The Pride of Hubbard, Part I
As we mark the beginning of June and the imminent arrival of summer, it’s a good time to turn the spotlight onto what June has become increasingly known for – Pride. Now, Pride Month is more than just a celebration of lifestyles; in fact, it has a rather dark past.
June 28, 1969. 1:20 A.M. Four plainclothes policemen wearing dark suits, two patrol officers in uniform, Detective Charles Smythe, and Deputy Inspector Seymour Pine announced their arrival at the Stonewall Inn – a known gay bar – by screaming “Police! We’re taking the place!” What followed has since gone down in history.
The riots that broke out that night, some 52 years ago at the Stonewall Inn, have had a meteoric impact on the modern day. The sheer amount of violence that was experienced by the members of the LGBTQ community – one that stumbled onto the next night as well – was the basis for the next level of the pride movement. A man named Bob Kohler was walking his dog by the Stonewall Inn that night and he recalled that “I had been in enough riots to know the fun was over … the cops were totally humiliated … the anger was enormous. I mean, they wanted to kill.”
Once the chaos of that night subsided, it served as an impetus for future movements. November 2nd of the very same year saw the first proposition for a pride march – to be held in New York City. The rest, as they say, is history.
At Hubbard, we pride ourselves on our inclusivity and diversity. An active effort is made by everyone in the organization to make everyone feel included – regardless of race, gender, or sexuality. To celebrate this, we will be doing a little blog series – one where members of the Hubbard team talk about their experiences with Pride and their views on inclusivity and diversity.
First up, Karen Fuentes.
“I grew up in a really inclusive environment – I learned from an early age not to be prejudiced.”
Karen reminisced about her childhood in the Philippines and how growing up with friends of all kinds helped shape her mentality. However, it wasn’t all fun and games. Karen recalls an incident with one of her neighbours.
“I had a friend – a neighbour – and he was gay. His father knew this and he used to beat him up.”
Knowing her friend was struggling in such a way just because of who he was established her belief that no one should fear who they are – that everyone should be accepted.
This is a belief she has carried with her all the way until now. When she first came to Canada, one of her friend’s took her to her first Pride Parade.
“It was interesting and fun!” she recalled her experience. “It was so colourful, the floats were great, though I didn’t expect to see so many people without clothes!” Karen laughed.
Upon seeing the changes over the past decade, Karen believes that the younger generation is doing it right. She stated that “the new generation is more open on these matters and they don’t have as much prejudice. They are becoming more educated and that’s a good thing.”
Ultimately, according to Karen, it comes down to respect. “Diversity and inclusivity – especially in the workplace – is extremely important. Everyone should respect each other. Respect is number 1.”
Karen continues to be an important part of the office here at Hubbard and it is no surprise she fits in so well with everyone, especially after the insight she has provided us. Over the coming two weeks, we will bring you more profiles from within Hubbard as we aim to celebrate Pride Month, inclusivity, and diversity. Stay tuned!