From our products to our employees, our goal is to always make people feel empowered, supported and included. And this Pride Month is no different, as we celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and amplify their voices.
To learn more about what this month means to them, how being proud has impacted their career and what they’re most looking forward to post-pandemic, we sat down with a few of our very own PRIDE members and allies:
Q1: What does Pride Month mean to you?
Johnny Cheganças, Global Brand Marketing Analyst: Pride Month to me means a celebration of diversity, equity, and inclusion. It is a special occasion to honor those who paved the way for us to earn the rights to be free being who we are.
Nataly Gonzales Molano, Sales Operations Specialist: For me, Pride Month means celebrating diversity and working together to ensure that our society and laws respect and treat everyone the same. Today, there are still people who suffer from discrimination due to their sexual orientation and gender identity and as allies, we can contribute by creating an environment where everyone feels included and can be themselves.
Eduardo Lagreca, Director of Sales Operations: Pride Month, for me, is an opportunity to honor those who came before us and fought for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, to reflect on what has been accomplished, to make plans for what still needs to be done and to celebrate love with friends!
Q2: How do you feel being proud in the workplace has benefitted your career?
Johnny: It would be overwhelming and exhaustive if I couldn’t be myself in my workplace. It was such a battle for me before I could understand who I am and feel comfortable with myself, that I’d never put myself at a place where I am not allowed to be me. Having a place that is welcoming of me is already a victory.
Nataly: I believe that when you are proud in the workplace you can be authentic and you are motivated to bring the best of you. In my case, I am passionate about learning, developing new ideas, and participating in different projects. I feel that in this company we have the autonomy to thrive professionally, whilst also having people that guide, support, and encourage us.
Eduardo: I think it must be very hard to go into work every day having to pretend you are someone you are not. Being out and proud has made me a happier, wholesome person and has benefited my life in general, including my career.
Q3: How do you find strength in your community?
Johnny: Sadly, we have a lack of opportunities in the LGBTQIA+ community and when the opportunities do exist, sometimes we still need to prove that we are just as good as straight people. I have seen this happen with my close friends. But personally, I am lucky to have never experienced this in my workplace or during school and this made me grow up with confidence and strength regardless of my sexual orientation. I think that strength comes from having parents, family and friends that accept/respect who I am and that gave me a “rock” or solid base.
Nataly: Being part of PRIDE LATAM as an ally has been an amazing experience. Here, you can be sure that your peers listen to your ideas and encourage you to be authentic. It is also incredible to contribute to raising awareness on the important issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community and teach others that even if you do not belong to the community you can make a difference and celebrate diversity.
Eduardo: Participating in PRIDE gave me the opportunity to meet and get to know such wonderful people! LGBTQ+ and allies working together, sharing a passion for diversity and inclusion and connecting at a very human level. I’m very grateful to be part of this team!
Q4: What’s something you look forward to doing with the LGBTQ+ community once things start to open back up again?
Johnny: I absolutely would love to travel to visit my friends who live in different countries. We have been apart for so long that I want to be surrounded with all of my friends as much as I can!
Nataly: I would like to continue to actively support the community after Pride Month is over. Since my teenage years, I have dedicated my spare time to several volunteer programs related to inclusion and I learned that if we want to be agents of change and help others, the most important thing is to be an ally in not just some but every situation.
I am looking forward to continuing to learn and get involved in the initiatives of PRIDE LATAM and building a better workplace for all. I think that empathy, and willingness to learn will help me to be a much better ally.
Eduardo: Face-to-face happy hours! We’ve been working remotely for a long time now… once we get back together the first thing on the list should be to celebrate!
Wishing a Happy Pride Month to everyone celebrating! #hellopride
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