Inside Sony Music
- Sony Music Group Celebrates Pride ‘23
- Jun 30, 2023
During the month of June, people in different parts of the world celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community with pride and raise awareness of the ongoing pursuit of equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other people who identify within the spectrum. This year we’re embracing the theme “Pride and Joy.”
At Sony Music Group (SMG), we believe that when everyone belongs, creativity is amplified. We’re committed to promoting a fair and consciously inclusive workplace for all genders and will continue to support initiatives designed to advance the LGBTQIA+ community. That’s why, throughout Pride Month, we celebrated LGBTQIA+ representation through various internal events that empowered LGBTQIA+ team members to lead with impact—authentically.
Celebrating the LGBTQIA+ Community With Pride and Joy
SMG’s Talent Advisory Groups (TAGs) OutLoud and The Village kicked off our Pride Month activities by hosting a virtual conversation with Anne Sutkowi-Hemstreet, the founder and director of Rainbow Collective for Change (RCC), an organization aimed at supporting LGBTQIA+ and gender-inclusive families. Throughout the event, Sutkowi-Hemstreet detailed various ways families can foster LGBTQIA+ friendly environments for children through educating oneself on gender stereotypes, the importance of gender inclusion, and championing for advocacy organizations including ACLU and the Human Rights Campaign.
SMG team members participated with their local communities to show up and show out for Pride from the East Coast to the West Coast. Beginning in Culver City, CA, members took to the streets to march at the 53rd annual Los Angeles Pride Parade, alongside their peers at Sony Pictures Entertainment. In Nashville, TN, they showed off their pride and joy together at the 2023 Nashville Pride Parade. Check out some of our favorite highlights from both events below:
Our celebrations continued in our New York City office with OutLoud’s annual Pride Month Party, where teammates gathered to celebrate with food, drinks, giveaways and a special performance by Columbia Records artist, INIKO. Take a look:
A huge thank you to Sutkowi-Hemstreet, INIKO and SAGE—the world’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQIA+ elders—for joining us for our Pride and Joy celebrations. And a big round of applause to OutLoud and The Village for contributing to this month’s events and activities. Thank you for making this Pride Month a joyful celebration of LGBTQIA+ inclusion, representation and empowerment.
Supporting of LGBTQIA+ Community Beyond Pride Month
Though Pride Month is coming to a close, SMG’s efforts to support the LGBTQIA+ community grow every day, all year round. Through our Global Social Justice Fund, our support continues with aiding various LGBTQIA+ advocacy organizations, including those listed below:
- National Black Justice Coalition: NBJC’s mission is to end racism, homophobia, and LGBTQIA+/SGL bias and stigma. NBJC supports Black individuals, families, and communities in strengthening the bonds and bridging the gaps between the movements for racial justice and LGBTQIA+/SGL equity.
- Marsha P. Johnson Institute: The Marsha P. Johnson Institute (MPJI) protects and defends the human rights of BLACK transgender people. We do this by organizing, advocating, creating an intentional community to heal, developing transformative leadership, and promoting our collective power.
- Ally Coalition: The Ally Coalition provides critical support for organizations dedicated to bettering the lives of LGBTQIA+ youth and raises awareness about the systemic inequalities facing the LGBTQIA+ population.
- Transgender Law Center: The Transgender Law Center changes law, policy, and attitudes so that all people can live safely, authentically, and free from discrimination regardless of their gender identity or expression.
