Pride Month is here, which means it’s time to celebrate the past, present, and future of LGBTQ+ people all over the world. Quantum Fiber is dedicated to celebrating and supporting the LGBTQ+ community this Pride Month, but there is much more to celebrate than can be fit into one month.
Keep reading to see how you can further connect to Pride Month, support LGBTQ+ employees, and how you can support LGBTQ+ tech workers this June and beyond.
Celebrate Pride Month by connecting to LGBTQ+ history
Pride parades are a fantastic way to celebrate LGBTQ+ history since they were first held to mark the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. Plus, they’re held in cities small and large all over the country. Even if you can’t attend a pride parade, there are live streams hosted by individual content creators as well as news networks and cities that capture the fun.
Pride parades are just one part of Pride Month, though. In fact, there are several other important dates within June that everyone should be aware of. For example:
- June 5th is HIV Long-Term Survivors Day, which honors and supports HIV survivors and their needs
- June 12th is Pulse Remembrance Day, marking the 2016 Pulse nightclub attack
- June 28th is the Stonewall Uprising Anniversary, which celebrates the 1969 uprising that became a major milestone in American LGTBQ+ history
Pride extends more than just one month
Even if a local pride parade takes place in June, there are still ways to celebrate LGBTQ+ history throughout the year.
Don’t forget that some pride parades take place in the fall. In fact, October is LGBTQ+ History Month. Many cities have LGBTQ+ history walking tours that explore the places where history happened. These tours are a great option year-round but are especially important during LGBTQ+ History Month.
There are also ways to support the LGTBQ+ community year-round such as:
- Supporting LGTBQ+-owned businesses
- Volunteering or donating to local and national LGBT+ organizations
- Continuing to be or becoming an LGBTQ+ Ally
There are also ways to get involved locally. Look for a local LGBTQ+ Center near you to see how you can get involved to support LGBTQ+ inclusion in your own community.
Support LGBTQ+ tech workers this Pride Month
There is more to be done in the tech world, and the world in general, to make every place welcoming to LGTBQ+ people.
There are several organizations diligently working to make tech more LGTBQ+ friendly. On top of supporting LGTBQ+ friendly businesses and attending a local Pride Parade, learning more about these tech organizations is a great way to support LGBTQ+ tech workers this Pride Month and beyond!
- Lesbians Who Tech
- LGBTQ in Technology Slack
- LGBTQ Tech
- Out in Tech
- Pride in STEM
- TransTech Social Enterprises
- Out & Equal
Learn more about supporting LGBTQ+ tech workers, check out how our employees feel about their time at Lumen below, and have a happy Pride Month!
Michael Tellez
“When I joined Lumen in 2001, the diversity and inclusion movement was still developing. The fact that a company provided benefits for domestic partners and extensive support for the LGBTQ community surprised and comforted me. Being gay hasn’t ever hindered my time at Lumen. Consequently, I’ve been able to concentrate on my professional growth without fear of hiding my identity or facing discrimination for being openly gay. Over time, I’ve witnessed the ERGs flourish and how they’ve created a strong sense of community and encouraged others to become allies. My active involvement in ERG leadership roles has also spurred my personal growth and enhanced my capabilities as an ally. Discussions about career advancement and salary are secondary—the fundamental concern for me is whether I feel secure and can truly be myself at work. Remembering the support from Lumen gives me a sense of happiness and pride, seeing not just Lumen’s strides in diversity and inclusion, but also its commitment during a time when society can be very divided.” – Michael Tellez
Allison Ratcliff
“I joined the Pride ERG not long after I came to Lumen in 2017 where I volunteered for as many activities as I could and began to meet all of these amazing people in the LGBTQ+ community and started hearing their stories. It made my heart smile to work for a company that accepted me and everyone else for who we are, and the more involved I got in the Pride ERG, the more I wanted to do more for our community and for our company. The wonderful feeling of acceptance I get at Lumen for being who I am has made me work harder to move up in the company to follow my career goals, and has made me more involved in the Pride ERG so I can help others in their journeys. Being spotlighted in the HRC magazine and several of Lumen’s social media sites has given me a chance to show others that they can work for Lumen and be accepted for who they are, and can come to work and truly love their job.” – Allison Ratcliff
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