Hello from Spectrum – TPD’s First ERG!

Written by: Kerianne Chen, EIT (she/they) and Eric Kramer, PE (they/them)

After working closely alongside TPD’s DEI Committee, Spectrum has become the firm’s first recognized Employee Resource Group (ERG). As the founders and chairs of Spectrum, we’d like to share some details about Spectrum to raise awareness.

Spectrum is open to all TPD employees, and no one is required to reveal any identities unless they so choose. Spectrum serves as a network and resource for LGBTQIA+ employees and their allies, seeks to spread awareness, aids in marketing to improve recruitment and retention of LGBTQIA+ individuals, and provides opportunities for employee development. Our mission statement is below:

Mission: Spectrum is a group of LGBTQIA+ employees and their allies celebrating our diversity and exploring what it means to be our authentic and true selves at work. We strive to develop increased awareness, present companywide education, provide access to resources, and form community allyship. By creating a safe and inclusive environment, we aim to attract and retain diverse employees to better grow our business.

On Sunday, May 19^th, we held our first in-person event. As part of an annual initiative, each Spring, Spectrum will volunteer with local organizations. This year we headed to Fishtown for Philadelphia’s “Love Your Park week” at Penn Treaty Park. Our volunteers helped clear tall weeds near a sculpture in the park. It was a great event and was rewarding to give back to the community.

As summer approaches, we’d like to highlight June as National Pride Month, which commemorates the ongoing pursuit for civil rights in the LGBTQIA+ community.

The Society of Human Rights, founded by Henry Gerber in 1924 in Chicago, was the first documented gay rights organization. Over the next 45 years, more activist groups formed to support LGBTQIA+ rights in the US. On June 28, 1969, a police raid occurred at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Manhattan, NYC. During the 1960s, police raids on gay bars were common, but at Stonewall, tensions erupted, and demonstrators protested and continued to fight back for five days. This demonstration later became the focal point for the LGBTQIA+ civil rights movement. The first pride marches took place across several US cities in 1970 for the one-year anniversary. Protests continued in the years that followed the 1969 Stonewall Uprising.

On January 9, 1978, Harvey Milk was inaugurated as San Fransico city supervisor and was the first openly gay man to be elected to political office in California. In November 1978, Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone were murdered. Inspired by Harvey Milk’s life devotion and activism for LGBTQIA+ community, Gilbert Baker wanted to design a symbol for the LGBTQIA+ community and stitched together the first rainbow flag. These protests, activism, and foundational symbols in the 1920’s through the 1970’s paved the way for the progress we have seen and continue to see in the pursuit for civil rights in the LGBTQIA+ community. June is dedicated as Pride Month to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising and the rainbow flag that everyone witnesses is a symbol for the continued fight for civil rights for the LGBTQIA+ community.

As this year marks the 55^th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, we encourage everyone to reflect on all those who are underrepresented, oppressed, and marginalized. In the LGBTQIA+ community, and many others around the world, people continue to receive hate for identities that make them unique, even so many years after the movements began. Speak up when you see or hear bigotry and be kind to those around you. Everyone deserves love and respect.