Kelli Scerbo
Community Management Associate
Fuel Cycle
Author’s Note: We spoke with the internal Fuel Cycle Community to gather their thoughts and insights surrounding Pride. Please enjoy.
“The glue that holds the LGBTQIA community together is compassion and empathy.”
Jay Candelario, Fuel Cycle Community Associate
Love in the Darkest Year
2020 was a year like no other. With businesses going under and restaurants and offices being closed, life became a digital world extremely fast. Many employees, friends, and families struggled with the sudden changes, but one thing remained the same: love.
During this tumultuous year, Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, which encompasses the prideful Boystown area, was the first officially recognized gay village in the United States. Tel Aviv continued with their Pride celebration, a place home to the biggest LGBTQ+ community in the Middle East, and so did London, the city where you can visit the stomping grounds of Oscar Wilde and Boy George.
Asia also continued to celebrate love with their annual gay pride event hosted in Taiwan, and over in Berlin (where they refer to Pride Day as “Christopher Street Day”) compassion and empathy burst from the hearts of those celebrating the pride communities.
“It was a human story that touched us all.”
Cory Mann, Fuel Cycle Associate Director of Research and Insights
The Importance of Inclusivity
“When I moved [to Boystown] in 1989, a new friend and I went to see the movie ‘Longtime Companion.’ It was opening night, and we were the only women in line for tickets. I wondered what I had gotten myself into. However, after watching the film, I laughed at the same things the rest of the audience laughed at and cried when they cried. It was a human story that touched us all.”
Moments like the one Cory experienced show us how important it is to share diversified experiences and stories. Fear and hatred stem from the unknown; we must amplify and normalize all human truths to pave the way for a truly inclusive world.
“More than ever, brands are signaling support for the LGBTQ+ community during Pride month, but experts say that true support has to come from more than a rainbow-hued post on social media.”
Megan Graham & Amelia Lucas, CNBC Advertising and Marketing Reporters
The Power of Brands
As companies begin to strengthen their culture and diversity, consumers are turning a critical eye on them. Rich Ferraro, Chief Communications Officer at GLAAD, believes it is important to go deeper than a social media post. The power of a brand to participate in Pride Month is very important, but it cannot just be during Pride Month.
The power that these brands can gain from prioritizing diversity and inclusion is a key stakeholder in the differentiation of a good brand from a great brand. Kellogg’s is working to educate the public through their “Together with Pride” Campaign, which showcases Millennials that Kellogg’s stands with and supports through allyship for the transgender and gender-nonconforming communities. The goal is to create better days and a place at the table for everyone.
“Many corporate efforts seem insincere, stealing the guise of acceptance for market share.”
Cory Mann, Fuel Cycle Associate Director of Research and Insights
Representation in the Media Today
Showtime, HBO Max, Paramount +, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, Lifetime, and many more networks are featuring different Pride specials all year round. These networks emphasize the importance of “showing a broad spectrum of interests, occupations, and personalities on screen,” as Jay Candelario states. “I love being part of a tech company that drives innovation the same way that I love being part of a community that drives social change.”
Do Your Part
So, how can you help? Donate through a charity navigator, join an online discussion, spread the word about a virtual celebration, or read/watch a story surrounding a member of the LGBTQIA community. Anything you can do to create an inclusive world helps in the path towards progress.
Fuel Cycle continues our growth in diversity and inclusion through company-wide meetings, hiring initiatives, and a team dedicated to making a social impact. Our goal is to honor, respect, and elevate diverse communities while leading with kindness. If this sounds like the type of professional environment you are looking for, we invite you to check out our open positions.
