We’re Encouraging Everyone to #Unmute this Pride Month
June is a month to shine a spotlight on the LGBTQI+ community, to celebrate and reflect on progress made and challenges yet to overcome. This year, our theme for June is #Unmute in honor of all those who speak up on diversity, voices being heard and those yet to be heard (and a nod to everyone that has been muting and unmuting every day for more than a year). Let’s hit the unmute button and give our support to everyone in this world who may be underrepresented, marginalized, or side-lined. We can all be activists for change, not just this month but all year round.
2021 remains an unusual year for celebrating Pride month. The pandemic has put the importance of communities into sharp focus, and for many Pride is needed more than ever. While some events will go ahead in person, organizations and the LGBTQI+ community at large cannot celebrate the same way as previous years. We’ve created this summary highlighting some of the fantastic events and activities happening around the world.
Throughout the year we run many initiatives focused on diversity and mental and physical wellbeing through our Diversity4U program. You will hear all about our own remote-friendly Pride calendar on social media, and together we can empower each other despite the current challenges. So, unmute, engage with us, and share your own stories this Pride Month!
In addition to our special Pride logo and new Teams backgrounds, here’s a list of some of the activities we have planned in June to help people feel connected, and to celebrate our diverse voices.
1. Educational blog series
These blogs focus on the history of Pride and everything happening around the world, including a guest post from Unit4’s 2021 Pride partner ILGA Association* – an international organization focused on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Intervention, to which we are donating.
2. Pride themed Inspiration4U podcast
Inspiration4U is our podcast series designed to enable and foster a culture of growth, knowledge building and information sharing across Unit4 through short, bite-sized, on-demand listening. A new episode will be published every other Wednesday. In June the episodes will be themed around Pride month. We’ll hear from Unit4 people and our Pride partner ILGA Association.
3. Pride themed Fit4U events
Fit4U is Unit4’s fitness program run internally where everyone is invited to take part in yoga, meditation, HIT classes and much more. June will be more colorful and perhaps more sparkly than ever!
4. The Unit4 Pride Spotify playlist
We’ll be promoting our own ‘tune of the day’ throughout the month of June, celebrating inspirational Pride music. Listen to the playlist here. Warning: you may want to dance when listening.
5. Lunch & Learn session
On June 9th we’ll host an internal lunch & learn event with Pride partner ILGA Association and representatives from the Unit4 LGBTQI+ community where they will discuss their experiences with Pride, what it means to them and how other people can support.
6. X-eSports social event and gaming challenge
From June 7th – June 17th we’re hosting our first X-eSports tournament, which is open to all employees and will feature Pride themed challenges with an educational element too.
7. A full social media schedule to support
Including employee and important people in history spotlights!
* Founded in 1995, the ILGA Portugal Association - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Intervention is the largest and oldest association that fights for equality and against discrimination against LGBTI + people and their families in Portugal.
The ILGA Portugal Association's main objective is the social integration of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex population and their families in Portugal through a broad support program in the social sphere that guarantees the improvement of their quality of life; through the fight against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender expression and identity and sexual characteristics; and, through the promotion of citizenship, human rights and gender equality.
Join the Pride celebrations!
#Unmute, engage with us, and share your own stories this June. Follow us on LinkedIn to join the Pride month celebrations.
