It’s the month of June and, here at Sprout, we are one in the commemoration and celebration of Pride! In this blog we feature our Rockstars in this Pride Month Campaign.
- Adi Salvatierra
- Mikhail Reaño
- Pao Domingo
- Keiji Makita
- Shang Trinidad
- Atty. Lester Nazarene Ople
- Atty. Arlene De Castro
- Miggy Mapua
- Keara Eugenio
Adi Salvatierra
We want to introduce you to Adi, an Inbound Marketing Specialist here at Sprout Solutions. We have asked him a few questions and here’s what he had to say.
How has Sprout been a safe space for you?
- Sprout was very welcoming to begin with. Although I was afraid to show my true self at first, they made me feel very welcome and accepted. Sprout makes sure that regardless of someone’s SOGIE, one must be accepted and be kind to all the time.
What are you most proud of as a Rockstar and as a positive representation of the LGBTQ+ community?
- The values and learnings that I continuously gain from working with Sprout is something that I am very grateful for. But Sprout never discriminates against anyone’s gender, and never sees someone’s identity as a hindrance to any given challenge- that I think is what I am most proud of being a Rockstar.
What is your message for this year’s Pride Month?
- To the allies and the members of the community, I hope that whoever you are, and whoever you like, I hope your pride month this year is as extravagant, as fabulous, and as much of a protest as can be. Always remember that I will be in your corner all the time, you are valid, you are accepted, you are enough, and you are loved.
Amazing responses Adi! And Sprout will continue to be a safe space for members of the Pride Community. We are very thankful for you!
Mikhail Reaño
And now we have Mik, our Graphic Artist! He’s truly one of the most hardworking people here in Sprout and we can’t be more happy that he is a part of this Pride Month Campaign.
We asked him a few questions and here is what he had to say:
How has Sprout been a safe space for you?
- Sprout has been a safe space for me. I have felt included in everything regardless of my sexual orientation. Also, campaigns like this reinforce Sprout’s position in society as an ally. Having this initiative makes us feel accepted and seen. Everyone in the company, especially the Marketing department has been very accepting of my SOGIE.
What are you most proud of as a Rockstar and as a positive representation of the LGBTQ+ community?
- Despite the oppression I am continuously experiencing in life-which has affected me emotionally and mentally, I was still able to keep up with people’s expectations of me in the academe and professional practice. That’s what I am most proud of.
What is your message for this year’s Pride Month?
- I would like to remind everyone, especially the members of the community that our Trans brothers and sisters have been the frontliners in our battle against oppression. Without them, the celebration of Pride month wouldn’t exist. Pride is both protest and celebration, and we shall continue to fight for their rights.
Those responses were very enlightening, Mik. We are glad to get to know you!
Pao Domingo
Now we Introduce Pao from Sprout’s engineering team!
Here are the responses that we got from Pao:
How has Sprout been a safe space for you?
- Sprout is one of the most LGBTQ-friendly organizations I’ve worked with. I never felt discriminated against or deprived of opportunities because of my SOGIE. Sprout is a solid ally, creating a safe space for everyone to speak, contribute, and express themselves.
What are you most proud of as a Rockstar and as a positive representation of the LGBTQ+ community?
- The awesome culture and opportunities given to me, looking beyond my gender identity. Sprout created a safe space for everyone to be themselves while contributing to the greater good of the organization.
What is your message for this year’s Pride Month?
- The first Pride March in the 1960s was a protest. A riot. A bold fight against discrimination and equality. The people behind us fought for the openness and “acceptance” that we are enjoying today. Let us not forget that. And always remember, hindi ka sayang. Hindi ka “bakla lang”. You are loved. You are worthy. And you are capable of great things in life. LGBTQ+ rights are HUMAN RIGHTS.
We definitely agree, Pao! We are one with you and Sprout will always be a safe space for everyone and anyone!
Keiji Makita
Now we want to introduce our very own Head of Marketing at Sprout, Keiji!
Here are the responses that we got from Keiji:
How has Sprout been a safe space for you?
- Sprout nurtures talent regardless of who you are as a person. It creates a safe space for all of us to grow and experience work life to its fullest. We respect colleagues, treat everyone equally in our ways of working and we do not discriminate. We challenge anyone who has wild ideas by providing constructive criticisms that ideally makes “idea starters” even better, whatever your work position might be, ideals in life or gender identity.
- As part of one of the most creative departments in Sprout, I never encounter biased treatment in my field of work that would hinder me to flourish just because of my personal preferences. Creating a safe place for all the employees makes it easier to work. It is easier said than done, but sad to say there are companies out there who’d make fun of you simply because of who you are and I am grateful that Sprout isn’t one of them.
What are you most proud of as a Rockstar and as a positive representation of the LGBTQ+ community?
- To see people change in a way that they give light to others because of the influence and guidance you have given them. Even if sometimes they don’t see it at the onset, it really paves way in showing a different side of their personality. I have seen rockstars adapt to the most uncomfortable meetings/activities/situations and turn it into something positive, and it gives me pride and joy that at some point in their lives, I was part of their growth.
What is your message for this year’s Pride Month?
- Enjoy life, both the good and bad. I have been watching LGBTQIA movies and the life our community had in the 70’s and 80’s, can get you jailed or worse, killed by just being who you are.
- Do not hinder yourself in growing and we should always be thankful to live now in the time where you can freely express yourself. It’s still not 100% pure acceptance but this generation is a better place to live. Life has a lot to offer, it’s just a matter of how you would take it. Be proud of who you are because it should start from within. You are strong and you are enough!
Very inspirational messages Keiji, we are happy to feature you in this year’s Pride Month Campaign!
Shang Trinidad
Last but not the least, we are featuring our very own Head of People Operations, Shang!
Again, we asked her the same questions and this was what transpired:
How has Sprout been a safe space for you?
- From Day 1, Sprout embraces the culture of diversity and inclusion, creating an environment in which people are able to flourish professionally and personally, regardless of their backgrounds, gender preferences and identities, and such. I have never felt like I should hide who I am or be ashamed of it because everyone, including the Founders and Top Management, are all accepting and respectful.
What are you most proud of as a Rockstar and as a positive representation of the LGBTQ+ community?
- I am proud to be in my line of work and still be able to accomplish a lot of things with the help and support of my team, my colleagues and our management, my family and my friends, and of course, my partner. I am proud that I can express my true self, live my identity, share my ideas and be an advocate for myself and for others without fear of repercussions or discrimination.
What is your message for this year’s Pride Month?
- Safe space is not for people to retreat to and hide; safe space is a welcoming, supportive and safe environment for all people, including the LGBTQIA+ community. We still have a long way to go, but we're getting there! Happy Pride Month, mga mahal! You are loved. You are valid. Not just today, but everyday.
We feel very warm with those heart-filled messages, Shang!
Sprout Allies
Atty. Lester Nazarene Ople
And now we have our very own Head of Business Development in Sprout, Atty. Lester!
We sat down with him and asked him a few questions about Pride and this is what transpired.
What does being an ally mean?
- Being an Ally means embracing diversity in all its forms. It means a personal commitment to accept everyone regardless of SOGIE.
How can you be a safe space for members of the LGBTQ+ community?
- I can be a safe space by being aware that words have power, and that being mindful in the choice of words in my interactions with LGBTQIA+ friends, colleagues, and acquaintances is not just compliance with the Safe Space Law, but that this is being an Ally to the community.
What ‘s your message for this year’s pride month?
- You can be loud and out or reserved about your SOGIE. Either way, Allies will be there for you.
As a very progressive company, we love those statements Atty. Les!
Atty. Arlene De Castro
To further support our celebration of Pride Month, we now have our Vice President of Operations here in Sprout, Atty. Arlene!
We asked her a few questions and these were her responses:
What does being an ally mean?
- Being an ally means being a friend. A friend not only listens but proactively supports another’s fight. It becomes their fight as well. In this case, it means fighting for gender equality and challenging homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.
How can you be a safe space for members of the LGBTQ+ community?
- Acceptance. Respect. Love. In the workplace, I can be a safe space by implementing policies around equal employment opportunity. No person, regardless of sexual orientation, must be discriminated against. I can also be a safe space by acknowledging the challenges that they are experiencing and ensuring that their mental health is not ignored.
What ‘s your message for this year’s pride month?
- If you feel like you have been rejected, discriminated against, or dismissed, just remember that the battle may have been lost but the war isn’t over yet. Thank you for making this world more colorful! The world will never be the same without you.
Wonderful responses Atty. Arlene, we love what you said!
Miggy Mapua
We have our very own winner of this year’s Sprout Evangelist, Miggy Mapua!
We asked him the same questions and these were his responses:
What does being an ally mean?
- Being an Ally means accepting people who are part of the LGBTQ+ community as they are or how they identify as and supporting their efforts for equality.
How can you be a safe space for members of the LGBTQ+ community?
- Being a safe space doesn’t mean overly expressing your support for the community. I believe that small simple acts such as listening can speak volumes. Being available when I can to those who need a shoulder to lean on and listen to what they could be going through without being judged, I believe, will be meaningful and create a safe space for those from the community.
What ‘s your message for this year’s pride month?
- I admire your confidence and bravery for being true to who you are. Keep going!
Very inspiring responses you gave there Miggy, may we take this opportunity to express that we support everyone to keep going and keep being true to who you are.
Keara Eugenio
Last of our batch of allies featured this year is Keara! Our Digital Marketing Associate here in Sprout!
We sat down and asked her a few questions, here were her responses:
What does being an ally mean?
- Being an ally means more than accepting but actively defending and fighting for their rights and freedom. We may not be part of the community, we should use our voices to amplify theirs.
How can you be a safe space for members of the LGBTQ+ community?
- A safe space for me is somewhere I feel loved, respected, accepted, and heard and these are exactly the kinds of values I will hold on to for the people in the community.
What ‘s your message for this year’s pride month?
- Whatever others say, embrace your true self and be authentically and unapologetically you!
We second the motion, Keara! We also want to express that you should embrace your true self and be authentically and unapologetically you!
To know more about Sprout’s culture, visit this link. And to know more about Sprout’s products and how it helps organizations around the country, click here.
Cheers!
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