Hello all,

This week I'm sharing a cartoon that really made me think and a note about future posts.

You can see the cartoon online if you use Instagram, or find it on page 40 of the August 3rd, 2026 New Yorker Magazine at or through your local library.

It's an image of a father and his young, wary looking son, staring down at a rug pulled over a heaping pile of invisible stuff, with a caption that reads, "One day son, everything I swept under this rug will be yours."

Yup. I can just imagine the response..."Gee Dad...uh...thanks?"

Because most of us sweep things under the rug. What this cartoon points out is that eventually, things come out from under the rug!

And those things that we don't deal with, that we try to hide away, can get passed on as someone else's problem, likely becoming a problem for someone we don't intend to burden.

So, think about the issues, sticky problems, lingering frustrations, unsaid worries, or unfinished projects that you've been sweeping under the rug. Most of us will think of several.

And if any of those include issues caused by a discriminatory or less than inclusive workplace environment, pulling them out into the light is the only way to prevent them from getting passed on to others.

Yes, sometimes our perceptions don't reflect the full reality of a situation, we can make our own erroneous assumptions, and we need to be careful to check our perceptions before raising issues. Asking a colleague if they've noticed the same thing you've noticed can help. However, if you're an "only" (the only woman, the only woman of a specific ethnicity, the only person of any given religion, the only young person, or any other "only"), be aware that others may not ever see or feel what you are seeing or feeling unless you make them aware.

According to this resource on Workplace toxicity: What is it and five tips to cope with it from the University of Alabama at Birmingham:

"The United States surgeon general has acknowledged workplace toxicity as a major threat to public health because toxic workplaces are associated with chronic illnesses such as depression, heart disease and cancer, among others....

“If you see something, say something,” Gorman said. “Sometimes mistreatment gets swept under the rug, and abusive managers can lead with fear and intimidation that can make employees afraid to say anything. But the odds are that, if you feel mistreated, others in your workplace will too.”

“It is important that, if we find ourselves in a toxic work environment, we do not contribute to it,” Gorman said. “If your co-workers are talking about other co-workers, don’t engage in the gossip. If disrespect is the norm, break the mold by not piling on because, if you do so, your complaints of a toxic workplace may not be taken seriously.”

Sweeping things under the rug creates a lot of tripping hazards my friends.
I'd love to hear about ways you've found to bring things out into the light.

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And, this important note about future WIT Wisdom posts:

Now that we have some SUNY WIT Campus Chapters across the state, we are changing the regular WIT Weekly Wisdom posts into a monthly SUNY WIT Program Newsletter. The newsletter will feature regular updates from our chapters, information relevant to the community and connected to a monthly theme, upcoming professional development opportunities, and a little bit of WIT Wisdom from me. I'm excited about this new format and hope that you will all stay subscribed to the list and keep encouraging others to join!

All the best,
Holly

Speak Her Name in Rooms She Isn’t In

Hello All,

This week's wisdom comes from Kae Harrison, Program Support Specialist with the SUNY Center for Professional Development.

Kae is a thoughtful, values-driven professional who cares about people, cares about doing good work, and is always trying to learn and grow. Skilled at seeing the bigger system behind a problem while still paying attention to the people affected by it, she’s passionate about removing barriers for people who need support, especially any marginalized or historically under-represented groups.

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Speak Her Name in Rooms She Isn’t In

One of the simplest and most powerful forms of professional advocacy requires no budget, no committee, and no formal authority. It requires only a moment. It’s practical without being transactional.

When an opportunity arises, speak positively about a woman who isn’t in the room.
Recommend her.
Mention her expertise.
Share her accomplishments.
Connect her name to the opportunity before she has to advocate for herself or before she has to ask someone to be a reference.

Too often, professional conversations happen behind closed doors. Someone asks, “Do you know anyone who would be good for this project?” or “who should we ask to lead this” or “who has experience with this topic?”

Those moments matter. Careers can change because someone replies “Oh, you should talk to Sarah”, or “Aaliyah would be excellent at that” or “I’ve worked with Anh before. She’s incredibly capable”.

Those recommendations often last only a second or two. The impact can last for years.

The beautiful part about advocating for others is that it costs us almost nothing. We lose nothing by acknowledging someone else’s talent, hard work, or expertise. In fact, we strengthen our professional communities when we become known as women who notice excellence and are willing to point it out.

It’s positive without being performative. It gives us something concrete to do. First, you notice the moment, then you speak up. You can do it, starting today. Small actions can create ripples we never get to see. You may never know how much your comments mattered.

Professional advocacy doesn’t require perfection. It simply requires us to pay attention. Who do you know who consistently does excellent work? Who solves problems quietly? Who deserves more visibility? Who would benefit from someone else recognizing her strengths?

Then, when the opportunity comes – speak her name.

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Great advice from one of our SUNY colleagues! Thanks Kae!

All the best,
Holly