While typically associated with Cinco de Mayo and Memorial Day, May also celebrates and honors families — International Family Equality Day falls on 2 May, and 15 May is International Day of Families.
Society’s interpretation of “family” is constantly changing, often with a more expansive and inclusive definition. And now more than ever, we are aware of the importance of representation in race and LGBTQIA+ communities and the impact of prejudices and bigotry. We recognize that families are both powerful and fragile.
In light of this, we took a hard look at Whitespace’s family policies and decided to change our Parental Leave policy. Whitespace now provides 12 weeks of paid parental leave for families welcoming a baby, child, or teen into their household. We removed language about primary and secondary caregivers and eliminated the concept of “tiered leave” for these different roles. We added more inclusive language and opened the policy to accommodate different situations.
Whitespace is very much a family in its own right. We may not be bound by blood, but we stand united as a family and community: these changes are the right choices for our families.
During May, Whitespace will continue to support and celebrate families. We’ll share weekly posts about family activities, recorded read along, and little bits about our personal families. We invite you to join us and share with us what makes your family special.
