Ridgefield Pride is pleased to announce the launch of our “All Are Welcome” Business Inclusivity Training Program.  

The goal of these training sessions is to help local institutions become better allies to our LGBTQIA+ community in the following ways:   

• Assure customers, employees, visitors, and prospective residents that Ridgefield is an inclusive, welcoming, and safe community for everyone
• Celebrate Ridgefield’s LGBTQIA+ community, as well as support their physical and social-emotional safety & well-being
• Elevate Ridgefield’s arts & culture leadership and small-town charm

Training Overview: LGBTQIA+ 101: Creating Affirming Community Spaces

This foundational session will engage participants in a thorough overview of the LGBTQIA+ community, with emphasis on creating supportive and affirming environments as public and community spaces. From terminology and definitions to rethinking historical and traditional assumptions about gender and sexuality, this session is a must for all who wish to build ever-more affirming and equitable practices.

Learning goals include:

• An understanding of what is meant by gender identity, gender expression, sex assigned at birth, and sexual orientation; the differences between them; and how they impact and intersect with one another and other areas of identity.
• Exploring how every person is affected by identity-related expectations and norms, whether LGBTQIA+ or not; Creating space for learning, reflection, and team-building for allies and LGBTQIA+ folks alike.
• The importance of allyship in real life situations: Understanding common and current issues and barriers, and an overview of best practices that protect the safety and inclusion.

Training Session Options

We are offering three sessions this fall: two in-person and one Zoom to try to accommodate schedules for as many people as possible.   

Tuesday, November 17, 2026

Session 1: 8 – 9:30am in-person – light refreshments will be served

Session 2: 5 – 6:30pm in-person – light refreshments will be served

Saturday, December 5, 2026  

Session 1: Zoom 9-10:30am

2027

Additional sessions will be scheduled in 2027, with dates/times TBA.

To help defray costs of the programming, there is a suggested donation which will entitle your business or organization to send as many employees as you want to any of our trainings for a year, enabling you to offer this to current employees as well as future new hires.  The suggested donation is $30/year for non-profits and organizations with 3 or fewer staff and $50/year per for-profit business/organization and those with 4 or more staff. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you need financial assistance.   

When the program is completed, each participating entity will be given 2 decals, with additional decals available for a donation of $5 each. These can be displayed at the entrance of your business/organization to show you have been through the training and that you are a welcoming space for members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Registration for these sessions is open now – please click HERE to register.  If you would like to register for multiple sessions, please complete a separate form for each session, listing the employees who will participate in each corresponding session.

We are excited to finally kick off this initiative, and we are grateful for your support and interest in the program.  With your organization’s help, we can truly elevate our community and become  a welcoming model for our area and beyond.

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.