Pride month is a time to honour and celebrate members of the LGBTQ+ community and their contributions to the world, while also bringing awareness to the many injustices they have and continue to face every day.

Extreme will celebrate pride month by hosting meaningful conversations that bring our community and allies together. Last year was a huge success, and we are aiming to make this year even better!

Pride Alliance, an Employee Resource Group (ERG) within Extreme for the LGBTQ+ community and allies, has planned all kinds of exciting events, from awareness-building activities like a virtual pride parade to a guest speaker event with John Amaechi, an organizational psychologist and Founder of APS Intelligence and the first openly gay former NBA basketball player. I’m honoured and humbled to take over as the leader of this amazing group and excited to help continue to foster a diverse and inclusive environment within our company and the world.

When the Pride Alliance first formed, we set two big goals for ourselves.

1. Create a group that acts as a safe space for people to be who they are and identify themselves as they wish to.
2. Raise awareness around the global issues affecting our community by sharing facts and donating to charities that are helping LGBTQ+ people around the world.

We have stayed true to our goals through monthly meetings for our group to come together and be themselves, and by raising money for various charities, including Outright Action International.

As the Pride Alliance matures, our goal is to drive meaningful discussions throughout the year to help support our members. We’re excited to partner with the various other ERGs at Extreme for activities throughout the year, and we’re encouraging employees to participate in multiple ERGs since identity has no limits. When it is safe to do so, I hope to organise an in-person Pride Parade at our offices around the globe, as well as participate in regional Pride Parades as a group representing Extreme.

The best advice I have for anyone looking to create a strong diversity and inclusion program is to make sure you have support from the top down. Our ERG has been so successful because we have an amazing executive sponsor and help from those in leadership roles within our company. DEI efforts are ingrained into Extreme’s culture, through both our various ERGs and the incredible people we have within the company that support one another day in and day out!

We don’t just hang a pride flag for the month of June to show off. We put on events, we come together as a community, and we celebrate all the different groups and cultures within our organisation every single day. The people at Extreme are constantly going above and beyond to contribute to the wider community and to create a positive experience for everyone, no matter who they are.