Happy Pride to all! May your celebrations be fun, safe, and filled with love & support, whether you’re an ally or a member. To help us honor this year’s Pride theme, Beacon of Love, we sat down with Vagaro’s own Amari Coffee, Technical Support Representative, and Yi Jeat Kwan, Designer & Photographer to tell us a bit about their LGBTQIA+ story, and what it means to embody the true essence of a beacon of love. First, let’s take a brief history lesson…
Why We Celebrate Pride
In the evening of June 27th, 1969, the NYPD raided a popular LGBTQIA+ bar, the Stonewall Inn. Patrons at the bar were arrested, beaten, and verbally abused by the police for wearing clothes that didn’t fit the typical gender “norm” at the time. One year later, in 1970, members of the LGBTQIA+ community came together to commemorate the unspeakable things that had happened the year prior, thus paving the way for the Pride month you know today.
While we should never forget its grim origins, it’s even more important to remember what Pride month is really about: a time meant for celebrating our unique differences, sexuality, gender expression, & everything that makes you, you. Through celebrations, parades, parties, and the occasional peaceful protest, Pride allows us to lift one another up and stand proud in solidarity.
Being Proud of Who You Are: Amari Coffee
Amari Coffee: Technical Support Representative
Amari boasts a kind soul & a brave heart, both of which are qualities she brings to her skilled work as a Technical Support Representative here at Vagaro. Seamlessly navigating through the questions of hundreds of different businesses, customers, or coworkers, Amari isn’t just a Vagaro expert; she’s a people expert. To her, being LGBTQIA+ is about celebrating who we are, and fighting against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression.
Pride creates a community that fosters belonging and empowers individuals to live authentically and proudly.
While she might say she’s no history buff, Amari enjoys learning about the history & activism behind LGBTQIA+ culture, too. After all, it’s the journey from where we started to where we are today that makes us who we are—not the destination. Now, Amari explains how she gets to use her position as a symbol of love and inclusion by helping colleagues and customers without ever harboring any biases.
From the Stonewall riot uprising to gay marriage being legalized, knowing the history behind Pride shows just how far we’ve come—and that’s something to be proud of.
A Spotlight for Love & Acceptance
Amari grew up in a strict household that wasn’t accepting of the LGBTQIA+ community at first—she explained how she knows firsthand what it’s like to feel ashamed of who you are. In the time it’s been since she left, though, she’s come to find the things she didn’t initially receive from her family within the LGBTQIA+ community. That’s exactly why Amari always makes an effort to accept everyone for who they are, and encourages them to live authentically.
Pride in Our Everyday Lives: A Call to Action
Now, sure, we can talk about being brave or standing strong alongside our loved ones or even strangers, but we must act. We must continue to fight for the inclusion and rights of our LGBTQIA+ peers, family, and friends.
Amari recalls how at the San Francisco Pride parade last year, there were queer mothers giving out free hugs to anyone who was rejected by their family. This simple, yet beautiful notion served as a beacon of hope for Amari, she says, because it showed that even when people you love don’t accept you; there’s another community who will.
Amari, thank you so much—not just for sharing a bit about who you are and what Pride means to you, but for being an example of how a beacon of love should act.
Celebrating Our Differences: What LGBTQIA+ Means to Yi Jeat
Yi Jeat Kwan: Designer & Photographer
Yi Jeat Kwan is an exceptionally-talented photographer, and likely the most compassionate person to ever walk the face of the earth. At Vagaro, he’s loved by coworkers and customers alike—leading the charge on employee photos, business photoshoots, and just about anything that involves the words, Say cheese! To Yi Jeat, being in the LGBTQIA+ community means demonstrating love and acceptance towards one another, regardless of our differences.
Being in the LGBTQIA+ community is about embracing myself fully and extending that same love and acceptance to others.
Championing diversity and leveraging what makes us unique is what builds a supportive environment where everyone can thrive authentically, whether it be at work, home, the store, etc. And it starts with you!
The Impact of Empathy
Yi Jeat explains how his LGBTQIA+ identity inspires him to empathize with others, especially in the face of adversity. Understandably so, since it can be difficult to stand alongside someone when we don’t understand what they might be going through or experiencing in life. That’s exactly what’s great about LGBTQIA+ culture, though! It allows use to not just set aside those differences, but to rejoice in them; in what makes us human.
LGBTQIA+ culture is deeply meaningful to me because it embodies a vibrant spirit of celebration, love, and positivity. It's not just about embracing diverse identities and experiences but also about fostering a sense of community where acceptance and support thrive.
Pride in Our Everyday Lives: Fostering Unity and Inclusion
It’s a beautiful thing when people, from all backgrounds, communities, or cultures, come together to lift one another up. Even though people are so unique, so different, Yi Jeat explains how he loves to see them come together to celebrate diversity & unity. He says its helped him realize the true power of creating memorable moments together, regardless of your differences.
Support and unity go beyond labels because we're all human in the end.
When it comes to the workplace, Yi Jeat says creating an inclusive environment is key. Things like non-discrimination policies, diversity training, and LGBTQIA+ employee networks could make a huge difference for LGBTQIA+ representation and protection. On a more personal level, Yi Jeat says how visible leadership and colleague support always helps him feel empowered to bring his authentic self to work.
In his role as Vagaro’s lead (and only!) photographer, Yi Jeat actively promotes acceptance and understanding for LGBTQIA+ colleagues and customers by advocating for inclusive policies and practices. This would include upholding non-discrimination policies, advocating for LGBTQIA+ representation in marketing efforts, and fostering a supportive environment through awareness campaigns and education.
My aim is to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and respected, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Yi Jeat, you are a ray of sunshine to all who have the pleasure of working with you. Thank you so much taking some time to chat with us.
Thank you so, so much, Amari & Yi Jeat, the both of you are incredible and officially Vagaro’s own beacons of hope.
At Vagaro, we embrace our unique qualities and cheer each other on to always be our authentic selves. If you’re ready to take the next step in your career in a place that truly celebrates you, swing by our Careers page and see how you can join the team! We’d love to have you.