Celebrating #Pride2021 at OPM

Here at OPM, we’ve been celebrating Pride alongside our LGBTQ+ employees all month long.

This year, our Employee Resource Group (ERG) for LGBTQ+ individuals and allies — the OPM Pride Alliance — selected “Embracing Ourselves, Each Other, and Families with Love and Pride” as their #Pride2021 theme.

From virtual backdrops to employee spotlights, employee programming and more, OPM showed its support. Here are just a few examples:

We joined our federal colleagues around the country, and around the world, in celebrating Pride Month. We raised the Pride flag for the first time in history at our Theodore Roosevelt Building headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Video of employees raising the Pride flag at the Theodore Roosevelt Building.

OPM’s Pride Alliance ERG developed virtual backdrops for LGBTQ+ employees and allies to show their support in an easy and fun way.

Sample virtual backdrops available for employees to use.

Throughout June, OPM employees across the country had the opportunity to partake in Pride Month programming.

This included a special fireside chat with then-Acting Director Kathy McGettigan and her daughter, talking about the realities and joys of growing up LGBTQ+ and coming out to your parents and loved ones.

The Pride Alliance ERG, in partnership with OPM Human Resources, also hosted a learning session about employee benefits and resources for LGBTQ+ families, including topics like starting a family and parenting LGBTQ+ kids.

Finally, at our June town hall we were honored to feature White House Senior Advisor on LGBTQ+ Engagement, Reggie Greer, as our special guest to speak about efforts underway across the federal government. Reggie later went on to provide a similar update to the entire world as part of an MSNBC special spotlighting historic LGBTQ+ Americans serving in the Biden-Harris Administration.

Reggie Greer (left), the White House Senior Advisor on LGBTQ+ engagement, explains the myriad ways in which the Biden White House is working to help the LGBTQ+ community. He also introduces host Jonathan Capehart (right) to out members of the administration working behind the scenes to advance equality.

Last, but certainly not least, we were honored to spotlight some of our own LGBTQ+ employees at OPM. Ed Ames, a Lead HR Specialist, and Julie Ionta, a Legal Administrative Specialist, shared their thoughts on what celebrating Pride Month means to them.

OPM employees Ed Ames and Julie Ionta share their thoughts on what LGBTQ+ Pride means to them.

No matter how you celebrated, we wish you a happy end to Pride Month!