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Each month we are featuring one of our 2021 WTS Metropolitan Phoenix Awards recipients. This month we are spotlighting our Rose Parks Diversity Leadership Award Recipient, Kathryn Boris. Formerly with the City of Phoenix, Kathryn continues to be a leader and advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion, especially for the LGBTQ+ communities. 

We asked Kathryn to share a little more about herself and her work.

How have your life experiences influenced the work you do?

I began working in transportation after I was in a hit-and-run accident while bicycling.  Ironically, that accident occurred during the construction of the original light rail line in Tempe.  The accident left me Disabled, relying on public transportation exclusively.  After losing job after job from the disability, I found stability cleaning graffiti off buses on night shift at the Tempe bus yard (EVBOM).  As I recovered, I was living in extreme poverty while dealing with major medical debt.  Those experiences filled me with a desire to help people that depend on public transportation, a resource that was there for me when I needed it most.  While those experiences influenced parts of my advocacy work, so have aspects of my personal identity.

As a queer and transgender person, I have experienced many forms of discrimination - overt, systemic, and otherwise.  Though I can rarely change the overt and sudden instances, I have felt a duty to work on systemic transphobia, which is prevalent throughout our society.  Though working on policies with the Leadership of the City of Phoenix, Valley Metro, elected officials, medical providers and leaders of private industry, some very necessary systemic changes have been achieved.  Though the core of my work lies with advancing the rights of LGBTQIA+ people, I have had the privilege to work on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in ways that help many other communities throughout Phoenix.

What can we do as individuals to promote positive and healthy working environments for all employees?

Embracing internal empathy is one way to start, but it takes more than being compassionate and having an open mind.  Positive and healthy working environments are highly influenced by how inclusive we are.  It takes personal expansion and individual growth to ensure that each of us are contributing to the solidarity of the workplace.  Relying on coworkers from different backgrounds to field questions is taxing.  It places the burden of knowledge on people that are already marginalized in the community.  Google can be a powerful tool, and a plethora of information and content is available to not only teach us about marginalized communities, but to make each of us better allies.  If you still have questions, they will be more concise and better structured, leading to a more productive conversation.  Everyone needs to actively work to be supportive, promote inclusivity, and spread positivity in the workplace.

What can organizations do to promote healthy working environments for all employees?

To begin with, organizations need to ensure that the baseline requirements for providing an inclusive workplace are met.  Policies and regulations must be changed to ensure that an inclusive and equitable workplace is guaranteed for all employees.  That said, writing a policy is not enough to ensure that the intent of those policies are a living part of the organization.  Training is key step, especially ensuring that leadership is fully trained.  Taking time to go through each project, every policy, form, document, and all business practices is the only way to ensure that an inclusive workplace can be achieved.

Organizations should strive to reach beyond inclusive policies and practices for just their employees.  Everyone must take time to fully learn about marginalized communities and how their action affects not just employees, but the greater community.  Publishing messages of anti-racism during times of social upheaval, or statements of support during pride month are not enough.  Real change comes from within.  Members of WTS work in a key industry – transportation.  Mobility is part of the human existence that is key to economic prosperity, social connection, and the very livelihood of the community.  Ensuring organizations act equitably for each and every resident will make a greater impact than publishing a statement of support or writing new policies.

Do you have a mentor and, if so, how has that person helped you to navigate your career?

I often struggle with questions surrounding mentors.  Unfortunately, I lost contact with my original mentor shortly after coming out publicly and transitioning in the workplace.  During that time there were many professional colleagues and personal contacts whose relationships with me changed or ended completely.  It is something that many transgender individuals, and those in the LGBTQIA+ community often face.  I am working with a mentor that I was connected with during participation in the Women Changing Transportation program offered by TransitCenter.  Though it is a new relationship, I find it helpful to have someone available to talk through the challenges and experiences that come from working in the transportation industry and get advice from a seasoned professional.

What makes you most proud?

There are many things that I am proud of and celebrate.  I have survived many struggles and traumatic events in my lifetime.  Though difficult at times, I have grown to celebrate being a survivor and work to live beyond the trauma that came from those events.  Every day I am most proud of being alive, working to make change, and providing everything I can to my community.

The honor that comes from making change is truly fulfilling.  As I often work on systemic issues, I rarely hear from those that have been helped by my work, aside from a few instances.  Those conversations are unlike any experience I have ever had, making all the hard work and advocacy that went into making change happen something I am very proud of.

Anything else we are forgetting that you’d like to mention?

I have very recently left the Phoenix area to pursue a new opportunity in Seattle.  I would like to thank each and every person that has been a part of my career in Phoenix.  Dozens of individuals have assisted my efforts in advancing the rights of LGBTQIA+ people in the community.  Without their ability to actively listen and heed the call to help, I would not be receiving the Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award.  So many people put in the effort to make necessary change happen, and I am proud to have worked with every one of them.  As I have left the Valley of the Sun, I know that there are so many people that will continue the work I began, and that fills me with hope for the future of the community.