Wavelength: Celebrating Pride the Maven Way

Pride is the predominant outlook that bolsters the equality movement. While every day should be a celebration of pride and an opportunity to honor and embrace the uniqueness of who you are, Pride Month is a very special time for the LGBTQ+ community — including here at Maven Wave.

Held every June, Pride Month recognizes the achievements of the LGBTQ+ community and commemorates its incredible diversity. The White House’s proclamation and acknowledgement of this significant month show the commitment towards equality from much of the U.S. population. At the same time, a raft of anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced and passed in dozens of states within the past couple of years. That’s why it’s more important than ever to commit to progress on the local, national, and international levels.

Although great strides have been made, there’s still much work to be done so that, worldwide, every member of the LGBTQ+ community is accepted and celebrated for who they are.

LGBTQ+ Support in the Workplace with Wavelength

Wavelength, Maven Wave’s community for LGBTQ+ employees and allies, is committed to building an accepting and safe environment for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer+ employees. This community has been employee-driven since early 2019 and has become an involved company-wide movement.

Wavelength established a solid set of goals to not only boost awareness of LGBTQ+ issues but to foster a passionate and inclusive environment that increases LGBTQ+ visibility in the workplace and enables the recruitment and retention of these individuals.

Additionally, Wavelength’s “Read, Watch, Listen” list, a quarterly list of LGBTQ+ media recommendations that’s available to all Mavens, supports the group’s education, awareness, and visibility goals. On this quarter’s list, you will find music from queer icon Lady Gaga, the Netflix series Sense8 (directed by the renowned Wachowski sisters), and a collection of love poems by spirituality and sexuality author Lee Harrington. Along with this, the list includes resources such as places to volunteer time, LGBTQ+-owned shops and restaurants to support, and both Chicago and nationwide Pride events in which to participate.

Prideful: June and Beyond

This June, Wavelength and the Maven Wave team will come together to celebrate Pride Month at Chicago’s Rivers Restaurant. Employees in and near the Chicagoland area will have a chance to mingle with their coworkers and learn from special guest speakers Miguel Diaz, Ph.D., The John Courtney Murray University Chair in Public Service and Ambassador to the Holy See (retired), and Michael Cippola, Operations Manager for Landmark Worldwide, as they discuss Diaz’s new book, Queer God de Amor.

Although Pride Month is an important part of the year for the LGBTQ+ community and allies, Wavelength wants to emphasize that the movement is a year-round effort to promote acceptance and educate Maven Wave employees. 

In March, Wavelength hosted a Drag Queen Bingo event starring RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Charlie Hides. Along with this, Maven Wave participated in the Midwest’s largest LGBTQ+ formal celebration, the Equality Illinois Gala. Furthermore, throughout 2021, the team hosted four info sessions (or “coffee chats”) featuring guest speakers who discussed a range of topics impacting the LGBTQ+ community.

Continuing the Momentum

Both Wavelength and Maven Wave feel it is critical to acknowledge the current harmful and regressive attitudes and actions the LGBTQ+ community is facing — including anti-LGBTQ+ legislation being introduced across the United States. We will continue to maintain the momentum for understanding and acceptance despite the adversity the LGBTQ+ community continues to face. 

You can help us make a difference by advancing your own understanding of the LGBTQ+ experience and taking an active role in ensuring the safety of these individuals, whether that’s through speaking up in your workplace, voting, volunteering, or participating in events outside of Pride Month. Creating an environment that’s welcoming towards individuals from a variety of backgrounds, social groups, and with different lived experiences is at the core of any great team and will pave the way to a brighter future.