Happy Pride Month! The month of June marks the beginning of the Stonewall riots, a series of riots for LGBTQIA+ liberation that occurred following a police raid at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar located in New York City, in 1969. The year after the riots, the first pride marches took place across the United States – a pivotal act for LGBTQIA+ rights that quickly became an annual celebration. In June 1999, President Clinton officially declared the month as Pride Month.
As we embrace the colorful celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community, we are proud to announce our latest employee resource group (ERG), established to create a safe and supportive environment for LGBTQIA+ employees and allies while fostering understanding and acceptance throughout the Bank.
Co-led by Rick Battaglia and Mike Kirschman, with executive sponsorship by President and CEO Jeane Vidoni, the group recently held its first meeting in alignment with Pride Month. The leaders shared the objectives of the group – to be a safe and supportive space for team members, to foster a sense of belonging, and to serve as a resource.
“The mission of the ERG is to educate those who aren’t a part of the community and to empower those who are,” says Kirschman.
The virtual meeting was attended by team members across every department, illustrating cross-departmental support throughout the Bank. It’s important to note the generational range of participants, speaking to the open-minded, accepting nature of our team members.
Attendees were encouraged to share their reasoning or motivation behind joining the LGBTQIA+ ERG. From identifying as a part of the community themselves or as an ally to having a friend or family members that does, or simply wanting to be more understanding of differences, everyone who shared was honest and well-received. Participants were quick to join the conversation and did not hesitate to pose questions.
“My sexual orientation has never stood in the way of opening doors in my career,” Battaglia reflects. But, he realizes that’s not the reality for everyone.
Research indicates the 83% of those who identify as LGBTQIA+ keep this information hidden from their employer and the majority of people they work with. By creating this ERG, we’re doing our part in breaking down barriers in the industry and hope to be an example for other institutions to do the same.
The ERG leaders will organize events and workshops, as well as discuss current issues and challenges facing the community. By equipping our team members with knowledge and understanding, we can better understand the customers we serve and break down barriers. External initiatives in include community engagement and sponsorship of local Pride initiatives and festivities to demonstrate our commitment to the community.
At Penn Community Bank, we firmly believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) are not just buzzwords. DE&I is a fundamental of our organization that shapes our culture and success. Likewise, community is our middle name – signifying not just the areas we serve, but the diverse groups within those areas.
For more information on our DE&I efforts, visit www.PennCommunityBank.com.
