Pride at WestJet with Chuck Crowder
June is Pride month and at WestJet we are proud of the diverse identities that make up WestJet’s world. This month we interviewed four WestJetters who are proud members of the LGBTQ2+ community and asked them to share their personal stories and tell us about what pride means to them.
Kicking off the month, is Chuck Crowder, WestJet Vice-President, Sales and Distribution.
What does pride mean to you?
To me pride is twofold; it means empowering everyone to feel their voice is important and listening and celebrating those voices that might differ from our own. Our differences in background, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation should be celebrated and embraced. It is our collective responsibility, to give everyone a voice and celebrate the diverse identities that surround us, not just in June while celebrating Pride month, but 365 days a year.
How do you #ShowYourPride at work, year-round?
As a leader my job is to be inclusive of everyone and to learn from my team, just as much as I aim to educate them. How we show up at work is reflective of our diverse identities; some of us are louder, some are quieter but all of our voices are equally important. It is my responsibility to create an environment across my team that encourages everyone to bring their whole, authentic selves to work every day and foster a culture that encourages everyone to feel comfortable in expressing themselves and sharing their ideas. I am so fortunate to lead many teams at WestJet and I count myself lucky to work with a diverse group of people who provide incredible perspective and insight.
How will you be celebrating Pride month?
My favourite Pride memory was two years ago. I attended the World Pride event in New York City and witnessed people from all over the world converge in one city to celebrate the unique differences of one another.
Obviously, things look so different this year and unfortunately the Pride parades we look forward to won’t be occurring as they usually do here in Canada. In the absence of attending events, I am using this month as an important opportunity to further educate myself on the history and diverse identities that make up the LGBTQ2+ community, and I encourage others to do the same. All of us have the opportunity to continue learning and transcend our thinking to be more accepting and inclusive of one another.
