June is known as Pride Month. It’s a time to celebrate and uplift diverse LGBTQ+ identities as well as a time to commemorate the historical, and continual, fight for LGBTQ+ equality.
To celebrate Pride Month, Uplight’s LGBTQ+ & Allies Employee Resource Group, PRISM Alliance, hosted forums, educational sessions, and participated in regional 5Ks to fundraise for LGBTQ+ organizations. PRISM started the month by co-hosting a forum with UNAPOC (Uplight’s Black Indigenous, People of Color, Asian American, and Pacific Islander Employee Resource Group) that focused on the importance of intersectionality when remembering the Stonewall Uprising. We explored and celebrated the impact People of Color had in initiating the fight for LGBTQ+ equality. We discussed the importance and legacy of the Stonewall riots, knowing they were led by trans women of color. This forum culminated in a dialogue focused on how that historical event relates to the current Black Lives Matter movement, specifically following George Floyd’s murder.
Since education is such a huge part of being an effective ally, PRISM has hosted the first of a three-part training on Gender and Sexuality Awareness and Responsiveness. This training covered topics from understanding what biological sex and gender are to expanding our thinking to include non-binary ways of conceptualizing these ideas. The goal of these trainings is to learn strategies and tools to create inclusive spaces for queer and trans individuals while giving space for asking questions and self-reflection.
Lastly, the PRISM Alliance participated in the Denver Pride 5K and has a team for the upcoming Vancouver Pride 5K. The Denver team raised 452 USD for the Center of Colfax, the largest LGBTQ + community center in the Rocky Mountain Region while the Vancouver team raised 207 CAD for Out in Schools and the LOUD Foundation’s Pride Youth Scholarships, two organizations that support today’s LGBTQ + youth. The runs are a great way to enjoy the sunshine and run for a good cause.
The celebration and engagement of our LGBTQ+ community and their allies doesn’t stop after Pride Month! Supporting our community is an on-going effort that we deeply value. Monthly social events are hosted for PRISM Alliance’s members to get together and welcome new faces. More educational and impactful opportunities will blossom as Uplight’s ERGs continue their intersectional work towards creating a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable work environment.