We All Belong: Brio Living Services Participates in Local Pride Festivals

On June 28, 1969, the New York Police Department raided the Stonewall Inn, in Greenwich Village, an establishment frequented by the gay and lesbian community. This raid escalated, sparking six days of protests and violent clashes throughout the neighborhood. This event catapulted the gay rights movement to front-page news worldwide. One year later, on June 28, 1970, the first Gay Pride Parade took place in New York City to commemorate this event.

Today, Pride Month in June continues to honor the profound contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community to history, society, and cultures worldwide. At Brio Living Services, we celebrate Pride Month as part of our Guiding Value of Inclusiveness:

We welcome all, regardless of faith, national origin, or any aspect of human diversity, and want all who live, work, and receive services with us to feel welcomed, embraced, and invited to participate.

This year, Brio’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee hosted a booth at Grand Rapids Pride Festival on Saturday, June 22, in downtown Grand Rapids. (Look for us tomorrow, June 29, at Jackson Pride Fest at Horace Blackman Park, W. Michigan Avenue and S. Jackson St., Jackson, MI 49201 from noon to 6:00p.m.)

Katie Eitzen, Wellness Guide at Porter Hills Village and DEI Committee member, helped organize the Brio booth at Grand Rapids Pride Festival, and more than a dozen Brio and UMRC-Porter Hills Foundation team members volunteered throughout the day. Activities at the booth included winning prizes, applying temporary tattoos, and sharing information about making a career at Brio Living Services.

“I just wanted to take the time to say THANK YOU!” says Francisco Rivera, CNA and Health Center Scheduling Coordinator for Brio Living Services’ Green House® Homes in Grand Rapids. “I have been working for this organization for 17 years, and I have never seen any involvement in Pride. This truly makes me happy about the company I work for! Thanks for being super stars!”

“Hearing from our team members like Francisco is what makes our participation at the Pride Festival so important,” says Katie. “The simple act of ‘showing up’ for our community means so much. Brio’s participation at Pride Festival puts our words into action. If even one person—whether a team member, resident, or family member—feels seen and valued by our involvement at the Pride Festival, it is worth it. Inclusiveness is such an important aspect of the work we do at Brio Living Services, and it is central to our vision of empowering all to age well. ”

Learn more about why Brio Living Services’ 23 communities and service lines across lower Michigan are great places to live, work, and participate!