Employee Perspective: Embracing Pride and Celebrating Diversity and Equality at InVision
06.08.23
Raymond Zilberberg
Executive Producer, InVision Communications
Employee Perspective: Embracing Pride and Celebrating Diversity and Equality at InVision
At the end of 2022, InVision launched its “Bring Your Whole Self to Work” campaign to honor the way in which we celebrate individuals for who they are – beyond their work accomplishments – we honor their “whole self.”We encourage everyone to share their personal passions and their unique perspectives – to bring their whole self to work.
June is LGBTQIA+ Pride Month and one of our employees sent an all-company message to remind us what Pride Month is really about. We take social injustice very seriously. It goes against everything we believe in. No one should ever be treated differently or unfairly because of who they are. In that spirit, we’re sharing his message below to shed light on the historical context of Pride month, and as a reminder that the fight is far from over:
In 1967, The Stonewall Inn, a small bar tucked away on Christopher Street in New York’s Greenwich Village opened its doors for the first time. The bar quickly became a safe-haven for New York’s deeply stigmatized and criminalized queer population. On any given night you could hear the elsewhere hushed, undulating laughter and clinking glasses of homeless youth, gays, lesbians and transgender men and women of all shapes and colors. It was there that people felt safe to shed their carefully constructed, publicly acceptable disguises. It was there that people could raise their authentic heads high, free from shame and abuse. It was there that people could revel in the simple luxury of holding their lover’s hand without fear of violence. It was there that community was built.
It was also there, two years later, after multiple brutal police raids that the community felt strong enough to say, “we are tired of living in secrecy.” “We are tired of being shamed.” “We will no longer be threatened and beaten.” The first brick was thrown on June 28, 1969, during one of these raids. That brick sparked the Stonewall Uprising. Several nights of protests, riots, and bloodshed in the neighboring streets captured the attention of the world and became the catalyst for the LGBTQIA+ rights movement. It sparked a wave of activism and a push for greater equality that was previously unthinkable.
June 1st marked the beginning of Pride Month. We celebrate with joy and with love, we celebrate our community, our chosen families, and our allies. We celebrate our diversity, our freedom of speech, our freedom to be the truest authentic versions of ourselves. And while we celebrate with glitter and rainbows and Beyonce, we must also remember that Pride has always been and will always be a march, not a parade. Pride is a march to honor those who had the courage to throw that first brick at Stonewall. Pride is a march to honor their legacy and to never give in to hate, to fear, and to discrimination.
We march for those we’ve lost to the fight, to those who did not have a voice to fight.
We march for the right to say the word “Gay” in public without fear or shame.
We march to keep our right to say “I Do” in front of Grandma and the Justice of the Peace.
We march to keep the right to have literature in our libraries that mirrors back the true diversity of this country.
We march for the rights for questioning children to not feel alone in this world.
Pride is a march to remind us that the fight is far from over.
Happy Pride IVC. Thank you for always being your authentic selves!
Raymond Zilberberg
Executive Producer, InVision Communications
As Pride Month unfolds, InVision stands firm in its commitment to celebrating diversity, embracing authenticity, and advocating for equality. We honor the legacy of those who fought for LGBTQIA+ rights and continue to march forward towards a more inclusive future. Join us in creating a workplace where everyone can bring their whole selves and thrive. Together, we can make a difference. Happy Pride from the InVision team!
InVision is an equal opportunity employer, always looking for new talent to join our teams. In return, you’ll be part of a diverse culture that thrives on high performance, growth, flexibility, balance, and giving back. Interested in joining us? We’d love to meet you. Check out our open positions online.