A record-breaking heat wave hit Portland, Oregon, this week but it didn’t stop the community from showing up to celebrate Pride Month – if anything it helped fuel the festivities. This month, as individuals, organizations, businesses, and allies, we came together to honor, celebrate, and show support for the LGBTQ+ community. And we at Jama Software were no exception.
Every year in June, the Pride flag can be seen hanging proudly on almost every block of the city, on t-shirts, and in storefront windows. First stitched together lovingly by political activist and designer Gilbert Baker in 1978, the Pride flag represents so much more than an identity, it’s a symbol of equality, pride, and most importantly, unity.
At Jama, this month and every month, we celebrate our very own current, former, and future LGBTQ+ employees. We are proud of their accomplishments and we are incredibly grateful for their contributions to our workplace and communities. True equality translates into richer, better lives for all of us.
Committing to the Work of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
We acknowledge that there is a lot of work to be done and know that celebrating diversity, equity, and inclusion cannot just happen on certain days or months. It must be a conscious, concerted effort that happens in board rooms, staff meetings, and in our personal conversations. We must continue to actively learn, go beyond our comfort zones, and see things from others’ perspectives. We cannot be wholly inclusive until every individual feels like they are heard, acknowledged, and appreciated.
As part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion, we have taken the Portland Tech Diversity Pledge through TechTown PDX. Jama employees regularly participate in AllyShift workshops through TechTown and receive Unconscious Bias training.
Last year, our very own Colleen Yeager was given the opportunity to speak at TEDxPortland about her powerful advocacy for transgender youth and the story of her own child discovering his transgender identity. Over 70 Jama Software employees showed up to support Colleen and hear stories from the community.
The event, themed “Bridges,” was focused on acknowledging our progress and exposing our challenges in the greater Portland community. Many were incredibly moved and inspired by Colleen’s story, and we are proud to call her a friend and colleague of Jama.
Jama’s Own Pride Celebration
This weekend on June 16th, we’re proud to be walking in the PDX Pride Parade alongside other local tech organizations who share our vision for diversity and inclusion including Smarsh, Cloudability, Airship, and Technology Association of Oregon.
And what would Pride month be without a big party?
On Thursday, June 13th, we gathered together in our Portland HQ for a rainbow cake, music, drinks and a good time. Check out some of the photos from the event.
Happy Pride, everyone!
