This June, we were proud to honor and celebrate Pride Month with our employees and talent. At Onward Search, we recognize the ongoing struggles and inequalities members of the LGBTQ+ community face in the workplace and are committed to creating an environment where they can flourish. Here are some of the things we did this month to create positive change and increase awareness of LGBTQ+ contributions.
Career Resources for LGBTQ+ Professionals
This June, we were proud to honor and celebrate Pride Month with our employees and talent. At Onward Search, we recognize the ongoing struggles and inequalities members of the LGBTQ+ community face in the workplace and are committed to creating an environment where they can flourish. Here are some of the things we did this month to create positive change and increase awareness of LGBTQ+ contributions.
View: Career Resources for LGBTQ+ Professionals
Fireside Chat
This month we also held a Fireside Chat by DE&I expert Veronica Appleton, Senior Lecturer of Intercultural Communications at DePaul University. Veronica is a scholar, practitioner, and author. Her research interests include race, culture, cultural intelligence equity, bias, behavior change, and gender identity. The event was moderated by Onward DE&I co-chair, Rose Jackson. Veronica answered questions from Onward employees and highlighted the importance of DE&I and embracing differences.
Celebrating Pride
As a company, we came together to celebrate pride by wearing all the colors of the rainbow. We are proud to be an inclusive company that is committed to attracting diverse talent, ensuring all voices are heard, and celebrating all backgrounds, beliefs, and lifestyles.
Giving Back
In honor of Pride Month, we donated to the Center, which provides programs for health, wellness, and connection to the LGBTQ+ community. We will continue to support those organizations dedicated to eliminating disparities and promoting equality for all.
Learn more about The Center.
Educating our Employees
Internally, our DE&I task force led the conversation on embracing diversity and acceptance.
They educated our staff on:
- How to using the proper gender identity terms including pronouns is a crucial way to signal courtesy and acceptance.
- The proper use of gender identity terms and shared a glossary created by NPR. Access the glossary here.
- How to update their pronouns on LinkedIn and our email signatures.
LGBTQ+ Contributions
We also recognized the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. We shared the history of the pride flag and celebrated notable LGBTQ+ leaders.
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- Pride Flag – This symbol of LGBTQ pride goes back to 1978, when the artist Gilbert Baker, an openly gay man, and drag queen, designed the first rainbow flag. Each stripe of the flag has its own meaning – hot pink for sexuality, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for art, blue for harmony, and violet for spirit.
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- Harvey Milk – He was an American politician and the first openly gay elected official in the history of California.
LGBTQ+ Books
To embrace diversity, our DE&I committee shared some positive LGBTQ+ children’s books that demonstrate how all families are unique, yet share common values and traditions.
It’s Okay To Be Different By Todd Parr
A reassuring story that celebrates diversity, individuality, and inclusion.
Families, Families, Families! By Suzanne Lang
This rhyming picture book celebrates every kind of family: families with lots of kids, only children, families with gay and lesbian parents, single-parent families, and children who live with extended family.
Conclusion
Going forward, we will continue to use our platform to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and share resources to educate ourselves and others on the stories and the injustices faced by underrepresented groups in our country. We are dedicated to creating a world where all belong. We strive to inspire change and empower future generations of leaders within the creative, marketing, and technology space.
Visit the Onward Search DE&I Page to learn more.
