This Pride Month, we are proud to feature the inspiring stories of our diverse and talented employees. In this space, we honor the power of authenticity as we amplify the voices of those within our organization who identify as LGBTQ+. Through their personal stories, our Thrivers share their journeys of self-discovery, acceptance, and growth. By bringing focus to their experiences, we aim to foster understanding, empathy, and a deep appreciation for the vibrant tapestry of identities that enrich our workplace. Join us as we celebrate the resilience, triumphs, and ongoing pursuit of happiness experienced by our LGBTQ+ colleagues during this special month of recognition.
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Brandon Valencia
Floating Leasing Manager
If you could invite any LGBTQ+ figure or activist (fictional or non-fictional) to dinner, who would it be and why?
I would invite Bad Bunny to dinner. Even though he may not identify with the LGBTQ+ community, he has made significant efforts within his lyrics and music videos to support the community. In his song, Caro, he states: “Porque no puedo ser así, en qué te hago daño a ti” after a male comes to kiss him in the video. This translates to “Why can’t I be who I am, how am I causing you hurt?” Bad Bunny has made the Hispanic/Latino community more welcoming to LGBTQ+ than it has ever been.
Can you provide advice or words of encouragement for other LGBTQ+ individuals who may be navigating their identities within the professional world?
Be yourself. You will be just as amazing, as efficient, and an asset to your team regardless of your self-identity. Do not let it define you and limit you in the professional world, but let it allow you to be yourself and maximize your full potential. There are too many times when I come across professionals who are not comfortable with their voice due to their identity or other expressive self-identify factors that can be marginalized.
What does Pride Month mean to you personally? How do you celebrate and honor this month?
Pride to me means Love, Inclusion, Celebration and Happiness all in one word. To embrace and celebrate such amazing differences that make our world a stronger, more inclusive place is a world I want to be a part of.
Obed mena
Community Manager
Can you share your personal journey of self-discovery and coming to terms with your LGBTQ+ identity? How has this journey shaped your personal and professional life?
My personal journey as someone from the LGBTQ+ community was rocky, especially in the beginning, but once I knew I could not change who I was, I started taking my life lessons and embraced who I was. The biggest lesson I learned was self-worth; if you believe that you are more than enough and that you are you, not only will you have all the self-worth that you need, but also the confidence to tackle anything! You will attract the same type of people and energies from all walks of life. In my professional life, I pride myself on bringing a friendly smile and positive energy to every workplace. Along with bringing the same self-worth and confidence into the workplace, I remember how it felt not to be seen earlier in my life, so I make it an objective of mine to see my coworkers, residents, and everyone around me. Sometimes bringing someone an iced coffee after a jam-packed week in the middle of the busy season is enough for them to know that they are valued and seen.
If you could invite any LGBTQ+ figure or activist (fictional or non-fictional) to dinner, who would it be and why?
If I could invite any LGBTQ+ figure to dinner, it would be Jared Polis. He is the first openly gay governor in U.S. history. He had the courage to stand up, be proud of who he was, and show his home state of Colorado that he was ready to lead. Through it all, he never hid his husband or family dynamics. Jared Polis was also the governor that signed the gay conversion therapy ban in Colorado, which was a step in showing the LGBTQ+ youth that they mattered and would be protected. I would love to have dinner with him and get to know more about his path to where he is today.
Can you provide advice or words of encouragement for other LGBTQ+ individuals who may be navigating their identities within the professional world?
My advice to LGBTQ+ individuals navigating their identities within the professional world is to be safe. It is important to remember that our voices are still not heard everywhere. I understand the fear about how different coworkers would react when they see a picture of my family, but if you have even one ally in your office, that could make the world of difference. If you are in an environment where it may not be the most welcoming to LGBTQ+ people, you have an opportunity to make a change. Even the smallest things can open a conversation. For example, if everyone is talking about their weekends with their wives or husbands, just substitute those words for statements like “my partner” or “my person.” Above all, never feel forced to come out; know that it is okay to choose when, where, and how to share your story at work.
How do you see Pride Month contributing to the larger movement for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility?
Pride Month contributes to the overall larger movement for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility by reminding everyone that we are here, we exist, we aren’t going anywhere, and we will fight for our rights. While we work our way through the courts to receive our rights and campaign when there are ballot measures to solidify our rights into state laws, it is important the people see we are here. We may be a minority in the USA and in the world, but we are doctors, educators, property managers, mechanics and much more. When we show up and stand up, saying, “I am part of this group,” people see that we contribute to everyday society.
What does Pride Month mean to you personally? How do you celebrate and honor this month?
Pride Month, to me, is a time for self-reflection and celebration! If you had told me at 15 years old that in less than ten years, I would have fully accepted myself, left unsupportive people behind, found my chosen family, and, most importantly, found happiness and confidence in who I am, I would not have believed you. To me, this month is about looking back at where I was and looking to the future. It is also a time to help others that are struggling. I like to give to the Trevor Project because this is a program that helps the most vulnerable within our community.
Joseph day
Assistant Community Manager
Can you share your personal journey of self-discovery and coming to terms with your LGBTQ+ identity? How has this journey shaped your personal and professional life?
I didn’t grow up in a family that discussed queer identity. I knew of a distant uncle that was gay, that lived in California doing hair, and I saw how gay people were depicted on television shows. I never truly identified with the representation I saw — I certainly never wanted to be a hairdresser or move to California.
I began being bullied as I entered middle school. A bit of a late bloomer, I had no interest in the topics many pre-teens were discovering. I still remember the first time I was called a f*g by a peer, it has stuck with me all these years because I had no concept of sexuality at 12 years old, but it was already a negative point in my life. I connotated being gay with being a bad thing, again, before I even had a concept of what It meant. This led me to recluse into myself, hide my flamboyance, dress more rigidly, and avoid making friends with girls in fear that if I had too many, it would be another thing to be teased about. I didn’t want to embrace anything that would give somebody another reason to think I was anything but heterosexual. It’s a scary thing to be a young person who’s supposed to be discovering their identity but is instead doing everything they could think of to hide it. I had convinced myself that if I were to come out, I would be limiting myself from opportunities within my career, my personal life, my goals in life, all of it.
It was after I started working as a bank teller and joined an employee group focused on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion that I realized the perception I had and the goals I was working towards were all goals that other people had told me I should accomplish; I should marry a woman, and I should have two children, we should buy a dog, and we should buy a house with the white picket fence. But those are heteronormative goals that many of us are told to strive towards from a young age, and I realized that these goals I was working towards were never really my goals. Only then was I fully able to embrace myself.
After turning 20, I came out to my closest friends, a very scary thing to do. I essentially was telling all of the people that I loved that the person they knew wasn’t real but a version of myself I had to fake every day. After coming out to them, I brought the person I was dating home and, during a Mariners game, announced to my family, “This is my boyfriend, and he is spending the night, and if you need us I will be in my bedroom.” My parents and siblings now tease me that my “closet had glass doors”, and I’m thankful that despite them having a better idea of my identity than I did, they allowed me to come to terms with it in my own time.
Now, I have been re-discovering my identity as I go. I missed a lot of exploration in my youth that I am now doing, like buying clothing I would never look at, playing with makeup, dancing like Shakira, even listening to different music, and most importantly, dismantling the idea of what my life should be like, and restructuring it to be a life I’m excited to live.
I live my life boldly now; I am unapologetically myself; I am a champion of diversity in the workplace. I feel when people can show up as their most authentic selves to work, they can work better than ever before. I have a newfound confidence in myself that only grows as I learn and discover more parts of myself. This confidence has led me to pursue career opportunities I never would have and led me to partake in discussions that have only widened my scope and deepened my understanding of others. I don’t regret my story, but sometimes I wish I had embraced myself sooner. Ultimately, the universe had plans for me that, without my experiences, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish.
If you could invite any LGBTQ+ figure or activist (fictional or non-fictional) to dinner, who would it be and why?
This is so hard! I have so many. I think the top of my list, though, would be Freddie Mercury or Prince! Freddie was unapologetically himself, was so fearless in expressing his sexuality during a time of extreme discomfort for our community, and he never felt the need to justify or discuss his decision to be openly gay during this time. Queen is one of the most famous bands to this day, and Freddie was taken from us far too soon. I would love to get his perspective on the queer identity in 2023 and what he feels the future of the LGBT+ community is. Despite Prince’s somewhat conservative views later In life, he has played a large role in dismantling masculinity, and his music speaks to embracing oneself wholeheartedly. I would love to get his perspective on the male identity and how we can continue to restructure what that is.
Can you provide advice or words of encouragement for other LGBTQ+ individuals who may be navigating their identities within the professional world?
A quote my mom wrote to me when I was first embracing myself:
“You playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightening about shrinking so others won’t feel insecure around you. As you let your own light shine, you indirectly give others permission to do the same.” – Marianne Williamson.
How do you see Pride Month contributing to the larger movement for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility?
I think Pride Month has a long history in the US. Originally coined Gay and Lesbian Pride Month by President Clinton in the 1990s, President Obama widened the scope and made it more inclusive in the early 2010s by including the Bisexual and Transgender community officially into the month. This itself shows progress as a nation to become more inclusive. Our country was founded on rebellion, dismantling the patriarchy, and creating a more equitable world for all. Pride Month is a continuation of the battles our forefathers fought; the first celebration was a riot after all. By continuing these celebrations, we are only creating a more inclusive space for people, and in these intentional spaces, we forge an overall better society focused on growth and progress. I am excited to see what Pride becomes over the next 10 years as younger generations approach adulthood and inclusivity becomes a more widespread topic.
What does Pride Month mean to you personally? How do you celebrate and honor this month?
Pride Month, for me, is another month. I embrace myself year-round now – I personally no longer need a singular month to have the confidence to be who I am. I honor my journey this month by reminding myself who made these freedoms possible – the BIPOC transwomen who started the first riot that led to the marches that led to the parades we now get to experience. By honoring myself, I can honor those that came before me and fought the fight that allowed us to celebrate so openly.