Proudly In Awe

“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing we’ll ever do.” — Brené Brown

Happy Pride Month! I celebrate the joy of this month and the ability of a huge population of people to be openly proud of who they are. Recognizing that it hasn’t always been this way – and in fact many remind me that the LGBTQ community isn’t universally free from repression – I salute all of my friends, family, and colleagues who have, as Brené Brown said, owned their story and loved themselves through the process of realizing and living their true selves. Being one’s self shouldn’t be a brave thing to do. But so often it is.

Every year I consider the origins of pride month and every year I’m devastated by the pain that inspired it. It sprung from a six-day series of events in June of 1969 that was triggered when police unfairly raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club located in Greenwich Village. It was the culmination of a series of similar events that law enforcement officials justified because ridiculously oppressive laws made it illegal for individuals to dress a certain way and for gay people to be served alcohol. In fact, in 1969, homosexuality was still considered a criminal offense.

Imagine the bravery of those who took to the streets to protest the insanity of the laws, and who marched and shouted for six long days demanding to be heard. One year later, the first Pride Parade was launched. Twenty-four years later, the month of June is a time to celebrate and honor a community that is such an incredibly rich part of the human mosaic.

She Runs It exists to pave the way for more women to lead at every level of her career in marketing, media, and tech. We define “She” as any individual who faces the challenges and barriers that women face in work and in life. We stand proudly with the LGBTQ community and firmly against oppression in any form. This month, and every month.