder of YES Institute, and Joseph Zolobczuk, the Director of Education and Research, led the dialogue for over 55 Equity Coordinators in Orlando, Florida.

Martha began the dialogue with a question, “How many of you received phone calls five years ago from principals or trust counselors regarding transgender youth?” No one in the room raised their hand. She followed with “How many of you receive phone calls regarding that now?” About ten hands went up. Martha added, “I predict in five more years everyone in this room will be raising their hand.”

Brandon, a youth speaker with YES Institute, shared about his gender transition. A participant asked, “Why do you share your story, which is so personal, with us?” Brandon said, “Every time I hear about a kid who gets bullied in school or attempts suicide, it breaks my heart. I was lucky to have had a principal and counselor who reached out and got education on gender. I felt like my school cared about me, and it made all the difference. I can’t imagine what kids like me go through in other schools in Florida that don’t have education on gender.”


Some Equity Directors shared:

“I’m of the strong belief that hearing and seeing individuals share their stories educates in an extremely powerful manner. Thank you Brandon for your courage. Thank you for educating me, I am a better person for having been in your presence.”

“This was very informative! I was confused coming into this but have a better understanding of why students feel like a stranger in their own bodies.”

“Although I was trained to treat and respect everyone’s values and preferences, it has been invaluable to learn about the root and depth of gender and orientation.”

Partnership with "Light/The Holocaust & Humanity Project"

Fear Gone, Love Present

By Mark Lockwood, Intern

Mark Lockwood

Before taking Communication Solutions™, I hadn’t talked to my father in five years. For so long, I had been agonized by the fact that I had no relationship with my own father. Over the weekend at YES Institute, I met parents who supported and embraced their children regardless of their orientation. For the first time, I felt hope that I could rekindle love with my father.
   
Suddenly, it dawned on me that the reason I was sitting in this room was to heal the relationship with my father. For years it was my self-pride and bitterness that stopped me from reaching out to him, and now I knew that I could be the one to change it all. I began to practice everything I was learning to prepare for a conversation with my dad.
   
A few weeks after the course, my sister told me that my father wanted to invite me to dinner but he didn’t know how to reconnect. After taking the course, I finally knew how to talk to him, and this was the opportunity to do it. I picked up the phone and dialed his number. When he picked up and said “hello,” I felt a new sense of compassion. I was able to realize that there was love present, and I could finally be with him in that moment and not think about our past.
   
He apologized for hurting me and shared the guilt he carried for years. He was afraid how my coming out would impact me, him, and our family. When I came out as gay five years ago, I interpreted his anger as hatred and shame. I now see that my dad never hated me when I was fourteen, and he doesn’t hate me now...he was just afraid.
  
When I got off the phone, I felt like I could breathe again. After five years of silence, we finally reconnected. The communication model I learned at YES Institute gave me the tools I needed to make that phone call. I now feel comfortable talking to my dad, and most importantly, I feel free to be myself with him.

New Questions Broaden Student Perspectives

By Jared Gorfinkel, Intern 

The Physician Assistant program at the Miami Dade College Medical Campus invited YES Institute to open a dialogue on gender and orientation with over 60 of their students. Much of the discussion centered on gender and gender transitioning as the students began to explore ways in which these topics could impact their workplaces: How should I provide care and interact with patients of varying gender identities? What is “intersex” and how is it different from “transgender”?

YES staff member Sky Guilbaud and volunteer speaker Krysta shared their experiences and answered questions, allowing the students to broaden their notions around gender and orientation.

"Very educational and informative. The dialogue opened up new ways to approach situations involving gender identity via illustrations and real life examples of hardships experienced by patients who went through a gender transition."

"I was relieved to see that YES Institute does not assume that all church-goers are anti-gay or overly judgmental. As a person of faith, I find that this is automatically assumed when in fact it is a major stereotype. YES Institute is bigger than race, religion and gender. It's all about people. Incredible program. Keep doing what you do!"

"It was really important for me to hear all of this information, and now I think I have more compassion and understanding toward the transgender community. In the future I will know how to welcome a patient with this experience."

Joseph speaking with 60 Physician Assistants at Miami-Dade College

Lotus House Blossoms with YES Institute

YES Institute speakers and staff with Lotus House team.

Lotus House women’s shelter in Liberty City invited YES Institute to open a series of Community Dialogues with guests and staff about the topics of gender and orientation and their relationship to suicide prevention and healthy development. Many participants shared personal insights after the conversations:

“This dialogue gave me a better understanding of the gay and transgender community, of how they feel and what they go through in life, and the consequences of society’s actions and behaviors.”

“It didn’t hurt to speak up and share sensitive topics in my life, because today I realized that everybody has them.”

“There are so many labels, and I am going to try to not label myself anymore.”

“I now understand that cultural sensitivity requires time and more dialogue.”

Lotus House operates a stylish thrift store in Midtown, and is producing the acclaimed Art Live Festival in Wynwood coming up in October. Proceeds from the store and festival fund programming at the non-profit women’s shelter.

Partnership with Adrienne Arsht Center Spotlights Education & Culture

The Adrienne Arsht Center and Light/The Holocaust & Humanity Project has invited YES Institute to partner in an initiative engaging the Greater Miami community in an ongoing conversation about issues of bigotry, bullying and intolerance.

From August 4th to November 4th, the Arsht Center will bring together organizations from all over Miami to participate in a county-wide calendar filled with performances, education programs, and public forums, all of which culminate with Ballet Austin. According to the Light/The Holocaust & Humanity Project’s website, Ballet Austin is “a full-evening [of] contemporary ballet that turns the spotlight on discrimination and the ultimate triumph of the human spirit.”

YES Institute is proud to be partnering with the Adrienne Arsht Center for this project and will be leading two courses on gender and orientation topics during this three month period: Gender Continuum™ on September 22, and Deciphering the Matrix of Orientation™ on September 23. Through our partnership with the Light/The Holocaust & Humanity Project, YES Institute will bring conversations on these topics to the forefront through communication and education on gender and orientation.