CHESTER, Pa. — Power Home Remodeling will show its support for the LGBTQ+ community by participating in this year's Dallas Pride Parade and flying in employees from all over the country to celebrate, advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, and give back to the queer community.
The weeklong event is part of the company's annual Pride Initiative spearheaded by their LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group (ERG), "Queer Power," and their Cultural Diversity and Inclusion (CD&I) Initiative. Every year, Power participates in a Pride parade in one of their 18 territories across the U.S. selected by Queer Power members. Both LGBTQ+ employees and allies design and build a parade float that not only represents the queer community, but the city in which they're celebrating. In years past, Power hosted its Pride celebration in Phoenix and Houston, and this year's selected city is Dallas.
"At Power, celebrating and empowering our LGBTQ+ community is a cornerstone of our initiative. So especially during the month of June, we're proud to stand with our LGBTQ+ employees in a big way," said Olumidé Cole, national director of CD&I at Power Home Remodeling. "Power's Pride Initiative is not just about participating in the parade or displaying Pride flags — it's rooted in educating employees on current LGBTQ+ issues, which is more poignant since we're hosting the event in Texas. It's incredibly important to us that our employees that work and live in this state are aware of where we stand in regards to their basic rights and freedoms."
This year in Dallas, Power, the 2017 Residential Contractor of the Year, is partnering with Resource Center to cook meals for homeless queer people and people impacted by HIV/AIDS, as well as organizing the center's food pantry. Resource Center is a local organization aimed at providing programs and assistance to LGBTQ+ communities and anyone impacted by HIV/AIDS through advocacy, health and education. Additionally, employees will also participate in a series of outings and team-building activities that support local queer-owned businesses.
"Celebrating Pride through Power's Pride Initiative means everything to me as queer person," said Anthony Rivera, Queer Power ERG chair. "It means a sense of belonging, a space to be my true, authentic self, and the opportunity to impact the LGBGTQ+ community at large. I'm proud to work for a company that's working so hard to drive change inside the workplace and within our communities."
Power is a proud member of the Human Rights Campaign's Business Coalition for the Equality Act, and recently joined businesses across the U.S. by signing the HRC's and Freedom for All Americans' joint National Business Statement Opposing Anti-LGBTQ State Legislation to continue fighting for LGBTQ+ rights and ensure equality for all.
