June 1 marks the start of Pride Month celebrating the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan which marked the tipping point in the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. Collectively we get to shine a light on this important turning point in history by re-affirming our support of equal rights and nondiscrimination for all.

To kick off our June is for Justice series we are highlighting the work of Basic Right Oregon (BRO). BRO plays a critical role in ensuring equality for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Oregonians by building a broad and inclusive politically powerful movement, shifting public opinion, and achieving policy victories. They are in the trenches working on public policies and raising awareness.

In particular, BRO focuses their efforts around four primary communities:

  • LGBTQ people of color, including LGBTQ immigrants & refugees of color, who bear the brunt of homophobia, transphobia, racism, and xenophobia.
  • Trans, genderqueer and gender nonconforming people, who face astonishing rates of violence and discrimination, and whose basic rights are far from secure.
  • LGBTQ youth, who face high rates of homelessness, bullying and suicide, and who are present and future leaders for LGBTQ equality and social justice.
  • LGBTQ people beyond the Portland Metro area, who are often isolated, whose needs are distinct from those in Portland, and who face unique barriers to reach the promise of true lived equality.

Ways to be an ally

Take the pledge to protect trans kids. We’re seeing a troubling trend of anti-LGBTQ2SIA+ rhetoric in our state, and attacks on the dignity and safety of trans kids in particular. The same forces passing state laws attacking trans kids across the country are here in Oregon.

By signing the Basic Rights Oregon #ProtectTransKids Pledge, you’re promising to hold the line for our trans kids’ rights to:

  • Feel safe and supported in school and at home
  • Have teachers and peers use appropriate names and pronouns
  • Use the facilities that align with their gender identity
  • Participate in the sports of their choosing

Financial support

Donations to BRO help support their mission to focus primarily on policy and legislative changes that contribute to a fairer and more equal Oregon. Learn more about ways you can provide financial support.

Volunteer

Interested in donating your time and talent? The volunteer roles change often and you can learn more about ways to get involved with BRO here.

Our commitment

As we celebrate Pride Month, we want re-state our commitment to basic civil rights for everyone. We’re committed to doing everything we can to strive for equity for all of us. If we want to create true change, we have to do things differently. It is simply not enough to be open-and-loving-to-all, personally. We must, as a corporate citizen, be part of the solution to acknowledge the problems with policy in our country and create opportunities to bring awareness and support to communities facing discrimination and hardships.

Here’s our roadmap to doing our part.

Financial support

We’re committed to supporting organizations working for justice and social equity.

Educate and amplify

As a team, we’re invested in education through books and podcasts. Here are some of our favorites specific to LGBTQ+ education.

Nonfiction: Redefining Realness by Janet Mock, Yes, You are Trans Enough by Mia Violet, Allyship in Action by Julie Kratz, Untamed by Glennon Doyle

Fiction: The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai, City of Girls by Liz Gilbert, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel, George by Alex Gino

Podcasts: Brene Brown has been doing diversity, equity and inclusion teaching and research for years. Both her Dare to Lead and Unlocking Us podcasts are a wealth of information. In particular, her episodes with Aiko Bethea.

Documentaries: Disclosure on Netflix

The best way forward is together

It will take a village and us all working together to make real change and progress. We’d love to learn from you. If you have thoughts or ideas you’d like to share, be it things your business has done or things you see we could do better, we’d love to listen.

At Hyatt Training you’ll find more than a good sweat. Our core values guide each decision we make every day. We’re passionate about what happens outside the walls of the studio in our community at large in Portland and Oregon. One of our core values is to connect with and do our part to keep Oregon a vibrant place to live, work and be healthy. To learn more about what we’re all about or how we could help you, email us at Go@HyattTraining.com.