Happy Pride Month! At SailPoint, we’re proud to celebrate and honor our incredible crew in the LGBTQIA+ community. Their voices and contributions help make our workplace more vibrant and inclusive. Read on to hear from three crew members as we celebrate Pride this month, and all throughout the year!
Tell us about yourself. How long you have worked at SailPoint, and what’s your role?
Xavier: My name is Xavier Aguilar (He/Him/His) and I have been with SailPoint for about three years now. I am a member of our Deal Desk on the revenue operations side of SailPoint. We provide valuable assistance to our sales teams, as well as act as liaisons between our legal, products, and pricing teams (to name a few).
Star: My name is Star Wang. I’m based in Sydney and have been working in our talent acquisition team for our APAC Go-To-Market team for over two years.
Lisa: My name is Lisa Badalamenti (She/Her/Hers) and I’m new to SailPoint, two months in and loving it! I’m a Program Manager for the Partner Education Sales and GTM team.
How do you celebrate Pride Month?
Xavier: I celebrate Pride by simply existing. I am unashamed of holding my partner’s hand in public or showing him affection in front of our family and friends. I proudly wear my SailPoint “Y’all Means All” shirt when I go grocery shopping. Sure, I get the occasional sneer or glare from strangers, but it is important for me to not let that kind of attention affect me negatively and it pales in comparison to all the compliments on it too. I know that even the smallest of lights can shine brightly amongst the deepest darkness.
Star: I’m a member of Sydney Frontrunners, who provide encouragement, support and community to LGBTQ+ people and friends with regular running and walking activities. I am celebrating Pride Month by joining club members for Saturday morning runs. We also are doing Pride 5km Walk / Run to raise funds for PrideAbility, a social support group for LGBTQ+ people with intellectual disability on Saturday, June 29th. My wife is also going to join our after sessions to show her support.
Lisa: My wife, son and I attended our local town’s Pride festival and read books about diverse families throughout the month.
What does Pride mean to you?
Xavier: Pride, to me, means living your authentic self without shame. A sense of self-respect. It is important for me to be visible in society. Ignorance of the unknown is a massive contributor to anti-LGBTQ+ mindsets. We are not monsters set on destroying the world, we are human beings. I believe that if others can see that I am happy being alive, being me, that love, and acceptance can unite us as a stronger society.
Star: Pride to me means promoting and increasing the visibility of the LGBTQ+ social group. That makes me even more satisfied with my work and proud of my organization.
Lisa: My identity has always been a prideful thing that I carry, throughout my personal life and work life, and has influenced my professional journey by continually keeping a focus on including diversity in the workplace both for my immediate team and the company itself. Pride to me means being your authentic self, showing up however you are and whoever you are without regard for what others think. It means being true, happy, and honest with yourself and the world.
What encouraging words would you share to people about Pride month?
Xavier: You have the courage and strength to create the life you deserve; never give up.
Lisa: Pride month is a great time for recognizing our differences and similarities, and that ultimately love is love and this is a time to celebrate that!