News
Pride at Home: St. Joseph's Care Group Celebrates First Pride Event
St. Joseph's Care Group Leadership Celebrates Pride
Date: 2024-06-14
St. Joseph's Care Group (SJCG) held our first Pride party this past Friday, June 7, 2024 at our Hogarth Riverview Manor site.
The celebration was hosted by our newly formed 2SLGBTQIA+ Working Group, a sub-committee of the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Council. Together with residents, volunteers, and staff, members of the working group spoke to the importance of visibility and safety for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
"Pride is not just a celebration; it's a movement. It's about love, authenticity, and courage. A celebration of being unapologetically ourselves in a world that sometimes tries to silence us," said Janine Black, President & CEO. "Pride is about celebrating the beautiful tapestry of human diversity. It's about embracing every color of the rainbow, every shade of identity. Our diversity is our strength. It's what makes our communities vibrant, resilient, and endlessly fascinating."
When asked how they feel about SJCG's first Pride party, many staff answered that events like this demonstrate the importance of safety, welcoming our people, and progress. "It means we can all be authentic coming to work and feeling supported by staff members."
"When I first joined SJCG, I was like 'wow, there's 2SLGBTQIA+ people everywhere!'" adds another staff member. "You wouldn't think that coming in. It just makes the whole organization feel like a safe, accessible place to work."
"It's a really proud day to be a manager at St. Joseph's Care Group," explained Tammy McKinnon, Manager of Learning and Development.
Attendees showed off their Pride with a rainbow photo booth, rainbow cupcakes, and Pride flag pins and streamers. Staff also had the opportunity to write what Pride means to them on an art board for others to read. To them, Pride means:
- Authenticity
- Respect
- Love Who You Love
- Bold & Unapologetic
- Inclusion
- The bravest thing you can be is yourself
As part of the festivities and to mark the start of Pride Month, SJCG also raised the Pride flag at St. Joseph's Hospital, St. Joseph's Heritage, and Hogarth Riverview Manor for the month of June.
People in this community don't always feel safe and welcome to be themselves. When we see a Pride flag outside, it's a sign that we belong," reflected Riley Aldrich, Registered Dietitian and Chair of the 2SLGBTQIA+ Working Group. "This means a lot to me, and I know it means a lot to our community and allies, and our staff, clients, family and partners."
Thank you to the 2SLGBTQIA+ Working Group for organizing our first Pride celebration. It was an event made special by everyone who participated, shared their stories, and supported their colleagues and friends.
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