During Pride Month here at Liberty, we celebrate the diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community while recognizing their achievements and contributions in the utility workforce. Liberty is committed to supporting the health and well-being of all members of the LGBTQIA+ community and want to remind you about our Friends of Liberty Employee Resource Group. Friends of Liberty’s mission is to provide a comfortable, safe place for employees to connect while focusing on education and representation of the LGBTQIA+ community.
In today’s blog post, we would like to share the stories from two of our employees, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and Friends of Liberty ERG.
I am Cherishe Barbee, and I started with Liberty in 2015 in the Regulatory department. When I am not working, I’m spending time with my husband and our two daughters. We love to be outside. Gardening, hiking, camping, and going to the beach are a few of our favorites.
I joined Friends of Liberty because inclusivity and acceptance are extremely important to me. I have been an ally for as long as I can remember (my dad, aunt, uncle, and best friend just to name a few are a part of the community) and I want to be part of spreading the message that a person’s value is not determined by their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Growing up, I didn’t think anything of it, to me it was normal because I was around my dad and his partner and my family members and their partners, but I had friends who didn’t always understand or say the nicest things. I want to be a part of the change, to help promote awareness and decrease prejudices. This ERG brings people together and is a safe place for all.
- Cherishe Barbee | Analyst III, Rates and Regulatory Affairs
Hello! My name is Amanda Holt. My pronouns are She/Her. I am Panromantic Demisexual. For those who are learning new terms, that is broken down into Panroma meaning the potential to feel romantic attraction to people of any gender (Female, Male, Trans, Gender Fluid, or Enby) but only feel (Demi)sexual attraction to people they have close bonds with.?I am a Central Region Employee; I work IT helpdesk. I am totally techie and spend a lot of time working on computers, even outside of the job. If not working on tech stuff, I spend lots of time with my family and my partner.?I have only been at Liberty for a year now, and every day I am impressed with my fellow employees and the pure diversity that Liberty has and supports.
I joined Friends of Liberty because I was just so ecstatic that the company, I started with had things going on in Pride and supports the community. This was the first company where I didn’t feel like I needed to hide or keep my status private as being part of the LGBTQIA+ Community. There is always a fear, a fear of rejection, and a fear of action from those who do not support. That comes with being part of the LGBTQIA+, but this company’s way of opening up communication and showing that differences don’t matter, but the people themselves, are a good solid step. Love is Love, and it shows here at Liberty.
- Amanda Holt | Associate, Service Desk