As long as I live, I will never forget the year gay marriage was made law. I was living in Nashville, TN at the time. It was a Friday night and I was putzing around my house cleaning up after a busy week when my boss called. He wasn’t the kind of manager to call on a Tuesday during the day unannounced, let alone a Friday night. I answered the phone with a curious, “hello?”
He explained that he was in San Francisco for the weekend, then asked if I would like to fly out with my girlfriend to celebrate Pride. “Really?” I said. “Yep, find a flight that leaves tomorrow and get a hotel downtown. See you later!” That was the end of our conversation. I remember texting the prices with a “are you sure?” a few hours later. It wasn’t cheap.
That Sunday morning, we all stood on Market St. jumping with joy as we celebrated marriage equality for the first time in the United States. I remember thinking just how beautiful it was to see so many babies and families. People from every background. After enjoying Pride in a few cities, now I know, that’s the magic of this season: a bunch of people coming together to celebrate love out loud.
3 Free Ways To Celebrate Pride
I realize how magical that was and I’m still so grateful. But, I’m also a realist. An experience like that can only happen at a company with 5 employees. Plus, who has the budget in this economy to fly the team out to party? Nobody. Instead, it feels like every day another big name brand is talking about cutting back on Pride celebrations and DEI budgets.
But you don’t need a big budget to build belonging or bring that energy to your team. I want to see intention and vulnerability. Some of the most meaningful ways we celebrate Pride at work are the ones that inspire connection through creativity and shared experiences. I’ve seen some ideas I really loved that go outside your traditional pizza party *with rainbows.* I love pizza, but c’mon, y'all.
- Creating a collaborative Pride playlist. Then, with some simple software you can incorporate audio clips of people explaining why they chose specific songs.
- Pride Pen Pals. You know I love letters. These are anonymous letters where participants write short notes of encouragement, admiration, or Pride-related reflections. I love this especially for remote teams.
- Trivia. If you’re a culture that’s competitive, you gotta have trivia. Organize a trivia or board game night featuring LGBTQ+ history, tips on pronouns, and fun facts. Use free platforms like Kahoot or Quizizz for trivia, or adapt board games with queer-themed prompts.
I like these because they’re cheap but also, they can remind everyone that Pride is about people, not just parades.
Almost Free Ways To Celebrate Pride At Work: Hire A Speaker
For a small budget, you can also have me come speak with your team - during Pride or any other month. Here are the sessions I’m offering.
- ERG Workshop: Let’s talk about where you are and where you want to go to support the LGBT+ community in your organization.
- Introduction To Pronouns: Through the lens of real life experiences, I will help your team understand what pronouns are, what to do when they mess up someone’s pronouns, and more ways to be a better advocate for others - at work and home.
If you’re interested in having me speak with your group this year, book time with me now. I’m looking forward to celebrating Pride 2025 with you.
At Three Ears Media, we train teams on pronoun education and building belonging in the workplace. Whether you want to learn how to correct misgendering at a leadership level, support your team in coming out at work, or celebrate Pride in meaningful ways, we’re here to help. Our sessions equip teams with the knowledge and tools to foster an inclusive workplace through education and conversation. We offer team training, consulting, and 1-1 coaching for organizations committed to creating cultures of belonging. Interested in learning more? Book a call with me.
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