We’re still going strong with our Pride Month celebration, shining a spotlight on some of the incredible LGBTQIA+ employees who work at LGC!
In case you’ve been missing out, throughout June we’ve been highlighting some of our incredible employees who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community and learn a little about them and their thoughts on Pride month. So far we’ve met Cat, our Assistant Director of Marketing and Sean, GM of our permanent placement division.
This week we’ll be shining the spotlight on Charlie, Senior Staffing Manager over our Albuquerque and Minneapolis markets. Get to know them and why they believes Pride is so important.
Meet Some of LGC’s LGBTQ+ Employees
Name: Charlie M Navarro Barbosa
Position: Senior Staffing Manager | Albuquerque + Minneapolis
LGC employee since: April 2021
About
Hello everyone! My name is Charlie. I have been openly non-binary since I was 19 and polyamorous for as long as I can remember. Between the most supportive parents I could ever dream of and a lesbian grandmother who helped raise me, I’ve always been within the LGBTQIA+ community, even when I didn’t know that I was. As far as what you need to know about me, I’m just a nerdy, happy-go-lucky individual with a love of reading, costuming, painting, and experiencing new things.
What does Pride Month mean to you?
Pride Month for me means speaking out for community during a time when everyone is listening. I am loud and proud all year round, but during this month is when I can really get out into the physical and internet communities and really speak out for those who can’t speak for themselves. It’s going out and seeing myself represented on every corner in a world that generally isn’t the most accepting, despite the leaps forward we have made as a whole. It’s flying my flags and screaming out the proverbial “I exist and you’re gonna have to deal with it!” to everyone who ever decided I wasn’t enough for just being me.
What are the benefits to being openly supportive of the LGBTQ+ community?
Where to even begin! I have not met a more inclusive community. You’ll always find fast friends and allies everywhere you go. Personally, I feel this sense of peace when I’m around other LGBTQIA+ individuals because they rarely judge others for their unique journeys. You can ask questions and learn and thrive and grow your interpersonal circle by showing that you back the community. You lose nothing by being supportive, and you’ll gain the biggest extended family you could ever imagine, and they’ll be there in any way they can.
Do you have any thoughts on how employers can better support the LGBTQ+ community?
The list is endless there, but we are heading in the right direction! Inclusion of pronoun and chosen name options with paperwork and profiles. Try not to assume about someone’s gender or identity, and don’t get defensive if we correct you on our name or pronouns. Gender neutral dress codes (male presenting people can wear makeup or dresses or heels and female presenting people can wear cologne and suits!!).
And if you have willing individuals within your company, maybe a Q+A! Let people ask questions in a safe environment. We can’t and don’t expect people to know everything all at once, but at the end of the day, we expect to be treated with the same respect and understanding that you’d want for yourself.
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Keep an eye on the LGC blog for the next part in this series, highlighting our incredible LGBTQ+ employees! And if you’re looking for assistance finding temporary employees (or a great side gig) in the Albuquerque or Minneapolis areas, contact Charlie here: navarrob@lgcassociates.com.